High-Precision Half-life Measurements for the Superallowed β+ Emitter 14O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laffoley, A. T.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Blank, B.; Bouzomita, H.; Cross, D. S.; Diaz Varela, A.; Dunlop, R.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Giovinazzo, J.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Hadinia, B.; Jamieson, D. S.; Ketelhut, S.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; Tardiff, E. R.; Thomas, J. C.; Unsworth, C.

2014-03-01

The half-life of 14O, a superallowed Fermi β+ emitter, has been determined via simultaneous γ and β counting experiments at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator facility. Following the implantation of 14O samples at the center of the 8π spectrometer, a γ counting measurement was performed by detecting the 2313 keV γ-rays emitted from the first excited state of the daughter 14N using 20 high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. A simultaneous β counting experiment was performed using a fast plastic scintillator positioned directly behind the implantation site. The results, T½(γ) = 70:632 ± 0:094 s and T½(β) = 70:610 ± 0:030 s, are consistent with one another and, together with eight previous measurements, establish a new average for the 14O half-life of T½ = 70:619 ± 0:011 s with a reduced χ2 of 0.99.

High-precision half-life and branching-ratio measurements for superallowed Fermi β+ emitters at TRIUMF - ISAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laffoley, A. T.; Dunlop, R.; Finlay, P.; Grinyer, G. F.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Blank, B.; Bouzomita, H.; Chagnon-Lessard, S.; Chester, A.; Cross, D. S.; Demand, G.; Diaz Varela, A.; Djongolov, M.; Ettenauer, S.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Giovinazzo, J.; Glister, J.; Green, K. L.; Hackman, G.; Hadinia, B.; Jamieson, D. S.; Ketelhut, S.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; Pearson, C. J.; Phillips, A. A.; Rand, E. T.; Starosta, K.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Svensson, C. E.; Tardiff, E. R.; Thomas, J. C.; Towner, I. S.; Triambak, S.; Unsworth, C.; Williams, S. J.; Wong, J.; Yates, S. W.; Zganjar, E. F.

2014-03-01

A program of high-precision half-life and branching-ratio measurements for superallowed Fermi β emitters is being carried out at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) radioactive ion beam facility. Recent half-life measurements for the superallowed decays of 14O, 18Ne, and 26Alm, as well as branching-ratio measurements for 26Alm and 74Rb are reported. These results provide demanding tests of the Standard Model and the theoretical isospin symmetry breaking (ISB) corrections in superallowed Fermi β decays.

Half-life of Xe120

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, A. A.; Andreoiu, C.; Ball, G. C.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Behr, J. A.; Chupp, T. E.; Finlay, P.; Garrett, P. E.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Hayden, M. E.; Hyland, B.; Nuss-Warren, S. R.; Pearson, M. R.; Schumaker, M. A.; Smith, M. B.; Svensson, C. E.; Tardiff, E. R.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.; Warner, T.

2006-08-01

We have measured the half-life of Xe120 using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector to monitor the 176, 178, and 762 keV γ rays from Xe120 β+ decay. The result, 46±0.6 min, differs significantly from the value 40±1 min reported by Andersson [Ark. Fys. 28, 37 (1964)]. We have also measured the half-lives of Cs120 and I120 to be 60±0.7 s and 82.1±0.6 min, respectively, both of which are consistent with previous measurements.

The half-life of 218Po.

PubMed

Martz, D E; Harris, R T; Langner, G H

1989-07-01

Direct observation of the 218Po alpha-peak decay with a microcomputer-controlled alpha-spectrometer yielded a mean half-life value of 3.040 +/- 0.008 min, where the error quoted represents twice the standard deviation of the means from 38 separate decay measurements. The 1912 and 1924 218Po half-life measurements, which provided the 3.05-min value listed in nuclear tables for the past 60 y, are critically reviewed. Two more recent experiments, which yielded longer values of 3.11 min (Van Hise et al. 1982) and 3.093 min (Potapov and Soloshenkov 1986), are also discussed.

Improved measurement of the half-life of the J π = 8 - nuclear isomer 152m2 Eu

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

Humby, Peter; Simon, Anna; Beausang, C. W.

2015-02-23

The standard γ-ray energy calibration source 152Eu is well known based on the 13.5 y decay of its ground state. Nevertheless, in addition to this decay 152Eu also has two relatively long-lived isomeric states: a 9 h J π=0 - state at E *=46 keV and a 96 min J π=8 - state at E *=148 keV. Here we report a new measurement of the half-lives of both of these isomeric states. Excited states in 152Eu were populated following the 154Sm (p,3n) reaction using a 25 MeV proton beam from the K-150 cyclotron at the Cyclotron Institute of Texas A&Mmore » University. Post irradiation, γ rays from the de-excitation of the long lived isomeric states were measured using the six BGO shielded high-purity germanium (HPGe) clover detectors that are part of the STARLiTeR array. The half-life of the J π=8 - isomer 152m2Eu was obtained by measuring the decrease in intensity of the 90 keV γ ray from the cascade to the ground state. The half-life of this state was measured to be 95.8(4) min which is in agreement with and significantly more precise than the previously measured value of 96(1) min. In a manner similar to the ground state the second long-lived isomer 151m1Eu, the J π=0 - state at 46 keV, β decays to excited states in 152Gd and 152Sm. Also, the half-life of this state was measured to be 9.39(7) h using five γ-ray transitions.« less

High-Precision Half-Life Measurement for the Superallowed β+ Emitter Alm26

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlay, P.; Ettenauer, S.; Ball, G. C.; Leslie, J. R.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Cross, D. S.; Demand, G.; Djongolov, M.; Garrett, P. E.; Green, K. L.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Leach, K. G.; Pearson, C. J.; Phillips, A. A.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Triambak, S.; Williams, S. J.

2011-01-01

A high-precision half-life measurement for the superallowed β+ emitter Alm26 was performed at the TRIUMF-ISAC radioactive ion beam facility yielding T1/2=6346.54±0.46stat±0.60systms, consistent with, but 2.5 times more precise than, the previous world average. The Alm26 half-life and ft value, 3037.53(61) s, are now the most precisely determined for any superallowed β decay. Combined with recent theoretical corrections for isospin-symmetry-breaking and radiative effects, the corrected Ft value for Alm26, 3073.0(12) s, sets a new benchmark for the high-precision superallowed Fermi β-decay studies used to test the conserved vector current hypothesis and determine the Vud element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix.

High-Precision Half-Life Measurements for the Superallowed Fermi β+ Emitters 14O and 18Ne

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laffoley, A. T.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Bender, P. C.; Bidaman, H.; Bildstein, V.; Blank, B.; Bouzomita, H.; Cross, D. S.; Deng, G.; Diaz Varela, A.; Dunlop, M. R.; Dunlop, R.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P.; Giovinazzo, J.; Grinyer, G. F.; Grinyer, J.; Hadinia, B.; Jamieson, D. S.; Jigmeddorj, B.; Ketelhut, S.; Kisliuk, D.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; MacLean, A.; Miller, D.; Mills, B.; Moukaddam, M.; Radich, A. J.; Rajabali, M. M.; Rand, E. T.; Svensson, C. E.; Tardiff, E.; Thomas, J. C.; Turko, J.; Voss, P.; Unsworth, C.

High-precision half-life measurements, at the level of ±0.04%, for the superallowed Fermi emitters 14O and 18Ne have been performed at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator facility. Using 3 independent detector systems, a gas-proportional counter, a fast plastic scintillator, and a high-purity germanium array, a series of direct β and γ counting measurements were performed for each of the isotopes. In the case of 14O, these measurements were made to help resolve an existing discrepancy between detection methods, whereas for 18Ne the half-life precision has been improved in anticipation of forthcoming high-precision branching ratio measurements.

Precision half-life measurement of 11C: The most precise mirror transition F t value

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valverde, A. A.; Brodeur, M.; Ahn, T.; Allen, J.; Bardayan, D. W.; Becchetti, F. D.; Blankstein, D.; Brown, G.; Burdette, D. P.; Frentz, B.; Gilardy, G.; Hall, M. R.; King, S.; Kolata, J. J.; Long, J.; Macon, K. T.; Nelson, A.; O'Malley, P. D.; Skulski, M.; Strauss, S. Y.; Vande Kolk, B.

2018-03-01

Background: The precise determination of the F t value in T =1 /2 mixed mirror decays is an important avenue for testing the standard model of the electroweak interaction through the determination of Vu d in nuclear β decays. 11C is an interesting case, as its low mass and small QE C value make it particularly sensitive to violations of the conserved vector current hypothesis. The present dominant source of uncertainty in the 11CF t value is the half-life. Purpose: A high-precision measurement of the 11C half-life was performed, and a new world average half-life was calculated. Method: 11C was created by transfer reactions and separated using the TwinSol facility at the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. It was then implanted into a tantalum foil, and β counting was used to determine the half-life. Results: The new half-life, t1 /2=1220.27 (26 ) s, is consistent with the previous values but significantly more precise. A new world average was calculated, t1/2 world=1220.41 (32 ) s, and a new estimate for the Gamow-Teller to Fermi mixing ratio ρ is presented along with standard model correlation parameters. Conclusions: The new 11C world average half-life allows the calculation of a F tmirror value that is now the most precise value for all superallowed mixed mirror transitions. This gives a strong impetus for an experimental determination of ρ , to allow for the determination of Vu d from this decay.

High-precision half-life measurements of the T =1 /2 mirror β decays 17F and 33Cl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinyer, J.; Grinyer, G. F.; Babo, M.; Bouzomita, H.; Chauveau, P.; Delahaye, P.; Dubois, M.; Frigot, R.; Jardin, P.; Leboucher, C.; Maunoury, L.; Seiffert, C.; Thomas, J. C.; Traykov, E.

2015-10-01

Background: Measurements of the f t values for T =1 /2 mirror β+ decays offer a method to test the conserved vector current hypothesis and to determine Vud, the up-down matrix element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. In most mirror decays used for these tests, uncertainties in the f t values are dominated by the uncertainties in the half-lives. Purpose: Two precision half-life measurements were performed for the T =1 /2 β+ emitters, 17F and 33Cl, in order to eliminate the half-life as the leading source of uncertainty in their f t values. Method: Half-lives of 17F and 33Cl were determined using β counting of implanted radioactive ion beam samples on a moving tape transport system at the Système de Production d'Ions Radioactifs Accélérés en Ligne low-energy identification station at the Grand Accélérateur National d'Ions Lourds. Results: The 17F half-life result, 64.347 (35) s, precise to ±0.05 % , is a factor of 5 times more precise than the previous world average. The half-life of 33Cl was determined to be 2.5038 (22) s. The current precision of ±0.09 % is nearly 2 times more precise compared to the previous world average. Conclusions: The precision achieved during the present measurements implies that the half-life no longer dominates the uncertainty of the f t values for both T =1 /2 mirror decays 17F and 33Cl.

High-precision half-life measurements for the superallowed Fermi β+ emitter 14O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laffoley, A. T.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Blank, B.; Bouzomita, H.; Cross, D. S.; Diaz Varela, A.; Dunlop, R.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Giovinazzo, J.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Hadinia, B.; Jamieson, D. S.; Ketelhut, S.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; Tardiff, E.; Thomas, J. C.; Unsworth, C.

2013-07-01

The half-life of the superallowed Fermi β+ emitter 14O has been determined via simultaneous direct β and γ counting experiments at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) facility. A γ-ray counting measurement was performed by detecting the 2312.6-keV γ rays emitted from an excited state of the daughter 14N following the implantation of samples at the center of the 8π γ-ray spectrometer, a spherical array of 20 high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. A simultaneous β counting experiment was performed using a fast plastic scintillator positioned behind the implantation site with a solid angle coverage of ˜20%. The results, T1/2(β)=70.610±0.030s and T1/2(γ)=70.632±0.094s, form a consistent set and, together with eight previous measurements, establish a new average for the 14O half-life of T1/2=70.619±0.011s with a reduced χ2 of 0.99.

Determination of photon emission probability for the main gamma ray and half-life measurements of 64Cu.

PubMed

Pibida, L; Zimmerman, B; Bergeron, D E; Fitzgerald, R; Cessna, J T; King, L

2017-11-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) performed new standardization measurements for 64 Cu. As part of this work the photon emission probability for the main gamma-ray line and the half-life were determined using several high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. Half-life determinations were also carried out with a NaI(Tl) well counter and two pressurized ionization chambers. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PEPlife: A Repository of the Half-life of Peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, Deepika; Prakash, Satya; Anand, Priya; Kaur, Harpreet; Agrawal, Piyush; Mehta, Ayesha; Kumar, Rajesh; Singh, Sandeep; Raghava, Gajendra P. S.

2016-11-01

Short half-life is one of the key challenges in the field of therapeutic peptides. Various studies have reported enhancement in the stability of peptides using methods like chemical modifications, D-amino acid substitution, cyclization, replacement of labile aminos acids, etc. In order to study this scattered data, there is a pressing need for a repository dedicated to the half-life of peptides. To fill this lacuna, we have developed PEPlife (http://crdd.osdd.net/raghava/peplife), a manually curated resource of experimentally determined half-life of peptides. PEPlife contains 2229 entries covering 1193 unique peptides. Each entry provides detailed information of the peptide, like its name, sequence, half-life, modifications, the experimental assay for determining half-life, biological nature and activity of the peptide. We also maintain SMILES and structures of peptides. We have incorporated web-based modules to offer user-friendly data searching and browsing in the database. PEPlife integrates numerous tools to perform various types of analysis such as BLAST, Smith-Waterman algorithm, GGSEARCH, Jalview and MUSTANG. PEPlife would augment the understanding of different factors that affect the half-life of peptides like modifications, sequence, length, route of delivery of the peptide, etc. We anticipate that PEPlife will be useful for the researchers working in the area of peptide-based therapeutics.

Re-measuring the half-life of ^60Fe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collon, Philippe; Stolz, Andreas; Austin, Sam; Couder, Manoel; Ahmad, Irshad; Greene, John; Robertson, Daniel; Schmitt, Chris; Bowers, Matt; Lu, Wenting; Post, Kirk; Carilli, Michael

2009-10-01

A recent experiment both at PSI and at Munich on the ^60Fe lifetime points to a T1/2 for ^60Fe that is possibly 70% higher (i.e. ˜2.6x10^6 years) than the presently accepted value (1.5x10^6 years). ^60Fe is mainly produced in core collapse supernovae explosions and these new results open up a number of questions as many factors scale with this number; from the ^60Fe abundance determination with gamma ray telescope measurements to recent ^60Fe(n, γ) cross section studies. We are presently working on a double-pronged attempt at re-measuring this half-life using the ``old'' AMS technique used by the Kutschera group in 1984 as well as a low-background activity measurement on the growth of ^60Co from the decay of ^60Fe. Both rely however on a clean production of a ^60Fe sample as measurements rely on measuring the ^60Co decay γ-line from ^60Co produced by the decay of ^60Fe. Beam time was made available at the NSCL to produce a well characterized ^60Fe sample at the focal plane of the A1900. The ^60Fe ions were implanted in a high purity Al target. We will report the results from this run as well as from the chemical separation of the ^60Fe and first measurements of the sample.

Static and dynamic half-life and lifetime molecular turnover of enzymes.

PubMed

Miyawaki, Osato; Kanazawa, Tsukasa; Maruyama, Chika; Dozen, Michiko

2017-01-01

The static half-life of an enzyme is the half-life of a free enzyme not working without substrate and the dynamic half-life is that of an active enzyme working with plenty amount of substrate. These two half-lives were measured and compared for glucoamylase (GA) and β-galactosidase (BG). The dynamic half-life was much longer than the static half-life by one to three orders of magnitude for both enzymes. For BG, the half-life of the enzyme physically entrapped in a membrane reactor was also measured. In this case also, the half-life of BG in the membrane reactor was much longer than the free enzyme without substrate. These results suggest the large difference in stabilities between the free enzyme and the enzyme-substrate complex. This may be related to the natural enzyme metabolism. According to the difference in half-life, the lifetime molecular turnover (LMT), which is the number of product molecules produced by a single molecule of enzyme until it loses its activity completely, was much higher by one to four orders of magnitude for the active enzyme than the free enzyme. The concept of LMT, proposed here, will be important in bioreactor operations with or without immobilization. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-precision half-life determination for the superallowed β+ emitter Ga62

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinyer, G. F.; Finlay, P.; Svensson, C. E.; Ball, G. C.; Leslie, J. R.; Austin, R. A. E.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Chaffey, A.; Chakrawarthy, R. S.; Garrett, P. E.; Hackman, G.; Hyland, B.; Kanungo, R.; Leach, K. G.; Mattoon, C. M.; Morton, A. C.; Pearson, C. J.; Phillips, A. A.; Ressler, J. J.; Sarazin, F.; Savajols, H.; Schumaker, M. A.; Wong, J.

2008-01-01

The half-life of the superallowed β+ emitter Ga62 has been measured at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator facility using a fast-tape-transport system and 4π continuous-flow gas proportional counter to detect the positrons from the decay of Ga62 to the daughter Zn62. The result, T1/2=116.100±0.025 ms, represents the most precise measurement to date (0.022%) for any superallowed β-decay half-life. When combined with six previous measurements of the Ga62 half-life, a new world average of T1/2=116.121±0.021 ms is obtained. This new half-life measurement results in a 20% improvement in the precision of the Ga62 superallowed ft value while reducing its mean by 0.9σ to ft=3074.3(12) s. The impact of this half-life measurement on precision tests of the CVC hypothesis and isospin symmetry breaking corrections for A⩾62 superallowed decays is discussed.

A new measurement of the half-life of (166m)Ho.

PubMed

Nedjadi, Y; Bailat, C; Caffari, Y; Froidevaux, P; Wastiel, C; Kivel, N; Guenther-Leopold, I; Triscone, G; Jaquenod, F; Bochud, F

2012-09-01

The work presented here is a new and precise measurement of the half-life of (166m)Ho by determining the activity concentration, using an ionisation chamber calibrated for this nuclide, and measuring the number of (166m)Ho atoms using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). Since the isotope (166)Er interferes with the mass spectrometric measurement, Er has to be eliminated from the (166m)Ho radioactive solution. The elimination was achieved using ion-exchange chromatography with the cation exchange resin Dowex AG 50W-X8 and 2-Hydroxybutanoic acid as the mobile phase. After a first transit through the chromatographic column, the purified (166m)Ho eluate was spiked with natural Er to get a resulting Er isotopic composition close to that of natural Er at better than 99.5%, and then it underwent two further separations to eliminate the Er. The activity concentration of this Er-free radioactive (166m)Ho solution was measured in our reference ionisation chamber calibrated for this nuclide by means of the 4πβ(PC)-γ and 4πβ(PS)-4πγ coincidence techniques and integral counting with a well-type NaI(Tl) detector and Monte Carlo efficiencies. An aliquot of this standardized solution was sent to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) for mass concentration determination using an isotope dilution MC-ICP-MS approach. The mass concentration of (166m)Ho in this solution was determined with 0.25% relative standard uncertainty. This value was corroborated by two other independent measurements. The new half-life of (166m)Ho, 1132.6(39) years (k=1), is compatible with the value determined in 1965, but is 5.6% shorter and about 43 times more precise. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultra-High Precision Half-Life Measurement for the Superallowed &+circ; Emitter ^26Al^m

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlay, P.; Demand, G.; Garrett, P. E.; Leach, K. G.; Phillips, A. A.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Svensson, C. E.; Triambak, S.; Grinyer, G. F.; Leslie, J. R.; Andreoiu, C.; Cross, D.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Djongolov, M.; Ettenauer, S.; Hackman, G.; Pearson, C. J.; Williams, S. J.

2009-10-01

The calculated nuclear structure dependent correction for ^26Al^m (δC-δNS= 0.305(27)% [1]) is smaller by nearly a factor of two than the other twelve precision superallowed cases, making it an ideal case to pursue a reduction in the experimental errors contributing to the Ft value. An ultra-high precision half-life measurement for the superallowed &+circ; emitter ^26Al^m has been made at the Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) facility at TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada. A beam of ˜10^5 ^26Al^m/s was delivered in October 2007 and its decay was observed using a 4π continuous gas flow proportional counter as part of an ongoing experimental program in superallowed Fermi β decay studies. With a statistical precision of ˜0.008%, the present work represents the single most precise measurement of any superallowed half-life to date. [4pt] [1] I.S. Towner and J.C. Hardy, Phys. Rev. C 79, 055502 (2009).

Ultra-High Precision Half-Life Measurement for the Superallowed &+circ; Emitter ^26Al^m

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlay, P.; Demand, G.; Garrett, P. E.; Leach, K. G.; Phillips, A. A.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Svensson, C. E.; Triambak, S.; Ball, G. C.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Djongolov, M.; Ettenauer, S.; Hackman, G.; Pearson, C. J.; Williams, S. J.; Andreoiu, C.; Cross, D.; Austin, R. A. E.; Grinyer, G. F.; Leslie, J. R.

2008-10-01

The calculated nuclear structure dependent correction for ^26Al^m (δC-δNS= 0.305(27)% [1]) is smaller by nearly a factor of two than the other twelve precision superallowed cases, making it an ideal case to pursue a reduction in the experimental errors contributing to the Ft value. An ultra-high precision half-life measurement for the superallowed &+circ; emitter ^26Al^m has been made using a 4π continuous gas flow proportional counter as part of an ongoing experimental program in superallowed Fermi β decay studies at the Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) facility at TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada, which delivered a beam of ˜10^5 ^26Al^m/s in October 2007. With a statistical precision of ˜0.008%, the present work represents the single most precise measurement of any superallowed half-life to date. [1] I.S. Towner and J.C. Hardy, Phys. Rev. C 77, 025501 (2008).

Update of NIST half-life results corrected for ionization chamber source-holder instability.

PubMed

Unterweger, M P; Fitzgerald, R

2014-05-01

As reported at the ICRM 2011, it was discovered that the source holder used for calibrations in the NIST 4πγ ionization chamber (IC) was not stable. This has affected a large number of half-life measurement results previously reported and used in compilations of nuclear data. Corrections have been made on all of the half-life data based on the assumption that the changes to the ionization chamber response were gradual. The corrections are energy dependent and therefore radionuclide specific. This presentation will review our results and present the recommended changes in half-life values and/or uncertainties. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

High-Precision Half-Life and Branching Ratio Measurements for the Superallowed β+ Emitter 26Alm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlay, P.; Svensson, C. E.; Demand, G. A.; Garrett, P. E.; Green, K. L.; Leach, K. G.; Phillips, A. A.; Rand, E. T.; Ball, G.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Djongolov, M.; Ettenauer, S.; Hackman, G.; Pearson, C. J.; Leslie, J. R.; Andreoiu, C.; Cross, D.; Austin, R. A. E.; Grinyer, G. F.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Williams, S. J.; Triambak, S.

2013-03-01

High-precision half-life and branching-ratio measurements for the superallowed β+ emitter 26Alm were performed at the TRIUMF-ISAC radioactive ion beam facility. An upper limit of ≤ 15 ppm at 90% C.L. was determined for the sum of all possible non-analogue β+/EC decay branches of 26Alm, yielding a superallowed branching ratio of 100.0000+0-0.0015%. A value of T1/2 = 6:34654(76) s was determined for the 26Alm half-life which is consistent with, but 2.5 times more precise than, the previous world average. Combining these results with world-average measurements yields an ft value of 3037.58(60) s, the most precisely determined for any superallowed emitting nucleus to date. This high-precision ft value for 26Alm provides a new benchmark to refine theoretical models of isospin-symmetry-breaking effects in superallowed β decays.

Precise measurement of the half-life of the Fermi {beta} decay of {sup 26}Al{sup m}

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

Scott, Rebecca J.; Thompson, Maxwell N.; Rassool, Roger P.

2011-08-15

State-of-the-art signal digitization and analysis techniques have been used to measure the half-life of the Fermi {beta} decay of {sup 26}Al{sup m}. The half-life was determined to be 6347.8 {+-} 2.5 ms. This new datum contributes to the experimental testing of the conserved-vector-current hypothesis and the required unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix: two essential components of the standard model. Detailed discussion of the experimental techniques and data analysis and a thorough investigation of the statistical and systematic uncertainties are presented.

On the half-life of luminescence signals in dosimetric applications: A unified presentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagonis, V.; Kitis, G.; Polymeris, G. S.

2018-06-01

Luminescence signals from natural and man-made materials are widely used in dosimetric and dating applications. In general, there are two types of half-lives of luminescence signals which are of importance to experimental and modeling work in this research area. The first type of half-life is the time required for the population of the trapped charge in a single trap to decay to half its initial value. The second type of half-life is the time required for the luminescence intensity to drop to half of its initial value. While there a handful of analytical expressions available in the literature for the first type of half-life, there are no corresponding analytical expressions for the second type. In this work new analytical expressions are derived for the half-life of luminescence signals during continuous wave optical stimulation luminescence (CW-OSL) or isothermal luminescence (ITL) experiments. The analytical expressions are derived for several commonly used luminescence models which are based on delocalized transitions involving the conduction band: first and second order kinetics, empirical general order kinetics (GOK), mixed order kinetics (MOK) and the one-trap one-recombination center (OTOR) model. In addition, half-life expressions are derived for a different type of luminescence model, which is based on localized transitions in a random distribution of charges. The new half-life expressions contain two parts. The first part is inversely proportional to the thermal or optical excitation rate, and depends on the experimental conditions and on the cross section of the relevant luminescence process. The second part is characteristic of the optical and/or thermal properties of the material, as expressed by the parameters in the model. A new simple and quick method for analyzing luminescence signals is developed, and examples are given of applying the new method to a variety of dosimetric materials. The new test allows quick determination of whether a set of

Half-life of the superallowed β+ emitter Ne18

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinyer, G. F.; Smith, M. B.; Andreoiu, C.; Andreyev, A. N.; Ball, G. C.; Bricault, P.; Chakrawarthy, R. S.; Daoud, J. J.; Finlay, P.; Garrett, P. E.; Hackman, G.; Hyland, B.; Leslie, J. R.; Morton, A. C.; Pearson, C. J.; Phillips, A. A.; Schumaker, M. A.; Svensson, C. E.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.; Williams, S. J.; Zganjar, E. F.

2007-08-01

The half-life of Ne18 has been determined by detecting 1042-keV γ rays in the daughter F18 following the superallowed-Fermi β+ decay of samples implanted at the center of the 8πγ-ray spectrometer, a spherical array of 20 HPGe detectors. Radioactive Ne18 beams were produced on-line, mass-separated, and ionized using an electron-cyclotron-resonance ionization source at the ISAC facility at TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada. This is the first high-precision half-life measurement of a superallowed Fermi β decay to utilize both a large-scale HPGe spectrometer and the isotope separation on-line technique. The half-life of Ne18, 1.6656 ± 0.0019 s, deduced following a 1.4σ correction for detector pulse pile-up, is four times more precise than the previous world average. As part of an investigation into potential systematic effects, the half-life of the heavier isotope Ne23 was determined to be 37.11 ± 0.06 s, a factor of 2 improvement over the previous precision.

Precision half-life measurement of the 4-fold forbidden {beta} decay of {sup 50}V

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

Dombrowski, H.; Neumaier, S.; Zuber, K.

2011-05-15

A sensitive search of the 4-fold forbidden nonunique decay of {sup 50}V has been performed. A total mass measuring time product of 186 kg d has been accumulated. A reliable half-life value with the highest precision so far of (2.29{+-}0.25)x10{sup 17} years of the electron capture decay of {sup 50}V into the first excited state of {sup 50}Ti could be obtained. A photon emission line following the {beta} decay into the first excited state of {sup 50}Cr could not be observed, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of the {beta}-decay branch of 1.7x10{sup 18} years. This is notmore » in good agreement with a claimed observation of this decay branch published in 1989.« less

Pile-up corrections for high-precision superallowed β decay half-life measurements via γ-ray photopeak counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinyer, G. F.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Andreyev, A. N.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Chakrawarthy, R. S.; Finlay, P.; Garrett, P. E.; Hackman, G.; Hyland, B.; Kulp, W. D.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; Morton, A. C.; Pearson, C. J.; Phillips, A. A.; Sarazin, F.; Schumaker, M. A.; Smith, M. B.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.; Waddington, J. C.; Williams, S. J.; Wong, J.; Wood, J. L.; Zganjar, E. F.

2007-09-01

A general technique that corrects γ-ray gated β decay-curve data for detector pulse pile-up is presented. The method includes corrections for non-zero time-resolution and energy-threshold effects in addition to a special treatment of saturating events due to cosmic rays. This technique is verified through a Monte Carlo simulation and experimental data using radioactive beams of Na26 implanted at the center of the 8π γ-ray spectrometer at the ISAC facility at TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada. The β-decay half-life of Na26 obtained from counting 1809-keV γ-ray photopeaks emitted by the daughter Mg26 was determined to be T=1.07167±0.00055 s following a 27σ correction for detector pulse pile-up. This result is in excellent agreement with the result of a previous measurement that employed direct β counting and demonstrates the feasibility of high-precision β-decay half-life measurements through the use of high-purity germanium γ-ray detectors. The technique presented here, while motivated by superallowed-Fermi β decay studies, is general and can be used for all half-life determinations (e.g. α-, β-, X-ray, fission) in which a γ-ray photopeak is used to select the decays of a particular isotope.

Pharmacokinetic-based prediction of real-life dosing of extended half-life clotting factor concentrates on hemophilia

PubMed Central

Gherardini, Stefano

2018-01-01

The improvement of clotting factor concentrates (CFCs) has undergone an impressive boost during the last six years. Since 2010, several new recombinant factor (rF)VIII/IX concentrates entered phase I/II/III clinical trials. The improvements are related to the culture of human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, post-translational glycosylation, PEGylation, and co-expression of the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 or albumin genes in the manufacturing procedures. The extended half-life (EHL) CFCs allow an increase of the interval between bolus administrations during prophylaxis, a very important advantage for patients with difficulties in venous access. Although the inhibitor risk has not been fully established, phase III studies have provided standard prophylaxis protocols, which, compared with on-demand treatment, have achieved very low annualized bleeding rates (ABRs). The key pharmacokinetics (PK) parameter to tailor patient therapy is clearance, which is more reliable than the half-life of CFCs; the clearance considers the decay rate of the drug concentration–time profile, while the half-life considers only the half concentration of the drug at a given time. To tailor the prophylaxis of hemophilia patients in real-life, we propose two formulae (expressed in terms of the clearance, trough and dose interval between prophylaxis), respectively based on the one- and two-compartmental models (CMs), for the prediction of the optimal single dose of EHL CFCs. Once the data from the time decay of the CFCs are fitted by the one- or two-CMs after an individual PK analysis, such formulae provide to the treater the optimal trade-off among trough and time-intervals between boluses. In this way, a sufficiently long time-interval between bolus administration could be guaranteed for a wider class of patients, with a preassigned level of the trough. Finally, a PK approach using repeated dosing is discussed, and some examples with new EHL CFCs are shown

A calculation model to half-life estimate of two-proton radioactive decay process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavares, O. A. P.; Medeiros, E. L.

2018-04-01

Partial half-life of the radioactive decay by the two-proton emission mode has been estimated for proton-rich nuclei of mass number 18 < A < 68 by a model based on the quantum mechanical tunneling mechanism through a potential barrier. The Coulomb, centrifugal and overlapping contributions to the barrier have been considered within the spherical nucleus approximation. The present calculation method has been shown to be adequate in reproducing the existing experimental half-life data for 19Mg, 45Fe, 48Ni, and 54Zn 2p-emitter nuclides within a factor six. For 67Kr parent nucleus the calculated partial 2p-decay half-life has been found to be ten times greater than the recent, unique measured value at RIKEN Nishina Center. Prediction for new, yet unmeasured cases of two-proton radioactivity are also reported.

HALO--a Java framework for precise transcript half-life determination.

PubMed

Friedel, Caroline C; Kaufmann, Stefanie; Dölken, Lars; Zimmer, Ralf

2010-05-01

Recent improvements in experimental technologies now allow measurements of de novo transcription and/or RNA decay at whole transcriptome level and determination of precise transcript half-lives. Such transcript half-lives provide important insights into the regulation of biological processes and the relative contributions of RNA decay and de novo transcription to differential gene expression. In this article, we present HALO (Half-life Organizer), the first software for the precise determination of transcript half-lives from measurements of RNA de novo transcription or decay determined with microarrays or RNA-seq. In addition, methods for quality control, filtering and normalization are supplied. HALO provides a graphical user interface, command-line tools and a well-documented Java application programming interface (API). Thus, it can be used both by biologists to determine transcript half-lives fast and reliably with the provided user interfaces as well as software developers integrating transcript half-life analysis into other gene expression profiling pipelines. Source code, executables and documentation are available at http://www.bio.ifi.lmu.de/software/halo.

Designing of peptides with desired half-life in intestine-like environment.

PubMed

Sharma, Arun; Singla, Deepak; Rashid, Mamoon; Raghava, Gajendra Pal Singh

2014-08-20

In past, a number of peptides have been reported to possess highly diverse properties ranging from cell penetrating, tumor homing, anticancer, anti-hypertensive, antiviral to antimicrobials. Owing to their excellent specificity, low-toxicity, rich chemical diversity and availability from natural sources, FDA has successfully approved a number of peptide-based drugs and several are in various stages of drug development. Though peptides are proven good drug candidates, their usage is still hindered mainly because of their high susceptibility towards proteases degradation. We have developed an in silico method to predict the half-life of peptides in intestine-like environment and to design better peptides having optimized physicochemical properties and half-life. In this study, we have used 10mer (HL10) and 16mer (HL16) peptides dataset to develop prediction models for peptide half-life in intestine-like environment. First, SVM based models were developed on HL10 dataset which achieved maximum correlation R/R2 of 0.57/0.32, 0.68/0.46, and 0.69/0.47 using amino acid, dipeptide and tripeptide composition, respectively. Secondly, models developed on HL16 dataset showed maximum R/R2 of 0.91/0.82, 0.90/0.39, and 0.90/0.31 using amino acid, dipeptide and tripeptide composition, respectively. Furthermore, models that were developed on selected features, achieved a correlation (R) of 0.70 and 0.98 on HL10 and HL16 dataset, respectively. Preliminary analysis suggests the role of charged residue and amino acid size in peptide half-life/stability. Based on above models, we have developed a web server named HLP (Half Life Prediction), for predicting and designing peptides with desired half-life. The web server provides three facilities; i) half-life prediction, ii) physicochemical properties calculation and iii) designing mutant peptides. In summary, this study describes a web server 'HLP' that has been developed for assisting scientific community for predicting intestinal half-life

Measurement of the two-neutrino double-beta decay half-life of $$^{130}$$Te with the CUORE-0 experiment

DOE PAGES

Alduino, C.; Alfonso, K.; Artusa, D. R.; ...

2017-01-06

Here, we report on the measurement of the two-neutrino double-beta decay half-life of 130Te with the CUORE-0 detector. From an exposure of 33.4 kg year of TeO 2, the half-life is determined to be T 2ν 1/2 = [8.2 ± 0.2 (stat.) ± 0.6 (syst.)] × 10 20 year. This result is obtained after a detailed reconstruction of the sources responsible for the CUORE-0 counting rate, with a specific study of those contributing to the 130Te neutrinoless double-beta decay region of interest.

Development of a time-variable nuclear pulser for half life measurements

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

Zahn, Guilherme S.; Domienikan, Claudio; Carvalhaes, Roberto P. M.

2013-05-06

In this work a time-variable pulser system with an exponentially-decaying pulse frequency is presented, which was developed using the low-cost, open-source Arduino microcontroler plataform. In this system, the microcontroller produces a TTL signal in the selected rate and a pulse shaper board adjusts it to be entered in an amplifier as a conventional pulser signal; both the decay constant and the initial pulse rate can be adjusted using a user-friendly control software, and the pulse amplitude can be adjusted using a potentiometer in the pulse shaper board. The pulser was tested using several combinations of initial pulse rate and decaymore » constant, and the results show that the system is stable and reliable, and is suitable to be used in half-life measurements.« less

Stable isotope turnover and half-life in animal tissues: a literature synthesis.

PubMed

Vander Zanden, M Jake; Clayton, Murray K; Moody, Eric K; Solomon, Christopher T; Weidel, Brian C

2015-01-01

Stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur are used as ecological tracers for a variety of applications, such as studies of animal migrations, energy sources, and food web pathways. Yet uncertainty relating to the time period integrated by isotopic measurement of animal tissues can confound the interpretation of isotopic data. There have been a large number of experimental isotopic diet shift studies aimed at quantifying animal tissue isotopic turnover rate λ (%·day(-1), often expressed as isotopic half-life, ln(2)/λ, days). Yet no studies have evaluated or summarized the many individual half-life estimates in an effort to both seek broad-scale patterns and characterize the degree of variability. Here, we collect previously published half-life estimates, examine how half-life is related to body size, and test for tissue- and taxa-varying allometric relationships. Half-life generally increases with animal body mass, and is longer in muscle and blood compared to plasma and internal organs. Half-life was longest in ecotherms, followed by mammals, and finally birds. For ectotherms, different taxa-tissue combinations had similar allometric slopes that generally matched predictions of metabolic theory. Half-life for ectotherms can be approximated as: ln (half-life) = 0.22*ln (body mass) + group-specific intercept; n = 261, p<0.0001, r2 = 0.63. For endothermic groups, relationships with body mass were weak and model slopes and intercepts were heterogeneous. While isotopic half-life can be approximated using simple allometric relationships for some taxa and tissue types, there is also a high degree of unexplained variation in our models. Our study highlights several strong and general patterns, though accurate prediction of isotopic half-life from readily available variables such as animal body mass remains elusive.

Half-life, branching-ratio, and Q-value measurement for the superallowed 0{sup +}{yields}0{sup +}{beta}{sup +} emitter {sup 42}Ti

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

Nieto, T. Kurtukian; Souin, J.; Audirac, L.

2009-09-15

The half-life, the branching ratio, and the decay Q value of the superallowed {beta} emitter {sup 42}Ti were measured in an experiment performed at the JYFLTRAP facility of the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaeskylae. {sup 42}Ti is the heaviest T{sub z}=-1 nucleus for which high-precision measurements of these quantities have been tried. The half-life (T{sub 1/2}=208.14{+-}0.45 ms) and the Q value [Q{sub EC}=7016.83(25) keV] are close to or reach the required precision of about 0.1%. The branching ratio for the superallowed decay branch [BR=47.7(12)%], a by-product of the half-life measurement, does not reach the necessary precision yet. Nonetheless,more » these results allow one to determine the experimental ft value and the corrected Ft value to be 3114(79) and 3122(79) s, respectively.« less

High-Precision Measurement of the Ne19 Half-Life and Implications for Right-Handed Weak Currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triambak, S.; Finlay, P.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Hackman, G.; Ball, G. C.; Garrett, P. E.; Svensson, C. E.; Cross, D. S.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Kshetri, R.; Orce, J. N.; Pearson, M. R.; Tardiff, E. R.; Al-Falou, H.; Austin, R. A. E.; Churchman, R.; Djongolov, M. K.; D'Entremont, R.; Kierans, C.; Milovanovic, L.; O'Hagan, S.; Reeve, S.; Sjue, S. K. L.; Williams, S. J.

2012-07-01

We report a precise determination of the Ne19 half-life to be T1/2=17.262±0.007s. This result disagrees with the most recent precision measurements and is important for placing bounds on predicted right-handed interactions that are absent in the current standard model. We are able to identify and disentangle two competing systematic effects that influence the accuracy of such measurements. Our findings prompt a reassessment of results from previous high-precision lifetime measurements that used similar equipment and methods.

High-precision measurement of the 19Ne half-life and implications for right-handed weak currents.

PubMed

Triambak, S; Finlay, P; Sumithrarachchi, C S; Hackman, G; Ball, G C; Garrett, P E; Svensson, C E; Cross, D S; Garnsworthy, A B; Kshetri, R; Orce, J N; Pearson, M R; Tardiff, E R; Al-Falou, H; Austin, R A E; Churchman, R; Djongolov, M K; D'Entremont, R; Kierans, C; Milovanovic, L; O'Hagan, S; Reeve, S; Sjue, S K L; Williams, S J

2012-07-27

We report a precise determination of the (19)Ne half-life to be T(1/2)=17.262±0.007 s. This result disagrees with the most recent precision measurements and is important for placing bounds on predicted right-handed interactions that are absent in the current standard model. We are able to identify and disentangle two competing systematic effects that influence the accuracy of such measurements. Our findings prompt a reassessment of results from previous high-precision lifetime measurements that used similar equipment and methods.

High-Precision Half-Life Measurement for the Superallowed {beta}{sup +} Emitter {sup 26}Al{sup m}

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

Finlay, P.; Svensson, C. E.; Green, K. L.

2011-01-21

A high-precision half-life measurement for the superallowed {beta}{sup +} emitter {sup 26}Al{sup m} was performed at the TRIUMF-ISAC radioactive ion beam facility yielding T{sub 1/2}=6346.54{+-}0.46{sub stat{+-}}0.60{sub syst} ms, consistent with, but 2.5 times more precise than, the previous world average. The {sup 26}Al{sup m} half-life and ft value, 3037.53(61) s, are now the most precisely determined for any superallowed {beta} decay. Combined with recent theoretical corrections for isospin-symmetry-breaking and radiative effects, the corrected Ft value for {sup 26}Al{sup m}, 3073.0(12) s, sets a new benchmark for the high-precision superallowed Fermi {beta}-decay studies used to test the conserved vector current hypothesismore » and determine the V{sub ud} element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix.« less

β-decay half-life of V50 calculated by the shell model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haaranen, M.; Srivastava, P. C.; Suhonen, J.; Zuber, K.

2014-10-01

In this work we survey the detectability of the β- channel of 2350V leading to the first excited 2+ state in 2450Cr. The electron-capture (EC) half-life corresponding to the transition of 2350V to the first excited 2+ state in 2250Ti had been measured earlier. Both of the mentioned transitions are 4th-forbidden non-unique. We have performed calculations of all the involved wave functions by using the nuclear shell model with the GXPF1A interaction in the full f-p shell. The computed half-life of the EC branch is in good agreement with the measured one. The predicted half-life for the β- branch is in the range ≈2×1019 yr whereas the present experimental lower limit is 1.5×1018 yr. We discuss also the experimental lay-out needed to detect the β--branch decay.

The impact of extended half-life versus conventional factor product on hemophilia caregiver burden.

PubMed

Schwartz, Carolyn E; Powell, Victoria E; Su, Jun; Zhang, Jie; Eldar-Lissai, Adi

2018-05-01

Extended half-life factor products have reduced annualized bleeding rates in hemophilia patients. The impact of extended half-life versus conventional factor products on hemophilia caregiver burden has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate caregiver burden in extended half-life versus conventional factor products for hemophilia A and B. This cross-sectional web-based study of caregivers of people with hemophilia A or B was recruited from a panel research company and by word of mouth. Participants completed the Hemophilia Caregiver Impact measure, the PedsQL Family Impact Module (PedsQL), and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). We also collected demographic, insurance coverage, and medical information related to the hemophilia patient(s). Burden differences were assessed using linear regression and matched cohort analyses. The sample (n = 448) included 49 people who were caring for people on extended half-life factor products. Worse caregiver burden was associated with more infusions per week and more bleeds in the past 6 months. Regression analyses suggested that caring for someone who is on a extended half-life factor product is associated with lower emotional impact (β = - 0.11, p < 0.05, Adjusted R 2  = 0.06), and shows a trend association with lower practical impact (β = - 0.09, p < 0.10, Adjusted R 2  = 0.05). The matched cohort analysis also revealed that people on extended half-life factor product had lower Emotional Impact and Practical Impact scores (t = - 2.95 and - 2.94, respectively, p < 0.05 in both cases). No differences were detected on the PedsQL or the WPAI. The reduced required frequency of factor product infusions of extended half-life factor products appears to reduce the emotional distress and practical burden of caregiving. Future work should evaluate the longitudinal impact.

Half-life of the superallowed {beta}{sup +} emitter {sup 18}Ne

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

Grinyer, G. F.; Andreoiu, C.; Finlay, P.

The half-life of {sup 18}Ne has been determined by detecting 1042-keV {gamma} rays in the daughter {sup 18}F following the superallowed-Fermi {beta}{sup +} decay of samples implanted at the center of the 8{pi}{gamma}-ray spectrometer, a spherical array of 20 HPGe detectors. Radioactive {sup 18}Ne beams were produced on-line, mass-separated, and ionized using an electron-cyclotron-resonance ionization source at the ISAC facility at TRIUMF in Vancouver, Canada. This is the first high-precision half-life measurement of a superallowed Fermi {beta} decay to utilize both a large-scale HPGe spectrometer and the isotope separation on-line technique. The half-life of {sup 18}Ne, 1.6656 {+-} 0.0019 s,more » deduced following a 1.4{sigma} correction for detector pulse pile-up, is four times more precise than the previous world average. As part of an investigation into potential systematic effects, the half-life of the heavier isotope {sup 23}Ne was determined to be 37.11 {+-} 0.06 s, a factor of 2 improvement over the previous precision.« less

Measurement of the double-{beta} decay half-life of {sup 150}Nd and search for neutrinoless decay modes with the NEMO-3 detector

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

Argyriades, J.; Augier, C.; Bongrand, M.

2009-09-15

The half-life for double-{beta} decay of {sup 150}Nd has been measured by the NEMO-3 experiment at the Modane Underground Laboratory. Using 924.7 days of data recorded with 36.55 g of {sup 150}Nd, we measured the half-life for 2{nu}{beta}{beta} decay to be T{sub 1/2}{sup 2{nu}}=(9.11{sub -0.22}{sup +0.25}(stat.){+-}0.63(syst.))x10{sup 18} yr. The observed limit on the half-life for neutrinoless double-{beta} decay is found to be T{sub 1/2}{sup 0{nu}}>1.8x10{sup 22} yr at 90% confidence level. This translates into a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass of <4.0-6.3 eV if the nuclear deformation is taken into account. We also set limits on modelsmore » involving Majoron emission, right-handed currents, and transitions to excited states.« less

High-precision half-life determination for 21Na using a 4 π gas-proportional counter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlay, P.; Laffoley, A. T.; Ball, G. C.; Bender, P. C.; Dunlop, M. R.; Dunlop, R.; Hackman, G.; Leslie, J. R.; MacLean, A. D.; Miller, D.; Moukaddam, M.; Olaizola, B.; Severijns, N.; Smith, J. K.; Southall, D.; Svensson, C. E.

2017-08-01

A high-precision half-life measurement for the superallowed β+ transition between the isospin T =1 /2 mirror nuclei 21Na and 21Ne has been performed at the TRIUMF-ISAC radioactive ion beam facility yielding T1 /2=22.4506 (33 ) s, a result that is a factor of 4 more precise than the previous world-average half-life for 21Na and represents the single most precisely determined half-life for a transition between mirror nuclei to date. The contribution to the uncertainty in the 21Na F tmirror value due to the half-life is now reduced to the level of the nuclear-structure-dependent theoretical corrections, leaving the branching ratio as the dominant experimental uncertainty.

The Use of Gene Ontology Term and KEGG Pathway Enrichment for Analysis of Drug Half-Life

PubMed Central

Chen, Lei; Lu, Jing; Kong, XiangYin; Huang, Tao; Li, HaiPeng

2016-01-01

A drug’s biological half-life is defined as the time required for the human body to metabolize or eliminate 50% of the initial drug dosage. Correctly measuring the half-life of a given drug is helpful for the safe and accurate usage of the drug. In this study, we investigated which gene ontology (GO) terms and biological pathways were highly related to the determination of drug half-life. The investigated drugs, with known half-lives, were analyzed based on their enrichment scores for associated GO terms and KEGG pathways. These scores indicate which GO terms or KEGG pathways the drug targets. The feature selection method, minimum redundancy maximum relevance, was used to analyze these GO terms and KEGG pathways and to identify important GO terms and pathways, such as sodium-independent organic anion transmembrane transporter activity (GO:0015347), monoamine transmembrane transporter activity (GO:0008504), negative regulation of synaptic transmission (GO:0050805), neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction (hsa04080), serotonergic synapse (hsa04726), and linoleic acid metabolism (hsa00591), among others. This analysis confirmed our results and may show evidence for a new method in studying drug half-lives and building effective computational methods for the prediction of drug half-lives. PMID:27780226

Half-lives of 214Pb and 214Bi.

PubMed

Martz, D E; Langner, G H; Johnson, P R

1991-10-01

New measurements on chemically separated samples of 214Bi have yielded a mean half-life value of 19.71 +/- 0.02 min, where the error quoted is twice the standard deviation of the mean based on 23 decay runs. This result provides strong support for the historic 19.72 +/- 0.04 min half-life value and essentially excludes the 19.9-min value, both reported in previous studies. New measurements of the decay rate of 222Rn progeny activity initially in radioactive equilibrium have yielded a value of 26.89 +/- 0.03 min for the half-life of 214Pb, where the error quoted is twice the standard deviation of the mean based on 12 decay runs. This value is 0.1 min longer than the currently accepted 214Pb half-value of 26.8 min.

Half-life and magnetic moment of the first excited state in {sup 132}I

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

Tanigaki, M.; Ohkubo, Y.; Izumi, S.

2009-09-15

The half-life and the magnetic moment were measured for the first excited state in {sup 132}I, of which the inconsistent results on the half-life have been reported by several other groups. This time, measurements were performed on {sup 132}I obtained as a decay product of a {sup 132}Te radioactive beam from the ion guide at Tohoku University. The half-life of this level was determined to be T{sub 1/2}=1.120{+-}0.015 ns using a conventional coincidence technique with a pair of BaF{sub 2} detectors. The time-differential perturbed angular correlation technique was successfully applied to the first excited state in {sup 132}I implanted intomore » nickel foils. The magnetic moment of this state was determined to be {mu}=+(2.06{+-}0.18){mu}{sub N}. The present results are consistent with values reported by Gorodetzky et al. and Singh et al.« less

Half-life of Th232 and the branching ratio of Bi212

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senftle, F.E.; Farley, T.A.; Lazar, N.

1956-01-01

The half-life of Th232 has been calculated by determining an absolute gamma-disintegration rate for Tl208 in equilibrium with Th232 for three old thorium nitrate salts and one natural thorite sample. The branching ratio, ??(??+??), for Bi212, a necessary parameter in the calculation, was also measured. The half-life of Th232 was found to be 1.42??1010 years within an estimated error of 5%, which is essentially in agreement with the presently accepted value. The branching ratio, ??(??+??), of Bi212 was found to be 0.362??0.006, about 7.4% higher than the currently accepted value. ?? 1956 The American Physical Society.

Crosslinking of micropatterned collagen-based nerve guides to modulate the expected half-life.

PubMed

Salvatore, L; Madaghiele, M; Parisi, C; Gatti, F; Sannino, A

2014-12-01

The microstructural, mechanical, compositional, and degradative properties of a nerve conduit are known to strongly affect the regenerative process of the injured peripheral nerve. Starting from the fabrication of micropatterned collagen-based nerve guides, according to a spin-casting process reported in the literature, this study further investigates the possibility to modulate the degradation rate of the scaffolds over a wide time frame, in an attempt to match different rates of nerve regeneration that might be encountered in vivo. To this aim, three different crosslinking methods, that is, dehydrothermal (DHT), carbodiimide-based (EDAC), and glutaraldehyde-based (GTA) crosslinking, were selected. The elastically effective degree of crosslinking, attained by each method and evaluated according to the classical rubber elasticity theory, was found to significantly tune the in vitro half-life (t1/2 ) of the matrices, with an exponential dependence of the latter on the crosslink density. The high crosslinking efficacy of EDAC and GTA treatments, respectively threefold and fourfold when compared to the one attained by DHT, led to a sharp increase of the corresponding in vitro half-lives (ca., 10, 172, and 690 h, for DHT, EDAC, and GTA treated matrices, respectively). As shown by cell viability assays, the cytocompatibility of both DHT and EDAC treatments, as opposed to the toxicity of GTA, suggests that such methods are suitable to crosslink collagen-based scaffolds conceived for clinical use. In particular, nerve guides with expected high residence times in vivo might be produced by finely controlling the biocompatible reaction(s) adopted for crosslinking. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intrinsically disordered segments and the evolution of protein half-life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, M.

2013-03-01

Precise turnover of proteins is essential for cellular homeostasis and is primarily mediated by the proteasome. Thus, a fundamental question is: What features make a protein an efficient substrate for degradation? Here I will present results that proteins with a long terminal disordered segment or internal disordered segments have a significantly shorter half-life in yeast. This relationship appears to be evolutionarily conserved in mouse and human. Furthermore, upon gene duplication, divergence in the length of terminal disorder or variation in the number of internal disordered segments results in significant alteration of the half-life of yeast paralogs. Many proteins that exhibit such changes participate in signaling, where altered protein half-life will likely influence their activity. We suggest that variation in the length and number of disordered segments could serve as a remarkably simple means to evolve protein half-life and may serve as an underappreciated source of genetic variation with important phenotypic consequences. MMB acknowledges the Medical Research Council for funding his research program.

Standardisation and half-life of 89Zr.

PubMed

García-Toraño, E; Peyrés, V; Roteta, M; Mejuto, M; Sánchez-Cabezudo, A; Romero, E

2018-04-01

The nuclide 89 Zr is being tested for the labelling of compounds with long blood circulation times. It decays by beta plus emission (22.8%) and by electron capture (77.2%) to 89 Y. Its half-life has been determined by following the decay rate with two measurement systems; an Ionisation Chamber and an HPGe detector. The combination of six results gives a value of T 1/2 = 78.333 (38) h, slightly lower than the DDEP recommended value of 78.42 (13) h. This radionuclide has also been standardised by liquid scintillation counting, 4πγ counting and coincidence techniques. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Half-life determination for {sup 108}Ag and {sup 110}Ag

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

Zahn, Guilherme S.; Genezini, Frederico A.

2014-11-11

In this work, the half-life of the short-lived silver radionuclides {sup 108}Ag and {sup 110}Ag were measured by following the activity of samples after they were irradiated in the IEA-R1 reactor. The results were then fitted using a non-paralizable dead time correction to the regular exponential decay and the individual half-life values obtained were then analyzed using both the Normalized Residuals and the Rajeval techniques, in order to reach the most exact and precise final values. To check the validity of dead-time correction, a second correction method was also employed by means of counting a long-lived {sup 60}Co radioactive sourcemore » together with the samples as a livetime chronometer. The final half-live values obtained using both dead-time correction methods were in good agreement, showing that the correction was properly assessed. The results obtained are partially compatible with the literature values, but with a lower uncertainty, and allow a discussion on the last ENSDF compilations' values.« less

Genome-wide gene expression and RNA half-life measurements allow predictions of regulation and metabolic behavior in Methanosarcina acetivorans

DOE PAGES

Peterson, Joseph R.; Thor, ShengShee; Kohler, Lars; ...

2016-11-16

Here, while a few studies on the variations in mRNA expression and half-lives measured under different growth conditions have been used to predict patterns of regulation in bacterial organisms, the extent to which this information can also play a role in defining metabolic phenotypes has yet to be examined systematically. Here we present the first comprehensive study for a model methanogen. As a result, we use expression and half-life data for the methanogen Methanosarcina acetivorans growing on fast- and slow-growth substrates to examine the regulation of its genes. Unlike Escherichia coli where only small shifts in half-lives were observed, wemore » found that most mRNA have significantly longer half-lives for slow growth on acetate compared to fast growth on methanol or trimethylamine. Interestingly, half-life shifts are not uniform across functional classes of enzymes, suggesting the existence of a selective stabilization mechanism for mRNAs. Using the transcriptomics data we determined whether transcription or degradation rate controls the change in transcript abundance. Degradation was found to control abundance for about half of the metabolic genes underscoring its role in regulating metabolism. Genes involved in half of the metabolic reactions were found to be differentially expressed among the substrates suggesting the existence of drastically different metabolic phenotypes that extend beyond just the methanogenesis pathways. By integrating expression data with an updated metabolic model of the organism (iST807) significant differences in pathway flux and production of metabolites were predicted for the three growth substrates. In conclusion, this study provides the first global picture of differential expression and half-lives for a class II methanogen, as well as provides the first evidence in a single organism that drastic genome-wide shifts in RNA half-lives can be modulated by growth substrate. We determined which genes in each metabolic pathway

Genome-wide gene expression and RNA half-life measurements allow predictions of regulation and metabolic behavior in Methanosarcina acetivorans

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

Peterson, Joseph R.; Thor, ShengShee; Kohler, Lars

Here, while a few studies on the variations in mRNA expression and half-lives measured under different growth conditions have been used to predict patterns of regulation in bacterial organisms, the extent to which this information can also play a role in defining metabolic phenotypes has yet to be examined systematically. Here we present the first comprehensive study for a model methanogen. As a result, we use expression and half-life data for the methanogen Methanosarcina acetivorans growing on fast- and slow-growth substrates to examine the regulation of its genes. Unlike Escherichia coli where only small shifts in half-lives were observed, wemore » found that most mRNA have significantly longer half-lives for slow growth on acetate compared to fast growth on methanol or trimethylamine. Interestingly, half-life shifts are not uniform across functional classes of enzymes, suggesting the existence of a selective stabilization mechanism for mRNAs. Using the transcriptomics data we determined whether transcription or degradation rate controls the change in transcript abundance. Degradation was found to control abundance for about half of the metabolic genes underscoring its role in regulating metabolism. Genes involved in half of the metabolic reactions were found to be differentially expressed among the substrates suggesting the existence of drastically different metabolic phenotypes that extend beyond just the methanogenesis pathways. By integrating expression data with an updated metabolic model of the organism (iST807) significant differences in pathway flux and production of metabolites were predicted for the three growth substrates. In conclusion, this study provides the first global picture of differential expression and half-lives for a class II methanogen, as well as provides the first evidence in a single organism that drastic genome-wide shifts in RNA half-lives can be modulated by growth substrate. We determined which genes in each metabolic pathway

Development of CANDLES low background HPGe detector and half-life measurement of 180Tam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, W. M.; Kishimoto, T.; Umehara, S.; Matsuoka, K.; Suzuki, K.; Yoshida, S.; Nakajima, K.; Iida, T.; Fushimi, K.; Nomachi, M.; Ogawa, I.; Tamagawa, Y.; Hazama, R.; Takemoto, Y.; Nakatani, N.; Takihira, Y.; Tozawa, M.; Kakubata, H.; Trang, V. T. T.; Ohata, T.; Tetsuno, K.; Maeda, T.; Khai, B. T.; Li, X. L.; Batpurev, T.

2018-01-01

A low background HPGe detector system was developed at CANDLES Experimental Hall for multipurpose use. Various low background techniques were employed, including hermatic shield design, radon gas suppression, and background reduction analysis. A new pulse shape discrimination (PSD) method was specially created for coaxial Ge detector. Using this PSD method, microphonics noise and background event at low energy region less than 200 keV can be rejected effectively. Monte Carlo simulation by GEANT4 was performed to acquire the detection efficiency and study the interaction of gamma-rays with detector system. For rare decay measurement, the detector was utilized to detect the nature's most stable isomer tantalum-180m (180Tam) decay. Two phases of tantalum physics run were completed with total livetime of 358.2 days, which Phase II has upgraded shield configuration. The world most stringent half-life limit of 180Tam has been successfully achieved.

Quantification of 60Fe atoms by MC-ICP-MS for the redetermination of the half-life.

PubMed

Kivel, Niko; Schumann, Dorothea; Günther-Leopold, Ines

2013-03-01

In many scientific fields, the half-life of radionuclides plays an important role. The accurate knowledge of this parameter has direct impact on, e.g., age determination of archeological artifacts and of the elemental synthesis in the universe. In order to derive the half-life of a long-lived radionuclide, the activity and the absolute number of atoms have to be analyzed. Whereas conventional radiation measurement methods are typically applied for activity determinations, the latter can be determined with high accuracy by mass spectrometric techniques. Over the past years, the half-lives of several radionuclides have been specified by means of multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) complementary to the earlier reported values mainly derived by accelerator mass spectrometry. The present paper discusses all critical aspects (amount of material, radiochemical sample preparation, interference correction, isotope dilution mass spectrometry, calculation of measurement uncertainty) for a precise analysis of the number of atoms by MC-ICP-MS exemplified for the recently published half-life determination of 60Fe (Rugel et al, Phys Rev Lett 103:072502, 2009).

Leadership in Higher Education and the Second Half of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Roxanne

2006-01-01

Research indicates that little is understood about the impact of what has been called "the second half of life" on administrators in higher education, such as deans and department chairs. This study addresses this lack of knowledge by reviewing research on the second half of life phenomena, especially its possible impact on university/college…

Half life of chromium in serum and urine in a former plasma cutter of stainless steel

PubMed Central

Petersen, R.; Thomsen, J. F.; Jorgensen, N. K.; Mikkelsen, S.

2000-01-01

For 8 years chromium in serum and urine has been followed up in a former plasma cutter of stainless steel who was exposed to airborne dust and fumes containing chromium during this work. After the first examination for serum chromium the exposure ended. Serum chromium concentration has been measured seven times during the period and was initially very high and has subsequently dropped slowly. The half life was 40 months in serum. Urinary chromium has been measured five times. The half life was 129 months in urine. The study shows that exposure to airborne dust and fumes containing chromium may cause accumulation of chromium in the body, and that when exposure ends, elimination of chromium is very slow. Previous studies suggest that chromium mainly accumulates in the lungs.


Keywords: chromium half life; plasma cutting; stainless steel PMID:10711283

A biomimetic approach for enhancing the in vivo half-life of peptides

PubMed Central

Penchala, Sravan C; Miller, Mark R; Pal, Arindom; Dong, Jin; Madadi, Nikhil R.; Xie, Jinghang; Joo, Hyun; Tsai, Jerry; Batoon, Patrick; Samoshin, Vyacheslav; Franz, Andreas; Cox, Trever; Miles, Jesse; Chan, William K; Park, Miki S; Alhamadsheh, Mamoun M

2015-01-01

The tremendous therapeutic potential of peptides has not yet been realized, mainly due to their short in vivo half-life. While conjugation to macromolecules has been a mainstay approach for enhancing the half-life of proteins, the steric hindrance of macromolecules often harms the binding of peptides to target receptors, compromising the in vivo efficacy. Here we report a new strategy for enhancing the in vivo half-life of peptides without compromising their potency. Our approach involves endowing peptides with a small-molecule that binds reversibly to the serum protein, transthyretin. Although there are few reversible albumin-binding molecules, we are unaware of designed small molecules that bind reversibly to other serum proteins and are used for half-life extension in vivo. We show here that our strategy was indeed effective in enhancing the half-life of an agonist for GnRH receptor while maintaining its binding affinity, which was translated into superior in vivo efficacy. PMID:26344696

A formula for half-life of proton radioactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhi-Xing; Dong, Jian-Min

2018-01-01

We present a formula for proton radioactivity half-lives of spherical proton emitters with the inclusion of the spectroscopic factor. The coefficients in the formula are calibrated with the available experimental data. As an input to calculate the half-life, the spectroscopic factor that characterizes the important information on nuclear structure should be obtained with a nuclear many-body approach. This formula is found to work quite well, and in better agreement with experimental measurements than other theoretical models. Therefore, it can be used as a powerful tool in the investigation of proton emission, in particular for experimentalists. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11435014, 11405223, 11675265, 11575112), the 973 Program of China (2013CB834401, 2013CB834405), National Key Program for S&T Research and Development (2016YFA0400501), the Knowledge Innovation Project (KJCX2-EW-N01) of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Funds for Creative Research Groups of China (11321064) and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Strategies to improve plasma half life time of peptide and protein drugs.

PubMed

Werle, M; Bernkop-Schnürch, A

2006-06-01

Due to the obvious advantages of long-acting peptide and protein drugs, strategies to prolong plasma half life time of such compounds are highly on demand. Short plasma half life times are commonly due to fast renal clearance as well as to enzymatic degradation occurring during systemic circulation. Modifications of the peptide/protein can lead to prolonged plasma half life times. By shortening the overall amino acid amount of somatostatin and replacing L: -analogue amino acids with D: -amino acids, plasma half life time of the derivate octreotide was 1.5 hours in comparison to only few minutes of somatostatin. A PEG(2,40 K) conjugate of INF-alpha-2b exhibited a 330-fold prolonged plasma half life time compared to the native protein. It was the aim of this review to provide an overview of possible strategies to prolong plasma half life time such as modification of N- and C-terminus or PEGylation as well as methods to evaluate the effectiveness of drug modifications. Furthermore, fundamental data about most important proteolytic enzymes of human blood, liver and kidney as well as their cleavage specificity and inhibitors for them are provided in order to predict enzymatic cleavage of peptide and protein drugs during systemic circulation.

Predictors of 25(OH)D half-life and plasma 25(OH)D concentration in The Gambia and the UK.

PubMed

Jones, K S; Assar, S; Vanderschueren, D; Bouillon, R; Prentice, A; Schoenmakers, I

2015-03-01

Predictors of 25(OH)D3 half-life were factors associated with vitamin D metabolism, but were different between people in The Gambia and the UK. Country was the strongest predictor of plasma 25(OH)D concentration, probably as a marker of UVB exposure. 25(OH)D3 half-life may be applied as a tool to investigate vitamin D expenditure. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of 25(OH)D3 half-life and plasma 25(OH)D concentration. Plasma half-life of an oral tracer dose of deuterated-25(OH)D3 was measured in healthy men aged 24-39 years, resident in The Gambia, West Africa (n = 18) and in the UK during the winter (n = 18), countries that differ in calcium intake and vitamin D status. Plasma and urinary markers of vitamin D, calcium, phosphate and bone metabolism, nutrient intakes and anthropometry were measured. Normally distributed data are presented as mean (SD) and non-normal data as geometric mean (95% CI). Gambian compared to UK men had higher plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D (69 (13) vs. 29 (11) nmol/L; P < 0.0001); 1,25(OH)2D (181 (165, 197) vs. 120 (109, 132) pmol/L; P < 0.01); and parathyroid hormone (PTH) (50 (42, 60) vs. 33 (27, 39); P < 0.0001). There was no difference in 25(OH)D3 half-life (14.7 (3.5) days vs. 15.6 (2.5) days) between countries (P = 0.2). In multivariate analyses, 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D, vitamin D binding protein and albumin-adjusted calcium (Caalb) explained 79% of variance in 25(OH)D3 half-life in Gambians, but no significant predictors were found in UK participants. For the countries combined, Caalb, PTH and plasma phosphate explained 39 % of half-life variability. 1,25(OH)2D, weight, PTH and country explained 81% of variability in 25(OH)D concentration; however, country alone explained 74%. Factors known to affect 25(OH)D metabolism predict 25(OH)D3 half-life, but these differed between countries. Country predicted 25(OH)D, probably as a proxy measure for UVB exposure and vitamin D supply. This study supports the use of 25(OH

Variation in absorption and half-life of hydrocortisone influence plasma cortisol concentrations.

PubMed

Hindmarsh, Peter C; Charmandari, Evangelia

2015-04-01

Hydrocortisone therapy should be individualized in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients to avoid over and under replacement. We have assessed how differences in absorption and half-life of cortisol influence glucocorticoid exposure. Forty-eight patients (21 M) aged between 6·1 and 20·3 years with CAH due to CYP21A2 deficiency were studied. Each patient underwent a 24-h plasma cortisol profile with the morning dose used to calculate absorption parameters along with an intravenous (IV) hydrocortisone (15 mg/m(2) body surface area) bolus assessment of half-life. Parameters derived were maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ), time of maximum plasma concentration (tmax ), time to attaining plasma cortisol concentration <100 nmol/l and half-life of cortisol. Mean half-life was 76·5 ± 5·2 (range 40-225·3) min, Cmax 780·7 ± 61·6 nmol/l and tmax 66·7 (range 20-118) min. Time taken to a plasma cortisol concentration less than 100 nmol/l was 289 (range 140-540) min. Those with a fast half-life and slow tmax took longest to reach a plasma cortisol concentration less than 100 nmol/l (380 ± 34·6 min), compared to those with a slow half-life and fast tmax (298 ± 34·8 min) and those with a fast half-life and fast tmax (249·5 ± 14·4 min) (One-way anovaF = 4·52; P = 0·009). Both rate of absorption and half-life of cortisol in the circulation play important roles in determining overall exposure to oral glucocorticoid. Dose regimens need to incorporate estimates of these parameters into determining the optimum dosing schedule for individuals. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Half-life of Si-32 from tandem-accelerator mass spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmore, D.; Anantaraman, N.; Fulbright, H. W.; Gove, H. E.; Nishiizumi, K.; Murrell, M. T.; Honda, M.; Hans, H. S.

1980-01-01

A newly developed mass-spectrometry technique employing a tandem Van de Graaff accelerator together with a special beam-transport system and heavy-ion detector has been used to determine the half-life of Si-32. The result obtained, 108 plus or minus 18 yr, disagrees with the accepted value of 330 plus or minus 40 yr. The implications of the new half-life of Si-32, which is used for dating studies, are discussed.

Using gamma distribution to determine half-life of rotenone, applied in freshwater.

PubMed

Rohan, Maheswaran; Fairweather, Alastair; Grainger, Natasha

2015-09-15

Following the use of rotenone to eradicate invasive pest fish, a dynamic first-order kinetic model is usually used to determine the half-life and rate at which rotenone dissipated from the treated waterbody. In this study, we investigate the use of a stochastic gamma model for determining the half-life and rate at which rotenone dissipates from waterbodies. The first-order kinetic and gamma models produced similar values for the half-life (4.45 days and 5.33 days respectively) and days to complete dissipation (51.2 days and 52.48 days respectively). However, the gamma model fitted the data better and was more flexible than the first-order kinetic model, allowing us to use covariates and to predict a possible range for the half-life of rotenone. These benefits are particularly important when examining the influence that different environmental factors have on rotenone dissipation and when trying to predict the rate at which rotenone will dissipate during future operations. We therefore recommend that in future the gamma distribution model is used when calculating the half-life of rotenone in preference to the dynamic first-order kinetics model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metabolic half-life of somatostatin and peptidase activities are altered in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Weber, S J; Louis, R B; Trombley, L; Bissette, G; Davies, P; Davis, T P

1992-01-01

Several reports have described decreased immunoreactive somatostatin levels in specific regions of post-mortem brain tissue from patients diagnosed with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT). In an attempt to determine if the metabolism of somatostatin is also altered as a result of SDAT, we examined the regional metabolic half-life of somatostatin-28 (SS-28) and somatostatin-14 (SS-14). The activity of the following peptidases was also determined: neutral endopeptidase E.C. 3.4.24.11; metalloendopeptidase E.C. 3.4.24.15; carboxypeptidase E (E.C. 3.4.17.10); and trypsin-like serine protease. The metabolic half-life of SS-28 was significantly reduced in post-mortem Brodmann Area 22 of SDAT tissue. This decrease in SS-28 metabolic half-life was correlated with a significant increase in trypsin-like serine protease activity in the same SDAT brain region. The formation rate of SS-14 from SS-28 incubated with Brodmann Area 22 homogenates was also increased in SDAT tissues as compared to controls. A regional variation in neutral endopeptidase E.C. 3.4.24.11 was also noted in both controls and SDAT samples. Although postmortem intervals of samples varied significantly, no effect was seen on any biochemical parameter measured. Results from this study provide evidence that a correlation can be made between changes in metabolic half-life somatostatin and alterations in neuropeptidase activities due to SDAT. As these data show alterations in both proteolytic metabolism and peptidase activities, many other biologically active peptide substrates could also be affected in SDAT.

Evaluation of the 129I Half-Life Value Through Analyses of Primitive Meteorites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pravdivtseva, Olga; Meshik, Alex; Hohenberg, Charles M.

The preserved record of decay of now-extinct 129I into 129Xe forms the basis of the I-Xe chronometer. Comparison of the high precision I-Xe and Pb-Pb ages of chondrules and pure mineral phases separated from eight meteorites suggests the 17.5 ÷ 14.6 Ma range for the 129I half-life, assuming that the 235U and 238U half-lives are correct. The mean value of 16 Ma indicates that the 15.7 Ma half-life of 129I used here for the I-Xe age calculations is most probably correct. Since the 129I half-life value only affects the relative I-Xe ages, the few Ma relative to the Shallowater standard, the absolute I-Xe ages are almost immune to this uncertainty in the 129I half-life.

A New Method to Determine the Half-Life for Penicillin Using Microcalorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. X.; Zhao, W. W.

2015-01-01

The dissolution process of penicillin in normal saline and isotonic glucose solution was reported using a microcalorimeter. Both the integral and differential heats of solution were measured. The quantitative relationships between the amount of heat released and the quantity of dissolved penicillin were established. Meanwhile, the kinetics and the half-life of the dissolution processes as well as the enthalpy of solution, the entropy of dissolution, and the free energy of dissolution were determined. The results showed that a change of the solvent from normal saline to isotonic glucose solution had little effect on the half-life of penicillin in the dissolution process, and there was no significant difference between the stabilities of penicillin in isotonic glucose solution and normal saline. Moreover, the dissolution process of penicillin in isotonic glucose solution followed the first-order kinetics. These results could provide a theoretical basis for the clinical applications of penicillin.

Estimation of Monocrotophos renal elimination half-life in humans.

PubMed

Jose, Arun; Selvakumar, Ratnasamy; Peter, John Victor; Karthik, Gunasekaran; Fleming, Denise Helen; Fleming, Jude Joseph

2015-01-01

Monocrotophos, implicated in about 1/4th of organophosphate poisonings in our centre, is associated with the highest mortality (24%). Yet data on its pharmacokinetics in humans is limited. We estimated the renal elimination half-life of monocrotophos. Consecutive patients presenting with monocrotophos overdose over a 2-month period who had normal renal function were recruited. Monocrotophos in plasma and urine were quantitated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Urine was obtained from catheterised samples at 0-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8, 8-12 and 12-24 h. Plasma specimens were collected at the time of admission, and at the midpoint of the urine sample collections at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 21 h. Renal elimination half-life was calculated from the cumulative amount excreted in the urine. The cohort of 5 male patients, aged 35.8 ± 2.94 years, presented with typical organophosphate (cholinergic) toxidrome following intentional monocrotophos overdose. All patients required mechanical ventilation; one patient died. Plasma data was available from 5 patients and urine data from 3 patients. The median renal elimination half-life was 3.3 (range: 1.9-5.0 h). Plasma monocrotophos values, as natural log, fell in a linear fashion up to around 10 h after admission. After the 10-hour period, there was a secondary rise in values in all the 3 patients in whom sampling was continued after 10 h. A renal elimination half-life of 3.3 h for monocrotophos is consistent with a water-soluble compound which is rapidly cleared from the plasma. The secondary rise in plasma monocrotophos values suggests possible re-distribution. Determining the elimination profile of this compound will help develop better strategies for treatment.

All half-lives are wrong, but some half-lives are useful.

PubMed

Wright, J G; Boddy, A V

2001-01-01

The half-life of a drug, which expresses a change in concentration in units of time, is perhaps the most easily understood pharmacokinetic parameter and provides a succinct description of many concentration-time profiles. The calculation of a half-life implies a linear, first-order, time-invariant process. No drug perfectly obeys such assumptions, although in practise this is often a valid approximation and provides invaluable quantitative information. Nevertheless, the physiological processes underlying half-life should not be forgotten. The concept of clearance facilitates the interpretation of factors affecting drug elimination, such as enzyme inhibition or renal impairment. Relating clearance to the observed concentration-time profile is not as naturally intuitive as is the case with half-life. As such, these 2 approaches to parameterising a linear pharmacokinetic model should be viewed as complementary rather than alternatives. The interpretation of pharmacokinetic parameters when there are multiple disposition phases is more challenging. Indeed, in any pharmacokinetic model, the half-lives are only one component of the parameters required to specify the concentration-time profile. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic parameters are of little use without a dose history. Other factors influencing the relevance of each disposition phase to clinical end-points must also be considered. In summarising the pharmacokinetics of a drug, statistical aspects of the estimation of a half-life are often overlooked. Half-lives are rarely reported with confidence intervals or measures of variability in the population, and some approaches to this problem are suggested. Half-life is an important summary statistic in pharmacokinetics, but care must be taken to employ it appropriately in the context of dose history and clinically relevant pharmacodynamic end-points.

Potential fitness benefits of the half-pounder life history in Klamath River steelhead

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodge, Brian W.; Wilzbach, Peggy; Duffy, Walter G.

2014-01-01

Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss from several of the world's rivers display the half-pounder life history, a variant characterized by an amphidromous (and, less often, anadromous) return to freshwater in the year of initial ocean entry. We evaluated factors related to expression of the half-pounder life history in wild steelhead from the lower Klamath River basin, California. We also evaluated fitness consequences of the half-pounder phenotype using a simple life history model that was parameterized with our empirical data and outputs from a regional survival equation. The incidence of the half-pounder life history differed among subbasins of origin and smolt ages. Precocious maturation occurred in approximately 8% of half-pounders and was best predicted by individual length in freshwater preceding ocean entry. Adult steelhead of the half-pounder phenotype were smaller and less fecund at age than adult steelhead of the alternative (ocean contingent) phenotype. However, our data suggest that fish of the half-pounder phenotype are more likely to spawn repeatedly than are fish of the ocean contingent phenotype. Models predicted that if lifetime survivorship were equal between phenotypes, the fitness of the half-pounder phenotype would be 17–28% lower than that of the ocean contingent phenotype. To meet the condition of equal fitness between phenotypes would require that first-year ocean survival be 21–40% higher among half-pounders in freshwater than among their cohorts at sea. We concluded that continued expression of the half-pounder phenotype is favored by precocious maturation and increased survival relative to that of the ocean contingent phenotype.

Method for measuring the alternating current half-wave voltage of a Mach-Zehnder modulator based on opto-electronic oscillation.

PubMed

Hong, Jun; Chen, Dongchu; Peng, Zhiqiang; Li, Zulin; Liu, Haibo; Guo, Jian

2018-05-01

A new method for measuring the alternating current (AC) half-wave voltage of a Mach-Zehnder modulator is proposed and verified by experiment in this paper. Based on the opto-electronic self-oscillation technology, the physical relationship between the saturation output power of the oscillating signal and the AC half-wave voltage is revealed, and the value of the AC half-wave voltage is solved by measuring the saturation output power of the oscillating signal. The experimental results show that the measured data of this new method involved are in agreement with a traditional method, and not only an external microwave signal source but also the calibration for different frequency measurements is not needed in our new method. The measuring process is simplified with this new method on the premise of ensuring the accuracy of measurement, and it owns good practical value.

Do radioactive half-lives vary with the Earth-to-Sun distance?

PubMed

Hardy, J C; Goodwin, J R; Iacob, V E

2012-09-01

Recently, Jenkins, Fischbach and collaborators have claimed evidence that radionuclide half-lives vary systematically over a ±0.1% range as a function of the oscillating distance between the Earth and the Sun, based on multi-year activity measurements. We have avoided the time-dependent instabilities to which such measurements are susceptible by directly measuring the half-life of (198)Au (t(1/2)=2.695 d) on seven occasions spread out in time to cover the complete range of Earth-Sun distances. We observe no systematic oscillations in half-life and can set an upper limit on their amplitude of ±0.02%. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved half-life determination and β-delayed γ-ray spectroscopy for 18Ne decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinyer, G. F.; Ball, G. C.; Bouzomita, H.; Ettenauer, S.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Green, K. L.; Hackman, G.; Leslie, J. R.; Pearson, C. J.; Rand, E. T.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Svensson, C. E.; Thomas, J. C.; Triambak, S.; Williams, S. J.

2013-04-01

The half-life of the superallowed Fermi β+ emitter 18Ne has been determined to ±0.07% precision by counting 1042 keV delayed γ rays that follow approximately 8% of all β decays. The deduced half-life, T1/2=1.6648(11) s, includes a 0.7% correction that accounts for systematic losses associated with rate-dependent detector pulse pileup that was determined using a recently developed γ-ray photopeak-counting technique. This result is a factor of two times more precise than, and in excellent agreement with, a previous lower-statistics measurement that employed the same experimental setup. High-resolution β-delayed γ-ray spectroscopy results for the relative γ-ray intensities and β-decay branching ratios to excited states in the daughter 18F are also presented.

Extending Serum Half-life of Albumin by Engineering Neonatal Fc Receptor (FcRn) Binding*

PubMed Central

Andersen, Jan Terje; Dalhus, Bjørn; Viuff, Dorthe; Ravn, Birgitte Thue; Gunnarsen, Kristin Støen; Plumridge, Andrew; Bunting, Karen; Antunes, Filipa; Williamson, Rebecca; Athwal, Steven; Allan, Elizabeth; Evans, Leslie; Bjørås, Magnar; Kjærulff, Søren; Sleep, Darrell; Sandlie, Inger; Cameron, Jason

2014-01-01

A major challenge for the therapeutic use of many peptides and proteins is their short circulatory half-life. Albumin has an extended serum half-life of 3 weeks because of its size and FcRn-mediated recycling that prevents intracellular degradation, properties shared with IgG antibodies. Engineering the strictly pH-dependent IgG-FcRn interaction is known to extend IgG half-life. However, this principle has not been extensively explored for albumin. We have engineered human albumin by introducing single point mutations in the C-terminal end that generated a panel of variants with greatly improved affinities for FcRn. One variant (K573P) with 12-fold improved affinity showed extended serum half-life in normal mice, mice transgenic for human FcRn, and cynomolgus monkeys. Importantly, favorable binding to FcRn was maintained when a single-chain fragment variable antibody was genetically fused to either the N- or the C-terminal end. The engineered albumin variants may be attractive for improving the serum half-life of biopharmaceuticals. PMID:24652290

High-precision {beta} decay half-life measurements of proton-rich nuclei for testing the CVC hypothesis

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

Kurtukian-Nieto, T.; Collaboration: NEX Group of CENBG

2011-11-30

The experimental study of super-allowed nuclear {beta} decays serves as a sensitive probe of the conservation of the weak vector current (CVC) and allows tight limits to be set on the presence of scalar or right-handed currents. Once CVC is verified, it is possible to determine the V{sub ud} element of the CKM quark-mixing matrix. Similarly, the study of nuclear mirror {beta} decays allows to arrive at the same final quantity V{sub ud}. Whereas dedicated studies of 0{sup +}{yields}0{sup +} decays are performed for several decades now, the potential of mirror transitions was only rediscovered recently. Therefore, it can bemore » expected that important progress is possible with high-precision studies of different mirror {beta} decays. In the present piece of work the half-life measurements performed by the CENBG group of the proton-rich nuclei {sup 42}Ti, {sup 38-39}Ca, {sup 30-31}S and {sup 29}P are summarised.« less

β+ decay and cosmic-ray half-life of 91Nb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hindi, M. M.; Sur, Bhaskar; Wedding, Kristin L.; Bardayan, D. W.; Czerwinski, K. R.; da Cruz, M. T. F.; Hoffman, D. C.; Larimer, R.-M.; Lesko, K. T.; Norman, Eric B.

1993-06-01

In the laboratory, 91Nb decays by electron capture with a 680-yr half-life. However, as a high energy cosmic ray, it would be stripped of its atomic electrons and would be able to undergo only β+ decay. We produced and chemically purified a sample of 91Nb and observed its decay with an array of Ge and NaI detectors. By following the β+ annihilation radiation, we were able to determine the β+ branching ratios of both the 105-keV, 61-d isomer and the ground state of 91Nb. The ground-state branch is (7.7+/-0.8)×10-3% leading to a β+ partial half-like of (8.8+/-1.9)×106 yr. Such a value of the half-life makes 91Nb a good candidate for determining the confinement time of this secondary component of the cosmic rays.

Extending the half-life of a fab fragment through generation of a humanized anti-human serum albumin Fv domain: An investigation into the correlation between affinity and serum half-life.

PubMed

Adams, Ralph; Griffin, Laura; Compson, Joanne E; Jairaj, Mark; Baker, Terry; Ceska, Tom; West, Shauna; Zaccheo, Oliver; Davé, Emma; Lawson, Alastair Dg; Humphreys, David P; Heywood, Sam

2016-10-01

We generated an anti-albumin antibody, CA645, to link its Fv domain to an antigen-binding fragment (Fab), thereby extending the serum half-life of the Fab. CA645 was demonstrated to bind human, cynomolgus, and mouse serum albumin with similar affinity (1-7 nM), and to bind human serum albumin (HSA) when it is in complex with common known ligands. Importantly for half-life extension, CA645 binds HSA with similar affinity within the physiologically relevant range of pH 5.0 - pH 7.4, and does not have a deleterious effect on the binding of HSA to neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). A crystal structure of humanized CA645 Fab in complex with HSA was solved and showed that CA645 Fab binds to domain II of HSA. Superimposition with the crystal structure of FcRn bound to HSA confirmed that CA645 does not block HSA binding to FcRn. In mice, the serum half-life of humanized CA645 Fab is 84.2 h. This is a significant extension in comparison with < 1 h for a non-HSA binding CA645 Fab variant. The Fab-HSA structure was used to design a series of mutants with reduced affinity to investigate the correlation between the affinity for albumin and serum half-life. Reduction in the affinity for MSA by 144-fold from 2.2 nM to 316 nM had no effect on serum half-life. Strikingly, despite a reduction in affinity to 62 µM, an extension in serum half-life of 26.4 h was still obtained. CA645 Fab and the CA645 Fab-HSA complex have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) with accession codes, 5FUZ and 5FUO, respectively.

New isomer and decay half-life of {sup 115}Ru

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

Kurpeta, J.; Plochocki, A.; Rissanen, J.

2010-12-15

Exotic, neutron-rich nuclei of mass A=115 produced in proton-induced fission of {sup 238}U were extracted using the IGISOL mass separator. The beam of isobars was transferred to the JYFLTRAP Penning trap system for further separation to the isotopic level. Monoisotopic samples of {sup 115}Ru nuclei were used for {gamma}and {beta} coincidence spectroscopy. In {sup 115}Ru we have observed excited levels, including an isomer with a half-life of 76(6) ms and (7/2{sup -}) spin and parity. The first excited 61.7-keV level in {sup 115}Ru with spins and parity (3/2{sup +}) may correspond to an oblate 3/2{sup +}[431] Nilsson orbital. A half-lifemore » of 318(19) ms for the {beta}{sup -} decay of the (1/2{sup +}) ground state in {sup 115}Ru has been firmly established in two independent measurements, a value which is significantly shorter than that previously reported.« less

Estimates of the half-life of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in Vietnam veterans of operation ranch hand

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

Pirkle, J.L.; Wolfe, W.H.; Patterson, D.G.

1989-01-01

A half-life of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD; commonly known as dioxin) in serum has been measured in 36 Air Force Vietnam Veterans of Operation Ranch Hand, which was the operation that aerially sprayed the herbicide Agent Orange in Vietnam. From serum specimens taken in 1982 and 1987, the median half-life of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in these Ranch Hand veterans was found to be 7.1 yr (95% confidence interval about the median of 5.8-9.6 yr). These veterans reported no civilian exposure to dioxin or herbicides. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in the 1982 serum specimens from these veterans ranged from 16.9 to 423 parts per trillion onmore » a lipid weight basis. The half-life estimates were not associated with the concentration of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in the 1982 serum specimens. This half-life of 7.1 yr is much longer than the half-life of 2,3,7,8-TCDD reported in animals but is consistent with recent evidence from other human exposures to 2,3,7,8-TCDD.« less

Superior serum half life of albumin tagged TNF ligands

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

Mueller, Nicole; Schneider, Britta; Pfizenmaier, Klaus

2010-06-11

Due to their immune stimulating and apoptosis inducing properties, ligands of the TNF family attract increasing interest as therapeutic proteins. A general limitation of in vivo applications of recombinant soluble TNF ligands is their notoriously rapid clearance from circulation. To improve the serum half life of the TNF family members TNF, TWEAK and TRAIL, we genetically fused soluble variants of these molecules to human serum albumin (HSA). The serum albumin-TNF ligand fusion proteins were found to be of similar bioactivity as the corresponding HSA-less counterparts. Upon intravenous injection (i.v.), serum half life of HSA-TNF ligand fusion proteins, as determined bymore » ELISA, was around 15 h as compared to approximately 1 h for all of the recombinant control TNF ligands without HSA domain. Moreover, serum samples collected 6 or 24 h after i.v. injection still contained high TNF ligand bioactivity, demonstrating that there is only limited degradation/inactivation of circulating HSA-TNF ligand fusion proteins in vivo. In a xenotransplantation model, significantly less of the HSA-TRAIL fusion protein compared to the respective control TRAIL protein was required to achieve inhibition of tumor growth indicating that the increased half life of HSA-TNF ligand fusion proteins translates into better therapeutic action in vivo. In conclusion, our data suggest that genetic fusion to serum albumin is a powerful and generally applicable mean to improve bioavailability and in vivo activity of TNF ligands.« less

Geochemical constraints on the half-life of {sup 130}Te

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

Thomas, H. V.; Pattrick, R. A. D.; Crowther, S. A.

2008-11-15

To determine the half-life of {sup 130}Te we have analyzed multiple aliquots of geological telluride samples 100 times smaller than those previously reported using a unique resonance ionization mass spectrometer. We employ a low-fluence neutron irradiation that allows determination of parent and daughter from the same xenon isotopic analysis. Step heating of these irradiated samples allows the {sup 130}Xe/{sup 132}Xe ratio of fluids trapped inside the tellurides to be determined. Considering only samples where the trapped {sup 130}Xe/{sup 132}Xe ratio is demonstrably consistent with atmospheric xenon, we can avoid over- or under-estimating the half-life due to redistribution or inheritance ofmore » radiogenic {sup 130}Xe. Combining our work with literature data, it is clear that several relatively young samples have retained xenon quantitatively since formation, allowing the half-life to be determined as (8.0{+-}1.1)x10{sup 20} yr. Older samples have clearly been affected by post-formation processing. This suggests that there is little hope of monitoring solar luminosity through the geological record of {sup 126}Xe production by solar neutrinos, but it is possible that geologically useful chronological information can be obtained from this system.« less

Half-life of leu-enkephalin in the serum of infants of the first year of life on different types of feeding: relationship with temperament.

PubMed

Sokolov, O Yu; Kurasova, O B; Kost, N V; Gabaeva, M V; Korneeva, E V; Mikheeva, I G; Zozulya, A A

2004-04-01

The half-life of leu-enkephalin in the serum of infants aged under 1 year is significantly shorter than in adults. In girls leu-enkephalin half-life is significantly longer than in boys. The half-life of leu-enkephalin is different in infants on breast and formula feeding. Nine characteristics of temperament in infants of the first year of life were determined using EITQ and ITQ questionnaires. Serum leu-enkephalin half-life directly correlated with temperament characteristics (activity, perception, threshold), but not with the level psychomotor development.

Site-Specific Albumination as an Alternative to PEGylation for the Enhanced Serum Half-Life in Vivo.

PubMed

Yang, Byungseop; Lim, Sung In; Kim, Jong Chul; Tae, Giyoong; Kwon, Inchan

2016-05-09

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been widely used as a serum half-life extender of therapeutic proteins. However, due to immune responses and low degradability of PEG, developing serum half-life extender alternatives to PEG is required. Human serum albumin (HSA) has several beneficial features as a serum half-life extender, including a very long serum half-life, good degradability, and low immune responses. In order to further evaluate the efficacy of HSA, we compared the extent of serum half-life extension of a target protein, superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP), upon HSA conjugation with PEG conjugation side-by-side. Combination of site-specific incorporation of p-azido-l-phenylalanine into sfGFP and copper-free click chemistry achieved the site-specific conjugation of a single HSA, 20 kDa PEG, or 30 kDa PEG to sfGFP. These sfGFP conjugates exhibited the fluorescence comparable to or even greater than that of wild-type sfGFP (sfGFP-WT). In mice, HSA-conjugation to sfGFP extended the serum half-life 9.0 times compared to that of unmodified sfGFP, which is comparable to those of PEG-conjugated sfGFPs (7.3 times for 20 kDa PEG and 9.5 times for 30 kDa PEG). These results clearly demonstrated that HSA was as effective as PEG in extending the serum half-life of a target protein. Therefore, with the additional favorable features, HSA is a good serum half-life extender of a (therapeutic) protein as an alternative to PEG.

Settling the half-life of 60Fe: fundamental for a versatile astrophysical chronometer.

PubMed

Wallner, A; Bichler, M; Buczak, K; Dressler, R; Fifield, L K; Schumann, D; Sterba, J H; Tims, S G; Wallner, G; Kutschera, W

2015-01-30

In order to resolve a recent discrepancy in the half-life of 60Fe, we performed an independent measurement with a new method that determines the 60Fe content of a material relative to 55Fe (t1/2=2.744  yr) with accelerator mass spectrometry. Our result of (2.50±0.12)×10(6)  yr clearly favors the recently reported value (2.62±0.04)×10(6)  yr, and rules out the older result of (1.49±0.27)×10(6)  yr. The present weighted mean half-life value of (2.60±0.05)×10(6)  yr substantially improves the reliability as an important chronometer for astrophysical applications in the million-year time range. This includes its use as a sensitive probe for studying recent chemical evolution of our Galaxy, the formation of the early Solar System, nucleosynthesis processes in massive stars, and as an indicator of a recent nearby supernova.

Label-free Fab and Fc affinity/avidity profiling of the antibody complex half-life for polyclonal and monoclonal efficacy screening.

PubMed

Read, Thomas; Olkhov, Rouslan V; Williamson, E Diane; Shaw, Andrew M

2015-09-01

A unified approach to affinity screening for Fab and Fc interactions of an antibody for its antigen and FcγR receptor has been developed. An antigen array is used for the Fab affinity and cross-reactivity screening and protein A/G proxy is the FcγR receptor. The affinities are derived using a simple 1:1 binding model with a consistent error analysis. The association and dissociation kinetics are measured over optimised times for accurate determination. The Fab/Fc affinities are derived for ten antibodies: mAb-actin (mouse), pAb-BSA (sheep), pAb-collagen V (rabbit), pAb-CRP (goat), mAb-F1 (mouse), mAbs (mouse) 7.3, 12.3, 29.3, 36.3 and 46.3 raised against LcrV in Yersinia pestis. The rate of the dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes relates directly to their immunological function as does the Fc-FcγR complex and a new half-life plot has been defined with a Fab/Fc half-life range of 17-470 min. The upper half-life value points to surface avidity. Two antibodies that are protective as an immunotherapy define a Fab half-life >250 min and an Fc half-life >50 min as characteristics of ideal interactions which can form the basis of an antibody screen for immunotherapy.

Determination of the half-life of the ground state of {sup 229}Th by using {sup 232}U and {sup 233}U decay series

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

Kikunaga, H.; Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198; Suzuki, T.

2011-07-15

The half-life of the ground state of {sup 229}Th ({sup 229}Th{sup g}) has become an important factor in nuclear technology, for example, in the geological disposal of nuclear spent fuel. However, the values reported in two previous studies are not in agreement. This study reevaluates the half-life of {sup 229}Th{sup g} by using a simple and reliable method. The {sup 232}U/{sup 233}U activity ratio of a {sup 232,233}U sample was measured by high-resolution {alpha}-particle spectrometry. Next, the {sup 228}Th/{sup 229}Th{sup g} activity ratio of the Th sample, which was grown from the {sup 232,233}U sample, was also measured. The half-lifemore » of {sup 229}Th{sup g} was calculated from these activity ratios, the growth time, and the half-lives of {sup 232}U, {sup 233}U, and {sup 228}Th. From the results of these five measurements, the half-life of {sup 229}Th{sup g} is determined to be 7932 {+-} 55 yr at a confidence level of 2{sigma}.« less

Hour Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty? Future Time Perspective and Preoccupation with Negative Events Across the Life Span

PubMed Central

Strough, JoNell; de Bruin, Wändi Bruine; Parker, Andrew M.; Lemaster, Philip; Pichayayothin, Nipat; Delaney, Rebecca

2016-01-01

According to socioemotional selectivity theory, older adults' emotional well-being stems from having limited future time perspective that motivates them to maximize well-being in the “here and now.” Presumably, then, older adults' time horizons are associated with emotional competencies that boost positive affect and dampen negative affect, but little research has addressed this. Using a US national adult life-span sample (N= 3,933, 18-93 yrs), we found that a two-factor model of future time perspective (focus on future opportunities; focus on limited time) fit the data better than a one-factor model. Through middle age, people perceived the life-span hourglass as half full—they focused more on future opportunities than limited time. Around age 60, the balance changed to increasingly perceiving the life-span hourglass as half empty—they focused less on future opportunities and more on limited time. This pattern held even after accounting for perceived health, self-reported decision-making ability, and retirement status. At all ages, women's time horizons focused more on future opportunities compared to men's, and men's focused more on limited time. Focusing on future opportunities was associated with reporting less preoccupation with negative events, whereas focusing on limited time was associated with reporting more preoccupation. Older adults reported less preoccupation with negative events and this association was stronger after controlling for their perceptions of limited time and fewer future opportunities, suggesting that other pathways may explain older adults' reports of their ability to disengage from negative events. Insights gained and questions raised by measuring future time perspective as two dimensions are discussed. PMID:27267222

Hour glass half full or half empty? Future time perspective and preoccupation with negative events across the life span.

PubMed

Strough, JoNell; Bruine de Bruin, Wändi; Parker, Andrew M; Lemaster, Philip; Pichayayothin, Nipat; Delaney, Rebecca

2016-09-01

According to socioemotional selectivity theory, older adults' emotional well-being stems from having a limited future time perspective that motivates them to maximize well-being in the "here and now." Presumably, then, older adults' time horizons are associated with emotional competencies that boost positive affect and dampen negative affect, but little research has addressed this. Using a U.S. adult life-span sample (N = 3,933; 18-93 years), we found that a 2-factor model of future time perspective (future opportunities; limited time) fit the data better than a 1-factor model. Through middle age, people perceived the life-span hourglass as half full-they focused more on future opportunities than limited time. Around Age 60, the balance changed to increasingly perceiving the life-span hourglass as half empty-they focused less on future opportunities and more on limited time, even after accounting for perceived health, self-reported decision-making ability, and retirement status. At all ages, women's time horizons focused more on future opportunities compared with men's, and men's focused more on limited time. Focusing on future opportunities was associated with reporting less preoccupation with negative events, whereas focusing on limited time was associated with reporting more preoccupation. Older adults reported less preoccupation with negative events, and this association was stronger after controlling for their perceptions of limited time and fewer future opportunities, suggesting that other pathways may explain older adults' reports of their ability to disengage from negative events. Insights gained and questions raised by measuring future time perspective as 2 dimensions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Interspecies scaling: predicting volumes, mean residence time and elimination half-life. Some suggestions.

PubMed

Mahmood, I

1998-05-01

Extrapolation of animal data to assess pharmacokinetic parameters in man is an important tool in drug development. Clearance, volume of distribution and elimination half-life are the three most frequently extrapolated pharmacokinetic parameters. Extensive work has been done to improve the predictive performance of allometric scaling for clearance. In general there is good correlation between body weight and volume, hence volume in man can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from animal data. Besides the volume of distribution in the central compartment (Vc), two other volume terms, the volume of distribution by area (Vbeta) and the volume of distribution at steady state (VdSS), are also extrapolated from animals to man. This report compares the predictive performance of allometric scaling for Vc, Vbeta and VdSS in man from animal data. The relationship between elimination half-life (t(1/2)) and body weight across species results in poor correlation, most probably because of the hybrid nature of this parameter. To predict half-life in man from animal data, an indirect method (CL=VK, where CL=clearance, V is volume and K is elimination rate constant) has been proposed. This report proposes another indirect method which uses the mean residence time (MRT). After establishing that MRT can be predicted across species, it was used to predict half-life using the equation MRT=1.44 x t(1/2). The results of the study indicate that Vc is predicted more accurately than Vbeta and VdSS in man. It should be emphasized that for first-time dosing in man, Vc is a more important pharmacokinetic parameter than Vbeta or VdSS. Furthermore, MRT can be predicted reasonably well for man and can be used for prediction of half-life.

Innovative methodology for intercomparison of radionuclide calibrators using short half-life in situ prepared radioactive sources

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

Oliveira, P. A.; Santos, J. A. M., E-mail: joao.santos@ipoporto.min-saude.pt; Serviço de Física Médica do Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil, EPE, Porto

2014-07-15

Purpose: An original radionuclide calibrator method for activity determination is presented. The method could be used for intercomparison surveys for short half-life radioactive sources used in Nuclear Medicine, such as{sup 99m}Tc or most positron emission tomography radiopharmaceuticals. Methods: By evaluation of the resulting net optical density (netOD) using a standardized scanning method of irradiated Gafchromic XRQA2 film, a comparison of the netOD measurement with a previously determined calibration curve can be made and the difference between the tested radionuclide calibrator and a radionuclide calibrator used as reference device can be calculated. To estimate the total expected measurement uncertainties, a carefulmore » analysis of the methodology, for the case of{sup 99m}Tc, was performed: reproducibility determination, scanning conditions, and possible fadeout effects. Since every factor of the activity measurement procedure can influence the final result, the method also evaluates correct syringe positioning inside the radionuclide calibrator. Results: As an alternative to using a calibrated source sent to the surveyed site, which requires a relatively long half-life of the nuclide, or sending a portable calibrated radionuclide calibrator, the proposed method uses a source preparedin situ. An indirect activity determination is achieved by the irradiation of a radiochromic film using {sup 99m}Tc under strictly controlled conditions, and cumulated activity calculation from the initial activity and total irradiation time. The irradiated Gafchromic film and the irradiator, without the source, can then be sent to a National Metrology Institute for evaluation of the results. Conclusions: The methodology described in this paper showed to have a good potential for accurate (3%) radionuclide calibrators intercomparison studies for{sup 99m}Tc between Nuclear Medicine centers without source transfer and can easily be adapted to other short half-life

Consideration on the Long Ecological Half-Life Component of (137)Cs in Demersal Fish Based on Field Observation Results Obtained after the Fukushima Accident.

PubMed

Tagami, Keiko; Uchida, Shigeo

2016-02-16

Radiocesium concentrations in most marine fish collected off the coast of Fukushima and surrounding prefectures have decreased with time, and four years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident occurred, radiocesium concentrations have generally fallen below the detectable level (ca. < 10 Bq kg(-1)-raw). Only in some demersal fish species have detectable concentration levels still been found, and even these species have showed slow radiocesium decreases. The food web was considered as the major factor causing this phenomenon; however, slow elimination rates of radiocesium from these fish species also could be the cause. The latter effect was examined by considering that the (137)Cs concentration decreasing trend in fish could be fit with a set of three exponentially decreasing components; that is, having short, intermediate, and long biological half-lives. The long ecological half-life component was calculated using a 400-1500 d period of monitoring results for Japanese rockfish (Sebastes cheni) and compared with previous reported laboratory results for biological half-life. The obtained ecological half-lives ranged from 274-365 d, and these values agreed with the biological half-life of this fish species. This result implied that the long biological half-lives of radiocesium in some demersal fish species made their radiocesium contamination periods longer.

Half-Lives of 101Rh and 108m Ag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, Eric; Browne, Edgardo; Shugart, Howard

2014-09-01

Half-lives of short-lived nuclei can easily be measured by direct counting techniques, whereas those of long-lived naturally-occurring nuclei are usually determined by specific activity measurements. However, half-lives in the range of 1 - 1,000,000 years are notoriously difficult to determine. For example, published values for the half-life of 101Rh range from 3.0 +/- 0.4 years to 10 +/- 1 years, and for 108m Ag published values range from 127 +/- 21 years to 438 +/- 9 years. In order to resolve the issues of what the half-lives of these isotopes actually are, we set up two separate long-term gamma-ray counting experiments. Gamma-ray data were collected in time bins using high-purity Ge detectors and ORTEC PC-based data acquisition systems. We counted in this manner for a period of approximately 5 years for 101Rh and 3 years for 108mAg. In this talk we will describe the details of these experiments and will present the final results for the half-lives of 101Rh and 108mAg determined from these measurements. Half-lives of short-lived nuclei can easily be measured by direct counting techniques, whereas those of long-lived naturally-occurring nuclei are usually determined by specific activity measurements. However, half-lives in the range of 1 - 1,000,000 years are notoriously difficult to determine. For example, published values for the half-life of 101Rh range from 3.0 +/- 0.4 years to 10 +/- 1 years, and for 108m Ag published values range from 127 +/- 21 years to 438 +/- 9 years. In order to resolve the issues of what the half-lives of these isotopes actually are, we set up two separate long-term gamma-ray counting experiments. Gamma-ray data were collected in time bins using high-purity Ge detectors and ORTEC PC-based data acquisition systems. We counted in this manner for a period of approximately 5 years for 101Rh and 3 years for 108mAg. In this talk we will describe the details of these experiments and will present the final results for the half-lives of 101Rh

Urinary excretion half life of trichloroacetic acid as a biomarker of exposure to chlorinated drinking water disinfection by-products

PubMed Central

Bader, E; Hrudey, S; Froese, K

2004-01-01

Methods: A longitudinal pilot exposure/intervention study measured the elimination half life of TCAA in urine. Beverage consumption was limited to a public water supply and bottled water of known TCAA concentration, and ingestion volume was managed. The five participants limited fluid consumption to only the water provided. Consumption journals were kept by each participant and their daily first morning urine (FMU) samples were analysed for TCAA and creatinine. TCAA elimination half life curves were generated from a two week washout period using TCAA-free bottled water. Results: Individual elimination half lives ranged from 2.1 to 6.3 days, for single compartment exponential decay, the model which fit the data. Conclusion: Urinary TCAA is persistent enough to be viable as a biomarker of medium term (days) exposure to drinking water TCAA ingestion within a range of realistic concentrations. PMID:15258281

Increased volume of distribution for recombinant activated factor VII and longer plasma-derived factor VII half-life may explain their long lasting prophylactic effect.

PubMed

Mathijssen, Natascha C J; Masereeuw, Rosalinde; Holme, Pal Andre; van Kraaij, Marian G J; Laros-van Gorkom, Britta A P; Peyvandi, Flora; van Heerde, Waander L

2013-08-01

Prophylaxis with plasma-derived or recombinant activated factor VII is beneficial in severe factor VII deficiency. To understand why prophylactic treatment with both products is efficacious, we conducted a pharmacokinetic study. Ten factor VII deficient patients were treated with either recombinant activated (20 μg/kg) or plasma-derived (25 IU/kg) factor VII in a cross-over design. Pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed through activated factor VII activity, factor VII clotting activity, and factor VII antigen levels on depicted time points. Factor VII activity half-lifes, determined by non-compartmental and one-compartmental analysis (results in brackets), were shorter for recombinant activated (1.4h; 0.7h) than for plasma-derived factor VII (6.8h; 3.2h); both recombinant activated (5.1h; 2.1h and plasma-derived factor VII (5.8h; 3.2h) resulted in longer half-lives of factor VII antigen. Activated factor VII half-lives (based on activated factor VII activity levels) were significantly higher compared to factor VII clotting activity (1.6h; 0.9h). Volumes of distribution were significantly higher for activated factor VII (236 ml/kg; 175 ml/kg, measured by activated factor VII) as compared to plasma-derived factor VII (206 ml/kg; 64 ml/kg, measured by factor FVII activity), suggesting a plasma- and extracellular fluid distribution for recombinant activated factor VII. Recombinant activated factor VII showed significantly shorter half-lifes than plasma-derived factor VII. Volumes of distribution were significantly higher for treatment with recombinant activated factor VII. The longer half-life for plasma-derived factor VII, compared to recombinant activated factor VII, and the increased volume of distribution for recombinant activated factor VII, compared to plasma-derived factor VII may further elucidate the beneficial effect of prophylactic treatment of both products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[beta][sup +] decay and cosmic-ray half-life of [sup 91]Nb

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

Hindi, M.M.; Sur, B.; Wedding, K.L.

1993-06-01

In the laboratory, [sup 91]Nb decays by electron capture with a 680-yr half-life. However, as a high energy cosmic ray, it would be stripped of its atomic electrons and would be able to undergo only [beta][sup +] decay. We produced and chemically purified a sample of [sup 91]Nb and observed its decay with an array of Ge and NaI detectors. By following the [beta][sup +] annihilation radiation, we were able to determine the [beta][sup +] branching ratios of both the 105-keV, 61-d isomer and the ground state of [sup 91]Nb. The ground-state branch is (7.7[plus minus]0.8)[times]10[sup [minus]3]% leading to amore » [beta][sup +] partial half-like of (8.8[plus minus]1.9)[times]10[sup 6] yr. Such a value of the half-life makes [sup 91]Nb a good candidate for determining the confinement time of this secondary component of the cosmic rays.« less

A Case Controlled Examination of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide in the Second Half of Life.

PubMed

Van Orden, Kimberly A; Smith, Phillip N; Chen, Tian; Conwell, Yeates

2016-07-02

The interpersonal theory of suicide proposes that the most proximal cause of suicide is the combination of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness coupled with a pre-existing vulnerability of reduced fear of death and increased pain tolerance. This pre-existing vulnerability develops in response to painful and provocative life events. According to the theory, empirically demonstrated risk factors for suicide operate by increasing the likelihood of one or more of the theory's constructs. The current study examined the relations of the major constructs of the interpersonal theory with suicide case status compared to living controls in the second half of life. The current study used a pre-existing psychological autopsy database to compare suicide decedents to living controls 50 years and older. Theory constructs were measured by composite scores of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and painful and provocative experiences using an a priori selection of items comprising each construct. Suicide decedents experienced greater levels of all three of the theory's constructs when examined independently compared to living controls. When examined simultaneously while also controlling for Major Depression, greater perceived burdensomeness and painful and provocative experiences were associated with suicide case status (vs. control). The interpersonal theory is a comprehensive framework that may be useful in understanding risk for death by suicide in the second half of life. Clinical management of suicide risk for adults in the second half of life could include a focus on perceived burdensomeness, as the IPTS proposes that this psychological state is amenable to change via therapeutic intervention.

Half-life of {sup 221}Fr in Si and Au at 4 K and at millikelvin temperatures

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

Wauters, F.; Breitenfeldt, M.; De Leebeeck, V.

2010-12-15

The half-life of the {alpha}-decaying nucleus {sup 221}Fr was determined in different environments, that is, embedded in Si at 4 K, and embedded in Au at 4 K and about 20 mK. No differences in half-life for these different conditions were observed within 0.1%. Furthermore, we quote a value for the absolute half-life of {sup 221}Fr of t{sub 1/2}=286.1(10) s that is of comparable precision to the most precise value available in the literature.

Apparent Half-Lives of Dioxins, Furans, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls as a Function of Age, Body Fat, Smoking Status, and Breast-Feeding

PubMed Central

Milbrath, Meghan O’Grady; Wenger, Yvan; Chang, Chiung-Wen; Emond, Claude; Garabrant, David; Gillespie, Brenda W.; Jolliet, Olivier

2009-01-01

Objective In this study we reviewed the half-life data in the literature for the 29 dioxin, furan, and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners named in the World Health Organization toxic equivalency factor scheme, with the aim of providing a reference value for the half-life of each congener in the human body and a method of half-life estimation that accounts for an individual’s personal characteristics. Data sources and extraction We compared data from > 30 studies containing congener-specific elimination rates. Half-life data were extracted and compiled into a summary table. We then created a subset of these data based on defined exclusionary criteria. Data synthesis We defined values for each congener that approximate the half-life in an infant and in an adult. A linear interpolation of these values was used to examine the relationship between half-life and age, percent body fat, and absolute body fat. We developed predictive equations based on these relationships and adjustments for individual characteristics. Conclusions The half-life of dioxins in the body can be predicted using a linear relationship with age adjusted for body fat, smoking, and breast-feeding. Data suggest an alternative method based on a linear relationship between half-life and total body fat, but this approach requires further testing and validation with individual measurements. PMID:19337517

Sub-nanosecond Half-life Measurement of the Yrast I{sup π}=5{sup −} State in the N=78 Nucleus {sup 136}{sub 58}Ce using Fast-timing Coincident Gamma-ray Spectroscopy

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

Alharbi, T.; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science in Zulfi, Almajmaah University, P.O. Box 1712, 11932; Regan, P.H., E-mail: p.regan@surrey.ac.uk

2014-06-15

We report on the measurement of the half-life of the yrast I{sup π}=5{sup −} state in the transitional nucleus {sup 136}Ce using a combined HPGe-LaBr3(Ce) scintillator gamma-ray detection array. The measured value for the E1 decay is approximately half a nanosecond, which corresponds to an E1 decay strength of approximately 2×10{sup −6} Wu. This value is in line with single-particle type E1 decays in this mass region and suggests no sign of additional K-hindrance associated with axially symmetric quadrupole deformations observed for lighter cerium isotopes.

The Next Big Thing We Won't Be Able to Live Without? Fulbright's Half-Life Theory Gives Us Some Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulbright, Ron

2015-01-01

My great-grandparents lived one-half of their lives without electricity. My grandparents lived one-half of their lives without a telephone. My parents lived one-half of their lives without a television. My sister has lived one-half of her life without a computer and I have lived one-half of my life without Google. Today, we could not imagine life…

Ubiquitin-fusion as a strategy to modulate protein half-life: A3G antiviral activity revisited

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

Cadima-Couto, Iris; Freitas-Vieira, Acilino; Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisboa

2009-10-25

The human APOBEC3G (A3G) is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 replication and its activity is suppressed by HIV-1 virion infectivity factor (Vif). Vif neutralizes A3G mainly by inducing its degradation in the proteasome and blocking its incorporation into HIV-1 virions. Assessing the time needed for A3G incorporation into virions is, therefore, important to determine how quickly Vif must act to induce its degradation. We show that modelling the intracellular half-life of A3G can induce its Vif-independent targeting to the ubiquitin-proteasome system. By using various amino acids (X) in a cleavable ubiquitin-X-A3G fusion, we demonstrate that the half-life (t1/2) of X-A3Gmore » can be manipulated. We show that A3G molecules with a half-life of 13 min are incorporated into virions, whereas those with a half-life shorter than 5 min were not. The amount of X-A3G incorporated into virions increases from 13 min (Phe-A3G) to 85 min (Asn-A3G) and remains constant after this time period. Interestingly, despite the presence of similar levels of Arg-A3G (t1/2 = 28 min) and Asp-A3G (t1/2 = 65 min) into HIV-1 DELTAvif virions, inhibition of viral infectivity was only evident in the presence of A3G proteins with a longer half-life (t1/2 >= 65 min).« less

Anxiety Trajectories in the Second Half of Life: Genetic and Environmental Contributions over Age

PubMed Central

Lee, Lewina O.; Gatz, Margaret; Pedersen, Nancy L.; Prescott, Carol A.

2015-01-01

Clinically significant anxiety symptoms are prevalent among the elderly, yet knowledge about the longitudinal course of anxiety symptoms in later life remains scarce. The goals of this study were to (1) characterize age trajectories of state anxiety symptoms in the second half of life, and (2) estimate genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences in the age trajectory of state anxiety. This study was based on data from 1,482 participants in the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging who were aged 50 and older at their first occasion (512 complete twin pairs, 458 singletons) and had up to six measurement occasions spanning 11 years. Consistent with lifespan developmental theories of age-related emotional change, anxiety symptom levels declined during the transition from midlife to the mid −60s, followed by a mild increase that gradually plateaued in the 80s. There were substantial individual differences in the age trajectory of anxiety. After accounting for effects of sex, cohort, mode of testing and proximity to death, this longitudinal variation was partitioned into biometric sources. Nonshared environmental variance was highest in the late 60s and declined thereafter, whereas genetic variance increased at an accelerated pace from approximately age 60 onward. There was no evidence for effects of rearing or other shared environment on anxiety symptoms in later life. These findings highlight how the etiology of anxiety symptoms changes from midlife to old age. PMID:26751006

Persistence and Effective Half-Life of Chemical Warfare Agent VX on Grass Foliage

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

obtain results applicable to VX- contaminated battlefields. The Effective Half-Life of VX on grass foliage was determined as the net effect of factors...Soldiers on VX- contaminated battlefields. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Chemical warfare agent (CWA) Agent–plant Echinochloa crus-galli Foliage Effective Half...The use of either trade or manufacturers ’ names in this report does not constitute an official endorsement of any commercial products. This report may

Advances in Therapeutic Fc Engineering – Modulation of IgG-Associated Effector Functions and Serum Half-life

PubMed Central

Saxena, Abhishek; Wu, Donghui

2016-01-01

Today, monoclonal immunoglobulin gamma (IgG) antibodies have become a major option in cancer therapy especially for the patients with advanced or metastatic cancers. Efficacy of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is achieved through both its antigen-binding fragment (Fab) and crystallizable fragment (Fc). Fab can specifically recognize tumor-associated antigen (TAA) and thus modulate TAA-linked downstream signaling pathways that may lead to the inhibition of tumor growth, induction of tumor apoptosis, and differentiation. The Fc region can further improve mAbs’ efficacy by mediating effector functions such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis. Moreover, Fc is the region interacting with the neonatal Fc receptor in a pH-dependent manner that can slow down IgG’s degradation and extend its serum half-life. Loss of the antibody Fc region dramatically shortens its serum half-life and weakens its anticancer effects. Given the essential roles that the Fc region plays in the modulation of the efficacy of mAb in cancer treatment, Fc engineering has been extensively studied in the past years. This review focuses on the recent advances in therapeutic Fc engineering that modulates its related effector functions and serum half-life. We also discuss the progress made in aglycosylated mAb development that may substantially reduce the cost of manufacture but maintain similar efficacies as conventional glycosylated mAb. Finally, we highlight several Fc engineering-based mAbs under clinical trials. PMID:28018347

Thirty years after Chernobyl: Long-term determination of 137Cs effective half-life in the lichen Stereocaulon vesuvianum.

PubMed

Savino, F; Pugliese, M; Quarto, M; Adamo, P; Loffredo, F; De Cicco, F; Roca, V

2017-06-01

It has been widely shown that nuclear fallout includes substances, which accumulate in organisms such as crustaceans, fish, mushrooms and lichens, helping to evaluate the activity concentration of contaminants accumulated on a long time. In this context, radiocaesium deposited in soil following the Chernobyl accident on 26 April 1986 is known to have remained persistently available for plant uptake in many areas of Europe. Studies on the lichen Stereocaulon vesuvianum show the plant's high capacity to retain radionuclides from the substrate and the air. After the Chernobyl accident, starting from September 1986, at the Radioactivity Laboratory (LaRa) of the University of Naples Federico II, four monitoring campaigns to evaluate the activity concentration of four isotopes of the two elements caesium and ruthenium ( 134 Cs, 137 Cs, 103 Ru and 106 Ru) were carried out until 1999. This study allowed the effective half-life of 134 Cs and 137 Cs to be estimated. Twenty-eight years after the accident, in December 2014, a further sampling was carried out; only 137 Cs was revealed beyond the detection limits, measuring activity concentrations ranging from 20 to 40 Bq/kg, while the other radionuclides were no longer observed due to their shorter half-life. The last sampling allowed more precise determination of the effective half-life of 137 Cs (6.2 ± 0.1 year), due to the larger dataset on a large time period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incorporation of Half-Cycle Theory Into Ko Aging Theory for Aerostructural Flight-Life Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L.; Tran, Van T.; Chen, Tony

2007-01-01

The half-cycle crack growth theory was incorporated into the Ko closed-form aging theory to improve accuracy in the predictions of operational flight life of failure-critical aerostructural components. A new crack growth computer program was written for reading the maximum and minimum loads of each half-cycle from the random loading spectra for crack growth calculations and generation of in-flight crack growth curves. The unified theories were then applied to calculate the number of flights (operational life) permitted for B-52B pylon hooks and Pegasus adapter pylon hooks to carry the Hyper-X launching vehicle that air launches the X-43 Hyper-X research vehicle. A crack growth curve for each hook was generated for visual observation of the crack growth behavior during the entire air-launching or captive flight. It was found that taxiing and the takeoff run induced a major portion of the total crack growth per flight. The operational life theory presented can be applied to estimate the service life of any failure-critical structural components.

Work Dissatisfaction and Sleep Problems among Canadians in the Latter Half of Life.

PubMed

Brown, Kyla; Bierman, Alex

2017-09-01

This study examined the relationship between work dissatisfaction and sleep problems among Canadian adults in the latter half of life, as well as how gender and social contact moderate this relationship. Data were obtained from the Canadian General Social Survey, Cycle 21 (2007), which sampled adults aged 45 and older in 2007. Analyses focused on individuals with employment as their main activity. Analyses show that work dissatisfaction positively predicts trouble sleeping. There are no significant gender differences in this relationship. Social contact with friends buffers this relationship, but social contact with family does not, and buffering does not vary significantly between men and women. This research contributes to knowledge on sleep problems by showing that work dissatisfaction is adversely associated with sleep problems among Canadians in the latter half of life, but social contact with friends can weaken this deleterious relationship.

The effective and environmental half-life of 137Cs at Coral Islands at the former US nuclear test site.

PubMed

Robison, William L; Conrado, Cynthia L; Bogen, Kenneth T; Stoker, A Carol

2003-01-01

The United States (US) conducted nuclear weapons testing from 1946 to 1958 at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls in the northern Marshall Islands. Based on previous detailed dose assessments for Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utirik Atolls over a period of 28 years, cesium-137 (137Cs) at Bikini Atoll contributes about 85-89% of the total estimated dose through the terrestrial food chain as a result of uptake of 137Cs by food crops. The estimated integral 30, 50, and 70-year doses were based on the radiological decay of 137Cs (30-year half-life) and other radionuclides. However, there is a continuing inventory of 137Cs and 90Sr in the fresh water portion of the groundwater at all contaminated atolls even though the turnover rate of the fresh groundwater is about 5 years. This is evidence that a portion of the soluble fraction of 137Cs and 90Sr inventory in the soil is lost by transport to groundwater when rainfall is heavy enough to cause recharge of the lens, resulting in loss of 137Cs from the soil column and root zone of the plants. This loss is in addition to that caused by radioactive decay. The effective rate of loss was determined by two methods: (1) indirectly, from time-dependent studies of the 137Cs concentration in leaves of Pisonia grandis, Guettarda specosia, Tournefortia argentea (also called Messerschmidia), Scaevola taccada, and fruit from Pandanus and coconut trees (Cocos nucifera L.), and (2) more directly, by evaluating the 137Cs/90Sr ratios at Bikini Atoll. The mean (and its lower and upper 95% confidence limits) for effective half-life and for environmental-loss half-life (ELH) based on all the trees studied on Rongelap, Bikini, and Enewetak Atolls are 8.5 years (8.0 years, 9.8 years), and 12 years (11 years, 15 years), respectively. The ELH based on the 137Cs/90Sr ratios in soil in 1987 relative to the 137Cs/90Sr ratios at the time of deposition in 1954 is less than 17 years. The magnitude of the decrease below 17 years depends on the ELH for 90Sr

The novel benzopyran class of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors. Part 2: The second clinical candidate having a shorter and favorable human half-life

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

Wang, Jane L.; Limburg, David; Graneto, Matthew J.

2012-05-29

In this Letter, we provide the structure-activity relationships, optimization of design, testing criteria, and human half-life data for a series of selective COX-2 inhibitors. During the course of our structure-based drug design efforts, we discovered two distinct binding modes within the COX-2 active site for differently substituted members of this class. The challenge of a undesirably long human half-life for the first clinical candidate 1t{sub 1/2} = 360 h was addressed by multiple strategies, leading to the discovery of 29b-(S) (SC-75416) with t{sub 1/2} = 34 h.

Hair-to-blood ratio and biological half-life of mercury: experimental study of methylmercury exposure through fish consumption in humans.

PubMed

Yaginuma-Sakurai, Kozue; Murata, Katsuyuki; Iwai-Shimada, Miyuki; Nakai, Kunihiko; Kurokawa, Naoyuki; Tatsuta, Nozomi; Satoh, Hiroshi

2012-02-01

The hair-to-blood ratio and biological half-life of methylmercury in a one-compartment model seem to differ between past and recent studies. To reevaluate them, 27 healthy volunteers were exposed to methylmercury at the provisional tolerable weekly intake (3.4 µg/kg body weight/week) for adults through fish consumption for 14 weeks, followed by a 15-week washout period after the cessation of exposure. Blood was collected every 1 or 2 weeks, and hair was cut every 4 weeks. Total mercury (T-Hg) concentrations were analyzed in blood and hair. The T-Hg levels of blood and hair changed with time (p < 0.001). The mean concentrations increased from 6.7 ng/g at week 0 to 26.9 ng/g at week 14 in blood, and from 2.3 to 8.8 µg/g in hair. The mean hair-to-blood ratio after the adjustment for the time lag from blood to hair was 344 ± 54 (S.D.) for the entire period. The half-lives of T-Hg were calculated from raw data to be 94 ± 23 days for blood and 102 ± 31 days for hair, but the half-lives recalculated after subtracting the background levels from the raw data were 57 ± 18 and 64 ± 22 days, respectively. In conclusion, the hair-to-blood ratio of methylmercury, based on past studies, appears to be underestimated in light of recent studies. The crude half-life may be preferred rather than the recalculated one because of the practicability and uncertainties of the background level, though the latter half-life may approximate the conventional one.

Extending the Serum Half-Life of G-CSF via Fusion with the Domain III of Human Serum Albumin

PubMed Central

Zhao, Shuqiang; Zhang, Yu; Tian, Hong; Chen, Xiaofei; Cai, Di; Yao, Wenbing; Gao, Xiangdong

2013-01-01

Protein fusion technology is one of the most commonly used methods to extend the half-life of therapeutic proteins. In this study, in order to prolong the half-life of Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), the domain III of human serum albumin (3DHSA) was genetically fused to the N-terminal of G-CSF. The 3DHSA-G-CSF fusion gene was cloned into pPICZαA along with the open reading frame of the α-factor signal under the control of the AOX1 promoter. The recombinant expression vector was transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115, and the recombinant strains were screened by SDS-PAGE. As expected, the 3DHSA-G-CSF showed high binding affinity with HSA antibody and G-CSF antibody, and the natural N-terminal of 3DHSA was detected by N-terminal sequencing. The bioactivity and pharmacokinetic studies of 3DHSA-G-CSF were respectively determined using neutropenia model mice and human G-CSF ELISA kit. The results demonstrated that 3DHSA-G-CSF has the ability to increase the peripheral white blood cell (WBC) counts of neutropenia model mice, and the half-life of 3DHSA-G-CSF is longer than that of native G-CSF. In conclusion, 3DHSA can be used to extend the half-life of G-CSF. PMID:24151579

Combined glyco- and protein-Fc engineering simultaneously enhance cytotoxicity and half-life of a therapeutic antibody.

PubMed

Monnet, Céline; Jorieux, Sylvie; Souyris, Nathalie; Zaki, Ouafa; Jacquet, Alexandra; Fournier, Nathalie; Crozet, Fabien; de Romeuf, Christophe; Bouayadi, Khalil; Urbain, Rémi; Behrens, Christian K; Mondon, Philippe; Fontayne, Alexandre

2014-01-01

While glyco-engineered monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with improved antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) are reaching the market, extensive efforts have also been made to improve their pharmacokinetic properties to generate biologically superior molecules. Most therapeutic mAbs are human or humanized IgG molecules whose half-life is dependent on the neonatal Fc receptor FcRn. FcRn reduces IgG catabolism by binding to the Fc domain of endocytosed IgG in acidic lysosomal compartments, allowing them to be recycled into the blood. Fc-engineered mAbs with increased FcRn affinity resulted in longer in vivo half-life in animal models, but also in healthy humans. These Fc-engineered mAbs were obtained by alanine scanning, directed mutagenesis or in silico approach of the FcRn binding site. In our approach, we applied a random mutagenesis technology (MutaGen™) to generate mutations evenly distributed over the whole Fc sequence of human IgG1. IgG variants with improved FcRn-binding were then isolated from these Fc-libraries using a pH-dependent phage display selection process. Two successive rounds of mutagenesis and selection were performed to identify several mutations that dramatically improve FcRn binding. Notably, many of these mutations were unpredictable by rational design as they were located distantly from the FcRn binding site, validating our random molecular approach. When produced on the EMABling(®) platform allowing effector function increase, our IgG variants retained both higher ADCC and higher FcRn binding. Moreover, these IgG variants exhibited longer half-life in human FcRn transgenic mice. These results clearly demonstrate that glyco-engineering to improve cytotoxicity and protein-engineering to increase half-life can be combined to further optimize therapeutic mAbs.

Estimating biodegradation half-lives for use in chemical screening.

PubMed

Aronson, Dallas; Boethling, Robert; Howard, Philip; Stiteler, William

2006-06-01

Biodegradation half-lives are needed for many applications in chemical screening, but these data are not available for most chemicals. To address this, in phase one of this work we correlated the much more abundant ready and inherent biodegradation test data with measured half-lives for water and soil. In phase two, we explored the utility of the BIOWIN models (in EPI Suite) and molecular fragments for predicting half-lives. BIOWIN model output was correlated directly with measured half-lives, and new models were developed by re-regressing the BIOWIN fragments against the half-lives. All of these approaches gave the best results when used for binary (fast/slow) classification of half-lives, with accuracy generally in the 70-80% range. In the last phase, we used the collected half-life data to examine the default half-lives assigned by EPI Suite and the PBT Profiler for use as input to their level III multimedia models. It is concluded that estimated half-lives should not be used for purposes other than binning or prioritizing chemicals unless accuracy improves significantly.

Half-life measurements of isomeric states populated in projectile fragmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowry, M.; Podolyák, Zs.; Kurcewicz, J.; Pietri, S.; Bunce, M.; Regan, P. H.; Farinon, F.; Geissel, H.; Nociforo, C.; Prochazka, A.; Weick, H.; Allegro, P.; Benlliure, J.; Benzoni, G.; Boutachkov, P.; Gerl, J.; Gorska, M.; Gottardo, A.; Gregor, N.; Janik, R.; Knöbel, R.; Kojouharov, I.; Kubo, T.; Litvinov, Y. A.; Merchan, E.; Mukha, I.; Naqvi, F.; Pfeiffer, B.; Pfützner, M.; Plaß, W.; Pomorski, M.; Riese, B.; Ricciardi, M. V.; Schmidt, K.-H.; Schaffner, H.; Kurz, N.; Denis Bacelar, A. M.; Bruce, A. M.; Farrelly, G. F.; Alkhomashi, N.; Al-Dahan, N.; Scheidenberger, C.; Sitar, B.; Spiller, P.; Stadlmann, J.; Strmen, P.; Sun, B.; Takeda, H.; Tanihata, I.; Terashima, S.; Valiente Dobon, J. J.; Winfield, J. S.; Wollersheim, H.-J.; Woods, P. J.

2012-10-01

The half-lives of excited isomeric states observed in 195Au, 201Tl and 215Rn are reported for the first time. Delayed γ-rays were correlated with nuclei produced in the projectile fragmentation of relativistic 238U ions, unambiguously identified in terms of their atomic number (Z) and mass-to-charge ratio (A/Q) after traversing an in-flight separator. The observation of a long-lived isomeric state in 195Au with t1/2 = 16-4+8 μs is presented. Two shorter-lived isomeric states were detected in 201Tl and 215Rn with t1/2 = 95-21+39 and 57-12+21 ns respectively. In total 24 isomeric states were identified in different nuclei from Pt to Rn (A ˜ 200) during the current study, the majority of which were previously reported. The wealth of spectroscopic data provides the opportunity to determine the isomeric ratios over a wide range of Z, A and angular momentum (I ħ) of the reaction products. In particular, high-spin states with I ≳ 18 ħ provide a robust test of theoretical models of fragmentation.

Biological half-life of gaseous elemental iodine deposited onto rice grains

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

Uchida, S.; Muramatsu, Y.; Sumiya, M.

In order to obtain the biological half-life (Tb) of iodine deposited on rough rice grains, rice plants of four different growing stages--heading, milky, dough, and yellow ripe--were exposed to elemental gaseous iodine. After the exposure, the rough rice samples were collected at different intervals and analyzed for iodine to estimate the value of Tb. The average value of Tb obtained by the experiments at the dough and yellow ripe stages was about 200 d. This value is considerably larger than those for pasture grass and leafy vegetables.

Protein half-life determines expression of proteostatic networks in podocyte differentiation.

PubMed

Schroeter, Christina B; Koehler, Sybille; Kann, Martin; Schermer, Bernhard; Benzing, Thomas; Brinkkoetter, Paul T; Rinschen, Markus M

2018-04-25

Podocytes are highly specialized, epithelial, postmitotic cells, which maintain the renal filtration barrier. When adapting to considerable metabolic and mechanical stress, podocytes need to accurately maintain their proteome. Immortalized podocyte cell lines are a widely used model for studying podocyte biology in health and disease in vitro. In this study, we performed a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the cultured human podocyte proteome in both proliferative and differentiated conditions at a depth of >7000 proteins. Similar to mouse podocytes, human podocyte differentiation involved a shift in proteostasis: undifferentiated podocytes have high expression of proteasomal proteins, whereas differentiated podocytes have high expression of lysosomal proteins. Additional analyses with pulsed stable-isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture and protein degradation assays determined protein dynamics and half-lives. These studies unraveled a globally increased stability of proteins in differentiated podocytes. Mitochondrial, cytoskeletal, and membrane proteins were stabilized, particularly in differentiated podocytes. Importantly, protein half-lives strongly contributed to protein abundance in each state. These data suggest that regulation of protein turnover of particular cellular functions determines podocyte differentiation, a paradigm involving mitophagy and, potentially, of importance in conditions of increased podocyte stress and damage.-Schroeter, C. B., Koehler, S., Kann, M., Schermer, B., Benzing, T., Brinkkoetter, P. T., Rinschen, M. M. Protein half-life determines expression of proteostatic networks in podocyte differentiation.

The Plasma Disappearance Time and Catabolic Half-Life of I 131-Labelled Normal Human Gamma Globulin in Amyloidosis and in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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

Mills, John A.; Calkins, Evan; Cohen, Alan S.

1961-10-01

The serum survival time and catabclic half-life of intravenously injected I 131-labeled pooled human gamma globulin - were studied in three patients with amyloidosis, four patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and three normal controls. The half-time of gamma globulin survival in the controsubjects ranged from 16.5 to 30 days. Two patients with amyloidosis, one primary and one secondary, both with the nephrotic syndrome, exhibited shortened serum half-times of 4.5 and 11 days, respectively. The serum half-time of the latter patient, before the appearance of clinical amyloidosis, was 14 days. One patient with primary amyloidosis but without nephrosis exhibited a half-time ofmore » serum gamma globulin disappearance of 21 days. The half-time of gamma globulin disappearance in four patients with chronic active rheumatoid arthritis varied between 19.5 and 8.5 days. The lower figure was found in a patient having a high titer of rheumatoid factor. If this subject is excepted, the average half- time in three rheumatoid subjects is 17 days. The catabolic half-life of the iodinated gamma globulin agreed in most instances with the serum half-time. The calculated distribution space of the injected gamma globulin showed no consistent alteration in either amyloidosis or rheumatoid arthritis as compared with the control subjects. Since the nephrotic syndrome from other causes may produce an accelerated catabolic half-life, a similar finding on these subjects cannot be ascribed to amyloidosis.« less

When do star clusters become multiple star systems? II. Toward a half-life formalism with four bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibragimov, Timur; Leigh, Nathan W. C.; Ryu, Taeho; Panurach, Teresa; Perna, Rosalba

2018-03-01

We present a half-life formalism for describing the disruption of gravitationally-bound few-body systems, with a focus on binary-binary scattering. For negative total encounter energies, the four-body problem has three possible decay products in the point particle limit. For each decay product and a given set of initial conditions, we obtain directly from numerical scattering simulations the half-life for the distribution of disruption times. As in radioactive decay, the half-lives should provide a direct prediction for the relative fractions of each decay product. We test this prediction with simulated data and find good agreement with our hypothesis. We briefly discuss applications of this feature of the gravitational four-body problem to populations of black holes in globular clusters. This paper, the second in the series, builds on extending the remarkable similarity between gravitational chaos at the macroscopic scale and radioactive decay at the microscopic scale to larger-N systems.

When do star clusters become multiple star systems? II. Towards a half-life formalism with four bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibragimov, Timur; Leigh, Nathan W. C.; Ryu, Taeho; Panurach, Teresa; Perna, Rosalba

2018-07-01

We present a half-life formalism for describing the disruption of gravitationally bound few-body systems, with a focus on binary-binary scattering. For negative total encounter energies, the four-body problem has three possible decay products in the point-particle limit. For each decay product and a given set of initial conditions, we obtain directly from numerical scattering simulations the half-life for the distribution of disruption times. As in radioactive decay, the half-lives should provide a direct prediction for the relative fractions of each decay product. We test this prediction with simulated data and find good agreement with our hypothesis. We briefly discuss applications of this feature of the gravitational four-body problem to populations of black holes in globular clusters. This paper, the second in the series, builds on extending the remarkable similarity between gravitational chaos at the macroscopic scale and radioactive decay at the microscopic scale to larger-N systems.

Real-World Analysis of Dispensed IUs of Coagulation Factor IX and Resultant Expenditures in Hemophilia B Patients Receiving Standard Half-life Versus Extended Half-life Products and Those Switching from Standard Half-life to Extended Half-life Products.

PubMed

Tortella, Bartholomew J; Alvir, José; McDonald, Margaret; Spurden, Dean; Fogarty, Patrick F; Chhabra, Amit; Pleil, Andreas M

2018-01-24

Hemophilia B requires replacement therapy with factor IX (FIX) coagulation products to treat and prevent bleeding episodes. A recently introduced extended half-life (EHL) recombinant FIX replacement product provided the opportunity to compare the amount of dispensed factor and expenditures for EHL treatment compared with a standard half-life (SHL) product. To determine factor international units (IUs) dispensed and expenditures associated with switching from nonacog alfa, the most commonly used SHL replacement product, to eftrenonacog alfa, an EHL FIX replacement product. Two U.S. claims databases were analyzed. A large national specialty pharmacy dispensation claims database was used to identify the number of IUs dispensed and monthly charges for all patients with hemophilia B from April 2015 to June 2016. Truven Health MarketScan Research Databases (January 2010-July 2016) were used to identify IUs and expenditures for patients with claims data for at least 3 months before and after switching from the SHL to the EHL product. Medians for IUs and expenditures are presented to accommodate for skewness of data distribution. The national specialty pharmacy database analysis included 296 patients with moderate or severe hemophilia B (233 on SHL; 94 on EHL). Median monthly factor dispensed was 11% lower (2,142 IU) in the EHL versus SHL cohort over the study period, while individual monthly reductions ranged from 32% to 47% (9,838 IU to 16,514 IU). Using the wholesale acquisition cost, the median per-patient monthly factor expenditures over the 15-month study period were 94% higher ($23,005) for the EHL than for the SHL product. Individual median monthly expenditure differences ranged from 15% ($6,562) to 49% ($19,624). In the Truven database, 14 patients switched from the SHL to the EHL product. The amount of factor dispensed was variable; in the 1-year period before and after the switch from the SHL to the EHL product, mean IUs dispensed decreased by 3,005 IU, while

Extension of in vivo half-life of biologically active peptides via chemical conjugation to XTEN protein polymer.

PubMed

Podust, Vladimir N; Sim, Bee-Cheng; Kothari, Dharti; Henthorn, Lana; Gu, Chen; Wang, Chia-wei; McLaughlin, Bryant; Schellenberger, Volker

2013-11-01

XTEN, unstructured biodegradable proteins, have been used to extend the in vivo half-life of genetically fused therapeutic proteins and peptides. To expand the applications of XTEN technology to half-life extension of other classes of molecules, XTEN protein polymers and methods for chemical XTENylation were developed. Two XTEN precursors were engineered to contain enzymatically removable purification tags. The proteins were readily expressed in bacteria and purified to homogeneity by chromatography techniques. As proof-of-principle, GLP2-2G peptide was chemically conjugated to each of the two XTEN protein polymers using maleimide-thiol chemistry. The monodisperse nature of XTEN protein polymer enabled reaction monitoring as well as the detection of peptide modifications in the conjugated state using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The resulting GLP2-2G-XTEN conjugates were purified by preparative RP-HPLC to homogeneity. In comparison with recombinantly fused GLP2-2G-XTEN, chemically conjugated GLP2-2G-XTEN molecules exhibited comparable in vitro activity, in vitro plasma stability and pharmacokinetics in rats. These data suggest that chemical XTENylation could effectively extend the half-life of a wide spectrum of biologically active molecules, therefore broadening its applicability.

Fab-dsFv: A bispecific antibody format with extended serum half-life through albumin binding.

PubMed

Davé, Emma; Adams, Ralph; Zaccheo, Oliver; Carrington, Bruce; Compson, Joanne E; Dugdale, Sarah; Airey, Michael; Malcolm, Sarah; Hailu, Hanna; Wild, Gavin; Turner, Alison; Heads, James; Sarkar, Kaushik; Ventom, Andrew; Marshall, Diane; Jairaj, Mark; Kopotsha, Tim; Christodoulou, Louis; Zamacona, Miren; Lawson, Alastair D; Heywood, Sam; Humphreys, David P

2016-10-01

An antibody format, termed Fab-dsFv, has been designed for clinical indications that require monovalent target binding in the absence of direct Fc receptor (FcR) binding while retaining substantial serum presence. The variable fragment (Fv) domain of a humanized albumin-binding antibody was fused to the C-termini of Fab constant domains, such that the VL and VH domains were individually connected to the Cκ and CH1 domains by peptide linkers, respectively. The anti-albumin Fv was selected for properties thought to be desirable to ensure a durable serum half-life mediated via FcRn. The Fv domain was further stabilized by an inter-domain disulfide bond. The bispecific format was shown to be thermodynamically and biophysically stable, and retained good affinity and efficacy to both antigens simultaneously. In in vivo studies, the serum half-life of Fab-dsFv, 2.6 d in mice and 7.9 d in cynomolgus monkeys, was equivalent to Fab'-PEG.

Fab-dsFv: A bispecific antibody format with extended serum half-life through albumin binding

PubMed Central

Davé, Emma; Adams, Ralph; Zaccheo, Oliver; Carrington, Bruce; Compson, Joanne E.; Dugdale, Sarah; Airey, Michael; Malcolm, Sarah; Hailu, Hanna; Wild, Gavin; Turner, Alison; Heads, James; Sarkar, Kaushik; Ventom, Andrew; Marshall, Diane; Jairaj, Mark; Kopotsha, Tim; Christodoulou, Louis; Zamacona, Miren; Lawson, Alastair D.; Heywood, Sam; Humphreys, David P.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT An antibody format, termed Fab-dsFv, has been designed for clinical indications that require monovalent target binding in the absence of direct Fc receptor (FcR) binding while retaining substantial serum presence. The variable fragment (Fv) domain of a humanized albumin-binding antibody was fused to the C-termini of Fab constant domains, such that the VL and VH domains were individually connected to the Cκ and CH1 domains by peptide linkers, respectively. The anti-albumin Fv was selected for properties thought to be desirable to ensure a durable serum half-life mediated via FcRn. The Fv domain was further stabilized by an inter-domain disulfide bond. The bispecific format was shown to be thermodynamically and biophysically stable, and retained good affinity and efficacy to both antigens simultaneously. In in vivo studies, the serum half-life of Fab-dsFv, 2.6 d in mice and 7.9 d in cynomolgus monkeys, was equivalent to Fab'-PEG. PMID:27532598

Dexamethasone promotes granulocyte mobilization by prolonging the half-life of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor in healthy donors for granulocyte transfusions.

PubMed

Hiemstra, Ida H; van Hamme, John L; Janssen, Machiel H; van den Berg, Timo K; Kuijpers, Taco W

2017-03-01

Granulocyte transfusion (GTX) is a potential approach to correcting neutropenia and relieving the increased risk of infection in patients who are refractory to antibiotics. To mobilize enough granulocytes for transfusion, healthy donors are premedicated with granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and dexamethasone. Granulocytes have a short circulatory half-life. Consequently, patients need to receive GTX every other day to keep circulating granulocyte counts at an acceptable level. We investigated whether plasma from premedicated donors was capable of prolonging neutrophil survival and, if so, which factor could be held responsible. The effects of plasma from G-CSF/dexamethasone-treated donors on neutrophil survival were assessed by annexin-V, CD16. and CXCR4 staining and nuclear morphology. We isolated an albumin-bound protein using α-chymotrypsin and albumin-depletion and further characterized it using protein analysis. The effects of dexamethasone and G-CSF were assessed using mifepristone and G-CSF-neutralizing antibody. G-CSF plasma concentrations were determined by Western blot and Luminex analyses. G-CSF/dexamethasone plasma contained a survival-promoting factor for at least 2 days. This factor was recognized as an albumin-associated protein and was identified as G-CSF itself, which was surprising considering its reported half-life of only 4.5 hours. Compared with coadministration of dexamethasone, administration of G-CSF alone to the same GTX donors led to a faster decline in circulating G-CSF levels, whereas dexamethasone itself did not induce any G-CSF, demonstrating a role for dexamethasone in increasing G-CSF half-life. Dexamethasone increases granulocyte yield upon coadministration with G-CSF by extending G-CSF half-life. This observation might also be exploited in the coadministration of dexamethasone with other recombinant proteins to modulate their half-life. © 2016 AABB.

The detectability half-life in arthropod predator-prey research: what it is, why we need it, how to measure it, and how to use it.

PubMed

Greenstone, Matthew H; Payton, Mark E; Weber, Donald C; Simmons, Alvin M

2014-08-01

Molecular gut-content analysis enables detection of arthropod predation with minimal disruption of ecosystem processes. Most assays produce only qualitative results, with each predator testing either positive or negative for target prey remains. Nevertheless, they have yielded important insights into community processes. For example, they have confirmed the long-hypothesized role of generalist predators in retarding early-season build-up of pest populations prior to the arrival of more specialized predators and parasitoids and documented the ubiquity of secondary and intraguild predation. However, raw qualitative gut-content data cannot be used to assess the relative impact of different predator taxa on prey population dynamics: they must first be weighted by the relative detectability periods for molecular prey remains for each predator-prey combination. If this is not carried out, interpretations of predator impact will be biased towards those with the longest detectabilities. We review the challenges in determining detectability half-lives, including unstated assumptions that have often been ignored in the performance of feeding trials. We also show how detectability half-lives can be used to properly weight assay data to rank predators by their importance in prey population suppression, and how sets of half-lives can be used to test hypotheses concerning predator ecology and physiology. We use data from 32 publications, comprising 97 half-lives, to generate and test hypotheses on taxonomic differences in detectability half-lives and discuss the possible role of the detectability half-life in interpreting qPCR and next-generation sequencing data. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The beta(+) decay and cosmic-ray half-life of Mn-54

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dacruz, M. T. F.; Norman, E. B.; Chan, Y. D.; Garcia, A.; Larimer, R. M.; Lesko, K. T.; Stokstad, R. G.; Wietfeldt, F. E.

1993-03-01

We performed a search for the beta(+) branch of Mn-54 decay. As a cosmic ray, Mn-54, deprived of its atomic electrons, can decay only via beta(+) and beta(-) decay, with a half-life of the order of 106 yr. This turns Mn-54 into a suitable cosmic chronometer for the study of cosmic-ray confinement times. We searched for coincident back-to-back 511-keV gamma-rays using two germanium detectors inside a Nal(Tl) annulus. An upper limit of 2 x 10-8 was found for the beta(+) decay branch, corresponding to a lower limit of 13.7 for the log ft value.

3-O sulfation of heparin leads to hepatotropism and longer circulatory half-life.

PubMed

Miller, Colton M; Xu, Yongmei; Kudrna, Katrina M; Hass, Blake E; Kellar, Brianna M; Egger, Andrew W; Liu, Jian; Harris, Edward N

2018-05-17

Heparins are common blood anticoagulants that are critical for many surgical and biomedical procedures used in modern medicine. In contrast to natural heparin derived from porcine gut mucosa, synthetic heparins are homogenous by mass, polymer length, and chemistry. Stable cell lines expressing the human and mouse Stabilin receptors were used to evaluate endocytosis of natural and synthetic heparin. We chemoenzymatically produced synthetic heparin consisting of 12 sugars (dodecamers) containing 14 sulfate groups resulting in a non-3-O sulfated structure (n12mer). Half of the n12mer was modified with a 3-O sulfate on a single GlcNS sugar producing the 3-O sulfated heparin (12mer). Wildtype (WT), Stabilin-1 knock-out (KO), and Stabilin-2 KO C57BL/6 mice were developed and used for metabolic studies and provided as a source for primary liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. Human and mouse Stabilin-2 receptors had very similar endocytosis rates of both the 12mer and n12mer, suggesting that they are functionally similar in primary cells. Subcutaneous injections of the n12mer and 12mer revealed that the 12mer had a much longer half-life in circulation and a higher accumulation in liver. The n12mer never accumulated in circulation and was readily excreted by the kidneys before liver accumulation could occur. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells from the Stabilin-2 KO mice had lower uptake rates for both dodecamers, whereas, the Stabilin-1 KO mice had lower endocytosis rates for the 12mer than the n12mer. 3-O sulfation of heparin is correlated to both a longer circulatory half-life and hepatotropism which is largely performed by the Stabilin receptors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tailoring treatment of haemophilia B: accounting for the distribution and clearance of standard and extended half-life FIX concentrates.

PubMed

Iorio, Alfonso; Fischer, Kathelijn; Blanchette, Victor; Rangarajan, Savita; Young, Guy; Morfini, Massimo

2017-06-02

The prophylactic administration of factor IX (FIX) is considered the most effective treatment for haemophilia B. The inter-individual variability and complexity of the pharmacokinetics (PK) of FIX, and the rarity of the disease have hampered identification of an optimal treatment regimens. The recent introduction of extended half-life recombinant FIX molecules (EHL-rFIX), has prompted a thorough reassessment of the clinical efficacy, PK and pharmacodynamics of plasma-derived and recombinant FIX. First, using longer sampling times and multi-compartmental PK models has led to more precise (and favourable) PK for FIX than was appreciated in the past. Second, investigating the distribution of FIX in the body beyond the vascular space (which is implied by its complex kinetics) has opened a new research field on the role for extravascular FIX. Third, measuring plasma levels of EHL-rFIX has shown that different aPTT reagents have different accuracy in measuring different FIX molecules. How will this new knowledge reflect on clinical practice? Clinical decision making in haemophilia B requires some caution and expertise. First, comparisons between different FIX molecules must be assessed taking into consideration the comparability of the populations studied and the PK models used. Second, individual PK estimates must rely on multi-compartmental models, and would benefit from adopting a population PK approach. Optimal sampling times need to be adapted to the prolonged half-life of the new EHL FIX products. Finally, costs considerations may apply, which is beyond the scope of this manuscript but might be deeply connected with the PK considerations discussed in this communication.

Half-lives of 132La and 135La

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, E. P.; Clause, H. K.; Fonslet, J.; Nickles, R. J.; Severin, G. W.

2018-03-01

The half-lives of 135La and 132La were determined via serial gamma spectroscopy, and the half-life of 135La was further determined by a high-precision ionization-chamber measurement. The results are 18.91(2) hr for 135La and 4.59(4) hr for 132La compared with the previously compiled values of 19.5(2) hr and 4.8(2) hr, respectively. These lanthanum isotopes comprise a medically interesting system with positron emitter 132La and Auger-electron emitter 135La forming a theranostic pair for internal diagnostics and therapeutics. The precise half-lives are necessary for proper evaluation of their value in medicine and for a more representative tabulation of nuclear data.

Vitamin E plasma kinetics in swine show low bioavailability and short half-life of -α-tocopheryl acetate.

PubMed

van Kempen, T A T G; Reijersen, M H; de Bruijn, C; De Smet, S; Michiels, J; Traber, M G; Lauridsen, C

2016-10-01

Vitamin E is important for animal production because of its effects on health and product quality, but the amount and form required remains controversial. Our objective was to quantify the absolute bioavailability of oral -α-tocopheryl acetate (α-TAc) in swine (22 ± 1 kg and 8 wk old, fitted with jugular catheters) adapted to a diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg -α-TAc; 75 mg/kg was chosen because this level represents the nonweighted average inclusion level in piglet diets across Western key swine-producing countries. For this, a 350-g test meal (6% fat) was supplied at time 0 containing 75 mg deuterated (D9) -α-TAc to 9 animals, and 8 animals received an intravenous () dose containing deuterated (D6) RRR-α-tocopherol (α-T) at one-eighth the oral dose and a test meal without supplemental vitamin E. Plasma samples (12 to 13 per animal) were obtained at incremental intervals over 75 h for analysis of deuterated α-T using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Surprisingly, the i.v. dose rapidly disappeared from plasma and then reappeared. The half-life for this first peak was only 1.7 ± 0.3 min. The second peak had an appearance rate (Ka) of 0.10 ± 0.06 d and a half-life of 5.9 ± 1.2 h. Oral dosing resulted, after a lag of 56 min, in a Ka of 0.91 ± 0.21 d and a half-life of 2.6 ± 0.8 h. The bioavailability for oral α-TAc was 12.5%, whereas the area under the curve was only 5.4%. This low bioavailability, small area under the curve, and short half-life are likely because of various factors, that is, the use of only 6% fat in the diet, the use of the acetate ester and , and the high dose relative to requirements. In conclusion, i.v. dosed vitamin E shows both a rapid and a very slow pool, whereas orally dosed vitamin E shows a single slow pool. The oral material has a very short half-live (44% of i.v. or 2.6 h), low bioavailability (12.5%), and a very small area under the curve (5.4%), bringing into question the efficacy of typical doses of vitamin

Is obesity associated with a decline in intelligence quotient during the first half of the life course?

PubMed

Belsky, Daniel W; Caspi, Avshalom; Goldman-Mellor, Sidra; Meier, Madeline H; Ramrakha, Sandhya; Poulton, Richie; Moffitt, Terrie E

2013-11-01

Cross-sectional studies have found that obesity is associated with low intellectual ability and neuroimaging abnormalities in adolescence and adulthood. Some have interpreted these associations to suggest that obesity causes intellectual decline in the first half of the life course. We analyzed data from a prospective longitudinal study to test whether becoming obese was associated with intellectual decline from childhood to midlife. We used data from the ongoing Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a population-representative birth cohort study of 1,037 children in New Zealand who were followed prospectively from birth (1972-1973) through their fourth decade of life with a 95% retention rate. Intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured in childhood and adulthood. Anthropometric measurements were taken at birth and at 12 subsequent in-person assessments. As expected, cohort members who became obese had lower adulthood IQ scores. However, obese cohort members exhibited no excess decline in IQ. Instead, these cohort members had lower IQ scores since childhood. This pattern remained consistent when we accounted for children's birth weights and growth during the first years of life, as well as for childhood-onset obesity. Lower IQ scores among children who later developed obesity were present as early as 3 years of age. We observed no evidence that obesity contributed to a decline in IQ, even among obese individuals who displayed evidence of the metabolic syndrome and/or elevated systemic inflammation.

Is Obesity Associated With a Decline in Intelligence Quotient During the First Half of the Life Course?

PubMed Central

Belsky, Daniel W.; Caspi, Avshalom; Goldman-Mellor, Sidra; Meier, Madeline H.; Ramrakha, Sandhya; Poulton, Richie; Moffitt, Terrie E.

2013-01-01

Cross-sectional studies have found that obesity is associated with low intellectual ability and neuroimaging abnormalities in adolescence and adulthood. Some have interpreted these associations to suggest that obesity causes intellectual decline in the first half of the life course. We analyzed data from a prospective longitudinal study to test whether becoming obese was associated with intellectual decline from childhood to midlife. We used data from the ongoing Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a population-representative birth cohort study of 1,037 children in New Zealand who were followed prospectively from birth (1972–1973) through their fourth decade of life with a 95% retention rate. Intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured in childhood and adulthood. Anthropometric measurements were taken at birth and at 12 subsequent in-person assessments. As expected, cohort members who became obese had lower adulthood IQ scores. However, obese cohort members exhibited no excess decline in IQ. Instead, these cohort members had lower IQ scores since childhood. This pattern remained consistent when we accounted for children's birth weights and growth during the first years of life, as well as for childhood-onset obesity. Lower IQ scores among children who later developed obesity were present as early as 3 years of age. We observed no evidence that obesity contributed to a decline in IQ, even among obese individuals who displayed evidence of the metabolic syndrome and/or elevated systemic inflammation. PMID:24029684

Comparison of 75SeHCAT retention half-life and fecal content of individual bile acids in patients with chronic diarrheal disorders.

PubMed

Scheurlen, C; Kruis, W; Büll, U; Stellaard, F; Lang, P; Paumgartner, G

1986-01-01

Measurement of the retention of 23-75Se-25-homotaurocholic acid (SeHCAT) has been suggested as a new test for ileal function. We investigated 31 patients with chronic diarrhea, 10 with ileal Crohn's disease and 21 with diarrhea but without ileal disease. The whole-body retention half-life of 1 mu Ci SeHCAT was determined and compared to the fecal content of total and individual bile acids. Patients with ileal disease had increased primary fecal bile acids (chenodeoxycholic acid: mean 6.95 mg/g dry weight, range 3.15-10.6 mg/g; cholic acid: mean 18.15 mg/g, range 10.3-33.9 mg/g) and a short SeHCAT retention (mean 11.9 h, range 2-24 h), whereas patients with intact ileum had normal fecal bile acids and a SeHCAT retention of 85.9 h (range 28-216 h). SeHCAT retention half-life differentiated well between patients with ileal disease and patients with normal ileum, thus indicating the SeHCAT test as a valid investigation method for detection of primary bile acid malabsorption in patients with chronic diarrhea and ileal dysfunction.

Dual Constant Domain-Fab: A novel strategy to improve half-life and potency of a Met therapeutic antibody.

PubMed

Cignetto, Simona; Modica, Chiara; Chiriaco, Cristina; Fontani, Lara; Milla, Paola; Michieli, Paolo; Comoglio, Paolo M; Vigna, Elisa

2016-06-01

The kinase receptor encoded by the Met oncogene is a sensible target for cancer therapy. The chimeric monovalent Fab fragment of the DN30 monoclonal antibody (MvDN30) has an odd mechanism of action, based on cell surface removal of Met via activation of specific plasma membrane proteases. However, the short half-life of the Fab, due to its low molecular weight, is a severe limitation for the deployment in therapy. This issue was addressed by increasing the Fab molecular weight above the glomerular filtration threshold through the duplication of the constant domains, in tandem (DCD-1) or reciprocally swapped (DCD-2). The two newly engineered molecules showed biochemical properties comparable to the original MvDN30 in vitro, acting as full Met antagonists, impairing Met phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling pathways. As a consequence, Met-mediated biological responses were inhibited, including anchorage-dependent and -independent cell growth. In vivo DCD-1 and DCD-2 showed a pharmacokinetic profile significantly improved over the original MvDN30, doubling the circulating half-life and reducing the clearance. In pre-clinical models of cancer, generated by injection of tumor cells or implant of patient-derived samples, systemic administration of the engineered molecules inhibited the growth of Met-addicted tumors. Copyright © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Standard Operating Procedure for Using the NAFTA Guidance to Calculate Representative Half-life Values and Characterizing Pesticide Degradation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Results of the degradation kinetics project and describes a general approach for calculating and selecting representative half-life values from soil and aquatic transformation studies for risk assessment and exposure modeling purposes.

Eawag-Soil in enviPath: a new resource for exploring regulatory pesticide soil biodegradation pathways and half-life data.

PubMed

Latino, Diogo A R S; Wicker, Jörg; Gütlein, Martin; Schmid, Emanuel; Kramer, Stefan; Fenner, Kathrin

2017-03-22

Developing models for the prediction of microbial biotransformation pathways and half-lives of trace organic contaminants in different environments requires as training data easily accessible and sufficiently large collections of respective biotransformation data that are annotated with metadata on study conditions. Here, we present the Eawag-Soil package, a public database that has been developed to contain all freely accessible regulatory data on pesticide degradation in laboratory soil simulation studies for pesticides registered in the EU (282 degradation pathways, 1535 reactions, 1619 compounds and 4716 biotransformation half-life values with corresponding metadata on study conditions). We provide a thorough description of this novel data resource, and discuss important features of the pesticide soil degradation data that are relevant for model development. Most notably, the variability of half-life values for individual compounds is large and only about one order of magnitude lower than the entire range of median half-life values spanned by all compounds, demonstrating the need to consider study conditions in the development of more accurate models for biotransformation prediction. We further show how the data can be used to find missing rules relevant for predicting soil biotransformation pathways. From this analysis, eight examples of reaction types were presented that should trigger the formulation of new biotransformation rules, e.g., Ar-OH methylation, or the extension of existing rules, e.g., hydroxylation in aliphatic rings. The data were also used to exemplarily explore the dependence of half-lives of different amide pesticides on chemical class and experimental parameters. This analysis highlighted the value of considering initial transformation reactions for the development of meaningful quantitative-structure biotransformation relationships (QSBR), which is a novel opportunity offered by the simultaneous encoding of transformation reactions and

Estimation of elimination half-lives of organic chemicals in humans using gradient boosting machine.

PubMed

Lu, Jing; Lu, Dong; Zhang, Xiaochen; Bi, Yi; Cheng, Keguang; Zheng, Mingyue; Luo, Xiaomin

2016-11-01

Elimination half-life is an important pharmacokinetic parameter that determines exposure duration to approach steady state of drugs and regulates drug administration. The experimental evaluation of half-life is time-consuming and costly. Thus, it is attractive to build an accurate prediction model for half-life. In this study, several machine learning methods, including gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector regressions (RBF-SVR and Linear-SVR), local lazy regression (LLR), SA, SR, and GP, were employed to build high-quality prediction models. Two strategies of building consensus models were explored to improve the accuracy of prediction. Moreover, the applicability domains (ADs) of the models were determined by using the distance-based threshold. Among seven individual models, GBM showed the best performance (R(2)=0.820 and RMSE=0.555 for the test set), and Linear-SVR produced the inferior prediction accuracy (R(2)=0.738 and RMSE=0.672). The use of distance-based ADs effectively determined the scope of QSAR models. However, the consensus models by combing the individual models could not improve the prediction performance. Some essential descriptors relevant to half-life were identified and analyzed. An accurate prediction model for elimination half-life was built by GBM, which was superior to the reference model (R(2)=0.723 and RMSE=0.698). Encouraged by the promising results, we expect that the GBM model for elimination half-life would have potential applications for the early pharmacokinetic evaluations, and provide guidance for designing drug candidates with favorable in vivo exposure profile. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "System Genetics" Guest Editor: Dr. Yudong Cai and Dr. Tao Huang. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Half-life of porcine antibodies absorbed from a colostrum supplement containing porcine immunoglobulins.

PubMed

Polo, J; Campbell, J M; Crenshaw, J; Rodríguez, C; Pujol, N; Navarro, N; Pujols, J

2012-12-01

Absorption of immunoglobulins (Ig) at birth from colostrum is essential for piglet survival. The objective was to evaluate the half-life of antibodies absorbed in the bloodstream of newborn piglets orally fed a colostrum supplement (CS) containing energy (fat and carbohydrates) and IgG from porcine plasma. Viable piglets (n = 23; 900 to 1,800 g BW) from 6 sows were colostrum deprived and blood sampled and within the next 2 h of life randomly allocated to either control group (n = 9) providing 30 mL of Ig-free milk replacer or a group (n = 14) receiving 30 mL of CS by oral gavage. Piglets were transported to a Biosafety Level 3 facility (Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Spain) and fed Ig-free milk replacer every 3 to 4 h for 15 d. Survival, weight, plasma IgG content by radial immunodiffusion (RID), and antibodies against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), porcine parvovirus (PPV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhy), and swine influenza virus (SIV) were determined by specific ELISA before treatment administration, at 24 h, and weekly for 56 d. Clinical symptoms were not observed for either group. Mortality index was lower (17 vs. 38%; P < 0.02) and BW higher (17.7 vs. 15.3 kg; P = 0.035) for pigs supplemented with CS than piglets in the control group. At 24 h postadministration, the CS group had a plasma IgG mean of 7.6 ± 0.06 vs. 0.14 ± 0.03 mg/mL for the control group. The IgG levels in the CS group decayed until day 21 when de novo synthesis of IgG was detected in 25% of piglets. Half-life of antibody concentration (HLAC) by RID was 6.2 d. In the CS group, efficiency of PCV2 and PPV antibody transfer was high. For PCV2, all animals remained positive by day 56 and the calculated HLAC was 17.7 d. For PPV, 72.7% of piglets were ELISA positive by day 35 and HLAC was 12.0 d. For PRRS, all piglets remained positive by day 14 and the calculated HLAC was 11.9 d. For Mhy and SIV the calculated HLAC were 8.4 and 3.0 d

A Phoswich Detector System to Measure Sub-Second Half-Lives using ICF Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coats, Micah; Cook, Katelyn; Yuly, Mark; Padalino, Stephen; Sangster, Craig; Regan, Sean

2017-10-01

The 3H(t,γ)6He cross section has not been measured at any bombarding energy due to the difficulties of simultaneously producing both a tritium beam and target at accelerator labs. An alternative technique may be to use an ICF tt implosion at the OMEGA Laser Facility. The 3H(t,γ)6He cross section could be determined in situ by measuring the beta decay of 6He beginning a few milliseconds after the shot along with other ICF diagnostics. A dE-E phoswich system capable of surviving in the OMEGA target chamber was tested using the SUNY Geneseo pelletron to create neutrons via 2H(d,n)3He and subsequently 6He via 9Be(n,α)6He in a beryllium target. The phoswich dE-E detector system was used to select beta decay events and measure the 807 ms half-life of 6He. It is composed of a thin, 2 ns decay time dE scintillator optically coupled to a thick, 285 ns E scintillator, with a linear gate to separate the short dE pulse from the longer E tail. Funded in part by a Grant from the DOE through the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

An improved method for determination of fumigant degradation half-life in soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Using the current approach, measurement of fumigant degradation half-lives under realistic soil conditions is problematic due to the large headspace that is necessary above the soil during incubation. This results in a poor degree of contact between the fumigant and the soil’s degrading surfaces; di...

RBC-/Cr-51/ half-life and albumin turnover in growing Beagle dogs during chronic radial acceleration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckman, D. A.; Evans, J. W.; Oyama, J.

1979-01-01

The effects of chronic centrifugation on growing Beagle dogs exposed to -2 or -2.6 Gx on albumin and RBC turnover rates, albumin concentration and space, and total blood volume were determined and compared with caged and run control of animals. Albumin-(I-125) and autologous RBC-(Cr-51) preparations were injected into all dogs at day 82 of the centrifugation periods, and the disappearance curves were determined by successive bleedings of the animals over the next 35 d, during which the centrifugation was continued. There were no differences in albumin turnover rates or space. Two populations of RBCs were found in both centrifugated groups, one with a normal half-life of 27 + or - 1 S.E.M. d, and one with a significantly (p less than 0.01) shorter half-life of 15 + or - 2 S.E.M. d. An absolute polycythemia was also observed in both centrifuged groups. The results suggest that chronic centrifugation acts through some as-yet unknown mechanism to affect RBC population kinetics.

Measuring end-of-life care outcomes prospectively.

PubMed

Steinhauser, Karen E

2005-01-01

This paper discusses the state of the science in prospective measurement in end-of-life research and identifies particular areas for focused attention. Topics include defining the scope of inquiry, evaluating experiences of patients too ill to communicate, the role of proxy and family response, measurement sensitivity to change, the role of theory in guiding measurement efforts, evaluating relationships between domains of end-of-life experience, and measurement of cultural comprehensiveness. The state of the sciences calls for future research to (1) conduct longitudinal studies to capture transitions in end-of-life trajectories; (2) evaluate the quality of proxy reporting as it varies by rater relationship, domain, and over time; (3) use state-of-the art psychometric and longitudinal techniques to validate measures and to assess sensitivity to change; (4) develop further and test conceptual models of the experience of dying; (5) study the inter-relatedness of multiple dimensions of end-of-life trajectories; (6) compile updated information evaluating available measurement tools; and (7) conduct population- based research with attention to ethnic and age diversity.

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Plasma Half-Life Determination and Long-Term Tissue Distribution in Beef Cattle (Bos taurus).

PubMed

Lupton, Sara J; Dearfield, Kerry L; Johnston, John J; Wagner, Sarah; Huwe, Janice K

2015-12-30

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is used in consumer products as a surfactant and is found in industrial and consumer waste, which ends up in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). PFOS does not breakdown during WWTP processes and accumulates in the biosolids. Common practices include application of biosolids to pastures and croplands used for feed, and as a result, animals such as beef cattle are exposed to PFOS. To determine plasma and tissue depletion kinetics in cattle, 2 steers and 4 heifers were dosed with PFOS at 0.098 mg/kg body weight and 9.1 mg/kg, respectively. Plasma depletion half-lives for steers and heifers were 120 ± 4.1 and 106 ± 23.1 days, respectively. Specific tissue depletion half-lives ranged from 36 to 385 days for intraperitoneal fat, back fat, muscle, liver, bone, and kidney. These data indicate that PFOS in beef cattle has a sufficiently long depletion half-life to permit accumulation in edible tissues.

Observation of daily and annular variations in the 214Po half-life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexeev, E. N.; Gavrilyuk, Yu. M.; Gangapshev, A. M.; Gezhaev, A. M.; Kazalov, V. V.; Kuzminov, V. V.; Panasenko, S. I.; Ratkevich, S. S.

2017-11-01

Results of the analysis of a time series of values of the half-life (τ) of the 214Po nucleus with a different time step obtained from the TAU-1 (354 days) and TAU-2 (973 days) installations are presented. The annual variation with an amplitude of (9.8 ± 0.6) × 10-4 and daily variations in the solar, lunar, and sidereal times with amplitudes of (5.3 ± 0.3) × 10-4, (6.9 ± 2.0) × 10-4, and (7.2 ± 1.2) × 10-4, respectively, are found in the series of τ values. It is shown that variations in microclimatic parameters cannot be a cause of τ variations.

Determining thyroid {sup 131}I effective half-life for the treatment planning of Graves' disease

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

Willegaignon, Jose; Sapienza, Marcelo T.; Barberio Coura Filho, George

2013-02-15

Purpose: Thyroid {sup 131}I effective half-life (T{sub eff}) is an essential parameter in patient therapy when accurate radiation dose is desirable for producing an intended therapeutic outcome. Multiple {sup 131}I uptake measurements and resources from patients themselves and from nuclear medicine facilities are requisites for determining T{sub eff}, these being limiting factors when implementing the treatment planning of Graves' disease (GD) in radionuclide therapy. With the aim of optimizing this process, this study presents a practical, propitious, and accurate method of determining T{sub eff} for dosimetric purposes. Methods: A total of 50 patients with GD were included in this prospectivemore » study. Thyroidal {sup 131}I uptake was measured at 2-h, 6-h, 24-h, 48-h, 96-h, and 220-h postradioiodine administration. T{sub eff} was calculated by considering sets of two measured points (24-48-h, 24-96-h, and 24-220-h), sets of three (24-48-96-h, 24-48-220-h, and 24-96-220-h), and sets of four (24-48-96-220-h). Results: When considering all the measured points, the representative T{sub eff} for all the patients was 6.95 ({+-}0.81) days, whereas when using such sets of points as (24-220-h), (24-96-220-h), and (24-48-220-h), this was 6.85 ({+-}0.81), 6.90 ({+-}0.81), and 6.95 ({+-}0.81) days, respectively. According to the mean deviations 2.2 ({+-}2.4)%, 2.1 ({+-}2.0)%, and 0.04 ({+-}0.09)% found in T{sub eff}, calculated based on all the measured points in time, and with methods using the (24-220-h), (24-48-220-h), and (24-96-220-h) sets, respectively, no meaningful statistical difference was noted among the three methods (p > 0.500, t test). Conclusions: T{sub eff} obtained from only two thyroid {sup 131}I uptakes measured at 24-h and 220-h, besides proving to be sufficient, accurate enough, and easily applicable, attributes additional major cost-benefits for patients, and facilitates the application of the method for dosimetric purposes in the treatment planning

Isolation of human anti-serum albumin Fab antibodies with an extended serum-half life.

PubMed

Kang, Hyeon-Ju; Kim, Hye-Jin; Cha, Sang-Hoon

2016-01-01

The serum albumin (SA) has been exploited to generate long-acting biotherapeutics by taking advantage of the FcRn-mediated recycling mechanism in a direct or an indirect way. Since Fab fragments have been proven to be clinically safe for human usage, we assumed that human anti-SA Fab antibodies could have a great potential as a carrier molecule to extend the serum half-life of therapeutic proteins. We, herein, had attempted to isolate anti-SA Fab antibodies from HuDVFab-8L antibody library via a phage display technology, and identified eight discrete human Fab antibodies. One of the Fab antibodies, SL335, showed the strongest binding reactivity to human SA with nM range of affinity at both pH 6 and pH 7.4, and cross-reacted to SAs from various species including rat, mouse, canine and monkey. The in vivo pharmacokinetic assay using a rat model indicated that SL335 has approximately 10 fold longer serum half-life and 26 to 44-fold increase in AUC0 → ∞ compared to the negative control Fab molecule in both intravenous and subcutaneous administrations. Knowing that Fabs have proven to be safe in clinics for a long time, SL335 seems to have a great potential in generating long-acting protein drugs by tagging effector molecules with either chemical conjugation or genetic fusion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring meaning in life following cancer

PubMed Central

Jim, Heather S.; Purnell, Jason Q.; Richardson, Susan A.; Golden-Kreutz, Deanna; Andersen, Barbara L.

2007-01-01

Meaning in life is a multi-faceted construct that has been conceptualized in diverse ways. It refers broadly to the value and purpose of life, important life goals, and for some, spirituality. We developed a measure of meaning in life derived from this conceptualization and designed to be a synthesis of relevant theoretical and empirical traditions. Two samples, all cancer patients, provided data for scale development and psychometric study. From exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses the Meaning in Life Scale (MiLS) emerged, and includes four aspects: Harmony and Peace, Life Perspective, Purpose and Goals, Confusion and Lessened Meaning, and Benefits of Spirituality. Supporting data for reliability (internal consistency, test–retest) and construct validity (convergent, discriminant, individual differences) are provided. The MiLS offers a theoretically based and psychometrically sound assessment of meaning in life suitable for use with cancer patients. PMID:16838197

Determination of the energy transitions and half-lives of Rubidium nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biçer, Ahmet; Manisa, Kaan; Engin Çalık, Abdullah; Erdoğan, Mehmet; Şen, Mürsel; Bircan, Hasan; Dapo, Haris; Boztosun, Ismail

2018-03-01

The photonuclear reactions, first extensively studied in the 1970's and performed using the gamma rays obtained via bremsstrahlung, are a standard nuclear physics experiment. In this study, a non-enriched Rubidium sample was irradiated with photons produced by a clinical linear electron accelerator (cLINACs) with energies up to 18 MeV with the aim of activating it through photonuclear reactions. The activated sample was measured with a high purity germanium detector (HPGe) with the aim of measuring the transition energies and half-lives. The spectroscopic analysis performed on the obtained data yielded high quality results for the transition energies with precision matching or surpassing the literature data. For the half-lives the results were consistent with the literature, most notably the half-life of 84mRb decay was determined as 20.28(2) m. The results for both energies and half-lives further show that the clinical linear accelerators can be successfully used as an efficient tool in experimental nuclear research endeavors.

CYP2C8 activity recovers within 96 hours after gemfibrozil dosing: estimation of CYP2C8 half-life using repaglinide as an in vivo probe.

PubMed

Backman, Janne T; Honkalammi, Johanna; Neuvonen, Mikko; Kurkinen, Kaisa J; Tornio, Aleksi; Niemi, Mikko; Neuvonen, Pertti J

2009-12-01

Gemfibrozil 1-O-beta-glucuronide is a mechanism-based inhibitor of cytochrome P450 2C8. We studied the recovery of CYP2C8 activity after discontinuation of gemfibrozil treatment using repaglinide as a probe drug, to estimate the in vivo turnover half-life of CYP2C8. In a randomized five-phase crossover study, nine healthy volunteers ingested 0.25 mg of repaglinide alone or after different time intervals after a 3-day treatment with 600 mg of gemfibrozil twice daily. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time 0 to infinity of repaglinide was 7.6-, 2.9-, 1.4- and 1.0-fold compared with the control phase when it was administered 1, 24, 48, or 96 h after the last gemfibrozil dose, respectively (P < 0.001 versus control for 1, 24, and 48 h after gemfibrozil). Thus, a strong CYP2C8 inhibitory effect persisted even after gemfibrozil and gemfibrozil 1-O-beta-glucuronide concentrations had decreased to less than 1% of their maximum (24-h dosing interval). In addition, the metabolite to repaglinide AUC ratios indicated that significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of repaglinide metabolism continued up to 48 h after gemfibrozil administration. Based on the recovery of repaglinide oral clearance, the in vivo turnover half-life of CYP2C8 was estimated to average 22 +/- 6 h (mean +/- S.D.). In summary, CYP2C8 activity is recovered gradually during days 1 to 4 after gemfibrozil discontinuation, which should be considered when CYP2C8 substrate dosing is planned. The estimated CYP2C8 half-life will be useful for in vitro-in vivo extrapolations of drug-drug interactions involving induction or mechanism-based inhibition of CYP2C8.

Movement Complexity and Neuromechanical Factors Affect the Entropic Half-Life of Myoelectric Signals

PubMed Central

Hodson-Tole, Emma F.; Wakeling, James M.

2017-01-01

Appropriate neuromuscular functioning is essential for survival and features underpinning motor control are present in myoelectric signals recorded from skeletal muscles. One approach to quantify control processes related to function is to assess signal variability using measures such as Sample Entropy. Here we developed a theoretical framework to simulate the effect of variability in burst duration, activation duty cycle, and intensity on the Entropic Half-Life (EnHL) in myoelectric signals. EnHLs were predicted to be <40 ms, and to vary with fluctuations in myoelectric signal amplitude and activation duty cycle. Comparison with myoelectic data from rats walking and running at a range of speeds and inclines confirmed the range of EnHLs, however, the direction of EnHL change in response to altered locomotor demand was not correctly predicted. The discrepancy reflected different associations between the ratio of the standard deviation and mean signal intensity (Ist:It¯) and duty factor in simulated and physiological data, likely reflecting additional information in the signals from the physiological data (e.g., quiescent phase content; variation in action potential shapes). EnHL could have significant value as a novel marker of neuromuscular responses to alterations in perceived locomotor task complexity and intensity. PMID:28974932

A system to measure isomeric state half-lives in the 10 ns to 10 μs range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toufen, D. L.; Allegro, P. R. P.; Medina, N. H.; Oliveira, J. R. B.; Cybulska, E. W.; Seale, W. A.; Linares, R.; Silveira, M. A. G.; Ribas, R. V.

2014-07-01

The Isomeric State Measurement System (SISMEI) was developed to search for isomeric nuclear states produced by fusion-evaporation reactions. The SISMEI consists of 10 plastic phoswich telescopes, two lead shields, one NaI(Tl) scintillation detector, two Compton suppressed HPGe γ-ray detectors, and a cone with a recoil product catcher. The new system was tested at the 8 UD Pelletron tandem accelerator of the University of São Paulo with the measurement of two known isomeric states: 54Fe, 10+ state (E = 6527.1 (11) keV, T1/2 = 364(7) ns) and the 5/2+ state of 19F (E = 197.143 (4) keV, T1/2 = 89.3 (10) ns). The results indicate that the system is capable of identifying delayed transitions, of measuring isomeric state lifetimes, and of identifying the feeding transitions of the isomeric state through the delayed γ-γ coincidence method. The measured half-life for the 10+ state was T1/2 = 365(14) ns and for the 5/2+ state, 100(36) ns.

A system to measure isomeric state half-lives in the 10 ns to 10 μs range.

PubMed

Toufen, D L; Allegro, P R P; Medina, N H; Oliveira, J R B; Cybulska, E W; Seale, W A; Linares, R; Silveira, M A G; Ribas, R V

2014-07-01

The Isomeric State Measurement System (SISMEI) was developed to search for isomeric nuclear states produced by fusion-evaporation reactions. The SISMEI consists of 10 plastic phoswich telescopes, two lead shields, one NaI(Tl) scintillation detector, two Compton suppressed HPGe γ-ray detectors, and a cone with a recoil product catcher. The new system was tested at the 8 UD Pelletron tandem accelerator of the University of São Paulo with the measurement of two known isomeric states: (54)Fe, 10(+) state (E = 6527.1 (11) keV, T(1/2) = 364(7) ns) and the 5/2(+) state of (19)F (E = 197.143 (4) keV, T(1/2) = 89.3 (10) ns). The results indicate that the system is capable of identifying delayed transitions, of measuring isomeric state lifetimes, and of identifying the feeding transitions of the isomeric state through the delayed γ-γ coincidence method. The measured half-life for the 10(+) state was T(1/2) = 365(14) ns and for the 5/2(+) state, 100(36) ns.

The simulation of the half-dry stroke based on the force feedback technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Chao; Hou, Zeng-xuan; Zheng, Shuan-zhu; Yang, Guang-qing

2017-02-01

A novel stroke simulation method of the Half-dry style of Chinese calligraphy based on the force feedback technology is proposed for the virtual painting. Firstly, according to the deformation of the brush when the force is exerted on it, the brush footprint between the brush and paper is calculated. The complete brush stroke is obtained by superimposing brush footprints along the painting direction, and the dynamic painting of the brush stroke is implemented. Then, we establish the half-dry texture databases and propose the concept of half-dry value by researching the main factors that affect the effects of the half-dry stroke. In the virtual painting, the half-dry texture is mapped into the stroke in real time according to the half-dry value and painting technique. A technique of texture blending based on the KM model is applied to avoid the seams while texture mapping. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the virtual painting system based on the force feedback technology. In this system, users can implement the painting in real time with a Phantom Desktop haptic device, which can effectively enhance reality to users.

A Two-pronged Binding Mechanism of IgG to the Neonatal Fc Receptor Controls Complex Stability and IgG Serum Half-life*

PubMed Central

Schoch, Angela; Larraillet, Vincent; Hilger, Maximiliane; Schlothauer, Tilman; Emrich, Thomas

2017-01-01

The success of recombinant monoclonal immunoglobulins (IgG) is rooted in their ability to target distinct antigens with high affinity combined with an extraordinarily long serum half-life, typically around 3 weeks. The pharmacokinetics of IgGs is intimately linked to the recycling mechanism of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). For long serum half-life of therapeutic IgGs, the highly pH-dependent interaction with FcRn needs to be balanced to allow efficient FcRn binding and release at slightly acidic pH and physiological pH, respectively. Some IgGs, like the antibody briakinumab has an unusually short half-life of ∼8 days. Here we dissect the molecular origins of excessive FcRn binding in therapeutic IgGs using a combination of hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and FcRn affinity chromatography. We provide experimental evidence for a two-pronged IgG-FcRn binding mechanism involving direct FcRn interactions with both the Fc region and the Fab regions of briakinumab, and correlate the occurrence of excessive FcRn binding to an unusually strong Fab-FcRn interaction. PMID:28062799

Phenobarbital administration every eight hours: improvement of seizure management in idiopathic epileptic dogs with decreased phenobarbital elimination half-life.

PubMed

Stabile, F; Barnett, C R; De Risio, L

2017-02-18

Estimated prevalence of canine idiopathic epilepsy is 0.6 per cent in the first-opinion canine population in the UK. Phenobarbital monotherapy has been reported to reduce/eradicate seizure activity in 60-93 per cent of idiopathic epileptic dogs (IEDs). The objective of this study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of the administration of phenobarbital orally every eight hours in IEDs with phenobarbital elimination half-life less than 20 hours. Medical records of 10 IEDs in which steady state trough serum phenobarbital levels were within the reference range and phenobarbital elimination half-life had become less than 20 hours following prolonged administration every 12 hours were reviewed. Side effects and seizure frequency when phenobarbital was administered every 12 hours or 8 hours were compared. In all dogs the side effects of the antiepileptic medication treatment improved. When phenobarbital was administered every eight hours, 9/10 dogs experienced improvement in seizure frequency and 8/10 dogs maintained seizure freedom for a period three times longer than the longest interictal interval period previously recorded. Reduction in the severity and number of clusters of seizures was recorded in one of the remaining two dogs. The administration of phenobarbital orally every eight hours in IEDs with decreased phenobarbital elimination half-life appears safe and can improve seizure management. The results of this study were presented in abstract form (poster) for the 28th symposium of the European Society of Veterinary Neurology - European College of Veterinary Neurology (ESVN), September 18-19, 2015, Amsterdam, Netherlands. British Veterinary Association.

Half wavelength dipole antennas over stratified media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latorraca, G. A.

1972-01-01

Theoretical solutions of the fields induced by half-wavelength, horizontal, electric field dipoles (HEDS) are determined based on studies of infinitesimal, horizontal, electric field dipoles over low loss plane-stratified media. To determine these solutions, an approximation to the current distribution of a half-wavelength HED is derived and experimentally verified. Traverse and antenna measurements obtained on the Athabasca Glacier in the summer of 1971 are related to the characteristics of the transmitting antenna design, and the measurement techniques and field equipment used in the glacier trials are described and evaluated.

Analysis of radon and thoron progeny measurements based on air filtration.

PubMed

Stajic, J M; Nikezic, D

2015-02-01

Measuring of radon and thoron progeny concentrations in air, based on air filtration, was analysed in order to assess the reliability of the method. Changes of radon and thoron progeny activities on the filter during and after air sampling were investigated. Simulation experiments were performed involving realistic measuring parameters. The sensitivity of results (radon and thoron concentrations in air) to the variations of alpha counting in three and five intervals was studied. The concentration of (218)Po showed up to be the most sensitive to these changes, as was expected because of its short half-life. The well-known method for measuring of progeny concentrations based on air filtration is rather unreliable and obtaining unrealistic or incorrect results appears to be quite possible. A simple method for quick estimation of radon potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC), based on measurements of alpha activity in a saturation regime, was proposed. Thoron PAEC can be determined from the saturation activity on the filter, through beta or alpha measurements. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Mathematics Competence: From Computation to Concepts and Applications to Real-Life Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Courey, Susan J.

2005-01-01

In this article, the authors explain how curriculum-based measurement (CBM) differs from other forms of classroom-based assessment. The development of CBM is traced from computation to concepts and applications to real-life problem solving, with examples of the assessments and illustrations of research to document technical features and utility…

An optical deoxyribonucleic acid-based half-subtractor.

PubMed

Yang, Chia-Ning; Chen, Yi-Li; Lin, Hung-Yin; Hsu, Chun-Yu

2013-10-09

This study introduces an optical DNA-based logic circuit that mimics a half-subtractor. The system contains an Au-surface immobilized molecular-beacon molecule that serves as a dual-gate molecule and outputs two series of fluorescence signals following Boolean INH and XOR patterns after interacting with one or two single-stranded DNA molecules as input. To the best of our knowledge, the system reported herein is rather concise compared to other molecular logic gate systems.

Influence of three artificial light sources on oviposition and half-life of the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): Improving small-scale indoor rearing.

PubMed

Heussler, Carina D; Walter, Andreas; Oberkofler, Hannes; Insam, Heribert; Arthofer, Wolfgang; Schlick-Steiner, Birgit C; Steiner, Florian M

2018-01-01

Hermetia illucens (L.), the Black Soldier Fly, has received increased scientific attention for its potential in circular waste management where larvae can serve as feedstuff for livestock and for biodiesel production. The flies occur naturally in (sub)-tropical and warm-temperate climates, and their mating depends on space and sunlight. Small-scale indoor rearing of Black Soldier Flies has been challenging because they react sensitive to artificial light sources and cage sizes, but recent studies have shown that small-scale rearing under artificial light is feasible. Here, we test the influence of three artificial light sources (light-emitting diodes, fluorescent lamps, and halogen lamps) on small-scale indoor rearing. Three experiments were conducted to compare oviposition traits (pre-oviposition period, total oviposition-period, and egg mass per female) and half-life among the three light sources. Oviposition did not differ among the three light sources, but male and female half-life did. Based on the performance of the light-emitting diodes and their outstanding energy efficiency, we recommend this light source for small-scale indoor rearing of Black Soldier Flies.

Application of simple mathematical expressions to relate the half-lives of xenobiotics in rats to values in humans.

PubMed

Ward, Keith W; Erhardt, Paul; Bachmann, Kenneth

2005-01-01

Previous publications from GlaxoSmithKline and University of Toledo laboratories convey our independent attempts to predict the half-lives of xenobiotics in humans using data obtained from rats. The present investigation was conducted to compare the performance of our published models against a common dataset obtained by merging the two sets of rat versus human half-life (hHL) data previously used by each laboratory. After combining data, mathematical analyses were undertaken by deploying both of our previous models, namely the use of an empirical algorithm based on a best-fit model and the use of rat-to-human liver blood flow ratios as a half-life correction factor. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed, as well as evaluation of the impact of molecular properties on predictability. The merged dataset was remarkably diverse with respect to physiochemical and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Application of both models revealed similar predictability, depending upon the measure of stipulated accuracy. Certain molecular features, particularly rotatable bond count and pK(a), appeared to influence the accuracy of prediction. This collaborative effort has resulted in an improved understanding and appreciation of the value of rats to serve as a surrogate for the prediction of xenobiotic half-lives in humans when clinical pharmacokinetic studies are not possible or practicable.

Biological half-life and organ distribution of [3H]8-arginine vasopressin following administration of vasopressin receptor antagonist OPC-31260.

PubMed

Molnár, Andor H; Varga, Csaba; Janáky, Tamás; Tóth, Gábor; Tóth, Géza; Farkas, Judit; László, Ferenc; László, Ferenc A

2007-06-07

The effects of the antidiuretic (V(2)) non-peptide receptor antagonist OPC-31260 on the plasma vasopressin level and the biological half-life and organ distribution of radiochemically pure, biologically active [(3)H]8-arginine vasopressin [spec. act.: 15.9 mCi/mmol (588 GBq/mmol)] were studied in Wistar rats. The plasma vasopressin level increased significantly throughout the whole experimental period (24 h). There was no change in the fast phase of the curves of total radioactivity disappearance from the plasma after the administration of [(3)H]arginine vasopressin (control: 1.51+/-0.17 min, OPC-31260-treated: 1.42+/-0.12 min, n=10). The fast phase of the disappearance curves of intact [(3)H]arginine vasopressin did not change either following the administration of OPC-31260 in a dose of 30 mg/kg p.o. (control: 1.06+/-0.19 min, OPC-31260-treated: 1.00+/-0.15 min, n=6). The slow phase of the biological half-life, which is characteristic for the examined compound, proved to be significantly longer (total radioactivity control: 9.29+/-0.61 min, OPC-31260-treated: 12.33+/-0.42 min, P<0.05, n=10; [(3)H]arginine vasopressin radioactivity: control: 5.96+/-0.58 min, OPC-31260-treated: 8.90+/-0.37 min, P<0.05, n=6). In the control rats, the radioactivity was accumulated to the greatest extent in the neurohypophysis, adenohypophysis and kidney. Following OPC-31260 administration, significantly more radioactive compounds accumulated in the kidney (control: 0.30+/-0.052 total radioactivity %/100 mg organ weight, OPC-31260-treated: 0.50+/-0.133 total radioactivity %/100 mg organ weight, P<0.05, n=10) and neurohypophysis (control: 0.37+/-0.053 total radioactivity %/100 mg organ weight, OPC-31260-treated: 0.52+/-0.076 total radioactivity %/100 mg organ weight, P<0.05, n=10). Our results permit the conclusion that the antidiuretic antagonist OPC-31260 not only blocks the V(2) receptors, but also increases the biological half-life of vasopressin. The longer biological half-life of

Enhanced circulation half-life of site-specific PEGylated rhG-CSF: optimization of PEG molecular weight.

PubMed

Zhai, Yanqin; Zhao, Yongjiang; Lei, Jiandu; Su, Zhiguo; Ma, Guanghui

2009-07-15

Recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) and its PEGylated product "mono-PEG20-GCSF" have already been widely used for treatment of all kinds of neutropenia. However, the high required dosage of mono-PEG20-GCSF made it relatively expensive in clinical use. We postulated that an N-terminal site-specific PEGylated rhG-CSF with higher PEG Mw (PEG30 kDa) might be able to achieve longer circulation half-life while retaining its bioactivity, allowing the reduction of dosage for clinical use. rhG-CSF was PEGylated at the N-terminus by 5 kDa, 10 kDa, 20 kDa and 30 kDa methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-propionaldehyde (mPEG-ALD), and the four PEGylates were compared with respect to reaction, separation, characterization and also in vivo/in vitro activity, results showed that the mPEG-ALD of higher Mw demonstrated better N-terminal site-specific selectivity, separation purity and yield. The production cost and in vitro activity of mono-PEG30-GCSF and mono-PEG20-GCSF were almost the same, while mono-PEG30-GCSF showed longer in vivo circulation half-life and 60% higher drug bioavailability than mono-PEG20-GCSF. Consequently, mono-PEG30-GCSF shall be administered at a lower dosage than mono-PEG20-GCSF while retaining the same therapeutic efficacy.

A system to measure isomeric state half-lives in the 10 ns to 10 μs range

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

Toufen, D. L., E-mail: dennis@if.usp.br; Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of São Paulo - IFSP, 07115-000 Guarulhos, São Paulo; Allegro, P. R. P.

2014-07-15

The Isomeric State Measurement System (SISMEI) was developed to search for isomeric nuclear states produced by fusion-evaporation reactions. The SISMEI consists of 10 plastic phoswich telescopes, two lead shields, one NaI(Tl) scintillation detector, two Compton suppressed HPGe γ-ray detectors, and a cone with a recoil product catcher. The new system was tested at the 8 UD Pelletron tandem accelerator of the University of São Paulo with the measurement of two known isomeric states: {sup 54}Fe, 10{sup +} state (E = 6527.1 (11) keV, T{sub 1/2} = 364(7) ns) and the 5/2{sup +} state of {sup 19}F (E = 197.143 (4)more » keV, T{sub 1/2} = 89.3 (10) ns). The results indicate that the system is capable of identifying delayed transitions, of measuring isomeric state lifetimes, and of identifying the feeding transitions of the isomeric state through the delayed γ-γ coincidence method. The measured half-life for the 10{sup +} state was T{sub 1/2} = 365(14) ns and for the 5/2{sup +} state, 100(36) ns.« less

A Cryogenic Half-Wave Plate Module to Measure Polarization at Multiple FIR Passbands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rennick, Timothy S.; Vaillancourt, John E.; Hildebrand, Roger H.; Heimsath, Stephen J.

2002-01-01

One of the key components in a far-infrared polarimeter that is being designed at the University of Chicago is a locally-powered half-wave plate module. This compact, lightweight, and reliable module will operate at cryogenic temperatures, rotating a half-wave plate about its axis within the optical path. By doing so, polarization measurements can be made. Further, by utilizing multiple half-wave plate modules within the polarimeter, multiple wavelengths or passbands can be studied. In this paper, we describe the design and performance of a relatively inexpensive prototype module that was assembled and tested successfully, outline the difficulties that had to be overcome, and recommend improvements to future modules. This effort now lays some of the groundwork for a next-generation polarimeter for far-infrared astronomy.

Immunoglobulin Fc domain fusion to TRAIL significantly prolongs its plasma half-life and enhances its antitumor activity.

PubMed

Wang, Haizhen; Davis, Jennifer S; Wu, Xiangwei

2014-03-01

TRAIL (Apo2L) is a potent inducer of cell death. Interest in TRAIL has increased, following the observation that TRAIL can selectively kill a wide variety of human cancer cells without killing normal cells both in vitro and when grown as xenografts. Therefore, TRAIL has been proposed as a promising anticancer agent and currently is being tested in clinical trials. However, recombinant TRAIL has a very short plasma half-life, which limits its therapeutic potential. To overcome this limitation, we investigated the ability of the human IgG1 fragment crystallizable region (Fc) to enhance TRAIL stability. In this report, we show that Fc-TRAIL chimeric protein displays higher specific activity in vitro and a significantly longer half-life in mice than recombinant human TRAIL (rh-TRAIL). No short-term toxicity, especially liver toxicity, was observed. More importantly, Fc-TRAIL was much more effective in inhibiting tumor growth in a xenograft tumor model compared with rh-TRAIL. Our data suggest that fusion of Fc to TRAIL is able to improve the bioavailability and activity of TRAIL both in vitro and in vivo, and Fc-TRAIL may be explored for future clinical applications in cancer treatment and prevention. ©2014 AACR.

Measurement of Quality of Life II. From the Philosophy of Life to Science

PubMed Central

Ventegodt, Soren; Merrick, Joav; Andersen, Niels Jorgen

2003-01-01

We believe it should be possible to make operational the philosophical ideas of the good life in order to make it the object of scientific research. The Quality of Life Research Center in Copenhagen, Denmark has therefore spent the last several years with these questions and tried to find practical and evidence-based scientific solutions.This paper describes the theoretical road taken in moving from the abstract philosophy of life to the actual questionnaire. It presents an important aspect of our work with the quality-of-life (QOL) concept though the last decade. We have developed the quality-of-life philosophy; the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires; the quality-of-life theory; and the quality-of-life research methodology. We carried out quality-of-life population surveys and developed techniques for improving quality of life with the chronically sick patient. This paper presents the struggle to create a rating scale for the generic measurement of the global quality of life, based on quality-of-life theory, derived from quality-of-life philosophy. The developed rating scale is a ratio scale combining a Likert scale, a visual analogue scale, and a numerical scale, to a reduced combination scale. This allows for the extraction of as much information from the respondents as possible without exhausting them unduly or demanding more than can be reasonably expected. PMID:14570987

Measurement of quality of life II. From the philosophy of life to science.

PubMed

Ventegodt, Søren; Merrick, Joav; Andersen, Niels Jørgen

2003-10-13

We believe it should be possible to make operational the philosophical ideas of the good life in order to make it the object of scientific research. The Quality of Life Research Center in Copenhagen, Denmark has therefore spent the last several years with these questions and tried to find practical and evidence-based scientific solutions. This paper describes the theoretical road taken in moving from the abstract philosophy of life to the actual questionnaire. It presents an important aspect of our work with the quality-of-life (QOL) concept though the last decade. We have developed the quality-of-life philosophy; the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires; the quality-of-life theory; and the quality-of-life research methodology. We carried out quality-of-life population surveys and developed techniques for improving quality of life with the chronically sick patient. This paper presents the struggle to create a rating scale for the generic measurement of the global quality of life, based on quality-of-life theory, derived from quality-of-life philosophy. The developed rating scale is a ratio scale combining a Likert scale, a visual analogue scale, and a numerical scale, to a reduced combination scale. This allows for the extraction of as much information from the respondents as possible without exhausting them unduly or demanding more than can be reasonably expected.

Methodology for Assessing the Probability of Corrosion in Concrete Structures on the Basis of Half-Cell Potential and Concrete Resistivity Measurements

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

In recent years, the corrosion of steel reinforcement has become a major problem in the construction industry. Therefore, much attention has been given to developing methods of predicting the service life of reinforced concrete structures. The progress of corrosion cannot be visually assessed until a crack or a delamination appears. The corrosion process can be tracked using several electrochemical techniques. Most commonly the half-cell potential measurement technique is used for this purpose. However, it is generally accepted that it should be supplemented with other techniques. Hence, a methodology for assessing the probability of corrosion in concrete slabs by means of a combination of two methods, that is, the half-cell potential method and the concrete resistivity method, is proposed. An assessment of the probability of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures carried out using the proposed methodology is presented. 200 mm thick 750 mm  ×  750 mm reinforced concrete slab specimens were investigated. Potential E corr and concrete resistivity ρ in each point of the applied grid were measured. The experimental results indicate that the proposed methodology can be successfully used to assess the probability of corrosion in concrete structures. PMID:23766706

Methodology for assessing the probability of corrosion in concrete structures on the basis of half-cell potential and concrete resistivity measurements.

PubMed

Sadowski, Lukasz

2013-01-01

In recent years, the corrosion of steel reinforcement has become a major problem in the construction industry. Therefore, much attention has been given to developing methods of predicting the service life of reinforced concrete structures. The progress of corrosion cannot be visually assessed until a crack or a delamination appears. The corrosion process can be tracked using several electrochemical techniques. Most commonly the half-cell potential measurement technique is used for this purpose. However, it is generally accepted that it should be supplemented with other techniques. Hence, a methodology for assessing the probability of corrosion in concrete slabs by means of a combination of two methods, that is, the half-cell potential method and the concrete resistivity method, is proposed. An assessment of the probability of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures carried out using the proposed methodology is presented. 200 mm thick 750 mm  ×  750 mm reinforced concrete slab specimens were investigated. Potential E corr and concrete resistivity ρ in each point of the applied grid were measured. The experimental results indicate that the proposed methodology can be successfully used to assess the probability of corrosion in concrete structures.

Unfounded Attribution of the "Half-Life" Index-Number of Literature Obsolescence to Burton and Kebler: A Literature Science Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szava-Kovats, Endre

2002-01-01

The term and notion of the "half-life" index-number of literature obsolescence, and their borrowing from nuclear physics and adaptation into the literature of literature obsolescence, have up to now been attributed to the librarian Burton and the physicist Kebler and to their 1960 journal article. This article presents evidence to show it is…

The interaction between thermodynamic stability and buried free cysteines in regulating the functional half-life of fibroblast growth factor-1.

PubMed

Lee, Jihun; Blaber, Michael

2009-10-16

Protein biopharmaceuticals are an important and growing area of human therapeutics; however, the intrinsic property of proteins to adopt alternative conformations (such as during protein unfolding and aggregation) presents numerous challenges, limiting their effective application as biopharmaceuticals. Using fibroblast growth factor-1 as model system, we describe a cooperative interaction between the intrinsic property of thermostability and the reactivity of buried free-cysteine residues that can substantially modulate protein functional half-life. A mutational strategy that combines elimination of buried free cysteines and secondary mutations that enhance thermostability to achieve a substantial gain in functional half-life is described. Furthermore, the implementation of this design strategy utilizing stabilizing mutations within the core region resulted in a mutant protein that is essentially indistinguishable from wild type as regard protein surface and solvent structure, thus minimizing the immunogenic potential of the mutations. This design strategy should be generally applicable to soluble globular proteins containing buried free-cysteine residues.

The antitumor agent 3-bromopyruvate has a short half-life at physiological conditions.

PubMed

Glick, Matthew; Biddle, Perry; Jantzi, Josh; Weaver, Samantha; Schirch, Doug

2014-09-12

Clinical research is currently exploring the validity of the anti-tumor candidate 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) as a novel treatment for several types of cancer. However, recent publications have overlooked rarely-cited earlier work about the instability of 3-BP and its decay to 3-hydroxypyruvate (3-HP) which have obvious implications for its mechanism of action against tumors, how it is administered, and for precautions when preparing solutions of 3-BP. This study found the first-order decay rate of 3-BP at physiological temperature and pH has a half-life of only 77 min. Lower buffer pH decreases the decay rate, while choice of buffer and concentration do not affect it. A method for preparing more stable solutions is also reported. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Investigation of radioactivity measurement of medical radioactive waste].

PubMed

Koizumi, Kiyoshi; Masuda, Kazutaka; Kusakabe, Kiyoko; Kinoshita, Fujimi; Kobayashi, Kazumi; Yamamoto, Tetsuo; Kanaya, Shinichi; Kida, Tetsuo; Yanagisawa, Masamichi; Iwanaga, Tetsuo; Ikebuchi, Hideharu; Kusama, Keiji; Namiki, Nobuo; Okuma, Hiroshi; Fujimura, Yoko; Horikoshi, Akiko; Tanaka, Mamoru

2004-11-01

To explore the possibility of which medical radioactive wastes could be disposed as general wastes after keeping them a certain period of time and confirming that their radioactivity reach a background level (BGL), we made a survey of these wastes in several nuclear medicine facilities. The radioactive wastes were collected for one week, packed in a box according to its half-life, and measured its radioactivity by scintillation survey meter with time. Some wastes could reach a BGL within 10 times of half-life, but 19% of the short half-life group (group 1) including 99mTc and 123I, and 8% of the middle half-life group (group 2) including 67Ga, (111)In, and 201Tl did not reach a BGL within 20 times of half-life. A reason for delaying the time of reaching a BGL might be partially attributed to high initial radiation dose rate or heavy package weight. However, mixing with the nuclides of longer half-life was estimated to be the biggest factor affecting this result. When disposing medical radioactive wastes as general wastes, it is necessary to avoid mixing with radionuclide of longer half-life and confirm that it reaches a BGL by actual measurement.

Health status and suicide in the second half of life

PubMed Central

Conwell, Yeates; Duberstein, Paul R.; Hirsch, Jameson K.; Conner, Kenneth R.; Eberly, Shirley; Caine, Eric D.

2010-01-01

Objective To examine the associations of suicide in the second half of life with medical and psychiatric illness, functional limitations, and reported use of inpatient, ambulatory, and home health care services. Method A retrospective case-control design was used to compare 86 people over age 50 years who died by suicide with a comparison group of 86 living community participants that were individually matched on age, gender, race, and county of residence. Results Suicide decedents had more Axis I diagnoses, including current mood and anxiety disorders, worse physical health status, and greater impairment in functional capacity. They were more likely to have required psychiatric treatment, medical, or surgical hospitalization in the last year, and visiting nurse or home health aide services. In a multivariate model, the presence of any active Axis I disorder and any impairment in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) made independent contributions to suicide risk. Conclusions Mental illness, physical illness, and associated functional impairments represent domains of risk for suicide in this age group. In addition to individuals with psychiatric illness, those with severe or comorbid physical illness and functional disability who require inpatient and home care services should be targeted for screening and preventive interventions. PMID:19582758

Half Lives for ``Irradiated'' Nonscience Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geise, Kathleen; Hallam, Peter; Rattray, Rebecca; Stencel, Robert; Wolfe, Tristan

2014-03-01

We launched new hands-on radiation labs to supplement lecture material for undergraduate, non-science majors at the University of Denver to reinforce learning objectives during winter quarter 2014 and in order to help educate the public about nuclear energy decisions. Our learning objectives included: 1. differentiate between particle radiation and electro-magnetic radiation, 2. understand that particle radiation comes in alpha, beta and gamma types, 3. atomic and nuclear structure, 4. decay and half-life, 5. understand safe vs. unsafe doses and issues surrounding nuclear waste disposal. We used prelab surveys, prelab assessments, laboratory write-ups and quizzes to measure success with the learning objectives.

Reliability of a retrospective decade-based life-course alcohol consumption questionnaire administered in later life.

PubMed

Bell, Steven; Britton, Annie

2015-10-01

Retrospective measures of alcohol intake are becoming increasingly popular; however, the reliability of such measures remains uncertain. This study assessed the reliability of a retrospective decade-based life-course alcohol consumption questionnaire, based on the standardized Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) administered in older age in a well-characterized cohort study. A retrospective alcohol life-grid was administered to 5980 participants (72% male, mean age 70 years) in the Whitehall II study covering frequency of drinking, number of drinks in a typical drinking day and frequency of consuming six or more drinks in a single drinking occasion in the teens (16-19 years) through to the 80s. A subsample of 385 individuals completed a repeat survey to determine test-retest reliability. Retrospective measures were also compared with prospectively ascertained information and used to predict objectively measured systolic blood pressure to test their predictive validity. Across all decades of life, test-retest reliability was generally good (κ range = 0.62-0.78 for frequency, 0.55-0.62 for usual number of drinks and 0.57-0.65 for frequency of consuming six or more drinks in a single occasion). The concordance between prospective and retrospective measures was consistently moderate to high. The life-grid method performed better than a single question in identifying life-time abstainers. Retrospective measures were also related to systolic blood pressure in the manner anticipated. A retrospective decade-based AUDIT-C grid administered in older age provides a relatively reliable measure of alcohol consumption across the life-course. © 2015 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

[Reliability and validity of Meaningful Life Measure-Chinese Revised in Chinese college students].

PubMed

Xiao, Rong; Lai, Qiao-Zhen; Yang, Jia-Ping

2016-04-20

To test the reliability and validity of Meaningful Life Measure-Chinese Revised (MLM-CR) in Chinese college students. A total of 1035 college students were evaluated with MLM-CR, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Purpose in Life (PIL) and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and 120 of the students were examined with PIL-SF twice. All the items in MLM-CR had good discrimination indexes (r=0.753-0.838, P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the hypothesized five-factor model of MLM-CR (Χ 2 /df=3.4, GFI=0.946, AGFI=0.924, RMR=0.069, NFI=0.953, CFI=0.966, RMSEA=0.048). The total internal consistency reliability of MLM-CR was 0.942, and the alpha coefficients of the 5 dimensions ranged from 0.782 to 0.877; the total split-half reliability was 0.920, and the split-half reliability of the 5 dimensions ranged from 0.752 to 0.830; the total test-retest reliability was 0.871, and the test-retest reliability of the 5 dimensions ranged from 0.783 to 0.805. The criterion validity of MLM-CR in correlation with SWLS, PIL and PHQ-2 was 0.66, 0.755 and -0.388, respectively (P<0.01). The Average score of MLM-CR of the college students was 5.20∓0.90, and the scores were significantly higher in female students than in the male students (P<0.001). MLM-CR has good psychometric properties for application in comprehensive evaluation of personal meaning in life.

Scientific life should be measured in seven year units.

PubMed

Charlton, Bruce G

2006-01-01

Traditional wisdom and empirical observation unite in recommending a 7 year unit for measuring human life - including individual and institutional science. But, because of astronomy and the decimal system, things tend to be measured either in years, five years or in decades. A year is too short while a decade is too long to measure the trends and transitions of individual or institutional life. And the half decade, such as the 'five year plan' beloved by politicians and bureaucrats seems too short. Therefore, seven years should become the standard unit for tracking trends and measuring attainment. Precedents for using a seven year unit include the notorious Jesuit saying: 'Give me the child until he is seven, and I will show you the man'; and the 'ninth commandment' of Leo Szilard: 'Do your work for six years; but in the seventh, go into solitude or among strangers, so that the memory of your friends does not prevent you from being what you have become'. In a scientific career, seven years is approximately the time spent at high school, the time taken for a traditional basic scientific training of first degree and doctorate, and the period after the doctorate building the knowledge to become an expert specialist. There seems to be enough anecdotal evidence to support the idea that we should reconsider the universal but un-reflective use of decimal units in planning and evaluation. For instance, seven year fellowships and program grants might replace the current five year versions. A new - and previously unconsidered - field of research beckons.

Prediction of the Maximum Temperature for Life Based on the Stability of Metabolites to Decomposition in Water

PubMed Central

Bains, William; Xiao, Yao; Yu, Changyong

2015-01-01

The components of life must survive in a cell long enough to perform their function in that cell. Because the rate of attack by water increases with temperature, we can, in principle, predict a maximum temperature above which an active terrestrial metabolism cannot function by analysis of the decomposition rates of the components of life, and comparison of those rates with the metabolites’ minimum metabolic half-lives. The present study is a first step in this direction, providing an analytical framework and method, and analyzing the stability of 63 small molecule metabolites based on literature data. Assuming that attack by water follows a first order rate equation, we extracted decomposition rate constants from literature data and estimated their statistical reliability. The resulting rate equations were then used to give a measure of confidence in the half-life of the metabolite concerned at different temperatures. There is little reliable data on metabolite decomposition or hydrolysis rates in the literature, the data is mostly confined to a small number of classes of chemicals, and the data available are sometimes mutually contradictory because of varying reaction conditions. However, a preliminary analysis suggests that terrestrial biochemistry is limited to environments below ~150–180 °C. We comment briefly on why pressure is likely to have a small effect on this. PMID:25821932

Chitosan-decorated selenium nanoparticles as protein carriers to improve the in vivo half-life of the peptide therapeutic BAY 55-9837 for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Rao, Lei; Ma, Yi; Zhuang, Manjiao; Luo, Tianjie; Wang, Yayu; Hong, An

2014-01-01

As a potential protein therapeutic for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), BAY 55-9837 is limited by poor stability and a very short half-life in vivo. The purpose of this study was to construct a novel nanostructured biomaterial by conjugating BAY 55-9837 to chitosan-decorated selenium nanoparticles (CS-SeNPs) to prolong the in vivo half-life of BAY 55-9837 by reducing its renal clearance rate. BAY 55-9837-loaded CS-SeNPs (BAY-CS-SeNPs) were prepared, and their surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential, and structure were characterized. The stability, protein-loading rate, and in vitro release of BAY 55-9837 from CS-SeNPs were also quantified. Additionally, a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay was developed for the quantification of BAY 55-9837 in mouse plasma. Thereafter, mice were injected via the tail vein with either BAY 55-9837 or BAY-CS-SeNPs, and the plasma concentration of BAY 55-9837 was determined via our validated HPLC method at different time intervals postinjection. Relevant in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters (half-life, area under the curve from time 0 to last sampling point, observed clearance) were then calculated and analyzed. BAY-CS-SeNPs were successfully synthesized, with diameters of approximately 200 nm. BAY-CS-SeNPs displayed good stability with a high protein-loading rate, and the release process of BAY 55-9837 from the CS-SeNPs lasted for over 70 hours, with the cumulative release reaching 78.9%. Moreover, the conjugation of CS-SeNPs to BAY 55-9837 significantly reduced its renal clearance to a rate of 1.56 mL/h and extended its half-life to 20.81 hours. In summary, our work provides a simple method for reducing the renal clearance rate and extending the half-life of BAY 55-9837 in vivo by utilizing CS-SeNPs as nanocarriers.

Life balance and well-being: testing a novel conceptual and measurement approach.

PubMed

Sheldon, Kennon M; Cummins, Robert; Kamble, Shanmukh

2010-08-01

Although a balanced life has always been viewed as desirable, there are problems with extant conceptualizations and measures of this construct. Here we introduce 2 new life-balance measures, based on time-use profiles, that address these problems. One defines life balance as objectively equitable time use across multiple life domains, and the other defines life balance as low subjective discrepancy between actual and ideal time-use profiles. Study 1 finds that both measures predict concurrent well-being, in both U.S. and Indian samples. Study 2 shows that fluctuations in balance predict fluctuations in well-being over a 3-week period. Study 3 replicates the Study 1 findings using a different time assessment technique, based on the Day Reconstruction Method. Study 4 assigns participants the month-long goal of enhancing their life balance, finding that those who achieve this goal enhance their well-being. In all 4 studies, the balance effects on well-being were mediated by psychological need satisfaction associated with balance.

Application of fracture mechanics and half-cycle method to the prediction of fatigue life of B-52 aircraft pylon components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, W. L.; Carter, A. L.; Totton, W. W.; Ficke, J. M.

1989-01-01

Stress intensity levels at various parts of the NASA B-52 carrier aircraft pylon were examined for the case when the pylon store was the space shuttle solid rocket booster drop test vehicle. Eight critical stress points were selected for the pylon fatigue analysis. Using fracture mechanics and the half-cycle theory (directly or indirectly) for the calculations of fatigue-crack growth ,the remaining fatigue life (number of flights left) was estimated for each critical part. It was found that the two rear hooks had relatively short fatigue life and that the front hook had the shortest fatigue life of all the parts analyzed. The rest of the pylon parts were found to be noncritical because of their extremely long fatigue life associated with the low operational stress levels.

pH-selective mutagenesis of protein-protein interfaces: in silico design of therapeutic antibodies with prolonged half-life.

PubMed

Spassov, Velin Z; Yan, Lisa

2013-04-01

Understanding the effects of mutation on pH-dependent protein binding affinity is important in protein design, especially in the area of protein therapeutics. We propose a novel method for fast in silico mutagenesis of protein-protein complexes to calculate the effect of mutation as a function of pH. The free energy differences between the wild type and mutants are evaluated from a molecular mechanics model, combined with calculations of the equilibria of proton binding. The predicted pH-dependent energy profiles demonstrate excellent agreement with experimentally measured pH-dependency of the effect of mutations on the dissociation constants for the complex of turkey ovomucoid third domain (OMTKY3) and proteinase B. The virtual scanning mutagenesis identifies all hotspots responsible for pH-dependent binding of immunoglobulin G (IgG) to neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) and the results support the current understanding of the salvage mechanism of the antibody by FcRn based on pH-selective binding. The method can be used to select mutations that change the pH-dependent binding profiles of proteins and guide the time consuming and expensive protein engineering experiments. As an application of this method, we propose a computational strategy to search for mutations that can alter the pH-dependent binding behavior of IgG to FcRn with the aim of improving the half-life of therapeutic antibodies in the target organism. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Measurement technology based on laser internal/external cavity tuning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shulian

2011-08-01

For an ordinary laser with two cavity mirrors, if the length of laser cavity changes half wavelength the laser frequency changes one longitudinal mode separation. For a laser with three cavity mirrors, in which a feedback mirror is used to feed part of the laser output beam back into the laser cavity, the external cavity length changes half wavelength the laser intensity fluctuates one period. This presentation gives some research results in measurement field based on changing (tuning) the length of laser internal/external cavity, including 1) HeNe laser cavity-tuning nanometer displacement measurement instruments (laser nanometer rulers), 2) HeNe laser feedback displacement measurement, 3) Nd:YAG laser feedback nanometer displacement measurement, 4) benchmark of waveplate phase retardation measurement based on laser frequency splitting, 5) in-site waveplate phase retardation measurement instruments based on laser feedback and polarization hopping, 6) quasi-common-path microchip Nd:YAG laser feedback interferometer, 7) non-contact Nd:YAG laser feedback surface profile measurement. Some of these instruments have been put into application and display some irreplaceable advantages.

Comparison between the clot-protecting activity of a mutant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 with a very long half-life and 6-aminocaproic acid.

PubMed

Kindell, Daniel Glenn; Keck, Rick Wayne; Jankun, Jerzy

2015-06-01

Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is a serpin glycoprotein that can stabilize blood clots by inhibiting fibrinolysis. However, wild-type PAI-1 has the disadvantage of a short half-life of ∼2 h. A very long half-life (VLHL) PAI-1 mutant was developed previously with an active-form half-life of >700 h, making it a possible candidate for use in hemorrhagic therapy. Current treatments for mitigating hemorrhage, other than inducers of blood clotting, are limited to lysine analog antifibrinolytics, including 6-aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid. VLHL PAI-1 has been previously demonstrated to limit bleeding; however, the efficacy of this protein compared with lysine analog antifibrinolytics has not been investigated. The aim of the current study was to compare the clot stabilizing properties of the novel antifibrinolytic VLHL PAI-1 with those of 6-aminocaproic acid in reference plasma. Using thromboelastographic analysis, VLHL PAI-1 exhibited an IC 50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) of 8.8×10 -8 mol/l, while 6-aminocaproic acid showed an IC 50 of 1.6×10 -4 mol/l. However, at doses of >9.0×10 -7 mol/l, VLHL PAI-1 exhibited a delay in the onset of clot formation, which may be attributed to thrombin inhibition by excess PAI-1. The inhibition of tissue plasminogen activator by VLHL PAI-1 demonstrated improved efficacy over 6-aminocaproic acid in mitigating hemorrhage. In addition, patients with a PAI-1 deficiency, which causes blood clots to lyse rapidly resulting in profuse bleeding, may benefit from the application of VLHL PAI-1 as an antihemorrhagic therapy.

Comparison between the clot-protecting activity of a mutant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 with a very long half-life and 6-aminocaproic acid

PubMed Central

KINDELL, DANIEL GLENN; KECK, RICK WAYNE; JANKUN, JERZY

2015-01-01

Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is a serpin glycoprotein that can stabilize blood clots by inhibiting fibrinolysis. However, wild-type PAI-1 has the disadvantage of a short half-life of ∼2 h. A very long half-life (VLHL) PAI-1 mutant was developed previously with an active-form half-life of >700 h, making it a possible candidate for use in hemorrhagic therapy. Current treatments for mitigating hemorrhage, other than inducers of blood clotting, are limited to lysine analog antifibrinolytics, including 6-aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid. VLHL PAI-1 has been previously demonstrated to limit bleeding; however, the efficacy of this protein compared with lysine analog antifibrinolytics has not been investigated. The aim of the current study was to compare the clot stabilizing properties of the novel antifibrinolytic VLHL PAI-1 with those of 6-aminocaproic acid in reference plasma. Using thromboelastographic analysis, VLHL PAI-1 exhibited an IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) of 8.8×10−8 mol/l, while 6-aminocaproic acid showed an IC50 of 1.6×10−4 mol/l. However, at doses of >9.0×10−7 mol/l, VLHL PAI-1 exhibited a delay in the onset of clot formation, which may be attributed to thrombin inhibition by excess PAI-1. The inhibition of tissue plasminogen activator by VLHL PAI-1 demonstrated improved efficacy over 6-aminocaproic acid in mitigating hemorrhage. In addition, patients with a PAI-1 deficiency, which causes blood clots to lyse rapidly resulting in profuse bleeding, may benefit from the application of VLHL PAI-1 as an antihemorrhagic therapy. PMID:26136983

Direct Measurements of Half-Cycle Reaction Heats during Atomic Layer Deposition by Calorimetry

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

Lownsbury, James M.; Gladden, James A.; Campbell, Charles T.

We introduce a new high-temperature adsorption calorimeter that approaches the ideal limit of a heat detector whereby the signal at any time is proportional to the heat power being delivered to the sample and prove its sensitivity for measuring pulse-to-pulse heats of half-reactions during atomic layer deposition (ALD) at 400 K. The heat dynamics of amorphous Al2O3 growth via sequential self-limiting surface reaction of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and H2O is clearly resolved. Calibration enables quantitation of the exothermic TMA and H2O half-reactions with high precision, -343 kJ/mol TMA and -251 kJ/mol H2O, respectively. A time resolution better than 1 ms ismore » demonstrated, allowing for the deconvolution of at least two distinct surface reactions during TMA microdosing. It is further demonstrated that this method can provide the heat of reaction versus extent of reaction during each precursors half-reaction, thus providing even richer mechanistic information on the surface processes involved. The broad applicability of this novel calorimeter is demonstrated through excellent signal-to-noise ratios of less exothermic ALD half-reactions to produce TiO2 and MnO.« less

Direct Measurements of Half-Cycle Reaction Heats during Atomic Layer Deposition by Calorimetry

DOE PAGES

Lownsbury, James M.; Gladden, James A.; Campbell, Charles T.; ...

2017-10-05

We introduce a new high-temperature adsorption calorimeter that approaches the ideal limit of a heat detector whereby the signal at any time is proportional to the heat power being delivered to the sample and prove its sensitivity for measuring pulse-to-pulse heats of half-reactions during atomic layer deposition (ALD) at 400 K. The heat dynamics of amorphous Al2O3 growth via sequential self-limiting surface reaction of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and H2O is clearly resolved. Calibration enables quantitation of the exothermic TMA and H2O half-reactions with high precision, -343 kJ/mol TMA and -251 kJ/mol H2O, respectively. A time resolution better than 1 ms ismore » demonstrated, allowing for the deconvolution of at least two distinct surface reactions during TMA microdosing. It is further demonstrated that this method can provide the heat of reaction versus extent of reaction during each precursors half-reaction, thus providing even richer mechanistic information on the surface processes involved. The broad applicability of this novel calorimeter is demonstrated through excellent signal-to-noise ratios of less exothermic ALD half-reactions to produce TiO2 and MnO.« less

Metric half-span model support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, C. M., Jr.; Dollyhigh, S. M.; Shaw, D. S. (Inventor)

1982-01-01

A model support system used to support a model in a wind tunnel test section is described. The model comprises a metric, or measured, half-span supported by a nonmetric, or nonmeasured half-span which is connected to a sting support. Moments and forces acting on the metric half-span are measured without interference from the support system during a wind tunnel test.

Graphene-based half-metal and spin-semiconductor for spintronic applications.

PubMed

Qi, Jingshan; Chen, Xiaofang; Hu, Kaige; Feng, Ji

2016-03-31

In this letter we propose a strategy to make graphene become a half-metal or spin-semiconductor by combining the magnetic proximity effects and sublattice symmetry breaking in graphone/graphene and graphone/graphene/BN heterostructures. Exchange interactions lift the spin degeneracy and sublattice symmetry breaking opens a band gap in graphene. More interestingly, the gap opening depends on the spin direction and the competition between the sublattice asymmetry and exchange field determines the system is a half-metal or a spin-semiconductor. By first-principles calculations and a low-energy effective model analysis, we elucidate the underlying physical mechanism of spin-dependent gap opening and spin degeneracy splitting. This offers an alternative practical platform for graphene-based spintronics.

Measurements of air-broadened and nitrogen-broadened half-widths and shifts of ozone lines near 9 microns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M. A. H.; Rinsland, C. P.; Devi, Malathy V.; Benner, D. Chris; Thakur, K. B.

1988-01-01

Air- and nitrogen-broadened half-widths and line shifts at room temperature for more than 60 individual vibration-rotation transitions in the nu1 fundamental band of (O-16)3 and several transitions in the nu3 band were determined from infrared absorption spectra. These spectra were recorded at 0.005/cm resolution with a Fourier-transform spectrometer. A tunable-diode-laser spectrometer operating in the 1090-1150/cm region was also used to record data on oxygen-, nitrogen-, and air-broadened half-widths for selected individual transitions. The nitrogen- and air-broadened half-widths determined by these two different measurement techniques are consistent to within 4 percent. The results are in good agreement with other published measurements and calculations.

Two prospective Li-based half-Heusler alloys for spintronic applications based on structural stability and spin–orbit effect

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

Zhang, R. L.; Damewood, L.; Zeng, Y. J.

To search for half-metallic materials for spintronic applications, instead of using an expensive trial-and-error experimental scheme, it is more efficient to use first-principles calculations to design materials first, and then grow them. In particular, using a priori information of the structural stability and the effect of the spin–orbit interaction (SOI) enables experimentalists to focus on favorable properties that make growing half-metals easier. We suggest that using acoustic phonon spectra is the best way to address the stability of promising half-metallic materials. Additionally, by carrying out accurate first-principles calculations, we propose two criteria for neglecting the SOI so the half-metallicity persists.more » As a result, based on the mechanical stability and the negligible SOI, we identified two half-metals, β-LiCrAs and β-LiMnSi, as promising half-Heusler alloys worth growing.« less

Two prospective Li-based half-Heusler alloys for spintronic applications based on structural stability and spin–orbit effect

DOE PAGES

Zhang, R. L.; Damewood, L.; Zeng, Y. J.; ...

2017-07-07

To search for half-metallic materials for spintronic applications, instead of using an expensive trial-and-error experimental scheme, it is more efficient to use first-principles calculations to design materials first, and then grow them. In particular, using a priori information of the structural stability and the effect of the spin–orbit interaction (SOI) enables experimentalists to focus on favorable properties that make growing half-metals easier. We suggest that using acoustic phonon spectra is the best way to address the stability of promising half-metallic materials. Additionally, by carrying out accurate first-principles calculations, we propose two criteria for neglecting the SOI so the half-metallicity persists.more » As a result, based on the mechanical stability and the negligible SOI, we identified two half-metals, β-LiCrAs and β-LiMnSi, as promising half-Heusler alloys worth growing.« less

Measurement properties of asthma-specific quality-of-life measures: protocol for a systematic review.

PubMed

Apfelbacher, Christian; Paudyal, Priya; Bülbül, Alpaslan; Smith, Helen

2014-07-24

Asthma is a frequent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, and the assessment of health-related quality of life (HrQoL) is important in both research and routine care. Various asthma-specific measures of HrQoL exist but there is uncertainty which measures are best suited for use in research and routine care. Therefore, the aim of the proposed research is a comprehensive systematic assessment of the measurement properties of the existing measures that were developed to measure asthma-specific quality of life. This study is a systematic review of the measurement properties of asthma-specific measures of health-related quality of life. PubMed and Embase will be searched using a selection of relevant search terms. Eligible studies will be primary empirical studies evaluating, describing or comparing measurement properties of asthma-specific HRQL tools. Eligibility assessment and data abstraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Evidence tables will be generated for study characteristics, instrument characteristics, measurement properties and interpretability. The quality of the measurement properties will be assessed using predefined criteria. Methodological quality of studies will be assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A best evidence synthesis will be undertaken if more than one study have investigated a particular measurement property. The proposed systematic review will produce a comprehensive assessment of measurement properties of existing measures of asthma-specific health-related quality of life. We also aim to derive recommendations in order to help researchers and practitioners alike in the choice of instrument. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42014010491.

Palliative care consultation, quality-of-life measurements, and bereavement for end-of-life care in patients with lung cancer: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition).

PubMed

Griffin, John P; Koch, Kathryn A; Nelson, Judith E; Cooley, Mary E

2007-09-01

To develop clinical practice guidelines for application of palliative care consultation, quality-of-life measurements, and appropriate bereavement activities for patients with lung cancer. To review the pertinent medical literature on palliative care consultation, quality-of-life measurements, and bereavement for patients with lung cancer, developing multidisciplinary discussions with authorities in these areas, and evolving written guidelines for end-of-life care of these patients. Palliative care consultation has developed into a new specialty with credentialing of experts in this field based on extensive experience with patients in end-of-life circumstances including those with lung cancer. Bereavement studies of the physical and emotional morbidity of family members and caregivers before, during, and after the death of a cancer patient have supported truthful communication, consideration of psychological problems, effective palliative care, understanding of the patient's spiritual and cultural background, and sufficient forewarning of impending death. Multidisciplinary investigations and experiences, with emphasis on consultation and delivery of palliative care, timely use of quality-of-life measurements for morbidities of treatment modalities and prognosis, and an understanding of the multifaceted complexities of the bereavement process, have clarified additional responsibilities of the attending physician.

Phase I study of BAY 94-9027, a PEGylated B-domain-deleted recombinant factor VIII with an extended half-life, in subjects with hemophilia A.

PubMed

Coyle, T E; Reding, M T; Lin, J C; Michaels, L A; Shah, A; Powell, J

2014-04-01

BAY 94-9027 is a B-domain-deleted recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) with site-specific attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) that has shown an extended half-life in animal models of hemophilia. To assess the pharmacokinetics and safety of BAY 94-9027 after single and repeated administration in subjects with severe hemophilia A. This 8-week, prospective, multicenter, open-label, phase I trial was conducted in 14 subjects aged 21–58 years with FVIII of < 1%, ≥ 150 days of exposure to FVIII, and no history of FVIII inhibitors. After a ≥ 3-day washout, subjects received a single dose of sucrose-formulated rFVIII (rFVIII-FS) (cohort 1 [n = 7], 25 IU kg−1; cohort 2 [n = 7], 50 IU kg−1) for a 48-h pharmacokinetic (PK) study. After another ≥ 3-day washout, cohort 1 received twice-weekly BAY 94-9027 at 25 IU kg−1 (16 doses), and cohort 2 received once-weekly BAY 94-9027 at 60 IU kg−1 (nine doses). A 168-h PK study was performed after the first and last BAY 94-9027 doses. BAY 94-9027 showed equivalent recovery and an improved PK profile vs. rFVIII-FS, with a half-life of ~ 19 h (vs. ~ 13.0 h for rFVIII-FS). BAY 94-9027 was well tolerated, and no immunogenicity was observed. This phase I study demonstrates that BAY 94-9027 has an extended half-life in subjects with hemophilia A and, after multiple dosing, was well tolerated with no immunogenicity during the 8-week trial. A phase III study in a larger number of subjects is underway to fully characterize how this prolonged half-life will permit less frequent prophylaxis dosing for patients with hemophilia.

External radiation exposure, excretion, and effective half-life in 177Lu-PSMA-targeted therapies.

PubMed

Kurth, J; Krause, B J; Schwarzenböck, S M; Stegger, L; Schäfers, M; Rahbar, K

2018-04-12

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted therapy with 177 Lu-PSMA-617 is a therapeutic option for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). To optimize the therapy procedure, it is necessary to determine relevant parameters to define radiation protection and safety necessities. Therefore, this study aimed at estimating the ambient radiation exposure received by the patient. Moreover, the excreted activity was quantified. In total, 50 patients with mCRPC and treated with 177 Lu-PSMA-617 (mean administered activity 6.3 ± 0.5 GBq) were retrospectively included in a bi-centric study. Whole-body dose rates were measured at a distance of 2 m at various time points after application of 177 Lu-PSMA-617, and effective half-lives for different time points were calculated and compared. Radiation exposure to the public was approximated using the dose integral. For the estimation of the excreted activity, whole body measurements of 25 patients were performed at 7 time points. Unbound 177 Lu-PSMA-617 was rapidly cleared from the body. After 4 h, approximately 50% and, after 12 h, approximately 70% of the administered activity were excreted, primarily via urine. The mean dose rates were the following: 3.6 ± 0.7 μSv/h at 2 h p. i., 1.6 ± 0.6 μSv/h at 24 h, 1.1 ± 0.5 μSv/h at 48 h, and 0.7 ± 0.4 μSv/h at 72 h. The mean effective half-life of the cohort was 40.5 ± 9.6 h (min 21.7 h; max 85.7 h). The maximum dose to individual members of the public per treatment cycle was ~ 250 ± 55 μSv when the patient was discharged from the clinic after 48 h and ~ 190 ± 36 μSv when the patient was discharged after 72 h. In terms of the radiation exposure to the public, 177 Lu-PSMA is a safe option of radionuclide therapy. As usually four (sometimes more) cycles of the therapy are performed, it must be conducted in a way that ensures that applicable legal requirements can be followed. In

Half-Lives of Proton Emitters With a Deformed Density-Dependent Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Yi-Bin; Ren, Zhong-Zhou; Ni, Dong-Dong; Sheng, Zong-Qiang

2010-11-01

Half-lives of proton radioactivity are investigated with a deformed density-dependent model. The single folding potential which is dependent on deformation and orientation is employed to calculate the proton decay width through the deformed potential barrier. In addition, the spectroscopic factor is taken into account in the calculation, which is obtained in the relativistic mean field theory with NL3. The calculated results of semi-spherical nuclei are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data, and the results of well-deformed nuclei are also satisfactory. Moreover, a formula for the spherical proton emission half-life based on the Gamow quantum tunneling theory is presented.

The truly remarkable universality of half a standard deviation: confirmation through another look.

PubMed

Norman, Geoffrey R; Sloan, Jeff A; Wyrwich, Kathleen W

2004-10-01

In this issue of Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, Farivar, Liu, and Hays present their findings in 'Another look at the half standard deviation estimate of the minimally important difference in health-related quality of life scores (hereafter referred to as 'Another look') . These researchers have re-examined the May 2003 Medical Care article 'Interpretation of changes in health-related quality of life: the remarkable universality of half a standard deviation' (hereafter referred to as 'Remarkable') in the hope of supporting their hypothesis that the minimally important difference in health-related quality of life measures is undoubtedly closer to 0.3 standard deviations than 0.5. Nonetheless, despite their extensive wranglings with the exclusion of many articles that we included in our review; the inclusion of articles that we did not include in our review; and the recalculation of effect sizes using the absolute value of the mean differences, in our opinion, the results of the 'Another look' article confirm the same findings in the 'Remarkable' paper.

Alcohol in the second half of life: do usual quantity and frequency of drinking to intoxication increase with increased drinking frequency?

PubMed

Brunborg, Geir Scott; Østhus, Ståle

2015-02-01

We investigated if increased drinking frequency among adults in the second half of life co-occurred with increased usual quantity and increased intoxication frequency. Two-wave panel study. Norway. Norwegian adults (1017 women and 959 men) aged 40-79 years. Drinking frequency, usual quantity and intoxication frequency was measured by self-report in 2002/03 and again in 2007/08. Information about gender, age and level of education was obtained from the public register. Health was collected by self-report. Because of a significant gender × change in drinking frequency interaction effect on change in intoxication frequency (b = 0.02, P = 0.013), women and men were analysed separately. After adjusting for covariates, women who increase their drinking frequency showed a non-significant decrease in usual quantity [low initial usual quantity (LIUQ): β = -0.01, P = 0.879; high initial usual quantity (HIUQ): β = -0.06, P = 0.164] and a non-significant increase in intoxication frequency (LIUQ: β = 0.04, P = 0.569; HIUQ: β = 0.09, P = 0.251). Men who increased their drinking frequency showed a small decrease in usual quantity (LIUQ: β = -0.06, P = 0.049; HIUQ: β = -0.05, P = 0.002) and a small increase in intoxication frequency (LIUQ: β = 0.05, P = 0.035; HIUQ: β = 0.13, P = 0.004). Among Norwegian adults in the second half of life, increased drinking frequency appears to be associated with a small reduction in usual quantity, and a small increase in frequency of drinking to intoxication. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The elimination half-life of benzodiazepines and fall risk: two prospective observational studies.

PubMed

de Vries, Oscar J; Peeters, Geeske; Elders, Petra; Sonnenberg, Caroline; Muller, Majon; Deeg, Dorly J H; Lips, Paul

2013-11-01

the STOPP criteria advise against the use of long-acting benzodiazepines (LBs). to study whether LBs are associated with a higher fall risk than short-acting benzodiazepines (SBs) (elimination half-life ≤ 10 h). we used base-line data and prospective fall follow-up from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, a longitudinal cohort study including 1,509 community-dwelling older persons (Study 1) and from a separate fall prevention study with 564 older persons after a fall (Study 2). Time to the first fall after inclusion and number of falls in the first year after inclusion were the primary endpoints. both in Study 1 and Study 2 the use of SBs was associated with time to the first fall, hazard ratio (HR) 1.62 (95% CI: 1.03-2.56) and HR 1.64 (95% CI: 1.19-2.26),respectively. LBs were not significantly associated with time to first fall, HR 1.40 (0.85-2.31) and HR 1.08 (0.72-1.62). In both studies, the use of SBs was also associated with number of falls, odds ratio (OR) 1.28 (95% CI: 1.01-1.61) and OR 1.37 (95% CI: 1.10-1.70). LBs were not significantly associated with number of falls, OR 1.23 (0.96-1.57) and 1.10 (0.82-1.48). the use of SBs is not associated with a lower fall risk compared with LBs. The use of both SBs and LBs by old persons should be strongly discouraged.

Development and in vivo characterization of a novel peptide drug delivery system providing extended plasma half life.

PubMed

Shahnaz, Gul; Iqbal, Javed; Rahmat, Deni; Perera, Glen; Laffleur, Flavia; Rossi, Denise; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

2012-02-10

It was the aim of this study to develop a sustained parenteral peptide (DALCE) delivery system by the immobilization of DALCE to thiolated carboxymethyl dextran-cysteine (CMD-Cys) via disulfide bond formation. The resulting CMD-Cys-DALCE conjugate displayed a 22.6±7.9% (m/m) of DALCE (mean±S.D.; n=3). The conjugation of DALCE with CMD-Cys was confirmed by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. In vitro release studies of conjugate CMD-Cys-DALCE in the presence of 2 μM/ml reduced glutathione (GSH) being also available in the plasma showed a sustained peptide release over a time period of 8 h, because of thiol/disulfide exchange reactions. For in vivo pharmacokinetic study, DALCE and CMD-Cys-DALCE were administered intravenously to male Sprague-Dawley rats at a dose of 1mg/kg. The AUC(0-8) (ng.min/ml) was determined to be 268848±924 and 40019±495 for CMD-Cys-DALCE and DALCE, respectively. The mean residence time (MRT) was determined to be 256±8 and 53.1±9.5 min for CMD-Cys-DALCE and for DALCE, respectively. CMD-Cys-DALCE showed a more than 5-fold increased elimination half-life (p<0.01), 3-fold decreased volume of distribution (p<0.01) and a 6.7-fold decreased plasma clearance rate (p<0.01) compared to DALCE. According to these findings, CMD-Cys-DALCE seems to act as prodrug by improving half-life and decreasing plasma clearance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimation of renal allograft half-life: fact or fiction?

PubMed

Azancot, M Antonieta; Cantarell, Carme; Perelló, Manel; Torres, Irina B; Serón, Daniel; Seron, Daniel; Moreso, Francesc; Arias, Manuel; Campistol, Josep M; Curto, Jordi; Hernandez, Domingo; Morales, José M; Sanchez-Fructuoso, Ana; Abraira, Victor

2011-09-01

Renal allograft half-life time (t½) is the most straightforward representation of long-term graft survival. Since some statistical models overestimate this parameter, we compare different approaches to evaluate t½. Patients with a 1-year functioning graft transplanted in Spain during 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002 were included. Exponential, Weibull, gamma, lognormal and log-logistic models censoring the last year of follow-up were evaluated. The goodness of fit of these models was evaluated according to the Cox-Snell residuals and the Akaike's information criterion (AIC) was employed to compare these models. We included 4842 patients. Real t½ in 1990 was 14.2 years. Median t½ (95% confidence interval) in 1990 and 2002 was 15.8 (14.2-17.5) versus 52.6 (35.6-69.5) according to the exponential model (P < 0.001). No differences between 1990 and 2002 were observed when t½ was estimated with the other models. In 1990 and 2002, t½ was 14.0 (13.1-15.0) versus 18.0 (13.7-22.4) according to Weibull, 15.5 (13.9-17.1) versus 19.1 (15.6-22.6) according to gamma, 14.4 (13.3-15.6) versus 18.3 (14.2-22.3) according to the log-logistic and 15.2 (13.8-16.6) versus 18.8 (15.3-22.3) according to the lognormal models. The AIC confirmed that the exponential model had the lowest goodness of fit, while the other models yielded a similar result. The exponential model overestimates t½, especially in cohorts of patients with a short follow-up, while any of the other studied models allow a better estimation even in cohorts with short follow-up.

Utilization of in vitro Caco-2 permeability and liver microsomal half-life screens in discovering BMS-488043, a novel HIV-1 attachment inhibitor with improved pharmacokinetic properties.

PubMed

Yang, Zheng; Zadjura, Lisa M; Marino, Anthony M; D'Arienzo, Celia J; Malinowski, Jacek; Gesenberg, Christoph; Lin, Pin-Fang; Colonno, Richard J; Wang, Tao; Kadow, John F; Meanwell, Nicholas A; Hansel, Steven B

2010-04-01

Optimizing pharmacokinetic properties to improve oral exposure is a common theme in modern drug discovery. In the present work, in vitro Caco-2 permeability and microsomal half-life screens were utilized in an effort to guide the structure-activity relationship in order to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of novel HIV-1 attachment inhibitors. The relevance of the in vitro screens to in vivo pharmacokinetic properties was first demonstrated with a number of program compounds at the early stage of lead optimization. The Caco-2 permeability, tested at 200 microM, was quantitatively predictive of in vivo oral absorption, with complete absorption occurring at a Caco-2 permeability of 100 nm/s or higher. The liver microsomal half-life screen, conducted at 1 microM substrate concentration, can readily differentiate low-, intermediate-, and high-clearance compounds in rats, with a nearly 1:1 correlation in 12 out of 13 program compounds tested. Among the >100 compounds evaluated, BMS-488043 emerged as a lead, exhibiting a Caco-2 permeability of 178 nm/s and a microsomal half-life predictive of a low clearance (4 mL/min/kg) in humans. These in vitro characteristics translated well to the in vivo setting. The oral bioavailability of BMS-488043 in rats, dogs, and monkeys was 90%, 57%, and 60%, respectively. The clearance was low in all three species tested, with a terminal half-life ranging from 2.4 to 4.7 h. Furthermore, the oral exposure of BMS-488043 was significantly improved (6- to 12-fold in rats and monkeys) compared to the prototype compound BMS-378806 that had a suboptimal Caco-2 permeability (51 nm/s) and microsomal half-life. More importantly, the improvements in preclinical pharmacokinetics translated well to humans, leading to a >15-fold increase in the human oral exposure of BMS-488043 than BMS-378806 and enabling a clinical proof-of-concept for this novel class of anti-HIV agents. The current studies demonstrated the valuable role of in vitro ADME screens

Neutron activation of natural materials in a PWR spectrum: feedback on {sup 116m}In relative γ emission intensities and half-life

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

Gruel, Adrien; Geslot, Benoit; Di Salvo, Jacques

2015-07-01

During the MAESTRO program, carried out between 2011 and 2014 in MINERVE zero power reactor, common Gen-II and Gen-III light water reactor materials were irradiated. For some of these materials, the decay of their activation products was also measured by γ spectrometry. Initially devoted to the measurement of the integral capture cross section by activation and reactivity-oscillation method, these results can also provide useful information on decay data of various radionuclides. This approach of this experiment led to a common roadmap shared by the Experimental Physics Section and the Henri Becquerel National Laboratory to improve decay data in nuclear datamore » libraries. Results discussed in this paper concern the relative emission intensities of the main γ rays of {sup 116m}In. Six irradiations of samples with various physical forms of {sup nat}In were carried out. Measurements were analyzed using decay data from several evaluations and it is shown that γ ray activities are not consistent. Analyses were carried out to provide new relative γ emission intensities from these measurements. The {sup 116m}In half-life has also been measured and shows a good agreement with existing values. Finally, an overview of the foreseen results on additional decay data from the MAESTRO program is given. (authors)« less

A highly potent extended half-life antibody as a potential RSV vaccine surrogate for all infants.

PubMed

Zhu, Qing; McLellan, Jason S; Kallewaard, Nicole L; Ulbrandt, Nancy D; Palaszynski, Susan; Zhang, Jing; Moldt, Brian; Khan, Anis; Svabek, Catherine; McAuliffe, Josephine M; Wrapp, Daniel; Patel, Nita K; Cook, Kimberly E; Richter, Bettina W M; Ryan, Patricia C; Yuan, Andy Q; Suzich, JoAnn A

2017-05-03

Prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness in all infants is a major public health priority. However, no vaccine is currently available to protect this vulnerable population. Palivizumab, the only approved agent for RSV prophylaxis, is limited to high-risk infants, and the cost associated with the requirement for dosing throughout the RSV season makes its use impractical for all infants. We describe the development of a monoclonal antibody as potential RSV prophylaxis for all infants with a single intramuscular dose. MEDI8897*, a highly potent human antibody, was optimized from antibody D25, which targets the prefusion conformation of the RSV fusion (F) protein. Crystallographic analysis of Fab in complex with RSV F from subtypes A and B reveals that MEDI8897* binds a highly conserved epitope. MEDI8897* neutralizes a diverse panel of RSV A and B strains with >50-fold higher activity than palivizumab. At similar serum concentrations, prophylactic administration of MEDI8897* was ninefold more potent than palivizumab at reducing pulmonary viral loads by >3 logs in cotton rats infected with either RSV A or B subtypes. MEDI8897 was generated by the introduction of triple amino acid substitutions (YTE) into the Fc domain of MEDI8897*, which led to more than threefold increased half-life in cynomolgus monkeys compared to non-YTE antibody. Considering the pharmacokinetics of palivizumab in infants, which necessitates five monthly doses for protection during an RSV season, the high potency and extended half-life of MEDI8897 support its development as a cost-effective option to protect all infants from RSV disease with once-per-RSV-season dosing in the clinic. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

High precision measurements of 26Naβ- decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinyer, G. F.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Andreyev, A. N.; Austin, R. A.; Ball, G. C.; Chakrawarthy, R. S.; Finlay, P.; Garrett, P. E.; Hackman, G.; Hardy, J. C.; Hyland, B.; Iacob, V. E.; Koopmans, K. A.; Kulp, W. D.; Leslie, J. R.; MacDonald, J. A.; Morton, A. C.; Ormand, W. E.; Osborne, C. J.; Pearson, C. J.; Phillips, A. A.; Sarazin, F.; Schumaker, M. A.; Scraggs, H. C.; Schwarzenberg, J.; Smith, M. B.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.; Waddington, J. C.; Wood, J. L.; Zganjar, E. F.

2005-04-01

High-precision measurements of the half-life and β-branching ratios for the β- decay of 26Na to 26Mg have been measured in β-counting and γ-decay experiments, respectively. A 4π proportional counter and fast tape transport system were employed for the half-life measurement, whereas the γ rays emitted by the daughter nucleus 26Mg were detected with the 8π γ-ray spectrometer, both located at TRIUMF's isotope separator and accelerator radioactive beam facility. The half-life of 26Na was determined to be T1/2=1.07128±0.00013±0.00021s, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. The logft values derived from these experiments are compared with theoretical values from a full sd-shell model calculation.

Search for effective spin injection heterostructures based on half-metal Heusler alloys/gallium arsenide semiconductors: A theoretical investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivakumar, Chockalingam

Efficient electrical spin injection from half-metal (HM) electrodes into semiconducting (SC) channel material is a desirable aspect in spintronics, but a challenging one. Half-metals based on the Heusler alloy family are promising candidates as spin sources due to their compatibility with compound SCs, and very high Curie temperatures. Numerous efforts were made in the past two decades to grow atomically abrupt interfaces between HM_Heusler and SC heterostructures. However, diffusion of magnetic impurities into the semiconductor, defects and disorder near the interface, and formation of reacted phases were great challenges. A number of theoretical efforts were undertaken to understand the role of such material defects in destroying the half-metallicity and also to propose promising half-metal/SC heterostructures based on first principles. This dissertation summarizes the investigations undertaken to decode the complexity of, and to understand the various physical properties of, a number of real-world Heusler/SC heterostructure samples, based on the ab initio density functional theory (DFT) approach. In addition, it summarizes various results from the first principles-based search for promising half-metal/SC heterostructures. First, I present results from DFT-based predictive models of actual Co 2MnSi (CMS)/GaAs heterostructures grown in (001) texture. I investigate the physical, chemical, electronic, and magnetic properties to understand the complexity of these structures and to pinpoint the origin of interfacial effects, when present. Based on the investigations of such models, I discuss the utility of those actual samples in spintronic applications. Next, I summarise the results from an ab initio DFT-based survey of 6 half-Heusler half-metal/GaAs heterostructure models in (110) texture, since compound semiconductors such as GaAs have very long spin lifetime in (110) layering. I show 3 half-Heusler alloys (CoVAs, NiMnAs, and RhFeGe), that when interfaced with Ga

A review of preference-based measures for the assessment of quality of life in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Mpundu-Kaambwa, Christine; Chen, Gang; Huynh, Elisabeth; Russo, Remo; Ratcliffe, Julie

2018-07-01

To examine the psychometric properties and suitability for use within the context of cerebral palsy research in children and adolescents of generic preference-based outcome measures (PROMs). Nine electronic databases were searched in this systematic review. The consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) checklist were used to measure the psychometric properties of the PROMs. A meta-analysis was used to pool correlation coefficients for convergent validity using the Schmidt-Hunter method. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I-squared statistic (I 2 ). Four preference-based PROMs were identified from eight studies: Health Utilities Index-Mark 2 and 3 (HUI-2 and HUI-3, respectively), the Assessment Quality of Life-4 dimension (AQoL-4D) and the EuroQol-5 dimension 3 level (EQ-5D-3L). Only the HUI system was primarily developed for application with children/adolescents though health-state values for scoring the PROM were elicited from adults. The HUI-3 covered the most relevant constructs though it excludes important modules of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) such as activity limitations and participation restrictions. In terms of psychometric properties, evidence was presented for only five of COSMIN measurement properties: reliability (HUI3), measurement error (HUI-3), content validity (HUI-2 and HUI-3), Hypotheses testing (HUI-3 and AQoL-4D) and criterion validity (HUI-3). No papers reported on internal consistency, structural validity, cross-cultural validity or responsiveness of the preference-based measures in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. This review highlights the dearth in studies using preference-based PROMs to measure HRQOL associated with cerebral palsy in children and adolescents. The HUI-3 demonstrated the strongest psychometric properties, though it does not cover all dimensions relevant to this population.

Visual Half-Field Experiments Are a Good Measure of Cerebral Language Dominance if Used Properly: Evidence from fMRI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Zoe R.; Brysbaert, Marc

2008-01-01

Traditional neuropsychology employs visual half-field (VHF) experiments to assess cerebral language dominance. This approach is based on the assumption that left cerebral dominance for language leads to faster and more accurate recognition of words in the right visual half-field (RVF) than in the left visual half-field (LVF) during tachistoscopic…

Grip strength and quality of life in the second half of life: hope as a moderator.

PubMed

Gum, Amber M; Segal-Karpas, Dikla; Avidor, Sharon; Ayalon, Liat; Bodner, Ehud; Palgi, Yuval

2017-09-28

The purpose of the current study was to investigate grip strength, hope, and their interaction as predictors of quality of life four years later in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Data were derived from the first (2005-2006) and second wave (2009) of the Israeli component of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE; N = 344). Hope was measured by three items from the Hope   Scale, and quality of life was measured by the CASP-12 (Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, and Pleasure). Multiple regression analyses were conducted. Grip strength at T1 predicted QoL in T2, but hope was not a significant predictor. Furthermore, hope moderated the effect of handgrip on QoL, such that the effect was weaker for higher levels of hope. As hypothesized, hope acted as a moderator, such that poor grip strength was associated with worse QoL for less hopeful older adults, but grip strength was not associated with QoL for more hopeful older adults. Findings are consistent with a theoretical conceptualization of hope as a buffer between physical challenges and negative outcomes like QoL. Encouraging a hopeful perspective could enhance QoL for older adults with decreased muscle strength.

Enhanced in Vivo Efficacy of a Type I Interferon Superagonist with Extended Plasma Half-life in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis*

PubMed Central

Harari, Daniel; Kuhn, Nadine; Abramovich, Renne; Sasson, Keren; Zozulya, Alla L.; Smith, Paul; Schlapschy, Martin; Aharoni, Rina; Köster, Mario; Eilam, Raya; Skerra, Arne; Schreiber, Gideon

2014-01-01

IFNβ is a common therapeutic option to treat multiple sclerosis. It is unique among the family of type I IFNs in that it binds to the interferon receptors with high affinity, conferring exceptional biological properties. We have previously reported the generation of an interferon superagonist (dubbed YNSα8) that is built on the backbone of a low affinity IFNα but modified to exhibit higher receptor affinity than even for IFNβ. Here, YNSα8 was fused with a 600-residue hydrophilic, unstructured N-terminal polypeptide chain comprising proline, alanine, and serine (PAS) to prolong its plasma half-life via “PASylation.” PAS-YNSα8 exhibited a 10-fold increased half-life in both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic assays in a transgenic mouse model harboring the human receptors, notably without any detectable loss in biological potency or bioavailability. This long-lived superagonist conferred significantly improved protection from MOG35–55-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis compared with IFNβ, despite being injected with a 4-fold less frequency and at an overall 16-fold lower dosage. These data were corroborated by FACS measurements showing a decrease of CD11b+/CD45hi myeloid lineage cells detectable in the CNS, as well as a decrease in IBA+ cells in spinal cord sections determined by immunohistochemistry for PAS-YNSα8-treated animals. Importantly, PAS-YNSα8 did not induce antibodies upon repeated administration, and its biological efficacy remained unchanged after 21 days of treatment. A striking correlation between increased levels of CD274 (PD-L1) transcripts from spleen-derived CD4+ cells and improved clinical response to autoimmune encephalomyelitis was observed, indicating that, at least in this mouse model of multiple sclerosis, CD274 may serve as a biomarker to predict the effectiveness of IFN therapy to treat this complex disease. PMID:25193661

Carboxyhemoglobin half-life during hyperbaric oxygen in a patient with lung dysfunction: a case report.

PubMed

Weaver, Lindell K; Deru, Kayla

2017-01-01

The carboxyhemoglobin half-life (COHb t1/2) during hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) is often quoted as 23 minutes, derived from the average of two adult male volunteers breathing HBO₂ at 3 atmospheres absolute (ATA). However, the mean COHb t1/2 of 12 male volunteer smokers was 26.3 minutes at 1.58 ATA and in 12 non-intubated carbon monoxide (CO) poisoned patients treated at 3 ATA, was 43 minutes. An 81-year old male, poisoned by an improperly ventilated natural gas heater, was intubated for coma, then treated with HBO₂. His PaO₂/FiO₂ = 283 from aspiration. His initial COHb was 34.4%, and 18 minutes before HBO₂, 5.9%. After a compression interval of 17 minutes, the COHb measured after 22 minutes at 3 ATA was 3.3%. By exponential decay, his COHb t1/2 before HBO₂ was 95 minutes. We estimate the range for COHb t1/2 during compression as 62-81 minutes and for the 3-ATA interval, 58 to 49 minutes, respectively. The mid-point estimate of COHb t1/2 at 3 ATA was 53 minutes. The COHb t1/2 we calculated is greater than previously reported, but longer in our patient possibly because of concomitant respiratory failure, lung dysfunction, and mechanical ventilation. The often-cited COHb t1/2 of 23 minutes, likely underestimates the actual COHb t1/2 in CO-poisoned patients, especially those with cardiopulmonary dysfunction.

Self-esteem across the second half of life: The role of socioeconomic status, physical health, social relationships, and personality factors.

PubMed

von Soest, Tilmann; Wagner, Jenny; Hansen, Thomas; Gerstorf, Denis

2018-06-01

Self-esteem development across adulthood has been in the center of interest for some time now. However, not much is known about factors that shape self-esteem and its development in the second half of life and whether the factors differ with age and gender. To examine these questions, this study uses 2-wave data from the population-based NorLAG study in Norway (N = 5,555; M age = 58 years; 51% women) and combines self-report data on self-esteem and personality with registry-based information on socioeconomic status (education, income, unemployment), health problems (sick leave, lifetime history of disability), and social relationships (cohabiting partner, lifetime history of divorce and widowhood). Results from latent change score models revealed that self-esteem peaked at around age 50 and declined thereafter. More importantly, lower socioeconomic status, not having a cohabiting partner, unemployment, and disability were each uniquely associated with lower levels of self-esteem and/or steeper declines in self-esteem over the 5-year study period. Over and above registry-based information, personality characteristics were relevant, with a more mature personality being associated with higher self-esteem level. Emotionally stable participants also showed less pronounced declines in self-esteem. Moreover, associations of disability and of emotional stability with self-esteem level were weaker with advancing age. Among women, self-esteem level was more strongly associated with emotional stability and less strongly with openness, compared to men. Our findings demonstrate the utility of registry-based information and suggest that physical health, social relationships, and personality factors are in manifold ways uniquely associated with self-esteem and its development later in life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Intermittent Drug Dosing Intervals Guided by the Operational Multiple Dosing Half Lives for Predictable Plasma Accumulation and Fluctuation

PubMed Central

Grover, Anita; Benet, Leslie Z.

2013-01-01

Intermittent drug dosing intervals are usually initially guided by the terminal pharmacokinetic half life and are dependent on drug formulation. For chronic multiple dosing and for extended release dosage forms, the terminal half life often does not predict the plasma drug accumulation or fluctuation observed. We define and advance applications for the operational multiple dosing half lives for drug accumulation and fluctuation after multiple oral dosing at steady-state. Using Monte Carlo simulation, our results predict a way to maximize the operational multiple dosing half lives relative to the terminal half life by using a first-order absorption rate constant close to the terminal elimination rate constant in the design of extended release dosage forms. In this way, drugs that may be eliminated early in the development pipeline due to a relatively short half life can be formulated to be dosed at intervals three times the terminal half life, maximizing compliance, while maintaining tight plasma concentration accumulation and fluctuation ranges. We also present situations in which the operational multiple dosing half lives will be especially relevant in the determination of dosing intervals, including for drugs that follow a direct PKPD model and have a narrow therapeutic index, as the rate of concentration decrease after chronic multiple dosing (that is not the terminal half life) can be determined via simulation. These principles are illustrated with case studies on valproic acid, diazepam, and anti-hypertensives. PMID:21499748

Open-ended half-mode substrate integrated waveguide sensor with ground flange for complex permittivity measurement

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel open-ended half-mode substrate integrated waveguide (HMSIW) sensor with ground flange for measuring complex permittivity of liquids, semisolids, and granular and particulate materials is presented. The open-ended HMSIW is designed and fabricated on FR4 substrate. The ground flange was custo...

Lifetime Measurement of the 229Th nuclear isomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seiferle, Benedict; von der Wense, Lars; Thirolf, Peter G.

2017-01-01

The first excited isomeric state of 229Th possesses the lowest energy among all known excited nuclear states. The expected energy is accessible with today's laser technology and in principle allows for a direct optical laser excitation of the nucleus. The isomer decays via three channels to its ground state (internal conversion, γ decay, and bound internal conversion), whose strengths depend on the charge state of Thm229 . We report on the measurement of the internal-conversion decay half-life of neutral Thm229 . A half-life of 7 ±1 μ s has been measured, which is in the range of theoretical predictions and, based on the theoretically expected lifetime of ≈1 04 s of the photonic decay channel, gives further support for an internal conversion coefficient of ≈1 09, thus constraining the strength of a radiative branch in the presence of internal conversion.

Metamaterial-based half Maxwell fish-eye lens for broadband directive emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhouibi, Abdallah; Nawaz Burokur, Shah; de Lustrac, André; Priou, Alain

2013-01-01

The broadband directive emission from a metamaterial surface is numerically and experimentally reported. The metasurface, composed of non-resonant complementary closed ring structures, is designed to obey the refractive index of a half Maxwell fish-eye lens. A planar microstrip Vivaldi antenna is used as transverse magnetic polarized wave launcher for the lens. A prototype of the lens associated with its feed structure has been fabricated using standard lithography techniques. To experimentally demonstrate the broadband focusing properties and directive emissions, both the far-field radiation patterns and the near-field distributions have been measured. Measurements agree quantitatively and qualitatively with theoretical simulations.

Half-life of the 15 /2+ state of 135I: A test of E 2 seniority relations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spagnoletti, P.; Simpson, G. S.; Carroll, R.; Régis, J.-M.; Blanc, A.; Jentschel, M.; Köster, U.; Mutti, P.; Soldner, T.; de France, G.; Ur, C. A.; Urban, W.; Bruce, A. M.; Drouet, F.; Fraile, L. M.; Gaffney, L. P.; Ghitǎ, D. G.; Ilieva, S.; Jolie, J.; Korten, W.; Kröll, T.; Larijarni, C.; Lalkovski, S.; Licǎ, R.; Mach, H.; Mǎrginean, N.; Paziy, V.; Podolyák, Zs.; Regan, P. H.; Scheck, M.; Saed-Samii, N.; Thiamova, G.; Townsley, C.; Vancraeyenest, A.; Vedia, V.; Gargano, A.; Van Isacker, P.

2017-02-01

The half-life of the 15 /21+ state of the 3-valence-proton nucleus 135I has been measured to be 1.74(8) ns using the EXILL-FATIMA mixed array of Ge and LaBr3 detectors. The nuclei were produced following the cold neutron-induced fission of a 235U target at the PF1B beam line of the Institut Laue-Langevin. The extracted B (E 2 ;15 /2+→11 /2+) value enabled a test of seniority relations for the first time between E 2 transition rates. Large-scale shell-model calculations were performed for 134Te and 135I, and reinterpreted in a single-orbit approach. The results show that the two-body component of the E 2 operator can be large whereas energy shifts due to the three-body component of the effective interaction are small.

[Gerotranscendence in the second half of life: first empirical investigation in Flanders].

PubMed

Raes, F; Marcoen, A

2001-08-01

Tornstam regards gerotranscendence as the final stage in a natural process towards maturity and wisdom, that can be described as a shift in meta-perspective which accompanies the process of aging: from a materialistic and rational perspective to a more cosmic and transcendent one. The present study contributes to the development of a by Tornstam used gerotranscendence scale, and looks for theoretically expected relations between gerotranscendence and psychosocial variables such as life satisfaction, death attitude, and recently experienced life crises. The relation between gerotranscendence and dimensions of religion and faith will also be examined. Participants were 120 older adults, 58 men and 62 women, aged 45-92 years. The scores on the gerotranscendence scale were not congruent, neither with the hypothetical threefold apriori scales, nor with the factor structure Tornstam had found in his research. An exploratory factor analysis yielded three factors which were to a certain extent reconcilable with the gerotranscendence theory. The subscales are Transcendent connection, Active involvement and coherence, and Attachment to life and material goods. Older respondents and respondents who experienced one or more life crises, have higher scores on Transcendent connection. The experience of connection seems to be related to dimensions of religion and faith. The results warrant further research into a measurement of gerotranscendence and the relation with dimensions of religion and faith.

Clinical utility and patient perspectives on the use of extended half-life rFIXFc in the management of hemophilia B

PubMed Central

Miguelino, Maricel G; Powell, Jerry S

2014-01-01

Hemophilia B is an X-linked genetic disease caused by mutation of the gene for coagulation protein factor IX (FIX), with an incidence of approximately once every 30,000 male births in all populations and ethnic groups. When severe, the disease leads to spontaneous life threatening bleeding episodes. When untreated, most patients die from bleeding complications before 25 years of age. Current therapy requires frequent intravenous infusions of therapeutic recombinant or plasma-derived protein concentrates containing FIX. Most patients administer the infusions at home every few days, and must limit their physical activities to avoid abnormal bleeding when the FIX activity levels are below normal. After completing the pivotal Phase III clinical trial, a new therapeutic FIX preparation that has been engineered for an extended half-life in circulation, received regulatory approval in March 2014 in Canada and the US. This new FIX represents a major therapeutic advance for patients with hemophilia B. The half-life is prolonged due to fusion of the native FIX molecule with the normal constant region of immunoglobulin G. This fusion molecule then follows the normal immunoglobulin recirculation pathways through endothelial cells, resulting in prolonged times in circulation. In the clinical trials, over 150 patients successfully used eftrenonacog alfa regularly for more than 1 year to prevent spontaneous bleeding, to successfully treat any bleeding episodes, and to provide effective coagulation for major surgery. All infusions were well tolerated and effective, with no inhibitors detected and no safety concerns. This promising therapy should allow patients to use fewer infusions to maintain appropriate FIX activity levels in all clinical settings. PMID:25143713

NS5A inhibitors unmask differences in functional replicase complex half-life between different hepatitis C virus strains

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

Benzine, Tiffany; Brandt, Ryan; Lovell, William C.

We synthesized the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by the replicase complex (RC), a macromolecular assembly composed of viral non-structural proteins and cellular co-factors. Inhibitors of the HCV NS5A protein block formation of new RCs but do not affect RNA synthesis by preformed RCs. Without new RC formation, existing RCs turn over and are eventually lost from the cell. We aimed to use NS5A inhibitors to estimate the half-life of the functional RC of HCV. We compared different cell culture-infectious strains of HCV that may be grouped based on their sensitivity to lipid peroxidation: robustly replicating, lipid peroxidation resistant (LPOmore » R) viruses (e.g. JFH-1 or H77D) and more slowly replicating, lipid peroxidation sensitive (LPO S) viruses (e.g. H77S.3 and N.2). Furthermore, in luciferase assays, LPO S HCV strains declined under NS5A inhibitor therapy with much slower kinetics compared to LPO R HCV strains. This difference in rate of decline was not observed for inhibitors of the NS5B RNAdependent RNA polymerase suggesting that the difference was not simply a consequence of differences in RNA stability. In further analyses, we compared two isoclonal HCV variants: the LPO S H77S.3 and the LPO R H77D that differ only by 12 amino acids. Differences in rate of decline between H77S.3 and H77D following NS5A inhibitor addition were not due to amino acid sequences in NS5A but rather due to a combination of amino acid differences in the non-structural proteins that make up the HCV RC. The mathematical modeling of intracellular HCV RNA dynamics suggested that differences in RC stability (half-lives of 3.5 and 9.9 hours, for H77D and H77S.3, respectively) are responsible for the different kinetics of antiviral suppression between LPO S and LPO R viruses. In nascent RNA capture assays, the rate of RNA synthesis decline following NS5A inhibitor addition was significantly faster for H77D compared to H77S.3 indicating different half-lives of functional RCs.« less

NS5A inhibitors unmask differences in functional replicase complex half-life between different hepatitis C virus strains

DOE PAGES

Benzine, Tiffany; Brandt, Ryan; Lovell, William C.; ...

2017-06-08

We synthesized the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by the replicase complex (RC), a macromolecular assembly composed of viral non-structural proteins and cellular co-factors. Inhibitors of the HCV NS5A protein block formation of new RCs but do not affect RNA synthesis by preformed RCs. Without new RC formation, existing RCs turn over and are eventually lost from the cell. We aimed to use NS5A inhibitors to estimate the half-life of the functional RC of HCV. We compared different cell culture-infectious strains of HCV that may be grouped based on their sensitivity to lipid peroxidation: robustly replicating, lipid peroxidation resistant (LPOmore » R) viruses (e.g. JFH-1 or H77D) and more slowly replicating, lipid peroxidation sensitive (LPO S) viruses (e.g. H77S.3 and N.2). Furthermore, in luciferase assays, LPO S HCV strains declined under NS5A inhibitor therapy with much slower kinetics compared to LPO R HCV strains. This difference in rate of decline was not observed for inhibitors of the NS5B RNAdependent RNA polymerase suggesting that the difference was not simply a consequence of differences in RNA stability. In further analyses, we compared two isoclonal HCV variants: the LPO S H77S.3 and the LPO R H77D that differ only by 12 amino acids. Differences in rate of decline between H77S.3 and H77D following NS5A inhibitor addition were not due to amino acid sequences in NS5A but rather due to a combination of amino acid differences in the non-structural proteins that make up the HCV RC. The mathematical modeling of intracellular HCV RNA dynamics suggested that differences in RC stability (half-lives of 3.5 and 9.9 hours, for H77D and H77S.3, respectively) are responsible for the different kinetics of antiviral suppression between LPO S and LPO R viruses. In nascent RNA capture assays, the rate of RNA synthesis decline following NS5A inhibitor addition was significantly faster for H77D compared to H77S.3 indicating different half-lives of functional RCs.« less

A measure of satisfaction with food-related life.

PubMed

Grunert, Klaus G; Dean, Moira; Raats, Monique M; Nielsen, Niels Asger; Lumbers, Margaret

2007-09-01

A measure of satisfaction with food-related life is developed and tested in three studies in eight European countries. Five items are retained from an original pool of seven; these items exhibit good reliability as measured by Cronbach's alpha, good temporal stability, convergent validity with two related measures, and construct validity as indicated by relationships with other indicators of quality of life, including the Satisfaction With Life and the SF-8 scales. It is concluded that this scale will be useful in studies trying to identify factors contributing to satisfaction with food-related life.

DNA-based dye lasers: progress in this half a decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawabe, Yutaka

2016-09-01

After the invention of DNA-surfactant films and the proposal of dye doping into them by Ogata, many applications were demonstrated. Among them tunable thin film laser is one of the most attractive functional devices. Development and progress in DNA based lasers after the first observation of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) by us has been reviewed in a former paper published in 2011.1 In this proceeding, progresses in the subsequent half a decade are described.

Study of ^{14}C Cluster Decay Half-Lives of Heavy Deformed Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamami, S. Rahimi; Pahlavani, M. R.

2018-01-01

A theoretical model based on deformed Woods-Saxon, Coulomb and centrifugal terms are constructed to evaluate the half-lives for the cluster radioactivity of various super heavy nuclei. Deformation have been applied on all parts of their potential containing nuclear barrier for cluster decay. Also, both parent and daughter nuclei are considered to be deformed. The calculated results of ^{14}C cluster radioactivity half-lives are compared with available experimental data. A satisfactory agreement between theoretical and measured data is achieved. Also, obtained half-lives for each decay family is agreed with Geiger-Nuttall law.

Challenges of regulatory rights of half-capacitated persons: A sociological perspective on the French Civil Code reform.

PubMed

Eyraud, Benoît

2016-01-01

Democratic societies are based on the principle of equal legal capacity of all citizens to decide and act for themselves in all areas of social life. This "socio-civil capacity", which may involve both material property of an individual, as well as private life in matters ranging from health to personal relationships, is recognized by the law (both codified law and common law). These rights guarantee the autonomy and freedom of individuals in the name of respect for human dignity. Civil capacity of a person is legally diminished because his or her "natural" abilities, capacity, or competence are reduced. Recent social changes have lead to increased uses of legal measures of protection. The reasons for these changes are complex and they are accompanied by legislative reforms that modify the rights of half-capacitated persons. In this article, we examine certain issues of civil capacity rights based on the French example. We start present a perspective of the historical definition and practice of these rights as well as their democratization. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Radon Measurements of Atmospheric Mixing (RAMIX) 2006–2014 Final Campaign Summary

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

Fischer, ML; Biraud, SC

2015-05-01

Uncertainty in vertical mixing between the surface layer, boundary layer, and free troposphere leads to large uncertainty in “top-down” estimates of regional land-atmosphere carbon exchange (i.e., estimates based on measurements of atmospheric CO2 mixing ratios. Radon-222 (222Rn) is a valuable tracer for measuring atmospheric mixing because it is emitted from the land surface and has a short enough half-life (3.8 days) to allow characterization of mixing processes based on vertical profile measurements.

Radon Measurements of Atmospheric Mixing (RAMIX) 2006–2014 Final Campaign Summary

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

Fischer, ML; Biraud, SC; Hirsch, A

2015-05-01

Uncertainty in vertical mixing between the surface layer, boundary layer, and free troposphere leads to large uncertainty in “top-down” estimates of regional land-atmosphere carbon exchange (i.e., estimates based on measurements of atmospheric CO 2 mixing ratios). The radioisotope radon-222 ( 222Rn) is a valuable tracer for measuring atmospheric mixing because it is emitted from the land surface and has a short enough half-life (3.8 days) to allow characterization of mixing processes based on vertical profile measurements.

Safety and efficacy of BAY 94-9027, a prolonged-half-life factor VIII.

PubMed

Reding, M T; Ng, H J; Poulsen, L H; Eyster, M E; Pabinger, I; Shin, H-J; Walsch, R; Lederman, M; Wang, M; Hardtke, M; Michaels, L A

2017-03-01

Essentials Recombinant factor VIII BAY 94-9027 conjugates in a site-specific manner with polyethylene glycol. BAY 94-9027 was given to patients with severe hemophilia A as prophylaxis and to treat bleeds. BAY 94-9027 prevented bleeds at dose intervals up to every 7 days and effectively treated bleeds. BAY 94-9027 treatment was mainly well tolerated and no patient developed factor VIII inhibitors. Click to hear Dr Tiede's perspective on half-life extended factor VIII for the treatment of hemophilia A SUMMARY: Background BAY 94-9027 is a B-domain-deleted prolonged-half-life recombinant factor VIII (FVIII) that conjugates in a site-specific manner with polyethylene glycol. Objective Assess efficacy and safety of BAY 94-9027 for prophylaxis and treatment of bleeds in patients with severe hemophilia A. Patients/methods In this multinational, phase 2/3, partially randomized, open-label trial, men aged 12-65 years with FVIII < 1% and ≥ 150 exposure days to FVIII received BAY 94-9027 for 36 weeks on demand or prophylactically at intervals determined following a 10-week run-in period on 25 IU kg -1 body weight two times per week. Patients with > 1 bleed during the run-in subsequently received 30-40 IU kg -1 two times per week; patients with ≤ 1 bleed were eligible for randomization to every-5-days (45-60 IU kg -1 ) or every-7-days (60 IU kg -1 ) prophylaxis (1 : 1) for 26 additional weeks until randomization arms were filled. Patients who were eligible but not randomized continued twice-weekly prophylaxis. The primary efficacy outcome was annualized bleeding rate (ABR). Results The intent-to-treat population included 132 patients (prophylaxis, n = 112; on demand, n = 20). Median ABR (quartile [Q1; Q3]) for patients treated two times per week who were not eligible for randomization (n = 13) improved after dose increase (17.4 [14.3; 26.0] to 4.1 [2.0; 10.6]). Median ABR for patients randomized to every-5-days treatment (n = 43) was 1.9 (0; 4.2), similar to patients

Human neutrophil kinetics: modeling of stable isotope labeling data supports short blood neutrophil half-lives.

PubMed

Lahoz-Beneytez, Julio; Elemans, Marjet; Zhang, Yan; Ahmed, Raya; Salam, Arafa; Block, Michael; Niederalt, Christoph; Asquith, Becca; Macallan, Derek

2016-06-30

Human neutrophils have traditionally been thought to have a short half-life in blood; estimates vary from 4 to 18 hours. This dogma was recently challenged by stable isotope labeling studies with heavy water, which yielded estimates in excess of 3 days. To investigate this disparity, we generated new stable isotope labeling data in healthy adult subjects using both heavy water (n = 4) and deuterium-labeled glucose (n = 9), a compound with more rapid labeling kinetics. To interpret results, we developed a novel mechanistic model and applied it to previously published (n = 5) and newly generated data. We initially constrained the ratio of the blood neutrophil pool to the marrow precursor pool (ratio = 0.26; from published values). Analysis of heavy water data sets yielded turnover rates consistent with a short blood half-life, but parameters, particularly marrow transit time, were poorly defined. Analysis of glucose-labeling data yielded more precise estimates of half-life (0.79 ± 0.25 days; 19 hours) and marrow transit time (5.80 ± 0.42 days). Substitution of this marrow transit time in the heavy water analysis gave a better-defined blood half-life of 0.77 ± 0.14 days (18.5 hours), close to glucose-derived values. Allowing the ratio of blood neutrophils to mitotic neutrophil precursors (R) to vary yielded a best-fit value of 0.19. Reanalysis of the previously published model and data also revealed the origin of their long estimates for neutrophil half-life: an implicit assumption that R is very large, which is physiologically untenable. We conclude that stable isotope labeling in healthy humans is consistent with a blood neutrophil half-life of less than 1 day. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

Field performance measurements of half-facepiece respirators: steel mill operations.

PubMed

Myers, W R; Zhuang, Z

1998-11-01

Ambient and in-facepiece samples to evaluate the protection provided by negative-pressure, half-facepiece respirators were collected on workers in different areas of a steel mill including a sinter plant and a basic oxygen process shop. Protection was assessed by workplace protection factors (WPF). All the in-facepiece concentrations were dramatically less than the corresponding ambient concentration levels or permissible exposure limits. The geometric mean (GM) ambient and in-facepiece concentrations of iron were found to vary among tasks. Significant differences were also found to occur between the GM ambient exposure levels in which some of the respirators were used. Significant differences in respirator performance as measured by WPF or in-facepiece iron concentration were observed among different brands of respirators. For all job classifications and at all levels of airborne exposure, the fifth percentile estimates for the WPF distributions for each brand of respirator were all greater than 20.

Adenosine monophosphate deaminase 3 activation shortens erythrocyte half-life and provides malaria resistance in mice.

PubMed

Hortle, Elinor; Nijagal, Brunda; Bauer, Denis C; Jensen, Lora M; Ahn, Seong Beom; Cockburn, Ian A; Lampkin, Shelley; Tull, Dedreia; McConville, Malcolm J; McMorran, Brendan J; Foote, Simon J; Burgio, Gaetan

2016-09-01

The factors that determine red blood cell (RBC) lifespan and the rate of RBC aging have not been fully elucidated. In several genetic conditions, including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and G6PD deficiency, erythrocyte lifespan is significantly shortened. Many of these diseases are also associated with protection from severe malaria, suggesting a role for accelerated RBC senescence and clearance in malaria resistance. Here, we report a novel, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mutation that causes a gain of function in adenosine 5'-monophosphate deaminase (AMPD3). Mice carrying the mutation exhibit rapid RBC turnover, with increased erythropoiesis, dramatically shortened RBC lifespan, and signs of increased RBC senescence/eryptosis, suggesting a key role for AMPD3 in determining RBC half-life. Mice were also found to be resistant to infection with the rodent malaria Plasmodium chabaudi. We propose that resistance to P. chabaudi is mediated by increased RBC turnover and higher rates of erythropoiesis during infection. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

Whole-genome analysis of mRNA decay in Plasmodium falciparum reveals a global lengthening of mRNA half-life during the intra-erythrocytic development cycle.

PubMed

Shock, Jennifer L; Fischer, Kael F; DeRisi, Joseph L

2007-01-01

The rate of mRNA decay is an essential element of post-transcriptional regulation in all organisms. Previously, studies in several organisms found that the specific half-life of each mRNA is precisely related to its physiologic role, and plays an important role in determining levels of gene expression. We used a genome-wide approach to characterize mRNA decay in Plasmodium falciparum. We found that, globally, rates of mRNA decay increase dramatically during the asexual intra-erythrocytic developmental cycle. During the ring stage of the cycle, the average mRNA half-life was 9.5 min, but this was extended to an average of 65 min during the late schizont stage of development. Thus, a major determinant of mRNA decay rate appears to be linked to the stage of intra-erythrocytic development. Furthermore, we found specific variations in decay patterns superimposed upon the dominant trend of progressive half-life lengthening. These variations in decay pattern were frequently enriched for genes with specific cellular functions or processes. Elucidation of Plasmodium mRNA decay rates provides a key element for deciphering mechanisms of genetic control in this parasite, by complementing and extending previous mRNA abundance studies. Our results indicate that progressive stage-dependent decreases in mRNA decay rate function are a major determinant of mRNA accumulation during the schizont stage of intra-erythrocytic development. This type of genome-wide change in mRNA decay rate has not been observed in any other organism to date, and indicates that post-transcriptional regulation may be the dominant mechanism of gene regulation in P. falciparum.

Topology and Oligomerization of Mono- and Oligomeric Proteins Regulate Their Half-Lives in the Cell.

PubMed

Mallik, Saurav; Kundu, Sudip

2018-06-05

To find additional structural constraints (besides disordered segments) that regulate protein half-life in the cell, we herein assess the influence of native topology of monomeric and sequestration of oligomeric proteins into multimeric complexes in yeast, human, and mouse. Native topology acts as a molecular marker of globular protein's mechanical resistance and consequently captures their half-life variations on genome scale. Sequestration into multimeric complexes elongates oligomeric protein half-life in the cell, presumably by burying ubiquitinoylation sites and disordered segments required for proteasomal recognition. The latter effect is stronger for proteins associated with multiple complexes and for those binding early during complex self-assembly, including proteins that oligomerize with large proportions of surface buried. After gene duplication, diversification of topology and sequestration into non-identical sets of complexes alter half-lives of paralogous proteins during the course of evolution. Thus, native topology and sequestration into multimeric complexes reflect designing principles of proteins to regulate their half-lives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fallout radionuclide-based techniques for assessing the impact of soil conservation measures on erosion control and soil quality: an overview of the main lessons learnt under an FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project.

PubMed

Dercon, G; Mabit, L; Hancock, G; Nguyen, M L; Dornhofer, P; Bacchi, O O S; Benmansour, M; Bernard, C; Froehlich, W; Golosov, V N; Haciyakupoglu, S; Hai, P S; Klik, A; Li, Y; Lobb, D A; Onda, Y; Popa, N; Rafiq, M; Ritchie, J C; Schuller, P; Shakhashiro, A; Wallbrink, P; Walling, D E; Zapata, F; Zhang, X

2012-05-01

This paper summarizes key findings and identifies the main lessons learnt from a 5-year (2002-2008) coordinated research project (CRP) on "Assessing the effectiveness of soil conservation measures for sustainable watershed management and crop production using fallout radionuclides" (D1.50.08), organized and funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency through the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. The project brought together nineteen participants, from Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam, involved in the use of nuclear techniques and, more particularly, fallout radionuclides (FRN) to assess the relative impacts of different soil conservation measures on soil erosion and land productivity. The overall objective of the CRP was to develop improved land use and management strategies for sustainable watershed management through effective soil erosion control practices, by the use of ¹³⁷Cs (half-life of 30.2 years), ²¹⁰Pb(ex) (half-life of 22.3 years) and ⁷Be (half-life of 53.4 days) for measuring soil erosion over several spatial and temporal scales. The environmental conditions under which the different research teams applied the tools based on the use of fallout radionuclides varied considerably--a variety of climates, soils, topographies and land uses. Nevertheless, the achievements of the CRP, as reflected in this overview paper, demonstrate that fallout radionuclide-based techniques are powerful tools to assess soil erosion/deposition at several spatial and temporal scales in a wide range of environments, and offer potential to monitor soil quality. The success of the CRP has stimulated an interest in many IAEA Member States in the use of these methodologies to identify factors and practices that can enhance sustainable agriculture and minimize land degradation. Copyright �

Measurement properties of adult quality-of-life measurement instruments for eczema: a systematic review.

PubMed

Heinl, D; Prinsen, C A C; Deckert, S; Chalmers, J R; Drucker, A M; Ofenloch, R; Humphreys, R; Sach, T; Chamlin, S L; Schmitt, J; Apfelbacher, C

2016-03-01

The Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative has identified quality of life (QoL) as a core outcome domain to be evaluated in every eczema trial. It is unclear which of the existing QoL instruments is most appropriate for this domain. Thus, the aim of this review was to systematically assess the measurement properties of existing measurement instruments developed and/or validated for the measurement of QoL in adult eczema. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed and Embase identifying studies on measurement properties of adult eczema QoL instruments. For all eligible studies, we assessed the adequacy of the measurement properties and the methodological quality with the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A best evidence synthesis summarizing findings from different studies was the basis to assign four degrees of recommendation (A-D). A total of 15 articles reporting on 17 instruments were included. No instrument fulfilled the criteria for category A. Six instruments were placed in category B, meaning that they have the potential to be recommended depending on the results of further validation studies. Three instruments had poor adequacy in at least one required adequacy criterion and were therefore put in category C. The remaining eight instruments were minimally validated and were thus placed in category D. Currently, no QoL instrument can be recommended for use in adult eczema. The Quality of Life Index for Atopic Dermatitis (QoLIAD) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) are recommended for further validation research. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A sensitive method for measuring protein turnover based on the measurement of 2-3H-labelled amino acids in protein.

PubMed Central

Humphrey, T J; Davies, D D

1976-01-01

A method for measuring the rate of protein degradation is described. The method measures the change in 2-3H content of protein with time by racemization of the protein hydrolysate with acetic anhydride. The 3H on C-2 of amino acids is stable in proteins but becomes labile, owing to the action of transaminases, once the amino acids are released by proteolysis. The specific measurement of 2-3H in amino acids largely overcomes problems due to compartmentation and isotope recycling and evidence to support this claim is presented. Values for the half-life of Lemna minor (duckweed) protein determined by the new method are compared with values obtained by other methods. PMID:949338

[A new patient focused scale for measuring quality of life in schizophrenic patients: the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SOL)].

PubMed

Martin, P; Caci, H; Azorin, J M; Daléry, J; Hardy-Baylé, M C; Etienne, D; Gérard, D; Peretti, C S

2005-01-01

RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE: Quality of Life (QOL) has been recognized as an important measure of the outcome of patients by clinicians and policy makers in Mental Health. The emerging consensus in the health field that personal values and the patient's preferences are important in monitoring the quality of medical care outcomes makes it even more important to assess the patient's perspectives. Unfortunately, there is little consensus about what constitutes QOL or how to measure it, particularly in psychotic patients. The objective of this study is to report the stages of development and validation of a QOL questionnaire based on issues pertinent to patients with schizophrenia. During a first phase, identical pattern were identified among interviews (conducted by psychologists) of schizophrenic patients (DSM IV, n = 100), mental health staff (n = 20) and families (n = 20). The data gathered in the first phase were discussed and organized, by 25 experts, into a structure that made up the skeleton of the scale (133 items, 17 factors). Based on a prospective epidemiological study conducted with 337 French psychiatrists, a validation analysis of structural and psychometric proprieties was performed. Finally reliability of the scale was assessed by a second test/retest (D0, D7) study (n = 100). A total of 686 schizophrenic, schizophreniform or schizoaffective patients (DSM IV) were included. Internal consistency analysis identified 14 factors (74 items), all with a Cronbach's alpha of at least 0.75: professional life (0.95), affective and sexual life (0.92), illness knowledge (0.90), relationship (0.92), life satisfaction, (0.87), coping with drugs (0.79), drugs impact on the body (0.87), daily life (0.83), family relationship (0.81), future (0.88), security feeling (0.84), leisure (0.87), money management (0.76) and autonomy (0.75). Construct validity was confirmed (Pearson test) using established clinical (Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale and Clinical Global Improvement), social

Development and validation of the Pediatric Stroke Quality of Life Measure.

PubMed

Fiume, Andrea; Deveber, Gabrielle; Jang, Shu-Hyun; Fuller, Colleen; Viner, Shani; Friefeld, Sharon

2018-06-01

To develop and validate a disease-specific parent proxy and child quality of life (QoL) measure for patients aged 2 to 18 years surviving cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) and arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS). Utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods, we developed a 75-item Pediatric Stroke Quality of Life Measure (PSQLM) questionnaire. We mailed the PSQLM and a standardized generic QoL measure, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), to 353 families. Stroke type, age at stroke, and neurological outcome on the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure were documented. We calculated the internal consistency, validity, and reliability of the PSQLM. The response rate was 29%, yielding a sample of 101 patients (mean age 9y 9mo [SD 4.30]; 69 AIS [68.3%], 32 CSVT [31.7%]). The internal consistency of the PSQLM was high (Cronbach's α=0.94-0.97). Construct validity for the PSQLM was moderately strong (r=0.3-0.4; p<0.003) and, as expected, correlation with the PedsQL was moderate, suggesting the PSQLM operationalizes QoL distinct from the PedsQL. Test-retest reliability at 2 weeks was very good (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 0.85-0.95; 95% confidence interval 0.83-0.97) and good agreement was established between parent and child report (ICC 0.63-0.76). The PSQLM demonstrates sound psychometric properties. Further research will seek to increase its clinical utility by reducing length and establishing responsiveness for descriptive and longitudinal evaluative assessment. A pediatric stroke-specific quality of life (QoL) measurement tool for assessments based on perceptions of importance and satisfaction. Moderate-to-high reliability and validity established for a new clinical scale evaluating QoL among children with stroke. Perceived QoL measured using the Pediatric Stroke Quality of Life Measure appears lower in children with neurological impairment. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

[Measuring life satisfaction in children and adolescents--psychometric properties of the "Questions on Life Satisfaction" FLZ(KJ)].

PubMed

Henrich, Gerhard; Goldbeck, Lutz; Schmitz, Tim G; Besier, Tanja

2010-06-01

Measuring life satisfaction in children is becoming more and more important in clinical practice. This is the first study to evaluate the psychometric properties of the "Questions on Life Satisfaction for Children and Adolescents" FLZ(KJ) based on a student sample. 1 312 German students ( M=13.7 years, SD=1.4) filled in the FLZ(KJ). Item characteristics, reliability, convergent and discriminant validity were assessed. Age- and gender-specific reference data were reported. Items were well accepted by the students. Selectivity and internal consistency of the two modules were acceptable, with alpha scores of alpha=0.70 and 0.75. Associations with the KIDSCREEN-10 Index support the convergent valid-ity of the instrument. The FLZ(KJ) differentiated well between children with and without chronic conditions. The FLZ(KJ) are reliable and sufficiently valid, with psychometric properties comparable to the adult version of the instrument. The instrument is a useful tool in measuring life satisfaction in children and adolescents. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.New York.

Half-Fan-Based Intensity-Weighted Region-of-Interest Imaging for Low-Dose Cone-Beam CT in Image-Guided Radiation Therapy.

PubMed

Yoo, Boyeol; Son, Kihong; Pua, Rizza; Kim, Jinsung; Solodov, Alexander; Cho, Seungryong

2016-10-01

With the increased use of computed tomography (CT) in clinics, dose reduction is the most important feature people seek when considering new CT techniques or applications. We developed an intensity-weighted region-of-interest (IWROI) imaging method in an exact half-fan geometry to reduce the imaging radiation dose to patients in cone-beam CT (CBCT) for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). While dose reduction is highly desirable, preserving the high-quality images of the ROI is also important for target localization in IGRT. An intensity-weighting (IW) filter made of copper was mounted in place of a bowtie filter on the X-ray tube unit of an on-board imager (OBI) system such that the filter can substantially reduce radiation exposure to the outer ROI. In addition to mounting the IW filter, the lead-blade collimation of the OBI was adjusted to produce an exact half-fan scanning geometry for a further reduction of the radiation dose. The chord-based rebinned backprojection-filtration (BPF) algorithm in circular CBCT was implemented for image reconstruction, and a humanoid pelvis phantom was used for the IWROI imaging experiment. The IWROI image of the phantom was successfully reconstructed after beam-quality correction, and it was registered to the reference image within an acceptable level of tolerance. Dosimetric measurements revealed that the dose is reduced by approximately 61% in the inner ROI and by 73% in the outer ROI compared to the conventional bowtie filter-based half-fan scan. The IWROI method substantially reduces the imaging radiation dose and provides reconstructed images with an acceptable level of quality for patient setup and target localization. The proposed half-fan-based IWROI imaging technique can add a valuable option to CBCT in IGRT applications.

Simplified half-life methods for the analysis of kinetic data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberhart, J. G.; Levin, E.

1988-01-01

The analysis of reaction rate data has as its goal the determination of the order rate constant which characterize the data. Chemical reactions with one reactant and present simplified methods for accomplishing this goal are considered. The approaches presented involve the use of half lives or other fractional lives. These methods are particularly useful for the more elementary discussions of kinetics found in general and physical chemistry courses.

Assessment of biological half life using in silico QSPkR approach: a self organizing molecular field analysis (SOMFA) on a series of antimicrobial quinolone drugs.

PubMed

Goel, Honey; Sinha, V R; Thareja, Suresh; Aggarwal, Saurabh; Kumar, Manoj

2011-08-30

The quinolones belong to a family of synthetic potent broad-spectrum antibiotics and particularly active against gram-negative organisms, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A 3D-QSPkR approach has been used to obtain the quantitative structure pharmacokinetic relationship for a series of quinolone drugs using SOMFA. The series consisting of 28 molecules have been investigated for their pharmacokinetic performance using biological half life (t(1/2)). A statistically validated robust model for a diverse group of quinolone drugs having flexibility in structure and pharmacokinetic profile (t(1/2)) obtained using SOMFA having good cross-validated correlation coefficient r(cv)(2) (0.6847), non cross-validated correlation coefficient r(2) values (0.7310) and high F-test value (33.9663). Analysis of 3D-QSPkR models through electrostatic and shape grids provide useful information about the shape and electrostatic potential contributions on t(1/2). The analysis of SOMFA results provide an insight for the generation of novel molecular architecture of quinolones with optimal half life and improved biological profile. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality of Life. Volume I: Conceptualization and Measurement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schalock, Robert L., Ed.; Siperstein, Gary N., Ed.

This volume deals with the conceptualization and measurement of quality of life for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Part 1, "The Conceptualization of Quality of Life," contains: "Self Advocacy: Foundation for Quality of Life" (Nancy A. Ward and Kenneth D. Keith); "Quality of Life and the Individual's Perspective"…

Quality of life in dementia: a systematically conducted narrative review of dementia-specific measurement scales.

PubMed

Bowling, Ann; Rowe, Gene; Adams, Sue; Sands, Paula; Samsi, Kritika; Crane, Maureen; Joly, Louise; Manthorpe, Jill

2015-01-01

Ascertaining the quality of life (QoL) in people with dementia is important for evaluating service outcomes and cost-effectiveness. This paper identifies QoL measures for people with dementia and assesses their properties. A systematic narrative review identified articles using dementia QoL measures. Electronic databases searched were AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, Index to Theses, IBSS, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, and Web of Science. All available years and languages (if with an English language abstract) were included. Searches yielded 6806 citations; 3043 were multiple duplicates (759 being true duplicates). Abstracts were read; 182 full papers were selected/obtained, of which 126 were included as relevant. Few measures were based on rigorous conceptual frameworks. Some referenced Lawton's model (Dementia Quality of Life [DQOL] and Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease [QOL-AD]), though these tapped part of this only; others claimed relationship to a health-related QoL concept (e.g. DEMQOL), though had less social relevance; others were based on limited domains (e.g. activity, affect) or clinical opinions (Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia [QUALID]). Many measures were based on proxy assessments or observations of people with dementia's QoL, rather than their own ratings. The Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia (BASQID) was developed involving people with dementia and caregivers, but excluded some of their main themes. All measures were tested on selective samples only (ranging from community to hospital clinics, or subsamples/waves of existing population surveys), in a few sites. Their general applicability remains unknown, and predictive validity remains largely untested. The lack of consensus on measuring QoL in dementia suggests a need for a broader, more rigorously tested QoL measure.

A latent class analysis of friendship network types and their predictors in the second half of life.

PubMed

Miche, Martina; Huxhold, Oliver; Stevens, Nan L

2013-07-01

Friendships contribute uniquely to well-being in (late) adulthood. However, studies on friendship often ignore interindividual differences in friendship patterns. The aim of this study was to investigate such differences including their predictors. The study builds on Matthews's qualitative model of friendship styles. Matthews distinguished 3 approaches to friendship differing by number of friends, duration of friendships, and emotional closeness. We used latent class analysis to identify friendship network types in a sample of middle-aged and older adults aged 40-85 years (N = 1,876). Data came from the German Aging Survey (DEAS). Our analysis revealed 4 distinct friendship network types that were in high congruence with Matthews's typology. We identified these as a discerning style, which focuses on few close relationships, an independent style, which refrains from close engagements, and 2 acquisitive styles that both acquire new friends across their whole life course but differ regarding the emotional closeness of their friendships. Socioeconomic status, gender, health, and network-disturbing and network-sustaining variables predicted affiliations with network types. We argue that future studies should consider a holistic view of friendships in order to better understand the association between friendships and well-being in the second half of life.

Predictive and Incremental Validity of Global and Domain-Based Adolescent Life Satisfaction Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haranin, Emily C.; Huebner, E. Scott; Suldo, Shannon M.

2007-01-01

Concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity of global and domain-based adolescent life satisfaction reports are examined with respect to internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS), Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS), and measures of internalizing and externalizing…

Calculation of pressure half-time.

PubMed

Oyama, Mark A; Weidman, Jess A; Cole, Steven G

2008-06-01

Doppler echocardiography is useful in assessing the severity of obstructive cardiac lesions, such as mitral valve stenosis. The Doppler study can be used to calculate pressure half-time (PHT), which is defined as the time required for the pressure gradient across an obstruction to decrease to half of its maximal value. Thus, PHT increases as the severity of stenosis increases. In this report, we describe the methodology involved in measuring PHT in a dog with mitral valve stenosis before and after balloon valvuloplasty.

For better and for worse: the relationship between future expectations and functioning in the second half of life.

PubMed

Shrira, Amit; Palgi, Yuval; Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Spalter, Tal; Kavé, Gitit; Shmotkin, Dov

2011-03-01

To examine age group differences in the relationship between future expectations about standards of living and physical, mental, and cognitive functioning in the second half of life. Data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (N=27,687, mean age=64.44). First, with increasing age, the expectation to improve (ETI) and the expectation to worsen (ETW) in standards of living became more independent of each other. Second, with increasing age, ETI was less strongly correlated with functioning whereas ETW was more strongly correlated with it. Third, with increasing age, the relationship between ETI and functioning was more strongly moderated by ETW, so that adaptive functioning was associated with expectations that no major change is to occur and with expectations for both growth and decline. Late-life positive and negative expectancies are less interdependent than they are in younger age, probably due to their stronger interaction when associating with functioning. Expectancies interact either to reflect an attempt to preserve the functional status quo (low expectancy to improve and to decline) or may signal a highly complex mental organization (high expectancy to improve and to decline).

For Better and for Worse: The Relationship between Future Expectations and Functioning in the Second Half of Life

PubMed Central

Palgi, Yuval; Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Spalter, Tal; Kavé, Gitit; Shmotkin, Dov

2011-01-01

Objectives. To examine age group differences in the relationship between future expectations about standards of living and physical, mental, and cognitive functioning in the second half of life. Method. Data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (N = 27,687, mean age = 64.44). Results. First, with increasing age, the expectation to improve (ETI) and the expectation to worsen (ETW) in standards of living became more independent of each other. Second, with increasing age, ETI was less strongly correlated with functioning whereas ETW was more strongly correlated with it. Third, with increasing age, the relationship between ETI and functioning was more strongly moderated by ETW, so that adaptive functioning was associated with expectations that no major change is to occur and with expectations for both growth and decline. Discussion. Late-life positive and negative expectancies are less interdependent than they are in younger age, probably due to their stronger interaction when associating with functioning. Expectancies interact either to reflect an attempt to preserve the functional status quo (low expectancy to improve and to decline) or may signal a highly complex mental organization (high expectancy to improve and to decline). PMID:21296870

Prediction of thyroidal 131I effective half-life in patients with Graves' disease.

PubMed

Zhang, Ruiguo; Zhang, Guizhi; Wang, Renfei; Tan, Jian; He, Yajing; Meng, Zhaowei

2017-10-06

Calculation of effective thyroidal half-life (Teff) of iodine-131( 131 I) is cumbersome and tedious. The aim of this study was to investigate factors that could be used to predict Teff and to develop a Teff prediction model in Graves' disease patients. A total of 256 patients with GD were involved in this study. We investigated the influences of age, gender, disease duration, thyroid weight, antithyroid drugs, antithyroid drugs discontinuation period (ADP), thyroid function indexes, thyroid autoantibodies, thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb) level and radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) values before 131 I therapy on Teff, applying univariate and multivariate analyses. Teff correlated negatively with thyroid peroxidase antibody, TRAb and thyroid weight, as well as positively with 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour RAIU. Additionally, a longer ADP (especially≥ 14d) or without antithyroid drugs before 131 I therapy led to a longer Teff. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that 24-hour and 72-hour RAIU were statistically significant predictors of Teff ( P <0.001). The relationship was: predictive Teff=5.277+0.295×72-hour RAIU-0.217×24-hour RAIU (r =0.865, P < 0.001). The present results indicate that prediction of Teff from 24-hour and 72-hour RAIU is feasible in patients with Graves' disease, with high prediction accuracy.

Thermoelectric Figures of Merit of Zn4Sb3 and Zrnisn-based Half-heusler Compounds Influenced by Mev Ion-beam Bombardments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budak, S.; Guner, S.; Muntele, C. I.; Ila, D.

Semiconducting β-Zn4Sb3 and ZrNiSn-based half-Heusler compound thin films with applications as thermoelectric (TE) materials were prepared using ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). High-purity solid zinc (Zn) and antimony (Sb) were evaporated by electron beam to grow the β-Zn4Sb3 thin film while high-purity zirconium (Zr) powder and nickel (Ni) tin (Sn) powders were evaporated by electron beam to grow the ZrNiSn-based half-Heusler compound thin film. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) was used to analyze the composition of the thin films. The grown thin films were subjected to 5 MeV Si ions bombardment for generation of nanostructures in the films. We measured the thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and electrical conductivity of these two systems before and after 5 MeV Si ions beam bombardment. The two material systems have been identified as promising TE materials for the application of thermal-to-electrical energy conversion, but the efficiency still limits their applications. The electronic energy deposited due to ionization in the track of MeV ion beam couldcause localized crystallization. The nanostructures produced by MeV ion beam can cause significant change in both the electrical and the thermal conductivity of thin films, thereby improving the efficiency. We used the 3ω-method (3rd harmonic) measurement system to measure the cross-plane thermal conductivity, the van der Pauw measurement system to measure the electrical conductivity, and the Seebeck-coefficient measurement system to measure the cross-plane Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric figures of merit of the two material systems were then derived by calculations using the measurement results. The MeV ion-beam bombardment was found to decrease the thermal conductivity of thin films and increase the efficiency of thermal-to-electrical energy conversion.

PASylation: a biological alternative to PEGylation for extending the plasma half-life of pharmaceutically active proteins

PubMed Central

Schlapschy, Martin; Binder, Uli; Börger, Claudia; Theobald, Ina; Wachinger, Klaus; Kisling, Sigrid; Haller, Dirk; Skerra, Arne

2013-01-01

A major limitation of biopharmaceutical proteins is their fast clearance from circulation via kidney filtration, which strongly hampers efficacy both in animal studies and in human therapy. We have developed conformationally disordered polypeptide chains with expanded hydrodynamic volume comprising the small residues Pro, Ala and Ser (PAS). PAS sequences are hydrophilic, uncharged biological polymers with biophysical properties very similar to poly-ethylene glycol (PEG), whose chemical conjugation to drugs is an established method for plasma half-life extension. In contrast, PAS polypeptides offer fusion to a therapeutic protein on the genetic level, permitting Escherichia coli production of fully active proteins and obviating in vitro coupling or modification steps. Furthermore, they are biodegradable, thus avoiding organ accumulation, while showing stability in serum and lacking toxicity or immunogenicity in mice. We demonstrate that PASylation bestows typical biologics, such as interferon, growth hormone or Fab fragments, with considerably prolonged circulation and boosts bioactivity in vivo. PMID:23754528

Half-and-Half Palatoplasty.

PubMed

Han, Hyun Ho; Kang, In Sook; Rhie, Jong Won

2014-08-01

A 14-month-old child was diagnosed with a Veau Class II cleft palate. Von Langenbeck palatoplasty was performed for the right palate, and V-Y pushback palatoplasty was performed for the left palate. The child did not have a special problem during the surgery, and the authors were able to elongate the cleft by 10 mm. Contrary to preoperative concerns regarding the hybrid use of palatoplasties, the uvula and midline incisions remained balanced in the middle. The authors named this combination method "half-and-half palatoplasty" and plan to conduct a long-term follow up study as a potential solution that minimizes the complications of palatoplasty.

Half-and-Half Palatoplasty

PubMed Central

Han, Hyun Ho; Kang, In Sook

2014-01-01

A 14-month-old child was diagnosed with a Veau Class II cleft palate. Von Langenbeck palatoplasty was performed for the right palate, and V-Y pushback palatoplasty was performed for the left palate. The child did not have a special problem during the surgery, and the authors were able to elongate the cleft by 10 mm. Contrary to preoperative concerns regarding the hybrid use of palatoplasties, the uvula and midline incisions remained balanced in the middle. The authors named this combination method "half-and-half palatoplasty" and plan to conduct a long-term follow up study as a potential solution that minimizes the complications of palatoplasty. PMID:28913201

Core-protective half-metallicity in trilayer graphene nanoribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Gi Wan; Lee, Kyu Won; Lee, Cheol Eui

2017-07-01

Half-metals, playing an important role in spintronics, can be described as materials that enable fully spin-polarized electrical current. Taking place in graphene-based materials, half-metallicity has been shown in zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) under an electric field. Localized electron states on the edge carbons are a key to enabling half-metallicity in ZGNRs. Thus, modification of the localized electron states is instrumental to the carbon-based spintronics. Our simple model shows that in a trilayer ZGNRs (triZGNRs) only the middle layer may become half-metallic leaving the outer layers insulating in an electric field, as confirmed by our density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Due to the different circumstances of the edge carbons, the electron energies at the edge carbons are different near the Fermi level, leading to a layer-selective half-metallicity. We believe that triZGNRs can be the tiniest electric cable (nanocable) form and can open a route to graphene-based spintronics applications.

Average and recommended half-life values for two neutrino double beta decay: Upgrade-2013

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

Barabash, A. S.

2013-12-30

All existing positive results on two neutrino double beta decay in different nuclei were analyzed. Using the procedure recommended by the Particle Data Group, weighted average values for half-lives of {sup 48}Ca, {sup 76}Ge, {sup 82}Se, {sup 96}Zr, {sup 100}Mo, {sup 100}Mo−{sup 100}Ru (0{sub 1}{sup +}), {sup 116}Cd, {sup 130}Te, {sup 136}Xe, {sup 150}Nd, {sup 150}Nd−{sup 150}Sm (0{sub 1}{sup +}) and {sup 238}U were obtained. Existing geochemical data were analyzed and recommended values for half-lives of {sup 128}Te and {sup 130}Ba are proposed. I recommend the use of these results as the most currently reliable values for half-lives.

Chief Complaint-Based Performance Measures: A New Focus For Acute Care Quality Measurement

PubMed Central

Griffey, Richard T; Pines, Jesse M.; Farley, Heather L.; Phelan, Michael P; Beach, Christopher; Schuur, Jeremiah D; Venkatesh, Arjun K.

2014-01-01

Performance measures are increasingly important to guide meaningful quality improvement efforts and value-based reimbursement. Populations included in most current hospital performance measures are defined by recorded diagnoses using International Disease Classification (ICD)-9 codes in administrative claims data. While the diagnosis-centric approach allows the assessment of disease-specific quality, it fails to measure one of the primary functions of emergency department (ED) care which involves diagnosing, risk-stratifying, and treating patients’ potentially life-threatening conditions based on symptoms (i.e. chief complaints). In this paper we propose chief complaint-based quality measures as a means to enhance the evaluation of quality and value in emergency care. We discuss the potential benefits of chief-complaint based measures, describe opportunities to mitigate challenges, propose an example measure set, and present several recommendations to advance this paradigm in ED-based performance measurement. PMID:25443989

The stroke impact scale: performance as a quality of life measure in a community-based stroke rehabilitation setting.

PubMed

Richardson, Marina; Campbell, Nerissa; Allen, Laura; Meyer, Matthew; Teasell, Robert

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). Data was derived from a study assessing a community-based stroke rehabilitation program. Patients were administered the SIS and Euroqol-5D (EQ-5D-5L) on admission to the study, and at six month and 12 month follow-up. The psychometric performance of each domain of the SIS was assessed at each time point. A total of 164 patients completed outcome measures at baseline, 108 patients at six months and 37 patients at 12 months. Correlation of the SIS domains with the EQ-5D-5L suggested that the dimensions of health contributing to a patient's perception of health-related quality of life changes over time. The SIS performed well in a sample of patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation in the community. Our findings suggest that the multidimensionality of the SIS may allow health professionals to track patient progress and tailor rehabilitation interventions to target the dimensions of health that are most important to a patient's overall health and perceived quality of life over time. Implications for Rehabilitation There is an increased need for valid and reliable measures to evaluate the outcomes of patients recovering from stroke in the community. The Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) measures multiple domains of health and is well-suited for use in patients recovering from stroke in the community. There is a high level of internal consistency in the eight SIS domains with no evidence of floor effects; ceiling effects were noted for several domains. Correlation of the SIS with the Euroqol-5D suggested that the dimensions of health contributing to a patient's perception of health related quality of life changes over time.

Cardiovascular reactivity in real life settings: Measurement, mechanisms and meaning

PubMed Central

Zanstra, Ydwine Jieldouw; Johnston, Derek William

2011-01-01

Cardiovascular reactivity to stress is most commonly studied in the laboratory. Laboratory stressors may have limited ecological validity due to the many constraints, operating in controlled environments. This paper will focus on paradigms that involve the measurement of cardiovascular reactions to stress in real life using ambulatory monitors. Probably the most commonly used paradigm in this field is to measure the response to a specific real life stressor, such as sitting an exam or public speaking. A more general approach has been to derive a measure of CV variability testing the hypothesis that more reactive participants will have more variable heart rate or blood pressure. Alternatively, self-reports of the participants’ perceived stress, emotion or demands may be linked to simultaneously collected ambulatory measures of cardiovascular parameters. This paper examines the following four questions: (1) What is the form and what are the determinants of stress-induced CV reactivity in real life? (2) What are the psychophysiological processes underlying heart rate and blood pressure reactivity in real life? (3) Does CV reactivity determined in the laboratory predict CV reactivity in real life? (4) Are ambulatory cardiovascular measures predictive of cardiovascular disease? It is concluded that the hemodynamic processes that underlie the blood pressure response can reliably be measured in real life and the psychophysiological relationships seen in the laboratory have been obtained in real life as well. Studies examining the effects of specific real life stressors show that responses obtained in real life are often larger than those obtained in the laboratory. Subjective ratings of stress, emotion and cognitive determinants of real life stress (e.g. demand, reward and control) also relate to real life CV responses. Surprisingly, ambulatory studies on real life cardiovascular reactivity to stress as a predictor of cardiovascular disease are rare. Measuring the CV

Integrating Problem-Based Learning and Simulation: Effects on Student Motivation and Life Skills.

PubMed

Roh, Young Sook; Kim, Sang Suk

2015-07-01

Previous research has suggested that a teaching strategy integrating problem-based learning and simulation may be superior to traditional lecture. The purpose of this study was to assess learner motivation and life skills before and after taking a course involving problem-based learning and simulation. The design used repeated measures with a convenience sample of 83 second-year nursing students who completed the integrated course. Data from a self-administered questionnaire measuring learner motivation and life skills were collected at pretest, post-problem-based learning, and post-simulation time points. Repeated-measures analysis of variance determined that the mean scores for total learner motivation (F=6.62, P=.003), communication (F=8.27, P<.001), problem solving (F=6.91, P=.001), and self-directed learning (F=4.45, P=.016) differed significantly between time points. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction revealed that total learner motivation and total life skills significantly increased both from pretest to postsimulation and from post-problem-based learning test to postsimulation test. Subscales of learner motivation and life skills, intrinsic goal orientation, self-efficacy for learning and performance, problem-solving skills, and self-directed learning skills significantly increased both from pretest to postsimulation test and from post-problem-based learning test to post-simulation test. The results demonstrate that an integrating problem-based learning and simulation course elicits significant improvement in learner motivation and life skills. Simulation plus problem-based learning is more effective than problem-based learning alone at increasing intrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy for learning and performance, problem solving, and self-directed learning.

Measurement of Walking Ground Reactions in Real-Life Environments: A Systematic Review of Techniques and Technologies.

PubMed

Shahabpoor, Erfan; Pavic, Aleksandar

2017-09-12

Monitoring natural human gait in real-life environments is essential in many applications, including quantification of disease progression, monitoring the effects of treatment, and monitoring alteration of performance biomarkers in professional sports. Nevertheless, developing reliable and practical techniques and technologies necessary for continuous real-life monitoring of gait is still an open challenge. A systematic review of English-language articles from scientific databases including Scopus, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, IEEE Xplore, EBSCO and MEDLINE were carried out to analyse the 'accuracy' and 'practicality' of the current techniques and technologies for quantitative measurement of the tri-axial walking ground reactions outside the laboratory environment, and to highlight their strengths and shortcomings. In total, 679 relevant abstracts were identified, 54 full-text papers were included in the paper and the quantitative results of 17 papers were used for meta-analysis and comparison. Three classes of methods were reviewed: (1) methods based on measured kinematic data; (2) methods based on measured plantar pressure; and (3) methods based on direct measurement of ground reactions. It was found that all three classes of methods have competitive accuracy levels with methods based on direct measurement of the ground reactions showing highest accuracy while being least practical for long-term real-life measurement. On the other hand, methods that estimate ground reactions using measured body kinematics show highest practicality of the three classes of methods reviewed. Among the most prominent technical and technological challenges are: (1) reducing the size and price of tri-axial load-cells; (2) improving the accuracy of orientation measurement using IMUs; (3) minimizing the number and optimizing the location of required IMUs for kinematic measurement; (4) increasing the durability of pressure insole sensors, and (5) enhancing the robustness and versatility of the

Measurement of Walking Ground Reactions in Real-Life Environments: A Systematic Review of Techniques and Technologies

PubMed Central

Shahabpoor, Erfan; Pavic, Aleksandar

2017-01-01

Monitoring natural human gait in real-life environments is essential in many applications, including quantification of disease progression, monitoring the effects of treatment, and monitoring alteration of performance biomarkers in professional sports. Nevertheless, developing reliable and practical techniques and technologies necessary for continuous real-life monitoring of gait is still an open challenge. A systematic review of English-language articles from scientific databases including Scopus, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, IEEE Xplore, EBSCO and MEDLINE were carried out to analyse the ‘accuracy’ and ‘practicality’ of the current techniques and technologies for quantitative measurement of the tri-axial walking ground reactions outside the laboratory environment, and to highlight their strengths and shortcomings. In total, 679 relevant abstracts were identified, 54 full-text papers were included in the paper and the quantitative results of 17 papers were used for meta-analysis and comparison. Three classes of methods were reviewed: (1) methods based on measured kinematic data; (2) methods based on measured plantar pressure; and (3) methods based on direct measurement of ground reactions. It was found that all three classes of methods have competitive accuracy levels with methods based on direct measurement of the ground reactions showing highest accuracy while being least practical for long-term real-life measurement. On the other hand, methods that estimate ground reactions using measured body kinematics show highest practicality of the three classes of methods reviewed. Among the most prominent technical and technological challenges are: (1) reducing the size and price of tri-axial load-cells; (2) improving the accuracy of orientation measurement using IMUs; (3) minimizing the number and optimizing the location of required IMUs for kinematic measurement; (4) increasing the durability of pressure insole sensors, and (5) enhancing the robustness and versatility

Importance of neonatal FcR in regulating the serum half-life of therapeutic proteins containing the Fc domain of human IgG1: a comparative study of the affinity of monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins to human neonatal FcR.

PubMed

Suzuki, Takuo; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Tada, Minoru; Kobayashi, Tetsu; Kanayasu-Toyoda, Toshie; Kawanishi, Toru; Yamaguchi, Teruhide

2010-02-15

The neonatal FcR (FcRn) binds to the Fc domain of IgG at acidic pH in the endosome and protects IgG from degradation, thereby contributing to the long serum half-life of IgG. To date, more than 20 mAb products and 5 Fc-fusion protein products have received marketing authorization approval in the United States, the European Union, or Japan. Many of these therapeutic proteins have the Fc domain of human IgG1; however, the serum half-lives differ in each protein. To elucidate the role of FcRn in the pharmacokinetics of Fc domain-containing therapeutic proteins, we evaluated the affinity of the clinically used human, humanized, chimeric, or mouse mAbs and Fc-fusion proteins to recombinant human FcRn by surface plasmon resonance analysis. The affinities of these therapeutic proteins to FcRn were found to be closely correlated with the serum half-lives reported from clinical studies, suggesting the important role of FcRn in regulating their serum half-lives. The relatively short serum half-life of Fc-fusion proteins was thought to arise from the low affinity to FcRn. The existence of some mAbs having high affinity to FcRn and a short serum half-life, however, suggested the involvement of other critical factor(s) in determining the serum half-life of such Abs. We further investigated the reason for the relatively low affinity of Fc-fusion proteins to FcRn and suggested the possibility that the receptor domain of Fc-fusion protein influences the structural environment of the FcRn binding region but not of the FcgammaRI binding region of the Fc domain.

"What makes life good?" Developing a culturally grounded quality of life measure for Alaska Native college students.

PubMed

Sharma, Dinghy Kristine B; Lopez, Ellen D S; Mekiana, Deborah; Ctibor, Alaina; Church, Charlene

2013-01-01

Alaska Native (AN) college students experience higher attrition rates than their non-Native peers. Understanding the factors that contribute to quality of life ("what makes life good") for AN students will help inform supportive programs that are congruent with their culture and college life experiences. Co-develop a conceptual model and a measure of quality of life (QOL) that reflects the experiences of AN college students. Six focus groups were conducted with 26 AN college students. Within a community-academic partnership, interactive data collection activities, co-analysis workgroup sessions and an interactive findings forum ensured a participant-driven research process. Students identified and operationally defined eight QOL domains (values, culture and traditions, spirituality, relationships, basic needs, health, learning and leisure). The metaphor of a tree visually illustrates how the domains values, culture and traditions and spirituality form the roots to the other domains that appear to branch out as students navigate the dual worldviews of Native and Western ways of living. The eight QOL domains and their items identified during focus groups were integrated into a visual model and an objective QOL measure. The hope is to provide a useful tool for developing and evaluating university-based programs and services aimed toward promoting a positive QOL and academic success for AN students.

Implications of measures of quality of life for policy development.

PubMed

Mosteller, F

1987-01-01

Quality of life measurements can lead to legislative programs for health, new policies for the health care system, and possibly new attitudes in the courts. Clinical decisions, public health evaluations, and advice for legislatures and courts require diverse measures. We illustrate potential use of such measures with reimbursement problems, programs like Head Start, mainstreaming the handicapped, day care and prenatal care, terminal care for the elderly, monitoring programs, and chronic disabilities. The many treatment policies discussed at the Portugal Conference show the need for quality of life measures in clinical trials. The courts, although considering quality of life, do not seem to consider quality of life measures. If scientists and medical experts wish to establish or change the positions of the courts, consensus conferences appear more effective than regulation or new legislation. To contribute more than they now do to policy, workers measuring quality of life need to develop a variety of measures and methods. They, then, must apply them to medical and health problems, build up a substantial literature, and set priorities for the research needs of the field.

Developing a Health-Related Quality-of-Life Measure for People with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Lauren; Pett, Marjorie A.; Cardell, Elizabeth M.; Guo, Jia-Wen; Johnson, Erin

2017-01-01

Using principles of community-based participatory research we developed a new theory-based measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with intellectual disability (ID). We recruited adults with ID (n = 129) to take part in interviews and review successive versions of HRQOL items. Critical input about content and…

An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm.

PubMed

Dinerstein, Eric; Olson, David; Joshi, Anup; Vynne, Carly; Burgess, Neil D; Wikramanayake, Eric; Hahn, Nathan; Palminteri, Suzanne; Hedao, Prashant; Noss, Reed; Hansen, Matt; Locke, Harvey; Ellis, Erle C; Jones, Benjamin; Barber, Charles Victor; Hayes, Randy; Kormos, Cyril; Martin, Vance; Crist, Eileen; Sechrest, Wes; Price, Lori; Baillie, Jonathan E M; Weeden, Don; Suckling, Kierán; Davis, Crystal; Sizer, Nigel; Moore, Rebecca; Thau, David; Birch, Tanya; Potapov, Peter; Turubanova, Svetlana; Tyukavina, Alexandra; de Souza, Nadia; Pintea, Lilian; Brito, José C; Llewellyn, Othman A; Miller, Anthony G; Patzelt, Annette; Ghazanfar, Shahina A; Timberlake, Jonathan; Klöser, Heinz; Shennan-Farpón, Yara; Kindt, Roeland; Lillesø, Jens-Peter Barnekow; van Breugel, Paulo; Graudal, Lars; Voge, Maianna; Al-Shammari, Khalaf F; Saleem, Muhammad

2017-06-01

We assess progress toward the protection of 50% of the terrestrial biosphere to address the species-extinction crisis and conserve a global ecological heritage for future generations. Using a map of Earth's 846 terrestrial ecoregions, we show that 98 ecoregions (12%) exceed Half Protected; 313 ecoregions (37%) fall short of Half Protected but have sufficient unaltered habitat remaining to reach the target; and 207 ecoregions (24%) are in peril, where an average of only 4% of natural habitat remains. We propose a Global Deal for Nature-a companion to the Paris Climate Deal-to promote increased habitat protection and restoration, national- and ecoregion-scale conservation strategies, and the empowerment of indigenous peoples to protect their sovereign lands. The goal of such an accord would be to protect half the terrestrial realm by 2050 to halt the extinction crisis while sustaining human livelihoods.

21 CFR 131.180 - Half-and-half.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...). (ii) Natural and artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Half-and-half. 131.180 Section 131.180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN...

21 CFR 131.180 - Half-and-half.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...). (ii) Natural and artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Half-and-half. 131.180 Section 131.180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN...

21 CFR 131.180 - Half-and-half.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...). (ii) Natural and artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Half-and-half. 131.180 Section 131.180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN...

21 CFR 131.180 - Half-and-half.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...). (ii) Natural and artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Half-and-half. 131.180 Section 131.180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN...

21 CFR 131.180 - Half-and-half.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...). (ii) Natural and artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Half-and-half. 131.180 Section 131.180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN...

Treating Chronically Ill Diabetic Patients with Limited Life Expectancy: Implications for Performance Measurement

PubMed Central

Woodard, LeChauncy D.; Landrum, Cassie R.; Urech, Tracy H.; Profit, Jochen; Virani, Salim S.; Petersen, Laura A.

2012-01-01

Background/Objectives To validly assess quality-of-care differences among providers, performance measurement programs must reliably identify and exclude patients for whom the quality indicator may not be desirable, including those with limited life expectancy. We developed an algorithm to identify patients with limited life expectancy and examined the impact of limited life expectancy on glycemic control and treatment intensification among diabetic patients. Design We identified diabetic patients with coexisting congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, end-stage liver disease, and/or primary/metastatic cancers with limited life expectancy. To validate our algorithm, we assessed 5-year mortality among patients identified as having limited life expectancy. We compared rates of meeting performance measures for glycemic control between patients with and without limited life expectancy. Among uncontrolled patients, we examined the impact of limited life expectancy on treatment intensification within 90 days. Setting 110 Veterans Administration facilities; October 2006 – September 2007 Participants 888,628 diabetic patients Measurements Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) <9%; treatment intensification within 90 days Results 29,016 (3%) patients had limited life expectancy. Adjusting for age, 5-year mortality was 5 times higher among patients with limited life expectancy than those without. Patients with limited life expectancy had poorer glycemic control (77.1% vs. 78.1%) and less frequent treatment intensification (20.9% vs. 28.6%) than patients without, even after controlling for patient-level characteristics (odds ratio [OR]=0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.81-0.86 and OR=0.71; 95% CI=0.67-0.76, respectively). Conclusion Patients with limited life expectancy were slightly, but significantly less likely than those without to have HbA1c levels controlled and to receive treatment intensification, suggesting that providers treat these patients

A half-metallic half-Heusler alloy having the largest atomic-like magnetic moment at optimized lattice constant

DOE PAGES

Zhang, R. L.; Damewood, L.; Fong, C. Y.; ...

2016-11-02

For half-Heusler alloys, the general formula is XYZ, where X can be a transition or alkali metal element, Y is another transition metal element, typically Mn or Cr, and Z is a group IV element or a pnicitide. The atomic arrangements within a unit-cell show three configurations. Before this study, most of the predictions of half-metallic properties of half-Heusler alloys at the lattice constants differing from their optimized lattice constant. Based on the electropositivity of X and electronegativity of Z for half-Heusler alloys, we found that one of the configurations of LiCrS exhibits half-metallic properties at its optimized lattice constantmore » of 5.803Å, and has the maximum atomic-like magnetic moment of 5μ B. In conclusion, the challenges of its growth and the effects of the spin-orbit effect in this alloy will be discussed.« less

Half-Life of Sulfonylureas in HNF1A and HNF4A Human MODY Patients is not Prolonged as Suggested by the Mouse Hnf1a(-/-) Model.

PubMed

Urbanova, Jana; Andel, Michal; Potockova, Jana; Klima, Josef; Macek, Jan; Ptacek, Pavel; Mat'oska, Vaclav; Kumstyrova, Tereza; Heneberg, Petr

2015-01-01

Sulfonylurea derivatives are widely used for clinical treatment of human subjects with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) caused by mutations in HNF-1α or HNF-4α despite the mechanism leading to their hypersensitivity is incompletely understood. In Hnf1a(-/-) mice, serum concentrations and half-life of sulfonylurea derivatives are strongly increased. We thus hypothesized that reduced sulfonylurea derivatives clearance stands behind their therapeutic potential in human HNF1A/HNF4A MODY subjects. Single doses of 3 mg glipizide and 5 mg glibenclamide/glyburide were administered sequentially to seven HNF1A/HNF4A MODY subjects and six control individuals matched for their age, BMI and CYP2C9 genotype. Pharmacokinetic (plasma concentration levels, Cmax, tmax, t1/2, AUC) and pharmacodynamic parameters (glycemia, C-peptide and insulin plasma levels) were followed for 24 hours after drug administration. We provide the first evidence on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sulfonylurea derivatives in human MODY subjects. The half-life of glipizide did not change, and reached 3.8±0.7 and 3.7±1.8 h in the MODY and control subjects, respectively. The half-life of glibenclamide was increased only in some MODY subjects (t1/2 9.5±6.7 and 5.0±1.4 h, respectively). Importantly, the intra- individual responses of MODY (but control) subjects to glipizide and glibenclamide treatment were highly correlated. With regards to pharmacodynamics, we observed a differential response of control but not MODY subjects to the doses of glipizide and glibenclamide applied. We rejected the hypothesis that all human MODY-associated mutations in HNF1A / HNF4A induce changes in the pharmacokinetics of sulfonylureas in humans analogically to the Hnf1a(-/-) mouse model.

Genetic dissection of powdery mildew resistance in interspecific half-sib grapevine families using SNP-based maps.

PubMed

Teh, Soon Li; Fresnedo-Ramírez, Jonathan; Clark, Matthew D; Gadoury, David M; Sun, Qi; Cadle-Davidson, Lance; Luby, James J

2017-01-01

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) identification in perennial fruit crops is impeded largely by their lengthy generation time, resulting in costly and labor-intensive maintenance of breeding programs. In a grapevine (genus Vitis ) breeding program, although experimental families are typically unreplicated, the genetic backgrounds may contain similar progenitors previously selected due to their contribution of favorable alleles. In this study, we investigated the utility of joint QTL identification provided by analyzing half-sib families. The genetic control of powdery mildew was studied using two half-sib F 1 families, namely GE0711/1009 (MN1264 × MN1214; N  = 147) and GE1025 (MN1264 × MN1246; N  = 125) with multiple species in their ancestry. Maternal genetic maps consisting of 1077 and 1641 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, respectively, were constructed using a pseudo-testcross strategy. Ratings of field resistance to powdery mildew were obtained based on whole-plant evaluation of disease severity. This 2-year analysis uncovered two QTLs that were validated on a consensus map in these half-sib families with improved precision relative to the parental maps. Examination of haplotype combinations based on the two QTL regions identified strong association of haplotypes inherited from 'Seyval blanc', through MN1264, with powdery mildew resistance. This investigation also encompassed the use of microsatellite markers to establish a correlation between 206-bp (UDV-015b) and 357-bp (VViv67) fragment sizes with resistance-carrying haplotypes. Our work is one of the first reports in grapevine demonstrating the use of SNP-based maps and haplotypes for QTL identification and tagging of powdery mildew resistance in half-sib families.

Quality of life and urolithiasis: the patient - reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS).

PubMed

Patel, Nishant; Brown, Robert D; Sarkissian, Carl; De, Shubha; Monga, Manoj

2017-01-01

With a high rate of recurrence, urolithiasis is a chronic disease that impacts quality of life. The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System is an NIH validated questionnaire to assess patient quality of life. We evaluated the impact of urolithiasis on quality of life using the NIH-sponsored PROMIS-43 questionnaire. Patients reporting to the kidney stone clinic were interviewed to collect information on stone history and demographic information and were asked to complete the PROMIS-43 questionnaire. Quality of life scores were analyzed using gender and age matched groups for the general US population. Statistical comparisons were made based on demographic information and patient stone history. Statistical significance was P<0.05. 103 patients completed the survey. 36% of respondents were male, the average age of the group was 52 years old, with 58% primary income earners, and 35% primary caregivers. 7% had never passed a stone or had a procedure while 17% passed 10 or more stones in their lifetime. Overall, pain and physical function were worse in patients with urolithiasis. Primary income earners had better quality of life while primary caregivers and those with other chronic medical conditions were worse. Patients on dietary and medical therapy had better quality of life scores. Urolithiasis patients subjectively have worse pain and physical function than the general population. The impact of pain on quality of life was greatest in those patients who had more stone episodes, underscoring the importance of preventive measures. Stone prevention measures improve quality of life. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

Outlier detection in a new half-circular distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rambli, Adzhar; Mohamed, Ibrahim Bin; Shimizu, Kunio; Khalidin, Nurliza

2015-10-01

In this paper, we use a discordancy test based on spacing theory to detect outlier in a half-circular data. Up to now, numerous discordancy tests have been proposed to detect outlier in circular distributions which are defined in [0,2π). However, some circular data lie within just half of this range. Therefore, first we introduce a new half-circular distribution developed using the inverse stereographic projection technique on a gamma distributed variable. Then, we develop a new discordancy test to detect single or multiple outliers in the half-circular data based on the spacing theory. We show the practical value of the test by applying it to an eye data set obtained from a glaucoma clinic at the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia.

Effective Half-Life of Caesium-137 in Various Environmental Media at the Savannah River Site

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

Paller, M. H.; Jannik, G. T.; Baker, R. A.

2014-05-01

During the operational history of the Savannah River Site (SRS), many different radionuclides have been released from site facilities into the SRS environment. However, only a relatively small number of pathways, most importantly 137Cs in fish and deer, have contributed significantly to doses and risks to the public. The “effective” half-lives (T e) of 137Cs (which include both physical decay and environmental dispersion) in Savannah River floodplain soil and vegetation and in fish and white-tailed deer from the SRS were estimated using long-term monitoring data. For 1974–2011, the T es of 137Cs in Savannah River floodplain soil and vegetation weremore » 17.0 years (95% CI = 14.2–19.9) and 13.4 years (95% CI = 10.8–16.0), respectively. These T es were greater than in a previous study that used data collected only through 2005 as a likely result of changes in the flood regime of the Savannah River. Field analyses of 137Cs concentrations in deer collected during yearly controlled hunts at the SRS indicated an overall T e of 15.9 years (95% CI = 12.3–19.6) for 1965–2011; however, the T e for 1990–2011 was significantly shorter (11.8 years, 95% CI = 4.8–18.8) due to an increase in the rate of 137Cs removal. The shortest T es were for fish in SRS streams and the Savannah River (3.5–9.0 years), where dilution and dispersal resulted in rapid 137Cs removal. Long-term data show that T es are significantly shorter than the physical half-life of 137Cs in the SRS environment but that they can change over time. Therefore, it is desirable have a long period of record for calculating Tes and risky to extrapolate T es beyond this period unless the processes governing 137Cs removal are clearly understood.« less

An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm

PubMed Central

Olson, David; Joshi, Anup; Burgess, Neil D.; Wikramanayake, Eric; Hahn, Nathan; Palminteri, Suzanne; Hedao, Prashant; Noss, Reed; Hansen, Matt; Locke, Harvey; Ellis, Erle C; Jones, Benjamin; Barber, Charles Victor; Hayes, Randy; Kormos, Cyril; Martin, Vance; Crist, Eileen; Sechrest, Wes; Price, Lori; Baillie, Jonathan E. M.; Weeden, Don; Suckling, Kierán; Davis, Crystal; Sizer, Nigel; Moore, Rebecca; Thau, David; Birch, Tanya; Potapov, Peter; Turubanova, Svetlana; Tyukavina, Alexandra; de Souza, Nadia; Pintea, Lilian; Brito, José C.; Llewellyn, Othman A.; Miller, Anthony G.; Patzelt, Annette; Ghazanfar, Shahina A.; Timberlake, Jonathan; Klöser, Heinz; Shennan-Farpón, Yara; Kindt, Roeland; Lillesø, Jens-Peter Barnekow; van Breugel, Paulo; Graudal, Lars; Voge, Maianna; Al-Shammari, Khalaf F.; Saleem, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Abstract We assess progress toward the protection of 50% of the terrestrial biosphere to address the species-extinction crisis and conserve a global ecological heritage for future generations. Using a map of Earth's 846 terrestrial ecoregions, we show that 98 ecoregions (12%) exceed Half Protected; 313 ecoregions (37%) fall short of Half Protected but have sufficient unaltered habitat remaining to reach the target; and 207 ecoregions (24%) are in peril, where an average of only 4% of natural habitat remains. We propose a Global Deal for Nature—a companion to the Paris Climate Deal—to promote increased habitat protection and restoration, national- and ecoregion-scale conservation strategies, and the empowerment of indigenous peoples to protect their sovereign lands. The goal of such an accord would be to protect half the terrestrial realm by 2050 to halt the extinction crisis while sustaining human livelihoods. PMID:28608869

Half-State Readout In Vertical-Bloch-Line Memory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katti, Romney R.; Wu, Jiin-Chuan; Stadler, Henry L.

1994-01-01

Potentially narrow margins of chirality-based chopping of magnetic stripes avoided. Half-state readout is experimental method of readout in Vertical-Bloch-Line (VBL) memory. Based on differential deflections of magnetic stripe domains in which data bits stored. To give meaning to explanation of half-state readout, see "Vertical-Bloch-Line Memory" (NPO-18467).

Application of an IRT Polytomous Model for Measuring Health Related Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tejada, Antonio J. Rojas; Rojas, Oscar M. Lozano

2005-01-01

Background: The Item Response Theory (IRT) has advantages for measuring Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) as opposed to the Classical Tests Theory (CTT). Objectives: To present the results of the application of a polytomous model based on IRT, specifically, the Rating Scale Model (RSM), to measure HRQOL with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Methods: 103…

Time scale dependence of the center of pressure entropy: What characteristics of the neuromuscular postural control system influence stabilographic entropic half-life?

PubMed

Federolf, Peter; Zandiyeh, Payam; von Tscharner, Vinzenz

2015-12-01

The center of pressure (COP) movement in studies of postural control reveals a highly regular structure (low entropy) over short time periods and a highly irregular structure over large time scales (high entropy). Entropic half-life (EnHL) is a novel measure that quantifies the time over which short-term temporal correlations in a time series deteriorate to an uncorrelated, random structure. The current study suggested and tested three hypotheses about how characteristics of the neuromuscular postural control system may affect stabilometric EnHL: (H1) control system activity hypothesis: EnHL decreases with increased frequency of control system interventions adjusting COP motion; (H2) abundance of states hypothesis: EnHL decreases with increased number of mechanically equivalent states available to the postural system; and (H3) neurologic process hierarchy hypothesis: EnHL increases if postural control functions shift from the spinal level to the motor cortex. Thirty healthy participants performed quiet stance tests for 90 s in 18 different conditions: stance (bipedal, one-legged, and tandem); footwear (bare foot, regular sports shoe, and rocker sole shoes); and simultaneous cognitive task (two-back working memory task, no challenge). A four-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant changes in EnHL for the different stance positions and for different movement directions (medio-lateral, anterior-posterior). These changes support H1 and H2. Significant differences were also found between rocker sole shoes and normal or barefoot standing, which supports H3. This study contributes to the understanding of how and why EnHL is a useful measure to monitor neuromuscular control of balance.

Coupling complement regulators to immunoglobulin domains generates effective anti-complement reagents with extended half-life in vivo

PubMed Central

HARRIS, C L; WILLIAMS, A S; LINTON, S M; MORGAN, B P

2002-01-01

Complement activation and subsequent generation of inflammatory molecules and membrane attack complex contributes to the pathology of a number of inflammatory and degenerative diseases, including arthritis, glomerulonephritis and demyelination. Agents that specifically inhibit complement activation might prove beneficial in the treatment of these diseases. Soluble recombinant forms of the naturally occurring membrane complement regulatory proteins (CRP) have been exploited for this purpose. We have undertaken to design better therapeutics based on CRP. Here we describe the generation of soluble, recombinant CRP comprising rat decay accelerating factor (DAF) or rat CD59 expressed as Fc fusion proteins, antibody-like molecules comprising two CRP moieties in place of the antibody Fab arms (CRP-Ig). Reagents bearing DAF on each arm (DAF-Ig), CD59 on each arm (CD59-Ig) and a hybrid reagent containing both DAF and CD59 were generated. All three reagents inhibited C activation in vitro. Compared with soluble CRP lacking Fc domains, activity was reduced, but was fully restored by enzymatic release of the regulator from the Ig moiety, implicating steric constraints in reducing functional activity. In vivo studies showed that DAF-Ig, when compared to soluble DAF, had a much extended half-life in the circulation in rats and concomitantly caused a sustained reduction in plasma complement activity. When given intra-articularly to rats in a model of arthritis, DAF-Ig significantly reduced severity of disease. The data demonstrate the potential of CRP-Ig as reagents for sustained therapy of inflammatory disorders, including arthritis, but emphasize the need for careful design of fusion proteins to retain function. PMID:12165074

The Identification and Assessment of Late-life ADHD in Memory Clinics

PubMed Central

Fischer, Barbara L.; Gunter-Hunt, Gail; Steinhafel, Courtney Holm; Howell, Timothy

2013-01-01

INTRODUCTION Little data exists about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in late life. While evaluating patients’ memory problems, our Memory Clinic staff has periodically identified ADHD in previously undiagnosed adults. We conducted a survey to assess the extent to which other memory clinics view ADHD as a relevant clinical issue. METHOD We developed and sent a questionnaire to Memory Clinics in the United States to ascertain how ADHD was identified and addressed. The percentage of responding memory clinics’ means of assessing and managing late-life ADHD comprised the measurements for this study. RESULTS Approximately one-half of responding memory clinics reported seeing ADHD patients. Of these, one-half reported identifying previously diagnosed cases, and almost one-half reported diagnosing ADHD themselves. One fifth of clinics reported screening regularly for ADHD, and few clinics described treatment methods. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that U.S. memory clinics may not adequately identify and address ADHD in late life. PMID:22173147

Reliability of measuring half-cycle cervical range of motion may be increased using a spirit level for calibration.

PubMed

Wilke, Jan; Niederer, Daniel; Vogt, Lutz; Banzer, Winfried

2018-02-01

Assessments of range of motion (ROM) represent an essential part of clinical diagnostics. Ultrasonic movement analyses have been demonstrated to provide reliable results when analyzing complete amplitudes (e.g., flexion-extension). However, due to subjective determination of the starting position, the assessment of half-cycle movements (e.g, flexion only) is less reproducible. The present study aimed to examine the reliability of measuring half-cycle cervical ROM using a spirit level for calibration. 20 healthy subjects (30 ± 12yrs, 7♂, 13♀) participated in the randomized, controlled, cross-over trial. In two testing sessions with one week of wash-out in between, cervical ROM was measured by means of an ultrasonic 3D movement analysis system using a test-retest design (baseline and 5 min post baseline). The sessions differed with reference to the mask carrying the ultrasound markers. It was removed during the 5 min break (mask off) or not (mask on). To determine the resting position, a bull's eye spirit level was used in each measurement. With ICC values of 0.90-0.98 (mask on, p < 0.001) and 0.90 to 0.97 (mask off, p < 0.001), both examined conditions demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability for separating the cycles regarding all movement planes. Cervical ROM during half-cycle movements can be assessed with excellent reliability using a spirit level. In contrast to subjective determination of the starting position, analyzing complete movement planes does not increase reliability. Using a defined and objective zero positioning allows the evaluation of repositioning tasks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Half-lives of PFOS, PFHxS and PFOA after end of exposure to contaminated drinking water.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Fletcher, Tony; Mucs, Daniel; Scott, Kristin; Lindh, Christian H; Tallving, Pia; Jakobsson, Kristina

2018-01-01

Municipal drinking water contaminated with perfluorinated alkyl acids had been distributed to one-third of households in Ronneby, Sweden. The source was firefighting foam used in a nearby airfield since the mid-1980s. Clean water was provided from 16 December 2013. To determine the rates of decline in serum perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and their corresponding half-lives. Up to seven blood samples were collected between June 2014 and September 2016 from 106 participants (age 4-84 years, 53% female). Median initial serum concentrations were PFHxS, 277 ng/mL (range 12-1660); PFOS, 345 ng/mL (range 24-1500); and PFOA, 18 ng/mL (range 2.4-92). The covariate-adjusted average rates of decrease in serum were PFHxS, 13% per year (95% CI 12% to 15%); PFOS, 20% per year (95% CI 19% to 22%); and PFOA, 26% per year (95% CI 24% to 28%). The observed data are consistent with a first-order elimination model. The mean estimated half-life was 5.3 years (95% CI 4.6 to 6.0) for PFHxS, 3.4 years (95% CI 3.1 to 3.7) for PFOS and 2.7 years (95% CI 2.5 to 2.9) for PFOA. The interindividual variation of half-life was around threefold when comparing the 5th and 95th percentiles. There was a marked sex difference with more rapid elimination in women for PFHxS and PFOS, but only marginally for PFOA. The estimated half-life for PFHxS was considerably longer than for PFOS and PFOA. For PFHxS and PFOS, the average half-life is shorter than the previously published estimates. For PFOA the half-life is in line with the range of published estimates. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Half-lives of PFOS, PFHxS and PFOA after end of exposure to contaminated drinking water

PubMed Central

Li, Ying; Fletcher, Tony; Mucs, Daniel; Scott, Kristin; Lindh, Christian H; Tallving, Pia; Jakobsson, Kristina

2018-01-01

Background Municipal drinking water contaminated with perfluorinated alkyl acids had been distributed to one-third of households in Ronneby, Sweden. The source was firefighting foam used in a nearby airfield since the mid-1980s. Clean water was provided from 16 December 2013. Objective To determine the rates of decline in serum perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and their corresponding half-lives. Methods Up to seven blood samples were collected between June 2014 and September 2016 from 106 participants (age 4–84 years, 53% female). Results Median initial serum concentrations were PFHxS, 277 ng/mL (range 12–1660); PFOS, 345 ng/mL (range 24–1500); and PFOA, 18 ng/mL (range 2.4–92). The covariate-adjusted average rates of decrease in serum were PFHxS, 13% per year (95% CI 12% to 15%); PFOS, 20% per year (95% CI 19% to 22%); and PFOA, 26% per year (95% CI 24% to 28%). The observed data are consistent with a first-order elimination model. The mean estimated half-life was 5.3 years (95% CI 4.6 to 6.0) for PFHxS, 3.4 years (95% CI 3.1 to 3.7) for PFOS and 2.7 years (95% CI 2.5 to 2.9) for PFOA. The interindividual variation of half-life was around threefold when comparing the 5th and 95th percentiles. There was a marked sex difference with more rapid elimination in women for PFHxS and PFOS, but only marginally for PFOA. Conclusions The estimated half-life for PFHxS was considerably longer than for PFOS and PFOA. For PFHxS and PFOS, the average half-life is shorter than the previously published estimates. For PFOA the half-life is in line with the range of published estimates. PMID:29133598

Life stress and risk of precancerous cervical lesions: a pretest directed by the life stress model.

PubMed

Lovejoy, N C; Roche, N; McLean, D

1997-01-01

To present the results of a pilot study to pretest instruments designed to measure selected variables named in the Life Stress Model, a model of health outcomes. Additional aims were to determine the effect of completing personal risk assessments for precancerous squamous-cell intraepithelial lesions of the cervic (SIL) on receptivity to cervical cancer prevention information and to extend knowledge of stressful life events experienced by inner-city women attending high-risk health clinics. Cross-sectional. 20 adult women attending high-risk prenatal or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outpatient clinics in one of two New York City hospitals. Most were recovering drugs abusers; half were diagnosed with HIV infections. Data were collected by self-report using standard measures. Demographics, medical histories of immunosuppressive states, and investigator-developed screening inventories of behavioral and dietary risk factors associated with SIL also were administered. Life event stressors, psychological state, social support, symptom distress, and SIL diagnosis. Instruments met acceptable psychometric standards for internal consistency, but the standard measure of stressful life events did not capture the full range of stressors experienced by this group of patients: hovering relatives, abusive spouses, HIV diagnosis, changes in welfare benefits, the HIV status of the unborn, and mandatory foster care. Although unable to recall cancer histories of family members, about half of the women who completed study instruments were interested in receiving more information cervical cancer. Exploratory analyses suggest that women diagnosed with SIL experience more psychological distress and family disfunction than women without SIL. Completing personal SIL risk assessments may stimulate patients' receptivity to cancer risk factor information. Health outcomes studies guided by the Life Stress Model may prove fruitful. Cancer risk factor assessments may be an important method

Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2), a potential agent of bioterrorism, has a short distribution and a long elimination half-life, and induces kidney and thymus lesions in rats.

PubMed

Liu, Yue-Nan; Wang, Sheng-Han; Li, Tao; Wang, Qin; Tu, Wei; Cai, Kun; Hou, Xiao-Jun; Tian, Ren-Mao; Gao, Xiang; Liu, Hao; Xiao, Le; Shi, Jing; Cheng, Yuan-Guo; Li, Jian-Chun; Wang, Hui

2011-09-01

Shiga toxin type 2, a major virulence factor produced by the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, is a potential toxin agent of bioterrorism. In this study, iodine-125 (125I) was used as an indicator to describe the in vivo Stx2 biodistribution profile. The rats were injected intravenously (i.v.) with 125I-Stx2 at three doses of 5.1-127.5 μg/kg body weight. Stx2 had a short distribution half-life (t (1/2)α, less than 6 min) and a long elimination half-life in rat. The toxicokinetics of Stx2 in rats was dose dependent and nonlinear. Stx2 concentrations in various tissues were detected at 5-min, 0.5-h, and 72-h postinjection. High radioactivity was found in the lungs, kidneys, nasal turbinates, and sometimes in the eyes, which has never been reported in previous studies. In a preliminary assessment, lesions were found in the kidney and thymus.

β-decay half-lives of new neutron-rich rare-earth isotopes 159Pm,162Sm, and 166Gd

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichikawa, S.; Asai, M.; Tsukada, K.; Haba, H.; Nagame, Y.; Shibata, M.; Sakama, M.; Kojima, Y.

2005-06-01

The new neutron-rich rare-earth isotopes 159Pm, 162Sm, and 166Gd produced in the proton-induced fission of 238U were identified using the JAERI on-line isotope separator (JAERI-ISOL) coupled to a gas-jet transport system. The half-lives of 159Pm, 162Sm, and 166Gd were determined to be 1.5 ± 0.2, 2.4 ± 0.5, and 4.8 ± 1.0 s respectively. The partial decay scheme of 166Gd was constructed from γγ-coincidence data. A more accurate half-life value of 25.6 ± 2.2 s was obtained for the previously identified isotope 166Tb. The half-lives measured in the present study are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions calculated by the second generation of the gross theory with the atomic masses evaluated by Audi and Wapstra.

Measurement properties of a new quality of life measure for patients with work disability associated with musculoskeletal pain.

PubMed

Coutu, M F; Durand, M J; Loisel, P; Dupuis, G; Gervais, S

2005-09-01

The Quality of Life Systemic Inventory (QLSI) measures patients' goal attainment based on the system control theory. It quantifies the perceived impact of the disorder and the gap between the present and aspired states. To evaluate concurrent validity and responsiveness of the QLSI among workers on sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Participants (10 women; 29 men) were recruited at a work rehabilitation centre and had more than 4 weeks of absence from work due to MSDs compensated by the Workers' Compensation Board. Concurrent validity and external responsiveness were based on baseline and post-treatment measures of external criteria. Criteria and related instruments were the following: perception of disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire); health-related quality of life (SF-12); stress (Psychological Stress Measure) and distress (Psychological Distress Index). Regression analyses revealed significant correlations between QLSI scores and the Psychological Distress Index (r2 = .11 to .19 and .66; p < .001), with either the SF-12 mental component scale (r2 = .18 and .11; p < .01) or the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (r2 = .04 and .10; p < .05). All measures showed highly significant change over time. Results support the concurrent validity and responsiveness of the QLSI, with an MSD population. This instrument could serve in future research as an outcome measurement instrument in the evaluation of more long-term effects of rehabilitation programs.

Personality Polygenes, Positive Affect, and Life Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Weiss, Alexander; Baselmans, Bart M. L.; Hofer, Edith; Yang, Jingyun; Okbay, Aysu; Lind, Penelope A.; Miller, Mike B.; Nolte, Ilja M.; Zhao, Wei; Hagenaars, Saskia P.; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Matteson, Lindsay K.; Snieder, Harold; Faul, Jessica D.; Hartman, Catharina A.; Boyle, Patricia A.; Tiemeier, Henning; Mosing, Miriam A.; Pattie, Alison; Davies, Gail; Liewald, David C.; Schmidt, Reinhold; De Jager, Philip L.; Heath, Andrew C.; Jokela, Markus; Starr, John M.; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.; Johannesson, Magnus; Cesarini, David; Hofman, Albert; Harris, Sarah E.; Smith, Jennifer A.; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Schmidt, Helena; Smith, Jacqui; Iacono, William G.; McGue, Matt; Bennett, David A.; Pedersen, Nancy L.; Magnusson, Patrik K. E.; Deary, Ian J.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Bartels, Meike; Luciano, Michelle

2016-01-01

Approximately half of the variation in wellbeing measures overlaps with variation in personality traits. Studies of non-human primate pedigrees and human twins suggest that this is due to common genetic influences. We tested whether personality polygenic scores for the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) domains and for item response theory (IRT) derived extraversion and neuroticism scores predict variance in wellbeing measures. Polygenic scores were based on published genome-wide association (GWA) results in over 17,000 individuals for the NEO-FFI and in over 63,000 for the IRT extraversion and neuroticism traits. The NEO-FFI polygenic scores were used to predict life satisfaction in 7 cohorts, positive affect in 12 cohorts, and general wellbeing in 1 cohort (maximal N = 46,508). Meta-analysis of these results showed no significant association between NEO-FFI personality polygenic scores and the wellbeing measures. IRT extraversion and neuroticism polygenic scores were used to predict life satisfaction and positive affect in almost 37,000 individuals from UK Biobank. Significant positive associations (effect sizes <0.05%) were observed between the extraversion polygenic score and wellbeing measures, and a negative association was observed between the polygenic neuroticism score and life satisfaction. Furthermore, using GWA data, genetic correlations of −0.49 and −0.55 were estimated between neuroticism with life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively. The moderate genetic correlation between neuroticism and wellbeing is in line with twin research showing that genetic influences on wellbeing are also shared with other independent personality domains. PMID:27546527

Environmental risk assessment of selected organic chemicals based on TOC test and QSAR estimation models.

PubMed

Chi, Yulang; Zhang, Huanteng; Huang, Qiansheng; Lin, Yi; Ye, Guozhu; Zhu, Huimin; Dong, Sijun

2018-02-01

Environmental risks of organic chemicals have been greatly determined by their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity (PBT) and physicochemical properties. Major regulations in different countries and regions identify chemicals according to their bioconcentration factor (BCF) and octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow), which frequently displays a substantial correlation with the sediment sorption coefficient (Koc). Half-life or degradability is crucial for the persistence evaluation of chemicals. Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) estimation models are indispensable for predicting environmental fate and health effects in the absence of field- or laboratory-based data. In this study, 39 chemicals of high concern were chosen for half-life testing based on total organic carbon (TOC) degradation, and two widely accepted and highly used QSAR estimation models (i.e., EPI Suite and PBT Profiler) were adopted for environmental risk evaluation. The experimental results and estimated data, as well as the two model-based results were compared, based on the water solubility, Kow, Koc, BCF and half-life. Environmental risk assessment of the selected compounds was achieved by combining experimental data and estimation models. It was concluded that both EPI Suite and PBT Profiler were fairly accurate in measuring the physicochemical properties and degradation half-lives for water, soil, and sediment. However, the half-lives between the experimental and the estimated results were still not absolutely consistent. This suggests deficiencies of the prediction models in some ways, and the necessity to combine the experimental data and predicted results for the evaluation of environmental fate and risks of pollutants. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Changes in quality of life after elective surgery: an observational study comparing two measures.

PubMed

Kronzer, Vanessa L; Jerry, Michelle R; Ben Abdallah, Arbi; Wildes, Troy S; McKinnon, Sherry L; Sharma, Anshuman; Avidan, Michael S

2017-08-01

Our main objective was to compare the change in a validated quality of life measure to a global assessment measure. The secondary objectives were to estimate the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) and to describe the change in quality of life by surgical specialty. This prospective cohort study included 7902 adult patients undergoing elective surgery. Changes in the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), composed of a physical component summary (PCS) and a mental component summary (MCS), were calculated using preoperative and postoperative questionnaires. The latter also contained a global assessment question for quality of life. We compared PCS and MCS to the global assessment using descriptive statistics and weighted kappa. MCID was calculated using an anchor-based approach. Analyses were pre-specified and registered (NCT02771964). By the change in VR-12 scores, an equal proportion of patients experienced improvement and deterioration in quality of life (28% for PCS, 25% for MCS). In contrast, by the global assessment measure, 61% reported improvement, while only 10% reported deterioration. Agreement with the global assessment was slight for both PCS (kappa = 0.20, 57% matched) and MCS (kappa = 0.10, 54% matched). The MCID for the overall VR-12 score was approximately 2.5 points. Patients undergoing orthopedic surgery showed the most improvement in quality of life measures, while patients undergoing gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary or urologic surgery showed the most deterioration. Subjective global quality of life report does not agree well with a validated quality of life instrument, perhaps due to patient over-optimism.

Qualitative Exploration of the Suitability of Capability Based Instruments to Measure Quality of Life in Family Carers of People with Dementia

PubMed Central

Jones, Carys; Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Hounsome, Barry

2014-01-01

Background. In an ageing population, many individuals find themselves becoming a carer for an elderly relative. This qualitative study explores aspects of quality of life affected by caring for a person with dementia, with the aim of identifying whether capability based questionnaires are suitable for measuring carer quality of life. Methods. Semistructured interviews lasting up to an hour were conducted, November 2010–July 2011, with eight family carers of people with dementia. Interviews typically took place at the participants' homes and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Framework analysis was used to code and analyse data. Domains from three capability based questionnaires (ICECAP-O, Carer Experience Scale, and ASCOT) were used as initial codes. Similar codes were grouped into categories, and broader themes were developed from these categories. Results. Four themes were identified: social network and relationships; interactions with agencies; recognition of role; and time for oneself. Conclusions. By identifying what affects carers' quality of life, an appropriate choice can be made when selecting instruments for future carer research. The themes identified had a high degree of overlap with the capability instruments, suggesting that the capabilities approach would be suitable for future research involving carers of people with dementia. PMID:24967332

Reference dosimetry at the Australian Synchrotron's imaging and medical beamline using free-air ionization chamber measurements and theoretical predictions of air kerma rate and half value layer

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

Crosbie, Jeffrey C.; Rogers, Peter A. W.; Stevenson, Andrew W.

2013-06-15

Purpose: Novel, preclinical radiotherapy modalities are being developed at synchrotrons around the world, most notably stereotactic synchrotron radiation therapy and microbeam radiotherapy at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France. The imaging and medical beamline (IMBL) at the Australian Synchrotron has recently become available for preclinical radiotherapy and imaging research with clinical trials, a distinct possibility in the coming years. The aim of this present study was to accurately characterize the synchrotron-generated x-ray beam for the purposes of air kerma-based absolute dosimetry. Methods: The authors used a theoretical model of the energy spectrum from the wiggler source and validatedmore » this model by comparing the transmission through copper absorbers (0.1-3.0 mm) against real measurements conducted at the beamline. The authors used a low energy free air ionization chamber (LEFAC) from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and a commercially available free air chamber (ADC-105) for the measurements. The dimensions of these two chambers are different from one another requiring careful consideration of correction factors. Results: Measured and calculated half value layer (HVL) and air kerma rates differed by less than 3% for the LEFAC when the ion chamber readings were corrected for electron energy loss and ion recombination. The agreement between measured and predicted air kerma rates was less satisfactory for the ADC-105 chamber, however. The LEFAC and ADC measurements produced a first half value layer of 0.405 {+-} 0.015 and 0.412 {+-} 0.016 mm Cu, respectively, compared to the theoretical prediction of 0.427 {+-} 0.012 mm Cu. The theoretical model based upon a spectrum calculator derived a mean beam energy of 61.4 keV with a first half value layer of approximately 30 mm in water. Conclusions: The authors showed in this study their ability to verify the predicted air kerma rate and x

Positive and negative affectivity as risk factors for heavy drinking in the second half of life: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Brunborg, Geir Scott

2017-05-01

To estimate the prospective relations between levels of propensity to experience positive affect (PA) and propensity to experience negative affect (NA) and risk of heavy drinking in a cohort of Norwegians aged 40-80 years. Clustered sampling was used to draw Norwegians aged 40-79 years in 2002/03 (t1). The relationship between PA and NA measured at t1 and heavy drinking measured in 2007/08 (t2) was estimated with random-intercept logistic regression. Norway. A total of 2142 (44.0% men) who consumed mean = 3.07 [standard deviation (SD) = 3.15] UK units of alcohol on average per week and were intoxicated less than once per week at t1. The Brief Measure of Positive and Negative Affect, quantity-frequency measure of alcohol use and frequency of drinking to intoxication. Heavy drinking at t2 (> 14 units per week and/or intoxication ≥ once per week) was regressed on PA and NA at t1. Controlling for alcohol consumption, gender, age, income and level of education (at t1) and change in PA and NA, there was little evidence for an association between level of PA and heavy drinking [odds ratio (OR) = 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71, 1.29, Bayes factor = 0.15]. The level of NA at t1 was associated with greater risk of heavy drinking at t2 (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.93). There is little evidence for an association between the propensity to experience positive affect and heavy drinking among Norwegians aged 40-80 years. Norwegian adults in the second half of life with a high propensity to experience negative affect are at greater risk of heavy drinking approximately 5 years later than those with a low propensity to experience negative affect. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Starship Life Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.

2009-01-01

The design and mass cost of a starship and its life support system are investigated. The mission plan for a multi generational interstellar voyage to colonize a new planet is used to describe the starship design, including the crew habitat, accommodations, and life support. Only current technology is assumed. Highly reliable life support systems can be provided with reasonably small additional mass, suggesting that they can support long duration missions. Bioregenerative life support, growing crop plants that provide food, water, and oxygen, has been thought to need less mass than providing stored food for long duration missions. The large initial mass of hydroponics systems is paid for over time by saving the mass of stored food. However, the yearly logistics mass required to support a bioregenerative system exceeds the mass of food solids it produces, so that supplying stored dehydrated food always requires less mass than bioregenerative food production. A mixed system that grows about half the food and supplies the other half dehydrated has advantages that allow it to breakeven with stored dehydrated food in about 66 years. However, moderate increases in the hydroponics system mass to achieve high reliability, such as adding spares that double the system mass and replacing the initial system every 100 years, increase the mass cost of bioregenerative life support. In this case, the high reliability half food growing, half food supplying system does not breakeven for 389 years. An even higher reliability half and half system, with three times original system mass and replacing the system every 50 years, never breaks even. Growing food for starship life support requires more mass than providing dehydrated food, even for multigeneration voyages of hundreds of years. The benefits of growing some food may justify the added mass cost. Much more efficient recycling food production is wanted but may not be possible. A single multigenerational interstellar voyage to

Quality-of-life measures for use within care homes: a systematic review of their measurement properties.

PubMed

Aspden, Trefor; Bradshaw, Siobhan A; Playford, E Diane; Riazi, Afsane

2014-09-01

the aims of this review were (i) to identify quality-of-life (QoL) measures which have had their measurement properties validated in people residing in care homes or nursing homes, and to critically compare and summarise these instruments and (ii) to make recommendations for measurement instruments. bibliographic databases PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL and Embase were searched for articles evaluating measurement properties of QoL instruments in people residing in care homes. Methodological quality of studies was assessed using the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments checklist. Measurement properties of instruments were appraised using a systematic checklist. the search strategy resulted in 3252 unique citations, of which 15 articles were included in this review. These articles assessed 13 instruments, 8 of which were dementia or Alzheimer specific instruments. The QUALIDEM, a dementia-specific observational instrument, had the widest array of information available on its measurement properties, which were mostly satisfactory. Most measurement instruments lacked information on hypotheses testing and content validity. Information on responsiveness and measurement error was not available for any instrument. for people with dementia living in care homes, the QUALIDEM is recommended for measuring QoL. For residents without dementia, we recommend Kane et al.'s Psychosocial Quality of Life Domains questionnaire. Studies of higher methodological quality, assessing a wider range of measurement properties are needed to allow a more fully informed choice of QoL instrument. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Preventive Interventions for the Second Half of Life: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hajat, Cother; Selwyn, Adriana; Harris, Mark; Yach, Derek

2018-05-01

Recent improvements in life expectancy globally require intensified focus on noncommunicable diseases and age-related conditions. The purpose of this article is to inform the development of age-specific prevention guidelines for adults aged 50 and above, which are currently lacking. PubMed, Cochrane database, and Google Scholar and explicit outreach to experts in the field. Meta-analyses, intervention-based, and prospective cohort studies that reported all-cause mortality, disease-specific mortality, or morbidity in adults were included. A systematic review was undertaken in 2015 using search terms of a combination of and "intervention," "mortality," "reduction," "improvement," "death," and "morbidity." Interventions were categorized according to the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine Level of Evidence framework. A summary table reports for each intervention the impact, strength of evidence, initiation, duration, and details of the intervention. Age-decade-specific preventive recommendations have been proposed relating to physical activity, diet, tobacco and alcohol use, medication adherence, screening and vaccination, and mental and cognitive health. Clear recommendations have been made according to the existing evidence base, but further research investment is needed to fill the many gaps. Further, personalized approaches to healthy aging complemented by population-wide approaches and broader cross-sector partnerships will help to ensure greater longevity is an opportunity, rather than a burden, for society.

Kinetic modeling and half life study on bioremediation of crude oil dispersed by Corexit 9500.

PubMed

Zahed, Mohammad Ali; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul; Isa, Mohamed Hasnain; Mohajeri, Leila; Mohajeri, Soraya; Kutty, Shamsul Rahman Mohamed

2011-01-30

Hydrocarbon pollution in marine ecosystems occurs mainly by accidental oil spills, deliberate discharge of ballast waters from oil tankers and bilge waste discharges; causing site pollution and serious adverse effects on aquatic environments as well as human health. A large number of petroleum hydrocarbons are biodegradable, thus bioremediation has become an important method for the restoration of oil polluted areas. In this research, a series of natural attenuation, crude oil (CO) and dispersed crude oil (DCO) bioremediation experiments of artificially crude oil contaminated seawater was carried out. Bacterial consortiums were identified as Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. First order kinetics described the biodegradation of crude oil. Under abiotic conditions, oil removal was 19.9% while a maximum of 31.8% total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) removal was obtained in natural attenuation experiment. All DCO bioreactors demonstrated higher and faster removal than CO bioreactors. Half life times were 28, 32, 38 and 58 days for DCO and 31, 40, 50 and 75 days for CO with oil concentrations of 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/L, respectively. The effectiveness of Corexit 9500 dispersant was monitored in the 45 day study; the results indicated that it improved the crude oil biodegradation rate. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are stepfathers' education levels associated with the intelligence of their stepsons? A register-based study of Norwegian half-brothers.

PubMed

Eriksen, Willy; Sundet, Jon M; Tambs, Kristian

2013-05-01

We examined the relationship between the parents' education levels and the adult intelligence of their children in a population-based, nationwide sample of Norwegian half-brothers with different fathers (2,016 pairs of half-brothers). In a family where the mother has two children with different men, the firstborn child usually lives with the younger child's father during a period of their childhood. This makes it possible to study the non-genetic effects of paternal education on children's development. Results showed that the education level of the younger half-brother's father was positively associated with the intelligence score of the older half-brother. The education level of the older half-brother's father was not associated with the intelligence score of the younger half-brother. Firstborn men whose half-brothers' fathers had high levels of education had intelligence scores that were 33% (95% confidence interval: 18-47%) of a standard deviation higher than those of firstborn men whose half-brothers' fathers had low levels of education, after adjustment for the biological fathers' education levels, mothers' education levels, and other background factors. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that a child's family environment exerts an effect on the cognitive abilities of the child that lasts into adulthood. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Budget Impact Analysis of Prolonged Half-Life Recombinant FVIII Therapy for Hemophilia in the United States.

PubMed

McMullen, Suzanne; Buckley, Brieana; Hall, Eric; Kendter, Jon; Johnston, Karissa

2017-01-01

Hemophilia A is a factor VIII deficiency, associated with spontaneous, recurrent bleeding episodes. This may lead to comorbidities such as arthropathy and joint replacement, which contribute to morbidity and increased health care expenditure. Recombinant factor VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc), a prolonged half-life factor therapy, requires fewer infusions, resulting in reduced treatment burden. Use a budget impact analysis to assess the potential economic impact of introducing rFVIIIFc to a formulary from the perspective of a private payer in the United States. The budget impact model was developed to estimate the potential economic impact of adding rFVIIIFc to a private payer formulary across a 2-year time period. The eligible patient population consisted of inhibitor-free adults with severe hemophilia A, receiving recombinant-based episodic or prophylaxis treatment regimens. Patients were assumed to switch from conventional recombinant factor treatment to rFVIIIFc. Only medication costs were included in the model. The introduction of rFVIIIFc is estimated to have a budget impact of 1.4% ($0.12 per member per month) across 2 years for a private payer population of 1,000,000 (estimated 19.7 individuals receiving treatment for hemophilia A). The introduction of rFVIIIFc is estimated to prevent 124 bleeds across 2 years at a cost of $1891 per bleed avoided. Hemophilia A is a rare disease with a low prevalence; therefore, the overall cost to society of introducing rFVIIIFc is small. Considerations for comprehensively assessing the budget impact of introducing rFVIIIFc should include episodic and prophylaxis regimens, bleed avoidance, and annual factor consumption required under alternative scenarios. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health-related quality-of-life outcome measures in paediatric palliative care: A systematic review of psychometric properties and feasibility of use

PubMed Central

Coombes, Lucy H; Wiseman, Theresa; Lucas, Grace; Sangha, Amrit; Murtagh, Fliss EM

2016-01-01

Background: The number of children worldwide requiring palliative care services is increasing due to advances in medical care and technology. The use of outcome measures is important to improve the quality and effectiveness of care. Aim: To systematically identify health-related quality-of-life outcome measures that could be used in paediatric palliative care and examine their feasibility of use and psychometric properties. Design: A systematic literature review and analysis of psychometric properties. Data sources: PsychInfo, Medline and EMBASE were searched from 1 January 1990 to 10 December 2014. Hand searches of the reference list of included studies and relevant reviews were also performed. Results: From 3460 articles, 125 papers were selected for full-text assessment. A total of 41 articles met the eligibility criteria and examined the psychometric properties of 22 health-related quality-of-life measures. Evidence was limited as at least half of the information on psychometric properties per instrument was missing. Measurement error was not analysed in any of the included articles and responsiveness was only analysed in one study. The methodological quality of included studies varied greatly. Conclusion: There is currently no ‘ideal’ outcome assessment measure for use in paediatric palliative care. The domains of generic health-related quality-of-life measures are not relevant to all children receiving palliative care and some domains within disease-specific measures are only relevant for that specific population. Potential solutions include adapting an existing measure or developing more individualized patient-centred outcome and experience measures. Either way, it is important to continue work on outcome measurement in this field. PMID:27247087

Acid-base and hemodynamic status of patients with intraoperative hemorrhage using two solution types: Crystalloid Ringer lactate and 1.3% sodium bicarbonate in half-normal saline solution.

PubMed

Hashemi, Sayed Jalal; Heidari, Sayed Morteza; Yaraghi, Ahmad; Seirafi, Reza

2016-01-01

Intraoperative hemorrhage is one of the problems during surgery and, if it happens in a high volume without an immediate action to control, it can be fatal. Nowadays, various injectable solutions are used. The aim of this study was to compare the acid-base and hemodynamic status of the patient using two solutions, Ringer lactate and 1.3% sodium bicarbonate, in half saline solution. This clinical trial was performed at the Al-Zahra Hospital in 2013 on 66 patients who were randomly selected and put in two studied groups at the onset of hemorrhage. For the first group, crystalloid Ringer lactate solution and for the second group, 1.3% sodium bicarbonate in half-normal saline solution was used. Electrocardiogram, heart rate, O2 saturation non-invasive blood pressure and end-tidal CO2 were monitored. The arterial blood gas, blood electrolytes, glucose and blood urea nitrogen were measured before serum and blood injection. After the infusion of solutions and before blood transfusions, another sample was sent for measurement of blood parameters. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The mean arterial pressure was significantly higher in the second group than in the first group at some times after the infusion of solutions. pHh levels, base excess, bicarbonate, sodium, strong ion differences and osmolarity were significantly greater and potassium and chloride were significantly lower in the second group than in the first group after the infusion of solutions. 1.3% sodium bicarbonate in half-normal saline solution can lead to a proper correction of hemodynamic instability. By maintaining hemodynamic status, osmolarity and electrolytes as well as better balance of acid-base, 1.3% sodium bicarbonate solution in half-normal saline solution can be more effective than Ringer lactate solution during intraoperative bleeding.

Measuring melasma patients' quality of life using willingness to pay and time trade-off methods in thai population

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Melasma is a common hyperpigmentation disorder that has a significant effect on an individual's quality of life. However, there is no preference-based measurement that reflects quality of life in patients with melasma. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of melasma on quality of life by using a health status measurement - the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) - and a preference-based measurement - Willingness to Pay (WTP) and Time Trade-Off (TTO). Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Seventy-eight patients with melasma who attended the melasma clinic at Siriraj Hospital from February to March 2009 were recruited in this study. The Thai version of the DLQI, questionnaires about WTP, standard TTO, and daily TTO were used to assess patients' quality of life. Results Seventy-seven (98.7%) patients were female with a mean age of 47.8 ± 7.9 years. The mean health utility based on standard TTO was 0.96. The utility obtained by the daily TTO method was 0.92 and was significantly correlated with an economically inactive occupation (p < 0.05). The mean monthly WTP for the most effective treatment was 1,157 baht (7.2% of monthly income), ranging from 100 to 5,000 baht (1 USD ~ 35.1 baht). The WTP was significantly correlated with monthly personal income and the total DLQI score. Conclusion The WTP method could be a useful tool with which to measure the quality of life of patients with melasma. PMID:22182399

Hospital at home: home-based end of life care

PubMed Central

Shepperd, Sasha; Wee, Bee; Straus, Sharon E

2014-01-01

Background The policy in a number of countries is to provide people with a terminal illness the choice of dying at home. This policy is supported by surveys indicating that the general public and patients with a terminal illness would prefer to receive end of life care at home. Objectives To determine if providing home-based end of life care reduces the likelihood of dying in hospital and what effect this has on patients’ symptoms, quality of life, health service costs and care givers compared with inpatient hospital or hospice care. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library) to October 2009, Ovid MED-LINE(R) 1950 to March 2011, EMBASE 1980 to October 2009, CINAHL 1982 to October 2009 and EconLit to October 2009. We checked the reference lists of articles identified for potentially relevant articles. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials, interrupted time series or controlled before and after studies evaluating the effectiveness of home-based end of life care with inpatient hospital or hospice care for people aged 18 years and older. Data collection and analysis Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. We combined the published data for dichotomous outcomes using fixed-effect Mantel-Haenszel meta-analysis. When combining outcome data was not possible we presented the data in narrative summary tables. Main results We included four trials in this review. Those receiving home-based end of life care were statistically significantly more likely to die at home compared with those receiving usual care (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.55, P = 0.0002; Chi 2 = 1.72, df = 2, P = 0.42, I2 = 0% (three trials; N=652)). We detected no statistically significant differences for functional status (measured by the Barthel Index), psychological well-being or cognitive status, between patients receiving home-based end of life care compared with those receiving standard care (which

Implications of weight-based stigma and self-bias on quality of life among individuals with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Barber, Jessica; Palmese, Laura; Reutenauer, Erin L.; Grilo, Carlos; Tek, Cenk

2011-01-01

Obesity has been associated with significant stigma and weight-related self-bias in community and clinical studies, but these issues have not been studied among individuals with schizophrenia. A consecutive series of 70 obese individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder underwent assessment for perceptions of weight-based stigmatization, self-directed weight-bias, negative affect, medication compliance, and quality of life. Levels of weight-based stigmatization and self-bias were compared to levels reported for non-psychiatric overweight/obese samples. Weight measures were unrelated to stigma, self-bias, affect, and quality of life. Weight-based stigmatization was lower than published levels for non-psychiatric samples, whereas levels of weight-based self-bias did not differ. After controlling for negative affect, weight-based self-bias predicted an additional 11% of the variance in the quality of life measure. Individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder reported weight-based self-bias to the same extent as non-psychiatric samples despite reporting less weight stigma. Weight-based self-bias was associated with poorer quality of life after controlling for negative affect. PMID:21716053

Adaptation of the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire (RLCQ) to measure stressful life events in adults residing in an urban megapolis in Pakistan.

PubMed

Artani, Azmina; Bhamani, Shireen Shehzad; Azam, Iqbal; AbdulSultan, Moiz; Khoja, Adeel; Kamal, Ayeesha K

2017-05-05

Contextually relevant stressful life events are integral to the quantification of stress. None such measures have been adapted for the Pakistani population. The RLCQ developed by Richard Rahe measures stress of an individual through recording the experience of life changing events. We used qualitative methodology in order to identify contextually relevant stressors in an open ended format, using serial in-depth interviews until thematic saturation of reported stressful life events was achieved. In our next phase of adaptation, our objective was to scale each item on the questionnaire, so as to weigh each of these identified events, in terms of severity of stress. This scaling exercise was performed on 200 random participants residing in the four communities of Karachi namely Kharadar, Dhorajee, Gulshan and Garden. For analysis of the scaled tool, exploratory factor analysis was used to inform structuring. Finally, to complete the process of adaption, content and face validity exercises were performed. Content validity by subject expert review and face validity was performed by translation and back translation of the adapted RLCQ. This yielded our final adapted tool. Stressful life events emerging from the qualitative phase of the study reflect daily life stressors arising from the unstable socio-political environment. Some such events were public harassment, robbery/theft, missed life opportunities due to nepotism, extortion and threats, being a victim of state sponsored brutality, lack of electricity, water, sanitation, fuel, destruction due to natural disasters and direct or media based exposure to suicide bombing in the city. Personal or societal based relevant stressors included male child preference, having an unmarried middle aged daughter, lack of empowerment and respect reported by females. The finally adapted RLCQ incorporated "Environmental Stress" as a new category. The processes of qualitative methodology, in depth interview, community based scaling and

Determination of life for a polyimide-epoxy alternator insulation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penn, W. B.; Schaefer, R. F.; Balke, R. L.

1974-01-01

Tests were conducted to predict remaining electrical insulation life of a polyimide epoxy insulated 60 KW, 208 volt homopolar inductor alternator, following completion of 23,130 hours of turbo-alternator endurance tests. The sectioned armature winding of this alternator stator was used as means to evaluate and measure end-life at several aging temperatures for development of an Arrhenius plot. A one-half life rate of 11.3 C was established from these data with a predicted remaining life of 60,000 hours at an armature winding temperature of 248 C and a total life, including endurance test time, of 61,645 hours.

Half-lives of 221Fr, 217At, 213Bi, 213Po and 209Pb from the 225Ac decay series.

PubMed

Suliman, G; Pommé, S; Marouli, M; Van Ammel, R; Stroh, H; Jobbágy, V; Paepen, J; Dirican, A; Bruchertseifer, F; Apostolidis, C; Morgenstern, A

2013-07-01

The half-lives of (221)Fr, (217)At, (213)Bi, (213)Po, and (209)Pb were measured by means of an ion-implanted planar Si detector for alpha and beta particles emitted from weak (225)Ac sources or from recoil sources, which were placed in a quasi-2π counting geometry. Recoil sources were prepared by collecting atoms from an open (225)Ac source onto a glass substrate. The (221)Fr and (213)Bi half-lives were determined by following the alpha particle emission rate of recoil sources as a function of time. Similarly, the (209)Pb half-life was determined from the beta particle count rate. The shorter half-lives of (217)At and (213)Po were deduced from delayed coincidence measurements on weak (225)Ac sources using digital data acquisition in list mode. The resulting values: T1/2((221)Fr)=4.806 (6) min, T1/2((217)At)=32.8 (3)ms, T1/2((213)Bi)=45.62 (6)min, T1/2((213)Po)=3.708 (8) μs, and T1/2((209)Pb)=3.232 (5)h were in agreement only with the best literature data. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring health-related quality of life in drug clinical trials: is it given due importance?

PubMed

Miguel, Ramón San; López-González, Ana María; Sanchez-Iriso, Eduardo; Mar, Javier; Cabasés, Juan M

2008-04-01

Efficacy estimations of drug clinical trials have been based on clinical measurements and survival rates. However, advances in psychometric techniques have allowed to incorporate a new dimension based on quality of life. Questionnaires aimed at measuring patients' health status outlook, now enable us to quantify the loss of quality of life caused by disease and the improvement that can be achieved by pharmacological treatments. The Aim of this study is to make a quantitative evaluation of the use of health related quality of life (HRQL) measures in drug clinical trials. A systematic review was performed, in duplicate, of the five journals with highest contribution to the ACP Journal Club, i.e. New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, The Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine and the British Medical Journal. HRQL measures were evaluated in published articles referring to drug clinical trials. We identified 193 articles that reported the results of clinical trials, of which 28 included QOL measures as secondary end points and two as primary end points: in total, these comprised 16% of the articles analysed. Discussion Without considering the relevance of HRQL measures as a tool in the allocation of resources, it should be included as a health outcome dimension in drug clinical trials. The absence of this evaluation in studies about chronic diseases that affects patients' daily life activities would not be justified. HRQL measures are not used on a regular basis in drug clinical trials that are reported in the relevant literature. Systematic incorporation of QOL measures into clinical trials would make it possible to measure the benefit obtained from drug treatments taking into account the patients' perceptions. Moreover, it would encourage the development of prospective cost-effectiveness studies with patient recorded data in the context of clinical trials. Our findings have a direct impact on practice. Being conscious of the low use of HRQL in clinical trials, it could

Life cycle cost-based risk model for energy performance contracting retrofits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berghorn, George H.

Buildings account for 41% of the primary energy consumption in the United States, nearly half of which is accounted for by commercial buildings. Among the greatest energy users are those in the municipalities, universities, schools, and hospitals (MUSH) market. Correctional facilities are in the upper half of all commercial building types for energy intensity. Public agencies have experienced reduced capital budgets to fund retrofits; this has led to the increased use of energy performance contracts (EPC), which are implemented by energy services companies (ESCOs). These companies guarantee a minimum amount of energy savings resulting from the retrofit activities, which in essence transfers performance risk from the owner to the contractor. Building retrofits in the MUSH market, especially correctional facilities, are well-suited to EPC, yet despite this potential and their high energy intensities, efficiency improvements lag behind that of other public building types. Complexities in project execution, lack of support for data requests and sub-metering, and conflicting project objectives have been cited as reasons for this lag effect. As a result, project-level risks must be understood in order to support wider adoption of retrofits in the public market, in particular the correctional facility sub-market. The goal of this research is to understand risks related to the execution of energy efficiency retrofits delivered via EPC in the MUSH market. To achieve this goal, in-depth analysis and improved understanding was sought with regard to ESCO risks that are unique to EPC in this market. The proposed work contributes to this understanding by developing a life cycle cost-based risk model to improve project decision making with regard to risk control and reduction. The specific objectives of the research are: (1) to perform an exploratory analysis of the EPC retrofit process and identify key areas of performance risk requiring in-depth analysis; (2) to construct a

The choices, choosing model of quality of life: linkages to a science base.

PubMed

Gurland, Barry J; Gurland, Roni V

2009-01-01

A previous paper began with a critical review of current models and measures of quality of life and then proposed criteria for judging the relative merits of alternative models: preference was given to finding a model with explicit mechanisms, linkages to a science base, a means of identifying deficits amenable to rational restorative interventions, and with embedded values of the whole person. A conjectured model, based on the processes of accessing choices and choosing among them, matched the proposed criteria. The choices and choosing (c-c) process is an evolved adaptive mechanism dedicated to the pursuit of quality of life, driven by specific biological and psychological systems, and influenced also by social and environmental forces. In this paper the c-c model is examined for its potential to strengthen the science base for the field of quality of life and thus to unify many approaches to concept and measurement. A third paper in this set will lay out a guide to applying the c-c model in evaluating impairments of quality of life and will tie this evaluation to corresponding interventions aimed at relieving restrictions or distortions of the c-c process; thus helping people to preserve and improve their quality of life. The fourth paper will demonstrate empirical analyses of the relationship between health imposed restrictions of options for living and conventional indicators of diminished quality of life. (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measurement of negativity bias in personal narratives using corpus-based emotion dictionaries.

PubMed

Cohen, Shuki J

2011-04-01

This study presents a novel methodology for the measurement of negativity bias using positive and negative dictionaries of emotion words applied to autobiographical narratives. At odds with the cognitive theory of mood dysregulation, previous text-analytical studies have failed to find significant correlation between emotion dictionaries and negative affectivity or dysphoria. In the present study, an a priori list dictionary of emotion words was refined based on the actual use of these words in personal narratives collected from close to 500 college students. Half of the corpus was used to construct, via concordance analysis, the grammatical structures associated with the words in their emotional sense. The second half of the corpus served as a validation corpus. The resulting dictionary ignores words that are not used in their intended emotional sense, including negated emotions, homophones, frozen idioms etc. Correlations of the resulting corpus-based negative and positive emotion dictionaries with self-report measures of negative affectivity were in the expected direction, and were statistically significant, with medium effect size. The potential use of these dictionaries as implicit measures of negativity bias and in the analysis of psychotherapy transcripts is discussed.

Measuring quality of life in cleft lip and palate patients: currently available patient-reported outcomes measures.

PubMed

Eckstein, Donna A; Wu, Rebecca L; Akinbiyi, Takintope; Silver, Lester; Taub, Peter J

2011-11-01

Patient-reported outcomes in cleft lip and palate treatment are critical for patient care. Traditional surgical outcomes focused on objective measures, such as photographs, anatomic measurements, morbidity, and mortality. Although these remain important, they leave many questions unanswered. Surveys that include aesthetics, speech, functionality, self-image, and quality of life provide more thorough outcomes assessment. It is vital that reliable, valid, and comprehensive questionnaires are available to craniofacial surgeons. The authors performed a literature review to identify questionnaires validated in cleft lip and palate patients. Qualifying instruments were assessed for adherence to guidelines for development and validation by the scientific advisory committee and for content. The authors identified 44 measures used in cleft lip and palate studies. After 15 ad hoc questionnaires, eight generic instruments, 11 psychiatric instruments, and one non-English language questionnaire were excluded, nine measures remained. Of these, four were never validated in the cleft population. Analysis revealed one craniofacial-specific measure (Youth Quality of Life-Facial Differences), two voice-related measures (Patient Voice-Related Quality of Life and Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented), and two oral health-related measures (Child Oral Health Impact Profile and Child Oral Health Quality of Life). The Youth Quality of Life-Facial Differences, Child Oral Health Impact Profile, and Child Oral Health Quality of Life questionnaires were sufficiently validated. None was created specifically for clefts, resulting in content limitations. There is a lack of comprehensive, valid, and reliable questionnaires for cleft lip and palate surgery. For thorough assessment of satisfaction, further research to develop and validate cleft lip and palate surgery-specific instruments is needed.

Measuring the quality of life of people at the end of life: The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised.

PubMed

Cohen, S Robin; Sawatzky, Richard; Russell, Lara B; Shahidi, Javad; Heyland, Daren K; Gadermann, Anne M

2017-02-01

The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire has been widely used with people with life-threatening illnesses without modification since its publication in 1996. With use, areas for improvement have emerged; therefore, various minor modifications were tested over time. To revise the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised) while maintaining or improving its psychometric properties and length, keeping it as close as possible to the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire to enable reasonable comparison with existing McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire literature. Data sets from eight studies were used (four studies originally used to develop the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire, two to develop new McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire versions, and two with unrelated purposes). The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised was developed using analyses of measurement invariance, confirmatory factor analysis, and calculation of correlations with the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire's global quality of life item. Data were from 1702 people with life-threatening illnesses recruited from acute and palliative care units, palliative home care services, and oncology and HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised consists of 14 items (plus the global quality of life item). A new Physical subscale was created combining physical symptoms and physical well-being and a new item on physical functioning. The Existential subscale was reduced to four items. The revised Support subscale, renamed Social, focuses more on relationships. The Psychological subscale remains unchanged. Confirmatory factor analysis results provide support for the measurement structure of the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised. The overall scale has good internal consistency reliability ( α = 0.94). The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised improves on and can replace the McGill Quality of Life

Measuring the effect of an astrobiology course on student optimism regarding extraterrestrial life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, David L.

2017-07-01

Students in an introductory undergraduate Astrobiology course were given a pre/post-test based on the Drake Equation in an attempt to measure changes in their perceptions regarding the prevalence of life in the Galaxy after taking the course. The results indicated that, after taking the course, the students were considerably more optimistic, by a 2 to 1 margin or more, about the prospect of habitable planets, the origin of life, and the evolution of intelligence in other planetary systems. The results suggest that, while it may not be the explicit goal of an astrobiology course to change student beliefs about the abundance or rarity of extraterrestrial life, such changes in opinion can and do occur.

Magnetization reversal assisted by half antivortex states in nanostructured circular cobalt disks

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

Lara, A.; Aliev, F. G., E-mail: farkhad.aliev@uam.es; Dobrovolskiy, O. V.

2014-11-03

The half antivortex, a fundamental topological structure which determines magnetization reversal of submicron magnetic devices with domain walls, has been suggested also to play a crucial role in spin torque induced vortex core reversal in circular disks. Here, we report on magnetization reversal in circular disks with nanoholes through consecutive metastable states with half antivortices. In-plane anisotropic magnetoresistance and broadband susceptibility measurements accompanied by micromagnetic simulations reveal that cobalt (Co) disks with two and three linearly arranged nanoholes directed at 45° and 135° with respect to the external magnetic field show reproducible step-like changes in the anisotropic magnetoresistance and magneticmore » permeability due to transitions between different intermediate states mediated by vortices and half antivortices confined to the dot nanoholes and edges, respectively. Our findings are relevant for the development of multi-hole based spintronic and magnetic memory devices.« less

Where we used to live: validating retrospective measures of childhood neighborhood context for life course epidemiologic studies.

PubMed

Osypuk, Theresa L; Kehm, Rebecca; Misra, Dawn P

2015-01-01

Early life exposures influence numerous social determinants of health, as distal causes or confounders of later health outcomes. Although a growing literature is documenting how early life socioeconomic position affects later life health, few epidemiologic studies have tested measures for operationalizing early life neighborhood context, or examined their effects on later life health. In the Life-course Influences on Fetal Environments (LIFE) Study, a retrospective cohort study among Black women in Southfield, Michigan (71% response rate), we tested the validity and reliability of retrospectively-reported survey-based subjective measures of early life neighborhood context(N=693). We compared 3 subjective childhood neighborhood measures (disorder, informal social control, victimization), with 3 objective childhood neighborhood measures derived from 4 decades of historical census tract data 1970-2000, linked through geocoded residential histories (tract % poverty, tract % black, tract deprivation score derived from principal components analysis), as well as with 2 subjective neighborhood measures in adulthood. Our results documented that internal consistency reliability was high for the subjective childhood neighborhood scales (Cronbach's α =0.89, 0.93). Comparison of subjective with objective childhood neighborhood measures found moderate associations in hypothesized directions. Associations with objective variables were strongest for neighborhood disorder (rhos=.40), as opposed to with social control or victimization. Associations between subjective neighborhood context in childhood versus adulthood were moderate and stronger for residentially-stable populations. We lastly formally tested for, but found little evidence of, recall bias of the retrospective subjective reports of childhood context. These results provide evidence that retrospective reports of subjective neighborhood context may be a cost-effective, valid, and reliable method to operationalize early

A Field-Based Aquatic Life Benchmark for Conductivity in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA announced the availability of the final report, A Field-Based Aquatic Life Benchmark for Conductivity in Central Appalachian Streams. This report describes a method to characterize the relationship between the extirpation (the effective extinction) of invertebrate genera and salinity (measured as conductivity) and from that relationship derives a freshwater aquatic life benchmark. This benchmark of 300 µS/cm may be applied to waters in Appalachian streams that are dominated by calcium and magnesium salts of sulfate and bicarbonate at circum-neutral to mildly alkaline pH. This report provides scientific evidence for a conductivity benchmark in a specific region rather than for the entire United States.

“What makes life good?” Developing a culturally grounded quality of life measure for Alaska Native college students

PubMed Central

Sharma, Dinghy Kristine B.; Lopez, Ellen D. S.; Mekiana, Deborah; Ctibor, Alaina; Church, Charlene

2013-01-01

Background Alaska Native (AN) college students experience higher attrition rates than their non-Native peers. Understanding the factors that contribute to quality of life (“what makes life good”) for AN students will help inform supportive programs that are congruent with their culture and college life experiences. Objectives Co-develop a conceptual model and a measure of quality of life (QOL) that reflects the experiences of AN college students. Methods Six focus groups were conducted with 26 AN college students. Within a community–academic partnership, interactive data collection activities, co-analysis workgroup sessions and an interactive findings forum ensured a participant-driven research process. Findings Students identified and operationally defined eight QOL domains (values, culture and traditions, spirituality, relationships, basic needs, health, learning and leisure). The metaphor of a tree visually illustrates how the domains values, culture and traditions and spirituality form the roots to the other domains that appear to branch out as students navigate the dual worldviews of Native and Western ways of living. Conclusions The eight QOL domains and their items identified during focus groups were integrated into a visual model and an objective QOL measure. The hope is to provide a useful tool for developing and evaluating university-based programs and services aimed toward promoting a positive QOL and academic success for AN students. PMID:23984302

Research on Chinese Life Cycle-Based Wind Power Plant Environmental Influence Prevention Measures

PubMed Central

Wang, Hanxi; Xu, Jianling; Liu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Tian

2014-01-01

The environmental impact of wind power plants over their life cycle is divided into three stages: construction period, operation period and retired period. The impact is mainly reflected in ecological destruction, noise pollution, water pollution and the effect on bird migration. In response to these environmental effects, suggesting reasonable locations, reducing plant footprint, optimizing construction programs, shielding noise, preventing pollution of terrestrial ecosystems, implementing combined optical and acoustical early warning signals, making synthesized use of power generation equipment in the post-retired period and using other specific measures, including methods involving governance and protection efforts to reduce environmental pollution, can be performed to achieve sustainable development. PMID:25153474

Research on Chinese life cycle-based wind power plant environmental influence prevention measures.

PubMed

Wang, Hanxi; Xu, Jianling; Liu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Tian

2014-08-19

The environmental impact of wind power plants over their life cycle is divided into three stages: construction period, operation period and retired period. The impact is mainly reflected in ecological destruction, noise pollution, water pollution and the effect on bird migration. In response to these environmental effects, suggesting reasonable locations, reducing plant footprint, optimizing construction programs, shielding noise, preventing pollution of terrestrial ecosystems, implementing combined optical and acoustical early warning signals, making synthesized use of power generation equipment in the post-retired period and using other specific measures, including methods involving governance and protection efforts to reduce environmental pollution, can be performed to achieve sustainable development.

Intelligibility in microbial complex systems: Wittgenstein and the score of life.

PubMed

Baquero, Fernando; Moya, Andrés

2012-01-01

Knowledge in microbiology is reaching an extreme level of diversification and complexity, which paradoxically results in a strong reduction in the intelligibility of microbial life. In our days, the "score of life" metaphor is more accurate to express the complexity of living systems than the classic "book of life." Music and life can be represented at lower hierarchical levels by music scores and genomic sequences, and such representations have a generational influence in the reproduction of music and life. If music can be considered as a representation of life, such representation remains as unthinkable as life itself. The analysis of scores and genomic sequences might provide mechanistic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary insights into music and life, but not about their real dynamics and nature, which is still maintained unthinkable, as was proposed by Wittgenstein. As complex systems, life or music is composed by thinkable and only showable parts, and a strategy of half-thinking, half-seeing is needed to expand knowledge. Complex models for complex systems, based on experiences on trans-hierarchical integrations, should be developed in order to provide a mixture of legibility and imageability of biological processes, which should lead to higher levels of intelligibility of microbial life.

Trends In Rhode Island Forests: A Half-Century of Change

Treesearch

Northeastern Research Station and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Forest Environment

2002-01-01

Forests provide watershed protection, settings for recreation, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, wood and other products, and much more. Forests contribute to the quality of life of each Rhode Island resident making the State a better place in which to live. Some of the significant trends that have occurred in Rhode Island's forests over the last half century are...

Relationship among aqueous copper half-lives and responses of Pimephales promelas to a series of copper sulfate pentahydrate concentrations.

PubMed

Calomeni, Alyssa J; Kinley, Ciera M; Geer, Tyler D; Iwinski, Kyla J; Hendrikse, Maas; Rodgers, John H

2018-04-01

Copper algaecide exposures in situ are often of shorter duration than exposures for static toxicity experiments because aqueous concentrations in situ dissipate as a function of site-specific fate processes. Consequently, responses of organisms to static copper exposures may overestimate effects following in situ exposures. To understand the role of exposure duration for altering responses, Pimephales promelas survival was compared following static (96 h) and pulse (1.5, 4, 8, and 15 h half-lives) exposures of CuSO 4 •5H 2 O. Copper concentrations sorbed by fry indicated a consequence of different exposures. Responses of P. promelas to static exposures resulted in 96 h LC 50 s of 166 µgCu/L (95% confidence interval [CI], 142-189 µgCu/L) as soluble copper and 162 µgCu/L (CI, 140-183 µgCu/L) as acid soluble copper. Relative to static 96 h LC 50 s, exposures with half-lives of 1.5, 4 and 8 h resulted in LC 50 s 10, 3 and 2 times greater, respectively, for responses measured 96 h after exposure initiation. Copper concentrations extracted from fry exposed for 1.5, 4 and 8 h half-lives were less than the static experiment. However, copper sorbed by fry in the 15 h half-life experiment was not different than the static experiment. The relationship between 96 h LC 50 and 1/half-life was expressed using the equations y = 116 + 1360 × (R 2  = 0.97) for soluble copper and y = 147 + 1620 × (R 2  = 0.98) for acid soluble copper. Incorporation of exposure duration for predictions of P. promelas responses to copper pulse exposures increases prediction accuracy by an order of magnitude.

High performance p-type half-Heusler thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Junjie; Xia, Kaiyang; Zhao, Xinbing; Zhu, Tiejun

2018-03-01

Half-Heusler compounds, which possess robust mechanical strength, good high temperature thermal stability and multifaceted physical properties, have been verified as a class of promising thermoelectric materials. During the last two decades, great progress has been made in half-Heusler thermoelectrics. In this review, we summarize some representative work of p-type half-Heusler materials, the thermoelectric performance of which has been remarkably enhanced in recent years. We introduce the features of the crystal and electronic structures of half-Heusler compounds, and successful strategies for optimizing electrical and thermal transport in the p-type RFeSb (R  =  V, Nb, Ta) and MCoSb (M  =  Ti, Zr, Hf) based systems, including band engineering, the formation of solid solutions and hierarchical phonon scattering. The outlook for future research directions of half-Heusler thermoelectrics is also presented.

Studies of a urinary biomarker of dietary inorganic sulphur in subjects on diets containing 1-38 mmol sulphur/day and of the half-life of ingested 34SO4(2-).

PubMed

Curno, R; Magee, E A; Edmond, L M; Cummings, J H

2008-09-01

Sulphites are widely used food additives that may damage health, hence limits are set on their use. They are excreted in urine as sulphate, along with sulphate derived from sulphur amino acids. Dietary intakes of sulphites are hard to determine, so we have tested the utility of urinary nitrogen:sulphate ratio as a biomarker of inorganic sulphur (IS) intake. Additionally we determined the half-life of ingested (34)SO(4)(2-) from its urinary excretion. Twenty healthy adult subjects were recruited by poster advertisement, for a 24-h study where they ate specified foods, which were high in IS, in addition to their normal diet. The half-life of ingested (34)SO(4)(2-) was assessed in five healthy volunteers, given 5.9 mmols of Na(2)(34)SO(4) as a single dose and collecting all urine specimens for 72-96 h. Urine and duplicate diets from three previously conducted studies were analysed for nitrogen and sulphate content, thus expanding the range of IS intakes for evaluation. Duplicate diets were analysed for IS content by ion exchange chromatography, while IS intake was predicted from urinary sulphate (g/day S)-(urinary nitrogen (g/day)/18.89). (32)S:(34)S ratios were determined by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. The range of IS intake was 1.3-37.5 mmol S/day. Actual and predicted IS intakes were mmol/day+/-s.e. 9.2+/-0.65 and 7.0+/-0.45, respectively, and were correlated r=0.60 (n=108). The mean half-life of ingested (34)SO(4)(2-) was 8.2 h. From a 24-h urine collection, IS intake from the habitual diet can be determined for groups of individuals. To predict individual intakes of IS, which may include high sporadic amounts from beer and wine, at least 48 h of urine collection would be required.

From Theory to Practice: Measuring end-of-life communication quality using multiple goals theory.

PubMed

Van Scoy, L J; Scott, A M; Reading, J M; Chuang, C H; Chinchilli, V M; Levi, B H; Green, M J

2017-05-01

To describe how multiple goals theory can be used as a reliable and valid measure (i.e., coding scheme) of the quality of conversations about end-of-life issues. We analyzed conversations from 17 conversations in which 68 participants (mean age=51years) played a game that prompted discussion in response to open-ended questions about end-of-life issues. Conversations (mean duration=91min) were audio-recorded and transcribed. Communication quality was assessed by three coders who assigned numeric scores rating how well individuals accomplished task, relational, and identity goals in the conversation. The coding measure, which results in a quantifiable outcome, yielded strong reliability (intra-class correlation range=0.73-0.89 and Cronbach's alpha range=0.69-0.89 for each of the coded domains) and validity (using multilevel nonlinear modeling, we detected significant variability in scores between games for each of the coded domains, all p-values <0.02). Our coding scheme provides a theory-based measure of end-of-life conversation quality that is superior to other methods of measuring communication quality. Our description of the coding method enables researches to adapt and apply this measure to communication interventions in other clinical contexts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a clinical prediction model to calculate patient life expectancy: the measure of actuarial life expectancy (MALE).

PubMed

Clarke, M G; Kennedy, K P; MacDonagh, R P

2009-01-01

To develop a clinical prediction model enabling the calculation of an individual patient's life expectancy (LE) and survival probability based on age, sex, and comorbidity for use in the joint decision-making process regarding medical treatment. A computer software program was developed with a team of 3 clinicians, 2 professional actuaries, and 2 professional computer programmers. This incorporated statistical spreadsheet and database access design methods. Data sources included life insurance industry actuarial rating factor tables (public and private domain), Government Actuary Department UK life tables, professional actuarial sources, and evidence-based medical literature. The main outcome measures were numerical and graphical display of comorbidity-adjusted LE; 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival probability; in addition to generic UK population LE. Nineteen medical conditions, which impacted significantly on LE in actuarial terms and were commonly encountered in clinical practice, were incorporated in the final model. Numerical and graphical representations of statistical predictions of LE and survival probability were successfully generated for patients with either no comorbidity or a combination of the 19 medical conditions included. Validation and testing, including actuarial peer review, confirmed consistency with the data sources utilized. The evidence-based actuarial data utilized in this computer program design represent a valuable resource for use in the clinical decision-making process, where an accurate objective assessment of patient LE can so often make the difference between patients being offered or denied medical and surgical treatment. Ongoing development to incorporate additional comorbidities and enable Web-based access will enhance its use further.

Psychosocial correlates of unintentional weight loss in the second half of life in the German general population

PubMed Central

König, Hans-Helmut

2017-01-01

Background Unintentional weight loss (UWL) is common in older age and associated with adverse outcomes including mortality. The aim of the present study was to determine psychosocial correlates of UWL. Methods Data were derived from a large, nationally representative study of community-dwelling individuals in the second half of life (40 years and over) in Germany in 2014 (n = 7,933). Data on UWL were assessed in face-to-face interviews as unintentional loss of more than 5kg (11 pounds) in weight in the past 12 months, and data on psychosocial factors were recorded in self-administered questionnaires. Results Multiple logistic regressions revealed that UWL was positively associated with depressive symptoms and positive affect, whereas it was negatively associated with self-esteem. Individuals with UWL were more likely to feel lonely and perceive themselves as socially excluded. Conclusion The findings of important psychosocial correlates of UWL may help to identify individuals at risk for UWL in older age. This is in particular important since interventions to treat this phenomenon in older age are available that reduce adverse consequences resulting from UWL. PMID:28968437

Half-lives and branchings for {beta}-delayed neutron emission for neutron-rich Co-Cu isotopes in the r-process

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

Hosmer, P.; Estrade, A.; Montes, F.

The {beta} decays of very neutron-rich nuclides in the Co-Zn region were studied experimentally at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory using the NSCL {beta}-counting station in conjunction with the neutron detector NERO. We measured the branchings for {beta}-delayed neutron emission (P{sub n} values) for {sup 74}Co (18{+-}15%) and {sup 75-77}Ni (10{+-}2.8%, 14{+-}3.6%, and 30{+-}24%, respectively) for the first time, and remeasured the P{sub n} values of {sup 77-79}Cu, {sup 79,81}Zn, and {sup 82}Ga. For {sup 77-79}Cu and for {sup 81}Zn we obtain significantly larger P{sub n} values compared to previous work. While the new half-lives for the Ni isotopes frommore » this experiment had been reported before, we present here in addition the first half-life measurements of {sup 75}Co (30{+-}11 ms) and {sup 80}Cu (170{sub -50}{sup +110} ms). Our results are compared with theoretical predictions, and their impact on various types of models for the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) is explored. We find that with our new data, the classical r-process model is better able to reproduce the A=78-80 abundance pattern inferred from the solar abundances. The new data also influence r-process models based on the neutrino-driven high-entropy winds in core collapse supernovae.« less

Differences in the half-lives of some mitochondrial rat liver enzymes may derive partially from hepatocyte heterogeneity.

PubMed

Vargas, J L; Roche, E; Knecht, E; Grisolía, S

1987-11-16

The different turnover rates of rat liver mitochondrial enzymes make autophagy unlikely to be the main mechanism for degradation of mitochondria. Although alternatives have been presented, hepatocyte heterogeneity has not been considered. Lighter hepatocytes isolated in a discontinuous Percoll gradient contain more glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) (half-life 1 day) and a more active autophagic system than heavier hepatocytes. The latter contain more carbamoyl phosphate synthase (CPS) and ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OTC) (half-lives 8 days) but less lysosomal activity. As expected, isolated autophagic vacuoles contain, relative to the mitochondrial content, 3-times less OTC and CPS than GDH, probably reflecting a faster lysosomal engulfment of mitochondria in the light hepatocytes (which contain more GDH). These data may explain some of the half-life differences of the enzymes studied.

Self-Organized Defects of Half-Metallic Nanowires in MgO-Based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seike, Masayoshi; Fukushima, Tetsuya; Sato, Kazunori; Katayama-Yoshida, Hiroshi

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the possibility of self-organization of defects and defect-induced properties in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). Using the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE06) hybrid functional, first-principles calculations were performed to estimate the electronic structures and total energies of MgO with various defects. From our thorough evaluation of the calculated results and previously reported experimental data, we propose that self-organized half-metallic nanowires of magnesium vacancies can be formed in MgO-based MTJs. This self-organization may provide the foundation for a comprehensive understanding of the conductivity, tunnel barriers and quantum oscillations of MgO-based MTJs. Further experimental verification is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Effects of duty hour restrictions on core competencies, education, quality of life, and burnout among general surgery interns.

PubMed

Antiel, Ryan M; Reed, Darcy A; Van Arendonk, Kyle J; Wightman, Sean C; Hall, Daniel E; Porterfield, John R; Horvath, Karen D; Terhune, Kyla P; Tarpley, John L; Farley, David R

2013-05-01

To measure the implications of the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour regulations for education, well-being, and burnout. Longitudinal study. Eleven university-based general surgery residency programs from July 2011 to May 2012. Two hundred thirteen surgical interns. Perceptions of the impact of the new duty hours on various aspects of surgical training, including the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies, were measured on 3-point scales. Quality of life, burnout, balance between personal and professional life, and career satisfaction were measured using validated instruments. Half of all interns felt that the duty hour changes have decreased the coordination of patient care (53%), their ability to achieve continuity with hospitalized patients (70%), and their time spent in the operating room (57%). Less than half (44%) of interns believed that the new standards have decreased resident fatigue. In longitudinal analysis, residents' beliefs had significantly changed in 2 categories: less likely to believe that practice-based learning and improvement had improved and more likely to report no change to resident fatigue (P < .01, χ2 tests). The majority (82%) of residents reported a neutral or good overall quality of life. Compared with the normal US population, 50 interns (32%) were 0.5 SD less than the mean on the 8-item Short Form Health Survey mental quality of life score. Approximately one-third of interns demonstrated weekly symptoms of emotional exhaustion (28%) or depersonalization (28%) or reported that their personal-professional balance was either "very poor" or "not great" (32%). Although many interns (67%) reported that they daily or weekly reflect on their satisfaction from being a surgeon, 1 in 7 considered giving up their career as a surgeon on at least a weekly basis. The first cohort of surgical interns to train under the new regulations report decreased continuity with patients

A Measure of Maintenance Training/Qualification Readiness and Its Impact on Billet Life Cycle Coast.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

MAINTENANCE READINESS ESTIMATION---------------- 24 A. AVIATION TRAINING SUPPORT SYSTEM ---- 25 B. MAINTENANCE MATRIX UTILIZATION-------------- 27 C...nonexistent follow-on training programs. CRef. 13 The operation and maintenance o systems account for a major portion of system life cycle cost. Studies of... systems annual support costs show that manpower consistently consuwme over half of the funds appropriated for operation and maintenance of the system £Ref

Health-related quality of life measurement in oncology: advances and opportunities.

PubMed

Cella, David; Stone, Arthur A

2015-01-01

The concept of health-related quality of life has a long history in the field of oncology treatment and research. We present a brief history of how the concept has evolved in oncology and the sentinel events in that process. We then focus on advances in measurement science as applied to health-related quality of life measures and argue that a compelling new set of measurement tools is now available, including brief, generic measures with good psychometric qualities (exemplified by the new PROMIS measures and the possibility of a common metric spanning all diseases). The last section of the paper turns to emerging opportunities for these measures, including in clinical trials, healthcare reform, and regulatory deliberations. Our conclusion is that health-related quality of life is more important today than it has ever been, and that the time has come for an even wider adoption of the new measures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Patient-Reported Outcomes for Quality of Life Assessment in Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.

PubMed

Kotecha, Dipak; Ahmed, Amar; Calvert, Melanie; Lencioni, Mauro; Terwee, Caroline B; Lane, Deirdre A

2016-01-01

Atrial fibrillation is a large and growing burden across all types of healthcare. Both incidence and prevalence are expected to double in the next 20 years, with huge impact on hospital admissions, costs and patient quality of life. Patient wellbeing determines the management strategy for atrial fibrillation, including the use of rhythm control therapy and the clinical success of heart rate control. Hence, evaluation of quality of life is an emerging and important part of the assessment of patients with atrial fibrillation. Although a number of questionnaires to assess quality of life in atrial fibrillation are available, a comprehensive overview of their measurement properties is lacking. We performed a systematic review of the measurement properties of atrial fibrillation-specific health-related quality of life questionnaires. Methodological quality was assessed using the Consensus based Standards for selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist, with measurement properties rated for quality against optimal criteria and levels of evidence. We screened 2,216 articles, of which eight articles describing five questionnaires were eligible for inclusion: Atrial Fibrillation 6 (AF6), Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT), Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life Questionnaire (AFQLQ), Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life (AFQoL), and Quality of Life in Atrial Fibrillation (QLAF). Good reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability) was demonstrated for AF6, AFEQT, AFQLQ and AFQoL. Content, construct and criterion validity were positively rated only in AFEQT. Responsiveness was positively rated only in AFEQT, but with limited evidence. Overall, AFEQT showed strong positive evidence for 2 of 9 measurement properties, compared to one for AFQoL and none for the remaining questionnaires. Given the low ratings for many measurement properties, no single questionnaire can be recommended, although AFEQT performed strongest. Further

Compilation of selected marine radioecological data for the US Subseabed Program: Summaries of available radioecological concentration factors and biological half-lives

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

Gomez, L.S.; Marietta, M.G.; Jackson, D.W.

1987-04-01

The US Subseabed Disposal Program has compiled an extensive concentration factor and biological half-life data base from the international marine radioecological literature. A microcomputer-based data management system has been implemented to provide statistical and graphic summaries of these data. The data base is constructed in a manner which allows subsets to be sorted using a number of interstudy variables such as organism category, tissue/organ category, geographic location (for in situ studies), and several laboratory-related conditions (e.g., exposure time and exposure concentration). This report updates earlier reviews and provides summaries of the tabulated data. In addition to the concentration factor/biological half-lifemore » data base, we provide an outline of other published marine radioecological works. Our goal is to present these data in a form that enables those concerned with predictive assessment of radiation dose in the marine environment to make a more judicious selection of data for a given application. 555 refs., 19 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Technostress: measuring a new threat to well-being in later life.

PubMed

Nimrod, Galit

2017-05-31

Technostress is stress induced by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use. Research on the topic has focused primarily on the workforce and tended to overlook senior citizens. This study presents the development of a new scale, which was designed to measure technostress specifically among older adults. The scale explores five constructs: overload, invasion, complexity, privacy and inclusion. The initial 20-item measure was tested in a pilot study and then included in an online survey of 537 Internet users aged 60 years and over. Based on the statistical analysis, the scale was reduced to 14 items. The constructs had good internal homogeneity, significant inter-construct correlations and high loadings on a single latent factor. The scores were well distributed along the range. Concurrent validity was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale. A significant negative association was found between the two scales - a correlation that remained significant even after controlling for background variables. The new scale is useful for measuring technostress in older people, and technostress ought to be considered a particular threat to well-being in later life. Future research should explore its antecedents and consequences and identify interventions useful in alleviating its harmful effect on older ICT users.

Life review based on remembering specific positive events in active aging.

PubMed

Latorre, José M; Serrano, Juan P; Ricarte, Jorge; Bonete, Beatriz; Ros, Laura; Sitges, Esther

2015-02-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of life review (LR) based on specific positive events in non-depressed older adults taking part in an active aging program. Fifty-five older adults were randomly assigned to an experimental group or an active control (AC) group. A six-session individual training of LR based on specific positive events was carried out with the experimental group. The AC group undertook a "media workshop" of six sessions focused on learning journalistic techniques. Pre-test and post-test measures included life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, experiencing the environment as rewarding, and autobiographical memory (AM) scales. LR intervention decreased depressive symptomatology, improved life satisfaction, and increased specific memories. The findings suggest that practice in AM for specific events is an effective component of LR that could be a useful tool in enhancing emotional well-being in active aging programs, thus reducing depressive symptoms. © The Author(s) 2014.

Logic gates based all-optical binary half adder using triple core photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uthayakumar, T.; Vasantha Jayakantha Raja, R.

2018-06-01

This study presents the implementation of an all-optical binary logic half adder by employing a triple core photonic crystal fiber (TPCF). The noteworthy feature of the present investigation is that an identical set of TPCF schemes, which demonstrated all-optical logic functions in our previous report, has revealed the ability to demonstrate the successful half adder operation. The control signal (CS) power defining the extinction ratios of the output ports for the considered symmetric planar and triangular TPCFs is evaluated through a numerical algorithm. Through suitable CS power and input combinations, the logic outputs are generated from extinction ratios to demonstrate the half adder operation. The results obtained display the significant influence of the input conditions on the delivery of half adder operation for different TPCF schemes considered. Furthermore, chloroform filled TPCF structures demonstrated the efficient low power half adder operation with a significant figure of merit, compared to that of the silica counterpart.

From "Work-Family" to "Work-Life": Broadening Our Conceptualization and Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeney, Jessica; Boyd, Elizabeth M.; Sinha, Ruchi; Westring, Alyssa F.; Ryan, Ann Marie

2013-01-01

Despite frequent reference to "work-life" issues in the organizational literature, little theoretical or empirical attention has been paid to nonwork areas beyond family. The purpose of the research described here is to move beyond work-family conflict to a broader conceptualization and measurement of work interference with life. A measure of work…

{beta}-decay half-lives of new neutron-rich rare-earth isotopes {sup 159}Pm,{sup 162}Sm, and {sup 166}Gd

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

Ichikawa, S.; Asai, M.; Tsukada, K.

The new neutron-rich rare-earth isotopes {sup 159}Pm, {sup 162}Sm, and {sup 166}Gd produced in the proton-induced fission of {sup 238}U were identified using the JAERI on-line isotope separator (JAERI-ISOL) coupled to a gas-jet transport system. The half-lives of {sup 159}Pm, {sup 162}Sm, and {sup 166}Gd were determined to be 1.5 {+-} 0.2, 2.4 {+-} 0.5, and 4.8 {+-} 1.0 s respectively. The partial decay scheme of {sup 166}Gd was constructed from {gamma}{gamma}-coincidence data. A more accurate half-life value of 25.6 {+-} 2.2 s was obtained for the previously identified isotope {sup 166}Tb. The half-lives measured in the present study aremore » in good agreement with the theoretical predictions calculated by the second generation of the gross theory with the atomic masses evaluated by Audi and Wapstra.« less

Positive serum specific IgE has a short half-life in patients with penicillin allergy and reversal does not always indicate tolerance.

PubMed

Hjortlund, Janni; Mortz, Charlotte Gotthard; Stage, Tore Bjerregaard; Skov, Per Stahl; Dahl, Ronald; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten

2014-01-01

The positive and negative predictive values of specific IgE to penicillins are not well established for penicillin hypersensitivity. One reason may be that serum IgE levels to penicillin diminish over time. The objective in this study was to investigate variations in serum half-life (T½) for specific IgE to penicillins (s-IgE) and to evaluate the outcome of penicillin challenges in patients with previous but not present specific IgE to penicillins. Two subgroups were investigated. All included patients had a history of penicillin allergy with reported symptoms such as urticaria/angioedema or unclassified cutaneous rash. T½ of specific IgE to penicillins was calculated based on sera from 29 patients with repeated measurements of s-IgE. Twenty-two patients with a previous positive s-IgE was followed and challenged with penicillin when IgE had become negative. The T½ for s-IgE varied between the 26 patients with decreasing s-IgE from 1.6 months to 76.4 months and 52% had a T½ of less than a year. The three patients with stable and increasing IgE-values showed T½ approaching infinity A total of 29 challenges with β-lactams were performed. Four different patterns were seen when evaluating the clinical reaction to challenge (positive/negative) and post-challenge boost of s-IgE (yes/no). Eight (36.4%) had negative challenge and negative post-challenge s-IgE, eight (36.4%) negative challenge, but positive post-challenge s-IgE levels. 3 (13.6%) had positive challenge and positive post-challenge s-IgE whereas 3 (13.6%) were challenge positive, but had negative post-challenge s-IgE. Specific IgE to penicillins declines over time stressing the importance of a close time relation between diagnostic work-up and clinical reaction. Reversal of previously positive s-IgE may still be associated with positive penicillin challenges and/or re-boostering of s-IgE to positivity.

Intelligibility in microbial complex systems: Wittgenstein and the score of life

PubMed Central

Baquero, Fernando; Moya, Andrés

2012-01-01

Knowledge in microbiology is reaching an extreme level of diversification and complexity, which paradoxically results in a strong reduction in the intelligibility of microbial life. In our days, the “score of life” metaphor is more accurate to express the complexity of living systems than the classic “book of life.” Music and life can be represented at lower hierarchical levels by music scores and genomic sequences, and such representations have a generational influence in the reproduction of music and life. If music can be considered as a representation of life, such representation remains as unthinkable as life itself. The analysis of scores and genomic sequences might provide mechanistic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary insights into music and life, but not about their real dynamics and nature, which is still maintained unthinkable, as was proposed by Wittgenstein. As complex systems, life or music is composed by thinkable and only showable parts, and a strategy of half-thinking, half-seeing is needed to expand knowledge. Complex models for complex systems, based on experiences on trans-hierarchical integrations, should be developed in order to provide a mixture of legibility and imageability of biological processes, which should lead to higher levels of intelligibility of microbial life. PMID:22919679

Perceptions of Life Changes: An Alternate Measure of Aging through Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suggs, Patricia K.; Kivett, Vira R.

Retrospective strategies measuring perceived life changes over time can further the advancement of life span developmental research. Researchers have neglected the individual's perception of his/her life changes over time. This study attempts to determine discriminators of change over time as operationalized by perceptions of change. Subjects…

A computer-based measure of resultant achievement motivation.

PubMed

Blankenship, V

1987-08-01

Three experiments were conducted to develop a computer-based measure of individual differences in resultant achievement motivation (RAM) on the basis of level-of-aspiration, achievement motivation, and dynamics-of-action theories. In Experiment 1, the number of atypical shifts and greater responsiveness to incentives on 21 trials with choices among easy, intermediate, and difficult levels of an achievement-oriented game were positively correlated and were found to differentiate the 62 subjects (31 men, 31 women) on the amount of time they spent at a nonachievement task (watching a color design) 1 week later. In Experiment 2, test-retest reliability was established with the use of 67 subjects (15 men, 52 women). Point and no-point trials were offered in blocks, with point trials first for half the subjects and no-point trials first for the other half. Reliability was higher for the atypical-shift measure than for the incentive-responsiveness measure and was higher when points were offered first. In Experiment 3, computer anxiety was manipulated by creating a simulated computer breakdown in the experimental condition. Fifty-nine subjects (13 men, 46 women) were randomly assigned to the experimental condition or to one of two control conditions (an interruption condition and a no-interruption condition). Subjects with low RAM, as demonstrated by a low number of typical shifts, took longer to choose the achievement-oriented task, as predicted by the dynamics-of-action theory. The difference was evident in all conditions and most striking in the computer-breakdown condition. A change of focus from atypical to typical shifts is discussed.

From clinically relevant outcome measures to quality of life in epilepsy: A time trade-off study.

PubMed

de Kinderen, Reina J A; Wijnen, Ben F M; van Breukelen, Gerard; Postulart, Debby; Majoie, Marian H J M; Aldenkamp, Albert P; Evers, Silvia M A A

2016-09-01

A proposed method for bridging the gap between clinically relevant epilepsy outcome measures and quality-adjusted life years is to derive utility scores for epilepsy health states. The aim of this study is to develop such a utility-function and to investigate the impact of the epilepsy outcome measures on utility. Health states, based on clinically important epilepsy attributes (e.g. seizure frequency, seizure severity, side-effects), were valued by a sample of the Dutch population (N=525) based on the time trade-off method. In addition to standard demographics, every participant was asked to rate 10 or 11 different health state scenarios. A multilevel regression analysis was performed to account for the nested structure of the data. Results show that the best health state (no seizures and no side-effects) is estimated at 0.89 and the worst state (seizures type 5 twice a day plus severe side-effects) at 0.22 (scale: 0-1). An increase in seizure frequency, occurrence of side-effects, and seizure severity were all significantly associated with lower utility values. Furthermore, seizure severity has the largest impact on quality of life compared with seizure frequency and side-effects. This study provides a utility-function for transforming clinically relevant epilepsy outcome measures into utility estimates. We advise using our utility-function in economic evaluations, when quality of life is not directly measured in a study and hence, no health state utilities are available, or when there is convincing empirical evidence of the insensitivity of a generic quality-of-life-instrument within epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast half-sibling population reconstruction: theory and algorithms.

PubMed

Dexter, Daniel; Brown, Daniel G

2013-07-12

Kinship inference is the task of identifying genealogically related individuals. Kinship information is important for determining mating structures, notably in endangered populations. Although many solutions exist for reconstructing full sibling relationships, few exist for half-siblings. We consider the problem of determining whether a proposed half-sibling population reconstruction is valid under Mendelian inheritance assumptions. We show that this problem is NP-complete and provide a 0/1 integer program that identifies the minimum number of individuals that must be removed from a population in order for the reconstruction to become valid. We also present SibJoin, a heuristic-based clustering approach based on Mendelian genetics, which is strikingly fast. The software is available at http://github.com/ddexter/SibJoin.git+. Our SibJoin algorithm is reasonably accurate and thousands of times faster than existing algorithms. The heuristic is used to infer a half-sibling structure for a population which was, until recently, too large to evaluate.

Measuring the returns to NASA life sciences research and development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertzfeld, Henry R.

1998-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has invested in R&D in the life sciences for forty years. The thrust of this investment has been directed toward the support of human beings in space flight and in space activities. There are many documented examples of beneficial services and products now used in everyday life and medical practice that can be traced to origins in the R&D of the space program. However, a framework for quantitatively documenting, characterizing, and analyzing these public benefits has eluded researchers. This paper will present the results of a pilot project that includes the development of a methodology for assessing the economic benefits from NASA life sciences R&D and for realistically evaluating the financial leverage that private companies which are either involved in NASA R&D or which have ``bootstrapped'' NASA R&D into commercial products have realized. The results will show that the NASA life sciences investments are more engineering oriented, and more typically show results in the fields of instrumentation and medical devices. This is substantially different in nature from the focus of the National Institutes of Health, which is organized around the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The appropriate measures of benefits for engineering-oriented products are economic parameters that focus on capital equipment. NIH benefits are more typically measured by human labor parameters, including the much more difficult to quantify measures of the quality and delivery of medical services. Although there is tremendous overlap in the goals and outputs of NASA life sciences and NIH investments, and NASA R&D is also very concerned with human beings and the quality of life, NIH is the overwhelming large source of life sciences R&D funds in the US. NASA has a special niche in life sciences R&D that supports the NASA mission as well as overall research issues in the life sciences. This paper evaluates the economic benefits of NASA's life

Single-item measure for assessing quality of life in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

PubMed

Conway, Lauryn; Widjaja, Elysa; Smith, Mary Lou

2018-03-01

The current study investigated the psychometric properties of a single-item quality of life (QOL) measure, the Global Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy question (G-QOLCE), in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Data came from the Impact of Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery on Health-Related Quality of Life Study (PESQOL), a multicenter prospective cohort study (n = 118) with observations collected at baseline and at 6 months of follow-up on children aged 4-18 years. QOL was measured with the QOLCE-76 and KIDSCREEN-27. The G-QOLCE was an overall QOL question derived from the QOLCE-76. Construct validity and reliability were assessed with Spearman's correlation and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Responsiveness was examined through distribution-based and anchor-based methods. The G-QOLCE showed moderate (r ≥ 0.30) to strong (r ≥ 0.50) correlations with composite scores, and most subscales of the QOLCE-76 and KIDSCREEN-27 at baseline and 6-month follow-up. The G-QOLCE had moderate test-retest reliability (ICC range: 0.49-0.72) and was able to detect clinically important change in patients' QOL (standardized response mean: 0.38; probability of change: 0.65; Guyatt's responsiveness statistics: 0.62 and 0.78). Caregiver anxiety and family functioning contributed most strongly to G-QOLCE scores over time. Results offer promising preliminary evidence regarding the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the proposed single-item QOL measure. The G-QOLCE is a potentially useful tool that can be feasibly administered in a busy clinical setting to evaluate clinical status and impact of treatment outcomes in pediatric epilepsy.

Estimating Measures of Pass-Fail Reliability from Parallel Half-Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodruff, David J.; Sawyer, Richard L.

Two methods for estimating measures of pass-fail reliability are derived, by which both theta and kappa may be estimated from a single test administration. The methods require only a single test administration and are computationally simple. Both are based on the Spearman-Brown formula for estimating stepped-up reliability. The non-distributional…

Application of direct-reading and elemental carbon analysis methods to measure mass-based penetration of carbon nanotubes through elastomeric half-face and filtering facepiece respirators.

PubMed

Vo, Evanly; Zhuang, Ziqing; Birch, Eileen; Birch, Quinn

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to apply a direct-reading aerosol instrument method and an elemental carbon (EC) analysis method to measure the mass-based penetration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHRs) and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs). For the direct-reading aerosol instrument method, two scanning mobility particle sizer/aerodynamic particle sizer systems were used to simultaneously determine the upstream (outside respirator) and downstream (inside respirator) test aerosols. For the EC analysis method, upstream and downstream CNTs were collected on filter cassettes and then analyzed using a thermal-optical technique. CNT mass penetrations were found in both methods to be within the associated efficiency requirements for each type and class of the respirator models that were tested. Generally, the penetrations of SWCNTs and MWCNTs had a similar trend with penetration being the highest for the N95 EHRs, followed by N95 FFRs, P100 EHRs, and P100 FFRs. This trend held true for both methods; however, the CNT penetration determined by the direct-reading aerosol instrument method (0.009-1.09% for SWCNTs and 0.005-0.21% for MWCNTs) was greater relative to the penetration values found through EC analysis method (0.007-0.69% for SWCNTs and 0.004-0.13% for MWCNTs). The results of this study illustrate considerations for how the methods can be used to evaluate penetration of morphologically complex materials through FFRs and EHRs.

Dividing the Force Concept Inventory into two equivalent half-length tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jing; Bao, Lei; Chen, Li; Cai, Tianfang; Pi, Yuan; Zhou, Shaona; Tu, Yan; Koenig, Kathleen

2015-06-01

The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) is a 30-question multiple-choice assessment that has been a building block for much of the physics education research done today. In practice, there are often concerns regarding the length of the test and possible test-retest effects. Since many studies in the literature use the mean score of the FCI as the primary variable, it would be useful then to have different shorter tests that can produce FCI-equivalent scores while providing the benefits of being quicker to administer and overcoming the test-retest effects. In this study, we divide the 1995 version of the FCI into two half-length tests; each contains a different subset of the original FCI questions. The two new tests are shorter, still cover the same set of concepts, and produce mean scores equivalent to those of the FCI. Using a large quantitative data set collected at a large midwestern university, we statistically compare the assessment features of the two half-length tests and the full-length FCI. The results show that the mean error of equivalent scores between any two of the three tests is within 3%. Scores from all tests are well correlated. Based on the analysis, it appears that the two half-length tests can be a viable option for score based assessment that need to administer tests quickly or need to measure short-term gains where using identical pre- and post-test questions is a concern.

Assessing College Student-Athletes' Life Stress: Initial Measurement Development and Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Frank Jing-Horng; Hsu, Ya-Wen; Chan, Yuan-Shuo; Cheen, Jang-Rong; Kao, Kuei-Tsu

2012-01-01

College student-athletes have unique life stress that warrants close attention. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid measurement assessing college student-athletes' life stress. In Study 1, a focus group discussion and Delphi method produced a questionnaire draft, termed the College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale. In…

Engineering half-Heusler thermoelectric materials using Zintl chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeier, Wolfgang G.; Schmitt, Jennifer; Hautier, Geoffroy; Aydemir, Umut; Gibbs, Zachary M.; Felser, Claudia; Snyder, G. Jeffrey

2016-06-01

Half-Heusler compounds based on XNiSn and XCoSb (X = Ti, Zr or Hf) have rapidly become important thermoelectric materials for converting waste heat into electricity. In this Review, we provide an overview on the electronic properties of half-Heusler compounds in an attempt to understand their basic structural chemistry and physical properties, and to guide their further development. Half-Heusler compounds can exhibit semiconducting transport behaviour even though they are described as ‘intermetallic’ compounds. Therefore, it is most useful to consider these systems as rigid-band semiconductors within the framework of Zintl (or valence-precise) compounds. These considerations aid our understanding of their properties, such as the bandgap and low hole mobility because of interstitial Ni defects in XNiSn. Understanding the structural and bonding characteristics, including the presence of defects, will help to develop different strategies to improve and design better half-Heusler thermoelectric materials.

Valuing vaccines using value of statistical life measures.

PubMed

Laxminarayan, Ramanan; Jamison, Dean T; Krupnick, Alan J; Norheim, Ole F

2014-09-03

Vaccines are effective tools to improve human health, but resources to pursue all vaccine-related investments are lacking. Benefit-cost and cost-effectiveness analysis are the two major methodological approaches used to assess the impact, efficiency, and distributional consequences of disease interventions, including those related to vaccinations. Childhood vaccinations can have important non-health consequences for productivity and economic well-being through multiple channels, including school attendance, physical growth, and cognitive ability. Benefit-cost analysis would capture such non-health benefits; cost-effectiveness analysis does not. Standard cost-effectiveness analysis may grossly underestimate the benefits of vaccines. A specific willingness-to-pay measure is based on the notion of the value of a statistical life (VSL), derived from trade-offs people are willing to make between fatality risk and wealth. Such methods have been used widely in the environmental and health literature to capture the broader economic benefits of improving health, but reservations remain about their acceptability. These reservations remain mainly because the methods may reflect ability to pay, and hence be discriminatory against the poor. However, willingness-to-pay methods can be made sensitive to income distribution by using appropriate income-sensitive distributional weights. Here, we describe the pros and cons of these methods and how they compare against standard cost-effectiveness analysis using pure health metrics, such as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), in the context of vaccine priorities. We conclude that if appropriately used, willingness-to-pay methods will not discriminate against the poor, and they can capture important non-health benefits such as financial risk protection, productivity gains, and economic wellbeing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accuracy and optimal timing of activity measurements in estimating the absorbed dose of radioiodine in the treatment of Graves' disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merrill, S.; Horowitz, J.; Traino, A. C.; Chipkin, S. R.; Hollot, C. V.; Chait, Y.

2011-02-01

Calculation of the therapeutic activity of radioiodine 131I for individualized dosimetry in the treatment of Graves' disease requires an accurate estimate of the thyroid absorbed radiation dose based on a tracer activity administration of 131I. Common approaches (Marinelli-Quimby formula, MIRD algorithm) use, respectively, the effective half-life of radioiodine in the thyroid and the time-integrated activity. Many physicians perform one, two, or at most three tracer dose activity measurements at various times and calculate the required therapeutic activity by ad hoc methods. In this paper, we study the accuracy of estimates of four 'target variables': time-integrated activity coefficient, time of maximum activity, maximum activity, and effective half-life in the gland. Clinical data from 41 patients who underwent 131I therapy for Graves' disease at the University Hospital in Pisa, Italy, are used for analysis. The radioiodine kinetics are described using a nonlinear mixed-effects model. The distributions of the target variables in the patient population are characterized. Using minimum root mean squared error as the criterion, optimal 1-, 2-, and 3-point sampling schedules are determined for estimation of the target variables, and probabilistic bounds are given for the errors under the optimal times. An algorithm is developed for computing the optimal 1-, 2-, and 3-point sampling schedules for the target variables. This algorithm is implemented in a freely available software tool. Taking into consideration 131I effective half-life in the thyroid and measurement noise, the optimal 1-point time for time-integrated activity coefficient is a measurement 1 week following the tracer dose. Additional measurements give only a slight improvement in accuracy.

Measuring the Resilience of Advanced Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Ann Maria; Dearden, Richard; Levri, Julie A.

2002-01-01

Despite the central importance of crew safety in designing and operating a life support system, the metric commonly used to evaluate alternative Advanced Life Support (ALS) technologies does not currently provide explicit techniques for measuring safety. The resilience of a system, or the system s ability to meet performance requirements and recover from component-level faults, is fundamentally a dynamic property. This paper motivates the use of computer models as a tool to understand and improve system resilience throughout the design process. Extensive simulation of a hybrid computational model of a water revitalization subsystem (WRS) with probabilistic, component-level faults provides data about off-nominal behavior of the system. The data can then be used to test alternative measures of resilience as predictors of the system s ability to recover from component-level faults. A novel approach to measuring system resilience using a Markov chain model of performance data is also developed. Results emphasize that resilience depends on the complex interaction of faults, controls, and system dynamics, rather than on simple fault probabilities.

Subjective Quality of Life Measures for Evaluating Medical Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCauley, Clark; Bremer, Barbara A.

1991-01-01

Evidence indicates that subjective quality-of-life scales developed by N. M. Bradburn (1969) and by A. Campbell, P. Converse, and W. Rodgers (1976) can be as sensitive as physiological measures in distinguishing among medical treatment groups. These scales can complement more objective measures of patient status. (SLD)

Otolith oxygen isotopes measured by high-precision secondary ion mass spectrometry reflect life history of a yellowfin sole (Limanda aspera).

PubMed

Matta, Mary Elizabeth; Orland, Ian J; Ushikubo, Takayuki; Helser, Thomas E; Black, Bryan A; Valley, John W

2013-03-30

The oxygen isotope ratio (δ(18)O value) of aragonite fish otoliths is dependent on the temperature and the δ(18)O value of the ambient water and can thus reflect the environmental history of a fish. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) offers a spatial-resolution advantage over conventional acid-digestion techniques for stable isotope analysis of otoliths, especially given their compact nature. High-precision otolith δ(18)O analysis was conducted with an IMS-1280 ion microprobe to investigate the life history of a yellowfin sole (Limanda aspera), a Bering Sea species known to migrate ontogenetically. The otolith was cut transversely through its core and one half was roasted to eliminate organic contaminants. Values of δ(18)O were measured in 10-µm spots along three transects (two in the roasted half, one in the unroasted half) from the core toward the edge. Otolith annual growth zones were dated using the dendrochronology technique of crossdating. Measured values of δ(18)O ranged from 29.0 to 34.1‰ (relative to Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water). Ontogenetic migration from shallow to deeper waters was reflected in generally increasing δ(18)O values from age-0 to approximately age-7 and subsequent stabilization after the expected onset of maturity at age-7. Cyclical variations of δ(18)O values within juvenile otolith growth zones, up to 3.9‰ in magnitude, were caused by a combination of seasonal changes in the temperature and the δ(18)O value of the ambient water. The ion microprobe produced a high-precision and high-resolution record of the relative environmental conditions experienced by a yellowfin sole that was consistent with population-level studies of ontogeny. Furthermore, this study represents the first time that crossdating has been used to ensure the dating accuracy of δ(18)O measurements in otoliths. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Team-Based Models for End-of-Life Care: An Evidence-Based Analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

the patient. A “comprehensive” model is one that provides continuity of service across inpatient and outpatient settings, e.g., in hospital and then at home. All teams consisted of a nurse and physician at minimum, at least one of whom had a specialty in end-of-life health care. More than 50% of the teams offered services that included symptom management, psychosocial care, development of patient care plans, end-of-life care planning, and coordination of care. We found moderate-quality evidence that the use of a comprehensive direct contact model initiated up to 9 months before death improved informal caregiver satisfaction and the odds of having a home death, and decreased the odds of dying in a nursing home. We found moderate-quality evidence that the use of a comprehensive, direct, and early (up to 24 months before death) contact model improved patient quality of life, symptom management, and patient satisfaction. We did not find that using a comprehensive team-based model had an impact on hospital admissions or length of stay. We found low-quality evidence that the use of a home team-based model increased the odds of having a home death. Limitations Heterogeneity in data reporting across studies limited the ability to complete a meta-analysis on many of the outcome measures. Missing data was not managed well within the studies. Conclusions Moderate-quality evidence shows that a comprehensive, direct-contact, team-based model of care provides the following benefits for end-of-life patients with an estimated survival of up to 9 months: it improves caregiver satisfaction and increases the odds of dying at home while decreasing the odds of dying in a nursing home. Moderate-quality evidence also shows that improvement in patient quality of life, symptom management, and patient satisfaction occur when end-of-life care via this model is provided early (up to 24 months before death). However, using this model to deliver end-of-life care does not impact hospital

Unexpected bias in NIST 4πγ ionization chamber measurements.

PubMed

Unterweger, M P; Fitzgerald, R

2012-09-01

In January of 2010, it was discovered that the source holder used for calibrations in the NIST 4πγ ionization chamber (IC) has not been stable. The positioning ring that determines the height of the sample in the reentrant tube of the IC has slowly shifted during 35 years of use. This has led to a slow change in the calibration factors for the various radionuclides measured by this instrument. The changes are dependent on γ-ray energy and the time the IC was calibrated for a given radionuclide. A review of the historic data with regard to when the calibrations were done has enabled us to approximate the magnitude of the changes with time. This requires a number of assumptions, and corresponding uncertainty components, including whether the changes in height were gradual or in steps as will be shown in drawings of sample holder. For calibrations the changes in calibration factors have been most significant for low energy gamma emitters such as (133)Xe, (241)Am, (125)I and (85)Kr. The corrections to previous calibrations can be approximated and the results corrected with an increase in the overall uncertainty. At present we are recalibrating the IC based on new primary measurements of the radionuclides measured on the IC. Likewise we have been calibrating a new automated ionization-chamber system. A bigger problem is the significant number of half-life results NIST has published over the last 35 years that are based on IC measurements. The effect on half-life is largest for long-lived radionuclei, especially low-energy γ-ray emitters. This presentation will review our results and recommend changes in values and/or uncertainties. Any recommendation for withdrawal of any results will also be undertaken. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The effects of prolonged running on foot posture: a repeated measures study of half marathon runners using the foot posture index and navicular height

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Different foot postures are associated with alterations in foot function, kinetics and the subsequent occurrence of injury. Little is known about changes in foot posture following prolonged weightbearing exercise. This study aimed to identify changes in foot posture after running a half marathon. Methods Foot posture was measured using the Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) and navicular height in thirty volunteer participants before and after running a half marathon. FPI-6 scores were converted to Rasch logit values and means compared for these and navicular height using an ANOVA. Results There was a 5 mm drop in navicular height in both feet when measured after the half marathon (P < 0.05). The FPI-6 showed a side x time interaction with an increase in score indicating a more ‘pronated’ position in the left foot of + 2 [Rasch value + 1.7] but no change in the right foot (+ 0.4 [+ 0.76]) following the half marathon. Conclusion The apparent differences between the FPI-6 and navicular height on the right foot may be because the FPI-6 takes soft tissue contour changes into consideration whilst the navicular height focuses on skeletal changes. The changes in foot posture towards a more pronated position may have implications for foot function, and therefore risk of injury; shoe fit and comfort and also the effect of therapeutic orthoses worn during prolonged running. PMID:23705863

Approaches to lunar base life support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, M. F.; Edeen, M. A.

1990-01-01

Various approaches to reliable, low maintenance, low resupply regenerative long-term life support for lunar base application are discussed. The first approach utilizes Space Station Freedom physiochemical systems technology which has closed air and water loops with approximately 99 and 90 percent closure respectively, with minor subsystem changes to the SSF baseline improving the level of water resupply for the water loop. A second approach would be a physiochemical system, including a solid waste processing system and improved air and water loop closure, which would require only food and nitrogen for resupply. A hybrid biological/physiochemical life support system constitutes the third alternative, incorporating some level of food production via plant growth into the life support system. The approaches are described in terms of mass, power, and resupply requirements; and the potential evolution of a small, initial outpost to a large, self-sustaining base is discussed.

Anthropometric measures change and quality of life in elderly people: a longitudinal population-based study in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Tessari, Ana Aparecida; Giehl, Maruí Weber Corseuil; Schneider, Ione Jayce Ceola; González-Chica, David Alejandro

2016-12-01

To analyze the effects of anthropometric measures change on quality of life (QoL) in elderly, using measured anthropometric data on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Population-based cohort study investigating a sample of elderly (≥60) assessed in 2009 (n = 1705) and followed up in 2013 (n = 1197). QoL was evaluated in 2013 using the CASP-19. Variables evaluated as exposure including BMI and WC in 2009 (both standardized), categories of anthropometric measures change from 2009 to 2013 (excess weight = BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m 2 ; large WC = top quartile), and the absolute BMI and WC change in same period. Multivariate linear regressions adjusted for possible confounding factors and mediators were used. Both BMI and WC at baseline were associated with lower QoL scores, even after adjustment for confounding variables (β BMI  = -0.9; 95 % CI -1.5; -0.3 and β WC  = -1.0; 95 % CI -1.7; -0.4). Additionally, QoL scores were lower among elderly with excess weight (β = -1.4; 95 % CI -2.9; 0.0) or large WC (β = -3.3; 95 % CI -5.2; -1.4) in both waves than among those whose BMI and WC were always normal, but changes in anthropometric measures did not affect QoL. The presence of chronic diseases was a partial mediator of these associations, especially for effects of BMI change. Anthropometric measures change treated as a continuous variable was not associated with QoL. Having excess weight and large WC in both waves was associated with lower QoL scores in elderly, but changing the anthropometric measures did not affect this outcome. Maintaining weight and WC within normal limits during aging can help to preserve QoL.

Measuring the impact of cataract surgery on generic and vision-specific quality of life.

PubMed

Groessl, Erik J; Liu, Lin; Sklar, Marisa; Tally, Steven R; Kaplan, Robert M; Ganiats, Theodore G

2013-08-01

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and cause visual impairment for millions of adults in the United States. We compared the sensitivity of a vision-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure to that of multiple generic measures of HRQOL before and at 2 time points after cataract surgery. Participants completed 1 vision-specific and 5 generic quality of life measures before cataract surgery, and again 1 and 6 months after surgery. Random effects modeling was used to measure changes over the three assessment points. The NEI-VFQ25 total score and all 11 subscales showed significant improvements during the first interval (baseline and 1 month). During the second interval (1-6 months post-surgery), significant improvements were observed on the total score and 5 of 11 NEI-VFQ25 subscales. There were significant increases in HRQOL during the first interval on some preference-based generic HRQOL measures, though changes during the second interval were mostly non-significant. None of the SF-36v2™ or SF6D scales changed significantly between any of the assessment periods. The NEI-VFQ25 was sensitive to changes in vision-specific domains of QOL. Some preference-based generic HRQOL measures were also sensitive to change and showed convergence with the NEI-VFQ25, but the effects were small. The SF-36v2™ and SF-6D did not change in a similar manner, possibly reflecting a lack of vision-related content. Studies seeking to document both the vision-specific and generic HRQOL improvements of cataract surgery should consider these results when selecting measures.

Life Goals in Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Hullmann, Stephanie E.; Robb, Sheri L.; Rand, Kevin L.

2015-01-01

Objective Purposes of this systematic review of life goal research in cancer patients were to: 1) identify life goal characteristics and processes being examined, 2) describe instruments used to assess life goal constructs, 3) identify theoretical models being used to guide research, and 4) summarize what is known about the impact of the cancer experience on life goal characteristics, processes, and psychological outcomes. Methods We conducted this systematic review using MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases. Inclusion criteria were: 1) published between 1993 and 2014, 2) English language, 3) cancer patient population, and 4) original research articles that assessed life goal characteristics and/or goal processes. One-hundred ninety-seven articles were screened and 27 included in the final review. Results Seven life goal characteristics and seven life goal processes were identified, and less than half of studies investigated associations between goal characteristics and processes. Conceptual definitions were not provided for about half of the identified life goal constructs. Studies used both validated and author-developed instruments to assess goal constructs. Twenty-four different theoretical models were identified, with self-regulation theory most frequently cited. Overall, the literature suggests that cancer impacts patients’ life goal characteristics and processes, and life goal disturbance is related to poorer psychological outcomes. Conclusions The impact of the cancer experience on life goals is an important and emerging area of research that would benefit from conceptual and theoretical clarity and measurement consistency. PMID:25990641

Development and validation of a measure of pediatric oral health-related quality of life: the POQL.

PubMed

Huntington, Noelle L; Spetter, Dante; Jones, Judith A; Rich, Sharron E; Garcia, Raul I; Spiro, Avron

2011-01-01

To develop a brief measure of oral health-related quality of life (OHQL) in children and demonstrate its reliability and validity in a diverse population. We administered the initial 20-item Pediatric Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (POQL) to children (Child Self-Report) and parents (Parent Report on Child) from diverse populations in both school-based and clinic-based settings. Clinical oral health status was measured on a subset of children. We used factor analysis to determine the underlying scales and then reduced the measure to 10 items based on several considerations. Multitrait analysis on the resulting 10-item POQL was used to reaffirm the discrimination of scales and assess the measure's internal consistency and interscale correlations. We established discriminant and convergent validity with clinical status, perceived oral health and responses on the PedsQL, and determined sensitivity to change with children undergoing ECC surgical repair. Factor analysis returned a four-scale solution for the initial items--Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, Social Functioning, and Emotional Functioning. The reduced items represented the same four scales--two each on Physical and Role and three each on Social and Emotional. Good reliability and validity were shown for the POQL as a whole and for each of the scales. The POQL is a valid and reliable measure of OHQL for use in preschool and school-aged children, with high utility for both clinical assessments and large-scale population studies.

Long-Term Sustainability of Evidence-Based Prevention Interventions and Community Coalitions Survival: a Five and One-Half Year Follow-up Study.

PubMed

Johnson, Knowlton; Collins, David; Shamblen, Steve; Kenworthy, Tara; Wandersman, Abraham

2017-07-01

This study examines (1) coalition survival, (2) prevalence of evidence-based prevention interventions (EBPIs) to reduce substance abuse implemented as part of the Tennessee Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) State Incentive Grant (SIG), (3) EBPI sustainability, and (4) factors that predict EBPI sustainability. Secondary data were collected on 27 SPF SIG-funded coalitions and 88 EBPI and non-EBPI implementations. Primary data were collected by a telephone interview/web survey five and one-half years after the SPF SIG ended. Results from secondary data show that 25 of the 27 coalitions survived beyond the SPF SIG for one to five and one-half years; 19 coalitions (70%) were still active five and one-half years later. Further, 88 EBPIs and non-EBPIs were implemented by 27 county SPF SIG coalitions. Twenty-one (21) of 27 coalitions (78%) implemented one to three EBPIs, totaling 37 EBPI implementations. Based on primary survey data on 29 of the 37 EBPI implementations, 28 EBPIs (97%) were sustained between two and five and one-half years while 22 EBPI implementations (76%) were sustained for five and one-half years. When controlling for variability among coalitions (nesting of EBPIs in coalitions), increases in data resources (availability of five types of prevention data) was a strong predictor of length of EBPI sustainability. Positive change in extramural funding resources and level of expertise during SPF SIG implementation, as well as level of coalition formalization at the end of the SPF SIG predicted EBPI sustainability length. One intervention attribute (trialability) also predicted length of sustainability. Implications are discussed.

Looking East at BottomHalf of Reactor Number One and TopHalf ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Looking East at Bottom-Half of Reactor Number One and Top-Half of Reactor Number 2 Including Weigh Hopper on Third Floor of Oxide Building - Hematite Fuel Fabrication Facility, Oxide Building & Oxide Loading Dock, 3300 State Road P, Festus, Jefferson County, MO

Childhood deprivation and later-life cognitive function in a population-based study of older rural South Africans.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Lindsay C; Glymour, M Maria; Kahn, Kathleen; Payne, Collin F; Wagner, Ryan G; Montana, Livia; Mateen, Farrah J; Tollman, Stephen M; Berkman, Lisa F

2017-10-01

Little research has evaluated the life course drivers of cognitive aging in South Africa. We investigated the relationships of self-rated childhood health and father's occupation during childhood with later-life cognitive function score and whether educational attainment mediated these relationships among older South Africans living in a former region of Apartheid-era racial segregation. Data were from baseline assessments of "Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community" (HAALSI), a population-based study of 5059 men and women aged ≥40 years in 2015 in rural Agincourt sub-district, South Africa. Childhood health, father's occupation during childhood, and years of education were self-reported in study interviews. Cognitive measures assessed time orientation, numeracy, and word recall, which were included in a z-standardized latent cognitive function score variable. Linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, and country of birth were used to estimate the total and direct effects of each childhood risk factor, and the indirect effects mediated by years of education. Poor childhood health predicted lower cognitive scores (total effect = -0.28; 95% CI = -0.35, -0.21, versus good); this effect was not mediated by educational attainment. Having a father in a professional job during childhood, while rare (3% of sample), predicted better cognitive scores (total effect = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.10, 0.40, versus unskilled manual labor, 29% of sample). Half of this effect was mediated by educational attainment. Education was linearly associated with later-life cognitive function score (0.09; 95% CI = 0.09, 0.10 per year achieved). In this post-Apartheid, rural South African context, older adults with poor self-reported childhood health or whose father worked in unskilled manual labor had relatively poor cognitive outcomes. Educational attainment strongly predicted cognitive outcomes, and appeared to be, in part, a mechanism of social

Assessing impact of physical activity-based youth development programs: validation of the Life Skills Transfer Survey (LSTS).

PubMed

Weiss, Maureen R; Bolter, Nicole D; Kipp, Lindsay E

2014-09-01

A signature characteristic of positive youth development (PYD) programs is the opportunity to develop life skills, such as social, behavioral, and moral competencies, that can be generalized to domains beyond the immediate activity. Although context-specific instruments are available to assess developmental outcomes, a measure of life skills transfer would enable evaluation of PYD programs in successfully teaching skills that youth report using in other domains. The purpose of our studies was to develop and validate a measure of perceived life skills transfer, based on data collected with The First Tee, a physical activity-based PYD program. In 3 studies, we conducted a series of steps to provide content and construct validity and internal consistency reliability for the Life Skills Transfer Survey (LSTS), a measure of perceived life skills transfer. Study 1 provided content validity for the LSTS that included 8 life skills and 50 items. Study 2 revealed construct validity (structural validity) through a confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity by correlating scores on the LSTS with scores on an assessment tool that measures a related construct. Study 3 offered additional construct validity by reassessing youth 1 year later and showing that scores during both time periods were invariant in factor pattern, loadings, and variances and covariances. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated internal consistency reliability of the LSTS. RESULTS from 3 studies provide evidence of content and construct validity and internal consistency reliability for the LSTS, which can be used in evaluation research with youth development programs.

'Just give me the best quality of life questionnaire': the Karnofsky scale and the history of quality of life measurements in cancer trials.

PubMed

Timmermann, Carsten

2013-09-01

To use the history of the Karnofsky Performance Scale as a case study illustrating the emergence of interest in the measurement and standardisation of quality of life; to understand the origins of current-day practices. Articles referring to the Karnofsky scale and quality of life measurements published from the 1940s to the 1990s were identified by searching databases and screening journals, and analysed using close-reading techniques. Secondary literature was consulted to understand the context in which articles were written. The Karnofsky scale was devised for a different purpose than measuring quality of life: as a standardisation device that helped quantify effects of chemotherapeutic agents less easily measurable than survival time. Interest in measuring quality of life only emerged around 1970. When quality of life measurements were increasingly widely discussed in the medical press from the late 1970s onwards, a consensus emerged that the Karnofsky scale was not a very good tool. More sophisticated approaches were developed, but Karnofsky continued to be used. I argue that the scale provided a quick and simple, approximate assessment of the 'soft' effects of treatment by physicians, overlapping but not identical with quality of life.

L70 life prediction for solid state lighting using Kalman Filter and Extended Kalman Filter based models

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

Lall, Pradeep; Wei, Junchao; Davis, Lynn

2013-08-08

Solid-state lighting (SSL) luminaires containing light emitting diodes (LEDs) have the potential of seeing excessive temperatures when being transported across country or being stored in non-climate controlled warehouses. They are also being used in outdoor applications in desert environments that see little or no humidity but will experience extremely high temperatures during the day. This makes it important to increase our understanding of what effects high temperature exposure for a prolonged period of time will have on the usability and survivability of these devices. Traditional light sources “burn out” at end-of-life. For an incandescent bulb, the lamp life is definedmore » by B50 life. However, the LEDs have no filament to “burn”. The LEDs continually degrade and the light output decreases eventually below useful levels causing failure. Presently, the TM-21 test standard is used to predict the L70 life of LEDs from LM-80 test data. Several failure mechanisms may be active in a LED at a single time causing lumen depreciation. The underlying TM-21 Model may not capture the failure physics in presence of multiple failure mechanisms. Correlation of lumen maintenance with underlying physics of degradation at system-level is needed. In this paper, Kalman Filter (KF) and Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) have been used to develop a 70-percent Lumen Maintenance Life Prediction Model for LEDs used in SSL luminaires. Ten-thousand hour LM-80 test data for various LEDs have been used for model development. System state at each future time has been computed based on the state space at preceding time step, system dynamics matrix, control vector, control matrix, measurement matrix, measured vector, process noise and measurement noise. The future state of the lumen depreciation has been estimated based on a second order Kalman Filter model and a Bayesian Framework. The measured state variable has been related to the underlying damage using physics-based models. Life

Measuring End-of-Life Care Processes in Nursing Homes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temkin-Greener, Helena; Zheng, Nan; Norton, Sally A.; Quill, Timothy; Ladwig, Susan; Veazie, Peter

2009-01-01

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to develop measures of end-of-life (EOL) care processes in nursing homes and to validate the instrument for measuring them. Design and Methods: A survey of directors of nursing was conducted in 608 eligible nursing homes in New York State. Responses were obtained from 313 (51.5% response rate) facilities.…

Intrathoracic airway measurement: ex-vivo validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinhardt, Joseph M.; Raab, Stephen A.; D'Souza, Neil D.; Hoffman, Eric A.

1997-05-01

High-resolution x-ray CT (HRCT) provides detailed images of the lungs and bronchial tree. HRCT-based imaging and quantitation of peripheral bronchial airway geometry provides a valuable tool for assessing regional airway physiology. Such measurements have been sued to address physiological questions related to the mechanics of airway collapse in sleep apnea, the measurement of airway response to broncho-constriction agents, and to evaluate and track the progression of disease affecting the airways, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis. Significant attention has been paid to the measurements of extra- and intra-thoracic airways in 2D sections from volumetric x-ray CT. A variety of manual and semi-automatic techniques have been proposed for airway geometry measurement, including the use of standardized display window and level settings for caliper measurements, methods based on manual or semi-automatic border tracing, and more objective, quantitative approaches such as the use of the 'half-max' criteria. A recently proposed measurements technique uses a model-based deconvolution to estimate the location of the inner and outer airway walls. Validation using a plexiglass phantom indicates that the model-based method is more accurate than the half-max approach for thin-walled structures. In vivo validation of these airway measurement techniques is difficult because of the problems in identifying a reliable measurement 'gold standard.' In this paper we report on ex vivo validation of the half-max and model-based methods using an excised pig lung. The lung is sliced into thin sections of tissue and scanned using an electron beam CT scanner. Airways of interest are measured from the CT images, and also measured with using a microscope and micrometer to obtain a measurement gold standard. The result show no significant difference between the model-based measurements and the gold standard; while the half-max estimates exhibited a measurement bias and were significantly

Skin Friction Measurements at a Mach Number of Three and Momentum Thickness Reynolds Numbers Up to a Half Million.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

k ADAOGZ 826 ~~~~~~~~~AIR FORCE FLIGHT DNMC A RGTPTESNABO / / I SKIN FRICTION MEASUREMENTS AT A MACH NUMBER OF THREE AND MOMENT--ETCIU) UNCASSFIE...AT A MACH NUMBER OF THREE AND MOMENTUM THICKNESS REYNOLDS NUMEERS UP TO A HALF MILLION Anthony W. Fiore Aeromechanics Division DTIC September 1980...NOR(&) S. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER (s) 9. PER ORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS PROR UNT N WU Flight Dynamics Laboratory (AFWAL/FIMG)RA; WOKUNTU

Multiple harmonic frequencies resonant cavity design and half-scale prototype measurements for a fast kicker

DOE PAGES

Huang, Yulu; Wang, Haipeng; Wang, Shaoheng; ...

2016-12-09

Quarter wavelength resonator (QWR) based deflecting cavities with the capability of supporting multiple odd-harmonic modes have been developed for an ultrafast periodic kicker system in the proposed Jefferson Lab Electron Ion Collider (JLEIC, formerly MEIC). Previous work on the kicking pulse synthesis and the transverse beam dynamics tracking simulations show that a flat-top kicking pulse can be generated with minimal emittance growth during injection and circulation of the cooling electron bunches. This flat-top kicking pulse can be obtained when a DC component and 10 harmonic modes with appropriate amplitude and phase are combined together. To support 10 such harmonic modes,more » four QWR cavities are used with 5, 3, 1, and 1 modes, respectively. In the multiple-mode cavities, several slightly tapered segments of the inner conductor are introduced to tune the higher order deflecting modes to be harmonic, and stub tuners are used to fine tune each frequency to compensate for potential errors. In this paper, we summarize the electromagnetic design of the five-mode cavity, including the geometry optimization to get high transverse shunt impedance, the frequency tuning and sensitivity analysis, and the single loop coupler design for coupling to all of the harmonic modes. In particular we report on the design and fabrication of a half-scale copper prototype of this proof-of-principle five-odd-mode cavity, as well as the rf bench measurements. Lastly, we demonstrate mode superposition in this cavity experimentally, which illustrates the kicking pulse generation concept.« less

PREPARATION, IN VITRO AND IN VIVO CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDROPHOBIC PATCHES OF A HIGHLY WATER SOLUBLE DRUG FOR PROLONGED PLASMA HALF LIFE: EFFECT OF PERMEATION ENHANCERS.

PubMed

Yaqoob, Ayesha; Ahmad, Mahmood; Mahmood, Asif; Sarfraz, Rai Muhammad

2016-11-01

Aim of present study was to develop metoprolol matrix patches using different enhancers. Combination of two hydrophobic polymers, ethyl cellulose and eudragit RL 100 (8 : 2) were used for preparation of unilaminated matrix patch. 10% w/w of isopropyl myristate (IPM), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), span (20 (S20), Tween 20 (T20) and eucalyptus oil as enhancers and 40% of dibutyl phthalate as plasticizer were used. Prepared patches were evaluated for physical appearance, weight uniformity and thickness. FTIR studies were performed to assess compatibility among ingredients and developed formulation. Dissolution and permeation studies were performed to compare effects of enhancers. Surface morphology after release was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Selected formulation was subjected to in vivo studies by randomized crossover design in rabbits (n = 6) for pharmacokinetic comparison with oral solution administration. Physical evaluation revealed that translucent, flexible, non brittle patches of uniform weight and thickness were prepared. Release from patches followed Higuchi model. Mechanism of release was Fickian. Formulation containing IPM showed that release was by anomalous transport. Highest permeation flux was observed for formulation containing IPM with 2-fold enhancement in permeation. Permeation flux for patches was in order of formulation with no enhancer > IPM > T20 > S20 > DMSO = eucalyptus oil. Plasma concentration from in vivo studies exhibited sustained plasma levels of metoprolol after transdermal patch application in comparison to oral solution administration. Pharmacokinetic analysis of in vivo data elucidated that half life was increased 8 times when compared to oral administration, due to controlled release of drug for longer period of time. These findings suggested that hydrophobic transdermal patches of highly water soluble drug metoprolol were successfully prepared with 10% of IPM for sustained systemic delivery for prolonged half life.

Measurement properties of adult quality-of-life measurement instruments for eczema: protocol for a systematic review.

PubMed

Apfelbacher, Christian J; Heinl, Daniel; Prinsen, Cecilia A C; Deckert, Stefanie; Chalmers, Joanne; Ofenloch, Robert; Humphreys, Rosemary; Sach, Tracey; Chamlin, Sarah; Schmitt, Jochen

2015-04-16

Eczema is a common chronic or chronically relapsing skin disease that has a substantial impact on quality of life (QoL). By means of a consensus-based process, the Harmonising Outcome Measures in Eczema (HOME) initiative has identified QoL as one of the four core outcome domains to be assessed in all eczema trials (Allergy 67(9):1111-7, 2012). Various measurement instruments exist to measure QoL in adults with eczema, but there is a great variability in both content and quality (for example, reliability and validity) of the instruments used, and it is not always clear if the best instrument is being used. Therefore, the aim of the proposed research is a comprehensive systematic assessment of the measurement properties of the existing measurement instruments that were developed and/or validated for the measurement of patient-reported QoL in adults with eczema. This study is a systematic review of the measurement properties of patient-reported measures of QoL developed and/or validated for adults with eczema. Medline via PubMed and EMBASE will be searched using a selection of relevant search terms. Eligible studies will be primary empirical studies evaluating, describing, or comparing measurement properties of QoL instruments for adult patients with eczema. Eligibility assessment and data abstraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Evidence tables will be generated for study characteristics, instrument characteristics, measurement properties, and interpretability. The quality of the measurement properties will be assessed using predefined criteria. Methodological quality of studies will be assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. A best evidence synthesis will be undertaken if more than one study has investigated a particular measurement property. The proposed systematic review will produce a comprehensive assessment of measurement properties of existing QoL instruments in

The effects of lacosamide on cognition, quality-of-life measures, and quality of life in patients with refractory partial epilepsy.

PubMed

Lancman, Marcelo E; Fertig, Evan J; Trobliger, Robert W; Perrine, Kenneth; Myers, Lorna; Iyengar, Sloka S; Malik, Munazza

2016-08-01

The objective of this study was to examine cognitive and quality-of-life measures/quality of life outcomes with adjunctive lacosamide therapy in patients with treatment-resistant partial epilepsy. This was a prospective, open-label, nonblinded, adjunctive therapy test-retest (within subjects) study of patients with treatment-resistant partial epilepsy in which outcome (cognitive functioning and mood/quality of life) was measured in the same subject before and after adjunctive lacosamide administration for 24weeks. The cognitive assessment included the following: Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Buschke Selective Reminding Test, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised, Stroop Color Word Test, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Digit Span, Digit Cancellation, and Trails A and B. The quality-of-life measures/quality-of-life assessment included the following: Beck Depression Inventory-II, Profile of Mood States, and Quality of Life Inventory-89. Lacosamide was started at 100mg (50mg twice daily) and could be titrated as needed up to 400mg/day (200mg twice daily). Baseline concomitant AEDs were kept constant. Composite scores were calculated for a pre-post difference score for the cognitive and mood/quality-of-life measures separately and used in regression analyses to correct for the effects of age, education, seizure frequency, seizure severity, dose of lacosamide, and number of AEDs at baseline. Thirty-four patients were enrolled (13 males, 21 females). Mean age was 38.8±2.43years. Mean seizure frequency decreased significantly from 2.0±2.55 seizures per week at baseline to 1.02±1.72 seizures per week at posttreatment (t=4.59, p<.0001) with a 50% responder rate seen in 18 patients (52.9%). No significant differences were found on the composite scores of the cognitive or the mood/quality-of-life measures after 6months of lacosamide. Lacosamide appeared to have low risks of significant changes in cognition or mood/quality of life. In addition, the present study

Quality of College Life (QCL) of Students: Developing and Validating a Measure of Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirgy, M. Joseph; Grzeskowiak, Stephan; Rahtz, Don

2007-01-01

This paper reports a study designed to develop and validate a measure of quality of college life (QCL) of students. Using a theoretical model based on a build-up approach to QCL, the authors provide an empirical examination of various hierarchical components and their properties. The method is executed in two stages. The first stage is used to…

Measuring the quality of life of the elderly in health promotion intervention clinical trials.

PubMed Central

Kutner, N G; Ory, M G; Baker, D I; Schechtman, K B; Hornbrook, M C; Mulrow, C D

1992-01-01

The Multicenter Trials of Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques (FICSIT) is a series of clinical trials of biomedical, behavioral, and environmental interventions to reduce the risks of frailty and injury among the elderly. Reliable assessment of the quality of life reported by the subjects is a central issue in evaluating the interventions. An intervention may have a significant impact on an elderly person's sense of well-being, even though significant improvement is not observed in selected physical outcome measures. Elderly persons' compliance with particular intervention regimens may be influenced by the quality of life effects that they perceive in relation to the intervention. The researchers review the definition and measurement of quality of life in the trials, with particular attention to issues in determining common measures used at all study locations. Practical considerations in the selection and use of quality of life measures in both community and institutional populations are addressed. Topics discussed include the interrelation of aging, functional capacities, and quality of life; the multi-dimensionality of quality of life in relation to differential intervention effects; and age-related issues in the collection of quality of life data. Preliminary observations are reviewed, and potential contributions of FICSIT to intervention-sensitive quality of life assessments among the elderly are noted. PMID:1410233

Criterion-Referenced Measurement: Half a Century Wasted?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popham, W. James

2014-01-01

Fifty years ago, Robert Glaser introduced the concept of criterion-referenced measurement in an article in American Psychologist. Its early proponents predicted that this measurement strategy would revolutionize education. But has it lived up to its promise? W. James Popham explores this question by looking at the history of criterion-referenced…

Definition, measurement, and correlates of quality of life in nursing homes: toward a reasonable practice, research, and policy agenda.

PubMed

Kane, Rosalie A

2003-04-01

This article identifies challenges in defining, measuring, and studying quality of life of nursing home residents. A theoretical analysis was conducted based on literature and the author's own large-scale studies of quality of life of nursing home residents. Measuring quality of life is a relatively low priority in nursing homes because of focus on markers of poor quality of care, pervasive sense that nursing homes are powerless to influence quality of life, and impatience with research among those dedicated to culture change. The research argues that the resident voice must be sought in reaching operational definitions for quality of life and as reporters on the quality of their own lives, and that resident burden is a spurious concern that should not deter direct interviews with residents. Five challenges in measuring quality of life were identified: (a) designing questions with appropriate response categories and time frames, (b) developing a sampling strategy, (c) aggregating information at the individual and facility level, (d) validating what are ultimately subjective constructs, and (e) developing an approach using observations and proxies to assess quality of life for approximately the 40% of the residents who will be impossible to interview. Although residents' perceived quality of life is partly a product of their health, social supports, and personalities, nursing homes can directly influence quality of life through their policies, practices, and environments, and, indirectly, through their approaches to family and community. A research agenda is needed, which includes both methodological research and studies of the correlates of quality of life.

Thermoelectric and Structural Properties of Zr-/Hf-Based Half-Heusler Compounds Produced at a Large Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zillmann, D.; Waag, A.; Peiner, E.; Feyand, M.-H.; Wolyniec, A.

2018-02-01

The half-Heusler (HH) systems are promising candidates for thermoelectric (TE) applications since they have shown high figures of merit ( zT) of ˜ 1, which are directly related to the energy conversion efficiency. To use HH compounds for TE devices, the materials must be phase-stable at operating temperatures up to 600°C. Currently, only a few HH compositions are available in large quantities. Hence, we focus on the TE and structural properties of three commercially available Zr-/Hf-based HH compounds in this publication. In particular, we evaluate the thermal conductivities and the figures of merit and critically discuss uncertainties and propagation error in the measurements. We find thermal conductivities of less than 6.0 W K^{-1}m^{-1} for all investigated materials and notably high figures of merit of 0.93 and 0.60 for n- and p-type compounds, respectively, at 600°C. Additionally, our investigations reveal that the grain structures of all materials also contain secondary phases like HfO2, Sn-Ni and Ti-Zr-Sn rich phases while an additional SnO_2 phase was found following several hours of harsh heat treatment at 800°C.

Development and validation of a measure of pediatric oral health-related quality of life: the POQL

PubMed Central

Huntington, Noelle L; Spetter, Dante; Jones, Judith A.; Rich, Sharon E.; Garcia, Raul I.; Spiro, Avron

2011-01-01

Objective To develop a brief measure of oral health-related quality of life in children and demonstrate its reliability and validity in a diverse population. Methods We administered the initial 20-item POQL to children (Child Self-Report) and parents (Parent Report on Child) from diverse populations in both school-based and clinic-based settings. Clinical oral health status was measured on a subset of children. We used factor analysis to determine the underlying scales and then reduced the measure to 10 items based on several considerations. Multitrait analysis on the resulting 10-item POQL was used to reaffirm the discrimination of scales and assess the measure’s internal consistency and interscale correlations. We established discriminant and convergent validity with clinical status, perceived oral health and responses on the PedsQL and determined sensitivity to change with children undergoing ECC surgical repair. Results Factor analysis returned a four-scale solution for the initial items – Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, Social Functioning and Emotional Functioning. The reduced items represented the same four scales – two each on Physical and Role and three each on Social and Emotional. Good reliability and validity were shown for the POQL as a whole and for each of the scales. Conclusions The POQL is a valid and reliable measure of oral health-related quality of life for use in pre-school and school-aged children, with high utility for both clinical assessments and large-scale population studies. PMID:21972458

Influence of ethacrynic acid on glutathione S-transferase pi transcript and protein half-lives in human colon cancer cells.

PubMed

Shen, H; Ranganathan, S; Kuzmich, S; Tew, K D

1995-10-12

Ethacrynic acid (EA) is a plant phenolic acid that is both an inhibitor and an inducer of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. To determine contributory factors in the increased GST activity caused by EA treatment, human colon carcinoma HT29 cells were compared with a cloned EA-resistant population (HT6-8) maintained in medium containing 72 microM EA. Several factors are involved in the increased expression of GST pi in HT6-8. For example, nuclear run-on experiments showed an approximately 2-fold increase in the rate of transcription of GST pi. In addition, the half-life of GST pi transcript was increased from 4.1 (wild type, HT29, HT4-1) to 8.4 hr. The half-life of GST pi protein was 1-2 hr in HT4-1 cells versus 8-9 hr in HT6-8 cells. When either human ovarian carcinoma cells (SKOV3) or human prostatic carcinoma cells (DU145) were treated with EA, the half-life of the GST pi transcript was also increased. The transcript half-lives of another thiol-metabolism enzyme, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS), and a phase II detoxification enzyme, dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DDH), were also increased in HT6-8, SKOV3 and DU145 cells treated with EA. However, the half-lives of transcripts from "housekeeping genes," such as glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), beta-actin and beta-tubulin, were not changed in these cell lines following EA. Apparently, a number of coordinated factors are involved in EA-enhanced expression of GST pi and other detoxification enzymes.

Comparison of Self-Report Versus Sensor-Based Methods for Measuring the Amount of Upper Limb Activity Outside the Clinic.

PubMed

Waddell, Kimberly J; Lang, Catherine E

2018-03-10

To compare self-reported with sensor-measured upper limb (UL) performance in daily life for individuals with chronic (≥6mo) UL paresis poststroke. Secondary analysis of participants enrolled in a phase II randomized, parallel, dose-response UL movement trial. This analysis compared the accuracy and consistency between self-reported UL performance and sensor-measured UL performance at baseline and immediately post an 8-week intensive UL task-specific intervention. Outpatient rehabilitation. Community-dwelling individuals with chronic (≥6mo) UL paresis poststroke (N=64). Not applicable. Motor Activity Log amount of use scale and the sensor-derived use ratio from wrist-worn accelerometers. There was a high degree of variability between self-reported UL performance and the sensor-derived use ratio. Using sensor-based values as a reference, 3 distinct categories were identified: accurate reporters (reporting difference ±0.1), overreporters (difference >0.1), and underreporters (difference <-0.1). Five of 64 participants accurately self-reported UL performance at baseline and postintervention. Over half of participants (52%) switched categories from pre-to postintervention (eg, moved from underreporting preintervention to overreporting postintervention). For the consistent reporters, no participant characteristics were found to influence whether someone over- or underreported performance compared with sensor-based assessment. Participants did not consistently or accurately self-report UL performance when compared with the sensor-derived use ratio. Although self-report and sensor-based assessments are moderately associated and appear similar conceptually, these results suggest self-reported UL performance is often not consistent with sensor-measured performance and the measures cannot be used interchangeably. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of Life: Meaning, Measurement, and Models

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

self - esteem has been found to be one of the strongest predictors of SQL (Dicner, 1984) and well-being scales covary strongly with the Rosenberg Self ...compared to a .51 for the Campbell et al. (1976) Index of Well-Being and .32 for the Cantril (1965) self -anchoring ladder scale . Andrews and Withey...1976) assessed test-retest reliability of their global life measure on the Delighted-Terrible scale

Structural Basis of Conserved Cysteine in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Family: Evidence for a Vestigial Half-Cystine

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

Lee, Jihun; Blaber, Michael; FSU)

2010-11-09

The 22 members of the mouse/human fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family of proteins contain a conserved cysteine residue at position 83 (numbering scheme of the 140-residue form of FGF-1). Sequence and structure information suggests that this position is a free cysteine in 16 members and participates as a half-cystine in at least 3 (and perhaps as many as 6) other members. While a structural role as a half-cystine provides a stability basis for possible selective pressure, it is less clear why this residue is conserved as a free cysteine (although free buried thiols can limit protein functional half-life). To probemore » the structural role of the free cysteine at position 83 in FGF-1, we constructed Ala, Ser, Thr, Val, and Ile mutations and determined their effects on structure and stability. These results show that position 83 in FGF-1 is thermodynamically optimized to accept a free cysteine. A second cysteine mutation was introduced into wild-type FGF-1 at adjacent position Ala66, which is known to participate as a half-cystine with position 83 in FGF-8, FGF-19, and FGF-23. Results show that, unlike position 83, a free cysteine at position 66 destabilizes FGF-1; however, upon oxidation, a near-optimal disulfide bond is formed between Cys66 and Cys83, resulting in {approx} 14 kJ/mol of increased thermostability. Thus, while the conserved free cysteine at position 83 in the majority of the FGF proteins may have a principal role in limiting functional half-life, evidence suggests that it is a vestigial half-cystine.« less

The assessment and measurement of adult life stress: Basic premises, operational principles, and design requirements.

PubMed

Harkness, Kate L; Monroe, Scott M

2016-07-01

Life stress is a central factor in the onset and course of a wide range of medical and psychiatric conditions. Determining the precise etiological and pathological consequences of stress, though, has been hindered by weaknesses in prevailing definitional and measurement practices. The purpose of the current paper is to evaluate the primary strategies for defining and measuring major and minor acute life events, chronic stressors, and daily hassles as informed by 3 basic scientific premises. The first premise concerns the manner in which stress is conceptualized and operationally defined, and specifically we assert that stress measures must not conflate the stress exposure with the stress response. The second premise concerns how stress exposures are measured, and we provide guidelines for optimizing standardized and sensitive indicators of life stress. The third premise addresses the consequences of variations in the procedures for life event measurement with regard to the validity of the research designs employed. We show that life stress measures are susceptible to several sources of bias, and if these potential sources of bias are not controlled in the design of the research, spurious findings may result. Our goal is to provide a useful guide for researchers who consider life stress to be an important factor in their theoretical models of disease, wish to incorporate measures of life stress in their research, and seek to avoid the common pitfalls of past measurement practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

7 CFR 51.2295 - Half kernel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Half kernel. 51.2295 Section 51.2295 Agriculture... Standards for Shelled English Walnuts (Juglans Regia) Definitions § 51.2295 Half kernel. Half kernel means the separated half of a kernel with not more than one-eighth broken off. ...

Capillary reference half-cell

DOEpatents

Hall, Stephen H.

1996-01-01

The present invention is a reference half-cell electrode wherein intermingling of test fluid with reference fluid does not affect the performance of the reference half-cell over a long time. This intermingling reference half-cell may be used as a single or double junction submersible or surface reference electrode. The intermingling reference half-cell relies on a capillary tube having a first end open to reference fluid and a second end open to test fluid wherein the small diameter of the capillary tube limits free motion of fluid within the capillary to diffusion. The electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary in contact with the reference fluid. The method of operation of the present invention begins with filling the capillary tube with a reference solution. After closing the first end of the capillary, the capillary tube may be fully submerged or partially submerged with the second open end inserted into test fluid. Since the electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary, and since the test fluid may intermingle with the reference fluid through the second open end only by diffusion, this intermingling capillary reference half-cell provides a stable voltage potential for long time periods.

Capillary reference half-cell

DOEpatents

Hall, S.H.

1996-02-13

The present invention is a reference half-cell electrode wherein intermingling of test fluid with reference fluid does not affect the performance of the reference half-cell over a long time. This intermingling reference half-cell may be used as a single or double junction submersible or surface reference electrode. The intermingling reference half-cell relies on a capillary tube having a first end open to reference fluid and a second end open to test fluid wherein the small diameter of the capillary tube limits free motion of fluid within the capillary to diffusion. The electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary in contact with the reference fluid. The method of operation of the present invention begins with filling the capillary tube with a reference solution. After closing the first end of the capillary, the capillary tube may be fully submerged or partially submerged with the second open end inserted into test fluid. Since the electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary, and since the test fluid may intermingle with the reference fluid through the second open end only by diffusion, this intermingling capillary reference half-cell provides a stable voltage potential for long time periods. 11 figs.

Measuring quality of life in evaluating clinical interventions: an overview.

PubMed

Kind, P

2001-07-01

Health professionals provide care with some purpose in mind. It is reasonable to assume that they are therefore interested in observing and measuring health outcomes. In the recent past, it has become fashionable to describe health outcomes in terms of their impact on 'quality of life', a widely used term that is usually left undefined. Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are now in common usage in clinical studies. The construction of both generic and condition-specific measures of HRQoL relies heavily on the choice of descriptive domains, a process that often reflects the personal values of the developer of the instrument. Subjective valuation is a recurring phenomenon in the construction and application of HRQoL measures. These values should not be restricted to the private judgement of the clinician alone. The challenge for those evaluating clinical interventions is to make such values explicit and to extend the franchise to society as a whole.

Improvement in health-related quality of life in patients with haemophilia B treated with nonacog beta pegol, a new extended half-life recombinant FIX product.

PubMed

Chowdary, P; Kearney, S; Regnault, A; Hoxer, C S; Yee, D L

2016-07-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of individuals with haemophilia has greatly improved with the use of factor replacement and routine prophylaxis. To explore the HRQoL of individuals with haemophilia B treated with nonacog beta pegol, an extended half-life recombinant factor IX, in a single-blind, randomized multinational phase III pivotal trial (paradigm(™) 2) and its open-label extension (paradigm(™) 4). In the pivotal trial, adolescents and adults with haemophilia B were allocated to 28-week on-demand treatment or randomized to 52 weeks of prophylaxis with 10 or 40 IU kg(-1) nonacog beta pegol administered every seven days. In the extension trial, patients could continue on the same treatment or switch to the alternate dosing regimen at any time. HRQoL was assessed with the HAEMO-QOL/HAEM-A-QOL age-specific questionnaires and the EQ-5D. In the pivotal trial, adults receiving 40 IU kg(-1) prophylaxis reported significant improvements in the 'HAEM-A-QOL Total' score (-6.4 ± 8.5, P = 0.017) and in 'Sport' (-15.3 ± 8.5, P = 0.020), 'Feeling' (-15.2 ± 18.3, P = 0.010) and 'Partnership' (-9.6 ± 15.5, P = 0.046) domain scores; no significant improvements were seen in the other arms. At the pivotal trial end, fewer patients reported problems in the EQ-5D 'Mobility' and 'Pain/Discomfort' dimensions, in particular those receiving prophylaxis. In the extension trial, adult patients switching from 10 to 40 IU kg(-1) prophylaxis showed significant improvements in 'HAEM-A-QOL Total' score (-12.5 ± 8.7, P = 0.016) and 'Physical health' domain (-23.1 ± 14.4, P = 0.016). Prophylactic treatment with nonacog beta pegol 40 IU kg(-1) once weekly leads to HRQoL benefits in individuals with haemophilia B; this might be related to fewer bleeding episodes and higher FIX activity levels. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Life-Stage Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation discusses methods used to extrapolate from in vitro high-throughput screening (HTS) toxicity data for an endocrine pathway to in vivo for early life stages in humans, and the use of a life stage PBPK model to address rapidly changing physiological parameters. Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), in this case endocrine disruption during development, provide a biologically-based framework for linking molecular initiating events triggered by chemical exposures to key events leading to adverse outcomes. The application of AOPs to human health risk assessment requires extrapolation of in vitro HTS toxicity data to in vivo exposures (IVIVE) in humans, which can be achieved through the use of a PBPK/PD model. Exposure scenarios for chemicals in the PBPK/PD model will consider both placental and lactational transfer of chemicals, with a focus on age dependent dosimetry during fetal development and after birth for a nursing infant. This talk proposes a universal life-stage computational model that incorporates changing physiological parameters to link environmental exposures to in vitro levels of HTS assays related to a developmental toxicological AOP for vascular disruption. In vitro toxicity endpoints discussed are based on two mechanisms: 1) Fetal vascular disruption, and 2) Neurodevelopmental toxicity induced by altering thyroid hormone levels in neonates via inhibition of thyroperoxidase in the thyroid gland. Application of our Life-stage computati

Degradation and half-life of DNA present in biomass from a genetically-modified organism during land application.

PubMed

Halter, Mathew C; Zahn, James A

2017-02-01

White biotechnology has made a positive impact on the chemical industry by providing safer, more efficient chemical manufacturing processes that have reduced the use of toxic chemicals, harsh reaction conditions, and expensive metal catalysts, which has improved alignment with the principles of Green Chemistry. The genetically-modified (GM) biocatalysts that are utilized in these processes are typically separated from high-value products and then recycled, or eliminated. Elimination routes include disposal in sanitary landfills, incineration, use as a fuel, animal feed, or reuse as an agricultural soil amendment or other value-added products. Elimination routes that have the potential to impact the food chain or environment have been more heavily scrutinized for the fate and persistence of biological products. In this study, we developed and optimized a method for monitoring the degradation of strain-specific DNA markers from a genetically-modified organism (GMO) used for the commercial production of 1,3-propanediol. Laboratory and field tests showed that a marker for heterologous DNA in the GM organism was no longer detectable by end-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after 14 days. The half-life of heterologous DNA was increased by 17% (from 42.4 to 49.7 h) after sterilization of the soil from a field plot, which indicated that abiotic factors were important in degradation of DNA under field conditions. There was no evidence for horizontal transfer of DNA target sequences from the GMO to viable organisms present in the soil.

Systematic evidence-based quality measurement life-cycle approach to measure retirement in CHIPRA.

PubMed

Dougherty, Denise; Mistry, Kamila B; Lindly, Olivia; Desoto, Maushami; LLanos, Karen; Chesley, Francis

2014-01-01

In 2009, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publicly released an initial child core set (CCS) of health care quality measures for voluntary reporting by state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs. CMS is responsible for implementing the reporting program and for updating the CCS annually. We assessed selected CCS measures for potential retirement. We identified a 23-member external advisory group to provide relevant expertise. We worked with the group to identify 4 major criteria with multiple subcomponents for assessing the measures. We provided information corresponding to each criterion and subcriterion, using a variety of sources such as the 2009 Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX), state-level Medicaid and CHIP data submitted to the CMS, and summaries of published literature on clinical and quality improvement effectiveness related to the CCS topics. Using this information, the group: 1) used a modified Delphi process to score the measures in 2 anonymous scoring rounds (on a scale of 1 to 9 in each round); 2) voted on whether each measure should be retired; and 3) provided narrative explanations of their choices (which formed the basis of our qualitative findings). Recommendations were reviewed by CMS before promulgation to state programs. The Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council on Healthcare Research and Quality (SNAC) recommended that the 4 major criteria be importance, scientific acceptability, feasibility, and usability. The SNAC recommended 3 measures for retirement: access to primary care; testing for strep before recommending antibiotics for pharyngitis; and annual HbA1c testing of children with diabetes. Explanations for suggesting retirement of the measures included: views that the well-visit measures were a better measure of access than the primary care measure; a likely ceiling effect (pharyngitis); and the paucity of clinical evidence and low prevalence (both for HbA1c). CMS recommended that state

Developing a measure of medication-related quality of life for people with polypharmacy.

PubMed

Tseng, Hsu-Min; Lee, Chia-Hui; Chen, Yin-Jen; Hsu, Hsiang-Hao; Huang, Li-Yueh; Huang, Jing-Long

2016-05-01

To develop a measure of medication-related quality of life (MRQoL) and to validate the measure in a hospital-based population of patients with polypharmacy. The Medication-Related Quality of Life Scale version 1.0 (MRQoLS-v1.0) included 14 items developed on the basis of interviews with elderly patients with polypharmacy, defined as taking five or more medications simultaneously. This scale was tested in 219 outpatients (99 with polypharmacy and 120 without polypharmacy). Two measures were used to establish construct validity the Psychological Distress Checklist, for convergent validity, and the Medication Adherence Behavior Scale (MABS), for discriminant validity. The 14-item scale was found to be both reliable and valid. Internal consistency reliability evaluated using Cronbach's alpha for this scale was 0.91. Scores on the MRQoLS-v1.0 correlated statistically significantly and negatively with those on the Psychological Distress Checklist. Discriminant validity was demonstrated by low correlation with MABS, indicating that the MRQoLS-v1.0 measured concepts different from medication adherence. Significant differences in the MRQoLS-v1.0 between patients with polypharmacy and those without polypharmacy provided evidence for known-group validity. The study presents a psychometric evaluation of a measure used to assess MRQoL of patients with polypharmacy. The instrument is practical to administer in clinics and provides a valuable adjunct to the outcome measurement for patients with polypharmacy. Further research on the sensitivity of this instrument to medication change in multi-medicated patients is warranted.

Measuring women's cumulative neighborhood deprivation exposure using longitudinally linked vital records: a method for life course MCH research.

PubMed

Kramer, Michael R; Dunlop, Anne L; Hogue, Carol J R

2014-02-01

A life course conceptual framework for MCH research demands new tools for understanding population health and measuring exposures. We propose a method for measuring population-based socio-environmental trajectories for women of reproductive age. We merged maternal longitudinally-linked births to Georgia-resident women from 1994 to 2007 with census economic and social measures using residential geocodes to create woman-centered socio-environmental trajectories. We calculated a woman's neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) at the time of each of her births and, from these, we calculated a cumulative NDI. We fit Loess curves to describe average life course NDI trajectories and binomial regression models to test specific life course theory hypotheses relating cumulative NDI to risk for preterm birth. Of the 1,815,944 total live births, we linked 1,000,437 live births to 413,048 unique women with two or more births. Record linkage had high specificity but relatively low sensitivity which appears non-differential with respect to maternal characteristics. Georgia women on average experienced upward mobility across the life course, although differences by race, early life neighborhood quality, and age at first birth produced differences in cumulative NDI. Adjusted binomial models found evidence for modification of the effect of history of prior preterm birth and advancing age on risk for preterm birth by cumulative NDI. The creation of trajectories from geocoded maternal longitudinally-linked vital records is one method to carry out life course MCH research. We discuss approaches for investigating the impact of truncation of the life course, selection bias from migration, and misclassification of cumulative exposure.