5 CFR 330.609 - Exceptions to CTAP selection priority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... position change of a surplus or displaced employee in the local commuting area; (n) Effect a position..., including all extensions; (d) Reassign agency employees between or among positions in the local commuting... an excepted service appointment under part 213 of this chapter; (f) Effect a personnel action under...

How State and Local Interagency Partnerships Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rachal, Patricia, Ed.

1996-01-01

This newsletter theme issue describes a state-local team partnership model for interagency transition efforts for young adults with deaf-blindness. Excepts from a presentation by Jane M. Everson identify key aspects and characteristics of effective state and local interagency partnerships. These include: (1) strategies for initiating and…

The neglected nonlocal effects of deforestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winckler, Johannes; Reick, Christian; Pongratz, Julia

2017-04-01

Deforestation changes surface temperature locally via biogeophysical effects by changing the water, energy and momentum balance. Adding to these locally induced changes (local effects), deforestation at a given location can cause changes in temperature elsewhere (nonlocal effects). Most previous studies have not considered local and nonlocal effects separately, but investigated the total (local plus nonlocal) effects, for which global deforestation was found to cause a global mean cooling. Recent modeling and observational studies focused on the isolated local effects: The local effects are relevant for local living conditions, and they can be obtained from in-situ and satellite observations. Observational studies suggest that the local effects of potential deforestation cause a warming when averaged globally. This contrast between local warming and total cooling indicates that the nonlocal effects of deforestation are causing a cooling and thus counteract the local effects. It is still unclear how the nonlocal effects depend on the spatial scale of deforestation, and whether they still compensate the local warming in a more realistic spatial distribution of deforestation. To investigate this, we use a fully coupled climate model and separate local and nonlocal effects of deforestation in three steps: Starting from a forest world, we simulate deforestation in one out of four grid boxes using a regular spatial pattern and increase the number of deforestation grid boxes step-wise up to three out of four boxes in subsequent simulations. To compare these idealized spatial distributions of deforestation to a more realistic case, we separate local and nonlocal effects in a simulation where deforestation is applied in regions where it occurred historically. We find that the nonlocal effects scale nearly linearly with the number of deforested grid boxes, and the spatial distribution of the nonlocal effects is similar for the regular spatial distribution of deforestation and the more realistic pattern. Globally averaged, the deforestation-induced warming of the local effects is counteracted by the nonlocal effects, which are about three times as strong as the local effects (up to 0.1K local warming versus -0.3K nonlocal cooling). Thus, the nonlocal effects are more cooling than the local effects are warming, and this is valid not only for idealized simulations of large-scale deforestation, but also for a more realistic deforestation scenario. We conclude that the local effects of deforestation only yield an incomplete picture of the total climate effects by biogeophysical pathways. While the local effects capture the direct climatic response at the site of deforestation, the nonlocal effects have to be included if the biogeophysical effects of deforestation are considered for an implementation in climate policies.

How Dangerous Can Localized Corrosion Be? An Experiment that Studies Its Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celdran, R.; Gonzalo, P.

1988-01-01

Considers three common cases of localized corrosion of metals: pitting, crevice, and stress corrosion. Provides experimental methods for studying all three methods. Includes a discussion of expected results. (ML)

Preventive Analgesia by Local Anesthetics: The Reduction of Postoperative Pain by Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Intravenous Drugs

PubMed Central

Barreveld, Antje; Witte, Jürgen; Chahal, Harkirat; Durieux, Marcel E.; Strichartz, Gary

2012-01-01

The use of local anesthetics to reduce acute postoperative pain has a long history, but recent reports have not been systematically reviewed. In addition, the need to include only those clinical studies that meet minimum standards for randomization and blinding must be adhered to. In this review we have applied stringent clinical study design standards to identify publications on the use of perioperative local anesthetics. We first examined several types of peripheral nerve blocks, covering a variety of surgical procedures, and second, for effects of intentionally administered IV local anesthetic (lidocaine) for suppression of postoperative pain. Thirdly, we have examined publications in which vascular concentrations of local anesthetics were measured at different times after peripheral nerve block procedures, noting the incidence when those levels reached ones achieved during intentional IV administration. Importantly, the very large number of studies using neuraxial blockade techniques (epidural, spinal) has not been included in this review but will be dealt with separately in a later review. The overall results showed a strongly positive effect of local anesthetics, by either route, for suppressing postoperative pain scores and analgesic (opiate) consumption. In only a few situations were the effects equivocal. Enhanced effectiveness with the addition of adjuvants was not uniformly apparent. The differential benefits between drug delivery before, during, or immediately after a surgical procedure are not obvious, and a general conclusion is that the significant antihyperalgesic effects occur when the local anesthetic is present during the acute postoperative period, and its presence during surgery is not essential for this action. PMID:23408672

Chapter 7: Developing climate-informed state-and-transition models

Treesearch

Miles A. Hemstrom; Jessica E. Halofsky; David R. Conklin; Joshua S. Halofsky; Dominique Bachelet; Becky K. Kerns

2014-01-01

Land managers and others need ways to understand the potential effects of climate change on local vegetation types and how management activities might be impacted by climate change. To date, climate change impact models have not included localized vegetation communities or the integrated effects of vegetation development dynamics, natural disturbances, and management...

5 CFR 330.609 - Exceptions to CTAP selection priority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... employee in the local commuting area; (n) Effect a position change of an employee under 5 U.S.C. 8337 or..., including all extensions; (d) Reassign agency employees between or among positions in the local commuting... Federal Career Intern Program; (f) Effect a personnel action under, or specifically in lieu of, part 351...

Localization of Acoustic Transients in Shallow Water Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

effect of the source signal uncertainty (in localizer performance . The localization process consists of two parts. First, a time domain propagation...for public release; distribution is unlimited 4. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5. MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) E OF PERFORMING ...SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) LOCALIZATION OF

Reducing the vulnerability of young Cambodians to HIV / STDs by mobilising and strengthening local NGO sector. RAS/88/P15.

PubMed

1999-06-01

This project seeks to help reduce the vulnerability of young Cambodians aged 12-25 to HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) by strengthening nongovernmental organization (NGO) capacity to develop sustainable, effective and appropriate responses to HIV/AIDS and STDs. The strategies include strengthening local NGO capacity, sharing technical support concerning HIV/AIDS, and working together to develop information, education and communication on HIV/AIDS. Main activities included in the project are: 1) enable NGOs to undertake broader response to HIV/STDs by mobilizing, selecting, contracting, monitoring and supervising local NGO projects; 2) enhance local NGO capacity to work with the youth by organizing specialist training workshops, providing technical support and training in external relations and sustainability, and promoting local NGO/youth volunteer exchange and exposure programs; 3) strengthen the capacity of local NGOs through training, skill building, technical support and development of NGO support program; and 4) improve the knowledge base of programming for youth by identifying, documenting and disseminating effective programming models and tools.

Effects and repercussions of local/hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA): a systematic review.

PubMed

Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Desmartis, Marie; Poder, Thomas; Witteman, William

2014-10-28

Health technology assessment (HTA) is increasingly performed at the local or hospital level where the costs, impacts, and benefits of health technologies can be directly assessed. Although local/hospital-based HTA has been implemented for more than two decades in some jurisdictions, little is known about its effects and impact on hospital budget, clinical practices, and patient outcomes. We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review that aimed to synthesize current evidence regarding the effects and impact of local/hospital-based HTA. We identified articles through PubMed and Embase and by citation tracking of included studies. We selected qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods studies with empirical data about the effects or impact of local/hospital-based HTA on decision-making, budget, or perceptions of stakeholders. We extracted the following information from included studies: country, methodological approach, and use of conceptual framework; local/hospital HTA approach and activities described; reported effects and impacts of local/hospital-based HTA; factors facilitating/hampering the use of hospital-based HTA recommendations; and perceptions of stakeholders concerning local/hospital HTA. Due to the great heterogeneity among studies, we conducted a narrative synthesis of their results. A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. We reported the results according to the four approaches for performing HTA proposed by the Hospital Based HTA Interest Sub-Group: ambassador model, mini-HTA, internal committee, and HTA unit. Results showed that each of these approaches for performing HTA corresponds to specific needs and structures and has its strengths and limitations. Overall, studies showed positive impacts related to local/hospital-based HTA on hospital decisions and budgets, as well as positive perceptions from managers and clinicians. Local/hospital-based HTA could influence decision-making on several aspects. It is difficult to evaluate the real impacts of local HTA at the different levels of health care given the relatively small number of evaluations with quantitative data and the lack of clear comparators. Further research is necessary to explore the conditions under which local/hospital-based HTA results and recommendations can impact hospital policies, clinical decisions, and quality of care and optimize the use of scarce resources.

Effects and repercussions of local/hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA): a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Health technology assessment (HTA) is increasingly performed at the local or hospital level where the costs, impacts, and benefits of health technologies can be directly assessed. Although local/hospital-based HTA has been implemented for more than two decades in some jurisdictions, little is known about its effects and impact on hospital budget, clinical practices, and patient outcomes. We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review that aimed to synthesize current evidence regarding the effects and impact of local/hospital-based HTA. Methods We identified articles through PubMed and Embase and by citation tracking of included studies. We selected qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods studies with empirical data about the effects or impact of local/hospital-based HTA on decision-making, budget, or perceptions of stakeholders. We extracted the following information from included studies: country, methodological approach, and use of conceptual framework; local/hospital HTA approach and activities described; reported effects and impacts of local/hospital-based HTA; factors facilitating/hampering the use of hospital-based HTA recommendations; and perceptions of stakeholders concerning local/hospital HTA. Due to the great heterogeneity among studies, we conducted a narrative synthesis of their results. Results A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. We reported the results according to the four approaches for performing HTA proposed by the Hospital Based HTA Interest Sub-Group: ambassador model, mini-HTA, internal committee, and HTA unit. Results showed that each of these approaches for performing HTA corresponds to specific needs and structures and has its strengths and limitations. Overall, studies showed positive impacts related to local/hospital-based HTA on hospital decisions and budgets, as well as positive perceptions from managers and clinicians. Conclusions Local/hospital-based HTA could influence decision-making on several aspects. It is difficult to evaluate the real impacts of local HTA at the different levels of health care given the relatively small number of evaluations with quantitative data and the lack of clear comparators. Further research is necessary to explore the conditions under which local/hospital-based HTA results and recommendations can impact hospital policies, clinical decisions, and quality of care and optimize the use of scarce resources. PMID:25352182

Local strategies to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

PubMed

Torstrick, F Brennan; Guldberg, Robert E

2014-03-01

Despite advances in systemic osteoporosis therapeutic outcomes, management of fragility fractures and implant fixation in osteoporotic bone remain difficult clinical challenges. Low initial bone density and a prolonged healing response can lead to fracture nonunion and aseptic implant loosening. Local treatment strategies could be used to prevent fracture, accelerate healing, and increase implant fixation by locally stimulating anabolic pathways or inhibiting catabolic pathways. Local strategies under investigation include direct drug release from injectable materials or implant surface coatings. Common locally delivered drugs include bisphosphonates, parathyroid hormone, and bone morphogenetic proteins, yet additional compounds targeting novel pathways in bone biology are also being actively explored. Mechanical stimulation via low intensity pulsed ultrasound, alone or in combination with drug therapy, may also prove effective to promote local bone healing and implant fixation within osteoporotic bone.

Socioeconomic status, urbanicity and risk behaviors in Mexican youth: an analysis of three cross-sectional surveys

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The relationship between urbanicity and adolescent health is a critical issue for which little empirical evidence has been reported. Although an association has been suggested, a dichotomous rural versus urban comparison may not succeed in identifying differences between adolescent contexts. This study aims to assess the influence of locality size on risk behaviors in a national sample of young Mexicans living in low-income households, while considering the moderating effect of socioeconomic status (SES). Methods This is a secondary analysis of three national surveys of low-income households in Mexico in different settings: rural, semi-urban and urban areas. We analyzed risk behaviors in 15-21-year-olds and their potential relation to urbanicity. The risk behaviors explored were: tobacco and alcohol consumption, sexual initiation and condom use. The adolescents' localities of residence were classified according to the number of inhabitants in each locality. We used a logistical model to identify an association between locality size and risk behaviors, including an interaction term with SES. Results The final sample included 17,974 adolescents from 704 localities in Mexico. Locality size was associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption, showing a similar effect throughout all SES levels: the larger the size of the locality, the lower the risk of consuming tobacco or alcohol compared with rural settings. The effect of locality size on sexual behavior was more complex. The odds of adolescent condom use were higher in larger localities only among adolescents in the lowest SES levels. We found no statically significant association between locality size and sexual initiation. Conclusions The results suggest that in this sample of adolescents from low-income areas in Mexico, risk behaviors are related to locality size (number of inhabitants). Furthermore, for condom use, this relation is moderated by SES. Such heterogeneity suggests the need for more detailed analyses of both the effects of urbanicity on behavior, and the responses--which are also heterogeneous--required to address this situation. PMID:22129110

Stingray injury.

PubMed Central

Evans, R J; Davies, R S

1996-01-01

A case of stingray injury is reported. Local symptoms and signs include intense pain, oedema around the wound, erythema and petechiae. Systemic symptoms and signs include nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, diaphoresis, syncope, headache, muscle fasciculations, and cardiac arrhythmias. Treatment aims to reverse local and systemic effects of the venom, alleviate pain, and prevent infection. Antitetanus prophylaxis is important. Treatment for anaphylaxis may be necessary. PMID:8733672

Landscape moderation of biodiversity patterns and processes - eight hypotheses.

PubMed

Tscharntke, Teja; Tylianakis, Jason M; Rand, Tatyana A; Didham, Raphael K; Fahrig, Lenore; Batáry, Péter; Bengtsson, Janne; Clough, Yann; Crist, Thomas O; Dormann, Carsten F; Ewers, Robert M; Fründ, Jochen; Holt, Robert D; Holzschuh, Andrea; Klein, Alexandra M; Kleijn, David; Kremen, Claire; Landis, Doug A; Laurance, William; Lindenmayer, David; Scherber, Christoph; Sodhi, Navjot; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf; Thies, Carsten; van der Putten, Wim H; Westphal, Catrin

2012-08-01

Understanding how landscape characteristics affect biodiversity patterns and ecological processes at local and landscape scales is critical for mitigating effects of global environmental change. In this review, we use knowledge gained from human-modified landscapes to suggest eight hypotheses, which we hope will encourage more systematic research on the role of landscape composition and configuration in determining the structure of ecological communities, ecosystem functioning and services. We organize the eight hypotheses under four overarching themes. Section A: 'landscape moderation of biodiversity patterns' includes (1) the landscape species pool hypothesis-the size of the landscape-wide species pool moderates local (alpha) biodiversity, and (2) the dominance of beta diversity hypothesis-landscape-moderated dissimilarity of local communities determines landscape-wide biodiversity and overrides negative local effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. Section B: 'landscape moderation of population dynamics' includes (3) the cross-habitat spillover hypothesis-landscape-moderated spillover of energy, resources and organisms across habitats, including between managed and natural ecosystems, influences landscape-wide community structure and associated processes and (4) the landscape-moderated concentration and dilution hypothesis-spatial and temporal changes in landscape composition can cause transient concentration or dilution of populations with functional consequences. Section C: 'landscape moderation of functional trait selection' includes (5) the landscape-moderated functional trait selection hypothesis-landscape moderation of species trait selection shapes the functional role and trajectory of community assembly, and (6) the landscape-moderated insurance hypothesis-landscape complexity provides spatial and temporal insurance, i.e. high resilience and stability of ecological processes in changing environments. Section D: 'landscape constraints on conservation management' includes (7) the intermediate landscape-complexity hypothesis-landscape-moderated effectiveness of local conservation management is highest in structurally simple, rather than in cleared (i.e. extremely simplified) or in complex landscapes, and (8) the landscape-moderated biodiversity versus ecosystem service management hypothesis-landscape-moderated biodiversity conservation to optimize functional diversity and related ecosystem services will not protect endangered species. Shifting our research focus from local to landscape-moderated effects on biodiversity will be critical to developing solutions for future biodiversity and ecosystem service management. © 2012 The Authors. Biological Reviews © 2012 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Maryland's Graduation Requirements: Local Effects of Policy Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Bruce L.; And Others

In 1985, Maryland became one of 45 states that enacted new and tougher graduation requirements. This document presents findings of a 4-year study that examined the effects of the new requirements on local schools and the students and staff who work in them. Three site visits each were made to five selected high schools. Data collection included:…

Imprints of local lightcone \\ projection effects on the galaxy bispectrum. Part II

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

Jolicoeur, Sheean; Umeh, Obinna; Maartens, Roy

General relativistic imprints on the galaxy bispectrum arise from observational (or projection) effects. The lightcone projection effects include local contributions from Doppler and gravitational potential terms, as well as lensing and other integrated contributions. We recently presented for the first time, the correction to the galaxy bispectrum from all local lightcone projection effects up to second order in perturbations. Here we provide the details underlying this correction, together with further results and illustrations. For moderately squeezed shapes, the correction to the Newtonian prediction is ∼ 30% on equality scales at z ∼ 1. We generalise our recent results to includemore » the contribution, up to second order, of magnification bias (which affects some of the local terms) and evolution bias.« less

Controlled-release of tetracycline and lovastatin by poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide acid)-chitosan nanoparticles enhances periodontal regeneration in dogs

PubMed Central

Lee, Bor-Shiunn; Lee, Chien-Chen; Wang, Yi-Ping; Chen, Hsiao-Jan; Lai, Chern-Hsiung; Hsieh, Wan-Ling; Chen, Yi-Wen

2016-01-01

Chronic periodontitis is characterized by inflammation of periodontal tissues, leading to bone resorption and tooth loss. The goal of treatment is to regenerate periodontal tissues including bone and cementum lost as a consequence of disease. The local delivery of tetracycline was proven to be effective in controlling localized periodontal infection without apparent side effects. Previous studies suggested that lovastatin has a significant role in new bone formation; however, the local delivery of lovastatin might enhance its therapeutic effects. A number of local delivery devices have been developed recently, including poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to develop a local delivery device, PLGA-lovastatin-chitosan-tetracycline nanoparticles, which allows the sequential release of tetracycline and lovastatin to effectively control local infection and promote bone regeneration in periodontitis. The size and microstructure of nanoparticles were examined by transmission electron microscopy, Nanoparticle Size Analyzer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release of tetracycline and lovastatin was quantified using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effect and alkaline phosphatase activity of the nanoparticles in osteoblast cell cultures as well as antibacterial activity against periodontal pathogens were investigated. Finally, the bone regeneration potential of PLGA nanoparticles in three-walled defects in beagle dogs was investigated. The results indicated that PLGA-lovastatin-chitosan-tetracycline nanoparticles showed good biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, and increased alkaline phosphatase activity. The volumetric analysis from micro-CT revealed significantly increased new bone formation in defects filled with nanoparticles in dogs. This novel local delivery device might be useful as an adjunctive treatment in periodontal regenerative therapy. PMID:26848264

Controlled-release of tetracycline and lovastatin by poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide acid)-chitosan nanoparticles enhances periodontal regeneration in dogs.

PubMed

Lee, Bor-Shiunn; Lee, Chien-Chen; Wang, Yi-Ping; Chen, Hsiao-Jan; Lai, Chern-Hsiung; Hsieh, Wan-Ling; Chen, Yi-Wen

2016-01-01

Chronic periodontitis is characterized by inflammation of periodontal tissues, leading to bone resorption and tooth loss. The goal of treatment is to regenerate periodontal tissues including bone and cementum lost as a consequence of disease. The local delivery of tetracycline was proven to be effective in controlling localized periodontal infection without apparent side effects. Previous studies suggested that lovastatin has a significant role in new bone formation; however, the local delivery of lovastatin might enhance its therapeutic effects. A number of local delivery devices have been developed recently, including poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to develop a local delivery device, PLGA-lovastatin-chitosan-tetracycline nanoparticles, which allows the sequential release of tetracycline and lovastatin to effectively control local infection and promote bone regeneration in periodontitis. The size and microstructure of nanoparticles were examined by transmission electron microscopy, Nanoparticle Size Analyzer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release of tetracycline and lovastatin was quantified using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effect and alkaline phosphatase activity of the nanoparticles in osteoblast cell cultures as well as antibacterial activity against periodontal pathogens were investigated. Finally, the bone regeneration potential of PLGA nanoparticles in three-walled defects in beagle dogs was investigated. The results indicated that PLGA-lovastatin-chitosan-tetracycline nanoparticles showed good biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, and increased alkaline phosphatase activity. The volumetric analysis from micro-CT revealed significantly increased new bone formation in defects filled with nanoparticles in dogs. This novel local delivery device might be useful as an adjunctive treatment in periodontal regenerative therapy.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Locally Organized Surgical Outreach Mission: Making a Case for Strengthening Local Non-Governmental Organizations.

PubMed

Gyedu, Adam; Gaskill, Cameron; Boakye, Godfred; Abantanga, Francis

2017-12-01

Many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have a high prevalence of unmet surgical need. Provision of operations through surgical outreach missions, mostly led by foreign organizations, offers a way to address the problem. We sought to assess the cost-effectiveness of surgical outreach missions provided by a wholly local organization in Ghana to highlight the role local groups might play in reducing the unmet surgical need of their communities. We calculated the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) averted by surgical outreach mission activities of ApriDec Medical Outreach Group (AMOG), a Ghanaian non-governmental organization. The total cost of their activities was also calculated. Conclusions about cost-effectiveness were made according to World Health Organization (WHO)-suggested parameters. We analyzed 2008 patients who had been operated upon by AMOG since December 2011. Operations performed included hernia repairs (824 patients, 41%) and excision biopsy of soft tissue masses (364 patients, 18%). More specialized operations included thyroidectomy (103 patients, 5.1%), urological procedures (including prostatectomy) (71 patients, 3.5%), and plastic surgery (26 patients, 1.3%). Total cost of the outreach trips was $283,762, and 2079 DALY were averted; cost per DALY averted was 136.49 USD. The mission trips were "very cost-effective" per WHO parameters. There was a trend toward a lower cost per DALY averted with subsequent outreach trips organized by AMOG. Our findings suggest that providing surgical services through wholly local surgical mission trips to underserved LMIC communities might represent a cost-effective and viable option for countries seeking to reduce the growing unmet surgical needs of their populations.

The Economic Impact of Dickinson College on Carlisle and Cumberland County, 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellinger, William; Bybel, Alexandra; de Cabrol, Charles; Frankel, Zachary; Kosta, Elizabeth; Laffey, Thomas; Letko, Lauren; Pehlman, Robert; Peterson, Eric; Roderick, Benjamin; Rose, Leo; Schachter, Andrew; Wang, Jue; Wood, Matthew

2010-01-01

This study of Dickinson College represents an unusually complete, detailed, and balanced study of the local and regional economic impact of an academic institution. Among other features, it includes estimates of the college's positive and negative effects on local government, local as well as county wide economic impact estimates, and a relatively…

Precipitation Variability and Projection Uncertainties in Climate Change Adaptation: Go Local!

EPA Science Inventory

Presentations agenda includes: Regional and local climate change effects: The relevance; Variability and uncertainty in decision- making and adaptation approaches; Adaptation attributes for the U.S. Southwest: Water availability, storage capacity, and related; EPA research...

24 CFR 208.112 - Cost.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.../or software is not cost effective may contract out the electronic data transmission function to organizations that provide such services, including, but not limited to the following organizations: local management agents, local management associations and management agents with centralized facilities. Owners of...

Comparison of the efficacy of saline, local anesthetics, and steroids in epidural and facet joint injections for the management of spinal pain: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Nampiaparampil, Devi E.; Manchikanti, Kavita N.; Falco, Frank J.E.; Singh, Vijay; Benyamin, Ramsin M.; Kaye, Alan D.; Sehgal, Nalini; Soin, Amol; Simopoulos, Thomas T.; Bakshi, Sanjay; Gharibo, Christopher G.; Gilligan, Christopher J.; Hirsch, Joshua A.

2015-01-01

Background: The efficacy of epidural and facet joint injections has been assessed utilizing multiple solutions including saline, local anesthetic, steroids, and others. The responses to these various solutions have been variable and have not been systematically assessed with long-term follow-ups. Methods: Randomized trials utilizing a true active control design were included. The primary outcome measure was pain relief and the secondary outcome measure was functional improvement. The quality of each individual article was assessed by Cochrane review criteria, as well as the criteria developed by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) for assessing interventional techniques. An evidence analysis was conducted based on the qualitative level of evidence (Level I to IV). Results: A total of 31 trials met the inclusion criteria. There was Level I evidence that local anesthetic with steroids was effective in managing chronic spinal pain based on multiple high-quality randomized controlled trials. The evidence also showed that local anesthetic with steroids and local anesthetic alone were equally effective except in disc herniation, where the superiority of local anesthetic with steroids was demonstrated over local anesthetic alone. Conclusion: This systematic review showed equal efficacy for local anesthetic with steroids and local anesthetic alone in multiple spinal conditions except for disc herniation where the superiority of local anesthetic with steroids was seen over local anesthetic alone. PMID:26005584

Methodology for extracting local constants from petroleum cracking flows

DOEpatents

Chang, Shen-Lin; Lottes, Steven A.; Zhou, Chenn Q.

2000-01-01

A methodology provides for the extraction of local chemical kinetic model constants for use in a reacting flow computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer code with chemical kinetic computations to optimize the operating conditions or design of the system, including retrofit design improvements to existing systems. The coupled CFD and kinetic computer code are used in combination with data obtained from a matrix of experimental tests to extract the kinetic constants. Local fluid dynamic effects are implicitly included in the extracted local kinetic constants for each particular application system to which the methodology is applied. The extracted local kinetic model constants work well over a fairly broad range of operating conditions for specific and complex reaction sets in specific and complex reactor systems. While disclosed in terms of use in a Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) riser, the inventive methodology has application in virtually any reaction set to extract constants for any particular application and reaction set formulation. The methodology includes the step of: (1) selecting the test data sets for various conditions; (2) establishing the general trend of the parametric effect on the measured product yields; (3) calculating product yields for the selected test conditions using coupled computational fluid dynamics and chemical kinetics; (4) adjusting the local kinetic constants to match calculated product yields with experimental data; and (5) validating the determined set of local kinetic constants by comparing the calculated results with experimental data from additional test runs at different operating conditions.

Sonic-box method employing local Mach number for oscillating wings with thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruo, S. Y.

1978-01-01

A computer program was developed to account approximately for the effects of finite wing thickness in the transonic potential flow over an oscillating wing of finite span. The program is based on the original sonic-box program for planar wing which was previously extended to include the effects of the swept trailing edge and the thickness of the wing. Account for the nonuniform flow caused by finite thickness is made by application of the local linearization concept. The thickness effect, expressed in terms of the local Mach number, is included in the basic solution to replace the coordinate transformation method used in the earlier work. Calculations were made for a delta wing and a rectangular wing performing plunge and pitch oscillations, and the results were compared with those obtained from other methods. An input quide and a complete listing of the computer code are presented.

Consumer motivations toward buying local rice: The case of northern Iranian consumers.

PubMed

Rahnama, Hassan

2017-07-01

This research had two purposes. The first aim was to identify Iranian and Non-Iranian rice consumers based on demographic characteristics and examine difference of these features with buying behaviors. The second purpose of study was to investigate consumer's motivation to buy local rice in Iran. The sample were 1500 people (men and women). The data was collected by using questionnaire based on a face-to-face survey. Chi-square, confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression were applied to assess collected data by a questionnaire survey. Regarding Iranian local rice buyers, 884 people buy local rice. Chi-square test showed that there is a significant difference between gender, having children, and marital status in buying local rice. Habitual Iranian local rice buyers include: female (51%), people who are more than 45 years old (51%), people with children (63%), people who are living urban (61%), married people (48%) and individuals that their monthly income is between 321.5 and 625 Dollars (53%). Regarding non-Iranian rice buyers, 616 people buy it. Also there is a significant difference between gender, location, marital status, and income in buying local rice. For considering consumers motivation toward buying local rice the econometrical model is used. Model had three aspects including; quality aspects (taste, good appearance), economic aspects (price, convenience, consumer's ethnocentrism), and safety aspects (health, not using pesticides and environment protection) and seven subset. The results of analysis indicated that quality aspects, economic aspects and safety aspects have positive effects on buying Iranian local rice. Also, indicative variables including; taste, good appearance, price, convenience, consumer's ethnocentrism, health, not using pesticides and environment have significant effects on buying it. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying Effective and Sustainable Measures for Community-Based Environmental Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Ariana J.; Johnson, Chris J.

2017-09-01

Resource development projects typically result in monitoring programs that fail to fully consider the values and participation of surrounding communities. Also, monitoring protocols for single environmental values can be insufficient for addressing the cumulative impacts of resource development. Community-based environmental monitoring (CBEM) has emerged as a way to meaningfully include local citizens in the decision-making process and assessment of the development of natural resources. Our research explored how to develop effective and sustainable CBEM. Interviews were conducted with staff from 15 CBEM programs established across Canada to identify criteria of what constitutes effective CBEM. Results demonstrate that CBEM offers an effective, locally adapted, and culturally applicable approach to facilitate community participation in natural resource management and to track environmental change. Benefits of CBEM include: locally relevant monitoring protocols, inclusion of cumulative impacts, better informed decision-making, and increased awareness and collaboration amongst community, governments, and proponents. Challenges associated with CBEM are cost, capacity, longevity, distribution of results, and establishing credibility. This research validates the use of CBEM for improving resource management.

Local thermodynamic mapping for effective liquid density-functional theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kyrlidis, Agathagelos; Brown, Robert A.

1992-01-01

The structural-mapping approximation introduced by Lutsko and Baus (1990) in the generalized effective-liquid approximation is extended to include a local thermodynamic mapping based on a spatially dependent effective density for approximating the solid phase in terms of the uniform liquid. This latter approximation, called the local generalized effective-liquid approximation (LGELA) yields excellent predictions for the free energy of hard-sphere solids and for the conditions of coexistence of a hard-sphere fcc solid with a liquid. Moreover, the predicted free energy remains single valued for calculations with more loosely packed crystalline structures, such as the diamond lattice. The spatial dependence of the weighted density makes the LGELA useful in the study of inhomogeneous solids.

TU-H-CAMPUS-IeP1-03: Comparison of Monte Carlo Simulation and Conversion Factor Based Method On Estimation of Effective Dose in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Interventional Cardiac Procedures

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

Leung, K; Wong, M; Ng, Y

Purpose: Interventional cardiac procedures utilize frequent fluoroscopy and cineangiography, which impose considerable radiation risk to patients, especially pediatric patients. Accurate calculation of effective dose is important in order to estimate cancer risk over the rest of their lifetime. This study evaluates the difference in effective dose calculated by Monte Carlo simulation with those estimated by locally-derived conversion factors (CF-local) and by commonly quoted conversion factors from Karambatsakidou et al (CF-K). Methods: Effective dose (E),of 12 pediatric patients, age between 2.5–19 years old, who had undergone interventional cardiac procedures, were calculated using PCXMC-2.0 software. Tube spectrum, irradiation geometry, exposure parameters andmore » dose-area product (DAP) of each projection were included in the software calculation. Effective doses for each patient were also estimated by two Methods: 1) CF-local: conversion factor derived locally by generalizing results of 12 patients, multiplied by DAP of each patient gives E-local. 2) CF-K: selected factor from above-mentioned literature, multiplied by DAP of each patient gives E-K. Results: Mean of E, E-local and E-K were 16.01 mSv, 16.80 mSv and 22.25 mSv respectively. A deviation of −29.35% to +34.85% between E and E-local, while a greater deviation of −28.96% to +60.86% between E and EK were observed. E-K overestimated the effective dose for patients at age 7.5–19. Conclusion: Effective dose obtained by conversion factors is simple and quick to estimate radiation risk of pediatric patients. This study showed that estimation by CF-local may bear an error of 35% when compared with Monte Carlo calculation. If using conversion factors derived by other studies may result in an even greater error, of up to 60%, due to factors that are not catered for in the estimation, including patient size, projection angles, exposure parameters, tube filtration, etc. Users must be aware of these potential inaccuracies when simple conversion method is employed.« less

Damage identification using inverse methods.

PubMed

Friswell, Michael I

2007-02-15

This paper gives an overview of the use of inverse methods in damage detection and location, using measured vibration data. Inverse problems require the use of a model and the identification of uncertain parameters of this model. Damage is often local in nature and although the effect of the loss of stiffness may require only a small number of parameters, the lack of knowledge of the location means that a large number of candidate parameters must be included. This paper discusses a number of problems that exist with this approach to health monitoring, including modelling error, environmental effects, damage localization and regularization.

Experimental investigation of a two-dimensional shock-turbulent boundary layer interaction with bleed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hingst, W. R.; Tanji, F. T.

1983-01-01

The two-dimensional interaction of an oblique shock wave with a turbulent boundary layer that included the effect of bleed was examined experimentally using a shock generator mounted across a supersonic wind tunnel The studies were performed at Mach numbers 2.5 and 2.0 and unit Reynolds number of approximately 2.0 x 10 to the 7th/meter. The study includes surface oil flow visualization, wall static pressure distributions and boundary layer pitot pressure profiles. In addition, the variation of the local bleed rates were measured. The results show the effect of the bleed on the boundary layer as well as the effect of the flow conditions on the local bleed rate.

Climate change and health effects in Northwest Alaska.

PubMed

Brubaker, Michael; Berner, James; Chavan, Raj; Warren, John

2011-01-01

This article provides examples of adverse health effects, including weather-related injury, food insecurity, mental health issues, and water infrastructure damage, and the responses to these effects that are currently being applied in two Northwest Alaska communities. In Northwest Alaska, warming is resulting in a broad range of unusual weather and environmental conditions, including delayed freeze-up, earlier breakup, storm surge, coastal erosion, and thawing permafrost. These are just some of the climate impacts that are driving concerns about weather-related injury, the spread of disease, mental health issues, infrastructure damage, and food and water security. Local leaders are challenged to identify appropriate adaptation strategies to address climate impacts and related health effects. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: The tribal health system is combining local observations, traditional knowledge, and western science to perform community-specific climate change health impact assessments. Local leaders are applying this information to develop adaptation responses. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium will describe relationships between climate impacts and health effects and provide examples of community-scaled adaptation actions currently being applied in Northwest Alaska. Climate change is increasing vulnerability to injury, disease, mental stress, food insecurity, and water insecurity. Northwest communities are applying adaptation approaches that are both specific and appropriate. The health impact assessment process is effective in raising awareness, encouraging discussion, engaging partners, and implementing adaptation planning. With community-specific information, local leaders are applying health protective adaptation measures.

Climate change and health effects in Northwest Alaska

PubMed Central

Brubaker, Michael; Berner, James; Chavan, Raj; Warren, John

2011-01-01

This article provides examples of adverse health effects, including weather-related injury, food insecurity, mental health issues, and water infrastructure damage, and the responses to these effects that are currently being applied in two Northwest Alaska communities. Background In Northwest Alaska, warming is resulting in a broad range of unusual weather and environmental conditions, including delayed freeze-up, earlier breakup, storm surge, coastal erosion, and thawing permafrost. These are just some of the climate impacts that are driving concerns about weather-related injury, the spread of disease, mental health issues, infrastructure damage, and food and water security. Local leaders are challenged to identify appropriate adaptation strategies to address climate impacts and related health effects. Implementation process The tribal health system is combining local observations, traditional knowledge, and western science to perform community-specific climate change health impact assessments. Local leaders are applying this information to develop adaptation responses. Objective The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium will describe relationships between climate impacts and health effects and provide examples of community-scaled adaptation actions currently being applied in Northwest Alaska. Findings Climate change is increasing vulnerability to injury, disease, mental stress, food insecurity, and water insecurity. Northwest communities are applying adaptation approaches that are both specific and appropriate. Conclusion The health impact assessment process is effective in raising awareness, encouraging discussion, engaging partners, and implementing adaptation planning. With community-specific information, local leaders are applying health protective adaptation measures. PMID:22022304

The Portevin–Le Chatelier effect: a review of experimental findings

PubMed Central

Yilmaz, Ahmet

2011-01-01

The Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effect manifests itself as an unstable plastic flow during tensile tests of some dilute alloys under certain regimes of strain rate and temperature. The plastic strain becomes localized in the form of bands which move along a specimen gauge in various ways as the PLC effect occurs. Because the localization of strain causes degradation of the inherent structural properties and surface quality of materials, understanding the effect is crucial for the effective use of alloys. The characteristic behaviors of localized strain bands and techniques commonly used to study the PLC effect are summarized in this review. A brief overview of experimental findings, the effect of material properties and test parameters on the PLC effect, and some discussion on the mechanisms of the effect are included. Tests for predicting the early failure of structural materials due to embrittlement induced by the PLC effect are also discussed. PMID:27877450

Effective conservative treatment of umbilical pilonidal sinus disease: Silver nitrate? Salt?

PubMed

Sözen, Selim; Kanat, Burhan Hakan; Kanat, Zekiye; Bali, Ilhan; Polat, Yilmaz

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the three different treatment methods and investigate The effectiveness of the therapeutic effect of common salt. This retrospective study involved patients who were treated in our clinic for umbilical pilonidal sinus disease between January 2010 and December 2011. The patients were divided to three subgroups according to treatment methods. Group I: Cases treated with only local debridement and systemic antibiotic, group II: cases treated with local debridement, systemic antibiotic and silver nitrate, group 3: cases treated with debridement, systemic antibiotic and salt. In this study, 63 patients with the diagnosis of UPS were treated in our clinic. The patients were classified into three groups; group I included 20 patients, group II included 18 patients and group III included 18 patients. During 16-24 months of follow-up, 4 (20%) recurrences in group1 and 2 (11.1%) recurrences in group 2 were detected. Recurrence rate of group 3 was significantly different (5.55%) when compared to group 2. The mean period for returning to daily activities and work was 1 day for the patients. In conclusion, we suggest that pilonidal sinus cases which are not complicated by abcess and cellulitis can be treated by local removal of umbilical hairs, debridement and dressing without surgery. We conclude that application of common salt (table/ cooking salt) to umbilical pilonidal sinus with granuloma is a simple and highly effective way of treatment without any relapse and complications. Conservative treatment, Local debridement, Umblical pilonidal sinus.

Local anaesthetic infiltration for peri-operative pain control in total hip and knee replacement: systematic review and meta-analyses of short- and long-term effectiveness.

PubMed

Marques, Elsa M R; Jones, Hayley E; Elvers, Karen T; Pyke, Mark; Blom, Ashley W; Beswick, Andrew D

2014-07-05

Surgical pain is managed with multi-modal anaesthesia in total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR). It is unclear whether including local anaesthetic infiltration before wound closure provides additional pain control. We performed a systematic review of randomised controlled trials of local anaesthetic infiltration in patients receiving THR or TKR. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL to December 2012. Two reviewers screened abstracts, extracted data, and contacted authors for unpublished outcomes and data. Outcomes collected were post-operative pain at rest and during activity after 24 and 48 hours, opioid requirement, mobilisation, hospital stay and complications. When feasible, we estimated pooled treatment effects using random effects meta-analyses. In 13 studies including 909 patients undergoing THR, patients receiving local anaesthetic infiltration experienced a greater reduction in pain at 24 hours at rest by standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.61 (95% CI -1.05, -0.16; p = 0.008) and by SMD -0.43 (95% CI -0.78 -0.09; p = 0.014) at 48 hours during activity.In TKR, diverse multi-modal regimens were reported. In 23 studies including 1439 patients undergoing TKR, local anaesthetic infiltration reduced pain on average by SMD -0.40 (95% CI -0.58, -0.22; p < 0.001) at 24 hours at rest and by SMD -0.27 (95% CI -0.50, -0.05; p = 0.018) at 48 hours during activity, compared with patients receiving no infiltration or placebo. There was evidence of a larger reduction in studies delivering additional local anaesthetic after wound closure. There was no evidence of pain control additional to that provided by femoral nerve block.Patients receiving local anaesthetic infiltration spent on average an estimated 0.83 (95% CI 1.54, 0.12; p = 0.022) and 0.87 (95% CI 1.62, 0.11; p = 0.025) fewer days in hospital after THR and TKR respectively, had reduced opioid consumption, earlier mobilisation, and lower incidence of vomiting.Few studies reported long-term outcomes. Local anaesthetic infiltration is effective in reducing short-term pain and hospital stay in patients receiving THR and TKR. Studies should assess whether local anaesthetic infiltration can prevent long-term pain. Enhanced pain control with additional analgesia through a catheter should be weighed against a possible infection risk.

Do eye movements reveal differences between monolingual and bilingual children's first-language and second-language reading? A focus on word frequency effects.

PubMed

Whitford, Veronica; Joanisse, Marc F

2018-09-01

An extensive body of research has examined reading acquisition and performance in monolingual children. Surprisingly, however, much less is known about reading in bilingual children, who outnumber monolingual children globally. Here, we address this important imbalance in the literature by employing eye movement recordings to examine both global (i.e., text-level) and local (i.e., word-level) aspects of monolingual and bilingual children's reading performance across their first-language (L1) and second-language (L2). We also had a specific focus on lexical accessibility, indexed by word frequency effects. We had three main findings. First, bilingual children displayed reduced global and local L1 reading performance relative to monolingual children, including larger L1 word frequency effects. Second, bilingual children displayed reduced global and local L2 versus L1 reading performance, including larger L2 word frequency effects. Third, both groups of children displayed reduced global and local reading performance relative to adult comparison groups (across their known languages), including larger word frequency effects. Notably, our first finding was not captured by traditional offline measures of reading, such as standardized tests, suggesting that these measures may lack the sensitivity to detect such nuanced between-group differences in reading performance. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that bilingual children's simultaneous exposure to two reading systems leads to eye movement reading behavior that differs from that of monolingual children and has important consequences for how lexical information is accessed and integrated in both languages. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seed size and provenance mediate the joint effects of disturbance and seed predation on community assembly

Treesearch

John L. Maron; Dean E. Pearson; Teal Potter; Yvette K. Ortega

2012-01-01

Local plant community assembly is influenced by a series of filters that affect the recruitment and establishment of species. These filters include regional factors that limit seeds of any given species from reaching a local site as well as local interactions such as post-dispersal seed predation and disturbance, which dictate what species actually establish. How these...

Species of conservation concern and environmental stressors: Local, regional and global effects [Chapter 6] (Executive Summary)

Treesearch

Steven M. Ostoja; Matthew L. Brooks; Jeanne C. Chambers; Burton K. Pendleton

2013-01-01

Southern Nevada’s unique landscapes and landforms provide habitat for a diversity of plant and wildlife species of conservation concern including many locally and regionally endemic species. The high population density and urbanization of the Las Vegas metropolitan area is the source of many local and regional stressors that affect these species and their habitats:...

Local anesthetic systemic toxicity: update on mechanisms and treatment.

PubMed

Wolfe, John W; Butterworth, John F

2011-10-01

With increases in use of regional anesthesia, local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) has been a topic of interest and debate. Despite many years of research, the exact cause and best treatment of LAST (particularly local anesthetic cardiotoxicity) remain unclear. This review will summarize what is known and what remains uncertain about LAST and its treatment, including information published in the past 12-18 months. Several authorities, including the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, have published guidelines on prevention and treatment of LAST. Experimental data continue to add to better understanding of LAST and its treatment. The data are not entirely consistent, but themes include continued evidence to support the ideas that LAST cardiotoxicity occurs primarily at sodium channels, lipid emulsion is a reasonably well tolerated and effective treatment, and there may be qualitative differences in cardiotoxicity caused by low and high-potency local anesthetics. Regarding mechanism(s) of LAST, the evidence remains mixed, but it is likely that local anesthetic cardiotoxicity primarily arises from a blockade of sodium channels. As for treatment, in addition to ventilation, oxygenation, and chest compressions, lipid emulsion therapy should be a primary element in the treatment of cardiovascular LAST. The use of epinephrine and vasopressin should be tailored to specifics of an episode of LAST, and doses should be kept as low as possible while still achieving the desired effects.

The analgesic effect of wound infiltration with local anaesthetics after breast surgery: a qualitative systematic review.

PubMed

Byager, N; Hansen, M S; Mathiesen, O; Dahl, J B

2014-04-01

Wound infiltration with local anaesthetics is commonly used during breast surgery in an attempt to reduce post-operative pain and opioid consumption. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of wound infiltration with local anaesthetics compared with a control group on post-operative pain after breast surgery. A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, the Cochrane database and Embase for randomised, blinded, controlled trials of wound infiltration with local anaesthetics for post-operative pain relief in female adults undergoing breast surgery. The analgesic effect was evaluated in a qualitative analysis by assessment of significant difference between groups (P < 0.05) in pain scores and supplemental analgesic consumption. Ten trials including 699 patients were included in the final analysis. Three trials investigated mastectomy, four trials partial or segmental mastectomy, and three trials breast reduction, excision of benign lump and unspecified breast surgery, respectively. Six trials demonstrated a small and short-lasting, but statistically significant reduction of post-operative pain scores, and four trials observed a statistically significant reduction in post-operative, supplemental opioid consumption that was, however, of limited clinical relevance. Wound infiltration with local anaesthetics may have a modest analgesic effect in the first few hours after surgery. Pain after breast surgery is, however, generally mild to moderate, and other non-invasive analgesic methods may be preferable in this surgical population. © 2014 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Education Service: In or Out of Local Government? Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the British Educational Administration Society (6th, University of Birmingham, England, September 23-24, 1977).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Kenneth, Ed.

This conference focused on the present position of British education within local government and whether schools can function effectively under local control. Issues discussed included the question of whether the schools were providing industry with employees having appropriate academic ability and social skills, the question of whether…

Reducing inequalities in access to health care: developing a toolkit through action research.

PubMed

Goyder, E C; Blank, L; Ellis, E; Furber, A; Peters, J; Sartain, K; Massey, C

2005-10-01

Healthcare organisations are expected both to monitor inequalities in access to health services and also to act to improve access and increase equity in service provision. Locally developed action research projects with an explicit objective of reducing inequalities in access. Eight different health care services in the Yorkshire and Humber region, including community based palliative care, general practice asthma care, hospital based cardiology clinics, and termination of pregnancy services. Changes in service provision, increasing attendance rates in targeted groups. Local teams identified the population concerned and appropriate interventions using both published and grey literature. Where change to service provision was achieved, local data were collected to monitor the impact of service change. A number of evidence based changes to service provision were proposed and implemented with variable success. Service uptake increased in some of the targeted populations. Interventions to improve access must be sensitive to local settings and need both practical and managerial support to succeed. It is particularly difficult to improve access effectively if services are already struggling to meet current demand. Key elements for successful interventions included effective local leadership, identification of an intervention which is both evidence based and locally practicable, and identification of additional resources to support increased activity. A "toolkit" has been developed to support the identification and implementation of appropriate changes.

6.3 MeV fast neutrons in the treatment of patients with locally advanced and locally recurrent breast cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velikaya, V. V.; Musabaeva, L. I.; Lisin, V. A.; Startseva, Zh. A.

2016-08-01

The study included 135 breast cancer patients (70 patients with locally recurrent breast cancer and 65 patients with locally advanced breast cancer with unfavorable prognostic factors) who received the neutron therapy alone or in combination with the photon therapy. The neutron therapy was shown to be effective in multimodality treatment of patients with locally advanced and locally recurrent breast cancer. The 8-year survival rate in patients without repeated breast cancer recurrence was 87.6 ± 8.7% after the neutron and neutron-photon therapy and 54.3 ± 9.2% after the electron beam therapy.

6.3 MeV fast neutrons in the treatment of patients with locally advanced and locally recurrent breast cancer

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

Velikaya, V. V., E-mail: viktoria.v.v@inbox.ru; Startseva, Zh. A., E-mail: zhanna.alex@rambler.ru; National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Avenue 30, Tomsk, 634050

The study included 135 breast cancer patients (70 patients with locally recurrent breast cancer and 65 patients with locally advanced breast cancer with unfavorable prognostic factors) who received the neutron therapy alone or in combination with the photon therapy. The neutron therapy was shown to be effective in multimodality treatment of patients with locally advanced and locally recurrent breast cancer. The 8-year survival rate in patients without repeated breast cancer recurrence was 87.6 ± 8.7% after the neutron and neutron-photon therapy and 54.3 ± 9.2% after the electron beam therapy.

Local environmental context conditions the impact of Russian olive in a heterogeneous riparian ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tuttle, Graham M.; Katz, Gabrielle L.; Friedman, Jonathan M.; Norton, Andrew P.

2016-01-01

Local abiotic and biotic conditions can alter the strength of exotic species impacts. To better understand the effects of exotic species on invaded ecosystems and to prioritize management efforts, it is important that exotic species impacts are put in local environmental context. We studied how differences in plant community composition, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and available soil N associated with Russian olive presence are conditioned by local environmental variation within a western U.S. riparian ecosystem. In four sites along the South Fork of the Republican River in Colorado, we established 200 pairs of plots (underneath and apart from Russian olive) to measure the effects of invasion across the ecosystem. We used a series of a priori mixed models to identify environmental variables that altered the effects of Russian olive. For all response variables, models that included the interaction of environmental characteristics, such as presence/absence of an existing cottonwood canopy, with the presence/absence of Russian olive canopy were stronger candidate models than those that just included Russian olive canopy presence as a factor. Compared with reference plots outside of Russian olive canopy, plots underneath Russian olive had higher relative exotic cover (exotic/total cover), lower perennial C4 grass cover, and higher perennial forb cover. These effects were reduced, however, in the presence of a cottonwood canopy. As expected, Russian olive was associated with reduced PAR and increased N, but these effects were reduced under cottonwood canopy. Our results demonstrate that local abiotic and biotic environmental factors condition the effects of Russian olive within a heterogeneous riparian ecosystem and suggest that management efforts should be focused in open areas where Russian olive impacts are strongest.

A 12-Day Course of Imiquimod 5% for the Treatment of Actinic Keratosis: Effectiveness and Local Reactions.

PubMed

Serra-Guillén, C; Nagore, E; Llombart, B; Sanmartín, O; Requena, C; Calomarde, L; Guillén, C

2018-04-01

Imiquimod is an excellent option for patients with actinic keratosis, although its use may be limited by the long course of treatment required (4 weeks) and the likelihood of local skin reactions. The objectives of the present study were to demonstrate the effectiveness of a 12-day course of imiquimod 5% for the treatment of actinic keratosis and to examine the association between treatment effectiveness and severity of local reactions. We included patients with at least 8 actinic keratoses treated with imiquimod 5% cream for 12 consecutive days. Local reactions were classified as mild, moderate, or severe. The statistical analysis of the association between local reactions and clinical response was based on the Pearson χ 2 test and the Spearman rank correlation test. Sixty-five patients completed the study. Complete response was recorded in 52.3% and partial response in 75.4%. We found a statistically significant association between severity of the local reaction and response to treatment in both the Pearson χ 2 test and the Spearman rank correlation test. A 12-day course of imiquimod 5% proved effective for the treatment of actinic keratosis. Severity of local reactions during treatment was correlated with clinical response. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Preventing heat-related morbidity and mortality: new approaches in a changing climate.

PubMed

O'Neill, Marie S; Carter, Rebecca; Kish, Jonathan K; Gronlund, Carina J; White-Newsome, Jalonne L; Manarolla, Xico; Zanobetti, Antonella; Schwartz, Joel D

2009-10-20

Due to global climate change, the world will, on average, experience a higher number of heat waves, and the intensity and length of these heat waves is projected to increase. Knowledge about the implications of heat exposure to human health is growing, with excess mortality and illness occurring during hot weather in diverse regions. Certain groups, including the elderly, the urban poor, and those with chronic health conditions, are at higher risk. Preventive actions include: establishing heat wave warning systems; making cool environments available (through air conditioning or other means); public education; planting trees and other vegetation; and modifying the built environment to provide proper ventilation and use materials and colors that reduce heat build-up and optimize thermal comfort. However, to inspire local prevention activities, easily understood information about the strategies' benefits needs to be incorporated into decision tools. Integrating heat health information into a comprehensive adaptation planning process can alert local decision-makers to extreme heat risks and provide information necessary to choose strategies that yield the largest health improvements and cost savings. Tools to enable this include web-based programs that illustrate effective methods for including heat health in comprehensive local-level adaptation planning; calculate costs and benefits of several activities; maps showing zones of high potential heat exposure and vulnerable populations in a local area; and public awareness materials and training for implementing preventive activities. A new computer-based decision tool will enable local estimates of heat-related health effects and potential savings from implementing a range of prevention strategies.

Local Topography Effect on Plant Area Index Profile Calculation from Small Footprint Airborne Laser Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Wang, T.; Skidmore, A. K.; Heurich, M.

2016-12-01

The plant area index (PAI) profile is a quantitative description of how plants (including leaves and woody materials) are distributed vertically, as a function of height. PAI profiles can be used for many applications including biomass estimation, radiative transfer modelling, fire fuel modelling and wildlife habitat assessment. With airborne laser scanning (ALS), forest structure underneath the canopy surface can be detected. PAI profiles can be calculated through estimates of the vertically resolved gap fraction from ALS data. In this process, a gridding or aggregation step is often involved. Most current research neglects local topographic change, and utilizes a height normalization algorithm to achieve a local or relative height, implying a flat local terrain assumption inside the grid or aggregation area. However, in mountainous forest, this assumption is often not valid. Therefore, in this research, the local topographic effect on the PAI profile calculation was studied. Small footprint discrete multi-return ALS data was acquired over the Bavarian Forest National Park under leaf-off and leaf-on conditions. Ground truth data, including tree height, canopy cover, DBH as well as digital hemispherical photos, were collected in 30 plots. These plots covered a wide range of forest structure, plant species, local topography condition and understory coverage. PAI profiles were calculated both with and without height normalization. The difference between height normalized and non-normalized profiles were evaluated with the coefficient of variation of root mean squared difference (CV-RMSD). The derived metric PAI values from PAI profiles were also evaluated with ground truth PAI from the hemispherical photos. Results showed that change in local topography had significant effects on the PAI profile. The CV-RMSD between PAI profile results calculated with or without height normalization ranged from 24.5% to 163.9%. Height normalization (neglecting topography change) can lead to offsets in the height of plant material that could potentially cause large errors and uncertainty when used in applications utilizing absolute height such as radiative transfer modeling and fire fuel modelling. This research demonstrates that when calculating the PAI profile from ALS, local topography has to be taken into account.

Effectiveness of local vancomycin powder to decrease surgical site infections: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chiang, Hsiu-Yin; Herwaldt, Loreen A; Blevins, Amy E; Cho, Edward; Schweizer, Marin L

2014-03-01

Some surgeons use systemic vancomycin to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs), but patients who do not carry methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus have an increased risk of SSIs when given vancomycin alone for intravenous prophylaxis. Applying vancomycin powder to the wound before closure could increase the local tissue vancomycin level without significant systemic levels. However, the effectiveness of local vancomycin powder application for preventing SSIs has not been established. Our objective was to systematically review and evaluate studies on the effectiveness of local vancomycin powder for decreasing SSIs. Meta-analysis. We included observational studies, quasi-experimental studies, and randomized controlled trials of patients undergoing surgical procedures that involved vancomycin powder application to surgical wounds, reported SSI rates, and had a comparison group that did not use local vancomycin powder. The primary outcome was postoperative SSIs. The secondary outcomes included deep incisional SSIs and S. aureus SSIs. We performed systematic literature searches in PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials via Wiley, Scopus (including EMBASE abstracts), Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, BMC Proceedings, ProQuest Dissertation, and Thesis in Health and Medicine, and conference abstracts from IDWeek, the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meetings, and also the Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meeting and Course. We ran the searches from inception on May 9, 2013 with no limits on date or language. After reviewing 373 titles or abstracts and 22 articles in detail, we included 10 independent studies and used a random-effects model when pooling risk estimates to assess the effectiveness of local vancomycin powder application for preventing SSIs, the outcome of interest. We used the I²-index, Q-statistic, and corresponding p value to assess the heterogeneity of the risk estimates, and funnel plots to assess publication bias. We included seven quasi-experimental studies, two cohort studies, and one randomized controlled trial, encompassing 5,888 surgical patients. The pooled effects showed that applying local vancomycin powder was significantly protective against SSIs (pooled odds ratio [pOR] 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.38), deep incisional SSIs (pOR 0.23; 95% CI 0.09-0.57), and SSIs caused by S. aureus (pOR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08-0.58). However, significant heterogeneity was present for studies evaluating all SSIs or deep incisional SSIs. When we pooled the risk estimates from the eight studies that assessed patients undergoing spinal operations, vancomycin powder remained significantly protective against SSIs (pOR 0.16; 95% CI 0.09-0.30), deep incisional SSIs (pOR 0.18; 95% CI 0.09-0.36), and SSIs caused by S. aureus (pOR 0.11; 95% CI 0.03-0.36). The pooled ORs from studies of spinal operations were lower than those for all studies and the estimates from spinal operation studies were homogeneous. However, there was evidence of publication bias. Local administration of vancomycin powder appears to protect against SSIs, deep incisional SSIs, and S. aureus SSIs after spinal operations. Large, high-quality studies should be performed to evaluate this intervention before it is used routinely. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Macroecology of biodiversity: disentangling local and regional effects.

PubMed

Pärtel, Meelis; Bennett, Jonathan A; Zobel, Martin

2016-07-01

Contents 404 I. 404 II. 404 III. 405 IV. 406 V. 407 VI. 408 409 References 409 SUMMARY: Macroecology of biodiversity disentangles local and regional drivers of biodiversity by exploring large-scale biodiversity relationships with environmental or biotic gradients, generalizing local biodiversity relationships across regions, or comparing biodiversity patterns among species groups. A macroecological perspective is also important at local scales: a full understanding of local biodiversity drivers, including human impact, demands that regional processes be taken into account. This requires knowledge of which species could inhabit a site (the species pool), including those that are currently absent (dark diversity). Macroecology of biodiversity is currently advancing quickly owing to an unprecedented accumulation of biodiversity data, new sampling techniques and analytical methods, all of which better equip us to face current and future challenges in ecology and biodiversity conservation. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Effectiveness of new vibration delivery system on pain associated with injection of local anesthesia in children.

PubMed

Shilpapriya, Mangalampally; Jayanthi, Mungara; Reddy, Venumbaka Nilaya; Sakthivel, Rajendran; Selvaraju, Girija; Vijayakumar, Poornima

2015-01-01

Pain is highly subjective and it is neurologically proven that stimulation of larger diameter fibers - e.g., using appropriate coldness, warmth, rubbing, pressure or vibration - can close the neural "gate" so that the central perception of itch and pain is reduced. This fact is based upon "gate control" theory of Melzack and Wall. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of vibration stimuli on pain experienced during local anesthetic injections. Thirty patients aged 6-12 years old of both the genders with Frankel's behavior rating scale as positive and definitely positive requiring bilateral local anesthesia injections for dental treatment were included in the split-mouth cross over design. Universal pain assessment tool was used to assess the pain with and without vibration during the administration of local anesthesia and the results obtained were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Local anesthetic administration with vibration resulted in significantly less pain (P = 0.001) compared to the injections without the use of vibe. The results suggest that vibration can be used as an effective method to decrease pain during dental local anesthetic administration.

Variation in sensitivity of large benthic Foraminifera to the combined effects of ocean warming and local impacts.

PubMed

Prazeres, Martina; Roberts, T Edward; Pandolfi, John M

2017-03-23

Large benthic foraminifera (LBF) are crucial marine calcifiers in coral reefs, and sensitive to environmental changes. Yet, many species successfully colonise a wide range of habitats including highly fluctuating environments. We tested the combined effects of ocean warming, local impacts and different light levels on populations of the common LBF Amphistegina lobifera collected along a cross-shelf gradient of temperature and nutrients fluctuations. We analysed survivorship, bleaching frequency, chlorophyll a content and fecundity. Elevated temperature and nitrate significantly reduced survivorship and fecundity of A. lobifera across populations studied. This pattern was exacerbated when combined with below optimum light levels. Inshore populations showed a consistent resistance to increased temperature and nitrate levels, but all populations studied were significantly affected by light reduction. These findings demonstrated the capacity of some populations of LBF to acclimate to local conditions; nonetheless improvements in local water quality can ultimately ameliorate effects of climate change in local LBF populations.

Cutaneous Side-effects of Immunomodulators in MS.

PubMed

Lebrun, C; Bertagna, M; Cohen, M

2011-09-01

Local skin reactions to subcutaneous injections of interferon beta (IFNB) or glatiramer acetate (GA) in multiple sclerosis (MS) are frequent, while severe cutaneous toxicity is rare. Both IFNB and GA are immunomodulatory drugs that have excellent safety profiles and are currently used for treatment of MS. They are administered by SC injection every other day for IFNB-1b, three times a week for IFNB-1a or daily for 20 mg for GA. The most common adverse effects, which occur in approximately 20-60% of patients, include pain, inflammation and induration at the injection sites. Another adverse effect is frank panniculitis followed by localized lipoatrophy at the injection sites, which has been described in half of the patients receiving GA injections but is also described with Subcutaneous IFNB-1b. No guidelines have yet been established for the treatment of skin reactions, which is a frequent point for discussion between neurologists and dermatologists. In addition, no treatment has been found for established lipoatrophy. The prevention and management of cutaneous side-effects include patient education, regular examination and manual palpation of all injection sites. Non-steroid antiinflammatory gels, local corticosteroids or endermology can help patients to resolve side-effects and to continue immunomodulatory treatment.

Influence of reserpine on in vivo localization of injected lymph node cells in the mouse.

PubMed Central

Bellavia, A; Micklem, H S

1987-01-01

The effects of reserpine, and other agents that affect the storage and availability of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT), on the localization of injected 51Cr-labelled syngeneic lymph node cells have been investigated. A high dose (5 mg/kg) of reserpine to the recipients reduced localization in the lymph nodes and prevented the usual accumulation of lymphocytes in lymph nodes draining the site of an antigen (sheep erythrocytes: SE) injection. These effects were partially reversible by the monoamine oxidase inhibitor nialamide. This dose of reserpine produced deep sedation throughout the period of the experiment. Lower doses, up to 2.5 mg/kg, produced little sedation and had no effect on the localization of lymphocytes. Other workers had previously reported reduced localization of cells in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) lesions after treatment of the recipients with 5 mg/kg reserpine, and had interpreted this in terms of a role of 5HT in promoting vascular permeability and egress of blood cells. The effect of lower doses of reserpine was not reported. We suggest that the effects on cell localization in both sets of experiments may have been secondary to the general state of sedation and not attributable to a direct local influence of 5HT. Other effects of reserpine included prolonged retention of lymphocytes in lungs and blood, and a reduction of cellularity and DNA synthesis in the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes. PMID:3817871

The Importance of Rare Subtypes in Diagnosis and Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy: A Review.

PubMed

Callaghan, Brian C; Price, Raymond S; Chen, Kevin S; Feldman, Eva L

2015-12-01

Peripheral neuropathy is a prevalent condition that usually warrants a thorough history and examination but has limited diagnostic evaluation. However, rare localizations of peripheral neuropathy often require more extensive diagnostic testing and different treatments. To describe rare localizations of peripheral neuropathy, including the appropriate diagnostic evaluation and available treatments. References were identified from PubMed searches conducted on May 29, 2015, with an emphasis on systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials. Articles were also identified through the use of the authors' own files. Search terms included common rare neuropathy localizations and their causes, as well as epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Diffuse, nonlength-dependent neuropathies, multiple mononeuropathies, polyradiculopathies, plexopathies, and radiculoplexus neuropathies are rare peripheral neuropathy localizations that often require extensive diagnostic testing. Atypical neuropathy features, such as acute/subacute onset, asymmetry, and/or motor predominant signs, are frequently present. The most common diffuse, nonlength-dependent neuropathies are Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, multifocal motor neuropathy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Effective disease-modifying therapies exist for many diffuse, nonlength-dependent neuropathies including Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, multifocal motor neuropathy, and some paraprotein-associated demyelinating neuropathies. Vasculitic neuropathy (multiple mononeuropathy) also has efficacious treatment options, but definitive evidence of a treatment effect for IgM anti-MAG neuropathy and diabetic amyotrophy (radiculoplexus neuropathy) is lacking. Recognition of rare localizations of peripheral neuropathy is essential given the implications for diagnostic testing and treatment. Electrodiagnostic studies are an important early step in the diagnostic evaluation and provide information on the localization and pathophysiology of nerve injury.

Local anaesthetic infiltration for peri-operative pain control in total hip and knee replacement: systematic review and meta-analyses of short- and long-term effectiveness

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Surgical pain is managed with multi-modal anaesthesia in total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR). It is unclear whether including local anaesthetic infiltration before wound closure provides additional pain control. Methods We performed a systematic review of randomised controlled trials of local anaesthetic infiltration in patients receiving THR or TKR. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL to December 2012. Two reviewers screened abstracts, extracted data, and contacted authors for unpublished outcomes and data. Outcomes collected were post-operative pain at rest and during activity after 24 and 48 hours, opioid requirement, mobilisation, hospital stay and complications. When feasible, we estimated pooled treatment effects using random effects meta-analyses. Results In 13 studies including 909 patients undergoing THR, patients receiving local anaesthetic infiltration experienced a greater reduction in pain at 24 hours at rest by standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.61 (95% CI -1.05, -0.16; p = 0.008) and by SMD -0.43 (95% CI -0.78 -0.09; p = 0.014) at 48 hours during activity. In TKR, diverse multi-modal regimens were reported. In 23 studies including 1439 patients undergoing TKR, local anaesthetic infiltration reduced pain on average by SMD -0.40 (95% CI -0.58, -0.22; p < 0.001) at 24 hours at rest and by SMD -0.27 (95% CI -0.50, -0.05; p = 0.018) at 48 hours during activity, compared with patients receiving no infiltration or placebo. There was evidence of a larger reduction in studies delivering additional local anaesthetic after wound closure. There was no evidence of pain control additional to that provided by femoral nerve block. Patients receiving local anaesthetic infiltration spent on average an estimated 0.83 (95% CI 1.54, 0.12; p = 0.022) and 0.87 (95% CI 1.62, 0.11; p = 0.025) fewer days in hospital after THR and TKR respectively, had reduced opioid consumption, earlier mobilisation, and lower incidence of vomiting. Few studies reported long-term outcomes. Conclusions Local anaesthetic infiltration is effective in reducing short-term pain and hospital stay in patients receiving THR and TKR. Studies should assess whether local anaesthetic infiltration can prevent long-term pain. Enhanced pain control with additional analgesia through a catheter should be weighed against a possible infection risk. PMID:24996539

Local Anesthesia Part 2: Technical Considerations

PubMed Central

Reed, Kenneth L.; Malamed, Stanley F.; Fonner, Andrea M.

2012-01-01

An earlier paper by Becker and Reed provided an in-depth review of the pharmacology of local anesthetics. This continuing education article will discuss the importance to the safe and effective delivery of these drugs, including needle gauge, traditional and alternative injection techniques, and methods to make injections more comfortable to patients. PMID:23050753

An Adaptive Community-Based Participatory Approach to Formative Assessment with High Schools for Obesity Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kong, Alberta S.; Farnsworth, Seth; Canaca, Jose A.; Harris, Amanda; Palley, Gabriel; Sussman, Andrew L.

2012-01-01

Background: In the emerging debate around obesity intervention in schools, recent calls have been made for researchers to include local community opinions in the design of interventions. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an effective approach for forming community partnerships and integrating local opinions. We used CBPR principles…

The Condition of K-12 Public Education in Maine: 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation, 2008

2008-01-01

"Education Indicators" are facts and statistics that help to describe a public education system. They are tools which are useful in examining and measuring the effectiveness of the system. Examples include information such as the amount of local funds raised to support local schools, per pupil expenditures, pupil-teacher ratios, and…

The Condition of K-12 Public Education in Maine: 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravelle, Paula B.; Silvernail, David L.

2007-01-01

"Education Indicators" are facts and statistics that help to describe a public education system. They are tools which are useful in examining and measuring the effectiveness of the system. Examples include information such as the amount of local funds raised to support local schools, per pupil expenditures, pupil-teacher ratios, and…

Implementation of Local Wellness Policies in Schools: Role of School Systems, School Health Councils, and Health Disparities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hager, Erin R.; Rubio, Diana S.; Eidel, G. Stewart; Penniston, Erin S.; Lopes, Megan; Saksvig, Brit I.; Fox, Renee E.; Black, Maureen M.

2016-01-01

Background: Written local wellness policies (LWPs) are mandated in school systems to enhance opportunities for healthy eating/activity. LWP effectiveness relies on school-level implementation. We examined factors associated with school-level LWP implementation. Hypothesized associations included system support for school-level implementation and…

Perioperative pain control: a strategy for management.

PubMed

Cohen, Mitchell Jay; Schecter, William P

2005-12-01

A thorough understanding of the anatomy and neurophysiology of the pain response is necessary for the effective treatment of perioperative pain. This article describes the mechanisms that produce pain,including those related to inflammation. Other topics include the pharmacologies of nonopioid and opioid analgesics. Nonopioid analgesics can be separated into two categories: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as salicylates, and acetaminophen. Opioids include morphine, fentanyl, and meperidine. The pharmacology of local anesthesia is discussed. The six major adverse reactions to local anesthetics are cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, direct tissue toxicity, central nervous system toxicity, methemoglobinemia and allergic reactions. Methods for measuring pain are described.

Explicit inclusion of nonlocality in ( d , p ) transfer reactions

DOE PAGES

Titus, L. J.; Nunes, F. M.; Potel, G.

2016-01-06

Traditionally, nucleon-nucleus optical potentials are made local for convenience. In recent work we studied the effects of including nonlocal interactions explicitly in the final state for (d,p) reactions, within the distorted wave Born approximation. Our goal in this work is to develop an improved formalism for nonlocal interactions that includes deuteron breakup and to use it to study the effects of including nonlocal interactions in transfer (d,p) reactions, in both the deuteron and the proton channel. We extend the finite-range adiabatic distorted wave approximation to include nonlocal nucleon optical potentials. We apply our method to (d,p) reactions on 16O, 40Ca,more » 48Ca, 126Sn, 132Sn, and 208Pb at 10, 20 and 50 MeV. Here, we find that nonlocality in the deuteron scattering state reduces the amplitude of the wave function in the nuclear interior, and shifts the wave function outward. In many cases, this has the effect of increasing the transfer cross section at the first peak of the angular distributions. This increase was most significant for heavy targets and for reactions at high energies. Lastly, our systematic study shows that, if only local optical potentials are used in the analysis of experimental (d, p) transfer cross sections, the extracted spectroscopic factors may be incorrect by up to 40% due to the local approximation.« less

Cost-effectiveness of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy versus Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Markov Modeling Study.

PubMed

Pollom, Erqi L; Lee, Kyueun; Durkee, Ben Y; Grade, Madeline; Mokhtari, Daniel A; Wahl, Daniel R; Feng, Mary; Kothary, Nishita; Koong, Albert C; Owens, Douglas K; Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy; Chang, Daniel T

2017-05-01

Purpose To assess the cost-effectiveness of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) versus radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with inoperable localized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are eligible for both SBRT and RFA. Materials and Methods A decision-analytic Markov model was developed for patients with inoperable, localized HCC who were eligible for both RFA and SBRT to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the following treatment strategies: (a) SBRT as initial treatment followed by SBRT for local progression (SBRT-SBRT), (b) RFA followed by RFA for local progression (RFA-RFA), (c) SBRT followed by RFA for local progression (SBRT-RFA), and (d) RFA followed by SBRT for local progression (RFA-SBRT). Probabilities of disease progression, treatment characteristics, and mortality were derived from published studies. Outcomes included health benefits expressed as discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs in U.S. dollars, and cost-effectiveness expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the robustness of the findings. Results In the base case, SBRT-SBRT yielded the most QALYs (1.565) and cost $197 557. RFA-SBRT yielded 1.558 QALYs and cost $193 288. SBRT-SBRT was not cost-effective, at $558 679 per QALY gained relative to RFA-SBRT. RFA-SBRT was the preferred strategy, because RFA-RFA and SBRT-RFA were less effective and more costly. In all evaluated scenarios, SBRT was preferred as salvage therapy for local progression after RFA. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000 per QALY gained, RFA-SBRT was preferred in 65.8% of simulations. Conclusion SBRT for initial treatment of localized, inoperable HCC is not cost-effective. However, SBRT is the preferred salvage therapy for local progression after RFA. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Cost-effectiveness of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy versus Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Markov Modeling Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyueun; Durkee, Ben Y.; Grade, Madeline; Mokhtari, Daniel A.; Wahl, Daniel R.; Feng, Mary; Kothary, Nishita; Koong, Albert C.; Owens, Douglas K.; Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy; Chang, Daniel T.

2017-01-01

Purpose To assess the cost-effectiveness of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) versus radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for patients with inoperable localized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are eligible for both SBRT and RFA. Materials and Methods A decision-analytic Markov model was developed for patients with inoperable, localized HCC who were eligible for both RFA and SBRT to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the following treatment strategies: (a) SBRT as initial treatment followed by SBRT for local progression (SBRT-SBRT), (b) RFA followed by RFA for local progression (RFA-RFA), (c) SBRT followed by RFA for local progression (SBRT-RFA), and (d) RFA followed by SBRT for local progression (RFA-SBRT). Probabilities of disease progression, treatment characteristics, and mortality were derived from published studies. Outcomes included health benefits expressed as discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs in U.S. dollars, and cost-effectiveness expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the robustness of the findings. Results In the base case, SBRT-SBRT yielded the most QALYs (1.565) and cost $197 557. RFA-SBRT yielded 1.558 QALYs and cost $193 288. SBRT-SBRT was not cost-effective, at $558 679 per QALY gained relative to RFA-SBRT. RFA-SBRT was the preferred strategy, because RFA-RFA and SBRT-RFA were less effective and more costly. In all evaluated scenarios, SBRT was preferred as salvage therapy for local progression after RFA. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000 per QALY gained, RFA-SBRT was preferred in 65.8% of simulations. Conclusion SBRT for initial treatment of localized, inoperable HCC is not cost-effective. However, SBRT is the preferred salvage therapy for local progression after RFA. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article. PMID:28045603

Modeling non-locality of plasmonic excitations with a fictitious film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Jiantao; Shvonski, Alexander; Kempa, Krzysztof

Non-local effects, requiring a wavevector (q) dependent dielectric response are becoming increasingly important in studies of plasmonic and metamaterial structures. The phenomenological hydrodynamic approximation (HDA) is the simplest, and most often used model, but it often fails. We show that the d-function formalism, exact to first order in q, is a powerful and simple-to-use alternative. Recently, we developed a mapping of the d-function formalism into a purely local fictitious film. This geometric mapping allows for non-local extensions of any local calculation scheme, including FDTD. We demonstrate here, that such mapped FDTD simulation of metallic nanoclusters agrees very well with various experiments.

Randomized controlled trial of local progesterone vs corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome.

PubMed

Raeissadat, S A; Shahraeeni, S; Sedighipour, L; Vahdatpour, B

2017-10-01

A number of studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of progesterone and its influence on the recovery after neural injury. Few studies investigated the efficacy of local progesterone in carpal tunnel syndrome. The objective of this study was to compare the long-term effects of progesterone vs corticosteroid local injections in patients with mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. In this randomized clinical trial, 78 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were assigned to two groups. Patients were treated with a single local injection of triamcinolone acetonide in one group and single local injection of hydroxy progesterone in the other group. Variables including pain (based on visual analogue scale), symptom severity, and functional status (based on Bostone/Levine symptom severity and functional status scale) and nerve conduction study were evaluated before and 6 months after the treatments. All outcome measures including pain and electrophysiologic findings, improved in both groups and there were no meaningful differences between two groups regarding mentioned variables except for functional outcome, which was significantly better in progesterone compared with corticosteroid group at 6-month follow-up (P=.04). The efficacy of progesterone local injection in mild and moderate CTS is equal and somehow superior to corticosteroid injection for relieving symptoms and improving functional and electrophysiologic findings at long-term follow-up. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Influence of transverse-shear and large-deformation effects on the low-speed impact response of laminated composite plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ambur, Damodar R.; Starnes, James H., Jr.; Prasad, Chunchu B.

1993-01-01

An analytical procedure is presented for determining the transient response of simply supported, rectangular laminated composite plates subjected to impact loads from airgun-propelled or dropped-weight impactors. A first-order shear-deformation theory is included in the analysis to represent properly any local short-wave-length transient bending response. The impact force is modeled as a locally distributed load with a cosine-cosine distribution. A double Fourier series expansion and the Timoshenko small-increment method are used to determine the contact force, out-of-plane deflections, and in-plane strains and stresses at any plate location due to an impact force at any plate location. The results of experimental and analytical studies are compared for quasi-isotropic laminates. The results indicate that using the appropriate local force distribution for the locally loaded area and including transverse-shear-deformation effects in the laminated plate response analysis are important. The applicability of the present analytical procedure based on small deformation theory is investigated by comparing analytical and experimental results for combinations of quasi-isotropic laminate thicknesses and impact energy levels. The results of this study indicate that large-deformation effects influence the response of both 24- and 32-ply laminated plates, and that a geometrically nonlinear analysis is required for predicting the response accurately.

Gravitational effective action at second order in curvature and gravitational waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calmet, Xavier; Capozziello, Salvatore; Pryer, Daniel

2017-09-01

We consider the full effective theory for quantum gravity at second order in curvature including non-local terms. We show that the theory contains two new degrees of freedom beyond the massless graviton: namely a massive spin-2 ghost and a massive scalar field. Furthermore, we show that it is impossible to fine-tune the parameters of the effective action to eliminate completely the classical spin-2 ghost because of the non-local terms in the effective action. Being a classical field, it is not clear anyway that this ghost is problematic. It simply implies a repulsive contribution to Newton's potential. We then consider how to extract the parameters of the effective action and show that it is possible to measure, at least in principle, the parameters of the local terms independently of each other using a combination of observations of gravitational waves and measurements performed by pendulum type experiments searching for deviations of Newton's potential.

Solid rocket exhaust in the stratosphere: Plume diffusion and chemical reactions

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

Denison, M.R.; Lamb, J.J.; Bjorndahl, W.D.

1994-05-01

A model has been developed to examine, on a local scale, the reactions of rocket exhaust from solid rocket motors with stratospheric ozone. The effects were examined at two different altitudes. Results of the modeling study indicate that afterburning chemistry of reactive exhaust products can cause local but transient (on the order of several minutes) loss of ozone. The modeling study included potential heterogeneous reactions at aluminum oxide surfaces. Results indicate that these potential heterogeneous reactions do not have a major impact on the local plume chemistry. Homogeneous reactions appear to be of more consequence during the early dispersion ofmore » the plume. It has also been found that the rate of plume dispersion has a very significant effect on local ozone loss.« less

Maximizing resources in the local treatment of prostate cancer: A summary of cost-effectiveness studies.

PubMed

Muralidhar, Vinayak; Nguyen, Paul L

2017-02-01

Prostate cancer is a common diagnosis with several treatment options for the newly diagnosed patient, including radiation, surgery, active surveillance, and watchful waiting. Although tailoring of treatment to individual patient needs is an important goal, the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act has placed renewed interest in cost containment and cost-effectiveness. We sought to conduct a literature review of recent US-based studies to analyze the cost-effectiveness of initial local treatments for localized prostate cancer. We conducted a systematic literature search through PubMed, the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry, and manual cross-referencing of articles. We identified US-based studies with cost analyses starting in 2005 that studied the cost-effectiveness of initial local treatments for localized prostate cancer (surgery, radiation, or observation). There were eight studies that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most studies took the cost perspective of Medicare, and two studies also considered the societal cost in terms of lost patient time. Most studies also used a Markov model with inputs based on the available literature for the effectiveness and toxicity of the different treatment options. The radiation-focused studies tended to find brachytherapy (BT) or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to be more cost-effective than intensity-modulated radiation therapy or proton beam therapy. These findings were primarily based on the lower cost of SBRT or BT with roughly equal efficacy and toxicity. The two studies focused on surgery found surgery to be more cost effective than intensity-modulated radiation therapy, at least for low-risk disease, and one study found BT to be more cost-effective than surgery, and watchful waiting to be the most cost-effective option overall. Cost-effectiveness analysis is important because it helps patients, physicians, and policymakers make quantitatively-based decisions, which balance treatment efficacy, toxicity, and costs. Significant methodological heterogeneity in the studies we found limit the ability to compare their results directly, but most found that for favorable-risk prostate cancer, shorter or simpler treatments tended to be more cost-effective, including no treatment (watchful waiting) in one study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local coding based matching kernel method for image classification.

PubMed

Song, Yan; McLoughlin, Ian Vince; Dai, Li-Rong

2014-01-01

This paper mainly focuses on how to effectively and efficiently measure visual similarity for local feature based representation. Among existing methods, metrics based on Bag of Visual Word (BoV) techniques are efficient and conceptually simple, at the expense of effectiveness. By contrast, kernel based metrics are more effective, but at the cost of greater computational complexity and increased storage requirements. We show that a unified visual matching framework can be developed to encompass both BoV and kernel based metrics, in which local kernel plays an important role between feature pairs or between features and their reconstruction. Generally, local kernels are defined using Euclidean distance or its derivatives, based either explicitly or implicitly on an assumption of Gaussian noise. However, local features such as SIFT and HoG often follow a heavy-tailed distribution which tends to undermine the motivation behind Euclidean metrics. Motivated by recent advances in feature coding techniques, a novel efficient local coding based matching kernel (LCMK) method is proposed. This exploits the manifold structures in Hilbert space derived from local kernels. The proposed method combines advantages of both BoV and kernel based metrics, and achieves a linear computational complexity. This enables efficient and scalable visual matching to be performed on large scale image sets. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed LCMK method, we conduct extensive experiments with widely used benchmark datasets, including 15-Scenes, Caltech101/256, PASCAL VOC 2007 and 2011 datasets. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the relatively efficient LCMK method.

Nanoparticle-Hydrogel: A Hybrid Biomaterial System for Localized Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Gao, Weiwei; Zhang, Yue; Zhang, Qiangzhe; Zhang, Liangfang

2016-01-01

Nanoparticles have offered a unique set of properties for drug delivery including high drug loading capacity, combinatorial delivery, controlled and sustained drug release, prolonged stability and lifetime, and targeted delivery. To further enhance therapeutic index, especially for localized application, nanoparticles have been increasingly combined with hydrogels to form a hybrid biomaterial system for controlled drug delivery. Herein, we review recent progresses in engineering such nanoparticle-hydrogel hybrid system (namely ‘NP-gel’) with a particular focus on its application for localized drug delivery. Specifically, we highlight four research areas where NP-gel has shown great promises, including (1) passively controlled drug release, (2) stimuli-responsive drug delivery, (3) site-specific drug delivery, and (4) detoxification. Overall, integrating therapeutic nanoparticles with hydrogel technologies creates a unique and robust hybrid biomaterial system that enables effective localized drug delivery. PMID:26951462

Deep brain stimulation mechanisms: beyond the concept of local functional inhibition.

PubMed

Deniau, Jean-Michel; Degos, Bertrand; Bosch, Clémentine; Maurice, Nicolas

2010-10-01

Deep brain electrical stimulation has become a recognized therapy in the treatment of a variety of motor disorders and has potentially promising applications in a wide range of neurological diseases including neuropsychiatry. Behavioural observation that electrical high-frequency stimulation of a given brain area induces an effect similar to a lesion suggested a mechanism of functional inhibition. In vitro and in vivo experiments as well as per operative recordings in patients have revealed a variety of effects involving local changes of neuronal excitability as well as widespread effects throughout the connected network resulting from activation of axons, including antidromic activation. Here we review current data regarding the local and network activity changes induced by high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus and discuss this in the context of motor restoration in Parkinson's disease. Stressing the important functional consequences of axonal activation in deep brain stimulation mechanisms, we highlight the importance of developing anatomical knowledge concerning the fibre connections of the putative therapeutic targets. © 2010 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2010 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Local versus landscape spatial influence on biodiversity: a case study across five European industrialized areas.

PubMed

Piano, E; Isaia, M; Falasco, E; La Morgia, V; Soldato, G; Bona, F

2017-03-01

Land use change-mostly habitat loss and fragmentation-has been recognized as one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. According to the habitat amount hypothesis, these phenomena are mostly driven by the habitat area effect. As a result, species richness is a function of both the extent of suitable habitats and their availability in the surrounding landscape, irrespective of the dimension and isolation of patches of suitable habitat. In this context, we tested how the extent of natural areas, selected as proxies of suitable habitats for biodiversity, influences species richness in highly anthropogenic landscapes. We defined five circular sampling areas of 5 km radius, including both natural reserves and anthropogenic land uses, centred in five major industrial sites in France, Italy and Germany. We monitored different biodiversity indicators for both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including breeding birds, diurnal butterflies, grassland vegetation, odonata, amphibians, aquatic plants and benthic diatoms. We studied the response of the different indicators to the extent of natural land uses in the sampling area (local effect) and in the surrounding landscape (landscape effect), identified as a peripheral ring encircling the sampling area. Results showed a positive response of five out of seven biodiversity indicators, with aquatic plants and odonata responding positively to the local effect, while birds, vegetation and diatoms showed a positive response to the landscape effect. Diatoms also showed a significant combined response to both effects. We conclude that surrounding landscapes act as important biodiversity sources, increasing the local biodiversity in highly anthropogenic contexts.

A Multi-Scale Perspective of the Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Birds in Eastern Forests

Treesearch

Frank R. Thompson; Therese M. Donovan; Richard M. DeGraff; John Faaborg; Scott K. Robinson

2002-01-01

We propose a model that considers forest fragmentation within a spatial hierarchy that includes regional or biogeographic effects, landscape-level fragmentation effects, and local habitat effects. We hypothesize that effects operate "top down" in that larger scale effects provide constraints or context for smaller scale effects. Bird species' abundance...

UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF ATRAZINE ON STEROIDOGENESIS IN THE HUMAN H295R AND RAT GRANULOSA CELLS

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of environmental chemicals on the catalytic activity of steroidogenic enzymes, including aromatase, have been well documented. However, specific effects of environmental chemicals on steroidogenesis and the physiological impact on local and systemic concentrations of ...

Effects of a Peer Competition-based Mobile Learning Approach on Students' Affective Domain Exhibition in Social Studies Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Chang, Shao-Chen

2016-01-01

One of the important and challenging objectives of social studies courses is to promote students' affective domain exhibition, including learning interest, positive attitudes and local culture identity. In this paper, a location-aware mobile learning approach was proposed based on a competition strategy for conducting local cultural activities in…

Fluoroscopic lumbar interlaminar epidural injections in managing chronic lumbar axial or discogenic pain

PubMed Central

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Cash, Kimberly A; McManus, Carla D; Pampati, Vidyasagar; Benyamin, Ramsin

2012-01-01

Among the multiple causes of chronic low back pain, axial and discogenic pain are common. Various modalities of treatments are utilized in managing discogenic and axial low back pain including epidural injections. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the effectiveness, indications, and medical necessity of any treatment modality utilized for managing axial or discogenic pain, including epidural injections. In an interventional pain management practice in the US, a randomized, double-blind, active control trial was conducted. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of lumbar interlaminar epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids for managing chronic low back pain of discogenic origin. However, disc herniation, radiculitis, facet joint pain, or sacroiliac joint pain were excluded. Two groups of patients were studied, with 60 patients in each group receiving either local anesthetic only or local anesthetic mixed with non-particulate betamethasone. Primary outcome measures included the pain relief-assessed by numeric rating scale of pain and functional status assessed by the, Oswestry Disability Index, Secondary outcome measurements included employment status, and opioid intake. Significant improvement or success was defined as at least a 50% decrease in pain and disability. Significant improvement was seen in 77% of the patients in Group I and 67% of the patients in Group II. In the successful groups (those with at least 3 weeks of relief with the first two procedures), the improvement was 84% in Group I and 71% in Group II. For those with chronic function-limiting low back pain refractory to conservative management, it is concluded that lumbar interlaminar epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids may be an effective modality for managing chronic axial or discogenic pain. This treatment appears to be effective for those who have had facet joints as well as sacroiliac joints eliminated as the pain source. PMID:23055773

3-D localization of virtual sound sources: effects of visual environment, pointing method, and training.

PubMed

Majdak, Piotr; Goupell, Matthew J; Laback, Bernhard

2010-02-01

The ability to localize sound sources in three-dimensional space was tested in humans. In Experiment 1, naive subjects listened to noises filtered with subject-specific head-related transfer functions. The tested conditions included the pointing method (head or manual pointing) and the visual environment (VE; darkness or virtual VE). The localization performance was not significantly different between the pointing methods. The virtual VE significantly improved the horizontal precision and reduced the number of front-back confusions. These results show the benefit of using a virtual VE in sound localization tasks. In Experiment 2, subjects were provided with sound localization training. Over the course of training, the performance improved for all subjects, with the largest improvements occurring during the first 400 trials. The improvements beyond the first 400 trials were smaller. After the training, there was still no significant effect of pointing method, showing that the choice of either head- or manual-pointing method plays a minor role in sound localization performance. The results of Experiment 2 reinforce the importance of perceptual training for at least 400 trials in sound localization studies.

Local calibration of the Forest Vegetation simulator (FVS) using custom inventory data

Treesearch

J. D. Shaw; G. Vacchiano; R. J. DeRose; A. Brough; A. Kusbach; J. N. Long

2006-01-01

Fort Bragg, North Carolina includes over 65,000 acres of longleaf pine forest, which is primary habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW). Effective management of the RCW depends on effective management of the longleaf pine forest. However, growth and yield models available in the geographic area that includes Fort Bragg over-predict stand growth and...

Experimental studies of high-accuracy RFID localization with channel impairments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauls, Eric; Zhang, Yimin D.

2015-05-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems present an incredibly cost-effective and easy-to-implement solution to close-range localization. One of the important applications of a passive RFID system is to determine the reader position through multilateration based on the estimated distances between the reader and multiple distributed reference tags obtained from, e.g., the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) readings. In practice, the achievable accuracy of passive RFID reader localization suffers from many factors, such as the distorted RSSI reading due to channel impairments in terms of the susceptibility to reader antenna patterns and multipath propagation. Previous studies have shown that the accuracy of passive RFID localization can be significantly improved by properly modeling and compensating for such channel impairments. The objective of this paper is to report experimental study results that validate the effectiveness of such approaches for high-accuracy RFID localization. We also examine a number of practical issues arising in the underlying problem that limit the accuracy of reader-tag distance measurements and, therefore, the estimated reader localization. These issues include the variations in tag radiation characteristics for similar tags, effects of tag orientations, and reader RSS quantization and measurement errors. As such, this paper reveals valuable insights of the issues and solutions toward achieving high-accuracy passive RFID localization.

Decentralization can help reduce deforestation when user groups engage with local government.

PubMed

Wright, Glenn D; Andersson, Krister P; Gibson, Clark C; Evans, Tom P

2016-12-27

Policy makers around the world tout decentralization as an effective tool in the governance of natural resources. Despite the popularity of these reforms, there is limited scientific evidence on the environmental effects of decentralization, especially in tropical biomes. This study presents evidence on the institutional conditions under which decentralization is likely to be successful in sustaining forests. We draw on common-pool resource theory to argue that the environmental impact of decentralization hinges on the ability of reforms to engage local forest users in the governance of forests. Using matching techniques, we analyze longitudinal field observations on both social and biophysical characteristics in a large number of local government territories in Bolivia (a country with a decentralized forestry policy) and Peru (a country with a much more centralized forestry policy). We find that territories with a decentralized forest governance structure have more stable forest cover, but only when local forest user groups actively engage with the local government officials. We provide evidence in support of a possible causal process behind these results: When user groups engage with the decentralized units, it creates a more enabling environment for effective local governance of forests, including more local government-led forest governance activities, fora for the resolution of forest-related conflicts, intermunicipal cooperation in the forestry sector, and stronger technical capabilities of the local government staff.

Managing for interactions between local and global stressors of ecosystems.

PubMed

Brown, Christopher J; Saunders, Megan I; Possingham, Hugh P; Richardson, Anthony J

2013-01-01

Global stressors, including climate change, are a major threat to ecosystems, but they cannot be halted by local actions. Ecosystem management is thus attempting to compensate for the impacts of global stressors by reducing local stressors, such as overfishing. This approach assumes that stressors interact additively or synergistically, whereby the combined effect of two stressors is at least the sum of their isolated effects. It is not clear, however, how management should proceed for antagonistic interactions among stressors, where multiple stressors do not have an additive or greater impact. Research to date has focussed on identifying synergisms among stressors, but antagonisms may be just as common. We examined the effectiveness of management when faced with different types of interactions in two systems--seagrass and fish communities--where the global stressor was climate change but the local stressors were different. When there were synergisms, mitigating local stressors delivered greater gains, whereas when there were antagonisms, management of local stressors was ineffective or even degraded ecosystems. These results suggest that reducing a local stressor can compensate for climate change impacts if there is a synergistic interaction. Conversely, if there is an antagonistic interaction, management of local stressors will have the greatest benefits in areas of refuge from climate change. A balanced research agenda, investigating both antagonistic and synergistic interaction types, is needed to inform management priorities.

Decentralization can help reduce deforestation when user groups engage with local government

PubMed Central

Wright, Glenn D.; Gibson, Clark C.; Evans, Tom P.

2016-01-01

Policy makers around the world tout decentralization as an effective tool in the governance of natural resources. Despite the popularity of these reforms, there is limited scientific evidence on the environmental effects of decentralization, especially in tropical biomes. This study presents evidence on the institutional conditions under which decentralization is likely to be successful in sustaining forests. We draw on common-pool resource theory to argue that the environmental impact of decentralization hinges on the ability of reforms to engage local forest users in the governance of forests. Using matching techniques, we analyze longitudinal field observations on both social and biophysical characteristics in a large number of local government territories in Bolivia (a country with a decentralized forestry policy) and Peru (a country with a much more centralized forestry policy). We find that territories with a decentralized forest governance structure have more stable forest cover, but only when local forest user groups actively engage with the local government officials. We provide evidence in support of a possible causal process behind these results: When user groups engage with the decentralized units, it creates a more enabling environment for effective local governance of forests, including more local government-led forest governance activities, fora for the resolution of forest-related conflicts, intermunicipal cooperation in the forestry sector, and stronger technical capabilities of the local government staff. PMID:27956644

Performance Evaluation of Localization Accuracy for a Log-Normal Shadow Fading Wireless Sensor Network under Physical Barrier Attacks

PubMed Central

Abdulqader Hussein, Ahmed; Rahman, Tharek A.; Leow, Chee Yen

2015-01-01

Localization is an apparent aspect of a wireless sensor network, which is the focus of much interesting research. One of the severe conditions that needs to be taken into consideration is localizing a mobile target through a dispersed sensor network in the presence of physical barrier attacks. These attacks confuse the localization process and cause location estimation errors. Range-based methods, like the received signal strength indication (RSSI), face the major influence of this kind of attack. This paper proposes a solution based on a combination of multi-frequency multi-power localization (C-MFMPL) and step function multi-frequency multi-power localization (SF-MFMPL), including the fingerprint matching technique and lateration, to provide a robust and accurate localization technique. In addition, this paper proposes a grid coloring algorithm to detect the signal hole map in the network, which refers to the attack-prone regions, in order to carry out corrective actions. The simulation results show the enhancement and robustness of RSS localization performance in the face of log normal shadow fading effects, besides the presence of physical barrier attacks, through detecting, filtering and eliminating the effect of these attacks. PMID:26690159

Performance Evaluation of Localization Accuracy for a Log-Normal Shadow Fading Wireless Sensor Network under Physical Barrier Attacks.

PubMed

Hussein, Ahmed Abdulqader; Rahman, Tharek A; Leow, Chee Yen

2015-12-04

Localization is an apparent aspect of a wireless sensor network, which is the focus of much interesting research. One of the severe conditions that needs to be taken into consideration is localizing a mobile target through a dispersed sensor network in the presence of physical barrier attacks. These attacks confuse the localization process and cause location estimation errors. Range-based methods, like the received signal strength indication (RSSI), face the major influence of this kind of attack. This paper proposes a solution based on a combination of multi-frequency multi-power localization (C-MFMPL) and step function multi-frequency multi-power localization (SF-MFMPL), including the fingerprint matching technique and lateration, to provide a robust and accurate localization technique. In addition, this paper proposes a grid coloring algorithm to detect the signal hole map in the network, which refers to the attack-prone regions, in order to carry out corrective actions. The simulation results show the enhancement and robustness of RSS localization performance in the face of log normal shadow fading effects, besides the presence of physical barrier attacks, through detecting, filtering and eliminating the effect of these attacks.

Challenges to the implementation of health sector decentralization in Tanzania: experiences from Kongwa district council

PubMed Central

Frumence, Gasto; Nyamhanga, Tumaini; Mwangu, Mughwira; Hurtig, Anna-Karin

2013-01-01

Background During the 1990s, the government of Tanzania introduced the decentralization by devolution (D by D) approach involving the transfer of functions, power and authority from the centre to the local government authorities (LGAs) to improve the delivery of public goods and services, including health services. Objective This article examines and documents the experiences facing the implementation of decentralization of health services from the perspective of national and district officials. Design The study adopted a qualitative approach, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analysed for themes and patterns. Results The results showed several benefits of decentralization, including increased autonomy in local resource mobilization and utilization, an enhanced bottom-up planning approach, increased health workers’ accountability and reduction of bureaucratic procedures in decision making. The findings also revealed several challenges which hinder the effective functioning of decentralization. These include inadequate funding, untimely disbursement of funds from the central government, insufficient and unqualified personnel, lack of community participation in planning and political interference. Conclusion The article concludes that the central government needs to adhere to the principles that established the local authorities and grant more autonomy to them, offer special incentives to staff working in the rural areas and create the capacity for local key actors to participate effectively in the planning process. PMID:23993021

Physics-based elastic image registration using splines and including landmark localization uncertainties.

PubMed

Wörz, Stefan; Rohr, Karl

2006-01-01

We introduce an elastic registration approach which is based on a physical deformation model and uses Gaussian elastic body splines (GEBS). We formulate an extended energy functional related to the Navier equation under Gaussian forces which also includes landmark localization uncertainties. These uncertainties are characterized by weight matrices representing anisotropic errors. Since the approach is based on a physical deformation model, cross-effects in elastic deformations can be taken into account. Moreover, we have a free parameter to control the locality of the transformation for improved registration of local geometric image differences. We demonstrate the applicability of our scheme based on 3D CT images from the Truth Cube experiment, 2D MR images of the brain, as well as 2D gel electrophoresis images. It turns out that the new scheme achieves more accurate results compared to previous approaches.

Apparatus and method for data communication in an energy distribution network

DOEpatents

Hussain, Mohsin; LaPorte, Brock; Uebel, Udo; Zia, Aftab

2014-07-08

A system for communicating information on an energy distribution network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a local supervisor on a communication network, wherein the local supervisor can collect data from one or more energy generation/monitoring devices. The system also includes a command center on the communication network, wherein the command center can generate one or more commands for controlling the one or more energy generation devices. The local supervisor can periodically transmit a data signal indicative of the data to the command center via a first channel of the communication network at a first interval. The local supervisor can also periodically transmit a request for a command to the command center via a second channel of the communication network at a second interval shorter than the first interval. This channel configuration provides effective data communication without a significant increase in the use of network resources.

Local and distal effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on direct pathway Pi uptake and root growth in Medicago truncatula

PubMed Central

Watts-Williams, Stephanie J.; Jakobsen, Iver; Cavagnaro, Timothy R.; Grønlund, Mette

2015-01-01

Two pathways exist for plant Pi uptake from soil: via root epidermal cells (direct pathway) or via associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and the two pathways interact in a complex manner. This study investigated distal and local effects of AM colonization on direct root Pi uptake and root growth, at different soil P levels. Medicago truncatula was grown at three soil P levels in split-pots with or without AM fungal inoculation and where one root half grew into soil labelled with 33P. Plant genotypes included the A17 wild type and the mtpt4 mutant. The mtpt4 mutant, colonized by AM fungi, but with no functional mycorrhizal pathway for Pi uptake, was included to better understand effects of AM colonization per se. Colonization by AM fungi decreased expression of direct Pi transporter genes locally, but not distally in the wild type. In mtpt4 mutant plants, direct Pi transporter genes and the Pi starvation-induced gene Mt4 were more highly expressed than in wild-type roots. In wild-type plants, less Pi was taken up via the direct pathway by non-colonized roots when the other root half was colonized by AM fungi, compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. Colonization by AM fungi strongly influenced root growth locally and distally, and direct root Pi uptake activity locally, but had only a weak influence on distal direct pathway activity. The responses to AM colonization in the mtpt4 mutant suggested that in the wild type, the increased P concentration of colonized roots was a major factor driving the effects of AM colonization on direct root Pi uptake. PMID:25944927

Lack of cross-scale linkages reduces robustness of community-based fisheries management.

PubMed

Cudney-Bueno, Richard; Basurto, Xavier

2009-07-16

Community-based management and the establishment of marine reserves have been advocated worldwide as means to overcome overexploitation of fisheries. Yet, researchers and managers are divided regarding the effectiveness of these measures. The "tragedy of the commons" model is often accepted as a universal paradigm, which assumes that unless managed by the State or privatized, common-pool resources are inevitably overexploited due to conflicts between the self-interest of individuals and the goals of a group as a whole. Under this paradigm, the emergence and maintenance of effective community-based efforts that include cooperative risky decisions as the establishment of marine reserves could not occur. In this paper, we question these assumptions and show that outcomes of commons dilemmas can be complex and scale-dependent. We studied the evolution and effectiveness of a community-based management effort to establish, monitor, and enforce a marine reserve network in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Our findings build on social and ecological research before (1997-2001), during (2002) and after (2003-2004) the establishment of marine reserves, which included participant observation in >100 fishing trips and meetings, interviews, as well as fishery dependent and independent monitoring. We found that locally crafted and enforced harvesting rules led to a rapid increase in resource abundance. Nevertheless, news about this increase spread quickly at a regional scale, resulting in poaching from outsiders and a subsequent rapid cascading effect on fishing resources and locally-designed rule compliance. We show that cooperation for management of common-pool fisheries, in which marine reserves form a core component of the system, can emerge, evolve rapidly, and be effective at a local scale even in recently organized fisheries. Stakeholder participation in monitoring, where there is a rapid feedback of the systems response, can play a key role in reinforcing cooperation. However, without cross-scale linkages with higher levels of governance, increase of local fishery stocks may attract outsiders who, if not restricted, will overharvest and threaten local governance. Fishers and fishing communities require incentives to maintain their management efforts. Rewarding local effective management with formal cross-scale governance recognition and support can generate these incentives.

Lack of Cross-Scale Linkages Reduces Robustness of Community-Based Fisheries Management

PubMed Central

Cudney-Bueno, Richard; Basurto, Xavier

2009-01-01

Community-based management and the establishment of marine reserves have been advocated worldwide as means to overcome overexploitation of fisheries. Yet, researchers and managers are divided regarding the effectiveness of these measures. The “tragedy of the commons” model is often accepted as a universal paradigm, which assumes that unless managed by the State or privatized, common-pool resources are inevitably overexploited due to conflicts between the self-interest of individuals and the goals of a group as a whole. Under this paradigm, the emergence and maintenance of effective community-based efforts that include cooperative risky decisions as the establishment of marine reserves could not occur. In this paper, we question these assumptions and show that outcomes of commons dilemmas can be complex and scale-dependent. We studied the evolution and effectiveness of a community-based management effort to establish, monitor, and enforce a marine reserve network in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Our findings build on social and ecological research before (1997–2001), during (2002) and after (2003–2004) the establishment of marine reserves, which included participant observation in >100 fishing trips and meetings, interviews, as well as fishery dependent and independent monitoring. We found that locally crafted and enforced harvesting rules led to a rapid increase in resource abundance. Nevertheless, news about this increase spread quickly at a regional scale, resulting in poaching from outsiders and a subsequent rapid cascading effect on fishing resources and locally-designed rule compliance. We show that cooperation for management of common-pool fisheries, in which marine reserves form a core component of the system, can emerge, evolve rapidly, and be effective at a local scale even in recently organized fisheries. Stakeholder participation in monitoring, where there is a rapid feedback of the systems response, can play a key role in reinforcing cooperation. However, without cross-scale linkages with higher levels of governance, increase of local fishery stocks may attract outsiders who, if not restricted, will overharvest and threaten local governance. Fishers and fishing communities require incentives to maintain their management efforts. Rewarding local effective management with formal cross-scale governance recognition and support can generate these incentives. PMID:19606210

A polymethoxyflavone mixture extracted from orange peels, mainly containing nobiletin, 3,3',4',5,6,7,8-heptamethoxyflavone and tangeretin, suppresses melanogenesis through the acidification of cell organelles, including melanosomes.

PubMed

Yoshizaki, Norihiro; Hashizume, Ron; Masaki, Hitoshi

2017-10-01

Skin color is determined by melanin contents and its distribution. Melanin is synthesized in melanosomes of melanocytes, catalyzed by tyrosinase, melanogenic enzymes. Regarding the process of melanin synthesis, melanosomal pH is considered to play an important role, because it has been reported to differ between Caucasian and Black melanocytes. Although polymethoxyflavone (PMF) has many beneficial effects, it has not been reported which PMF suppresses melanogenesis. In this study, we identified the mechanism underlying the effect of PMF on melanogenesis METHODS: We determined the effects of a PMF mixture extracted from orange peels on melanogenesis, on tyrosinase expression, on the localization of tyrosinase and on the acidification of organelles, including melanosomes, in HM3KO human melanoma cells. RESULTS TREATMENT: with the PMF mixture elicited the suppression of melanogenesis, the degradation of tyrosinase in lysosomes and the mislocalization of tyrosinase associated with the acidification of intracellular organelles, including melanosomes. The neutralization of cell organelle pH by ammonium chloride restored melanogenesis and the correct localization of tyrosinase to melanosomes, which had been suppressed by the PMF mixture. These results suggest that the PMF mixture suppresses the localization of tyrosinase to melanosomes and consequently inhibits melanogenesis due to the acidification of cell organelles, including melanosomes. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analgesic Effect of Botulinum Toxin A in Myofascial Pain Syndrome Patients Previously Treated with Local Infiltration of Anesthetic and Steroids.

PubMed

Cartagena-Sevilla, Joaquín; García-Fernández, María R; Vicente-Villena, Juan P

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of botulinum toxin A (BoNTA) injections in patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) who were previously treated with the local infiltration of anesthetic and steroids (LIAS). The study included a retrospective phase and a longitudinal open-label prospective phase, which were conducted on consecutive patients with MPS previously treated with the local infiltration of anesthetic (levobupivacaíne 0.25%) and steroids (triamcinolone 40 mg). Eligible patients were treated with a single intramuscular injection of BoNTA (Botox; Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA). The treatment efficacy was determined according to the degree of pain relief obtained. Eighty-two patients met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the study. Successful results were obtained for 32 (39.0%) and 30 (36.6%) patients, during treatment with BoNTA and LIAS, respectively. The mean (standard deviation) length of the analgesic effect was significantly longer with BoNTA (29.6 [SD = 17.7] weeks) than with LIAS (8.5 [SD = 6.4] weeks), P <.0001. As regards the side effects, 19 (23.2%) patients reported transient soreness at the injection site for 2 to 3 days with BoNTA. The MPS patients previously treated with a local infiltration of anesthetic and steroids who then received a single injection of BoNTA experienced significantly reduced pain for a relatively long time.

Localization of magnetic pills

PubMed Central

Laulicht, Bryan; Gidmark, Nicholas J.; Tripathi, Anubhav; Mathiowitz, Edith

2011-01-01

Numerous therapeutics demonstrate optimal absorption or activity at specific sites in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Yet, safe, effective pill retention within a desired region of the GI remains an elusive goal. We report a safe, effective method for localizing magnetic pills. To ensure safety and efficacy, we monitor and regulate attractive forces between a magnetic pill and an external magnet, while visualizing internal dose motion in real time using biplanar videofluoroscopy. Real-time monitoring yields direct visual confirmation of localization completely noninvasively, providing a platform for investigating the therapeutic benefits imparted by localized oral delivery of new and existing drugs. Additionally, we report the in vitro measurements and calculations that enabled prediction of successful magnetic localization in the rat small intestines for 12 h. The designed system for predicting and achieving successful magnetic localization can readily be applied to any area of the GI tract within any species, including humans. The described system represents a significant step forward in the ability to localize magnetic pills safely and effectively anywhere within the GI tract. What our magnetic pill localization strategy adds to the state of the art, if used as an oral drug delivery system, is the ability to monitor the force exerted by the pill on the tissue and to locate the magnetic pill within the test subject all in real time. This advance ensures both safety and efficacy of magnetic localization during the potential oral administration of any magnetic pill-based delivery system. PMID:21257903

Radiotherapy and nipple-areolar complex necrosis after nipple-sparing mastectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zheng, Yajuan; Zhong, Miaochun; Ni, Chao; Yuan, Hongjun; Zhang, Jingxia

2017-03-01

To perform a meta-analysis to determine the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on nipple-areolar complex (NAC) and skin flap necrosis, and local recurrence in women who undergo nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) and immediate breast reconstruction. Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases were searched until October 16, 2015. Randomized-controlled-trials, prospective, retrospective, and cohort studies were included. The primary outcome was the NAC necrosis rate, and the secondary outcomes were the skin flap necrosis and local recurrence rates. Of 186 studies identified, 2 prospective and 5 retrospective studies including a total of 3692 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Five, 3, and 2 studies reported data of NAC necrosis (3461 breasts), skin flap necrosis (2490 breasts), and local recurrence (988 breasts), respectively. Pooled results showed no difference in the odds of NAC necrosis [odds ratio (OR) = 1.250, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.481-3.247, P = 0.647], or local recurrence (OR = 0.564, 95% CI 0.056-5.710, P = 0.627) between patients who received and did not receive RT. Patients treated with RT had a higher likelihood of skin flap necrosis (OR = 2.534, 95% CI 1.720-3.735, P < 0.001). Significant heterogeneity, however, was noted in the analysis of NAC and local recurrence. Because of the limitations of the small number of studies and heterogeneity in the analysis, this study does not allow drawing any definitive conclusions and highlights the need of well-controlled trials to determine the effect of RT in patients undergoing NSM.

Fiscal Relations across Levels of Government in the United States. OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No. 462

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laubach, Thomas

2005-01-01

This paper discusses the current state of fiscal relations between the federal, state and local governments in the United States and suggests directions for improvement. The significant degree of fiscal autonomy of the states and, to a lesser extent, of local governments has had several beneficial effects, including the responsiveness of public…

Theoretical study of impurity effects in iron-based superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro Gastiasoro, Maria; Hirschfeld, Peter; Andersen, Brian

2013-03-01

Several open questions remain unanswered for the iron-based superconductors (FeSC), including the importance of electronic correlations and the symmetry of the superconducting order parameter. Motivated by recent STM experiments which show a fascinating variety of resonant defect states in FeSC, we adopt a realistic five-band model including electronic Coulomb correlations to study local effects of disorder in the FeSC. In order to minimize the number of free parameters, we use the pairing interactions obtained from spin-fluctuation exchange to determine the homogeneous superconducting state. The ability of local impurity potentials to induce resonant states depends on their scattering strength Vimp; in addition, for appropriate Vimp, such states are associated with local orbital- and magnetic order. We investigate the density of states near such impurities and show how tunneling experiments may be used to probe local induced order. In the SDW phase, we show how C2 symmetry-breaking dimers are naturally formed around impurities which also form cigar-like (pi,pi) structures embedded in the (pi,0) magnetic bulk phase. Such electronic dimers have been shown to be candidates for explaining the so-called nematogens observed previously by QPI in Co-doped CaFe2As2.

Evidence That Marine Reserves Enhance Resilience to Climatic Impacts

PubMed Central

Micheli, Fiorenza; Saenz-Arroyo, Andrea; Greenley, Ashley; Vazquez, Leonardo; Espinoza Montes, Jose Antonio; Rossetto, Marisa; De Leo, Giulio A.

2012-01-01

Establishment of marine protected areas, including fully protected marine reserves, is one of the few management tools available for local communities to combat the deleterious effect of large scale environmental impacts, including global climate change, on ocean ecosystems. Despite the common hope that reserves play this role, empirical evidence of the effectiveness of local protection against global problems is lacking. Here we show that marine reserves increase the resilience of marine populations to a mass mortality event possibly caused by climate-driven hypoxia. Despite high and widespread adult mortality of benthic invertebrates in Baja California, Mexico, that affected populations both within and outside marine reserves, juvenile replenishment of the species that supports local economies, the pink abalone Haliotis corrugata, remained stable within reserves because of large body size and high egg production of the protected adults. Thus, local protection provided resilience through greater resistance and faster recovery of protected populations. Moreover, this benefit extended to adjacent unprotected areas through larval spillover across the edges of the reserves. While climate change mitigation is being debated, coastal communities have few tools to slow down negative impacts of global environmental shifts. These results show that marine protected areas can provide such protection. PMID:22855690

Evidence that marine reserves enhance resilience to climatic impacts.

PubMed

Micheli, Fiorenza; Saenz-Arroyo, Andrea; Greenley, Ashley; Vazquez, Leonardo; Espinoza Montes, Jose Antonio; Rossetto, Marisa; De Leo, Giulio A

2012-01-01

Establishment of marine protected areas, including fully protected marine reserves, is one of the few management tools available for local communities to combat the deleterious effect of large scale environmental impacts, including global climate change, on ocean ecosystems. Despite the common hope that reserves play this role, empirical evidence of the effectiveness of local protection against global problems is lacking. Here we show that marine reserves increase the resilience of marine populations to a mass mortality event possibly caused by climate-driven hypoxia. Despite high and widespread adult mortality of benthic invertebrates in Baja California, Mexico, that affected populations both within and outside marine reserves, juvenile replenishment of the species that supports local economies, the pink abalone Haliotis corrugata, remained stable within reserves because of large body size and high egg production of the protected adults. Thus, local protection provided resilience through greater resistance and faster recovery of protected populations. Moreover, this benefit extended to adjacent unprotected areas through larval spillover across the edges of the reserves. While climate change mitigation is being debated, coastal communities have few tools to slow down negative impacts of global environmental shifts. These results show that marine protected areas can provide such protection.

Error assessment of local tie vectors in space geodesy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkenberg, Jana; Heinkelmann, Robert; Schuh, Harald

2014-05-01

For the computation of the ITRF, the data of the geometric space-geodetic techniques on co-location sites are combined. The combination increases the redundancy and offers the possibility to utilize the strengths of each technique while mitigating their weaknesses. To enable the combination of co-located techniques each technique needs to have a well-defined geometric reference point. The linking of the geometric reference points enables the combination of the technique-specific coordinate to a multi-technique site coordinate. The vectors between these reference points are called "local ties". The realization of local ties is usually reached by local surveys of the distances and or angles between the reference points. Identified temporal variations of the reference points are considered in the local tie determination only indirectly by assuming a mean position. Finally, the local ties measured in the local surveying network are to be transformed into the ITRF, the global geocentric equatorial coordinate system of the space-geodetic techniques. The current IERS procedure for the combination of the space-geodetic techniques includes the local tie vectors with an error floor of three millimeters plus a distance dependent component. This error floor, however, significantly underestimates the real accuracy of local tie determination. To fullfill the GGOS goals of 1 mm position and 0.1 mm/yr velocity accuracy, an accuracy of the local tie will be mandatory at the sub-mm level, which is currently not achievable. To assess the local tie effects on ITRF computations, investigations of the error sources will be done to realistically assess and consider them. Hence, a reasonable estimate of all the included errors of the various local ties is needed. An appropriate estimate could also improve the separation of local tie error and technique-specific error contributions to uncertainties and thus access the accuracy of space-geodetic techniques. Our investigations concern the simulation of the error contribution of each component of the local tie definition and determination. A closer look into the models of reference point definition, of accessibility, of measurement, and of transformation is necessary to properly model the error of the local tie. The effect of temporal variations on the local ties will be studied as well. The transformation of the local survey into the ITRF can be assumed to be the largest error contributor, in particular the orientation of the local surveying network to the ITRF.

THE IMPACT OF HISPANIC POPULATION GROWTH ON THE OUTLOOK OF AFRICAN AMERICANS

PubMed Central

Taylor, Marylee C.; Schroeder, Matthew B.

2014-01-01

We know too little about the effects of immigration on black Americans. If prior research yields mixed evidence about immigration’s consequences for the objective well-being of African Americans, it is silent about effects of immigration on blacks’ subjective well-being. To fill that void, this paper assesses the impact of the expanding Hispanic population on black Americans from a social psychological perspective. We ask whether blacks’ self-reported distress, social distrust, or attitudes toward Hispanics and immigrants are affected by the size of the local Hispanic population or by the percentage growth in local Hispanic residents. Answers come from responses of non-Hispanic black participants in the 1998–2002 General Social Surveys, linked to 1990 and 2000 census data. Contrary to pessimistic claims, most social psychological outcomes, including measures of economic distress, manifest no impact of local Hispanic numbers. The four exceptions, significant effects of local Hispanic population share or percentage growth evenly split in valence, underscore the complexity of recent immigration’s effects on African Americans. PMID:25242830

The development of learning competency and skills for the 21st century to integrate "TPCK" of world life with local environment in students grade 11

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jedaman, Pornchai; Kinboon, Nittayaporn; Suksup, Chareon; Kinboon, Wutcharapong

2018-01-01

The teaching strategies of append were the technological pedagogical content knowledge; TPCK. This description knowledge in a content to corresponds of a effective teaching. This article aims to address the relevance of; 1) the learning competency and skills for the 21st Century to integrate "TPCK" of a world life with local environment in the students grade 11, 2) the effective achievement of the learning competency and skills to integrate "TPCK" of world life with local environment in the students grade 11 were the passing score of a percentage 80 upwards (EI.), and 3) the attitudes for learning activities in the students grade 11. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches for 9teachers of third schools were the participatory action research (PAR) in collecting data including a instructional, a testing, and a questionnaire surveywith 33 students grade 11 of Phuwiengwittayakom school. The participants werecluster random sampling. The data analysis of descriptive statistical, percentage, mean average, standard deviation. The findings in the study were to learning competency and skills for the 21st Century to integrate "TPCK" of a world life with local environment on TK, PK, CK, and TCK at a excellent levels (X¯ = 3.62, 3.57, 3.54, 3.51) respectively, and PCK, TPK,TPCK at a good levels (X¯ = 3.36, 3.23, 3.17) respectively. The effective achievement of the learning competency and skills to integrate "TPCK" of world life with local environment in 30 students grade 11 were the passing score (EI.) of a percentage at 90.91. The attitudes for learning activities in the students grade 11 at a high levels (X¯ =3.29). In addition of the students grade 11 to understanding of the importance were a local learning resources including the value integrating technology of the knowledge technology and to choose the right were create of an effective information.

A strategy to find minimal energy nanocluster structures.

PubMed

Rogan, José; Varas, Alejandro; Valdivia, Juan Alejandro; Kiwi, Miguel

2013-11-05

An unbiased strategy to search for the global and local minimal energy structures of free standing nanoclusters is presented. Our objectives are twofold: to find a diverse set of low lying local minima, as well as the global minimum. To do so, we use massively the fast inertial relaxation engine algorithm as an efficient local minimizer. This procedure turns out to be quite efficient to reach the global minimum, and also most of the local minima. We test the method with the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential, for which an abundant literature does exist, and obtain novel results, which include a new local minimum for LJ13 , 10 new local minima for LJ14 , and thousands of new local minima for 15≤N≤65. Insights on how to choose the initial configurations, analyzing the effectiveness of the method in reaching low-energy structures, including the global minimum, are developed as a function of the number of atoms of the cluster. Also, a novel characterization of the potential energy surface, analyzing properties of the local minima basins, is provided. The procedure constitutes a promising tool to generate a diverse set of cluster conformations, both two- and three-dimensional, that can be used as an input for refinement by means of ab initio methods. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Welfare Effects of the Use of a Combination of Local Anesthesia and NSAID for Disbudding Analgesia in Dairy Calves—Reviewed Across Different Welfare Concerns

PubMed Central

Herskin, Mette S.; Nielsen, Bodil H.

2018-01-01

Across the international dairy industry, the vast majority of dairy herds have dehorned cows. Farmers choose to dehorn calves for different reasons such as easier handling of non-horned cattle and reduced risk of injuries in animals and staff. This review focuses on disbudding by use of hot-iron cautery as is practiced by dairy farmers in calves <3 months of age. We examine welfare effects of the use of NSAIDs in combination with a local anesthetic including indicators relevant for the three major welfare concerns—affective states, basic health, and functioning as well as the possibility to behave naturally. Across indicators of animal welfare, the majority of available evidence suggest that the use of NSAIDs in combination with a local anesthetic is advantageous in terms of animal welfare, and no studies suggest that NSAIDs are a disadvantage to animal welfare. However, irrespective of the welfare concern, use of NSAIDs combined with a local anesthetic does not fully eliminate the welfare challenges from disbudding. Further research is needed in order to fully understand the effects of this medication protocol on calf welfare, including knowledge about the duration of healing and the presence of long-term pain. At present, this lack of knowledge challenges the precise formulation of adequate pain management—in terms of medication protocol, duration, dosage, and type of administration. PMID:29922684

Toward electroweak scale cold dark matter with local dark gauge symmetry and beyond the DM EFT

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

Ko, Pyungwon, E-mail: pko@kias.re.kr

2016-06-21

In this talk, I describe a class of electroweak (EW) scale dark matter (DM) models where its stability or longevity are the results of underlying dark gauge symmetries: stable due to unbroken local dark gauge symmetry or topology, or long-lived due to the accidental global symmetry of dark gauge theories. Compared with the usual phenomenological dark matter models (including DM EFT or simplified DM models), DM models with local dark gauge symmetries include dark gauge bosons, dark Higgs bosons and sometimes excited dark matter. And dynamics among these fields are completely fixed by local gauge principle. The idea of singletmore » portals including the Higgs portal can thermalize these hidden sector dark matter very efficiently, so that these DM could be easily thermal DM. I also discuss the limitation of the usual DM effective field theory or simplified DM models without the full SM gauge symmetry, and emphasize the importance of the full SM gauge symmetry and renormalizability especially for collider searches for DM.« less

No effect of the infiltration of local anaesthetic for total hip arthroplasty using an anterior approach: a randomised placebo controlled trial.

PubMed

den Hartog, Y M; Mathijssen, N M C; van Dasselaar, N T; Langendijk, P N J; Vehmeijer, S B W

2015-06-01

Only limited data are available regarding the infiltration of local anaesthetic for total hip arthroplasty (THA), and no studies were performed for THA using the anterior approach. In this prospective, randomised placebo-controlled study we investigated the effect of both standard and reverse infiltration of local anaesthetic in combination with the anterior approach for THA. The primary endpoint was the mean numeric rating score for pain four hours post-operatively. In addition, we recorded the length of hospital stay, the operating time, the destination of the patient at discharge, the use of pain medication, the occurrence of side effects and pain scores at various times post-operatively. Between November 2012 and January 2014, 75 patients were included in the study. They were randomised into three groups: standard infiltration of local anaesthetic, reversed infiltration of local anaesthetic, and placebo. There was no difference in mean numeric rating score for pain four hours post-operatively (p = 0.87). There were significantly more side effects at one and eight hours post-operatively in the placebo group (p = 0.02; p = 0.03), but this did not influence the mobilisation of the patients. There were no differences in all other outcomes between the groups. We found no clinically relevant effect when the infiltration of local anaesthetic with ropivacaine and epinephrine was used in a multimodal pain protocol for THA using the anterior approach. ©2015 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Intraperitoneal local anaesthetic instillation versus no intraperitoneal local anaesthetic instillation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Nagendran, Myura; Guerrini, Gian Piero; Toon, Clare D; Zinnuroglu, Murat; Davidson, Brian R

2014-03-13

While laparoscopic cholecystectomy is generally considered less painful than open surgery, pain is one of the important reasons for delayed discharge after day surgery and overnight stay laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The safety and effectiveness of intraperitoneal local anaesthetic instillation in people undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy is unknown. To assess the benefits and harms of intraperitoneal instillation of local anaesthetic agents in people undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Science Citation Index Expanded to March 2013 to identify randomised clinical trials of relevance to this review. We considered only randomised clinical trials (irrespective of language, blinding, or publication status) comparing local anaesthetic intraperitoneal instillation versus placebo, no intervention, or inactive control during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the review with regards to benefits while we considered quasi-randomised studies and non-randomised studies for treatment-related harms. Two review authors collected the data independently. We analysed the data with both fixed-effect and random-effects models using Review Manager 5 analysis. For each outcome, we calculated the risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We included 58 trials, of which 48 trials with 2849 participants randomised to intraperitoneal local anaesthetic instillation (1558 participants) versus control (1291 participants) contributed data to one or more of the outcomes. All the trials except one trial with 30 participants were at high risk of bias. Most trials included only low anaesthetic risk people undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Various intraperitoneal local anaesthetic agents were used but bupivacaine in the liquid form was the most common local anaesthetic used. There were considerable differences in the methods of local anaesthetic instillation including the location (subdiaphragmatic, gallbladder bed, or both locations) and timing (before or after the removal of gallbladder) between the trials. There was no mortality in either group in the eight trials that reported mortality (0/236 (0%) in local anaesthetic instillation versus 0/210 (0%) in control group; very low quality evidence). One participant experienced the outcome of serious morbidity (eight trials; 446 participants; 1/236 (0.4%) in local anaesthetic instillation group versus 0/210 (0%) in the control group; RR 3.00; 95% CI 0.13 to 67.06; very low quality evidence). Although the remaining trials did not report the overall morbidity, three trials (190 participants) reported that there were no intra-operative complications. Twenty trials reported that there were no serious adverse events in any of the 715 participants who received local anaesthetic instillation. None of the trials reported participant quality of life, return to normal activity, or return to work.The effect of local anaesthetic instillation on the proportion of participants discharged as day surgery between the two groups was imprecise and compatible with benefit and no difference of intervention (three trials; 242 participants; 89/160 (adjusted proportion 61.0%) in local anaesthetic instillation group versus 40/82 (48.8%) in control group; RR 1.25; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.58; very low quality evidence). The MD in length of hospital stay was 0.04 days (95% CI -0.23 to 0.32; five trials; 335 participants; low quality evidence). The pain scores as measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) were significantly lower in the local anaesthetic instillation group than the control group at four to eight hours (32 trials; 2020 participants; MD -0.99 cm; 95% CI -1.10 to -0.88 on a VAS scale of 0 to 10 cm; very low quality evidence) and at nine to 24 hours (29 trials; 1787 participants; MD -0.53 cm; 95% CI -0.62 to -0.44; very low quality evidence). Various subgroup analyses and meta-regressions to investigate the influence of the different local anaesthetic agents, different methods of local anaesthetic instillation, and different controls on the effectiveness of local anaesthetic intraperitoneal instillation were inconsistent. Serious adverse events were rare in studies evaluating local anaesthetic intraperitoneal instillation (very low quality evidence). There is very low quality evidence that it reduces pain in low anaesthetic risk people undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, the clinical importance of this reduction in pain is unknown and likely to be small. Further randomised clinical trials of low risk of systematic and random errors are necessary. Such trials should include important clinical outcomes such as quality of life and time to return to work in their assessment.

The Local Turn: an Introductory Essay Revisiting Leadership, Elite Capture and Good Governance in Indonesian Conservation and Development Programs.

PubMed

Warren, Carol; Visser, Leontine

The local turn in good governance theory and practice responded to critiques of the ineffectiveness of state management and the inequity of privatization alternatives in natural resource management. Confounding expectations of greater effectiveness from decentralised governance, including community-based natural resource management, however, critics argue that expanded opportunities for elite capture have become widely associated with program failures. This overview of theoretical controversies on leadership, patronage and elite capture is part of a themed section in this issue that challenges assumptions across a wide range of current policy literature. It introduces a set of Indonesian case studies that examine practices of local leaders and elites and seek to account in structural terms for appropriations both by ('elite capture') and of ('captured elites') these key figures. These studies explore the structural factors and co-governance practices most likely to promote effective participation of the full spectrum of local interests in pursuit of better local natural resource governance.

Comparing ultraviolet light A photo(chemo)therapy with Methotrexate protocol in childhood localized scleroderma: Evidence from systematic review and meta-analysis approach.

PubMed

Marrani, Edoardo; Foeldvari, Ivan; Lopez, Jordi Anton; Cimaz, Rolando; Simonini, Gabriele

2018-03-14

Localized scleroderma is a skin fibrosing disorder that, if untreated, may result in severe disability. The purpose of this systematic review is to compare the present evidence concerning the effectiveness of Methotrexate versus phototherapy, alone or associated with Psoralen, in childhood localized scleroderma. A systematic search between January 1996 and May 2017 was performed to identify studies investigating the efficacy of Methotrexate (MTX) or phototherapy (UVA) for treating localized scleroderma with onset ≤18 years. Due to a lack of validated clinical criteria, four clinical response criteria were used to assess the treatment efficacy as primary outcome. We determined a combined estimate of the proportion of children responding to MTX and UVA. A total of 19 studies was included (8 MTX; 11 UVA). In the methotrexate group, 193 children were included in the analysis; in the phototherapy group, a total of 48 treated children. For both groups age, disease subtype, glucocorticoids (GCs) use, and side effects of treatment were also analyzed. The meta-analysis suggested that UVA and MTX protocols have both a favorable effect in active lesions of childhood localized scleroderma. However, MTX resulted significantly superior to UVA, with or without Psoralen. Our study supports the combination of MTX and GCs in patients with a high risk of complication. Phototherapy with UVA1 could represent a therapeutic option in patients with limited scleroderma, where lesions do not cross joints and they do not lead to potential cosmetic changes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Case Report of Successful Treatment of Recalcitrant Childhood Localized Scleroderma with Infliximab and Leflunomide.

PubMed

Ferguson, Ian D; Weiser, Peter; Torok, Kathryn S

2015-01-01

Herein we report successful treatment of an adolescent Caucasian female with severe progressive localized scleroderma (mixed subtype, including generalized morphea and linear scleroderma of the trunk/limb) using infliximab and leflunomide. The patient demonstrated improvement after the first 9 months of therapy based on her clinical examination, objective measures, and patient and parent global assessments. Infliximab is a potential treatment option for pediatric localized scleroderma patients who have progression of disease or who are unable to tolerate the side effect profile of more standard systemic therapy. Larger longitudinal studies or case series are needed to confirm and further investigate infliximab's role in localized scleroderma.

Partial discharge localization in power transformers based on the sequential quadratic programming-genetic algorithm adopting acoustic emission techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hua-Long; Liu, Hua-Dong

2014-10-01

Partial discharge (PD) in power transformers is one of the prime reasons resulting in insulation degradation and power faults. Hence, it is of great importance to study the techniques of the detection and localization of PD in theory and practice. The detection and localization of PD employing acoustic emission (AE) techniques, as a kind of non-destructive testing, plus due to the advantages of powerful capability of locating and high precision, have been paid more and more attention. The localization algorithm is the key factor to decide the localization accuracy in AE localization of PD. Many kinds of localization algorithms exist for the PD source localization adopting AE techniques including intelligent and non-intelligent algorithms. However, the existed algorithms possess some defects such as the premature convergence phenomenon, poor local optimization ability and unsuitability for the field applications. To overcome the poor local optimization ability and easily caused premature convergence phenomenon of the fundamental genetic algorithm (GA), a new kind of improved GA is proposed, namely the sequence quadratic programming-genetic algorithm (SQP-GA). For the hybrid optimization algorithm, SQP-GA, the sequence quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm which is used as a basic operator is integrated into the fundamental GA, so the local searching ability of the fundamental GA is improved effectively and the premature convergence phenomenon is overcome. Experimental results of the numerical simulations of benchmark functions show that the hybrid optimization algorithm, SQP-GA, is better than the fundamental GA in the convergence speed and optimization precision, and the proposed algorithm in this paper has outstanding optimization effect. At the same time, the presented SQP-GA in the paper is applied to solve the ultrasonic localization problem of PD in transformers, then the ultrasonic localization method of PD in transformers based on the SQP-GA is proposed. And localization results based on the SQP-GA are compared with some algorithms such as the GA, some other intelligent and non-intelligent algorithms. The results of calculating examples both stimulated and spot experiments demonstrate that the localization method based on the SQP-GA can effectively prevent the results from getting trapped into the local optimum values, and the localization method is of great feasibility and very suitable for the field applications, and the precision of localization is enhanced, and the effectiveness of localization is ideal and satisfactory.

Real Gas Scale Effects on Hypersonic Laminar Boundary-Layer Parameters Including Effects of Entropy-Layer Swallowing

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-12-01

crossed the essentially normal portion of the bow shock is swallowed by the boundary layer. The flow along the edge of the boundary layer on the aft...portions hf the body will then have passed through an oblique part of the bow shock and will be in a different state than had it passed through a normal...determination of the local edge flow conditions may be improvedby taking into con- sideration the inclination of the bow shock where the local flow stream- line

Community pharmacists as educators in Danish residential facilities: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Mygind, Anna; El-Souri, Mira; Pultz, Kirsten; Rossing, Charlotte; Thomsen, Linda A

2017-08-01

To explore experiences with engaging community pharmacists in educational programmes on quality and safety in medication handling in residential facilities for the disabled. A secondary analysis of data from two Danish intervention studies where community pharmacists were engaged in educational programmes. Data included 10 semi-structured interviews with staff, five semi-structured interviews and three open-ended questionnaires with residential facility managers, and five open-ended questionnaires to community pharmacists. Data were thematically coded to identify key points pertaining to the themes 'pharmacists as educators' and 'perceived effects of engaging pharmacists in competence development'. As educators, pharmacists were successful as medicines experts. Some pharmacists experienced pedagogical challenges. Previous teaching experience and obtained knowledge of the local residential facility before teaching often provided sufficient pedagogical skills and tailored teaching to local needs. Effects of engaging community pharmacists included in most instances improved cooperation between residential facilities and community pharmacies through a trustful relationship and improved dialogue about the residents' medication. Other effects included a perception of improved patient safety, teaching skills and branding of the pharmacy. Community pharmacists provide a resource to engage in educational programmes on medication handling in residential facilities, which may facilitate improved cooperation between community pharmacies and residential facilities. However, development of pedagogical competences and understandings of local settings are prerequisites for facilities and pharmacists to experience the programmes as successful. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Cost-effective smoke-free multiunit housing media campaigns: connecting with local communities.

PubMed

Modayil, Mary V; Consolacion, Theodora B; Isler, Jonathan; Soria, Sandra; Stevens, Colleen

2011-11-01

Presented are cost-effective paid media strategies to educate Californians to advocate for stronger smoke-free multiunit housing (SF-MUH) policies between 2006 and 2008. Included is a summary of general market and specific ethnic market costs that correspond to SF-MUH attitudes and home smoking bans. Statewide questionnaires indicated that half of the intended general market saw an antitobacco TV ad and half of the intended ethnic markets heard radio ads. Analyses indicated that it cost $0.67 and $0.78 per person to see Caution Tape and Apartment TV ads, respectively. Slightly higher per capita costs corresponded with positive attitudes toward SF-MUH: $0.87 for Caution Tape and $1.00 for Apartment. Lessons learned from this campaign included effectiveness of specific ads in ethnic markets, impact on SF-MUH work plan policy objectives, and the need for collaborations among state and local partners throughout the message development process.

A Systematic Review of the Modifying Effect of Anaesthetic Drugs on Metastasis in Animal Models for Cancer

PubMed Central

Geessink, Florentine J.; Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel; Scheffer, Gert Jan

2016-01-01

Background Distant metastasis or local recurrence after primary tumour resection remain a major clinical problem. The anaesthetic technique used during oncologic surgery is suggested to influence the metastatic process. While awaiting the results of ongoing randomised controlled trials (RCTs), we have analyzed the evidence regarding the influence of anaesthetic drugs on experimental tumour metastasis in animal studies. Methods PubMed and Embase were searched until April 21st, 2015. Studies were included in the systematic review when they 1) assessed the effect of an anaesthetic drug used in clinical practice on the number or incidence of metastasis in animal models with experimental cancer, 2) included an appropriate control group, and 3) presented unique data. Results 20 studies met the inclusion criteria (published between 1958–2010). Data on number of metastases could be retrieved from 17 studies. These studies described 41 independent comparisons, 33 of which could be included in the meta-analysis (MA). The incidence of metastases was studied in 3 unique papers. From these 3 papers, data on 7 independent comparisons could be extracted and included in the MA. Locally administered local anaesthetics appear to decrease the number of metastases (SMD -6.15 [-8.42; -3.88]), whereas general anaesthetics (RD: 0.136 [0.045, 0.226]), and more specifically volatile anaesthetics (SMD 0.54 [0.24; 0.84]), appear to increase the number and risk of metastases in animal models for cancer. Conclusions Anaesthetics influence the number and incidence of metastases in experimental cancer models. Although more high quality experimental research is necessary, based on the currently available evidence from animal studies, there is no indication to suggest that locally administered local anaesthetics are harmful during surgery in cancer patients. Volatile anaesthetics, however, might increase metastasis in animal models and clinical trials investigating this possibly harmful effect should receive priority. The results of our systematic review in animal studies are broadly consistent with clinical reports that anaesthetic technique does seem to affect the tumour metastasis process. PMID:27227779

Majorana states in prismatic core-shell nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manolescu, Andrei; Sitek, Anna; Osca, Javier; Serra, Llorenç; Gudmundsson, Vidar; Stanescu, Tudor Dan

2017-09-01

We consider core-shell nanowires with conductive shell and insulating core and with polygonal cross section. We investigate the implications of this geometry on Majorana states expected in the presence of proximity-induced superconductivity and an external magnetic field. A typical prismatic nanowire has a hexagonal profile, but square and triangular shapes can also be obtained. The low-energy states are localized at the corners of the cross section, i.e., along the prism edges, and are separated by a gap from higher energy states localized on the sides. The corner localization depends on the details of the shell geometry, i.e., thickness, diameter, and sharpness of the corners. We study systematically the low-energy spectrum of prismatic shells using numerical methods and derive the topological phase diagram as a function of magnetic field and chemical potential for triangular, square, and hexagonal geometries. A strong corner localization enhances the stability of Majorana modes to various perturbations, including the orbital effect of the magnetic field, whereas a weaker localization favorizes orbital effects and reduces the critical magnetic field. The prismatic geometry allows the Majorana zero-energy modes to be accompanied by low-energy states, which we call pseudo Majorana, and which converge to real Majoranas in the limit of small shell thickness. We include the Rashba spin-orbit coupling in a phenomenological manner, assuming a radial electric field across the shell.

Local and systemic antimicrobial therapy in periodontics.

PubMed

Herrera, David; Matesanz, Paula; Bascones-Martínez, Antonio; Sanz, Mariano

2012-09-01

This review aimed to update the current evidence on the efficacy of the adjunctive use of local and systemic antimicrobials in the treatment of periodontitis and to assess whether it might improve the clinical limitations and shortcomings of standard nonsurgical treatment in the management of periodontitis. Relevant randomized clinical trials (RCT) with more than 3 months of follow-up, published from 2010 to 2012 for systemic antimicrobials and from 2008 to 2012 for local antimicrobials, were searched in Medline and critically analyzed. Scientific evidence evaluated in different systematic reviews and reviews presented at European and World Workshops were also included. Only adjunctive therapies were considered in the present review: articles comparing debridement alone or plus placebo, versus debridement plus systemic or local antimicrobials were included. Adjunctive systemic antimicrobials have been evaluated both in aggressive and chronic periodontitis: in aggressive periodontitis, amoxicillin and metronidazole have been extensively studied, reporting clinical and microbiological benefits; in chronic periodontitis, different products are under scrutiny, such as azithromycin. The clinical efficacy of local antimicrobials, although extensively demonstrated, is still surrounded by a constant debate on the cost-effectiveness evaluation and on its adequate indications. Despite the clinical efficacy of the adjunctive use of local and systemic antimicrobials, demonstrated in RCTs and in systematic reviews, there is a lack of evidence to support well-defined clinical protocols, including products and dosages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of exercise training on cutaneous microvascular reactivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lanting, Sean M; Johnson, Nathan A; Baker, Michael K; Caterson, Ian D; Chuter, Vivienne H

2017-02-01

This study aimed to review the efficacy of exercise training for improving cutaneous microvascular reactivity in response to local stimulus in human adults. Systematic review with meta-analysis. A systematic search of Medline, Cinahl, AMED, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase was conducted up to June 2015. Included studies were controlled trials assessing the effect of an exercise training intervention on cutaneous microvascular reactivity as instigated by local stimulus such as local heating, iontophoresis and post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia. Studies where the control was only measured at baseline or which included participants with vasospastic disorders were excluded. Two authors independently reviewed and selected relevant controlled trials and extracted data. Quality was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. Seven trials were included, with six showing a benefit of exercise training but only two reaching statistical significance with effect size ranging from -0.14 to 1.03. The meta-analysis revealed that aerobic exercise had a moderate statistically significant effect on improving cutaneous microvascular reactivity (effect size (ES)=0.43, 95% CI: 0.08-0.78, p=0.015). Individual studies employing an exercise training intervention have tended to have small sample sizes and hence lacked sufficient power to detect clinically meaningful benefits to cutaneous microvascular reactivity. Pooled analysis revealed a clear benefit of exercise training on improving cutaneous microvascular reactivity in older and previously inactive adult cohorts. Exercise training may provide a cost-effective option for improving cutaneous microvascular reactivity in adults and may be of benefit to those with cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy and safety of local steroids for urethra strictures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Kaile; Qi, Er; Zhang, Yumeng; Sa, Yinglong; Fu, Qiang

2014-08-01

Local steroids have been used as an adjuvant therapy to patients undergoing internal urethrotomy (IU) in treating urethral strictures. Whether this technique is effective and safe is still controversial. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of local steroids as applied with the IU procedure. A systematic review of the literature was performed by searching Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library Databases, and the Web of Science. We included only prospective randomized, controlled trials that compared the efficacy and safety between IU procedures with applied local steroids and those without. Eight studies were found eligible for further analysis. In total, 203 patients undergoing IU were treated with steroid injection or catheter lubrication. Time to recurrence is statistically significant (mean: 10.14 and 5.07 months, P<0.00001).The number of patients with recurrent stricture formation significantly decreased at different follow-up time points (P=0.05).No statistically significant differences were found between the recurrence rates, adverse effects, and success rates of second IUs in patients with applied local steroids and those without. The use of local steroids with IU seems to prolong time to stricture recurrence but does not seem to affect the high stricture recurrence rate following IU. When local steroids are applied with complementary intention, the disease control outcomes are encouraging. Further robust comparative effectiveness studies are now required.

Study on superconducting state parameters of Cu1-xZrx metallic glasses using model potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jambusarwala, Tasneem S.; Gajjar, P. N.

2018-05-01

The superconducting state parameters (SSP) of Cu1-xZrx metallic glasses over the full range of concentration x of Zr have been investigated to study influence of various local pseudopotentials. The study includes the computation of electron-phonon coupling strength (λ), transition temperature (TC), isotope effect exponent (α) and effective interaction strength (N0V) using fourteen different forms of local model potentials. The local field correction function proposed by Taylor (T) is used. The influence of model potential on various parameters is ranging from 6% to 83% for pure Zr and 28% to 84% for pure Cu. The present study confirms that the identification of model potential is vital in studying Superconducting State Parameters.

Proton Resonance Spectroscopy Study of the Effects of L-Ornithine-L-Aspartate on the Development of Encephalopathy, Using Localization Pulses with Reduced Specific Absorption Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slotboom, J.; Vogels, B. A. P. M.; Dehaan, J. G.; Creyghton, J. H. N.; Quack, G.; Chamuleau, R. A. F. M.; Bovee, W. M. M. J.

Using the SADLOVE ( single-shot adiabatic localized volume excitation) localization technique with reduced specific absorption rate phase-compensated 2π pulses for localization, in vivo rat brain spectra were obtained in order to study the possible beneficial effects of L-ornithine-L-aspartate (OA) on the development of encephalopathy induced by hyperammonemia in portacaval shunted rats, an experimental model for subacute hepatic encephalopathy. The in vivo1H spectra were quantified using a conjugate-gradient-based frequency-domain fitting procedure. OA treatment resulted in an about threefold lower increase in train lactate ( P < 0.0001) and a slower increase of brain glutamine ( P = 0.022) concentration. However, these changes in brain metabolism, including a significantly lower ammonia concentration during OA treatment, were not associated with a sig significant improvement in clinical symptoms of encephalopathy, suggesting either insufficient decrease in brain ammonia concentration or another effect of OA treatment counteracting the lowering effect on blood and brain ammonia and on brain glutamine and lactate. It is concluded that localized in vivo1H MRS of the brain in combination with other analytical techniques, such as in vivo microdialysis, is helpful in explaining pathophysiological changes during hyperammonemia-induced encephalopathy.

Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Local Tissue Damage Induced by Snake Venoms: An Overview from Traditional Use to Pharmacological Evidence

PubMed Central

Félix-Silva, Juliana; Silva-Junior, Arnóbio Antônio; Zucolotto, Silvana Maria

2017-01-01

Snakebites are a serious problem in public health due to their high morbimortality. Most of snake venoms produce intense local tissue damage, which could lead to temporary or permanent disability in victims. The available specific treatment is the antivenom serum therapy, whose effectiveness is reduced against these effects. Thus, the search for complementary alternatives for snakebite treatment is relevant. There are several reports of the popular use of medicinal plants against snakebites worldwide. In recent years, many studies have been published giving pharmacological evidence of benefits of several vegetal species against local effects induced by a broad range of snake venoms, including inhibitory potential against hyaluronidase, phospholipase, proteolytic, hemorrhagic, myotoxic, and edematogenic activities. In this context, this review aimed to provide an updated overview of medicinal plants used popularly as antiophidic agents and discuss the main species with pharmacological studies supporting the uses, with emphasis on plants inhibiting local effects of snake envenomation. The present review provides an updated scenario and insights into future research aiming at validation of medicinal plants as antiophidic agents and strengthens the potentiality of ethnopharmacology as a tool for design of potent inhibitors and/or development of herbal medicines against venom toxins, especially local tissue damage. PMID:28904556

Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Local Tissue Damage Induced by Snake Venoms: An Overview from Traditional Use to Pharmacological Evidence.

PubMed

Félix-Silva, Juliana; Silva-Junior, Arnóbio Antônio; Zucolotto, Silvana Maria; Fernandes-Pedrosa, Matheus de Freitas

2017-01-01

Snakebites are a serious problem in public health due to their high morbimortality. Most of snake venoms produce intense local tissue damage, which could lead to temporary or permanent disability in victims. The available specific treatment is the antivenom serum therapy, whose effectiveness is reduced against these effects. Thus, the search for complementary alternatives for snakebite treatment is relevant. There are several reports of the popular use of medicinal plants against snakebites worldwide. In recent years, many studies have been published giving pharmacological evidence of benefits of several vegetal species against local effects induced by a broad range of snake venoms, including inhibitory potential against hyaluronidase, phospholipase, proteolytic, hemorrhagic, myotoxic, and edematogenic activities. In this context, this review aimed to provide an updated overview of medicinal plants used popularly as antiophidic agents and discuss the main species with pharmacological studies supporting the uses, with emphasis on plants inhibiting local effects of snake envenomation. The present review provides an updated scenario and insights into future research aiming at validation of medicinal plants as antiophidic agents and strengthens the potentiality of ethnopharmacology as a tool for design of potent inhibitors and/or development of herbal medicines against venom toxins, especially local tissue damage.

Effects of prescribed fire on nutrient pools and losses from glades occurring within oak-hickory forests of central Kentucky

Treesearch

T. L. E. Trammell; Charles Rhoades; P. A. Bukaveckas

2004-01-01

Forest openings, also known as glades, arise through a variety of mechanisms including disturbance (fire and blow downs) and local variation in soil or bedrock geology. They are common in many forest types and are often dominated by locally rare herbaceous species. Prescribed burning is increasingly used as a management approach for maintaining glades although...

Effective stochastic generator with site-dependent interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khamehchi, Masoumeh; Jafarpour, Farhad H.

2017-11-01

It is known that the stochastic generators of effective processes associated with the unconditioned dynamics of rare events might consist of non-local interactions; however, it can be shown that there are special cases for which these generators can include local interactions. In this paper, we investigate this possibility by considering systems of classical particles moving on a one-dimensional lattice with open boundaries. The particles might have hard-core interactions similar to the particles in an exclusion process, or there can be many arbitrary particles at a single site in a zero-range process. Assuming that the interactions in the original process are local and site-independent, we will show that under certain constraints on the microscopic reaction rules, the stochastic generator of an unconditioned process can be local but site-dependent. As two examples, the asymmetric zero-temperature Glauber model and the A-model with diffusion are presented and studied under the above-mentioned constraints.

Density matrix modeling of quantum cascade lasers without an artificially localized basis: A generalized scattering approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Andrew; Burnett, Benjamin A.; Chui, Chi On; Williams, Benjamin S.

2017-08-01

We derive a density matrix (DM) theory for quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) that describes the influence of scattering on coherences through a generalized scattering superoperator. The theory enables quantitative modeling of QCLs, including localization and tunneling effects, using the well-defined energy eigenstates rather than the ad hoc localized basis states required by most previous DM models. Our microscopic approach to scattering also eliminates the need for phenomenological transition or dephasing rates. We discuss the physical interpretation and numerical implementation of the theory, presenting sets of both energy-resolved and thermally averaged equations, which can be used for detailed or compact device modeling. We illustrate the theory's applications by simulating a high performance resonant-phonon terahertz (THz) QCL design, which cannot be easily or accurately modeled using conventional DM methods. We show that the theory's inclusion of coherences is crucial for describing localization and tunneling effects consistent with experiment.

Magnitude of pseudopotential localization errors in fixed node diffusion quantum Monte Carlo

DOE PAGES

Kent, Paul R.; Krogel, Jaron T.

2017-06-22

Growth in computational resources has lead to the application of real space diffusion quantum Monte Carlo to increasingly heavy elements. Although generally assumed to be small, we find that when using standard techniques, the pseudopotential localization error can be large, on the order of an electron volt for an isolated cerium atom. We formally show that the localization error can be reduced to zero with improvements to the Jastrow factor alone, and we define a metric of Jastrow sensitivity that may be useful in the design of pseudopotentials. We employ an extrapolation scheme to extract the bare fixed node energymore » and estimate the localization error in both the locality approximation and the T-moves schemes for the Ce atom in charge states 3+/4+. The locality approximation exhibits the lowest Jastrow sensitivity and generally smaller localization errors than T-moves although the locality approximation energy approaches the localization free limit from above/below for the 3+/4+ charge state. We find that energy minimized Jastrow factors including three-body electron-electron-ion terms are the most effective at reducing the localization error for both the locality approximation and T-moves for the case of the Ce atom. Less complex or variance minimized Jastrows are generally less effective. Finally, our results suggest that further improvements to Jastrow factors and trial wavefunction forms may be needed to reduce localization errors to chemical accuracy when medium core pseudopotentials are applied to heavy elements such as Ce.« less

Influence of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium and Zeeman effects on magnetic equilibrium reconstruction using spectral motional Stark effect diagnostic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, R.; Marchuk, O.; Geiger, B.; Mc Carthy, P. J.; Dunne, M.; Hobirk, J.; Wolf, R.; ASDEX Upgrade Team

2017-08-01

The Motional Stark Effect (MSE) diagnostic is a well established technique to infer the local internal magnetic field in fusion plasmas. In this paper, the existing forward model which describes the MSE data is extended by the Zeeman effect, fine-structure, and relativistic corrections in the interpretation of the MSE spectra for different experimental conditions at the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade. The contribution of the non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (non-LTE) populations among the magnetic sub-levels and the Zeeman effect on the derived plasma parameters is different. The obtained pitch angle is changed by 3 ° … 4 ° and by 0 . 5 ° … 1 ° including the non-LTE and the Zeeman effects into the standard statistical MSE model. The total correction is about 4°. Moreover, the variation of the magnetic field strength is significantly changed by 2.2% due to the Zeeman effect only. While the data on the derived pitch angle still could not be tested against the other diagnostics, the results from an equilibrium reconstruction solver confirm the obtained values for magnetic field strength.

Effect of the fiber-matrix interphase on the transverse tensile strength of the unidirectional composite material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsai, H. C.; Arocho, A. M.

1992-01-01

A simple one-dimensional fiber-matrix interphase model has been developed and analytical results obtained correlated well with available experimental data. It was found that by including the interphase between the fiber and matrix in the model, much better local stress results were obtained than with the model without the interphase. A more sophisticated two-dimensional micromechanical model, which included the interphase properties was also developed. Both one-dimensional and two-dimensional models were used to study the effect of the interphase properties on the local stresses at the fiber, interphase and matrix. From this study, it was found that interphase modulus and thickness have significant influence on the transverse tensile strength and mode of failure in fiber reinforced composites.

Is robotic surgery cost-effective: yes.

PubMed

Liberman, Daniel; Trinh, Quoc-Dien; Jeldres, Claudio; Zorn, Kevin C

2012-01-01

With the expanding use of new technology in the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa), the financial burden on the healthcare system and the individual has been important. Robotics offer many potential advantages to the surgeon and the patient. We assessed the potential cost-effectiveness of robotics in urological surgery and performed a comparative cost analysis with respect to other potential treatment modalities. The direct and indirect costs of purchasing, maintaining, and operating the robot must be compared to alternatives in treatment of localized PCa. Some expanding technologies including intensity-modulated radiation therapy are significantly more expensive than robotic surgery. Furthermore, the benefits of robotics including decreased length of stay and return to work are considerable and must be measured when evaluating its cost-effectiveness. Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery comes at a high cost but can become cost-effective in mostly high-volume centers with high-volume surgeons. The device when utilized to its maximum potential and with eventual market-driven competition can become affordable.

[Classification of local anesthesia methods].

PubMed

Petricas, A Zh; Medvedev, D V; Olkhovskaya, E B

The traditional classification methods of dental local anesthesia must be modified. In this paper we proved that the vascular mechanism is leading component of spongy injection. It is necessary to take into account the high effectiveness and relative safety of spongy anesthesia, as well as versatility, ease of implementation and the growing prevalence in the world. The essence of the proposed modification is to distinguish the methods in diffusive (including surface anesthesia, infiltration and conductive anesthesia) and vascular-diffusive (including intraosseous, intraligamentary, intraseptal and intrapulpal anesthesia). For the last four methods the common term «spongy (intraosseous) anesthesia» may be used.

Wound infiltration with local anaesthetic agents for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Loizides, Sofronis; Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Nagendran, Myura; Rossi, Michele; Guerrini, Gian Piero; Davidson, Brian R

2014-03-12

While laparoscopic cholecystectomy is generally considered to be less painful than open surgery, pain is one of the important reasons for delayed discharge after day surgery resulting in overnight stay following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The safety and effectiveness of local anaesthetic wound infiltration in people undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not known. To assess the benefits and harms of local anaesthetic wound infiltration in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy and to identify the best method of local anaesthetic wound infiltration with regards to the type of local anaesthetic, dosage, and time of administration of the local anaesthetic. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Science Citation Index Expanded until February 2013 to identify studies of relevance to this review. We included randomised clinical trials for benefit and quasi-randomised and comparative non-randomised studies for treatment-related harms. Only randomised clinical trials (irrespective of language, blinding, or publication status) comparing local anaesthetic wound infiltration versus placebo, no intervention, or inactive control during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, trials comparing different local anaesthetic agents for local anaesthetic wound infiltration, and trials comparing the different times of local anaesthetic wound infiltration were considered for the review. Two review authors collected the data independently. We analysed the data with both fixed-effect and random-effects meta-analysis models using RevMan. For each outcome, we calculated the risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Twenty-six trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the review. All the 26 trials except one trial of 30 participants were at high risk of bias. Nineteen of the trials with 1263 randomised participants provided data for this review. Ten of the 19 trials compared local anaesthetic wound infiltration versus inactive control. One of the 19 trials compared local anaesthetic wound infiltration with two inactive controls, normal saline and no intervention. Two of the 19 trials had four arms comparing local anaesthetic wound infiltration with inactive controls in the presence and absence of co-interventions to decrease pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Four of the 19 trials had three or more arms that could be included for the comparison of local anaesthetic wound infiltration versus inactive control and different methods of local anaesthetic wound infiltration. The remaining two trials compared different methods of local anaesthetic wound infiltration.Most trials included only low anaesthetic risk people undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Seventeen trials randomised a total of 1095 participants to local anaesthetic wound infiltration (587 participants) versus no local anaesthetic wound infiltration (508 participants). Various anaesthetic agents were used but bupivacaine was the commonest local anaesthetic used. There was no mortality in either group in the seven trials that reported mortality (0/280 (0%) in local anaesthetic infiltration group versus 0/259 (0%) in control group). The effect of local anaesthetic on the proportion of people who developed serious adverse events was imprecise and compatible with increase or no difference in serious adverse events (seven trials; 539 participants; 2/280 (0.8%) in local anaesthetic group versus 1/259 (0.4%) in control; RR 2.00; 95% CI 0.19 to 21.59; very low quality evidence). None of the serious adverse events were related to local anaesthetic wound infiltration. None of the trials reported patient quality of life. The proportion of participants who were discharged as day surgery patients was higher in the local anaesthetic infiltration group than in the no local anaesthetic infiltration group (one trial; 97 participants; 33/50 (66.0%) in the local anaesthetic group versus 20/47 (42.6%) in the control group; RR 1.55; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.28; very low quality evidence). The effect of local anaesthetic on the length of hospital stay was compatible with a decrease, increase, or no difference in the length of hospital stay between the two groups (four trials; 327 participants; MD -0.26 days; 95% CI -0.67 to 0.16; very low quality evidence). The pain scores as measured by the visual analogue scale (0 to 10 cm) were lower in the local anaesthetic infiltration group than the control group at 4 to 8 hours (13 trials; 806 participants; MD -1.33 cm on the VAS; 95% CI -1.54 to -1.12; very low quality evidence) and 9 to 24 hours (12 trials; 756 participants; MD -0.36 cm on the VAS; 95% CI -0.53 to -0.20; very low quality evidence). The effect of local anaesthetic on the time taken to return to normal activity between the two groups was imprecise and compatible with a decrease, increase, or no difference in the time taken to return to normal activity (two trials; 195 participants; MD 0.14 days; 95% CI -0.59 to 0.87; very low quality evidence). None of the trials reported on return to work.Four trials randomised a total of 149 participants to local anaesthetic wound infiltration prior to skin incision (74 participants) versus local anaesthetic wound infiltration at the end of surgery (75 participants). Two trials randomised a total of 176 participants to four different local anaesthetics (bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, ropivacaine, neosaxitoxin). Although there were differences between the groups in some outcomes the changes were not consistent. There was no evidence to support the preference of one local anaesthetic over another or to prefer administration of local anaesthetic at a specific time compared with another. Serious adverse events were rare in studies evaluating local anaesthetic wound infiltration (very low quality evidence). There is very low quality evidence that infiltration reduces pain in low anaesthetic risk people undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, the clinical importance of this reduction in pain is likely to be small. Further randomised clinical trials at low risk of systematic and random errors are necessary. Such trials should include important clinical outcomes such as quality of life and time to return to work in their assessment.

Distributed Transforms for Efficient Data Gathering in Sensor Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ortega, Antonio (Inventor); Shen, Godwin (Inventor); Narang, Sunil K. (Inventor); Perez-Trufero, Javier (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Devices, systems, and techniques for data collecting network such as wireless sensors are disclosed. A described technique includes detecting one or more remote nodes included in the wireless sensor network using a local power level that controls a radio range of the local node. The technique includes transmitting a local outdegree. The local outdegree can be based on a quantity of the one or more remote nodes. The technique includes receiving one or more remote outdegrees from the one or more remote nodes. The technique includes determining a local node type of the local node based on detecting a node type of the one or more remote nodes, using the one or more remote outdegrees, and using the local outdegree. The technique includes adjusting characteristics, including an energy usage characteristic and a data compression characteristic, of the wireless sensor network by selectively modifying the local power level and selectively changing the local node type.

Is Local Infiltration Analgesia Superior to Peripheral Nerve Blockade for Pain Management After THA: A Network Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Jiménez-Almonte, José H; Wyles, Cody C; Wyles, Saranya P; Norambuena-Morales, German A; Báez, Pedro J; Murad, Mohammad H; Sierra, Rafael J

2016-02-01

Local infiltration analgesia and peripheral nerve blocks are common methods for pain management in patients after THA but direct head-to-head, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have not been performed. A network meta-analysis allows indirect comparison of individual treatments relative to a common comparator; in this case placebo (or no intervention), epidural analgesia, and intrathecal morphine, yielding an estimate of comparative efficacy. We asked, when compared with a placebo, (1) does use of local infiltration analgesia reduce patient pain scores and opioid consumption, (2) does use of peripheral nerve blocks reduce patient pain scores and opioid consumption, and (3) is local infiltration analgesia favored over peripheral nerve blocks for postoperative pain management after THA? We searched six databases, from inception through June 30, 2014, to identify RCTs comparing local infiltration analgesia or peripheral nerve block use in patients after THA. A total of 35 RCTs at low risk of bias based on the recommended Cochrane Collaboration risk assessment tool were included in the network meta-analysis (2296 patients). Primary outcomes for this review were patient pain scores at rest and cumulative opioid consumption, both assessed at 24 hours after THA. Because of substantial heterogeneity (variation of outcomes between studies) across included trials, a random effect model for meta-analysis was used to estimate the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% CI. The gray literature was searched with the same inclusion criteria as published trials. Only one unpublished trial (published abstract) fulfilled our criteria and was included in this review. All other studies included in this systematic review were full published articles. Bayesian network meta-analysis included all RCTs that compared local infiltration analgesia or peripheral nerve blocks with placebo (or no intervention), epidural analgesia, and intrathecal morphine. Compared with placebo, local infiltration analgesia reduced patient pain scores (WMD, -0.61; 95% CI, -0.97 to -0.24; p = 0.001) and opioid consumption (WMD, -7.16 mg; 95% CI, -11.98 to -2.35; p = 0.004). Peripheral nerve blocks did not result in lower pain scores or reduced opioid consumption compared with placebo (WMD, -0.43; 95% CI, -0.99 to 0.12; p = 0.12 and WMD, -3.14 mg, 95% CI, -11.30 to 5.02; p = 0.45). However, network meta-analysis comparing local infiltration analgesia with peripheral nerve blocks through common comparators showed no differences between postoperative pain scores (WMD, -0.36; 95% CI, -1.06 to 0.31) and opioid consumption (WMD, -4.59 mg; 95% CI, -9.35 to 0.17), although rank-order analysis found local infiltration analgesia to be ranked first in more simulations than peripheral nerve blocks, suggesting that it may be more effective. Using the novel statistical network meta-analysis approach, we found no differences between local infiltration analgesia and peripheral nerve blocks in terms of analgesia or opioid consumption 24 hours after THA; there was a suggestion of a slight advantage to peripheral nerve blocks based on rank-order analysis, but the effect size in question is likely not large. Given the slight difference between interventions, clinicians may choose to focus on other factors such as cost and intervention-related complications when debating which analgesic treatment to use after THA. Level I, therapeutic study.

Facilitators for the development and implementation of health promoting policy and programs - a scoping review at the local community level.

PubMed

Weiss, Daniel; Lillefjell, Monica; Magnus, Eva

2016-02-11

Health promotion, with a focus on multidimensional upstream factors and an ecological, life-course approach, is establishing itself as the guiding philosophy for addressing public health. Action at the political and programmatic level on the Social Determinants of Health has proven effective for promoting and building public health at all levels but has been particularly evident at the national and international levels - due in large part to available documents and guidelines. Although research and experience establish that health promotion is most effective when settings-based, the development of health promoting policies and programs at the local level is still difficult. This study intended to investigate available knowledge on the development and implementation of health promoting policies and programs at the local level and identify factors most important for facilitating capacity building and outcome achievement. We used a scoping review in order to review the current literature on local policy development and program implementation. Keywords were chosen based on results of a previous literature review. A total of 53 articles were divided into two categories: policy and implementation. Critical analysis was conducted for each article and a summary assembled. Data was charted with specific focus on the aims of the study, data acquisition, key theories/concepts/frameworks used, outcome measures, results, and conclusions. The articles included in this study primarily focused on discussing factors that facilitate the development of health promoting policy and the implementation of health promotion programs. Most significant facilitators included: collaborative decision-making, agreement of objectives and goals, local planning and action, effective leadership, building and maintaining trust, availability of resources, a dynamic approach, a realistic time-frame, and trained and knowledgeable staff. Within each of these important facilitating factors, various elements supporting implementation were discussed and highlighted in this study. Our results indicate that clear and consistent facilitators exist for supporting health promoting policy development and program implementation at the local level. These results offer a starting point for local action on the Social Determinants of Health and have the potential to contribute to the development of a framework for improving action at the local level.

Interface Shape Control Using Localized Heating during Bridgman Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, M. P.; Mazuruk, K.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Croll, A.

2008-01-01

Numerical calculations were performed to assess the effect of localized radial heating on the melt-crystal interface shape during vertical Bridgman growth. System parameters examined include the ampoule, melt and crystal thermal conductivities, the magnitude and width of localized heating, and the latent heat of crystallization. Concave interface shapes, typical of semiconductor systems, could be flattened or made convex with localized heating. Although localized heating caused shallower thermal gradients ahead of the interface, the magnitude of the localized heating required for convexity was less than that which resulted in a thermal inversion ahead of the interface. A convex interface shape was most readily achieved with ampoules of lower thermal conductivity. Increasing melt convection tended to flatten the interface, but the amount of radial heating required to achieve a convex interface was essentially independent of the convection intensity.

Size effects and strain localization in atomic-scale cleavage modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsner, B. A. M.; Müller, S.

2015-09-01

In this work, we study the adhesion and decohesion of Cu(1 0 0) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. An upper stress to surface decohesion is obtained via the universal binding energy relation (UBER), but the model is limited to rigid separation of bulk-terminated surfaces. When structural relaxations are included, an unphysical size effect arises if decohesion is considered to occur as soon as the strain energy equals the energy of the newly formed surfaces. We employ the nudged elastic band (NEB) method to show that this size effect is opposed by a size-dependency of the energy barriers involved in the transition. Further, we find that the transition occurs via a localization of bond strain in the vicinity of the cleavage plane, which resembles the strain localization at the tip of a sharp crack that is predicted by linear elastic fracture mechanics.

Size effects and strain localization in atomic-scale cleavage modeling.

PubMed

Elsner, B A M; Müller, S

2015-09-04

In this work, we study the adhesion and decohesion of Cu(1 0 0) surfaces using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. An upper stress to surface decohesion is obtained via the universal binding energy relation (UBER), but the model is limited to rigid separation of bulk-terminated surfaces. When structural relaxations are included, an unphysical size effect arises if decohesion is considered to occur as soon as the strain energy equals the energy of the newly formed surfaces. We employ the nudged elastic band (NEB) method to show that this size effect is opposed by a size-dependency of the energy barriers involved in the transition. Further, we find that the transition occurs via a localization of bond strain in the vicinity of the cleavage plane, which resembles the strain localization at the tip of a sharp crack that is predicted by linear elastic fracture mechanics.

Plasmonics simulations including nonlocal effects using a boundary element method approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trügler, Andreas; Hohenester, Ulrich; García de Abajo, F. Javier

2017-09-01

Spatial nonlocality in the photonic response of metallic nanoparticles is actually known to produce near-field quenching and significant plasmon frequency shifts relative to local descriptions. As the control over size and morphology of fabricated nanostructures is truly reaching the nanometer scale, understanding and accounting for nonlocal phenomena is becoming increasingly important. Recent advances clearly point out the need to go beyond the local theory. We here present a general formalism for incorporating spatial dispersion effects through the hydrodynamic model and generalizations for arbitrary surface morphologies. Our method relies on the boundary element method, which we supplement with a nonlocal interaction potential. We provide numerical examples in excellent agreement with the literature for individual and paired gold nanospheres, and critically examine the accuracy of our approach. The present method involves marginal extra computational cost relative to local descriptions and facilitates the simulation of spatial dispersion effects in the photonic response of complex nanoplasmonic structures.

Vocal local versus pharmacological treatments for pain management in tubal ligation procedures in rural Kenya: a non-inferiority trial.

PubMed

Keogh, Sarah C; Fry, Kenzo; Mbugua, Edwin; Ayallo, Mark; Quinn, Heidi; Otieno, George; Ngo, Thoai D

2014-02-04

Vocal local (VL) is a non-pharmacological pain management technique for gynecological procedures. In Africa, it is usually used in combination with pharmacological analgesics. However, analgesics are associated with side-effects, and can be costly and subject to frequent stock-outs, particularly in remote rural settings. We compared the effectiveness of VL + local anesthesia + analgesics (the standard approach), versus VL + local anesthesia without analgesics, on pain and satisfaction levels for women undergoing tubal ligations in rural Kenya. We conducted a site-randomised non-inferiority trial of 884 women receiving TLs from 40 Marie Stopes mobile outreach sites in Kisii and Machakos Districts. Twenty sites provided VL + local anesthesia + analgesics (control), while 20 offered VL + local anesthesia without additional analgesics (intervention). Pain was measured using a validated 11-point Numeric Rating Scale; satisfaction was measured using 11-point scales. A total of 461 women underwent tubal ligations with VL + local anesthesia, while 423 received tubal ligations with VL + local anesthesia + analgesics. The majority were aged ≥30 years (78%), and had >3 children (99%). In a multivariate analysis, pain during the procedure was not significantly different between the two groups. The pain score after the procedure was significantly lower in the intervention group versus the control group (by 0.40 points; p = 0.041). Satisfaction scores were equally high in both groups; 96% would recommend the procedure to a friend. VL + local anesthesia is as effective as VL + local anesthesia + analgesics for pain management during tubal ligation in rural Kenya. Avoiding analgesics is associated with numerous benefits including cost savings and fewer issues related to the maintenance, procurement and monitoring of restricted opioid drugs, particularly in remote low-resource settings where these systems are weak. Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201304000495942.

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

Kent, Paul R.; Krogel, Jaron T.

Growth in computational resources has lead to the application of real space diffusion quantum Monte Carlo to increasingly heavy elements. Although generally assumed to be small, we find that when using standard techniques, the pseudopotential localization error can be large, on the order of an electron volt for an isolated cerium atom. We formally show that the localization error can be reduced to zero with improvements to the Jastrow factor alone, and we define a metric of Jastrow sensitivity that may be useful in the design of pseudopotentials. We employ an extrapolation scheme to extract the bare fixed node energymore » and estimate the localization error in both the locality approximation and the T-moves schemes for the Ce atom in charge states 3+/4+. The locality approximation exhibits the lowest Jastrow sensitivity and generally smaller localization errors than T-moves although the locality approximation energy approaches the localization free limit from above/below for the 3+/4+ charge state. We find that energy minimized Jastrow factors including three-body electron-electron-ion terms are the most effective at reducing the localization error for both the locality approximation and T-moves for the case of the Ce atom. Less complex or variance minimized Jastrows are generally less effective. Finally, our results suggest that further improvements to Jastrow factors and trial wavefunction forms may be needed to reduce localization errors to chemical accuracy when medium core pseudopotentials are applied to heavy elements such as Ce.« less

Composite polymer systems with control of local substrate elasticity and their effect on cytoskeletal and morphological characteristics of adherent cells.

PubMed

Chou, Szu-Yuan; Cheng, Chao-Min; LeDuc, Philip R

2009-06-01

At the interface between extracellular substrates and biological materials, substrate elasticity strongly influences cell morphology and function. The associated biological ramifications comprise a diversity of critical responses including apoptosis, differentiation, and motility, which can affect medical devices such as stents. The interactions of the extracellular environment with the substrate are also affected by local properties wherein cells sense and respond to different physical inputs. To investigate the effects of having localized elasticity control of substrate microenvironments on cell response, we have developed a method to control material interface interactions with cells by dictating local substrate elasticity. This system is created by generating a composite material system with alternating, linear regions of polymers that have distinct stiffness characteristics. This approach was used to examine cytoskeletal and morphological changes in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts with emphasis on both local and global properties, noting that cells sense and respond to distinct material elasticities. Isolated cells sense and respond to these local differences in substrate elasticity by extending processes along the interface. Also, cells grown on softer elastic regions at higher densities (in contact with each other) have a higher projected area than isolated cells. Furthermore, when using chemical agents such as cytochalasin-D to disrupt the actin cytoskeleton, there is a significant increase in projected area for cells cultured on softer elastic regions This method has the potential to promote understanding of biomaterial-affected responses in a diversity of areas including morphogenesis, mechanotransduction, stents, and stem cell differentiation.

Local SAR in High Pass Birdcage and TEM Body Coils for Multiple Human Body Models in Clinical Landmark Positions at 3T

PubMed Central

Yeo, Desmond TB; Wang, Zhangwei; Loew, Wolfgang; Vogel, Mika W; Hancu, Ileana

2011-01-01

Purpose To use EM simulations to study the effects of body type, landmark position, and RF body coil type on peak local SAR in 3T MRI. Materials and Methods Numerically computed peak local SAR for four human body models (HBMs) in three landmark positions (head, heart, pelvic) were compared for a high-pass birdcage and a transverse electromagnetic 3T body coil. Local SAR values were normalized to the IEC whole-body average SAR limit of 2.0 W/kg for normal scan mode. Results Local SAR distributions were highly variable. Consistent with previous reports, the peak local SAR values generally occurred in the neck-shoulder area, near rungs, or between tissues of greatly differing electrical properties. The HBM type significantly influenced the peak local SAR, with stockier HBMs, extending extremities towards rungs, displaying the highest SAR. There was also a trend for higher peak SAR in the head-centric and heart-centric positions. The impact of the coil-types studied was not statistically significant. Conclusion The large variability in peak local SAR indicates the need to include more than one HBM or landmark position when evaluating safety of body coils. It is recommended that a HBM with arms near the rungs be included, to create physically realizable high-SAR scenarios. PMID:21509880

Adaption of an In-Situ Microscale Tension Technique to Enable Fatigue Testing (PREPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

mechanical properties , including fatigue performance, are strongly related to the crystallographic texture of these alloys.[5-7] With the combined use...effects, exploration of deformation micromechanisms, and measurement of the local properties in a bulk material (e.g., variations in the local...Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 9 microstructure of this material , would be expected to exhibit a reduction in mechanical properties

Which one is more effective for analgesia in infratentorial craniotomy? The scalp block or local anesthetic infiltration.

PubMed

Akcil, Eren Fatma; Dilmen, Ozlem Korkmaz; Vehid, Hayriye; Ibısoglu, Lutfiye Serap; Tunali, Yusuf

2017-03-01

The most painful stages of craniotomy are the placement of the pin head holder and the skin incision. The primary aim of the present study is to compare the effects of the scalp block and the local anesthetic infiltration with bupivacaine 0.5% on the hemodynamic response during the pin head holder application and the skin incision in infratentorial craniotomies. The secondary aims are the effects on pain scores and morphine consumption during the postoperative 24h. This prospective, randomized and placebo controlled study included forty seven patients (ASA I, II and III). The scalp block was performed in the Group S, the local anesthetic infiltration was performed in the Group I and the control group (Group C) only received remifentanil as an analgesic during the intraoperative period. The hemodynamic response to the pin head holder application and the skin incision, as well as postoperative pain intensity, cumulative morphine consumption and opioid related side effects were compared. The scalp block reduced the hemodynamic response to the pin head holder application and the skin incision in infratentorial craniotomies. The local anesthetic infiltration reduced the hemodynamic response to the skin incision. As well as both scalp block and local anesthetic infiltration reduced the cumulative morphine consumption in postoperative 24h. Moreover, the pain intensity was lower after scalp block in the early postoperative period. The scalp block may provide better analgesia in infratentorial craniotomies than local anesthetic infiltration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The potential impacts of climate variability and change on air pollution-related health effects in the United States.

PubMed Central

Bernard, S M; Samet, J M; Grambsch, A; Ebi, K L; Romieu, I

2001-01-01

Climate change may affect exposures to air pollutants by affecting weather, anthropogenic emissions, and biogenic emissions and by changing the distribution and types of airborne allergens. Local temperature, precipitation, clouds, atmospheric water vapor, wind speed, and wind direction influence atmospheric chemical processes, and interactions occur between local and global-scale environments. If the climate becomes warmer and more variable, air quality is likely to be affected. However, the specific types of change (i.e., local, regional, or global), the direction of change in a particular location (i.e., positive or negative), and the magnitude of change in air quality that may be attributable to climate change are a matter of speculation, based on extrapolating present understanding to future scenarios. There is already extensive evidence on the health effects of air pollution. Ground-level ozone can exacerbate chronic respiratory diseases and cause short-term reductions in lung function. Exposure to particulate matter can aggravate chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, alter host defenses, damage lung tissue, lead to premature death, and possibly contribute to cancer. Health effects of exposures to carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide can include reduced work capacity, aggravation of existing cardiovascular diseases, effects on pulmonary function, respiratory illnesses, lung irritation, and alterations in the lung's defense systems. Adaptations to climate change should include ensuring responsiveness of air quality protection programs to changing pollution levels. Research needs include basic atmospheric science work on the association between weather and air pollutants; improving air pollution models and their linkage with climate change scenarios; and closing gaps in the understanding of exposure patterns and health effects. PMID:11359687

The potential impacts of climate variability and change on air pollution-related health effects in the United States.

PubMed

Bernard, S M; Samet, J M; Grambsch, A; Ebi, K L; Romieu, I

2001-05-01

Climate change may affect exposures to air pollutants by affecting weather, anthropogenic emissions, and biogenic emissions and by changing the distribution and types of airborne allergens. Local temperature, precipitation, clouds, atmospheric water vapor, wind speed, and wind direction influence atmospheric chemical processes, and interactions occur between local and global-scale environments. If the climate becomes warmer and more variable, air quality is likely to be affected. However, the specific types of change (i.e., local, regional, or global), the direction of change in a particular location (i.e., positive or negative), and the magnitude of change in air quality that may be attributable to climate change are a matter of speculation, based on extrapolating present understanding to future scenarios. There is already extensive evidence on the health effects of air pollution. Ground-level ozone can exacerbate chronic respiratory diseases and cause short-term reductions in lung function. Exposure to particulate matter can aggravate chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, alter host defenses, damage lung tissue, lead to premature death, and possibly contribute to cancer. Health effects of exposures to carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide can include reduced work capacity, aggravation of existing cardiovascular diseases, effects on pulmonary function, respiratory illnesses, lung irritation, and alterations in the lung's defense systems. Adaptations to climate change should include ensuring responsiveness of air quality protection programs to changing pollution levels. Research needs include basic atmospheric science work on the association between weather and air pollutants; improving air pollution models and their linkage with climate change scenarios; and closing gaps in the understanding of exposure patterns and health effects.

Limits on Lorentz violation in gravity from worldwide superconducting gravimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Cheng-Gang; Chen, Ya-Fen; Sun, Rong; Cao, Lu-Shuai; Zhou, Min-Kang; Hu, Zhong-Kun; Yu, Chenghui; Müller, Holger

2018-01-01

We have investigated Lorentz violation through analyzing tides-subtracted gravity data measured by superconducting gravimeters. At the level of precision of superconducting gravimeters, we have brought up and resolved an existing issue of accuracy due to unaccounted local tidal effects in previous solid-earth tidal model used. Specifically, we have taken local tides into account with a brand new first-principles tidal model with ocean tides included, as well as removed potential bias from local tides by using a worldwide array of 12 superconducting gravimeters. Compared with previous test with local gravimeters, a more accurate and competitive bound on space-space components of gravitational Lorentz violation has been achieved up to the order of 10-10.

New formulations of bupivacaine for the treatment of postoperative pain: liposomal bupivacaine and SABER-Bupivacaine.

PubMed

Skolnik, Aaron; Gan, Tong J

2014-08-01

Although generally considered both safe and effective, local anesthetics are often used in conjunction with opioids postoperatively in part because of the limited duration of drug action of local anesthetics. Much interest exists in extending the duration of local anesthetics' effects, which may reduce the requirement for opioid pain medications that are frequently associated with side effects, including nausea and vomiting, pruritus and respiratory depression. This article introduces liposomal bupivacaine and SABER®-Bupivacaine, two new formulations of bupivacaine that increase the duration of analgesia postoperatively through two novel slow-release technologies. The pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of both preparations of bupivacaine are reviewed. An electronic database search conducted using the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and MEDLINE/PubMed with the following search terms: 'bupivacaine,' 'liposomal bupivacaine', 'liposome bupivacaine', 'Exparel', 'SABER-Bupivacaine', 'SABER Bupivacaine', and 'SABER' yielded 90 articles (no language or date of publication restrictions were imposed). Clinical trials involving liposomal bupivacaine and SABER-Bupivacaine indicate that both safely prolong analgesia, while decreasing opioid requirements when compared with placebo. However, additional clinical studies are necessary to better determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these long-acting local anesthetic formulations.

Combined treatment in punctate inner choroidopathy

PubMed Central

Terelak-Borys, Barbara; Zagajewska, Katarzyna; Jankowska-Lech, Irmina; Tesla, Piotr; Grabska-Liberek, Iwona

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe a combination treatment for choroidal neovascular (CNV) membrane, secondary to punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC). Patient and methods A 44-year-old female patient was diagnosed with PIC complicated by the development of recurrent juxtafoveal neovascular membrane. The treatment included a sequence of monotherapy regimens: systemic steroid therapy, photodynamic therapy, and intravitreal injections of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor (anti-VEGF). Owing to the CNV membrane resistance to various types of monotherapy, a combination treatment consisting of local injections of steroid underneath the Tenon’s capsule and intravitreal anti-VEGF injections was used. Results Systemic steroid therapy resulted in rapid local improvement with a very short remission period. No positive effects of photodynamic therapy were observed. Sequential anti-VEGF injections led to remission periods of several months. Permanent regression of CNV membrane was achieved following combined local application of steroid and intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. Conclusion A combination treatment including steroid and anti-VEGF medication characterized by anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic effects may be a very beneficial option for the treatment of recurrent CNV membrane as a complication of PIC. PMID:27729795

Hydrodynamic and Sediment Responses of Open Channels to Exposed Pipe Encasements

PubMed Central

Mao, J. Q.; Zhang, H. Q.; Dai, H. C.; Yuan, B. H.; Hu, T. F.

2015-01-01

The effects of exposed pipe encasements on the local variation of hydrodynamic and sediment conditions in a river channel are examined. Laboratory experiments are performed to assess the response of water level, flow regime and bed deformation to several representative types of concrete encasements. The experimental conditions considered are: three types of exposed pipe encasements exposed on the bed, including trapezoidal shape, circular-arc shape and polygonal shape, and three sets of discharges, including annual discharge, once-in-3-year flood, and once-in-50-year flood. Our experiments show that: (1) the amount of backwater definitely depends on the encasement geometric shape and the background discharge; (2) smaller discharges generally tend to induce local scour of river bed downstream of the encasement, and the order of sensitivity of bed deformation to the encasement geometric shape is trapezoidal > circular-arc > polygonal; (3) comparatively speaking, the polygonal encasement may be considered as a suitable protective structure for pipelines across alluvial rivers, with relatively modest effects on the local hydrodynamic conditions and bed stabilization. PMID:26588840

Physical exercise prevents stress-induced activation of granule neurons and enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the dentate gyrus.

PubMed

Schoenfeld, Timothy J; Rada, Pedro; Pieruzzini, Pedro R; Hsueh, Brian; Gould, Elizabeth

2013-05-01

Physical exercise is known to reduce anxiety. The ventral hippocampus has been linked to anxiety regulation but the effects of running on this subregion of the hippocampus have been incompletely explored. Here, we investigated the effects of cold water stress on the hippocampus of sedentary and runner mice and found that while stress increases expression of the protein products of the immediate early genes c-fos and arc in new and mature granule neurons in sedentary mice, it has no such effect in runners. We further showed that running enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the hippocampus, including increases in stress-induced activation of hippocampal interneurons, expression of vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT), and extracellular GABA release during cold water swim stress. Finally, blocking GABAA receptors in the ventral hippocampus, but not the dorsal hippocampus, with the antagonist bicuculline, reverses the anxiolytic effect of running. Together, these results suggest that running improves anxiety regulation by engaging local inhibitory mechanisms in the ventral hippocampus.

Rationale and design of a study using a standardized locally procured macronutrient supplement as adjunctive therapy to HIV treatment in Kenya.

PubMed

Sztam, Kevin A; Ndirangu, Murugi; Sheriff, Muhsin; Arpadi, Stephen M; Hawken, Mark; Rashid, Juma; Deckelbaum, Richard J; El Sadr, Wafaa M

2013-01-01

Poor nutritional status at initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is predictive of mortality. Decreased dietary intake is a major determinant of weight loss in HIV. Despite a biological rationale to treat undernutrition in adults receiving ART, few studies have provided data on feasibility, safety, effectiveness, and sustainability of specific macronutrient supplements with HIV treatment in adults, especially supplements such as a food basket, a supplement approach seldom evaluated in spite of its wide use. We present the rationale and design for a study of a locally procured macronutrient supplement given to HIV-infected patients initiating ART with a body mass index (BMI) ≤20.0 kg/m(2). The objective was to determine feasibility of procurement, distribution, safety and to obtain preliminary effectiveness data for a locally procured supplement. The design was a comparative study for 200 adult participants at two Kenya government-supported clinics. The primary outcome was BMI at 24 weeks. Supplement duration was 24 weeks, total follow-up was 48 weeks, and the study included a comparison site. Novel aspects of this study include use of a standardized macronutrient supplement to protect the participant against household food sharing, and a complementary micronutrient supplement. Comprehensive data collected included dietary intake, HIV-related quality-of-life, food security, neuropsychiatric assessments, laboratory studies, and household geomapping. Assessments were made at baseline, at 24 weeks, and at 48 weeks post-ART initiation. Challenges included establishing a partnership with local millers, distribution from the HIV clinic, food safety, and tracking of participants. These findings will help inform nutrition support programming in Kenya and similar settings, and provide needed data regarding use of macronutrient supplements as an adjunctive intervention with ART.

Improving the Effectiveness and Acquisition Management of Selected Weapon Systems: A Summary of Major Issues and Recommended Actions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-14

need for effective training--a situation which will be impaired until the AH-64 combat mission simulator , now under development, becomes available in...antisubmarine warfare system includes the capability to detect, classify, localize, and destroy the enemy. This capability includes multimillion dollar...to simulate combat situations will simulate only air-to-air activity. Air-to-ground and electronic counter countermeasures simulations were deleted

Transport-related measures to mitigate climate change in Basel, Switzerland: A health-effectiveness comparison study.

PubMed

Perez, L; Trüeb, S; Cowie, H; Keuken, M P; Mudu, P; Ragettli, M S; Sarigiannis, D A; Tobollik, M; Tuomisto, J; Vienneau, D; Sabel, C; Künzli, N

2015-12-01

Local strategies to reduce green-house gases (GHG) imply changes of non-climatic exposure patterns. To assess the health impacts of locally relevant transport-related climate change policies in Basel, Switzerland. We modelled change in mortality and morbidity for the year 2020 based on several locally relevant transport scenarios including all decided transport policies up to 2020, additional realistic and hypothesized traffic reductions, as well as ambitious diffusion levels of electric cars. The scenarios were compared to the reference condition in 2010 assumed as status quo. The changes in non-climatic population exposure included ambient air pollution, physical activity, and noise. As secondary outcome, changes in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were put into perspective with predicted changes of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. Under the scenario that assumed a strict particle emissions standard in diesel cars and all planned transport measures, 3% of premature deaths could be prevented from projected PM2.5 exposure reduction. A traffic reduction scenario assuming more active trips provided only minor added health benefits for any of the changes in exposure considered. A hypothetical strong support to electric vehicles diffusion would have the largest health effectiveness given that the energy production in Basel comes from renewable sources. The planned local transport related GHG emission reduction policies in Basel are sensible for mitigating climate change and improving public health. In this context, the most effective policy remains increasing zero-emission vehicles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

“Exploring Effects of Climate Change on Northern Plains American Indian Health”

PubMed Central

Redsteer, Margaret Hiza; Eggers, Margaret J.

2013-01-01

American Indians have unique vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change because of the links among ecosystems, cultural practices, and public health, but also as a result of limited resources available to address infrastructure needs. On the Crow Reservation in south-central Montana, a Northern Plains American Indian Reservation, there are community concerns about the consequences of climate change impacts for community health and local ecosystems. Observations made by Tribal Elders about decreasing annual snowfall and milder winter temperatures over the 20th century initiated an investigation of local climate and hydrologic data by the Tribal College. The resulting analysis of meteorological data confirmed the decline in annual snowfall and an increase in frost free days. In addition, the data show a shift in precipitation from winter to early spring and a significant increase in days exceeding 90° F (32° C). Streamflow data show a long-term trend of declining discharge. Elders noted that the changes are affecting fish distribution within local streams and plant species which provide subsistence foods. Concerns about warmer summer temperatures also include heat exposure during outdoor ceremonies that involve days of fasting without food or water. Additional community concerns about the effects of climate change include increasing flood frequency and fire severity, as well as declining water quality. The authors call for local research to understand and document current effects and project future impacts as a basis for planning adaptive strategies. PMID:24265512

12 CFR 303.42 - Filing procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... contracts; (4) A statement on the impact of the proposal on the human environment, including, information on compliance with local zoning laws and regulations and the effect on traffic patterns for purposes of...

12 CFR 303.42 - Filing procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... contracts; (4) A statement on the impact of the proposal on the human environment, including, information on compliance with local zoning laws and regulations and the effect on traffic patterns for purposes of...

12 CFR 303.42 - Filing procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... contracts; (4) A statement on the impact of the proposal on the human environment, including, information on compliance with local zoning laws and regulations and the effect on traffic patterns for purposes of...

Effect of microstructure and THCM processes on fault weakening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanou, I.; Sulem, J.; Rattez, H.

2017-12-01

Field observations of exhumed mature faults and outcrops, i.e. faults that have experienced a large slip, suggest that shear localization occurs in a narrow zone of few millimeters thick or even less inside the fault core. The size of this zone plays a major role in the energy budget of the system as it controls the feedback of the dissipative terms in the energy balance equation.Strain localization in narrow bands can be seen as a bifurcation from the homogeneous deformation solution of the underlying mathematical problem, and is favored by softening behavior. Here we model the shearing of a saturated fault gouge under various multi-physical couplings to investigate the influence of these coupled processes on the softening response. The major drawback of classical continuum theories is that they lead to infinitely narrow shear localized zone. This can be remedied by resorting to Cosserat continuum theory for which constitutive models contain a material length. Moreover, Cosserat models are appropriate for taking into account the granular microstructure of the fault gouge for which the Cosserat material length is naturally related to the grain size of the gouge. Thus, bifurcation analysis of the sheared layer includes the calculation of the evolution of the thickness of the localized zone.A numerical analysis including the effect of shear heating and pore fluid thermal pressurization is performed and the results of the bifurcation analysis are compared to field observations in terms of the localized zone thickness. At high temperature rise, thermally induced mineral transformation such as dehydration of clayey minerals or decomposition of carbonates can occur. The effect of these chemical reactions on the shear band thickness evolution is investigated and the numerical results are compared to observations of the Mt. Maggio fault located in the Northern Apennines of Italy.

Low or High Fractionation Dose {beta}-Radiotherapy for Pterygium? A Randomized Clinical Trial

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

Viani, Gustavo Arruda, E-mail: gusviani@gmail.com; De Fendi, Ligia Issa; Fonseca, Ellen Carrara

2012-02-01

Purpose: Postoperative adjuvant treatment using {beta}-radiotherapy (RT) is a proven technique for reducing the recurrence of pterygium. A randomized trial was conducted to determine whether a low fractionation dose of 2 Gy within 10 fractions would provide local control similar to that after a high fractionation dose of 5 Gy within 7 fractions for surgically resected pterygium. Methods: A randomized trial was conducted in 200 patients (216 pterygia) between February 2006 and July 2007. Only patients with fresh pterygium resected using a bare sclera method and given RT within 3 days were included. Postoperative RT was delivered using a strontium-90more » eye applicator. The pterygia were randomly treated using either 5 Gy within 7 fractions (Group 1) or 2 Gy within 10 fractions (Group 2). The local control rate was calculated from the date of surgery. Results: Of the 216 pterygia included, 112 were allocated to Group 1 and 104 to Group 2. The 3-year local control rate for Groups 1 and 2 was 93.8% and 92.3%, respectively (p = .616). A statistically significant difference for cosmetic effect (p = .034), photophobia (p = .02), irritation (p = .001), and scleromalacia (p = .017) was noted in favor of Group 2. Conclusions: No better local control rate for postoperative pterygium was obtained using high-dose fractionation vs. low-dose fractionation. However, a low-dose fractionation schedule produced better cosmetic effects and resulted in fewer symptoms than high-dose fractionation. Moreover, pterygia can be safely treated in terms of local recurrence using RT schedules with a biologic effective dose of 24-52.5 Gy{sub 10.}.« less

Evidence for local adaptation and pleiotropic effects associated with melanization in a plant pathogenic fungus.

PubMed

Zhu, Wen; Zhan, Jiasui; McDonald, Bruce A

2018-06-01

We combined a common garden experimental design with digital image analysis to determine how melanization responds to temperature and fungicide stress in 126 strains of Rhynchosporium commune sampled from nine global field populations. We found that different temperatures and fungicide stress significantly affected the degree of melanization. The nine field populations showed similar patterns in response to the different temperatures. Significant correlations were found between the degree of melanization and the local environment, including mean annual temperature, latitude, and relative humidity, suggesting that melanization is a locally adaptive trait. We also found that melanization is positively correlated with both virulence and fungicide resistance. These findings suggest that melanization has pleiotropic effects in Rhynchosporium commune. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Surface Electric Field Measurements from an Array of Electric Field Mills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, G.; Thayer, J. P.; Deierling, W.

2016-12-01

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has operated an distributed array of over 30 electric field mills over the past 18 years, providing a unique data set of surface electric field measurements over a very long timespan. In addition to the electric field instruments there are many meteorological towers around KSC that monitor the local meteorological conditions. Utilizing these datasets we have investigated and found unique spatial and temporal signatures in the electric field data that are attributed to local meteorological effects and the global electric circuit. The local and global scale influences on the atmospheric electric field will be discussed including the generation of space charge from the ocean surf, local cloud cover, and a local enhancement in the electric field that is seen at sunrise.

Recent Local and State Action in Arizona to Maintain Sky Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Jeffrey C.; Shankland, P. D.; Green, R. F.; Jannuzi, B.

2014-01-01

The large number of observatories in Arizona has led to the development of a number of lighting control ordinances around the state, some quite strict. Several factors are now contributing to an increased need for active effort at the local, County, and State levels in maintaining the quality of these codes; these factors include an expansion of competing interests in the state, the increasing use of LED lighting, and the potential for major new investments through projects such as the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) and enhancements to the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer. I will review recent strategies Arizona's observatories have used to effect maintenance of ordinances and preserve sky quality; cases include (1) a statewide effort in 2012 to curb a proliferation of electronic billboards and (2) engagement of a broad group of local, County, and State officials, as well as individuals from the private sector, in support of projects like CTA, including awareness of and support for dark-sky preservation.

Revenue Prediction of a Local Event Using the Mathematical Model of Hit Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, A.; Matsumoto, T.; Miki, S.

We propose a theoretical approach to investigate human-humaninteraction in the society, which uses a many-body theory that incorporates human-human interaction. We treat advertisement as an external force, and include the word of mouth (WOM) effect as a two-body interaction between humans and the rumor effect as a three-body interaction among humans. The parameters to define the strength of human interactions are assumed to be constant values. The calculated result explained well the two local events ``Mizuki-Shigeru Road in Sakaiminato" and ``the sculpture festival at Tottori" in Japan.

Finite-size effects in Anderson localization of one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates

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

Cestari, J. C. C.; Foerster, A.; Gusmao, M. A.

We investigate the disorder-induced localization transition in Bose-Einstein condensates for the Anderson and Aubry-Andre models in the noninteracting limit using exact diagonalization. We show that, in addition to the standard superfluid fraction, other tools such as the entanglement and fidelity can provide clear signatures of the transition. Interestingly, the fidelity exhibits good sensitivity even for small lattices. Effects of the system size on these quantities are analyzed in detail, including the determination of a finite-size-scaling law for the critical disorder strength in the case of the Anderson model.

Exploring local regularities for 3D object recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Huaiwen; Qin, Shengfeng

2016-11-01

In order to find better simplicity measurements for 3D object recognition, a new set of local regularities is developed and tested in a stepwise 3D reconstruction method, including localized minimizing standard deviation of angles(L-MSDA), localized minimizing standard deviation of segment magnitudes(L-MSDSM), localized minimum standard deviation of areas of child faces (L-MSDAF), localized minimum sum of segment magnitudes of common edges (L-MSSM), and localized minimum sum of areas of child face (L-MSAF). Based on their effectiveness measurements in terms of form and size distortions, it is found that when two local regularities: L-MSDA and L-MSDSM are combined together, they can produce better performance. In addition, the best weightings for them to work together are identified as 10% for L-MSDSM and 90% for L-MSDA. The test results show that the combined usage of L-MSDA and L-MSDSM with identified weightings has a potential to be applied in other optimization based 3D recognition methods to improve their efficacy and robustness.

Pre-packing of cost effective antibiotic cement beads for the treatment of traumatic osteomyelitis in the developing world - an in-vitro study based in Cambodia.

PubMed

Noor, S; Gilson, A; Kennedy, K; Swanson, A; Vanny, V; Mony, K; Chaudhry, T; Gollogly, J

2016-04-01

The developing world often lacks the resources to effectively treat the most serious injuries including osteomyelitis following open fractures or surgical fracture treatment. Antibiotic cement beads are a widely accepted method of delivering antibiotics locally to the infected area following trauma. This study is based in Cambodia, a low income country struggling to recover from a recent genocide. The study aims to test the effectiveness of locally made antibiotic beads and analyse their effectiveness after being gas sterilised, packaged and kept in storage Different antibiotic beads were manufactured locally using bone cement and tested against MRSA bacteria grown from a case of osteomyelitis. Each antibiotic was tested before and after a process of gas sterilisation as well as later being tested after storage in packaging up to 42 days. The gentamicin, vancomycin, amikacin and ceftriaxone beads all inhibited growth of the MRSA on the TSB and agar plates, both before and after gas sterilisation. All four antibiotics continued to show similar zones of inhibition after 42 days of storage. The results show significant promise to produce beads with locally obtainable ingredients in an austere environment and improve cost effectiveness by storing them in a sterilised condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practical ways to facilitate ergonomics improvements in occupational health practice.

PubMed

Kogi, Kazutaka

2012-12-01

Recent advances in participatory programs for improving workplace conditions are discussed to examine practical ways to facilitate ergonomics improvements. Participatory training programs are gaining importance, particularly in promoting occupational health and safety in small-scale workplaces. These programs have led to many improvements that can reduce work-related risks in varied situations. Recent experiences in participatory action-oriented training programs in small workplaces and agriculture are reviewed.The emphasis of the review is on training steps, types of improvements achieved, and the use of action tools by trainers and training participants. Immediate improvements in multiple technical areas are targeted, including materials handling,workstation design, physical environment, welfare facilities, and work organization. In facilitating ergonomics improvements in each local situation, it is important to focus on (a) building on local good practices; (b) applying practical, simple improvements that apply the basic principles of ergonomics; and (c) developing action-oriented toolkits for direct use by workers and managers. This facilitation process is effective when locally designed action toolkits are used by trainers, including local good examples, action checklists, and illustrated how-to guides. Intervention studies demonstrate the effectiveness of participatory steps that use these toolkits in promoting good practices and reducing work-related risks. In facilitating ergonomics improvements in small-scale workplaces, it is important to focus on practical, low-cost improvements that build on local good practices. The use of action-oriented toolkits reflecting basic ergonomics principles is helpful.The promotion of the intercountry networking of positive experiences in participatory training is suggested.

International-local remuneration differences across six countries: do they undermine poverty reduction work?

PubMed

Carr, Stuart C; McWha, Ishbel; Maclachlan, Malcolm; Furnham, Adrian

2010-10-01

Despite the rhetoric of a single global economy, professionals in poorer countries continue to be remunerated differently depending on whether they are compensated at a local vs. international rate. Project ADDUP (Are Development Discrepancies Undermining Performance?) surveyed 1290 expatriate and local professionals (response rate = 47%) from aid, education, government, and business sectors in (1) Island Nations (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands), (2) landlocked economies (Malaŵi, Uganda), and (3) emerging economies (India, China). Difference in pay was estimated using purchasing power parity, from the World Bank's World Development Indicators 2007. Psychological measures included self-reported pay and benefits (remuneration), self-attributed ability, remuneration comparison, sense of justice in remuneration, remuneration-related motivation, thoughts of turnover and thoughts about international mobility. We included control measures of candour, culture shock, cultural values (horizontal/vertical individualism/collectivism), personality (from the "big five"), job satisfaction and work engagement. Controlling for these and country (small effects) and organization effects (medium), (a) pay ratios between international and local workers exceeded what were perceived to be acceptable pay thresholds among respondents remunerated locally; who also reported a combination of a sense of relative (b) injustice and demotivation; which (c) together with job satisfaction/work engagement predicted turnover and international mobility. These findings question the wisdom of dual salary systems in general, expose and challenge a major contradiction between contemporary development policy and practice, and have a range of practical, organizational, and theoretical implications for poverty reduction work.

Current and planned shared service arrangements in Wisconsin local and tribal health departments.

PubMed

Madamala, Kusuma; Young, Nancy; Young, Dustin; Giese, Lieske; Brandenberg, Terry; Zahner, Susan

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore current and future use of shared service arrangements as a management strategy to increase capacity to provide public health essential services in Wisconsin. An online cross-sectional survey of 99 local and tribal health departments in Wisconsin was conducted. Select variables from the 2010 Wisconsin Local Health Department Survey were merged. Other data sources included results from a Board of Health governance analysis and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services region data. Descriptive analysis was performed of current and future shared service arrangements and the characteristics of the types of arrangements and agreements in place. Ninety-one of 99 Wisconsin local and tribal health departments responded, yielding a 92% response rate. Seventy-one percent of respondents currently share services with 1 or more other health departments. More frequent arrangements were present in programmatic areas than in departmental operations. Most frequently reported motivators include making better use of resources, providing better services, and responding to program requirements. Extensive qualitative comments indicate arrangements accomplished what the local health department hoped it would with perceived gains in efficiency and effectiveness. There is widespread use of shared services among health departments in Wisconsin. Extensive qualitative comments suggest participant satisfaction with what the arrangements have accomplished. Motivating factors in developing the arrangements and limited mention of expiration dates suggest continued study of how these arrangements may evolve. Further examination of shared services as a potential mechanism to advance service effectiveness and efficiency is needed.

Papers by the Decentralized Wastewater Management MOU Partnership

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Four position papers for state, local, and tribal government officials and interested stakeholders. These papers include information on the uses and benefits of decentralized wastewater treatment and examples of its effective use.

[Climate changes, floods, and health consequences].

PubMed

Michelozzi, Paola; de' Donato, Francesca

2014-02-01

In the European Region, floods are the most common natural disaster, causing extensive damage and disruption. In Italy, it has been estimated that over 68% of municipalities are at high hydrogeological risk and with the recent intense rainfall events local populations have been facing severe disruptions. The health consequences of floods are wide ranging and are dependent upon the vulnerability of the environment and the local population. Health effects can be a direct or indirect consequence of flooding. The immediate health impacts of floods include drowning, heart attacks, injuries and hypothermia. The indirect effects include, injuries and infections, water-borne infectious disease, mental health problems, respiratory disease and allergies in both the medium and long term after a flood. Future efforts should be addressed to integrate health preparedness and prevention measures into emergency flood plans and hydrological warning systems.

Solar wind/local interstellar medium interaction including charge exchange with neural hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pauls, H. Louis; Zank, Gary P.

1995-01-01

We present results from a hydrodynamic model of the interaction of the solar wind with the local interstellar medium (LISM), self-consistently taking into account the effects of charge exchange between the plasma component and the interstellar neutrals. The simulation is fully time dependent, and is carried out in two or three dimensions, depending on whether the helio-latitudinal dependence of the solar wind speed and number density (both giving rise to three dimensional effects) are included. As a first approximation it is assumed that the neutral component of the flow can be described by a single, isotropic fluid. Clearly, this is not the actual situation, since charge exchange with the supersonic solar wind plasma in the region of the nose results in a 'second' neutral fluid propagating in the opposite direction as that of the LISM neutrals.

Surgery for gastrinoma.

PubMed

Cisco, Robin M; Norton, Jeffrey A

2007-01-01

Surgery has been demonstrated to offer potential for cure in patients who have sporadic ZES and improved tumor-related survival in all patients who have ZES with gastrinomas larger than 2.5 cm. Techniques such as preoperative localization with SRS and intraoperative localization with duodenotomy have improved the effectiveness of surgical intervention for ZES. Future directions for investigation should include better defining the role of preoperative EUS and developing new, more sensitive techniques for preoperative localization. More research also is needed to define the appropriate indications for pancreaticoduodenectomy in ZES and to determine whether proximal vagotomy should be performed at the time of surgical exploration.

Effect of irradiation upon the bacterial flora in patients with head and neck cancer

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

Rice, D.H.; Gill, G.

1979-11-01

Twenty-two consecutive patients with cancer of the head and neck, who were to receive a full tumoricidal dose of irradiation to a field that included the oral cavity and pharynx, were studied to determine the effect of the irradiation on their local bacterial flora. Aerobic cultures were taken prior to, at the completion of, and one month after the completion of their irradiation. The percentage of patients with potentially pathogenic organisms increased dramatically as the effect of the irradiation increased. This change in the local flora has obvious implications concerning the increased incidence of postoperative wound infections in patients whomore » have received prior irradiation.« less

Agoraphobia: an outreach treatment programme.

PubMed

Croft, Alison; Hackmann, Ann

2013-05-01

Agoraphobia is disabling and clients find it hard to access effective treatment. This paper describes the development of an inexpensive service, delivered by trained volunteers in or near the client's own home. We describe the development of the service, including selection, training and supervision. Outcomes were evaluated over 5 years, and compared with those available from the local psychology service. Effect sizes on all measures were high. Benchmarking indicated that results on comparable measures were not significantly different from the local psychology service. As in many previous studies drop-out rate was fairly high. This model worked well, and was inexpensive and effective. Further research on long term outcome and methods of enhancing engagement is needed.

Local Spatial Analysis and Dynamic Simulation of Childhood Obesity and Neighbourhood Walkability in a Major Canadian City.

PubMed

Shahid, Rizwan; Bertazzon, Stefania

2015-01-01

Body weight is an important indicator of current and future health and it is even more critical in children, who are tomorrow's adults. This paper analyzes the relationship between childhood obesity and neighbourhood walkability in Calgary, Canada. A multivariate analytical framework recognizes that childhood obesity is also associated with many factors, including socioeconomic status, foodscapes, and environmental factors, as well as less measurable factors, such as individual preferences, that could not be included in this analysis. In contrast with more conventional global analysis, this research employs localized analysis and assesses need-based interventions. The one-size-fit-all strategy may not effectively control obesity rates, since each neighbourhood has unique characteristics that need to be addressed individually. This paper presents an innovative framework combining local analysis with simulation modeling to analyze childhood obesity. Spatial models generally do not deal with simulation over time, making it cumbersome for health planners and policy makers to effectively design and implement interventions and to quantify their impact over time. This research fills this gap by integrating geographically weighted regression (GWR), which identifies vulnerable neighbourhoods and critical factors for childhood obesity, with simulation modeling, which evaluates the impact of the suggested interventions on the targeted neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood walkability was chosen as a potential target for localized interventions, owing to the crucial role of walking in developing a healthy lifestyle, as well as because increasing walkability is relatively more feasible and less expensive then modifying other factors, such as income. Simulation results suggest that local walkability interventions can achieve measurable declines in childhood obesity rates. The results are encouraging, as improvements are likely to compound over time. The results demonstrate that the integration of GWR and simulation modeling is effective, and the proposed framework can assist in designing local interventions to control and prevent childhood obesity.

A comparison between the effects of artificial land cover and anthropogenic heat on a localized heavy rain event in 2008 in Zoshigaya, Tokyo, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souma, Kazuyoshi; Tanaka, Kenji; Suetsugi, Tadashi; Sunada, Kengo; Tsuboki, Kazuhisa; Shinoda, Taro; Wang, Yuqing; Sakakibara, Atsushi; Hasegawa, Koichi; Moteki, Qoosaku; Nakakita, Eiichi

2013-10-01

5 August 2008, a localized heavy rainfall event caused a rapid increase in drainpipe discharge, which killed five people working in a drainpipe near Zoshigaya, Tokyo. This study compared the effects of artificial land cover and anthropogenic heat on this localized heavy rainfall event based on three ensemble experiments using a cloud-resolving model that includes realistic urban features. The first experiment CTRL (control) considered realistic land cover and urban features, including artificial land cover, anthropogenic heat, and urban geometry. In the second experiment NOAH (no anthropogenic heat), anthropogenic heat was ignored. In the third experiment NOLC (no land cover), urban heating from artificial land cover was reduced by keeping the urban geometry but with roofs, walls, and roads of artificial land cover replaced by shallow water. The results indicated that both anthropogenic heat and artificial land cover increased the amount of precipitation and that the effect of artificial land cover was larger than that of anthropogenic heat. However, in the middle stage of the precipitation event, the difference between the two effects became small. Weak surface heating in NOAH and NOLC reduced the near-surface air temperature and weakened the convergence of horizontal wind and updraft over the urban areas, resulting in a reduced rainfall amount compared with that in CTRL.

Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions Modulate Irrigation's Climate Impacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krakauer, Nir Y.; Puma, Michael J.; Cook, Benjamin I.; Gentine, Pierre; Nazarenko, Larissa

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have focused on the local and regional climate effects of irrigated agriculture and other land cover and land use change (LCLUC) phenomena, but there are few studies on the role of ocean- atmosphere interaction in modulating irrigation climate impacts. Here, we compare simulations with and without interactive sea surface temperatures of the equilibrium effect on climate of contemporary (year 2000) irrigation geographic extent and intensity. We find that ocean-atmosphere interaction does impact the magnitude of global-mean and spatially varying climate impacts, greatly increasing their global reach. Local climate effects in the irrigated regions remain broadly similar, while non-local effects, particularly over the oceans, tend to be larger. The interaction amplifies irrigation-driven standing wave patterns in the tropics and mid-latitudes in our simulations, approximately doubling the global-mean amplitude of surface temperature changes due to irrigation. The fractions of global area experiencing significant annual-mean surface air temperature and precipitation change also approximately double with ocean-atmosphere interaction. Subject to confirmation with other models, these findings imply that LCLUC is an important contributor to climate change even in remote areas such as the Southern Ocean, and that attribution studies should include interactive oceans and need to consider LCLUC, including irrigation, as a truly global forcing that affects climate and the water cycle over ocean as well as land areas.

Multiscale modeling of electroosmotic flow: Effects of discrete ion, enhanced viscosity, and surface friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhadauria, Ravi; Aluru, N. R.

2017-05-01

We propose an isothermal, one-dimensional, electroosmotic flow model for slit-shaped nanochannels. Nanoscale confinement effects are embedded into the transport model by incorporating the spatially varying solvent and ion concentration profiles that correspond to the electrochemical potential of mean force. The local viscosity is dependent on the solvent local density and is modeled using the local average density method. Excess contributions to the local viscosity are included using the Onsager-Fuoss expression that is dependent on the local ionic strength. A Dirichlet-type boundary condition is provided in the form of the slip velocity that is dependent on the macroscopic interfacial friction. This solvent-surface specific interfacial friction is estimated using a dynamical generalized Langevin equation based framework. The electroosmotic flow of Na+ and Cl- as single counterions and NaCl salt solvated in Extended Simple Point Charge (SPC/E) water confined between graphene and silicon slit-shaped nanochannels are considered as examples. The proposed model yields a good quantitative agreement with the solvent velocity profiles obtained from the non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations.

Effects of user training with electronically-modulated sound transmission hearing protectors and the open ear on horizontal localization ability.

PubMed

Casali, John G; Robinette, Martin B

2015-02-01

To determine if training with electronically-modulated hearing protection (EMHP) and the open ear results in auditory learning on a horizontal localization task. Baseline localization testing was conducted in three listening conditions (open-ear, in-the-ear (ITE) EMHP, and over-the-ear (OTE) EMHP). Participants then wore either an ITE or OTE EMHP for 12, almost daily, one-hour training sessions. After training was complete, participants again underwent localization testing in all three listening conditions. A computer with a custom software and hardware interface presented localization sounds and collected participant responses. Twelve participants were recruited from the student population at Virginia Tech. Audiometric requirements were 35 dBHL at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz bilaterally, and 55 dBHL at 4000 Hz in at least one ear. Pre-training localization performance with an ITE or OTE EMHP was worse than open-ear performance. After training with any given listening condition, including open-ear, performance in that listening condition improved, in part from a practice effect. However, post-training localization performance showed near equal performance between the open-ear and training EMHP. Auditory learning occurred for the training EMHP, but not for the non-training EMHP; that is, there was no significant training crossover effect between the ITE and the OTE devices. It is evident from this study that auditory learning (improved horizontal localization performance) occurred with the EMHP for which training was performed. However, performance improvements found with the training EMHP were not realized in the non-training EMHP. Furthermore, localization performance in the open-ear condition also benefitted from training on the task.

Numerical Simulations of Vortical Mode Stirring: Effects of Large Scale Shear and Strain

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

Numerical Simulations of Vortical Mode Stirring: Effects of Large-Scale Shear and Strain M.-Pascale Lelong NorthWest Research Associates...can be implemented in larger-scale ocean models. These parameterizations will incorporate the effects of local ambient conditions including latitude...talk at the 1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Nonlinear Effects in Internal Waves Conference held

It takes a village: Exploring the impact of social determinants on delivery system outcomes for heart failure patients.

PubMed

Knighton, Andrew J; Savitz, Lucy A; Benuzillo, Jose; VanDerslice, James A

2017-06-24

Local social determinants may act as effect modifiers for the impact of neighborhood material deprivation on patient-level healthcare outcomes. The objective of this study was to understand the mediating effect of local social determinants on neighborhood material deprivation and delivery outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 4737 HF patients receiving inpatient care (n=6065 encounters) from an integrated healthcare delivery system from 2010 to 2014. Outcomes included post-discharge mortality, readmission risk and length of stay. Deprivation was measured using an area deprivation index by address of residence. Effect modifications measured included urban-rural residency and faith identification using generalized linear regression models. Patient-level data was drawn from the delivery system data warehouse. Faith identification had a significant protective effect on HF patients from deprived areas, lowering 30-day mortality odds by one-third over patients who did not identify with a faith (OR 0.35 95%CI:0.12-0.98;p=0.05). Significant effects persisted at the 90 and 180-day timeframes. In rural areas, lack of faith identification had a multiplicative effect on 30-day mortality for deprived patients (OR 14.0 95%CI:1.47-132.7;p=0.02). No significant effects were noted for other healthcare outcomes. The lack of expected association between area deprivation and healthcare outcomes in some communities may be explained by the presence of effect modifiers. Understanding existing effect modifiers for area deprivation in local communities that delivery systems serve can inform targeted quality improvement. These factors should also be considered when comparing delivery system performance for reimbursement and in population health management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local effects of redundant terrestrial and GPS-based tie vectors in ITRF-like combinations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbondanza, Claudio; Altamimi, Zuheir; Sarti, Pierguido; Negusini, Monia; Vittuari, Luca

2009-11-01

Tie vectors (TVs) between co-located space geodetic instruments are essential for combining terrestrial reference frames (TRFs) realised using different techniques. They provide relative positioning between instrumental reference points (RPs) which are part of a global geodetic network such as the international terrestrial reference frame (ITRF). This paper gathers the set of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI)-global positioning system (GPS) local ties performed at the observatory of Medicina (Northern Italy) during the years 2001-2006 and discusses some important aspects related to the usage of co-location ties in the combinations of TRFs. Two measurement approaches of local survey are considered here: a GPS-based approach and a classical approach based on terrestrial observations (i.e. angles, distances and height differences). The behaviour of terrestrial local ties, which routinely join combinations of space geodetic solutions, is compared to that of GPS-based local ties. In particular, we have performed and analysed different combinations of satellite laser ranging (SLR), VLBI and GPS long term solutions in order to (i) evaluate the local effects of the insertion of the series of TVs computed at Medicina, (ii) investigate the consistency of GPS-based TVs with respect to space geodetic solutions, (iii) discuss the effects of an imprecise alignment of TVs from a local to a global reference frame. Results of ITRF-like combinations show that terrestrial TVs originate the smallest residuals in all the three components. In most cases, GPS-based TVs fit space geodetic solutions very well, especially in the horizontal components (N, E). On the contrary, the estimation of the VLBI RP Up component through GPS technique appears to be awkward, since the corresponding post fit residuals are considerably larger. Besides, combination tests including multi-temporal TVs display local effects of residual redistribution, when compared to those solutions where Medicina TVs are added one at a time. Finally, the combination of TRFs turns out to be sensitive to the orientation of the local tie into the global frame.

An Early Look at Families and Local Programs in the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation-Strong Start: Third Annual Report. OPRE Report 2016-37

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Helen; Crowne, Sarah; Faucetta, Kristen; Hughes, Rebecca

2016-01-01

The Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation-Strong Start (MIHOPE-Strong Start) is the largest random assignment study to date to examine the effectiveness of home visiting services on improving birth outcomes and infant and maternal health care use for expectant mothers. The study includes local home visiting programs that use one of…

Market segmentation and industry overcapacity considering input resources and environmental costs through the lens of governmental intervention.

PubMed

Jiang, Zhou; Jin, Peizhen; Mishra, Nishikant; Song, Malin

2017-09-01

The problems with China's regional industrial overcapacity are often influenced by local governments. This study constructs a framework that includes the resource and environmental costs to analyze overcapacity using the non-radial direction distance function and the price method to measure industrial capacity utilization and market segmentation in 29 provinces in China from 2002 to 2014. The empirical analysis of the spatial panel econometric model shows that (1) the industrial capacity utilization in China's provinces has a ladder-type distribution with a gradual decrease from east to west and there is a severe overcapacity in the traditional heavy industry areas; (2) local government intervention has serious negative effects on regional industry utilization and factor market segmentation more significantly inhibits the utilization rate of regional industry than commodity market segmentation; (3) economic openness improves the utilization rate of industrial capacity while the internet penetration rate and regional environmental management investment have no significant impact; and(4) a higher degree of openness and active private economic development have a positive spatial spillover effect, while there is a significant negative spatial spillover effect from local government intervention and industrial structure sophistication. This paper includes the impact of resources and the environment in overcapacity evaluations, which should guide sustainable development in emerging economies.

Perioperative Pain Management and Anesthesia: A Critical Component to Rapid Recovery Total Joint Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Russo, Matthew W; Parks, Nancy L; Hamilton, William G

2017-10-01

Multimodal pain management has become the standard of care following total hip and knee replacement. The advantages include decreasing opioid consumption and its associated side effects, facilitating earlier mobilization, and faster return to function. An effective rapid recovery protocol includes the use of multiple different types of medications targeting each area of the pain pathway, preemptive analgesia, regional nerve blockade, and local infiltration analgesia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Not Available

The bibliography contains citations concerning control and research regarding gypsy moths or lymantria dispar. Both natural and synthetic controls are discussed, including parasites, viral diseases, fungal diseases, bird predation, bacterial diseases, pheromone trapping, insecticides, and physical and chemical localized protection. Laboratory and field studies on sex pheromones, environmental effects on life cycles, effects of feeding behavior, plant-insect interactions, and other research relating to the control of this forest pest are considered. (Contains 250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

The genetic basis of local adaptation for pathogenic fungi in agricultural ecosystems.

PubMed

Croll, Daniel; McDonald, Bruce A

2017-04-01

Local adaptation plays a key role in the evolutionary trajectory of host-pathogen interactions. However, the genetic architecture of local adaptation in host-pathogen systems is poorly understood. Fungal plant pathogens in agricultural ecosystems provide highly tractable models to quantify phenotypes and map traits to corresponding genomic loci. The outcome of crop-pathogen interactions is thought to be governed largely by gene-for-gene interactions. However, recent studies showed that virulence can be governed by quantitative trait loci and that many abiotic factors contribute to the outcome of the interaction. After introducing concepts of local adaptation and presenting examples from wild plant pathosystems, we focus this review on a major pathogen of wheat, Zymoseptoria tritici, to show how a multitude of traits can affect local adaptation. Zymoseptoria tritici adapted to different thermal environments across its distribution range, indicating that thermal adaptation may limit effective dispersal to different climates. The application of fungicides led to the rapid evolution of multiple, independent resistant populations. The degree of colony melanization showed strong pleiotropic effects with other traits, including trade-offs with colony growth rates and fungicide sensitivity. The success of the pathogen on its host can be assessed quantitatively by counting pathogen reproductive structures and measuring host damage based on necrotic lesions. Interestingly, these two traits can be weakly correlated and depend both on host and pathogen genotypes. Quantitative trait mapping studies showed that the genetic architecture of locally adapted traits varies from single loci with large effects to many loci with small individual effects. We discuss how local adaptation could hinder or accelerate the development of epidemics in agricultural ecosystems. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optimal Dose of Perineural Dexamethasone to Prolong Analgesia After Brachial Plexus Blockade: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kirkham, Kyle Robert; Jacot-Guillarmod, Alain; Albrecht, Eric

2018-01-01

Perineural dexamethasone has gained popularity in regional anesthesia to prolong analgesia duration. However, uncertainty remains regarding the optimal perineural dose. Clarification of this characteristic is of significant importance as the administration of dexamethasone may lead to dose-dependent complications. The objective of this meta-analysis was to define the optimal perineural dexamethasone dose to prolong analgesia after brachial plexus blockade for adult patients undergoing upper limb surgery. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement guidelines and searched databases including MEDLINE, PubMed, and EMBASE until January 2017, without language restriction. Only trials comparing perineural dexamethasone and local anesthetics with local anesthetics alone for brachial plexus blocks were included in the present meta-analysis. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the methodological quality of each trial and meta-analyses were performed following a random effects model. The primary outcome was duration of analgesia for each type of local anesthetic (short-/intermediate-acting and long-acting local anesthetics). A meta-regression followed by a subgroup analysis were performed to assess the impact of different perineural dexamethasone doses on duration of analgesia; for the latter analysis, trials were grouped in low (1-4 mg) and moderate (5-10 mg) dexamethasone doses. Secondary outcomes included the rate of neurologic complication and resting pain scores and morphine consumption within the first 24 hours. Thirty-three controlled trials, including 2138 patients, were identified. The meta-regression revealed a ceiling effect with a perineural dexamethasone dose of 4 mg when combined with short-/intermediate-acting (8 trials; 366 participants) or long-acting local anesthetics (23 trials; 1869 participants). This finding was confirmed by subgroup analyses comparing low and moderate dexamethasone doses. With short-/intermediate-acting local anesthetics, the mean difference (95% confidence interval) of analgesia duration with low and moderate doses was 277 (234-322) minutes and 229 (161-297) minutes, respectively. With long-acting local anesthetics, the mean differences with low and moderate doses were 505 (342-669) minutes and 509 (443-575) minutes. Perineural dexamethasone did not increase the rate of neurologic complications (risk ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.40 [0.54-3.63]). The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation quality of evidence for the primary and secondary outcomes were very low, due mainly to limitations, inconsistency, indirectness, and publication bias. There is currently very low quality evidence that 4 mg of perineural dexamethasone represents a ceiling dose that prolongs analgesia duration by a mean period of 6 and 8 hours when combined with short-/intermediate- or long-acting local anesthetics, respectively. Additional data are needed to explore the threshold for this effect, particularly with doses below 4 mg. The risk of neurologic complications is probably not increased (very low evidence).

Can Glucose Be Monitored Accurately at the Site of Subcutaneous Insulin Delivery?

PubMed Central

Castle, Jessica R.; Jacobs, Peter G.; Cargill, Robert S.

2014-01-01

Because insulin promotes glucose uptake into adipocytes, it has been assumed that during measurement of glucose at the site of insulin delivery, the local glucose level would be much lower than systemic glucose. However, recent investigations challenge this notion. What explanations could account for a reduced local effect of insulin in the subcutaneous space? One explanation is that, in humans, the effect of insulin on adipocytes appears to be small. Another is that insulin monomers and dimers (from hexamer disassociation) might be absorbed into the circulation before they can increase glucose uptake locally. In addition, negative cooperativity of insulin action (a lower than expected effect of very high insulin concentrations)may play a contributing role. Other factors to be considered include dilution of interstitial fluid by the insulin vehicle and the possibility that some of the local decline in glucose might be due to the systemic effect of insulin. With regard to future research, redundant sensing units might be able to quantify the effects of proximity, leading to a compensatory algorithm. In summary, when measured at the site of insulin delivery, the decline in subcutaneous glucose level appears to be minimal, though the literature base is not large. Findings thus far support (1) the development of integrated devices that monitor glucose and deliver insulin and (2) the use of such devices to investigate the relationship between subcutaneous delivery of insulin and its local effects on glucose. A reduction in the number of percutaneous devices needed to manage diabetes would be welcome. PMID:24876621

Local Application of Platelet-Rich Fibrin During Lower Third Molar Extraction Improves Treatment Outcomes.

PubMed

He, Yun; Chen, Junliang; Huang, Yue; Pan, Qin; Nie, Minhai

2017-12-01

Application of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) during tooth extraction is able to accelerate wound healing, stimulate osseous and soft tissue regeneration, and reduce unwanted side effects. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of local application of PRF on controlling postoperative signs and symptoms after the extraction of an impacted lower third molar. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed to identify all studies published up to October 2016 that investigated the effect of PRF on lower third molar extraction. Pain, swelling, trismus, alveolar osteitis (AO), and osteoblastic activity were extracted to evaluate the effect of PRF. After quality assessment, meta-analysis was performed with RevMan software (version 5.3; Cochrane Library Software, Oxford, UK). After the search and selection process, 10 studies were selected in this meta-analysis, including 468 cases of PRF application and 467 cases of non-PRF application. Of the studies, 9 were randomized controlled trials, including 7 split-mouth studies, and there was 1 retrospective case-control study. The results indicated that PRF significantly relieves pain (P = .01) and 3-day postoperative swelling (P = .03) and reduces the incidence of AO (P < .0001). However, there were no significant differences between the PRF and non-PRF groups with respect to 1-day postoperative swelling and osteoblastic activity. Local application of PRF after lower third molar extraction is a valid method for relieving pain and 3-day postoperative swelling and reducing the incidence of AO. For patients undergoing complicated surgical extraction, PRF might be a recommendation for local application into the sockets. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Get on Board the Cost Effective Way: A Tech Prep Replication Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Wayne A.; Szul, Linda F.; Rivosecchi, Karen

1997-01-01

The Northwestern Pennsylvania Tech Prep Consortium model for replicating tech prep programs includes these steps: fact finding, local industry analysis, curriculum development, detailed description, marketing strategies, implementation, and program evaluation. (SK)

32 CFR 202.1 - Purpose, scope, definitions, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... activities at an installation, including family members of military personnel and civilian workers, local and... expected to make every reasonable effort to ensure that a RAB performs its role as effectively as possible...

32 CFR 202.1 - Purpose, scope, definitions, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... activities at an installation, including family members of military personnel and civilian workers, local and... expected to make every reasonable effort to ensure that a RAB performs its role as effectively as possible...

32 CFR 202.1 - Purpose, scope, definitions, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... activities at an installation, including family members of military personnel and civilian workers, local and... expected to make every reasonable effort to ensure that a RAB performs its role as effectively as possible...

The Regional Institution of Higher Learning in Today's Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karamurzov, B. S.

2014-01-01

The regional universities in Russia are an important resource for the development of Russian society, but more needs to be done to increase their effectiveness, including tackling corruption and leveraging local competitive advantages.

An analytical expression for ion velocities at the wall including the sheath electric field and surface biasing for erosion modeling at JET ILW

DOE PAGES

Borodkina, I.; Borodin, D.; Brezinsek, S.; ...

2017-04-12

For simulation of plasma-facing component erosion in fusion experiments, an analytical expression for the ion velocity just before the surface impact including the local electric field and an optional surface biasing effect is suggested. Energy and angular impact distributions and the resulting effective sputtering yields were produced for several experimental scenarios at JET ILW mostly involving PFCs exposed to an oblique magnetic field. The analytic solution has been applied as an improvement to earlier ERO modelling of localized, Be outer limiter, RF-enhanced erosion, modulated by toggling of a remote, however magnetically connected ICRH antenna. The effective W sputtering yields duemore » to D and Be ion impact in Type-I and Type-III ELMs and inter-ELM conditions were also estimated using the analytical approach and benchmarked by spectroscopy. The intra-ELM W sputtering flux increases almost 10 times in comparison to the inter-ELM flux.« less

Blood Glucose Levels After Local Musculoskeletal Steroid Injections in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Clinical Review.

PubMed

Waterbrook, Anna L; Balcik, Brenden J; Goshinska, Aaron John

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become an epidemic in the United States and is associated with increased risk of multiple comorbidities, including painful musculoskeletal conditions. A common treatment for many of these painful musculoskeletal conditions is local soft tissue and intra-articular corticosteroid injection (CSI). These local injections have the potential to cause elevated blood glucose levels (BGLs) and cause complications in patients with DM. Therefore, it was the objective of this investigation to review the currently available evidence that directly addresses the effects of local CSIs used for painful musculoskeletal conditions on BGL in patients with DM. PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Review databases were searched with a combination of the terms corticosteroid, glucocorticoid, steroid, injection, musculoskeletal, and diabetes. Search limits included the English language. Bibliographic references from these articles were also examined to identify pertinent literature. Clinical review. Level 3. Ten studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. All these studies showed significant but transient increases in postinjection BGL after a single local CSI in patients with DM. There were no adverse reactions or complications reported. Single, local soft tissue and intra-articular musculoskeletal CSIs are most likely safe in patients with well-controlled DM.

Forecasting the Effects of Higher Education Appropriations on Local Economies. AIR 1986 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prewitt, Sidney A.; And Others

An economic model of the effects of colleges on their communities was developed. The Texas Input-Output Model was modified into a higher education budgetary model. Included were the positive benefits of tax savings and estimates of the net effect on various communities in which state-supported colleges and universities are located. The output…

Generation of localized patterns in anharmonic lattices with cubic-quintic nonlinearities and fourth-order dispersion via a variational approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wamba, Etienne; Tchakoutio Nguetcho, Aurélien S.

2018-05-01

We use the time-dependent variational method to examine the formation of localized patterns in dynamically unstable anharmonic lattices with cubic-quintic nonlinearities and fourth-order dispersion. The governing equation is an extended nonlinear Schrödinger equation known for modified Frankel-Kontorova models of atomic lattices and here derived from an extended Bose-Hubbard model of bosonic lattices with local three-body interactions. In presence of modulated waves, we derive and investigate the ordinary differential equations for the time evolution of the amplitude and phase of dynamical perturbation. Through an effective potential, we find the modulationally unstable domains of the lattice and discuss the effect of the fourth-order dispersion in the dynamics. Direct numerical simulations are performed to support our analytical results, and a good agreement is found. Various types of localized patterns, including breathers and solitonic chirped-like pulses, form in the system as a result of interplay between the cubic-quintic nonlinearities and the second- and fourth-order dispersions.

Local drug delivery agents as adjuncts to endodontic and periodontal therapy

PubMed Central

Puri, K; Puri, N

2013-01-01

Abstract In the treatment of intracanal and periodontal infections, the local application of antibiotics and other therapeutic agents in the root canal or in periodontal pockets may be a promising approach to achieve sustained/controlled drug release, high antimicrobial activity and low systemic side effects. The conventional method for the elimination of subgingival microbial infection includes mechanical debridement, irrigation with antimicrobial agents or surgical access. But, the effectiveness of conventional nonsurgical treatment is limited by lack of accessibility to bacteria in deeper periodontal pockets, and/or does not completely eliminate intracanal microorganisms. Surgical intervention may be beneficial but cannot be done in all cases, medically compromised cases and also in patients not willing to be subjected to surgical therapy. Development of local drug delivery systems provides an answer to all such difficulties. This comprehensive review tries to cover the detailed information about the latest advances in the various local drug delivery systems, their indications, contraindications and their advantages over systemic drug therapy. PMID:24868252

Microbicides Development Programme: Engaging the community in the standard of care debate in a vaginal microbicide trial in Mwanza, Tanzania

PubMed Central

Vallely, Andrew; Shagi, Charles; Lees, Shelley; Shapiro, Katherine; Masanja, Joseph; Nikolau, Lawi; Kazimoto, Johari; Soteli, Selephina; Moffat, Claire; Changalucha, John; McCormack, Sheena; Hayes, Richard J

2009-01-01

Background HIV prevention research in resource-limited countries is associated with a variety of ethical dilemmas. Key amongst these is the question of what constitutes an appropriate standard of health care (SoC) for participants in HIV prevention trials. This paper describes a community-focused approach to develop a locally-appropriate SoC in the context of a phase III vaginal microbicide trial in Mwanza City, northwest Tanzania. Methods A mobile community-based sexual and reproductive health service for women working as informal food vendors or in traditional and modern bars, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses has been established in 10 city wards. Wards were divided into geographical clusters and community representatives elected at cluster and ward level. A city-level Community Advisory Committee (CAC) with representatives from each ward has been established. Workshops and community meetings at ward and city-level have explored project-related concerns using tools adapted from participatory learning and action techniques e.g. chapati diagrams, pair-wise ranking. Secondary stakeholders representing local public-sector and non-governmental health and social care providers have formed a trial Stakeholders' Advisory Group (SAG), which includes two CAC representatives. Results Key recommendations from participatory community workshops, CAC and SAG meetings conducted in the first year of the trial relate to the quality and range of clinic services provided at study clinics as well as broader standard of care issues. Recommendations have included streamlining clinic services to reduce waiting times, expanding services to include the children and spouses of participants and providing care for common local conditions such as malaria. Participants, community representatives and stakeholders felt there was an ethical obligation to ensure effective access to antiretroviral drugs and to provide supportive community-based care for women identified as HIV positive during the trial. This obligation includes ensuring sustainable, post-trial access to these services. Post-trial access to an effective vaginal microbicide was also felt to be a moral imperative. Conclusion Participatory methodologies enabled effective partnerships between researchers, participant representatives and community stakeholders to be developed and facilitated local dialogue and consensus on what constitutes a locally-appropriate standard of care in the context of a vaginal microbicide trial in this setting. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN64716212 PMID:19814830

Effective grid-dependent dispersion coefficient for conservative and reactive transport simulations in heterogeneous porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortinez, J. M.; Valocchi, A. J.; Herrera, P. A.

2013-12-01

Because of the finite size of numerical grids, it is very difficult to correctly account for processes that occur at different spatial scales to accurately simulate the migration of conservative and reactive compounds dissolved in groundwater. In one hand, transport processes in heterogeneous porous media are controlled by local-scale dispersion associated to transport processes at the pore-scale. On the other hand, variations of velocity at the continuum- or Darcy-scale produce spreading of the contaminant plume, which is referred to as macro-dispersion. Furthermore, under some conditions both effects interact, so that spreading may enhance the action of local-scale dispersion resulting in higher mixing, dilution and reaction rates. Traditionally, transport processes at different spatial scales have been included in numerical simulations by using a single dispersion coefficient. This approach implicitly assumes that the separate effects of local-dispersion and macro-dispersion can be added and represented by a unique effective dispersion coefficient. Moreover, the selection of the effective dispersion coefficient for numerical simulations usually do not consider the filtering effect of the grid size over the small-scale flow features. We have developed a multi-scale Lagragian numerical method that allows using two different dispersion coefficients to represent local- and macro-scale dispersion. This technique considers fluid particles that carry solute mass and whose locations evolve according to a deterministic component given by the grid-scale velocity and a stochastic component that corresponds to a block-effective macro-dispersion coefficient. Mass transfer between particles due to local-scale dispersion is approximated by a meshless method. We use our model to test under which transport conditions the combined effect of local- and macro-dispersion are additive and can be represented by a single effective dispersion coefficient. We also demonstrate that for the situations where both processes are additive, an effective grid-dependent dispersion coefficient can be derived based on the concept of block-effective dispersion. We show that the proposed effective dispersion coefficient is able to reproduce dilution, mixing and reaction rates for a wide range of transport conditions similar to the ones found in many practical applications.

Red light for Anderson localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skipetrov, S. E.; Page, J. H.

2016-02-01

During the last 30 years, the search for Anderson localization of light in three-dimensional (3D) disordered samples yielded a number of experimental observations that were first considered successful, then disputed by opponents, and later refuted by their authors. This includes recent results for light in TiO2 powders that Sperling et al now show to be due to fluorescence and not to Anderson localization (2016 New J. Phys. 18 013039). The difficulty of observing Anderson localization of light in 3D may be due to a number of factors: insufficient optical contrast between the components of the disordered material, near-field effects, etc. The way to overcome these difficulties may consist in using partially ordered materials, complex structured scatterers, or clouds of cold atoms in magnetic fields.

Covariant effective action for a Galilean invariant quantum Hall system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geracie, Michael; Prabhu, Kartik; Roberts, Matthew M.

2016-09-01

We construct effective field theories for gapped quantum Hall systems coupled to background geometries with local Galilean invariance i.e. Bargmann spacetimes. Along with an electromagnetic field, these backgrounds include the effects of curved Galilean spacetimes, including torsion and a gravitational field, allowing us to study charge, energy, stress and mass currents within a unified framework. A shift symmetry specific to single constituent theories constraints the effective action to couple to an effective background gauge field and spin connection that is solved for by a self-consistent equation, providing a manifestly covariant extension of Hoyos and Son's improvement terms to arbitrary order in m.

Potential roles of cholinergic modulation in the neural coding of location and movement speed

PubMed Central

Dannenberg, Holger; Hinman, James R.; Hasselmo, Michael E.

2016-01-01

Behavioral data suggest that cholinergic modulation may play a role in certain aspects of spatial memory, and neurophysiological data demonstrate neurons that fire in response to spatial dimensions, including grid cells and place cells that respond on the basis of location and running speed. These neurons show firing responses that depend upon the visual configuration of the environment, due to coding in visually-responsive regions of the neocortex. This review focuses on the physiological effects of acetylcholine that may influence the sensory coding of spatial dimensions relevant to behavior. In particular, the local circuit effects of acetylcholine within the cortex regulate the influence of sensory input relative to internal memory representations, via presynaptic inhibition of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission, and the modulation of intrinsic currents in cortical excitatory and inhibitory neurons. In addition, circuit effects of acetylcholine regulate the dynamics of cortical circuits including oscillations at theta and gamma frequencies. These effects of acetylcholine on local circuits and network dynamics could underlie the role of acetylcholine in coding of spatial information for the performance of spatial memory tasks. PMID:27677935

Clinical and translational research in global health and emergency care: a research agenda.

PubMed

Runyon, Michael S; Sawe, Hendry R; Levine, Adam C; Pousson, Amelia; House, Darlene R; Agrawal, Pooja; Osei-Ampofo, Maxwell; Weiner, Scott G; Douglass, Katherine

2013-12-01

As policy-makers increasingly recognize emergency care to be a global health priority, the need for high-quality clinical and translational research in this area continues to grow. As part of the proceedings of the 2013 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference, this article discusses the importance of: 1) including clinical and translational research in the initial emergency care development plan, 2) defining the burden of acute disease and the barriers to conducting research in resource-limited settings, 3) assessing the appropriateness and effectiveness of local and global acute care guidelines within the local context, 4) studying the local research infrastructure needs to understand the best methods to build a sustainable research infrastructure, and 5) studying the long-term effects of clinical research programs on health care systems. © 2013 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Introduced Species, Disease Ecology, and Biodiversity-Disease Relationships.

PubMed

Young, Hillary S; Parker, Ingrid M; Gilbert, Gregory S; Sofia Guerra, Ana; Nunn, Charles L

2017-01-01

Species introductions are a dominant component of biodiversity change but are not explicitly included in most discussions of biodiversity-disease relationships. This is a major oversight given the multitude of effects that introduced species have on both parasitism and native hosts. Drawing on both animal and plant systems, we review the competing mechanistic pathways by which biological introductions influence parasite diversity and prevalence. While some mechanisms - such as local changes in phylogenetic composition and global homogenization - have strong explanatory potential, the net effects of introduced species, especially at local scales, remain poorly understood. Integrative, community-scale studies that explicitly incorporate introduced species are needed to make effective predictions about the effects of realistic biodiversity change and conservation action on disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does integration matter? A holistic model for building community resilience in Pakistan.

PubMed

Kanta Kafle, Shesh

2017-01-01

This paper analyses an integrated communitybased risk reduction model adopted by the Pakistan Red Crescent. The paper analyses the model's constructs and definitions, and provides a conceptual framework and a set of practical recommendations for building community resilience. The study uses the process of outcome-based resilience index to assess the effectiveness of the approach. The results indicate that the integrated programming approach is an effective way to build community resilience as it offers a number of tangible and longlasting benefits, including effective and efficient service delivery, local ownership, sustainability of results, and improved local resilience with respect to the shock and stress associated with disaster. The paper also outlines a set of recommendations for the effective and efficient use of the model for building community resilience in Pakistan.

[Ocular complications of local anaesthesia in dentistry].

PubMed

Steenen, S A; Dubois, L; de Lange, J

2017-03-01

An estimated 1 in 1,000 local anaesthetic injections in the maxilla or the mandible lead to unwanted effects on the ipsilateral eye. We have seen a case with diplopia and lateral rectus palsy following bimaxillary anaesthesia. A systematic literature review of reports on this type of complication resulted in a total of 144 documented cases published between 1936 and 2016. The most frequently reported symptoms included diplopia (72%), partial or full ophthalmoplegia (26%), ptosis (22%), mydriasis (18%), amaurosis (13%) and orbital pain (12%). This type of complication is best understood by pathophysiological hypotheses that include intra-arterial injection, intravenous injection, autonomic dysregulation, or deep injection and diffusion. If ocular symptoms appear after local intraoral anaesthesia, the patient should be reassured. In the case of diplopia, the eye should be covered with a gauze dressing, and the patient should be instructed about associated safety risks. If symptoms persist or when vision deteriorates, referral to an ophthalmologist is advisable.

Sonochemotherapy: from bench to bedside

PubMed Central

Lammertink, Bart H. A.; Bos, Clemens; Deckers, Roel; Storm, Gert; Moonen, Chrit T. W.; Escoffre, Jean-Michel

2015-01-01

The combination of microbubbles and ultrasound has emerged as a promising method for local drug delivery. Microbubbles can be locally activated by a targeted ultrasound beam, which can result in several bio-effects. For drug delivery, microbubble-assisted ultrasound is used to increase vascular- and plasma membrane permeability for facilitating drug extravasation and the cellular uptake of drugs in the treated region, respectively. In the case of drug-loaded microbubbles, these two mechanisms can be combined with local release of the drug following destruction of the microbubble. The use of microbubble-assisted ultrasound to deliver chemotherapeutic agents is also referred to as sonochemotherapy. In this review, the basic principles of sonochemotherapy are discussed, including aspects such as the type of (drug-loaded) microbubbles used, the routes of administration used in vivo, ultrasound devices and parameters, treatment schedules and safety issues. Finally, the clinical translation of sonochemotherapy is discussed, including the first clinical study using sonochemotherapy. PMID:26217226

A Bayesian network meta-analysis of whole brain radiotherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastasis.

PubMed

Yuan, Xi; Liu, Wen-Jie; Li, Bing; Shen, Ze-Tian; Shen, Jun-Shu; Zhu, Xi-Xu

2017-08-01

This study was conducted to compare the effects of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS) in treatment of brain metastasis.A systematical retrieval in PubMed and Embase databases was performed for relative literatures on the effects of WBRT and SRS in treatment of brain metastasis. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed by using the ADDIS software. The effect sizes included odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A random effects model was used for the pooled analysis for all the outcome measures, including 1-year distant control rate, 1-year local control rate, 1-year survival rate, and complication. The consistency was tested by using node-splitting analysis and inconsistency standard deviation. The convergence was estimated according to the Brooks-Gelman-Rubin method.A total of 12 literatures were included in this meta-analysis. WBRT + SRS showed higher 1-year distant control rate than SRS. WBRT + SRS was better for the 1-year local control rate than WBRT. SRS and WBRT + SRS had higher 1-year survival rate than the WBRT. In addition, there was no difference in complication among the three therapies.Comprehensively, WBRT + SRS might be the choice of treatment for brain metastasis.

Methods and devices used in the wildfire localization for the protection of forest ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasymov, D. P.; Fateyev, V. N.; Zima, V. P.

2017-11-01

The development of devices for localization and extinguishing of wildland fires based on knowledge of the flame structure, including the drying zone, heating, pyrolysis, mixing with oxygen in the air, using relatively small energy disturbances (shock waves), which minimizes the damage caused to the environment have been represented. Using of the considered technical solutions leading to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of activities to combat wildland fires has been shown.

Radiolabelled D2 agonists as prolactinoma imaging agents

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

Otto, C.A.

1991-12-31

Research conducted in this terminal year of support centered on three distinct areas: mAChR ligand localization in pancreas and the effect of Ca{sup +2} on localization, continuation of assessment of quaternized and neutral mAChR ligands for possible use as PET myocardial imaging agents, and initiation of a study to determine the relationship of the nAChR receptor to the cellular receptor for measles virus. Several tables and figures illustrating the results are included.

Potential mechanisms of cerebellar hypoplasia in prematurity.

PubMed

Tam, Emily W Y

2013-09-01

The cerebellum undergoes dramatic growth and maturation over the neonatal period after preterm birth and is thus particularly sensitive to impaired development due to various clinical factors. Impairments in growth can occur independent of cerebellar parenchymal damage, such as from local hemorrhage, resulting from reduced expression of sonic hedgehog signaling to trigger the appropriate expansion of the granule precursor cells. The primary risk factors for impaired cerebellar development include postnatal glucocorticoid exposure, which has direct effects on the sonic hedgehog pathway, and supratentorial brain injury, including intraventricular hemorrhage and white matter injury, which may result in crossed cerebellar diaschisis and local toxic effects of blood products on the external granular layer. Other cardiorespiratory and nutritional factors may also exist. Impaired cerebellar development is associated with adverse outcomes in motor and cognitive development. New approaches to care to counteract these risk factors may help improve long-term outcome after preterm birth.

Health Impact Assessment as a framework for evaluation of local complex projects.

PubMed

Heath, Lucy

2007-07-01

Health impact assessment (HIA) has been used to predict effects of a local parenting strategy and develop an evaluation framework. Methods used included literature searches, inequalities profiling, interviews with key informants and a review of available cost data. Four priority areas, where parenting can potentially impact, were identified: education, antisocial behaviour, lifestyle choices and mental health. The results concerning mental health are presented here. Improving the quality of parenting can impact on a child's mental health. The costs relating to the mental health outcomes are high and parenting is a cost-effective method to address the family dynamics that impact on this. Intermediary indicators, including clear boundaries, time spent as a family and parental involvement can be used to evaluate the intervention in the short-term, although there are difficulties in their measurement. The HIA process can improve cross-sectorial working, increased community participation and keep inequalities on the agenda.

BMY 30047: A novel topically active retinoid with low local and systemic toxicity

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

Nair, X.; Quigley, J.; Tramposch, K.M.

In the treatment of various dermatological disorders, topically applied retinoids have potential therapeutic use with the advantage of improved localized activity and lower toxicity over systemically administered retinoids. However, most retinoids cause a significant degree of local irritation. In the present study, the ability to produce local activity with low local irritation potential was evaluated with a novel retinoic acid derivative. BMY 30047 (11-cis, 13-cis-12-hydroxymethylretinoic acid delta-lactone) is one of a series of retinoic acid derivatives in which the carboxyl function of the polar end was modified with the aim of achieving reduced local irritation and systemic toxicity while retainingmore » the local therapeutic effect. BMY 30047 was evaluated and compared with all-trans retinoic acid for topical retinoid activity in several preclinical assay systems, including the utricle reduction assay in rhino mice, 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate ester-stimulated ornithine decarboxylase induction in hairless mice and the UV light-induced photodamaged skin model in hairless mice. BMY 30047 was assessed for retinoid-type side effects by evaluating the skin irritation potential in rabbits after repeated topical application, and hypervitaminosis A-inducing potential in mice after i.p. injection. BMY 30047 demonstrated significant topical retinoid activity in several in vivo models with less skin irritation potential relative to the most used clinical concentrations of all-trans retinoic acid. BMY 30047 also showed very little systemic activity and did not produce any evidence of hypervitaminosis A syndrome at systemic doses 20 times greater than the no-effect dose of all-trans retinoic acid.« less

Land and water impacts of oil sands production in Alberta.

PubMed

Jordaan, Sarah M

2012-04-03

Expansion of oil sands development results not only in the release of greenhouse gas emissions, but also impacts land and water resources. Though less discussed internationally due to to their inherently local nature, land and water impacts can be severe. Research in key areas is needed to manage oil sands operations effectively; including improved monitoring of ground and surface water quality. The resulting information gap means that such impacts are not well understood. Improved analyses of oil sands products are required that compare land and water use with other transportation fuel pathways and use a regional perspective so local effects can be considered and mitigated.

Analysis of propellant feedline dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holster, J. L.; Astleford, W. J.; Gerlach, C. R.

1973-01-01

An analytical model and corresponding computer program for studying disturbances of liquid propellants in typical engine feedline systems were developed. The model includes the effects of steady turbulent mean flow, the influence of distributed compliances, the effects of local compliances, and various factors causing structural-hydraulic coupling. The computer program was set up such that the amplitude and phase of the terminal pressure/input excitation is calculated over any desired frequency range for an arbitrary assembly of various feedline components. A user's manual is included.

OK-432 (Picibanil) therapy for lymphangiomas in children.

PubMed

Laranne, J; Keski-Nisula, L; Rautio, Riitta; Rautiainen, Markus; Airaksinen, Mari

2002-05-01

Lymphangiomas are benign, soft tumors that most often affect the head and neck area, usually causing marked cosmetic and functional problems. Treatment options include surgery and a large number of different sclerotherapy agents. Surgical treatment is challenging because of the need for complete excision. The risk of damage to surrounding structures or poor cosmetic results is high. Various sclerotherapy agents have been shown to have minimal effects on lymphangiomas. Their use has been associated with severe systemic, local and cosmetic side effects. OK-432 (Picibanil) is a new and promising form of sclerotherapy. An intracystic injection of OK-432 produces a local inflammatory reaction, which leads to resolution of the lesion. We have treated 11 pediatric lymphangioma patients with OK-432 with excellent results: complete regression in six, marked regression in four and no response in one case. Local swelling should be anticipated, especially when treating lesions near the upper airway. We found OK-432 injections to be safe and effective as a first line of treatment for lymphangiomas.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Versus 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy for Preoperative Treatment of Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas

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

Richard, Patrick, E-mail: patrjr@uw.edu; Phillips, Mark; Smith, Wade

Purpose: Create a cost-effectiveness model comparing preoperative intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) versus 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) for extremity soft tissue sarcomas. Methods and Materials: Input parameters included 5-year local recurrence rates, rates of acute wound adverse events, and chronic toxicities (edema, fracture, joint stiffness, and fibrosis). Health-state utilities were used to calculate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Overall treatment costs per QALY or incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated. Roll-back analysis was performed using average costs and utilities to determine the baseline preferred radiation technique. One-way, 2-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed for input parameters with themore » largest impact on the ICER. Results: Overall treatment costs were $17,515.58 for 3DCRT compared with $22,920.51 for IMRT. The effectiveness was higher for IMRT (3.68 QALYs) than for 3DCRT (3.35 QALYs). The baseline ICER for IMRT was $16,842.75/QALY, making it the preferable treatment. The ICER was most sensitive to the probability of local recurrence, upfront radiation costs, local recurrence costs, certain utilities (no toxicity/no recurrence, grade 1 toxicity/no local recurrence, grade 4 toxicity/no local recurrence), and life expectancy. Dominance patterns emerged when the cost of 3DCRT exceeded $15,532.05 (IMRT dominates) or the life expectancy was under 1.68 years (3DCRT dominates). Furthermore, preference patterns changed based on the rate of local recurrence (threshold: 13%). The PSA results demonstrated that IMRT was the preferred cost-effective technique for 64% of trials compared with 36% for 3DCRT. Conclusions: Based on our model, IMRT is the preferred technique by lowering rates of local recurrence, severe toxicities, and improving QALYs. From a third-party payer perspective, IMRT should be a supported approach for extremity soft tissue sarcomas.« less

CIRSS vertical data integration, San Bernardino study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodson, W.; Christenson, J.; Michel, R. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

The creation and use of a vertically integrated data base, including LANDSAT data, for local planning purposes in a portion of San Bernardino County, California are described. The project illustrates that a vertically integrated approach can benefit local users, can be used to identify and rectify discrepancies in various data sources, and that the LANDSAT component can be effectively used to identify change, perform initial capability/suitability modeling, update existing data, and refine existing data in a geographic information system. Local analyses were developed which produced data of value to planners in the San Bernardino County Planning Department and the San Bernardino National Forest staff.

Risk analysis factors for local recurrence in Ewing's sarcoma: when should adjuvant radiotherapy be administered?

PubMed

Albergo, J I; Gaston, C L L; Parry, M C; Laitinen, M K; Jeys, L M; Tillman, R M; Abudu, A T; Grimer, R J

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to analyse a group of patients with non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma at presentation and identify prognostic factors affecting the development of local recurrence, in order to assess the role of radiotherapy. A retrospective review of all patients with a Ewing's sarcoma treated between 1980 and 2012 was carried out. Only those treated with chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiotherapy were included. Patients were grouped according to site (central or limb) for further analysis of the prognostic factors. A total of 388 patients were included in the study. Of these, 60 (15%) developed local recurrence at a mean median of 27 months (sd 24, range 7 to 150) and the five-year local recurrence-free survival (5yrLRFS) was 83%. For central tumours, the size of the tumour and histological response to chemotherapy were found to be significant factors for local recurrence. For limb tumours, local recurrence was affected by intralesional and marginal resections, but not by the histological response to chemotherapy. Radiotherapy in those with a marginal resection reduced the risk of local recurrence (5yrLRFS: 96% versus 81%, p = 0.044). Local recurrence significantly affects the overall survival in patients with a Ewing's sarcoma. For those with a tumour in a limb, radiotherapy reduced the risk of local recurrence, especially in those with a marginal margin of excision, but the effect in central tumours was less clear. Radiotherapy for those who have had a wide margin of resection does not reduce the risk of local recurrence, regardless of the histological response to chemotherapy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B: 247-55. ©2018 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Cleaner fish drives local fish diversity on coral reefs.

PubMed

Grutter, Alexandra S; Murphy, Jan Maree; Choat, J Howard

2003-01-08

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse habitats in the world, yet our understanding of the processes affecting their biodiversity is limited. At the local scale, cleaner fish are thought to have a disproportionate effect, in relation to their abundance and size, on the activity of many other fish species, but confirmation of this species' effect on local fish diversity has proved elusive. The cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus has major effects on fish activity patterns and may indirectly affect fish demography through the removal of large numbers of parasites. Here we show that small reefs where L. dimidiatus had been experimentally excluded for 18 months had half the species diversity of fish and one-fourth the abundance of individuals. Only fish that move among reefs, however, were affected. These fish include large species that themselves can affect other reef organisms. In contrast, the distribution of resident fish was not affected by cleaner fish. Thus, many fish appear to choose reefs based on the presence of cleaner fish. Our findings indicate that a single small and not very abundant fish has a strong influence on the movement patterns, habitat choice, activity, and local diversity and abundance of a wide variety of reef fish species.

Nodal Diffusion Burnable Poison Treatment for Prismatic Reactor Cores

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

A. M. Ougouag; R. M. Ferrer

2010-10-01

The prismatic block version of the High Temperature Reactor (HTR) considered as a candidate Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR)design may use burnable poison pins in locations at some corners of the fuel blocks (i.e., assembly equivalent structures). The presence of any highly absorbing materials, such as these burnable poisons, within fuel blocks for hexagonal geometry, graphite-moderated High Temperature Reactors (HTRs) causes a local inter-block flux depression that most nodal diffusion-based method have failed to properly model or otherwise represent. The location of these burnable poisons near vertices results in an asymmetry in the morphology of the assemblies (or blocks). Hencemore » the resulting inadequacy of traditional homogenization methods, as these “spread” the actually local effect of the burnable poisons throughout the assembly. Furthermore, the actual effect of the burnable poison is primarily local with influence in its immediate vicinity, which happens to include a small region within the same assembly as well as similar regions in the adjacent assemblies. Traditional homogenization methods miss this artifact entirely. This paper presents a novel method for treating the local effect of the burnable poison explicitly in the context of a modern nodal method.« less

A coverage and slicing dependencies analysis for seeking software security defects.

PubMed

He, Hui; Zhang, Dongyan; Liu, Min; Zhang, Weizhe; Gao, Dongmin

2014-01-01

Software security defects have a serious impact on the software quality and reliability. It is a major hidden danger for the operation of a system that a software system has some security flaws. When the scale of the software increases, its vulnerability has becoming much more difficult to find out. Once these vulnerabilities are exploited, it may lead to great loss. In this situation, the concept of Software Assurance is carried out by some experts. And the automated fault localization technique is a part of the research of Software Assurance. Currently, automated fault localization method includes coverage based fault localization (CBFL) and program slicing. Both of the methods have their own location advantages and defects. In this paper, we have put forward a new method, named Reverse Data Dependence Analysis Model, which integrates the two methods by analyzing the program structure. On this basis, we finally proposed a new automated fault localization method. This method not only is automation lossless but also changes the basic location unit into single sentence, which makes the location effect more accurate. Through several experiments, we proved that our method is more effective. Furthermore, we analyzed the effectiveness among these existing methods and different faults.

Tracking the sources and sinks of local marine debris in Hawai'i.

PubMed

Carson, Henry S; Lamson, Megan R; Nakashima, Davis; Toloumu, Derek; Hafner, Jan; Maximenko, Nikolai; McDermid, Karla J

2013-03-01

Plastic pollution has biological, chemical, and physical effects on marine environments and economic effects on coastal communities. These effects are acute on southeastern Hawai'i Island, where volunteers remove 16 metric tons of debris annually from a 15 km coastline. Although the majority is foreign-origin, a portion is locally-generated. We used floating debris-retention booms in two urban waterways to measure the input of debris from Hilo, the island's largest community, and released wooden drifters in nearby coastal waters to track the fate of that debris. In 205 days, 30 kilograms of debris (73.6% plastic) were retained from two watersheds comprising 10.2% of Hilo's developed land area. Of 851 wooden drifters released offshore of Hilo in four events, 23.3% were recovered locally, 1.4% at distant locations, and 6.5% on other islands. Comparisons with modeled surface currents and wind were mixed, indicating the importance of nearshore and tidal dynamics not included in the model. This study demonstrated that local pollutants can be retained nearby, contribute to the island's debris-accumulation area, and quickly contaminate other islands. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Injectable visible light-cured glycol chitosan hydrogels with controlled release of anticancer drugs for local cancer therapy in vivo: a feasible study.

PubMed

Hyun, Hoon; Park, Min Ho; Lim, Wonbong; Kim, So Yeon; Jo, Danbi; Jung, Jin Seok; Jo, Gayoung; Um, Sewook; Lee, Deok-Won; Yang, Dae Hyeok

2018-05-11

Currently available chemotherapy is associated with serious side effects, and therefore novel drug delivery systems (DDSs) are required to specifically deliver anticancer drugs to targeted sites. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of visible light-cured glycol chitosan (GC) hydrogels with controlled release of doxorubicin⋅hydrochloride (DOX⋅HCl) as local DDSs for effective cancer therapy in vivo. The storage modulus of the hydrogel precursor solutions was increased as a function of visible light irradiation time. In addition, the swelling ratio of the hydrogel irradiated for 10 s (GC 10 /DOX) was greater than in 60 s (GC 60 /DOX). In vitro release test showed that DOX was rapidly released in GC 10 /DOX compared with GC 60 /DOX due to the density of cross-linking. In vitro and in vivo tests including cell viability and measurement of tumor volume showed that the local treatment of GC 10 /DOX yielded substantially greater antitumor effect compared with that of GC 60 /DOX. Therefore, the visible light-cured GC hydrogel system may exhibit clinical potential as a local DDS of anticancer drugs with controlled release, by modulating cross-linking density.

Local synthesis of sex hormones: are there consequences for the ocular surface and dry eye?

PubMed

Gibson, Emma J; Stapleton, Fiona; Wolffsohn, James S; Golebiowski, Blanka

2017-12-01

Sex hormones are associated with the physiology and pathophysiology of almost all organs in the body, as well as most diseases. Interest in the associations between sex hormones and ocular tissues has increased in recent years. Androgens may have a positive effect on dry eye, whereas the effects of oestrogen on ocular conditions remain unclear. Intracrinology, the local synthesis and metabolism of hormones that is unique to humans, is of relevance to the eye and may help to explain why studies of the relationship between oestrogens and dry eye signs and symptoms are inconclusive. Knowledge of the pathways of hormone formation and metabolism is crucial to understanding the pathogenesis of ocular disease including dry eye. This review examines the mechanisms of steroidal sex hormone biosynthesis and reviews the significance of locally produced sex hormones, with a focus on ocular surface tissues. Much of the current literature is based on animal studies, which may not be transferable to humans due to the absence of intracrine production in animals. A large proportion of the human studies investigate systemic hormone levels rather than local levels. There is subsequently a need for additional studies to provide a better understanding of the local production of sex hormones within the human eye and ocular surface and to clarify the relationships between ocular levels of sex hormones and conditions including dry eye. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Transversus abdominal plane (TAP) block for postoperative pain management: a review.

PubMed

Jakobsson, Jan; Wickerts, Liselott; Forsberg, Sune; Ledin, Gustaf

2015-01-01

Transversus abdominal plane (TAP) block has a long history and there is currently extensive clinical experience around TAP blocks. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the present evidence on the effects of TAP block and to provide suggestions for further studies. There are several approaches to performing abdominal wall blocks, with the rapid implementation of ultrasound-guided technique facilitating a major difference in TAP block performance. During surgery, an abdominal wall block may also be applied by the surgeon from inside the abdominal cavity. Today, there are more than 11 meta-analyses providing a compiled evidence base around the effects of TAP block. These analyses include different procedures, different techniques of TAP block administration and, importantly, they compare the TAP block with a variety of alternative analgesic regimes. The effects of TAP block during laparoscopic cholecystectomy seem to be equivalent to local infiltration analgesia and also seem to be beneficial during laparoscopic colon resection. The effects of TAP are more pronounced when it is provided prior to surgery and these effects are local anaesthesia dose-dependent. TAP block seems an interesting alternative in patients with, for example, severe obesity where epidural or spinal anaesthesia/analgesia is technically difficult and/or poses a risk. There is an obvious need for further high-quality studies comparing TAP block prior to surgery with local infiltration analgesia, single-shot spinal analgesia, and epidural analgesia. These studies should be procedure-specific and the effects should be evaluated, both regarding short-term pain and analgesic requirement and also including the effects on postoperative nausea and vomiting, recovery of bowel function, ambulation, discharge, and protracted recovery outcomes (assessed by e.g., postoperative quality of recovery scale).

Effect of preoperative immunonutrition on postoperative short-term outcomes of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Aeberhard, Carla; Mayer, Catherine; Meyer, Simone; Mueller, Simon Andreas; Schuetz, Philipp; Stanga, Zeno; Giger, Roland

2018-05-01

Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) often acquire an impaired nutritional status resulting in compromised outcomes. Perioperative immunonutrition may have a positive effect on outcomes after elective surgery. Short-term outcomes before and after implementation of preoperative immunonutrition were retrospectively assessed. Regression models adjusted for outcome predictors were used to compare the length of stay (LOS) in the hospital, local infections, and general complications. Four hundred eleven patients were included (control group = 209 and the intervention group = 202). With immunonutrition, hospital LOS was significantly lower (median 6 vs 8 days; adjusted mean difference of -5.65 days; P < .001) and local infections were significantly reduced (7.4% vs 15.3%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.30; P = .006). Subgroup analysis showed more pronounced effects in patients with previous radiotherapy and extensive surgery. Patients receiving preoperative immunonutrition had a shorter hospital LOS and a lower rate for wound infections and local complications. These effects remained robust after a multivariate adjustment. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A deformation-formulated micromechanics model of the effective Young's modulus and strength of laminated composites containing local ply curvature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jong-Won; Harris, Charles E.

1990-01-01

A mathematical model based on the Euler-Bermoulli beam theory is proposed for predicting the effective Young's moduli of piecewise isotropic composite laminates with local ply curvatures in the main load-carrying layers. Strains in corrugated layers, in-phase layers, and out-of-phase layers are predicted for various geometries and material configurations by assuming matrix layers as elastic foundations of different spring constants. The effective Young's moduli measured from corrugated aluminum specimens and aluminum/epoxy specimens with in-phase and out-of-phase wavy patterns coincide very well with the model predictions. Moire fringe analysis of an in-phase specimen and an out-of-phase specimen are also presented, confirming the main assumption of the model related to the elastic constraint due to the matrix layers. The present model is also compared with the experimental results and other models, including the microbuckling models, published in the literature. The results of the present study show that even a very small-scale local ply curvature produces a noticeable effect on the mechanical constitutive behavior of a laminated composite.

Many local pattern texture features: which is better for image-based multilabel human protein subcellular localization classification?

PubMed

Yang, Fan; Xu, Ying-Ying; Shen, Hong-Bin

2014-01-01

Human protein subcellular location prediction can provide critical knowledge for understanding a protein's function. Since significant progress has been made on digital microscopy, automated image-based protein subcellular location classification is urgently needed. In this paper, we aim to investigate more representative image features that can be effectively used for dealing with the multilabel subcellular image samples. We prepared a large multilabel immunohistochemistry (IHC) image benchmark from the Human Protein Atlas database and tested the performance of different local texture features, including completed local binary pattern, local tetra pattern, and the standard local binary pattern feature. According to our experimental results from binary relevance multilabel machine learning models, the completed local binary pattern, and local tetra pattern are more discriminative for describing IHC images when compared to the traditional local binary pattern descriptor. The combination of these two novel local pattern features and the conventional global texture features is also studied. The enhanced performance of final binary relevance classification model trained on the combined feature space demonstrates that different features are complementary to each other and thus capable of improving the accuracy of classification.

Thinking outside the box: effects of modes larger than the survey on matter power spectrum covariance

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

Putter, Roland de; Wagner, Christian; Verde, Licia

2012-04-01

Accurate power spectrum (or correlation function) covariance matrices are a crucial requirement for cosmological parameter estimation from large scale structure surveys. In order to minimize reliance on computationally expensive mock catalogs, it is important to have a solid analytic understanding of the different components that make up a covariance matrix. Considering the matter power spectrum covariance matrix, it has recently been found that there is a potentially dominant effect on mildly non-linear scales due to power in modes of size equal to and larger than the survey volume. This beat coupling effect has been derived analytically in perturbation theory andmore » while it has been tested with simulations, some questions remain unanswered. Moreover, there is an additional effect of these large modes, which has so far not been included in analytic studies, namely the effect on the estimated average density which enters the power spectrum estimate. In this article, we work out analytic, perturbation theory based expressions including both the beat coupling and this local average effect and we show that while, when isolated, beat coupling indeed causes large excess covariance in agreement with the literature, in a realistic scenario this is compensated almost entirely by the local average effect, leaving only ∼ 10% of the excess. We test our analytic expressions by comparison to a suite of large N-body simulations, using both full simulation boxes and subboxes thereof to study cases without beat coupling, with beat coupling and with both beat coupling and the local average effect. For the variances, we find excellent agreement with the analytic expressions for k < 0.2 hMpc{sup −1} at z = 0.5, while the correlation coefficients agree to beyond k = 0.4 hMpc{sup −1}. As expected, the range of agreement increases towards higher redshift and decreases slightly towards z = 0. We finish by including the large-mode effects in a full covariance matrix description for arbitrary survey geometry and confirming its validity using simulations. This may be useful as a stepping stone towards building an actual galaxy (or other tracer's) power spectrum covariance matrix.« less

Local and Systemic Therapies for Breast Cancer Patients: Reducing Short-term Symptoms with the Methods of Integrative Medicine

PubMed Central

Hack, C. C.; Voiß, P.; Lange, S.; Paul, A. E.; Conrad, S.; Dobos, G. J.; Beckmann, M. W.; Kümmel, S.

2015-01-01

With improved prognosis due to advances in the diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer, physicians and therapists now focus on aspects such as quality of life and the management of side effects from breast cancer treatment. Therapy- and disease-related side effects often reduce the patientʼs quality of life and can place a further burden on patients, with non-compliance or discontinuation of therapy a potential consequence. Study data have shown that therapy- and disease-related side effects can be reduced using the methods of integrative medicine. Reported benefits include improving patientsʼ wellbeing and quality of life, reducing stress, and improving patientsʼ mood, sleeping patterns and capacity to cope with disease. Examining the impact of integrative medicine on the side effects of cancer treatment would be beyond the scope of this review. This article therefore looks at short-term side effects of cancer treatment which are usually temporary and occur during or after local and systemic therapy. The focus is on mind-body medicine, acupuncture and classic naturopathic treatments developed by Sebastian Kneipp as complementary therapies. The latter includes hydrotherapy, phytotherapy, nutritional therapy, exercise therapy and a balanced lifestyle. PMID:26257404

The power of local action in occupational health: the adoption of local exhaust ventilation in the Chicago tuckpointing trade.

PubMed

Weinstein, Marc; Susi, Pam; Goldberg, Mark

2016-04-01

Silica is a pervasive and potentially deadly occupational hazard in construction. The occupational risk posed by silica has long been known, but efforts to use engineering controls to minimize dust generation in tuckpointing operations, a masonry restoration specialty, have been slow. The objective of this study is to explore how local innovation in occupational safety and health may emerge, absent the establishment of national standards. This study uses a case study to explore the adoption of local exhaust ventilation in tuckpointing operations in the Chicago area. Sources of data for this research include interviews with a diverse range of key informants and the review of archival material. This case study found local unions, municipal regulators, contractors, and major public users of construction services played a central role in the events and milestones that led to the early adoption of local exhaust ventilation in Chicago. The adoption of local exhaust ventilation technology in Chicago demonstrates the potential for local actors to fill an important void when rulemaking in vital areas of occupational of health impedes effective national regulation.

Comparison of 10 efficient protocols for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis: How relevant are effective light dose and local damage in predicting the complete response rate at 3 months?

PubMed

Vignion-Dewalle, Anne-Sophie; Baert, Gregory; Thecua, Elise; Lecomte, Fabienne; Vicentini, Claire; Abi-Rached, Henry; Mortier, Laurent; Mordon, Serge

2018-04-18

Topical photodynamic therapy is an established treatment modality for various dermatological conditions, including actinic keratosis. In Europe, the approved protocols for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis involve irradiation with either an Aktilite CL 128 lamp or daylight, whereas irradiation with the Blu-U illuminator is approved in the United States. Many other protocols using irradiation by a variety of light sources are also clinically efficient. This paper aims to compare 10 different protocols with clinically proven efficacy for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis and the available spectral irradiance of the light source. Effective irradiance, effective light dose, and local damage are compared. We also investigate whether there is an association between the complete response rate at 3 months and the effective light dose or local damage. The effective irradiance, also referred to as protoporphyrin IX-weighted irradiance, is obtained by integrating the spectral irradiance weighted by the normalized absorption spectrum of protoporphyrin IX over the wavelength. Integrating the effective irradiance over the irradiation time yields the effective light dose, which is also known as the protoporphyrin IX-weighted light dose. Local damage, defined as the total cumulative singlet oxygen molecules produced during treatment, is estimated using mathematical modeling of the photodynamic therapy process. This modeling is based on an iterative procedure taking into account the spatial and temporal variations in the protoporphyrin IX absorption spectrum during treatment. The protocol for daylight photodynamic therapy on a clear sunny day, the protocol for daylight photodynamic therapy on an overcast day, the photodynamic therapy protocol for a white LED lamp for operating rooms and the photodynamic therapy protocol for the Blu-U illuminator perform better than the six other protocols-all involving red light illumination-in terms of both effective light dose and local damage. However, no association between the complete response rate at 3 months and the effective light dose or local damage was found. Protocols that achieve high complete response rates at 3 months and low pain scores should be preferred regardless of the effective light dose and local damage. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Technology in education: A guidebook for developing a science and math education support program

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

Wagner, C.L.

1992-09-01

Education is vital to survival and success in an increasingly technical world, and the quality of education is the responsibility of everyone students, teachers, parents, industry, and government. Any technical organization wanting to contribute to that success through its local education system can do so easily and effectively through careful planning. This report details that planning process and includes methods to (1) identify the interests, strengths, and resources of the technical organization; (2) identify the needs of the local education system; (3) interface with local school system administration, principals, and teachers; and (4) develop a unique plan to match themore » organization's strengths and resources with the needs of the school system. Following these getting started'' activities is the actual program that the Engineering Technology Division implemented in a local elementary school, including the curriculum, topics, and actual lesson plans used by technical personnel in the classroom. Finally, there are enrichment activities for teachers and students, suggestions for measuring the success of an education support program, and an overview of student responses to questions about the overall program.« less

Technology in education: A guidebook for developing a science and math education support program

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

Wagner, C.L.

1992-09-01

Education is vital to survival and success in an increasingly technical world, and the quality of education is the responsibility of everyone students, teachers, parents, industry, and government. Any technical organization wanting to contribute to that success through its local education system can do so easily and effectively through careful planning. This report details that planning process and includes methods to (1) identify the interests, strengths, and resources of the technical organization; (2) identify the needs of the local education system; (3) interface with local school system administration, principals, and teachers; and (4) develop a unique plan to match themore » organization`s strengths and resources with the needs of the school system. Following these ``getting started`` activities is the actual program that the Engineering Technology Division implemented in a local elementary school, including the curriculum, topics, and actual lesson plans used by technical personnel in the classroom. Finally, there are enrichment activities for teachers and students, suggestions for measuring the success of an education support program, and an overview of student responses to questions about the overall program.« less

Neurotoxicity of European viperids in Italy: Pavia Poison Control Centre case series 2001-2011.

PubMed

Lonati, D; Giampreti, A; Rossetto, O; Petrolini, V M; Vecchio, S; Buscaglia, E; Mazzoleni, M; Chiara, F; Aloise, M; Gentilli, A; Montecucco, C; Coccini, T; Locatelli, C A

2014-04-01

Some clinical aspects about neurotoxicity after snakebites by European viper species remain to be elucidated. This observational case series aims to analyze neurological manifestations due to viper envenomation in Italy in order to describe the characteristic of neurotoxicity and to evaluate the clinical response to the antidotic treatment, the outcome, and the influence of individual variability in determining the appearance of neurotoxic effects. All cases of snakebite referred to Pavia Poison Centre (PPC) presenting peripheral neurotoxic effects from 2001 to 2011 were included. Cases were assessed for time from bite to PPC evaluation, Grade Severity Score (GSS), onset/duration of clinical manifestations, severity/time course of local, non-neurological and neurological effects, and antidotic treatment. Twenty-four were included (age, 3-75 years) and represented on average of 2.2 cases/year (about 5% of total envenomed patients). The mean interval time of PPC evaluation from snakebite was 10.80 ± 19.93 hours. GSS at ED-admission was 0 (1 case), 1 (10 cases), and 2 (13 cases). All patients showed local signs: 41.6%, minor; 58.4%, extensive swelling and necrosis. The main systemic non-neurological effects were as follows: vomiting (86.7%), diarrhea (66.7%), abdominal discomfort (53.3%), and hypotension (20%). Neurotoxic effects were accommodation troubles and diplopia (100%), ptosis (91.7%), ophtalmoplegia (58.3%), dysphagia (20.8%), drowsiness (16.6%), cranial muscle weakness (12.5%), and dyspnea (4.2%). Neurotoxicity was the unique systemic manifestation in 9 cases; in 4 cases, they were associated with only mild local swelling. In 10 patients the onset of neurotoxic effects followed the resolution of systemic non-neurological effects. Antidote was intravenously administered in 19 (79.2%) patients. The mean duration of manifestations in untreated versus treated groups was 53.5 ± 62.91 versus 41.75 ± 21.18 hours (p = 0.68, local effects) and 9.77 ± 3.29 versus 8.25 ± 12.23 hours (p = 0.1, systemic non-neurological effects) and 43.4 ± 14.69 versus 26.58 ± 20.62 hours (p = 0.03, neurotoxic effects). Neurotoxicity may appear late (11 hours after the bite in 58.3% of cases), in contrast with the data reported in medical literature. Neurotoxic effects have been reversible in all cases and may be the unique systemic manifestation of envenomation. Neurotoxic effects are shorter in treated group. The antidotic treatment of patients considered as GSS 2 only for neurotoxic effects (with mild local effects) may not be necessary. Variable factors such as different amount of venom injected, concentration of PLA2 component, and individual susceptibility may explain the less percentage of patients presenting neurotoxic effects.

Local cooling for relieving pain from perineal trauma sustained during childbirth.

PubMed

East, C E; Begg, L; Henshall, N E; Marchant, P; Wallace, K

2007-10-17

Perineal trauma is common during childbirth and may be painful. Contemporary maternity practice includes offering women numerous forms of pain relief, including the local application of cooling treatments. To evaluate the effectiveness and side effects of localised cooling treatments compared with no treatment, other forms of cooling treatments and non-cooling treatments. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (January 2007), CINAHL (1982 to January 2007) and contacted experts in the field. Published and unpublished randomised and quasi-randomised trials (RCTs) that compared localised cooling treatment applied to the perineum with no treatment or other treatments applied to relieve pain related to perineal trauma sustained during childbirth. At least two independent authors performed data extraction for each study. Analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis where data allowed. We sought additional information from the authors of three trials. Seven published RCTs were included, comparing local cooling treatments (ice packs, cold gel pads or cold/iced baths) with no treatment, hamamelis water (witch hazel), pulsed electromagnetic energy (PET), hydrocortisone/pramoxine foam [Epifoam] or warm baths. The RCTs reported on a total of 859 women. Ice packs provided improved pain relief 24 to 72 hours after birth compared with no treatment (risk ratio (RR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41 to 0.91). Women preferred the utility of the gel pads compared with ice packs or no treatment, although no differences in pain relief were detected between the treatments. None of our comparisons of treatments resulted in differences detected in perineal oedema or bruising. Women reported more pain (RR 5.60, 95% CI 2.35 to 13.33) and used more additional analgesia (RR 4.00, 95% CI 1.44 to 11.13) following the application of ice packs compared with PET. There is only limited evidence to support the effectiveness of local cooling treatments (ice packs, cold gel pads, cold/iced baths) applied to the perineum following childbirth to relieve pain.

An Evaluation of Active Learning Causal Discovery Methods for Reverse-Engineering Local Causal Pathways of Gene Regulation

PubMed Central

Ma, Sisi; Kemmeren, Patrick; Aliferis, Constantin F.; Statnikov, Alexander

2016-01-01

Reverse-engineering of causal pathways that implicate diseases and vital cellular functions is a fundamental problem in biomedicine. Discovery of the local causal pathway of a target variable (that consists of its direct causes and direct effects) is essential for effective intervention and can facilitate accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Recent research has provided several active learning methods that can leverage passively observed high-throughput data to draft causal pathways and then refine the inferred relations with a limited number of experiments. The current study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of active learning methods for local causal pathway discovery in real biological data. Specifically, 54 active learning methods/variants from 3 families of algorithms were applied for local causal pathways reconstruction of gene regulation for 5 transcription factors in S. cerevisiae. Four aspects of the methods’ performance were assessed, including adjacency discovery quality, edge orientation accuracy, complete pathway discovery quality, and experimental cost. The results of this study show that some methods provide significant performance benefits over others and therefore should be routinely used for local causal pathway discovery tasks. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of local causal pathway reconstruction in real biological systems with significant quality and low experimental cost. PMID:26939894

Testing the Perey effect

DOE PAGES

Titus, L. J.; Nunes, Filomena M.

2014-03-12

Here, the effects of non-local potentials have historically been approximately included by applying a correction factor to the solution of the corresponding equation for the local equivalent interaction. This is usually referred to as the Perey correction factor. In this work we investigate the validity of the Perey correction factor for single-channel bound and scattering states, as well as in transfer (p, d) cross sections. Method: We solve the scattering and bound state equations for non-local interactions of the Perey-Buck type, through an iterative method. Using the distorted wave Born approximation, we construct the T-matrix for (p,d) on 17O, 41Ca,more » 49Ca, 127Sn, 133Sn, and 209Pb at 20 and 50 MeV. As a result, we found that for bound states, the Perey corrected wave function resulting from the local equation agreed well with that from the non-local equation in the interior region, but discrepancies were found in the surface and peripheral regions. Overall, the Perey correction factor was adequate for scattering states, with the exception of a few partial waves corresponding to the grazing impact parameters. These differences proved to be important for transfer reactions. In conclusion, the Perey correction factor does offer an improvement over taking a direct local equivalent solution. However, if the desired accuracy is to be better than 10%, the exact solution of the non-local equation should be pursued.« less

Obsidian hydration dating of volcanic events

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedman, I.; Obradovich, J.

1981-01-01

Obsidian hydration dating of volcanic events had been compared with ages of the same events determined by the 14C and KAr methods at several localities. The localities, ranging in age from 1200 to over 1 million yr, include Newberry Craters, Oregon; Coso Hot Springs, California; Salton Sea, California; Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; and Mineral Range, Utah. In most cases the agreement is quite good. A number of factors including volcanic glass composition and exposuretemperature history must be known in order to relate hydration thickness to age. The effect of composition can be determined from chemical analysis or the refractive index of the glass. Exposure-temperature history requires a number of considerations enumerated in this paper. ?? 1981.

47 CFR 36.191 - Equal access equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provided by long distance carriers affiliated with the local exchange company is included. (d) Effective... AND RESERVES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES 1 Telecommunications Property Equal Access Equipment... excluded. In the case of independent telephone companies, intrastate toll service provided by the...

Seven Rules for Effective History Teaching or Bringing Life to the History Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Formwalt, Lee W.

2002-01-01

Introduces a new column that focuses on successful strategies used by U.S. historians. Includes seven rules for effective history teaching: (1) teach with enthusiasm; (2) rely less on textbooks; (3) use secondary sources; (4) explore current topics; (5) use local history; (6) use music and film; and (7) become computer literate. (CMK)

The AdS3 propagator and the fate of locality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongbin; Fitzpatrick, A. Liam; Kaplan, Jared; Li, Daliang

2018-04-01

We recently used Virasoro symmetry considerations to propose an exact formula for a bulk proto-field ϕ in AdS3. In this paper we study the propagator < ϕϕ>. We show that many techniques from the study of conformal blocks can be generalized to compute it, including the semiclassical monodromy method and both forms of the Zamolodchikov recursion relations. When the results from recursion are expanded at large central charge, they match gravitational perturbation theory for a free scalar field coupled to gravity in our chosen gauge. We find that although the propagator is finite and well-defined at long distances, its perturbative expansion in {G}_N=3/2c exhibits UV/IR mixing effects. If we nevertheless interpret < ϕϕ> as a probe of bulk locality, then when {G}_{N{m}_{φ }}≪ 1 locality breaks down at the new short-distance scale {σ}_{\\ast}˜ √[4]{G_N{R}_{AdS}^3} . For ϕ with very large bulk mass, or at small central charge, bulk locality fails at the AdS length scale. In all cases, locality `breakdown' manifests as singularities or branch cuts at spacelike separation arising from non-perturbative quantum gravitational effects.

Are Local Laws the Key to Ending Childhood Lead Poisoning?

PubMed Central

Korfmacher, Katrina S.; Hanley, Michael L.

2014-01-01

Although lead paint was banned by federal law in 1978, it continues to poison children living in homes built before that time. The lifelong effects of childhood exposure to even small amounts of lead are well established by medical research and include learning and behavior problems, hypertension, osteoporosis, and kidney disease. Federal and state laws have reduced rates of lead poisoning significantly in the past three decades. However, pockets of high rates of lead poisoning remain, primarily in low-income urban neighborhoods with older housing stock. Recently, several municipalities have passed local lead laws in an attempt to reduce lead hazards in these remaining areas. There has been no systematic attempt to compare the design and effectiveness of these local policies. To address this gap, we conducted comparative case studies of eight innovative lead laws promulgated since 2010. The laws used a wide variety of legal structures and tools, although certain elements were common. The impact of the policies was intertwined with local housing, economic, and legal environments. While data do not yet exist to systematically evaluate the impact on lead poisoning rates, our analysis suggests that local laws hold great promise for reducing lead hazards in children’s homes. PMID:23645870

Many-body localization beyond eigenstates in all dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandran, A.; Pal, A.; Laumann, C. R.; Scardicchio, A.

2016-10-01

Isolated quantum systems with quenched randomness exhibit many-body localization (MBL), wherein they do not reach local thermal equilibrium even when highly excited above their ground states. It is widely believed that individual eigenstates capture this breakdown of thermalization at finite size. We show that this belief is false in general and that a MBL system can exhibit the eigenstate properties of a thermalizing system. We propose that localized approximately conserved operators (l*-bits) underlie localization in such systems. In dimensions d >1 , we further argue that the existing MBL phenomenology is unstable to boundary effects and gives way to l*-bits . Physical consequences of l*-bits include the possibility of an eigenstate phase transition within the MBL phase unrelated to the dynamical transition in d =1 and thermal eigenstates at all parameters in d >1 . Near-term experiments in ultracold atomic systems and numerics can probe the dynamics generated by boundary layers and emergence of l*-bits .

Correlation Between Fracture Network Properties and Stress Variability in Geological Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Qinghua; Gao, Ke

2018-05-01

We quantitatively investigate the stress variability in fractured geological media under tectonic stresses. The fracture systems studied include synthetic fracture networks following power law length scaling and natural fracture patterns based on outcrop mapping. The stress field is derived from a finite-discrete element model, and its variability is analyzed using a set of mathematical formulations that honor the tensorial nature of stress data. We show that local stress perturbation, quantified by the Euclidean distance of a local stress tensor to the mean stress tensor, has a positive, linear correlation with local fracture intensity, defined as the total fracture length per unit area within a local sampling window. We also evaluate the stress dispersion of the entire stress field using the effective variance, that is, a scalar-valued measure of the overall stress variability. The results show that a well-connected fracture system under a critically stressed state exhibits strong local and global stress variabilities.

A unified universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Codello, Alessandro; Jain, Rajeev Kumar

2018-05-01

We present a unified evolution of the universe from very early times until the present epoch by including both the leading local correction R^2 and the leading non-local term R1/\\square ^2R to the classical gravitational action. We find that the inflationary phase driven by R^2 term gracefully exits in a transitory regime characterized by coherent oscillations of the Hubble parameter. The universe then naturally enters into a radiation dominated epoch followed by a matter dominated era. At sufficiently late times after radiation-matter equality, the non-local term starts to dominate inducing an accelerated expansion of the universe at the present epoch. We further exhibit the fact that both the leading local and non-local terms can be obtained within the covariant effective field theory of gravity. This scenario thus provides a unified picture of inflation and dark energy in a single framework by means of a purely gravitational action without the usual need of a scalar field.

The climate-wildfire-air quality system: interactions and feedbacks across spatial and temporal scales

Treesearch

E. Natasha Stavros; Donald McKenzie; Narasimhan Larkin

2014-01-01

Future climate change and its effects on social and ecological systems present challenges for preserving valued ecosystem services, including local and regional air quality. Wildfire is a major source of air-quality impact in some locations, and a substantial contributor to pollutants of concern, including nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are regulated to...

Adjuvant neutron therapy in complex treatment of patients with locally advanced breast cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisin, V. A.; Velikaya, V. V.; Startseva, Zh. A.; Popova, N. O.; Goldberg, V. E.

2017-09-01

The study included 128 patients with stage T2-4N0-3M0 locally advanced breast cancer. All patients were divided into two groups. Group I (study group) consisted of 68 patients, who received neutron therapy, and group II (control group) comprised 60 patients, who received electron beam therapy. Neutron therapy was well tolerated by the patients and 1-2 grade radiation skin reactions were the most common. Neutron therapy was shown to be effective in multimodality treatment of the patients with locally advanced breast cancer. The 8-year recurrence-free survival rate in the patients with locally advanced breast cancer was 94.5 ± 4.1% after neutron therapy and 81.4 ± 5.9% after electron beam therapy (p = 0.05).

Streamline-curvature effect in three-dimensional boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Helen L.; Lin, Ray-Sing; Petraglia, Media M.

1992-01-01

The effect of including wall and streamline curvature terms in swept-wing boundary-layer stability calculations is studied. The linear disturbance equations are cast on a fixed, body-intrinsic, curvilinear coordinate system. Those nonparallel terms which contribute mainly to the streamline-curvature effect are retained in this formulation and approximated by their local finite-difference values. Convex-wall curvature has a stabilizing effect, while streamline curvature is destabilizing if the curvature exceeds a critical value.

Computational nanomedicine: modeling of nanoparticle-mediated hyperthermal cancer therapy

PubMed Central

Kaddi, Chanchala D; Phan, John H; Wang, May D

2016-01-01

Nanoparticle-mediated hyperthermia for cancer therapy is a growing area of cancer nanomedicine because of the potential for localized and targeted destruction of cancer cells. Localized hyperthermal effects are dependent on many factors, including nanoparticle size and shape, excitation wavelength and power, and tissue properties. Computational modeling is an important tool for investigating and optimizing these parameters. In this review, we focus on computational modeling of magnetic and gold nanoparticle-mediated hyperthermia, followed by a discussion of new opportunities and challenges. PMID:23914967

Keyword: help! Online resources for disaster preparedness.

PubMed

Hart, Amadie H; Cushman, Margaret J

2002-01-01

Health care organizations such as home care agencies should have post-disaster contingency plans in place that include contacts with the local, county, or state emergency management office, local branch of the Red Cross, and a clearly identified point person within the agency to coordinate disaster response efforts. Home care agencies must plan for the far-reaching effects that disasters can have on people in the community. This article provides some online resources to help you, your organization, and your family prepare for unexpected events.

Discrete-element modeling of nacre-like materials: Effects of random microstructures on strain localization and mechanical performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abid, Najmul; Mirkhalaf, Mohammad; Barthelat, Francois

2018-03-01

Natural materials such as nacre, collagen, and spider silk are composed of staggered stiff and strong inclusions in a softer matrix. This type of hybrid microstructure results in remarkable combinations of stiffness, strength, and toughness and it now inspires novel classes of high-performance composites. However, the analytical and numerical approaches used to predict and optimize the mechanics of staggered composites often neglect statistical variations and inhomogeneities, which may have significant impacts on modulus, strength, and toughness. Here we present an analysis of localization using small representative volume elements (RVEs) and large scale statistical volume elements (SVEs) based on the discrete element method (DEM). DEM is an efficient numerical method which enabled the evaluation of more than 10,000 microstructures in this study, each including about 5,000 inclusions. The models explore the combined effects of statistics, inclusion arrangement, and interface properties. We find that statistical variations have a negative effect on all properties, in particular on the ductility and energy absorption because randomness precipitates the localization of deformations. However, the results also show that the negative effects of random microstructures can be offset by interfaces with large strain at failure accompanied by strain hardening. More specifically, this quantitative study reveals an optimal range of interface properties where the interfaces are the most effective at delaying localization. These findings show how carefully designed interfaces in bioinspired staggered composites can offset the negative effects of microstructural randomness, which is inherent to most current fabrication methods.

Species richness at the guild level: effects of species pool and local environmental conditions on stream macroinvertebrate communities.

PubMed

Grönroos, Mira; Heino, Jani

2012-05-01

1. A fundamental question in ecology is which factors determine species richness. Here, we studied the relative importance of regional species pool and local environmental characteristics in determining local species richness (LSR). Typically, this question has been studied using whole communities or a certain taxonomic group, although including species with widely varying biological traits in the same analysis may hinder the detection of ecologically meaningful patterns. 2. We studied the question above for whole stream macroinvertebrate community and within functional feeding guilds. We defined the local scale as a riffle site and the regional scale (i.e. representing the regional species pool) as a stream. Such intermediate-sized regional scale is rarely studied in this context. 3. We sampled altogether 100 sites, ten riffles (local scale) in each of ten streams (regional scale). We used the local-regional richness regression plots to study the overall effect of regional species pool on LSR. Variation partitioning was used to determine the relative importance of regional species pool and local environmental conditions for species richness. 4. The local-regional richness relationship was mainly linear, suggesting strong species pool effects. Only one guild showed some signs of curvilinearity. However, variation partitioning showed that local environmental characteristics accounted for a larger fraction of variance in LSR than regional species pool. Also, the relative importance of the fractions differed between the whole community and guilds, as well as among guilds. 5. This study indicates that the importance of the local and regional processes may vary depending on feeding guild and trophic level. We conclude that both the size of the regional species pool and local habitat characteristics are important in determining LSR of stream macroinvertebrates. Our results are in agreement with recent large-scale studies conducted in highly different study systems and complement the previous findings by showing that the interplay of regional and local factors is also important at intermediate regional scales. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

Science learning based on local potential: Overview of the nature of science (NoS) achieved

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilujeng, Insih; Zuhdan Kun, P.; Suryadarma, IGP.

2017-08-01

The research concerned here examined the effectiveness of science learning conducted with local potential as basis from the point of a review of the NoS (nature of science) achieved. It used the non equivalent control group design and took place in the regions of Magelang and Pati, Province of Central Java, and the regions of Bantul and Sleman, Province of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The research population consisted of students of the first and second grades at each junior high school chosen with research subjects sampled by means of cluster sampling. The instruments used included: a) an observation sheet, b) a written test, and c) a questionnaire. The learning and research instruments had been declared valid and reliable according to previous developmental research. In conclusion, the science learning based on local potential was effective in terms of all the NoS aspects.

Exploring the multiplicity of soil-human interactions: organic carbon content, agro-forest landscapes and the Italian local communities.

PubMed

Salvati, Luca; Barone, Pier Matteo; Ferrara, Carlotta

2015-05-01

Topsoil organic carbon (TOC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) are fundamental in the carbon cycle influencing soil functions and attributes. Many factors have effects on soil carbon content such as climate, parent material, land topography and the human action including agriculture, which sometimes caused a severe loss in soil carbon content. This has resulted in a significant differentiation in TOC or SOC at the continental scale due to the different territorial and socioeconomic conditions. The present study proposes an exploratory data analysis assessing the relationship between the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon and selected socioeconomic attributes at the local scale in Italy with the aim to provide differentiated responses for a more sustainable use of land. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis contributed to understand the effectiveness of local communities responses for an adequate comprehension of the role of soil as carbon sink.

A New Local Failure Model with Application to the Longitudinal Tensile Behavior of Continuously Reinforced Titanium Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2000-01-01

A new model for local fiber failures in composite materials loaded longitudinally is presented. In developing the model, the goal was to account for the effects of fiber breakage on the global response of a composite in a relatively simple and efficient manner. Towards this end, the model includes the important feature of local stress unloading, even as global loading of the composite continues. The model has been incorporated into NASA Glenn's Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) and was employed to simulate the longitudinal tensile deformation and failure behavior of several silicon carbide fiber/titanium matrix (SiC/Ti) composites. The model is shown to be quite realistic and capable of accurate predictions for various temperatures, fiber volume fractions, and fiber diameters. Further- more, the new model compares favorably to Curtin's (1993) effective fiber breakage model, which has also been incorporated into MAC/GMC.

FEMCAM Analysis of SULTAN Test Results for ITER Nb3SN Cable-conduit Conductors

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

Yuhu Zhai, Pierluigi Bruzzone, Ciro Calzolaio

2013-03-19

Performance degradation due to filament fracture of Nb3 Sn cable-in-conduit conductors (CICCs) is a critical issue in large-scale magnet designs such as ITER which is currently being constructed in the South of France. The critical current observed in most SULTAN TF CICC samples is significantly lower than expected and the voltage-current characteristic is seen to have a much broader transition from a single strand to the CICC. Moreover, most conductors exhibit the irreversible degradation due to filament fracture and strain relaxation under electromagnetic cyclic loading. With recent success in monitoring thermal strain distribution and its evolution under the electromagnetic cyclicmore » loading from in situ measurement of critical temperature, we apply FEMCAM which includes strand filament breakage and local current sharing effects to SULTAN tested CICCs to study Nb3 Sn strain sensitivity and irreversible performance degradation. FEMCAM combines the thermal bending effect during cool down and the EM bending effect due to locally accumulating Lorentz force during magnet operation. It also includes strand filament fracture and related local current sharing for the calculation of cable n value. In this paper, we model continuous performance degradation under EM cyclic loading based on strain relaxation and the transition broadening upon cyclic loading to the extreme cases seen in SULTAN test data to better quantify conductor performance degradation.« less

The surgical management of rectal cancer: a comparison of treatment methods and outcomes over 2 time periods in the same geographic region.

PubMed

Orrom, William J; Hayashi, Allen H; Kuechler, Derek; Ross, Alison C; Kuechler, Peter M; Larsson, Stephan; Rusnak, Conrad H; Weinerman, Brian

2007-05-01

Preoperative radiotherapy combined with total mesorectal excision (TME) has provided excellent local control in the treatment of rectal cancer. This study is a review of patients treated at our regional cancer center from 1998 to 2004. The results were compared with a similar study carried out in our region from 1988 to 1998 to determine any changes in treatment methods, recurrence rates, and survival. A retrospective review of 448 patients treated with definitive surgery for rectal cancer was conducted. Patient factors analyzed included sex, age, type of surgery, and adjuvant strategy. Tumor factors analyzed included level, stage, and grade. The presence of local recurrence was recorded and overall survival was determined. The local recurrence rate was 8.3% compared with 12.7% in the previous study. Patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy had a recurrence rate of 3.7%. The type of surgical therapy had no significant effect on local recurrence. There was no significant change in overall survival between the present study and the previous one. Preoperative radiotherapy is used more frequently in our region and has resulted in a decrease in the local recurrence rate compared to our previous retrospective review. There was no change in local recurrence seen in those patients treated with operative management alone. This study supports the use of preoperative radiotherapy in the management of rectal cancer.

Nondestructive Evaluation of Adhesively Bonded Joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nayeb-Hashemi, Hamid; Rossettos, J. N.

1997-01-01

The final report consists of 5 published papers in referred journals and a technical letter to the technical monitor. These papers include the following: (1) Comparison of the effects of debonds and voids in adhesive; (2) On the peak shear stresses in adhesive joints with voids; (3) Nondestructive evaluation of adhesively bonded joints by acousto-ultrasonic technique and acoustic emission; (4) Multiaxial fatigue life evaluation of tubular adhesively bonded joints; (5) Theoretical and experimental evaluation of the bond strength under peeling loads. The letter outlines the progress of the research. Also included is preliminary information on the study of nondestructive evaluation of composite materials subjected to localized heat damage. The investigators studied the effects of localized heat on unidirectional fiber glass epoxy composite panels. Specimens of the fiber glass epoxy composites were subjected to 400 C heat for varying lengths of time. The specimens were subjected to nondestructive tests. The specimens were then pulled to their failure and acoustic emission of these specimens were measured. The analysis of the data was continuing as of the writing of the letter, and includes a finite element stress analysis of the problem.

Estimates of the effective compressive strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, R. V.; Osipenko, N. M.

2017-07-01

One problem encountered when determining the effective mechanical properties of large-scale objects, which requires calculating their strength in processes of mechanical interaction with other objects, is related to the possible variability in their local properties including those due to the action of external physical factors. Such problems comprise the determination of the effective strength of bodies one of whose dimensions (thickness) is significantly less than the others and whose properties and/or composition can vary with the thickness. A method for estimating the effective strength of such bodies is proposed and illustrated with example of ice cover strength under longitudinal compression with regard to a partial loss of the ice bearing capacity in deformation. The role of failure localization processes is shown. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach can be used in other problems of fracture mechanics.

Improved efficacy of allergen-specific immunotherapy by JAK inhibition in a murine model of allergic asthma

PubMed Central

Alessandrini, Francesca; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valerie; Hrabě de Angelis, Martin; Russkamp, Dennis; Chaker, Adam; Ollert, Markus; Gutermuth, Jan; Schmidt-Weber, Carsten B.

2017-01-01

Background Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only curative treatment for type-1 allergies, but sometimes shows limited therapeutic response as well as local and systemic side effects. Limited control of local inflammation and patient symptoms hampers its widespread use in severe allergic asthma. Objective Our aim was to evaluate whether AIT is more effective in suppression of local inflammation if performed under the umbrella of short-term non-specific immunomodulation using a small molecule inhibitor of JAK pathways. Methods In C57BL/6J mice, a model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic airway inflammation and allergen-specific immunotherapy was combined with the administration of Tofacitinib (TOFA, a FDA-approved JAK inhibitor) from 48 hours prior to 48 hours after therapeutic OVA-injection. The effect of TOFA on human FOXP3+CD4+ T cells was studied in vitro. Results AIT combined with short-term TOFA administration was significantly more effective in suppressing total cell and eosinophil infiltration into the lung, local cytokine production including IL-1β and CXCL1 and showed a trend for the reduction of IL-4, IL-13, TNF-α and IL-6 compared to AIT alone. Furthermore, TOFA co-administration significantly reduced systemic IL-6, IL-1β and OVA-specific IgE levels and induced IgG1 to the same extent as AIT alone. Additionally, TOFA enhanced the induction of human FOXP3+CD4+ T cells. Conclusions This proof of concept study shows that JAK inhibition did not inhibit tolerance induction, but improved experimental AIT at the level of local inflammation. The improved control of local inflammation might extend the use of AIT in more severe conditions such as polyallergy, asthma and high-risk patients suffering from mastocytosis or anaphylaxis. PMID:28570653

Improved efficacy of allergen-specific immunotherapy by JAK inhibition in a murine model of allergic asthma.

PubMed

Aguilar-Pimentel, Antonio; Graessel, Anke; Alessandrini, Francesca; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valerie; Hrabě de Angelis, Martin; Russkamp, Dennis; Chaker, Adam; Ollert, Markus; Blank, Simon; Gutermuth, Jan; Schmidt-Weber, Carsten B

2017-01-01

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only curative treatment for type-1 allergies, but sometimes shows limited therapeutic response as well as local and systemic side effects. Limited control of local inflammation and patient symptoms hampers its widespread use in severe allergic asthma. Our aim was to evaluate whether AIT is more effective in suppression of local inflammation if performed under the umbrella of short-term non-specific immunomodulation using a small molecule inhibitor of JAK pathways. In C57BL/6J mice, a model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic airway inflammation and allergen-specific immunotherapy was combined with the administration of Tofacitinib (TOFA, a FDA-approved JAK inhibitor) from 48 hours prior to 48 hours after therapeutic OVA-injection. The effect of TOFA on human FOXP3+CD4+ T cells was studied in vitro. AIT combined with short-term TOFA administration was significantly more effective in suppressing total cell and eosinophil infiltration into the lung, local cytokine production including IL-1β and CXCL1 and showed a trend for the reduction of IL-4, IL-13, TNF-α and IL-6 compared to AIT alone. Furthermore, TOFA co-administration significantly reduced systemic IL-6, IL-1β and OVA-specific IgE levels and induced IgG1 to the same extent as AIT alone. Additionally, TOFA enhanced the induction of human FOXP3+CD4+ T cells. This proof of concept study shows that JAK inhibition did not inhibit tolerance induction, but improved experimental AIT at the level of local inflammation. The improved control of local inflammation might extend the use of AIT in more severe conditions such as polyallergy, asthma and high-risk patients suffering from mastocytosis or anaphylaxis.

Covariant effective action for a Galilean invariant quantum Hall system

DOE PAGES

Geracie, Michael; Prabhu, Kartik; Roberts, Matthew M.

2016-09-16

Here, we construct effective field theories for gapped quantum Hall systems coupled to background geometries with local Galilean invariance i.e. Bargmann spacetimes. Along with an electromagnetic field, these backgrounds include the effects of curved Galilean spacetimes, including torsion and a gravitational field, allowing us to study charge, energy, stress and mass currents within a unified framework. A shift symmetry specific to single constituent theories constraints the effective action to couple to an effective background gauge field and spin connection that is solved for by a self-consistent equation, providing a manifestly covariant extension of Hoyos and Son’s improvement terms to arbitrarymore » order in m.« less

The factors impacted to local contractor from Foreign Direct Investment in advancing economic hub development in Iskandar Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafiq Salim, Muhamad; Zakaria, Rozana; Aminuddin, Eeydzah; Hamid, Abdul Rahim Abdul; Abdullah, Redzuan; Shahzaib Khan, Jam

2018-04-01

Iskandar Malaysia is an advanced economic hub which is rapidly growing in the State of Johor. It has been an attractive place for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to invest. Many sectors are affected by the presence of FDI including the construction sector. This paper highlights the investigation on the effects of FDI to the local contractor in the Iskandar Malaysia Development. In this study, a questionnaire survey was carried out to gain the information on problems from internal factors and external factors that caused the limitation on involvement in FDI project by local contractors. 73 numbers of local contractor registered under CIDB in class G5, G6 and G7 are the respondents. Frequency analysis and Average Index Analysis are used for the results. This study provides the factors that impacted local construction players in Iskandar Malaysia Development. This study has portrayed that FDI plays a vital and significant role in spearheading the active involvement of local contractors in an urban sustainable development.

Comparative Effectiveness of Conservative Management Compared to Cryotherapy in Localized Prostate Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Shah, Surbhi; Young, Henry N; Cobran, Ewan K

2018-06-01

The high frequency of treatment-related side effects for men with localized prostate cancer creates uncertainty for treatment outcomes. This study assessed the comparative effectiveness of treatment-related side effects associated with conservative management and cryotherapy in patients with localized prostate cancer. A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted, using the linked data of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results and Medicare, which included patients diagnosed from 2000 through year 2013, and their Medicare claims information from 2000 through 2014. To compare the differences in baseline characteristics and treatment-related side effects between the study cohorts, χ 2 tests were conducted. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between treatment selection and side effects. There were 7,998 and 3,051 patients in the conservative management and cryotherapy cohort, respectively. The likelihood of erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract obstruction, urinary fistula, urinary incontinence, and hydronephrosis was reported to be significantly lower (53%, 35%, 69%, 65%, and 36%, respectively) in the conservative management cohort. Conservative management had a lower likelihood of treatment-related side effects compared to cryotherapy. However, further research is needed to compare other significant long-term outcomes such as costs associated with these treatment choices and quality of life.

Collaboration between local health and local government agencies for health improvement.

PubMed

Hayes, Sara L; Mann, Mala K; Morgan, Fiona M; Kitcher, Hilary; Kelly, Mark J; Weightman, Alison L

2011-06-15

In many countries, national, regional and local inter- and intra-agency collaborations have been introduced in order to improve health outcomes. Evidence is needed on the effectiveness of locally-developed partnerships which target changes in individual health outcomes and behaviours. To evaluate the effects of interagency collaboration between local health and local government agencies on health outcomes. Twenty-five databases were searched using a highly sensitive search strategy. 'Snowballing' methods were also used, including expert contact, website searching and reference list follow up. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs), controlled before-and-after studies (CBAs) and interrupted time series (ITS) where the study reported on interagency collaboration between health and local government agencies. Studies were selected independently in duplicate by two of five authors. From the team of five review authors, two authors independently conducted data extraction and assessed risk of bias for each study. Eleven studies were identified, presenting information on a total of 26,686 participants. Owing to the heterogeneity between studies a narrative synthesis was undertaken. The included studies covered a range of topics. Six studies examined mental health initiatives, of which one study showed health benefit; four showed modest improvement in one or more of the outcomes measured, but no clear overall health gain; and one study showed no evidence of health gain. Two studies were related to lifestyle improvements of which one failed to show health gains for the intervention population, while the other showed more unhealthy lifestyle behaviours persisting in the intervention population. Three studies were related to chronic disease management and all three failed to demonstrate health gains. Collaboration between local health and local government is commonly considered best practice. However, the review did not identify any reliable evidence that inter‑agency collaboration, compared to standard services, leads to health improvement. A few studies identified component benefits but these were not reflected in overall outcome scores and could have resulted from the use of significant additional resources. Although agencies appear enthusiastic about collaboration, methodological flaws in the primary studies and incomplete implementation of initiatives have prevented the development of a strong evidence base. If these flaws are addressed in future studies (for example by providing greater detail on the implementation of programs, using more robust designs, with integrated process evaluations and measurement of health outcomes) it could provide a better understanding of what might work and why.When updating this review, we will analyse any partnership or process evaluations of our included studies to try to identify markers of success in local collaborative partnerships that could inform policy developments in the future.

Comparative analysis of package inserts of local and imported antihypertensive medications in Palestine.

PubMed

Qatmosh, Sandra A; Koni, Amer A; Qeeno, Baraa G; Arandy, Dina A; Abu-Hashia, Maysa W; Al-Hroub, Bahaa M; Zyoud, Sa'ed H

2017-09-25

Package inserts (PIs) as a reliable reference for patients and health care providers should provide accurate, complete and up-to-date information. The purpose of the current study is to assess and compare the PIs of antihypertensive agents locally produced in Palestine and their imported counterparts. Thirty-five PIs were assessed for the presence of 31 information statements using a scoring method. Word counting of 20 headings and subheadings was used to evaluate and compare local and imported PIs for information quantity. None of the analysed PIs fulfilled the criteria. All of them included the brand name, active ingredients, indications, directions for use, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, pregnancy and lactation considerations, and storage. Whereas none of them, either local or imported PIs, included the shelf life and instructions to convert tablets or capsules into liquid forms. Additionally, only one (5%) imported and no (0%) local PIs mentioned the duration of therapy. Moreover, 93.4% of local PIs were deficient in areas regarding the inactive ingredients and date of last revision, and 86.7% did not mention the drug dose and possibility of tablet splitting. Furthermore, the maximum dose was not indicated in 90% of imported and 86.7% of local PIs. In general, imported PIs contained more detailed information than their local counterparts, where the range of differences in medians between the local and imported PIs was from 1.5-fold for pregnancy considerations to >42.00-fold for the effect on the ability to drive and use machines. The findings of this study revealed the superiority of imported over local PIs in both quality and quantity of information provided. This emphasises the need for appropriate measures to be taken by the Ministry of Health and local manufacturers to ensure efficiency of local PIs in providing accurate, complete and up-to-date information.

Whole body vibration training--improving balance control and muscle endurance.

PubMed

Ritzmann, Ramona; Kramer, Andreas; Bernhardt, Sascha; Gollhofer, Albert

2014-01-01

Exercise combined with whole body vibration (WBV) is becoming increasingly popular, although additional effects of WBV in comparison to conventional exercises are still discussed controversially in literature. Heterogeneous findings are attributed to large differences in the training designs between WBV and "control" groups in regard to training volume, load and type. In order to separate the additional effects of WBV from the overall adaptations due to the intervention, in this study, a four-week WBV training setup was compared to a matched intervention program with identical training parameters in both training settings except for the exposure to WBV. In a repeated-measures matched-subject design, 38 participants were assigned to either the WBV group (VIB) or the equivalent training group (CON). Training duration, number of sets, rest periods and task-specific instructions were matched between the groups. Balance, jump height and local static muscle endurance were assessed before and after the training period. The statistical analysis revealed significant interaction effects of group×time for balance and local static muscle endurance (p<0.05). Hence, WBV caused an additional effect on balance control (pre vs. post VIB +13%, p<0.05 and CON +6%, p = 0.33) and local static muscle endurance (pre vs. post VIB +36%, p<0.05 and CON +11%, p = 0.49). The effect on jump height remained insignificant (pre vs. post VIB +3%, p = 0.25 and CON ±0%, p = 0.82). This study provides evidence for the additional effects of WBV above conventional exercise alone. As far as balance and muscle endurance of the lower leg are concerned, a training program that includes WBV can provide supplementary benefits in young and well-trained adults compared to an equivalent program that does not include WBV.

Whole Body Vibration Training - Improving Balance Control and Muscle Endurance

PubMed Central

Ritzmann, Ramona; Kramer, Andreas; Bernhardt, Sascha; Gollhofer, Albert

2014-01-01

Exercise combined with whole body vibration (WBV) is becoming increasingly popular, although additional effects of WBV in comparison to conventional exercises are still discussed controversially in literature. Heterogeneous findings are attributed to large differences in the training designs between WBV and “control” groups in regard to training volume, load and type. In order to separate the additional effects of WBV from the overall adaptations due to the intervention, in this study, a four-week WBV training setup was compared to a matched intervention program with identical training parameters in both training settings except for the exposure to WBV. In a repeated-measures matched-subject design, 38 participants were assigned to either the WBV group (VIB) or the equivalent training group (CON). Training duration, number of sets, rest periods and task-specific instructions were matched between the groups. Balance, jump height and local static muscle endurance were assessed before and after the training period. The statistical analysis revealed significant interaction effects of group×time for balance and local static muscle endurance (p<0.05). Hence, WBV caused an additional effect on balance control (pre vs. post VIB +13%, p<0.05 and CON +6%, p = 0.33) and local static muscle endurance (pre vs. post VIB +36%, p<0.05 and CON +11%, p = 0.49). The effect on jump height remained insignificant (pre vs. post VIB +3%, p = 0.25 and CON ±0%, p = 0.82). This study provides evidence for the additional effects of WBV above conventional exercise alone. As far as balance and muscle endurance of the lower leg are concerned, a training program that includes WBV can provide supplementary benefits in young and well-trained adults compared to an equivalent program that does not include WBV. PMID:24587114

Activation of GLP-1 receptors on vascular smooth muscle cells reduces the autoregulatory response in afferent arterioles and increases renal blood flow.

PubMed

Jensen, Elisa P; Poulsen, Steen S; Kissow, Hannelouise; Holstein-Rathlou, Niels-Henrik; Deacon, Carolyn F; Jensen, Boye L; Holst, Jens J; Sorensen, Charlotte M

2015-04-15

Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 has a range of extrapancreatic effects, including renal effects. The mechanisms are poorly understood, but GLP-1 receptors have been identified in the kidney. However, the exact cellular localization of the renal receptors is poorly described. The aim of the present study was to localize renal GLP-1 receptors and describe GLP-1-mediated effects on the renal vasculature. We hypothesized that renal GLP-1 receptors are located in the renal microcirculation and that activation of these affects renal autoregulation and increases renal blood flow. In vivo autoradiography using (125)I-labeled GLP-1, (125)I-labeled exendin-4 (GLP-1 analog), and (125)I-labeled exendin 9-39 (GLP-1 receptor antagonist) was performed in rodents to localize specific GLP-1 receptor binding. GLP-1-mediated effects on blood pressure, renal blood flow (RBF), heart rate, renin secretion, urinary flow rate, and Na(+) and K(+) excretion were investigated in anesthetized rats. Effects of GLP-1 on afferent arterioles were investigated in isolated mouse kidneys. Specific binding of (125)I-labeled GLP-1, (125)I-labeled exendin-4, and (125)I-labeled exendin 9-39 was observed in the renal vasculature, including afferent arterioles. Infusion of GLP-1 increased blood pressure, RBF, and urinary flow rate significantly in rats. Heart rate and plasma renin concentrations were unchanged. Exendin 9-39 inhibited the increase in RBF. In isolated murine kidneys, GLP-1 and exendin-4 significantly reduced the autoregulatory response of afferent arterioles in response to stepwise increases in pressure. We conclude that GLP-1 receptors are located in the renal vasculature, including afferent arterioles. Activation of these receptors reduces the autoregulatory response of afferent arterioles to acute pressure increases and increases RBF in normotensive rats. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Minigrants to Local Health Departments: An Opportunity to Promote Climate Change Preparedness.

PubMed

Grossman, Elena; Hathaway, Michelle; Bush, Kathleen F; Cahillane, Matthew; English, Dorette Q; Holmes, Tisha; Moran, Colleen E; Uejio, Christopher K; York, Emily A; Dorevitch, Samuel

2018-06-20

Human health is threatened by climate change. While the public health workforce is concerned about climate change, local health department (LHD) administrators have reported insufficient knowledge and resources to address climate change. Minigrants from state to LHDs have been used to promote a variety of local public health initiatives. To describe the minigrant approach used by state health departments implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework, to highlight successes of this approach in promoting climate change preparedness at LHDs, and to describe challenges encountered. Cross-sectional survey and discussion. State-level recipients of CDC funding issued minigrants to local public health entities to promote climate change preparedness, adaptation, and resilience. The amount of funding, number of LHDs funded per state, goals, selection process, evaluation process, outcomes, successes, and challenges of the minigrant programs. Six state-level recipients of CDC funding for BRACE framework implementation awarded minigrants ranging from $7700 to $28 500 per year to 44 unique local jurisdictions. Common goals of the minigrants included capacity building, forging partnerships with entities outside of health departments, incorporating climate change information into existing programs, and developing adaptation plans. Recipients of minigrants reported increases in knowledge, engagement with diverse stakeholders, and the incorporation of climate change content into existing programs. Challenges included addressing climate change in regions where the topic is politically sensitive, as well as the uncertainty about the long-term sustainability of local projects beyond the term of minigrant support. Minigrants can increase local public health capacity to address climate change. Jurisdictions that wish to utilize minigrant mechanisms to promote climate change adaptation and preparedness at the local level may benefit from the experience of the 6 states and 44 local health programs described.

Development and verification of global/local analysis techniques for laminated composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Danniella Muheim; Griffin, O. Hayden, Jr.

1991-01-01

A two-dimensional to three-dimensional global/local finite element approach was developed, verified, and applied to a laminated composite plate of finite width and length containing a central circular hole. The resulting stress fields for axial compression loads were examined for several symmetric stacking sequences and hole sizes. Verification was based on comparison of the displacements and the stress fields with those accepted trends from previous free edge investigations and a complete three-dimensional finite element solution of the plate. The laminates in the compression study included symmetric cross-ply, angle-ply and quasi-isotropic stacking sequences. The entire plate was selected as the global model and analyzed with two-dimensional finite elements. Displacements along a region identified as the global/local interface were applied in a kinematically consistent fashion to independent three-dimensional local models. Local areas of interest in the plate included a portion of the straight free edge near the hole, and the immediate area around the hole. Interlaminar stress results obtained from the global/local analyses compares well with previously reported trends, and some new conclusions about interlaminar stress fields in plates with different laminate orientations and hole sizes are presented for compressive loading. The effectiveness of the global/local procedure in reducing the computational effort required to solve these problems is clearly demonstrated through examination of the computer time required to formulate and solve the linear, static system of equations which result for the global and local analyses to those required for a complete three-dimensional formulation for a cross-ply laminate. Specific processors used during the analyses are described in general terms. The application of this global/local technique is not limited software system, and was developed and described in as general a manner as possible.

Long-term effect of oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery using latissimus dorsi miniflaps on mammographic surveillance and the detection of local recurrence.

PubMed

Mele, S; Wright, D; Paramanathan, N; Laws, S; Peiris, L; Rainsbury, R

2017-09-01

Latissimus dorsi miniflap is a breast-conserving volume replacement technique for the reconstruction of large breast defects. While mammographic features of miniflap reconstruction have been described, little is known about the incidence, mode of presentation and size of local recurrence after this procedure. This study aimed to investigate the impact of latissimus dorsi miniflap reconstruction on the frequency, presentation and detection of local recurrence. Clinical, radiological and pathological data were reviewed in 261 patients. Complete records were available for 11 patients developing local recurrence, including mode, time of presentation and size of the recurrent tumours. All mammograms before and after local recurrence were assessed in relation to a range of specific characteristics including parenchymal density, flap visibility, architectural distortion, mass, calcifications, fat necrosis, skin thickening and breast oedema. Twenty-one patients developed local recurrence at 10.4 years following reconstruction (mean age 49 years, resection weight 182 g and tumour size 33 mm). Following radiotherapy, 0.5% of patients developed local recurrence each year, which increased five-fold when radiotherapy was omitted (HR 4.99). Local recurrences were diagnosed in five patients by mammography alone, in three by mammography and palpable lump, and in three by palpable lump alone. They were detected when small (15 mm) and were associated with new mammographic abnormalities in 10 patients. Long follow-up demonstrates that latissimus dorsi miniflap reconstruction allows oncologically safe breast conservation when combined with postoperative radiotherapy. Local recurrences are detected early, either by mammography, clinical examination or both, and detection is not compromised by the presence of a flap. Copyright © 2017 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Connecting Coastal Communities with Ocean Science: A Look at Ocean Sense and the Inclusion of Place-based Indigenous Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLean, M. A.; Brown, J.; Hoeberechts, M.

2016-02-01

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), an initiative of the University of Victoria, develops, operates, and maintains cabled ocean observatory systems. Technologies developed on the world-leading NEPTUNE and VENUS observatories have been adapted for small coastal installations called "community observatories," which enable community members to directly monitor conditions in the local ocean environment. In 2014, ONC pioneered an innovative educational program, Ocean Sense: Local observations, global connections, which introduces students and teachers to the technologies installed on community observatories. The program introduces middle and high school students to research methods in biology, oceanography and ocean engineering through hands-on activities. Ocean Sense includes a variety of resources and opportunities to excite students and spark curiosity about the ocean environment. The program encourages students to connect their local observations to global ocean processes and the observations of students in other geographic regions. The connection to place and local relevance of the program is further enhanced through an emphasis on Indigenous and place-based knowledge. ONC is working with coastal Indigenous communities in a collaborative process to include local knowledge, culture, and language in Ocean Sense materials. For this process to meaningful and culturally appropriate, ONC is relying on the guidance and oversight of Indigenous community educators and knowledge holders. Ocean Sense also includes opportunities for Indigenous youth and teachers in remote communities to connect in person, including an annual Ocean Science Symposium and professional development events for teachers. Building a program which embraces multiple perspectives is effective both in making ocean science more relevant to Indigenous students and in linking Indigenous knowledge and place-based knowledge to ocean science.

Probing nonlocal effects in metals with graphene plasmons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, Eduardo J. C.; Iranzo, David Alcaraz; Gonçalves, P. A. D.; Hajati, Yaser; Bludov, Yuliy V.; Jauho, Antti-Pekka; Mortensen, N. Asger; Koppens, Frank H. L.; Peres, N. M. R.

2018-06-01

In this paper, we analyze the effects of nonlocality on the optical properties of a system consisting of a thin metallic film separated from a graphene sheet by a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layer. We show that nonlocal effects in the metal have a strong impact on the spectrum of the surface plasmon-polaritons on graphene. If the graphene sheet is nanostructured into a periodic grating, we show that the resulting extinction curves can be used to shed light on the importance of nonlocal effects in metals. Therefore graphene surface plasmons emerge as a tool for probing nonlocal effects in metallic nanostructures, including thin metallic films. As a byproduct of our study, we show that nonlocal effects may lead to smaller losses for the graphene plasmons than what is predicted by a local calculation. Finally, we demonstrate that such nonlocal effects can be very well mimicked using a local theory with an effective spacer thickness larger than its actual value.

Evaluation of antivenom therapy for Vipera palaestinae bites in children: experience of two large, tertiary care pediatric hospitals.

PubMed

Pivko-Levy, Dikla; Munchnak, Itamar; Rimon, Ayelet; Balla, Uri; Scolnik, Dennis; Hoyte, Christopher; Voliovitch, Yair; Glatstein, Miguel

2017-04-01

Antivenom has been successfully used to treat systemic and progressive, local manifestations of envenomation inflicted by Vipera (V.) palaestinae, the most common venomous snake in Israel. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fixed dose V. palaestinae monovalent (equine) immunoglobulin G antivenom used in two pediatric emergency departments. In particular, we wanted to assess the need for repeated antivenom administration and the rate of adverse antivenom effects in children. A retrospective chart review was performed for all children admitted with definite or probable signs of V. palaestinae envenomation to Chaim Sheba Medical Center and Kaplan Medical Center between 1 March 2008 and 1 March 2014. Extracted data included: age, location of bite, time to hospital arrival, time to antivenom administration if indicated, outcomes, and complications of the envenomation and adverse effects to the antivenom. 57 patients met inclusion criteria; they ranged from 1 to 17 years in age and median age was 9.5 years. Clinical manifestations were evident in 55 (96.4%) of victims: 18 presented with minimal local signs and 37 showed marked progressive, local features (rapidly progressing edema) and signs of systemic envenomation: tachycardia (20), vomiting (17), abdominal pain (11) and hypotension (6). Two patients developed compartment syndrome and underwent surgical decompression (both received only a loading dose of antivenom with no subsequent maintenance dose). One patient developed thrombocytopenia and three patients presented with mild coagulopathy. Antivenom was administered to 25 (42%) children. Indications for antivenom administration included moderate to severe local signs (19 patients) and systemic signs (6 patients). None of these patients developed adverse reactions, serum sickness, or other side effects to the antivenom. One patient received a single additional 30mL dose of antivenom, due to hypotension and syncope, with good response. In children, 50 ml dosing of V. palaestinae antivenom is efficacious and safe for the treatment of systemic and progressive local manifestations of envenomation by V. palaestinae.

Local cell metrics: a novel method for analysis of cell-cell interactions.

PubMed

Su, Jing; Zapata, Pedro J; Chen, Chien-Chiang; Meredith, J Carson

2009-10-23

The regulation of many cell functions is inherently linked to cell-cell contact interactions. However, effects of contact interactions among adherent cells can be difficult to detect with global summary statistics due to the localized nature and noise inherent to cell-cell interactions. The lack of informatics approaches specific for detecting cell-cell interactions is a limitation in the analysis of large sets of cell image data, including traditional and combinatorial or high-throughput studies. Here we introduce a novel histogram-based data analysis strategy, termed local cell metrics (LCMs), which addresses this shortcoming. The new LCM method is demonstrated via a study of contact inhibition of proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. We describe how LCMs can be used to quantify the local environment of cells and how LCMs are decomposed mathematically into metrics specific to each cell type in a culture, e.g., differently-labelled cells in fluorescence imaging. Using this approach, a quantitative, probabilistic description of the contact inhibition effects in MC3T3-E1 cultures has been achieved. We also show how LCMs are related to the naïve Bayes model. Namely, LCMs are Bayes class-conditional probability functions, suggesting their use for data mining and classification. LCMs are successful in robust detection of cell contact inhibition in situations where conventional global statistics fail to do so. The noise due to the random features of cell behavior was suppressed significantly as a result of the focus on local distances, providing sensitive detection of cell-cell contact effects. The methodology can be extended to any quantifiable feature that can be obtained from imaging of cell cultures or tissue samples, including optical, fluorescent, and confocal microscopy. This approach may prove useful in interpreting culture and histological data in fields where cell-cell interactions play a critical role in determining cell fate, e.g., cancer, developmental biology, and tissue regeneration.

Quantifying Variation in Head Start Effects on Young Children's Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Skills Using Data from the National Head Start Impact Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Howard S.; Weiland, Christina

2015-01-01

This paper uses data from the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS), a nationally representative multisite randomized trial, to quantify variation in effects of Head Start during 2002-2003 on children's cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes relative to the effects of other local alternatives, including parent care. We find that (1) treatment and control…

What gets measured gets done: an assessment of local data uses and needs in large urban health departments.

PubMed

Castrucci, Brian C; Rhoades, Elizabeth K; Leider, Jonathon P; Hearne, Shelley

2015-01-01

The epidemiologic shift in the leading causes of mortality from infectious disease to chronic disease has created significant challenges for public health surveillance at the local level. We describe how the largest US city health departments identify and use data to inform their work and we identify the data and information that local public health leaders have specified as being necessary to help better address specific problems in their communities. We used a mixed-methods design that included key informant interviews, as well as a smaller embedded survey to quantify organizational characteristics related to data capacity. Interview data were independently coded and analyzed for major themes around data needs, barriers, and achievements. Forty-five public health leaders from each of 3 specific positions-local health official, chief of policy, and chief science or medical officer-in 16 large urban health departments. Public health leaders in large urban local health departments reported that timely data and data on chronic disease that are available at smaller geographical units are difficult to obtain without additional resources. Despite departments' successes in creating ad hoc sources of local data to effect policy change, all participants described the need for more timely data that could be geocoded at a neighborhood or census tract level to more effectively target their resources. Electronic health records, claims data, and hospital discharge data were identified as sources of data that could be used to augment the data currently available to local public health leaders. Monitoring the status of community health indicators and using the information to identify priority issues are core functions of all public health departments. Public health professionals must have access to timely "hyperlocal" data to detect trends, allocate resources to areas of greatest priority, and measure the effectiveness of interventions. Although innovations in the largest local health departments in large urban areas have established some methods to obtain local data on chronic disease, leaders recognize that there is an urgent need for more timely and more geographically specific data at the neighborhood or census tract level to efficiently and effectively address the most pressing problems in public health.

Drought planning and water allocation: an assessment of local capacity in Minnesota.

PubMed

Pirie, Rebecca L; de Loë, Rob C; Kreutzwiser, Reid

2004-10-01

Water allocation systems are challenged by hydrologic droughts, which reduce available water supplies and can adversely affect human and environmental systems. To address this problem, drought management mechanisms have been instituted in jurisdictions around the world. Historically, these mechanisms have involved a crisis management or reactive approach. An important trend during the past decade in places such as the United States has been a shift to a more proactive approach, emphasizing drought preparedness and local involvement. Unfortunately, local capacity for drought planning is highly variable, with some local governments and organizations proving to be more capable than others of taking on new responsibilities. This paper reports on a study of drought planning and water allocation in the State of Minnesota. Factors facilitating and constraining local capacity for drought planning were identified using in-depth key informant interviews with state officials and members of two small Minnesota cities, combined with an analysis of pertinent documentation. A key factor contributing to the effectiveness of Minnesota's system is a water allocation system with explicit priorities during shortages, and provisions for restrictions. At the same time, the requirement that water suppliers create Public Water Supply Emergency Conservation Plans (PWSECP) clarifies the roles and responsibilities of key local actors. Unfortunately, the research revealed that mandated PWSECP are not always implemented, and that awareness of drought and drought planning measures in general may be poor at the local level. From the perspective of the two cities evaluated, factors that contributed to local capacity included sound financial and human resources, and (in some cases) effective vertical and horizontal linkages. This analysis of experiences in Minnesota highlights problems that can occur when senior governments establish policy frameworks that increase responsibilities at the local level without also addressing local capacity.

Effects of local adaptation and interspecific competition on species' responses to climate change.

PubMed

Bocedi, Greta; Atkins, Katherine E; Liao, Jishan; Henry, Roslyn C; Travis, Justin M J; Hellmann, Jessica J

2013-09-01

Local adaptation and species interactions have been shown to affect geographic ranges; therefore, we need models of climate impact that include both factors. To identify possible dynamics of species when including these factors, we ran simulations of two competing species using an individual-based, coupled map-lattice model using a linear climatic gradient that varies across latitude and is warmed over time. Reproductive success is governed by an individual's adaptation to local climate as well as its location relative to global constraints. In exploratory experiments varying the strength of adaptation and competition, competition reduces genetic diversity and slows range change, although the two species can coexist in the absence of climate change and shift in the absence of competitors. We also found that one species can drive the other to extinction, sometimes long after climate change ends. Weak selection on local adaptation and poor dispersal ability also caused surfing of cooler-adapted phenotypes from the expanding margin backwards, causing loss of warmer-adapted phenotypes. Finally, geographic ranges can become disjointed, losing centrally-adapted genotypes. These initial results suggest that the interplay between local adaptation and interspecific competition can significantly influence species' responses to climate change, in a way that demands future research. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

User-managed inventory: an approach to forward-deployment of urgently needed medical countermeasures for mass-casualty and terrorism incidents.

PubMed

Coleman, C Norman; Hrdina, Chad; Casagrande, Rocco; Cliffer, Kenneth D; Mansoura, Monique K; Nystrom, Scott; Hatchett, Richard; Caro, J Jaime; Knebel, Ann R; Wallace, Katherine S; Adams, Steven A

2012-12-01

The user-managed inventory (UMI) is an emerging idea for enhancing the current distribution and maintenance system for emergency medical countermeasures (MCMs). It increases current capabilities for the dispensing and distribution of MCMs and enhances local/regional preparedness and resilience. In the UMI, critical MCMs, especially those in routine medical use ("dual utility") and those that must be administered soon after an incident before outside supplies can arrive, are stored at multiple medical facilities (including medical supply or distribution networks) across the United States. The medical facilities store a sufficient cache to meet part of the surge needs but not so much that the resources expire before they would be used in the normal course of business. In an emergency, these extra supplies can be used locally to treat casualties, including evacuees from incidents in other localities. This system, which is at the interface of local/regional and federal response, provides response capacity before the arrival of supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and thus enhances the local/regional medical responders' ability to provide life-saving MCMs that otherwise would be delayed. The UMI can be more cost-effective than stockpiling by avoiding costs due to drug expiration, disposal of expired stockpiled supplies, and repurchase for replacement.

ELA-max: A new topical lidocaine formulation.

PubMed

Goldman, Ran D

2004-05-01

To evaluate the role of a new formulation of lidocaine (ELA-max) in local anesthesia in children and compare it with the eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA). Relevant literature was identified by a MEDLINE search (1966-November 2003) using the search terms ELA-max and EMLA. Bibliographies of selected articles were also examined to include all relevant investigations. The product manufacturer was contacted for inclusion of the most recent data available. Topical anesthesia in children is clinically challenging. ELA-max has been shown to be as effective as EMLA for venipuncture in children, but with faster onset. Adverse effects, such as transient blanching with redness and erythema, have been reported. Further investigation is needed to determine the effectiveness of ELA-max on other painful procedures in children, as well as its safety.

Evaluation of the effect of vibration nonlinearity on convergence behavior of adaptive higher harmonic controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molusis, J. A.; Mookerjee, P.; Bar-Shalom, Y.

1983-01-01

Effect of nonlinearity on convergence of the local linear and global linear adaptive controllers is evaluated. A nonlinear helicopter vibration model is selected for the evaluation which has sufficient nonlinearity, including multiple minimum, to assess the vibration reduction capability of the adaptive controllers. The adaptive control algorithms are based upon a linear transfer matrix assumption and the presence of nonlinearity has a significant effect on algorithm behavior. Simulation results are presented which demonstrate the importance of the caution property in the global linear controller. Caution is represented by a time varying rate weighting term in the local linear controller and this improves the algorithm convergence. Nonlinearity in some cases causes Kalman filter divergence. Two forms of the Kalman filter covariance equation are investigated.

Ultrasound-enhanced localized chemotherapy of drug-sensitive and multidrug resistant tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapoport, Natalya Y.; Gao, Zhonggao; Kamaev, Pavel; Christensen, Douglas A.

2006-05-01

A new modality of targeted tumor chemotherapy is based on the drug encapsulation in polymeric nanoparticles followed by a localized release at the tumor site triggered by focused ultrasound. Effect of 1 MHz and 3 MHz unfocused ultrasound applied locally to the tumor on the Doxorubicin (DOX) biodistribution and tumor growth rates was measured for ovarian carcinoma tumors in nu/nu mice. The bioeffects of ultrasound were investigated on the systemic and cellular levels. Growth rates of A2780 ovarian carcinoma tumors were substantially reduced by combining micellar drug delivery with tumor irradiation. Ultrasound effect was not thermal as manifested by intratumoral temperature measurements during sonication. Biodistribution studies showed that ultrasound did not enhance micelle extravasation. Main mechanisms of the ultrasound-enhanced chemotherapy included (i) passive targeting of drug-loaded micelles to the tumor interstitium; (ii) ultrasound-triggered localized drug release from micelles in the tumor volume; (iii) enhanced micelle and drug diffusion through the tumor interstitium; and (iv) ultrasound-triggered cell membrane damage resulting in the enhanced micelle and drug uptake by tumor cells.

Robust kernel representation with statistical local features for face recognition.

PubMed

Yang, Meng; Zhang, Lei; Shiu, Simon Chi-Keung; Zhang, David

2013-06-01

Factors such as misalignment, pose variation, and occlusion make robust face recognition a difficult problem. It is known that statistical features such as local binary pattern are effective for local feature extraction, whereas the recently proposed sparse or collaborative representation-based classification has shown interesting results in robust face recognition. In this paper, we propose a novel robust kernel representation model with statistical local features (SLF) for robust face recognition. Initially, multipartition max pooling is used to enhance the invariance of SLF to image registration error. Then, a kernel-based representation model is proposed to fully exploit the discrimination information embedded in the SLF, and robust regression is adopted to effectively handle the occlusion in face images. Extensive experiments are conducted on benchmark face databases, including extended Yale B, AR (A. Martinez and R. Benavente), multiple pose, illumination, and expression (multi-PIE), facial recognition technology (FERET), face recognition grand challenge (FRGC), and labeled faces in the wild (LFW), which have different variations of lighting, expression, pose, and occlusions, demonstrating the promising performance of the proposed method.

Passive Sensor Integration for Vehicle Self-Localization in Urban Traffic Environment †

PubMed Central

Gu, Yanlei; Hsu, Li-Ta; Kamijo, Shunsuke

2015-01-01

This research proposes an accurate vehicular positioning system which can achieve lane-level performance in urban canyons. Multiple passive sensors, which include Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, onboard cameras and inertial sensors, are integrated in the proposed system. As the main source for the localization, the GNSS technique suffers from Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) propagation and multipath effects in urban canyons. This paper proposes to employ a novel GNSS positioning technique in the integration. The employed GNSS technique reduces the multipath and NLOS effects by using the 3D building map. In addition, the inertial sensor can describe the vehicle motion, but has a drift problem as time increases. This paper develops vision-based lane detection, which is firstly used for controlling the drift of the inertial sensor. Moreover, the lane keeping and changing behaviors are extracted from the lane detection function, and further reduce the lateral positioning error in the proposed localization system. We evaluate the integrated localization system in the challenging city urban scenario. The experiments demonstrate the proposed method has sub-meter accuracy with respect to mean positioning error. PMID:26633420

Efficient iris recognition by characterizing key local variations.

PubMed

Ma, Li; Tan, Tieniu; Wang, Yunhong; Zhang, Dexin

2004-06-01

Unlike other biometrics such as fingerprints and face, the distinct aspect of iris comes from randomly distributed features. This leads to its high reliability for personal identification, and at the same time, the difficulty in effectively representing such details in an image. This paper describes an efficient algorithm for iris recognition by characterizing key local variations. The basic idea is that local sharp variation points, denoting the appearing or vanishing of an important image structure, are utilized to represent the characteristics of the iris. The whole procedure of feature extraction includes two steps: 1) a set of one-dimensional intensity signals is constructed to effectively characterize the most important information of the original two-dimensional image; 2) using a particular class of wavelets, a position sequence of local sharp variation points in such signals is recorded as features. We also present a fast matching scheme based on exclusive OR operation to compute the similarity between a pair of position sequences. Experimental results on 2255 iris images show that the performance of the proposed method is encouraging and comparable to the best iris recognition algorithm found in the current literature.

Effect of regional slopes on local structure and exploration of tilted paleo-highs

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

Nazarov, D.A.; Chernobrov, B.S.

1986-06-01

Prospects for discovering local highs in old petroleum-producing regions have by now been substantially exhausted. Hence it is of great importance at this stage to seek non-anticlinal accumulations of hydrocarbons, including those in traps genetically associated with tilted paleo-highs, often represented in the modern structural plan by structural noses and terraces. Appropriate exploration for such types of deposits may soon become important in Ciscaucasia and other old petroleum-producing regions. Consequently, problems of the scientific basis for prospecting paleo-highs tilted in the modern structural plan, and developing procedures both for revealing and also for assessing their expression in the structural planmore » during different stages of geological history, and establishing the time and depth of changes in aspect, will become extremely topical. In order to discover possible local highs and to study their features within the margins of the platformal basins and the platformal edges of the marginal troughs, the authors use the method of removing the effect of the regional slope on the local structural plan. This paper describes this method. 13 references.« less

Predicting Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Prevalence and Local Distribution after an Earthquake with Scarce Data.

PubMed

Dussaillant, Francisca; Apablaza, Mauricio

2017-08-01

After a major earthquake, the assignment of scarce mental health emergency personnel to different geographic areas is crucial to the effective management of the crisis. The scarce information that is available in the aftermath of a disaster may be valuable in helping predict where are the populations that are in most need. The objectives of this study were to derive algorithms to predict posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptom prevalence and local distribution after an earthquake and to test whether there are algorithms that require few input data and are still reasonably predictive. A rich database of PTS symptoms, informed after Chile's 2010 earthquake and tsunami, was used. Several model specifications for the mean and centiles of the distribution of PTS symptoms, together with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence, were estimated via linear and quantile regressions. The models varied in the set of covariates included. Adjusted R2 for the most liberal specifications (in terms of numbers of covariates included) ranged from 0.62 to 0.74, depending on the outcome. When only including peak ground acceleration (PGA), poverty rate, and household damage in linear and quadratic form, predictive capacity was still good (adjusted R2 from 0.59 to 0.67 were obtained). Information about local poverty, household damage, and PGA can be used as an aid to predict PTS symptom prevalence and local distribution after an earthquake. This can be of help to improve the assignment of mental health personnel to the affected localities. Dussaillant F , Apablaza M . Predicting posttraumatic stress symptom prevalence and local distribution after an earthquake with scarce data. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):357-367.

High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for the treatment of high-volume locally recurrent endometrial carcinoma.

PubMed

Huang, Kitty; D'Souza, David; Patil, Nikhilesh; Velker, Vikram; Leung, Eric; Stitt, Larry; Whiston, Frances; Sugimoto, Akira; McGee, Jacob; Prefontaine, Michel

2016-01-01

Limited therapeutic options are available for the treatment of locally recurrent endometrial carcinoma. Our objective was to report an institutional experience using interstitial brachytherapy (IBT) to treat significant recurrent endometrial carcinoma, including previously irradiated disease. Between December 2004 and September 2012, 40 patients with high-volume locally recurrent endometrial cancer were treated by high-dose-rate IBT (± external beam radiation therapy EBRT). Sixteen patients had prior radiotherapy: EBRT alone (n = 5), intracavitary brachytherapy alone (n = 3), or EBRT with intracavitary brachytherapy boost (n = 8). Actuarial outcome rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Median followup interval was 18 months. Median disease-free interval was 61 months. Actuarial local control, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival were 74% and 60%, 70% and 51%, and 83% and 72% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. p-Values for local control, progression-free survival, and overall survival between patient who had prior RT (n = 16) to no prior RT (n = 24) were p = 0.38, 0.32, and 0.90, respectively. Acute toxicities include Grade 1-2 pain (5%), genitourinary (7%), gastrointestinal (12%), soft tissue (5%), and dermatologic (12%). Four patients observed late Grade 3-4 toxicities, including rectal bleeding/fistula and soft tissue necrosis. High-dose-rate IBT is an effective treatment for locally recurrent endometrial carcinoma with an acceptable toxicity profile. Outcomes are similar between previously irradiated and nonirradiated patients. In women who have received prior radiotherapy and are often considered for palliative treatment, interstitial brachytherapy is a potentially curative option. Copyright © 2016 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sound source localization identification accuracy: Envelope dependencies.

PubMed

Yost, William A

2017-07-01

Sound source localization accuracy as measured in an identification procedure in a front azimuth sound field was studied for click trains, modulated noises, and a modulated tonal carrier. Sound source localization accuracy was determined as a function of the number of clicks in a 64 Hz click train and click rate for a 500 ms duration click train. The clicks were either broadband or high-pass filtered. Sound source localization accuracy was also measured for a single broadband filtered click and compared to a similar broadband filtered, short-duration noise. Sound source localization accuracy was determined as a function of sinusoidal amplitude modulation and the "transposed" process of modulation of filtered noises and a 4 kHz tone. Different rates (16 to 512 Hz) of modulation (including unmodulated conditions) were used. Providing modulation for filtered click stimuli, filtered noises, and the 4 kHz tone had, at most, a very small effect on sound source localization accuracy. These data suggest that amplitude modulation, while providing information about interaural time differences in headphone studies, does not have much influence on sound source localization accuracy in a sound field.

A Big Data Approach for Situation-Aware estimation, correction and prediction of aerosol effects, based on MODIS Joint Atmosphere product (collection 6) time series data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, A. K.; Toshniwal, D.

2017-12-01

The MODIS Joint Atmosphere product, MODATML2 and MYDATML2 L2/3 provided by LAADS DAAC (Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System Distributed Active Archive Center) re-sampled from medium resolution MODIS Terra /Aqua Satellites data at 5km scale, contains Cloud Reflectance, Cloud Top Temperature, Water Vapor, Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Humidity data. These re-sampled data, when used for deriving climatic effects of aerosols (particularly in case of cooling effect) still exposes limitations in presence of uncertainty measures in atmospheric artifacts such as aerosol, cloud, cirrus cloud etc. The effect of uncertainty measures in these artifacts imposes an important challenge for estimation of aerosol effects, adequately affecting precise regional weather modeling and predictions: Forecasting and recommendation applications developed largely depend on these short-term local conditions (e.g. City/Locality based recommendations to citizens/farmers based on local weather models). Our approach inculcates artificial intelligence technique for representing heterogeneous data(satellite data along with air quality data from local weather stations (i.e. in situ data)) to learn, correct and predict aerosol effects in the presence of cloud and other atmospheric artifacts, defusing Spatio-temporal correlations and regressions. The Big Data process pipeline consisting correlation and regression techniques developed on Apache Spark platform can easily scale for large data sets including many tiles (scenes) and over widened time-scale. Keywords: Climatic Effects of Aerosols, Situation-Aware, Big Data, Apache Spark, MODIS Terra /Aqua, Time Series

On the impact of topography and building mask on time varying gravity due to local hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deville, S.; Jacob, T.; Chéry, J.; Champollion, C.

2013-01-01

We use 3 yr of surface absolute gravity measurements at three sites on the Larzac plateau (France) to quantify the changes induced by topography and the building on gravity time-series, with respect to an idealized infinite slab approximation. Indeed, local topography and buildings housing ground-based gravity measurement have an effect on the distribution of water storage changes, therefore affecting the associated gravity signal. We first calculate the effects of surrounding topography and building dimensions on the gravity attraction for a uniform layer of water. We show that a gravimetric interpretation of water storage change using an infinite slab, the so-called Bouguer approximation, is generally not suitable. We propose to split the time varying gravity signal in two parts (1) a surface component including topographic and building effects (2) a deep component associated to underground water transfer. A reservoir modelling scheme is herein presented to remove the local site effects and to invert for the effective hydrological properties of the unsaturated zone. We show that effective time constants associated to water transfer vary greatly from site to site. We propose that our modelling scheme can be used to correct for the local site effects on gravity at any site presenting a departure from a flat topography. Depending on sites, the corrected signal can exceed measured values by 5-15 μGal, corresponding to 120-380 mm of water using the Bouguer slab formula. Our approach only requires the knowledge of daily precipitation corrected for evapotranspiration. Therefore, it can be a useful tool to correct any kind of gravimetric time-series data.

Inelastic cross sections for low-energy electrons in liquid water: exchange and correlation effects.

PubMed

Emfietzoglou, Dimitris; Kyriakou, Ioanna; Garcia-Molina, Rafael; Abril, Isabel; Nikjoo, Hooshang

2013-11-01

Low-energy electrons play a prominent role in radiation therapy and biology as they are the largest contributor to the absorbed dose. However, no tractable theory exists to describe the interaction of low-energy electrons with condensed media. This article presents a new approach to include exchange and correlation (XC) effects in inelastic electron scattering at low energies (below ∼10 keV) in the context of the dielectric theory. Specifically, an optical-data model of the dielectric response function of liquid water is developed that goes beyond the random phase approximation (RPA) by accounting for XC effects using the concept of the many-body local-field correction (LFC). It is shown that the experimental energy-loss-function of liquid water can be reproduced by including into the RPA dispersion relations XC effects (up to second order) calculated in the time-dependent local-density approximation with the addition of phonon-induced broadening in N. D. Mermin's relaxation-time approximation. Additional XC effects related to the incident and/or struck electrons are included by means of the vertex correction calculated by a modified Hubbard formula for the exchange-only LFC. Within the first Born approximation, the present XC corrections cause a significantly larger reduction (∼10-50%) to the inelastic cross section compared to the commonly used Mott and Ochkur approximations, while also yielding much better agreement with the recent experimental data for amorphous ice. The current work offers a manageable, yet rigorous, approach for including non-Born effects in the calculation of inelastic cross sections for low-energy electrons in liquid water, which due to its generality, can be easily extended to other condensed media.

[Variable selection methods combined with local linear embedding theory used for optimization of near infrared spectral quantitative models].

PubMed

Hao, Yong; Sun, Xu-Dong; Yang, Qiang

2012-12-01

Variables selection strategy combined with local linear embedding (LLE) was introduced for the analysis of complex samples by using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Three methods include Monte Carlo uninformation variable elimination (MCUVE), successive projections algorithm (SPA) and MCUVE connected with SPA were used for eliminating redundancy spectral variables. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and LLE-PLSR were used for modeling complex samples. The results shown that MCUVE can both extract effective informative variables and improve the precision of models. Compared with PLSR models, LLE-PLSR models can achieve more accurate analysis results. MCUVE combined with LLE-PLSR is an effective modeling method for NIRS quantitative analysis.

Effect of the depolarization field on coherent optical properties in semiconductor quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsumori, Yasuyoshi; Watanabe, Shunta; Asakura, Kenta; Seki, Keisuke; Edamatsu, Keiichi; Akahane, Kouichi; Yamamoto, Naokatsu

2018-06-01

We study the photon echo spectrum of self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots using femtosecond light pulses. The spectrum shape changes from a single-peaked to a double-peaked structure as the time delay between the two excitation pulses is increased. The spectrum change is reproduced by numerical calculations, which include the depolarization field induced by the biexciton-exciton transition as well as the conventional local-field effect for the exciton-ground-state transition in a quantum dot. Our findings suggest that various optical transitions in tightly localized systems generate a depolarization field, which renormalizes the resonant frequency with a change in the polarization itself, leading to unique optical properties.

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

PubMed

Barkin, Jack

2011-04-01

Curative treatments for localized prostate cancer, from least invasive to most invasive, include brachytherapy, cryosurgery, three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, external beam radiation therapy, and radical prostatectomy. A patient with localized, low risk or intermediate risk prostate cancer who is diagnosed at an early age and receives one of these treatments has only an approximately 50% chance of maintaining an undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, good spontaneous erections, and total continence by 5 years after treatment. This article discusses transrectal high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of localized prostate cancer using the Sonablate 500 (Focus Surgery, Indianapolis, IN, USA) device, which the author has adopted in favor of the Ablatherm (EDAP, TMS S. A., Lyons, France) device, the other HIFU device approved for use in Canada. Characteristics of the ideal prostate cancer include stage T1-T2b, less than 40 cc in size, and with an anterior-posterior dimension of up to 35 mm high. The anterior zone of the prostate is treated before the posterior zone. The procedure involves 2 to 3 second bursts of ultrasound energy, followed by 3 second cooling cycles. In each treatment lesion, the physician achieves a temperature of 100 C at the focal point. The device allows for real-time visualization of tissue response following the delivery of ultrasound energy. HIFU is a minimally invasive, outpatient treatment for localized prostate cancer that provides similar short term and medium term cure rates and considerably less morbidity and side effects than other treatments. Although the effectiveness of HIFU has not yet been demonstrated in large, long term studies, this treatment option should be discussed with patients who have just been diagnosed with low risk or intermediate risk prostate cancer and desire aggressive, noninvasive, curative therapy, with potentially a lower incidence of side effects compared to conventional therapy.

Effect of the nonlocal exchange on the performance of the orbital-dependent correlation functionals from second-order perturbation theory.

PubMed

Schweigert, Igor V; Bartlett, Rodney J

2008-09-28

Adding a fraction of the nonlocal exchange operator to the local orbital-dependent exchange potential improves the many-body perturbation expansion based on the Kohn-Sham determinant. The effect of such a hybrid scheme on the performance of the orbital-dependent correlation functional from the second-order perturbation theory (PT2H) is investigated numerically. A small fraction of the nonlocal exchange is often sufficient to ensure the existence of the self-consistent solution for the PT2H potential. In the He and Be atoms, including 37% of the nonlocal exchange leads to the correlation energies and electronic densities that are very close to the exact ones. In molecules, varying the fraction of the nonlocal exchange may result in the PT2H energy closely reproducing the CCSD(T) value; however such a fraction depends on the system and does not always result in an accurate electronic density. We also numerically verify that the "semicanonical" perturbation series includes most of the beneficial effects of the nonlocal exchange without sacrificing the locality of the exchange potential.

Central Office Supports for Data-Driven Talent Management Decisions: Evidence from the Implementation of New Systems for Measuring Teacher Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grissom, Jason A.; Rubin, Mollie; Neumerski, Christine M.; Cannata, Marisa; Drake, Timothy A.; Goldring, Ellen; Schuermann, Patrick

2017-01-01

School districts increasingly push school leaders to utilize multiple measures of teacher effectiveness, such as observation ratings or value-added scores, in making talent management decisions, including teacher hiring, assignment, support, and retention, but we know little about the local conditions that promote or impede these processes. We…

Annual Report of the Council of the Association for the Year Ending 31st December, 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library Association, London (England).

Topics summarized in this annual report of the Library Association for 1973 include the advent of the British Library; effects of local government reorganization upon public libraries and their staffs; possible introduction of a public lending right; threat of VAT on books and journals, and effects on the Open University libraries; increased book…

Diverse Protocols for Correlative Super-Resolution Fluorescence Imaging and Electron Microscopy of Cells and Tissue

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-25

tissue is critical to biology. Many factors determine optimal experimental design, including attainable localization precision, ultrastructural...both imaging modalities. Examples include: weak tissue preservation protocols resulting in poor ultrastructure, e.g. mitochondrial cristae membranes...tension effects during sample drying that may result in artifacts44. Samples dried in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol do not have the haziness

Effect of dexmedetomidine injected into the oral mucosa in combination with lidocaine on local anesthetic potency in humans: a crossover double-blind study.

PubMed

Yamane, Ayaka; Higuchi, Hitoshi; Tomoyasu, Yumiko; Ishii-Maruhama, Minako; Maeda, Shigeru; Miyawaki, Takuya

2015-04-01

Recently, attention has been paid to dexmedetomidine, a selective α-2 adrenoceptor agonist, as a possible additive for local anesthesia. However, the effect of locally injected dexmedetomidine on the anesthetic action in humans has not fully been clarified. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine injected into the oral mucosa in combination with lidocaine on local anesthetic potency in humans. Twenty healthy volunteers were included in the present crossover double-blinded study. Lidocaine solution or lidocaine plus dexmedetomidine solution was submucosally injected into the alveolar mucosa in a crossover and double-blinded manner. The local anesthetic effect of the solutions was evaluated by measuring the current perception threshold (CPT) in the oral mucosa for 120 minutes after injection. Furthermore, the sedation level, blood pressure, and heart rate of the volunteers were evaluated. For statistical analysis, the Wilcoxon signed rank test and 2-way repeated measures analysis of variation were used. The CPT was increased with the 2 solutions and peaked 10 minutes after injection. CPT values 10 and 20 minutes after injection of lidocaine plus dexmedetomidine solution were considerably higher than those with lidocaine solution. The duration of an important increase in the CPT after injection with lidocaine plus dexmedetomidine solution was longer than that with lidocaine. Furthermore, the area under the time curve of CPT was considerably higher with lidocaine plus dexmedetomidine solution than with lidocaine solution. No volunteer showed a change in sedation level, blood pressure, or heart rate after injection with either test solution throughout the experiment. The present study showed that a combination of dexmedetomidine plus lidocaine considerably enhances the local anesthetic potency of lidocaine without any major influences on the cardiovascular system when locally injected into the oral mucosa. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enology (Winemaking) Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadek, Frank J.

1982-01-01

Describes senior research project centered around three facets of wine made from locally grown grapes: methods of deacidification, effect of pectic enzyme use during vinification, and qualitative/quantitative composition of total phenols of wines. Includes student participation (1975-1980) in and outcomes of the program, and laboratory techniques…

Effects of soil water holding capacity on evapotranspiration and irrigation scheduling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), through the National Cooperative Soil Survey, developed three soil geographic databases that are appropriate for acquiring soil information at the national, regional, and local scales. These relational databases include the National Soil Geogra...

45 CFR 1388.3 - Program criteria-mission.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... statement. (c) The UAP's mission and programs must reflect a life span approach, incorporate an interdisciplinary approach and include the active participation of individuals with developmental disabilities and... collaborations and strategies to effect systemic change within the university and in State and local communities...

Regional anaesthesia in obstetrics.

PubMed

Pedersen, H; Finster, M

1984-01-01

This review includes a brief discussion of the indications and pitfalls of regional anaesthetic techniques commonly used during parturition. Emphasis is given to the physiological changes of pregnancy and the potential effects on the fetus. The criteria for the choice of local anaesthetic are also presented.

Fallout from Nuclear Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comar, C. L.

This booklet, in the series "Understanding the Atom," summarizes the important findings on radioactive fallout for which there is substantial scientific agreement, indicates the areas of disagreement, and lists some answered questions. Sources of fallout, its local and worldwide effects (including movement in the atmosphers), the…

The genetic architecture of local adaptation and reproductive isolation in sympatry within the Mimulus guttatus species complex.

PubMed

Ferris, Kathleen G; Barnett, Laryssa L; Blackman, Benjamin K; Willis, John H

2017-01-01

The genetic architecture of local adaptation has been of central interest to evolutionary biologists since the modern synthesis. In addition to classic theory on the effect size of adaptive mutations by Fisher, Kimura and Orr, recent theory addresses the genetic architecture of local adaptation in the face of ongoing gene flow. This theory predicts that with substantial gene flow between populations local adaptation should proceed primarily through mutations of large effect or tightly linked clusters of smaller effect loci. In this study, we investigate the genetic architecture of divergence in flowering time, mating system-related traits, and leaf shape between Mimulus laciniatus and a sympatric population of its close relative M. guttatus. These three traits are probably involved in M. laciniatus' adaptation to a dry, exposed granite outcrop environment. Flowering time and mating system differences are also reproductive isolating barriers making them 'magic traits'. Phenotypic hybrids in this population provide evidence of recent gene flow. Using next-generation sequencing, we generate dense SNP markers across the genome and map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) involved in flowering time, flower size and leaf shape. We find that interspecific divergence in all three traits is due to few QTL of large effect including a highly pleiotropic QTL on chromosome 8. This QTL region contains the pleiotropic candidate gene TCP4 and is involved in ecologically important phenotypes in other Mimulus species. Our results are consistent with theory, indicating that local adaptation and reproductive isolation with gene flow should be due to few loci with large and pleiotropic effects. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attention Orienting in Response to Non-conscious Hierarchical Arrows: Individuals with Higher Autistic Traits Differ in Their Global/Local Bias.

PubMed

Laycock, Robin; Chan, Daniel; Crewther, Sheila G

2017-01-01

One aspect of the social communication impairments that characterize autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include reduced use of often subtle non-verbal social cues. People with ASD, and those with self-reported sub-threshold autistic traits, also show impairments in rapid visual processing of stimuli unrelated to social or emotional properties. Hence, this study sought to investigate whether perceptually non-conscious visual processing is related to autistic traits. A neurotypical sample of thirty young adults completed the Subthreshold Autism Trait Questionnaire and a Posner-like attention cueing task. Continuous Flash Suppression (CFS) was employed to render incongruous hierarchical arrow cues perceptually invisible prior to consciously presented targets. This was achieved via a 10 Hz masking stimulus presented to the dominant eye that suppressed information presented to the non-dominant eye. Non-conscious arrows consisted of local arrow elements pointing in one direction, and forming a global arrow shape pointing in the opposite direction. On each trial, the cue provided either a valid or invalid cue for the spatial location of the subsequent target, depending on which level (global or local) received privileged attention. A significant autism-trait group by global cue validity interaction indicated a difference in the extent of non-conscious local/global cueing between groups. Simple effect analyses revealed that whilst participants with lower autistic traits showed a global arrow cueing effect, those with higher autistic traits demonstrated a small local arrow cueing effect. These results suggest that non-conscious processing biases in local/global attention may be related to individual differences in autistic traits.

Nonequilibrium radiation and chemistry models for aerocapture vehicle flowfields, volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Leland A.

1991-01-01

The computer programs developed to calculate the shock wave precursor and the method of using them are described. This method calculated the precursor flow field in a nitrogen gas including the effects of emission and absorption of radiation on the energy and composition of gas. The radiative transfer is calculated including the effects of absorption and emission through the line as well as the continuum process in the shock layer and through the continuum processes only in the precursor. The effects of local thermodynamic nonequilibrium in the shock layer and precursor regions are also included in the radiative transfer calculations. Three computer programs utilized by this computational scheme to calculate the precursor flow field solution for a given shock layer flow field are discussed.

Child mental health in Sierra Leone: a survey and exploratory qualitative study.

PubMed

Yoder, Hélène N C; Tol, Wietse A; Reis, Ria; de Jong, Joop T V M

2016-01-01

This study complements the growing amount of research on the psychosocial impact of war on children in Sierra Leone by examining local perceptions of child mental health, formal and informal care systems, help-seeking behaviour and stigma. The study combined: (1) a nationwide survey of mental health care providers, with (2) exploratory qualitative research among service users and providers and other stakeholders concerned with child and adolescent mental health, with a particular emphasis on local explanations and stigma. Formal mental health care services are extremely limited resulting in an estimated treatment gap of over 99.8 %. Local explanations of child mental health problems in Sierra Leone are commonly spiritual or supernatural in nature, and associated with help-seeking from traditional healers or religious institutions. There is a considerable amount of stigma related to mental disorders, which affects children, their caregivers and service providers, and may lead to discrimination and abuse. Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) care development in Sierra Leone should cater to the long-term structural effects of war-violence and an Ebola epidemic. Priorities for development include: (1) the strengthening of legal structures and the development of relevant policies that strengthen the health system and specifically include children and adolescents, (2) a clearer local distinction between children with psychiatric, neurological, developmental or psychosocial problems and subsequent channelling into appropriate services (3) supplementary CAMH training for a range of professionals working with children across various sectors, (4) specialist training in CAMH, (5) integration of CAMH care into primary health care, education and the social welfare system, (6) further research on local explanations of child mental disorders and the effect they have on the well-being of the child, and (7) a careful consideration of the role of religious healers as care providers.

Semi-rigid single hook localization the best method for localizing ground glass opacities during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: re-aerated swine lung experimental and primary clinical results

PubMed Central

Zhao, Guang; Sun, Long; Geng, Guojun; Liu, Hongming; Li, Ning; Liu, Suhuan; Hao, Bing

2017-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to compare the effects of currently available preoperative localization methods, including semi-rigid single hook-wire, double-thorn hook-wire, and microcoil, in localizing the pulmonary nodules, thus to select the best technology to assist video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for small ground glass opacities (GGO). Methods Preoperative CT-guided localizing techniques including semi-rigid single hook-wire, double-thorn hook-wire and microcoil were used in re-aerated fresh swine lung for location experiments. The advantages and drawbacks of the three positioning technologies were compared, and then the most optimal technique was used in patients with GGO. Technical success and post-operative complications were used as primary endpoints. Results All three localizing techniques were successfully performed in the re-aerated fresh swine lung. The median tractive force of semi-rigid single hook wire, double-thorn hook wire and microcoil were 6.5, 4.85 and 0.2 N, which measured by a spring dynamometer. The wound sizes in the superficial pleura, caused by unplugging the needles, were 2 mm in double-thorn hook wire, 1 mm in semi-rigid single hook and 1 mm in microcoil, respectively. In patients with GGOs, the semi-rigid hook wires localizations were successfully performed, without any complication that need to be intervened. Dislodgement was reported in one patient before VATS. No major complications related to the preoperative hook wire localization and VATS were observed. Conclusions We found from our localization experiments in the swine lung that, among the commonly used three localization methods, semi-rigid hook wire showed the best operability and practicability than double-thorn hook wire and microcoil. Preoperative localization of small pulmonary nodules with single semi-rigid hook wire system shows a high success rate, acceptable utility and especially low dislodgement in VATS. PMID:29312722

Chiral Plasmonic Nanostructures Fabricated by Circularly Polarized Light.

PubMed

Saito, Koichiro; Tatsuma, Tetsu

2018-05-09

The chirality of materials results in a wide variety of advanced technologies including image display, data storage, light management including negative refraction, and enantioselective catalysis and sensing. Here, we introduce chirality to plasmonic nanostructures by using circularly polarized light as the sole chiral source for the first time. Gold nanocuboids as precursors on a semiconductor were irradiated with circularly polarized light to localize electric fields at specific corners of the cuboids depending on the handedness of light and deposited dielectric moieties as electron oscillation boosters by the localized electric field. Thus, plasmonic nanostructures with high chirality were developed. The present bottom-up method would allow the large-scale and cost-effective fabrication of chiral materials and further applications to functional materials and devices.

Patterns of Declining Use and the Adverse Effect of Primary Androgen Deprivation on All-cause Mortality in Elderly Men with Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Sammon, Jesse D; Abdollah, Firas; Reznor, Gally; Pucheril, Daniel; Choueiri, Toni K; Hu, Jim C; Kim, Simon P; Schmid, Marianne; Sood, Akshay; Sun, Maxine; Kibel, Adam S; Nguyen, Paul L; Menon, Mani; Trinh, Quoc-Dien

2015-07-01

Primary androgen deprivation therapy (pADT) is commonly used to treat elderly men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer (CaP), despite the lack of evidence supporting its use. To examine the effect of pADT on mortality and to assess contemporary trends of pADT use in elderly men with CaP. Men older than 65 yr residing in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry areas diagnosed with localized or locally advanced CaP between 1992 and 2009 and not receiving definitive therapy. Propensity score (PS)-weighted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the effect of pADT use on overall survival among patients receiving pADT. The interaction between comorbidity-adjusted life expectancy (LE) and pADT use was assessed within the Cox and PS-weighted models. Contemporary (2004-2009) trends for pADT use were analyzed by linear regression. The primary cohort included 46 376 men, of whom 17 873 received pADT (39%). Patients with >10 yr LE had lower pADT utilization rates than patients with short LE. Between 2004 and 2009, the use of pADT in men with localized CaP decreased by 14% (from 36% to 22%). Relative to observation, pADT was associated with a survival disadvantage, with a hazard ratio for all-cause mortality of 1.37 (95% confidence interval 1.20-1.56). Limitations included biases not accounted for by the PS-weighted model, changes in CaP staging over the study period, the absence of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) data prior to 2004, and the limits of retrospective analysis to demonstrate causality. The use of pADT in elderly men with localized CaP has decreased over time. For men forgoing primary definitive therapy, the use of pADT is not associated with a survival benefit compared to observation, and denies men an opportunity for cure with definitive therapy. The deleterious effect of pADT is most pronounced in men with prolonged LE. In this report, we assessed the effect of primary androgen deprivation (pADT) on prostate cancer mortality and determined current trends in the use of pADT. We showed that use of pADT in men aged >65 yr with localized prostate cancer has decreased over time. We also found that pADT is detrimental to men with localized prostate cancer, and particularly men with longer life expectancy. Therefore, we conclude that ADT should not be used as a primary treatment for men with prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Awakening the BALROG: BAyesian Location Reconstruction Of GRBs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, J. Michael; Yu, Hoi-Fung; Greiner, Jochen; Mortlock, Daniel J.

2018-05-01

The accurate spatial location of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is crucial for both accurately characterizing their spectra and follow-up observations by other instruments. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) has the largest field of view for detecting GRBs as it views the entire unocculted sky, but as a non-imaging instrument it relies on the relative count rates observed in each of its 14 detectors to localize transients. Improving its ability to accurately locate GRBs and other transients is vital to the paradigm of multimessenger astronomy, including the electromagnetic follow-up of gravitational wave signals. Here we present the BAyesian Location Reconstruction Of GRBs (BALROG) method for localizing and characterizing GBM transients. Our approach eliminates the systematics of previous approaches by simultaneously fitting for the location and spectrum of a source. It also correctly incorporates the uncertainties in the location of a transient into the spectral parameters and produces reliable positional uncertainties for both well-localized sources and those for which the GBM data cannot effectively constrain the position. While computationally expensive, BALROG can be implemented to enable quick follow-up of all GBM transient signals. Also, we identify possible response problems that require attention and caution when using standard, public GBM detector response matrices. Finally, we examine the effects of including the uncertainty in location on the spectral parameters of GRB 080916C. We find that spectral parameters change and no extra components are required when these effects are included in contrast to when we use a fixed location. This finding has the potential to alter both the GRB spectral catalogues and the reported spectral composition of some well-known GRBs.

Socioeconomic determinants of infant growth: The Perspective Cohort Study of Thai Children.

PubMed

Phuphaibul, Rutja; Kongsaktrakul, Chuenreudee; Phusamon, Srisamon; Peasue, Noppawan; Mosuwan, Ladda; Choprapawon, Chanpen

2014-01-01

  The present study is based on the Prospective Cohort Study of Thai Children (PCTC), and focuses on socioeconomic factors including maternal age, maternal education, living with parents, family size, family income, locality, and sex that affect the growth outcomes of infants at 1 year of age.   Data was collected among 3679 pairs of mothers and infants in the PCTC cohort in rural and urban locations during 2001-2002. Data collection was performed by interviewing mothers in their 7th to 8th month of pregnancy using family profile questionnaires. The anthropometric measures including weight, length, and head circumference of the infants were later collected at 1 year of age at home.   The results show the effects of family socioeconomic status maternal education, living with parents, family size, family income, locality, and sex on their weight (R(2) = 14.2%, P < 0.001) and length (R(2) = 8.7%, P < 0.001) at 1 year of age. The findings suggest that maternal age, maternal education, living with parents, family size, family income, locality, and sex predict infant head circumference (R(2) = 16.8%, P < 0.001) at 1 year of age.   Infants' growth, including weight, height, and head circumference, are affected by family socioeconomic status factors. It is recommended that the effect of maternal age on growth and development of children among those in the PCTC cohort is examined in the future. © 2012 The Authors. Japan Journal of Nursing Science © 2012 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Galaxy clusters in local Universe simulations without density constraints: a long uphill struggle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorce, Jenny G.

2018-06-01

Galaxy clusters are excellent cosmological probes provided that their formation and evolution within the large scale environment are precisely understood. Therefore studies with simulated galaxy clusters have flourished. However detailed comparisons between simulated and observed clusters and their population - the galaxies - are complicated by the diversity of clusters and their surrounding environment. An original way initiated by Bertschinger as early as 1987, to legitimize the one-to-one comparison exercise down to the details, is to produce simulations constrained to resemble the cluster under study within its large scale environment. Subsequently several methods have emerged to produce simulations that look like the local Universe. This paper highlights one of these methods and its essential steps to get simulations that not only resemble the local Large Scale Structure but also that host the local clusters. It includes a new modeling of the radial peculiar velocity uncertainties to remove the observed correlation between the decreases of the simulated cluster masses and of the amount of data used as constraints with the distance from us. This method has the particularity to use solely radial peculiar velocities as constraints: no additional density constraints are required to get local cluster simulacra. The new resulting simulations host dark matter halos that match the most prominent local clusters such as Coma. Zoom-in simulations of the latter and of a volume larger than the 30h-1 Mpc radius inner sphere become now possible to study local clusters and their effects. Mapping the local Sunyaev-Zel'dovich and Sachs-Wolfe effects can follow.

Local administration of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles effectively inhibits inflammation and bone resorption associated with experimental periodontal disease.

PubMed

Zambrano, Laura M G; Brandao, Dayane A; Rocha, Fernanda R G; Marsiglio, Raquel P; Longo, Ieda B; Primo, Fernando L; Tedesco, Antonio C; Guimaraes-Stabili, Morgana R; Rossa Junior, Carlos

2018-04-27

There is evidence indicating that curcumin has multiple biological activities, including anti-inflammatory properties. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that curcumin may attenuate inflammation and the connective tissue destruction associated with periodontal disease. Most of these studies use systemic administration, and considering the site-specific nature of periodontal disease and also the poor pharmacodynamic properties of curcumin, we conducted this proof of principle study to assess the biological effect of the local administration of curcumin in a nanoparticle vehicle on experimental periodontal disease. We used 16 rats divided into two groups of 8 animals according to the induction of experimental periodontal disease by bilateral injections of LPS or of the vehicle control directly into the gingival tissues 3×/week for 4 weeks. The same volume of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles or of nanoparticle vehicle was injected into the same sites 2×/week. µCT analysis showed that local administration of curcumin resulted in a complete inhibition of inflammatory bone resorption and in a significant decrease of both osteoclast counts and of the inflammatory infiltrate; as well as a marked attenuation of p38 MAPK and NF-kB activation. We conclude that local administration of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles effectively inhibited inflammation and bone resorption associated with experimental periodontal disease.

An optimized transit peptide for effective targeting of diverse foreign proteins into chloroplasts in rice.

PubMed

Shen, Bo-Ran; Zhu, Cheng-Hua; Yao, Zhen; Cui, Li-Li; Zhang, Jian-Jun; Yang, Cheng-Wei; He, Zheng-Hui; Peng, Xin-Xiang

2017-04-11

Various chloroplast transit peptides (CTP) have been used to successfully target some foreign proteins into chloroplasts, but for other proteins these same CTPs have reduced localization efficiencies or fail completely. The underlying cause of the failures remains an open question, and more effective CTPs are needed. In this study, we initially observed that two E.coli enzymes, EcTSR and EcGCL, failed to be targeted into rice chloroplasts by the commonly-used rice rbcS transit peptide (rCTP) and were subsequently degraded. Further analyses revealed that the N-terminal unfolded region of cargo proteins is critical for their localization capability, and that a length of about 20 amino acids is required to attain the maximum localization efficiency. We considered that the unfolded region may alleviate the steric hindrance produced by the cargo protein, by functioning as a spacer to which cytosolic translocators can bind. Based on this inference, an optimized CTP, named RC2, was constructed. Analyses showed that RC2 can more effectively target diverse proteins, including EcTSR and EcGCL, into rice chloroplasts. Collectively, our results provide further insight into the mechanism of CTP-mediated chloroplastic localization, and more importantly, RC2 can be widely applied in future chloroplastic metabolic engineering, particularly for crop plants.

A malaria transmission-directed model of mosquito life cycle and ecology

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Malaria is a major public health issue in much of the world, and the mosquito vectors which drive transmission are key targets for interventions. Mathematical models for planning malaria eradication benefit from detailed representations of local mosquito populations, their natural dynamics and their response to campaign pressures. Methods A new model is presented for mosquito population dynamics, effects of weather, and impacts of multiple simultaneous interventions. This model is then embedded in a large-scale individual-based simulation and results for local elimination of malaria are discussed. Mosquito population behaviours, such as anthropophily and indoor feeding, are included to study their effect upon the efficacy of vector control-based elimination campaigns. Results Results for vector control tools, such as bed nets, indoor spraying, larval control and space spraying, both alone and in combination, are displayed for a single-location simulation with vector species and seasonality characteristic of central Tanzania, varying baseline transmission intensity and vector bionomics. The sensitivities to habitat type, anthropophily, indoor feeding, and baseline transmission intensity are explored. Conclusions The ability to model a spectrum of local vector species with different ecologies and behaviours allows local customization of packages of interventions and exploration of the effect of proposed new tools. PMID:21999664

Environmental pollution has sex-dependent effects on local survival

PubMed Central

Eeva, Tapio; Hakkarainen, Harri; Laaksonen, Toni; Lehikoinen, Esa

2006-01-01

Environmental pollutants cause a potential hazard for survival in free-living animal populations. We modelled local survival (including emigration) by using individual mark–recapture histories of males and females in a population of a small insectivorous passerine bird, the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) living around a point source of heavy metals (copper smelter). Local survival of F. hypoleuca females did not differ between polluted and unpolluted environments. Males, however, showed a one-third higher local-survival probability in the polluted area. Low fledgling production was generally associated with decreased local survival, but males in the polluted area showed relatively high local survival, irrespective of their fledgling number. A possible explanation of higher local survival of males in the polluted area could be a pollution-induced change in hormone (e.g. corticosterone or testosterone) levels of males. It could make them to invest more on their own survival or affect the hormonal control of breeding dispersal. The local survival of males decreased in the polluted area over the study period along with the simultaneous decrease in heavy metal emissions. This temporal trend is in agreement with the stress hormone hypothesis. PMID:17148387

The power of local action in occupational health: the adoption of local exhaust ventilation in the Chicago tuckpointing trade

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Silica is a pervasive and potentially deadly occupational hazard in construction. The occupational risk posed by silica has long been known, but efforts to use engineering controls to minimize dust generation in tuckpointing operations, a masonry restoration specialty, have been slow. Objectives The objective of this study is to explore how local innovation in occupational safety and health may emerge, absent the establishment of national standards. Method This study uses a case study to explore the adoption of local exhaust ventilation in tuckpointing operations in the Chicago area. Sources of data for this research include interviews with a diverse range of key informants and the review of archival material. Results This case study found local unions, municipal regulators, contractors, and major public users of construction services played a central role in the events and milestones that led to the early adoption of local exhaust ventilation in Chicago. The adoption of local exhaust ventilation technology in Chicago demonstrates the potential for local actors to fill an important void when rulemaking in vital areas of occupational of health impedes effective national regulation. PMID:27362634

Local flow measurements at the inlet spike tip of a Mach 3 supersonic cruise airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, H. J.; Montoya, E. J.

1973-01-01

The flow field at the left inlet spike tip of a YF-12A airplane was examined using at 26 deg included angle conical flow sensor to obtain measurements at free-stream Mach numbers from 1.6 to 3.0. Local flow angularity, Mach number, impact pressure, and mass flow were determined and compared with free-stream values. Local flow changes occurred at the same time as free-stream changes. The local flow usually approached the spike centerline from the upper outboard side because of spike cant and toe-in. Free-stream Mach number influenced the local flow angularity; as Mach number increased above 2.2, local angle of attack increased and local sideslip angle decreased. Local Mach number was generally 3 percent less than free-stream Mach number. Impact-pressure ratio and mass flow ratio increased as free-stream Mach number increased above 2.2, indicating a beneficial forebody compression effect. No degradation of the spike tip instrumentation was observed after more than 40 flights in the high-speed thermal environment encountered by the airplane. The sensor is rugged, simple, and sensitive to small flow changes. It can provide accurate imputs necessary to control an inlet.

Nanotribological effects of hair care products and environment on human hair using atomic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latorre, Carmen; Bhushan, Bharat

2005-07-01

Tribological properties are useful in the study of human hair and other biological materials. Major sources of investigation for conditioner treated hair includes localization of conditioner, mechanisms related to changes in surface roughness, friction, and adhesion on the nanoscale due to conditioner agents, and how the products change the microstructure of the cuticle. The paper presents nanotribological studies investigating surface roughness, friction, and adhesion using atomic force/friction force microscopy (AFM/FFM). Test samples include virgin and chemically damaged hair, both with and without commercial conditioner treatment, as well as chemically damaged hair with experimental conditioner treatments. Friction force mapping provides insight into the localized change in friction caused by the application of hair care materials. Adhesive force maps to study adhesion on the cuticle surface provide information about localization and distribution of conditioner as well. A discussion is presented on these properties of hair as a function of relative humidity, temperature, durability, and conditioning treatments.

Evolution of finite-amplitude localized vortices in planar homogeneous shear flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karp, Michael; Shukhman, Ilia G.; Cohen, Jacob

2017-02-01

An analytical-based method is utilized to follow the evolution of localized initially Gaussian disturbances in flows with homogeneous shear, in which the base velocity components are at most linear functions of the coordinates, including hyperbolic, elliptic, and simple shear. Coherent structures, including counterrotating vortex pairs (CVPs) and hairpin vortices, are formed for the cases where the streamlines of the base flow are open (hyperbolic and simple shear). For hyperbolic base flows, the dominance of shear over rotation leads to elongation of the localized disturbance along the outlet asymptote and formation of CVPs. For simple shear CVPs are formed from linear and nonlinear disturbances, whereas hairpins are observed only for highly nonlinear disturbances. For elliptic base flows CVPs, hairpins and vortex loops form initially, however they do not last and break into various vortical structures that spread in the spanwise direction. The effect of the disturbance's initial amplitude and orientation is examined and the optimal orientation achieving maximal growth is identified.

Unintended benefits: leadership skills and behavioral change among Guatemalan fieldworkers employed in a longitudinal household air pollution study.

PubMed

Kuo, Devina; Thompson, Lisa M; Lee, Amy; Romero, Carolina; Smith, Kirk R

2010-01-01

The RESPIRE and CRECER studies measured the effects of reduced household air pollution (HAP) from wood-fired cookstoves on respiratory health in rural highland Guatemala. This article examines behavior change and leadership skill development in local community members who were hired as fieldworkers to assist with research. Fieldworkers administered household questionnaires, shared functions similar to community health workers, and bridged health resources to communities. A mixed-methods design for data collection (in-depth interviews, focus groups, impact drawings, knowledge questionnaire, and retrospective pre-test) was used. Purposive sampling included 10 fieldworkers and 13 local service providers. Fieldworkers showed an increase in knowledge, positive attitudes, and practices around HAP. They developed new technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Fieldworkers played a crucial role in building confianza (trust) with the community, bridging resources, and improving outside researchers' relationships with locals. Recommendations for future researchers include inclusion of additional training courses and adoption of community participatory approaches.

UNINTENDED BENEFITS: LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE AMONG GUATEMALAN FIELDWORKERS EMPLOYED IN A LONGITUDINAL HOUSEHOLD AIR POLLUTION STUDY*

PubMed Central

KUO, DEVINA; THOMPSON, LISA M.; LEE, AMY; ROMERO, CAROLINA; SMITH, KIRK R.

2015-01-01

The RESPIRE and CRECER studies measured the effects of reduced household air pollution (HAP) from wood-fired cookstoves on respiratory health in rural highland Guatemala. This article examines behavior change and leadership skill development in local community members who were hired as fieldworkers to assist with research. Fieldworkers administered household questionnaires, shared functions similar to community health workers, and bridged health resources to communities. A mixed-methods design for data collection (in-depth interviews, focus groups, impact drawings, knowledge questionnaire, and retrospective pre-test) was used. Purposive sampling included 10 fieldworkers and 13 local service providers. Fieldworkers showed an increase in knowledge, positive attitudes, and practices around HAP. They developed new technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Fieldworkers played a crucial role in building confianza (trust) with the community, bridging resources, and improving outside researchers’ relationships with locals. Recommendations for future researchers include inclusion of additional training courses and adoption of community participatory approaches. PMID:22192940

Telecommunications and navigation systems design for manned Mars exploration missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Justin R.; Hastrup, Rolf C.

1989-06-01

This paper discusses typical manned Mars exploration needs for telecommunications, including preliminary navigation support functions. It is a brief progress report on an ongoing study program within the current NASA JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) activities. A typical Mars exploration case is defined, and support approaches comparing microwave and optical frequency performance for both local in situ and Mars-earth links are described. Optical telecommunication and navigation technology development opportunities in a Mars exploration program are also identified. A local Mars system telecommunication relay and navigation capability for service support of all Mars missions has been proposed as part of an overall solar system communications network. The effects of light-time delay and occultations on real-time mission decision-making are discussed; the availability of increased local mass data storage may be more important than increasing peak data rates to earth. The long-term frequency use plan will most likely include a mix of microwave, millimeter-wave and optical link capabilities to meet a variety of deep space mission needs.

Telecommunications and navigation systems design for manned Mars exploration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Justin R.; Hastrup, Rolf C.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses typical manned Mars exploration needs for telecommunications, including preliminary navigation support functions. It is a brief progress report on an ongoing study program within the current NASA JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) activities. A typical Mars exploration case is defined, and support approaches comparing microwave and optical frequency performance for both local in situ and Mars-earth links are described. Optical telecommunication and navigation technology development opportunities in a Mars exploration program are also identified. A local Mars system telecommunication relay and navigation capability for service support of all Mars missions has been proposed as part of an overall solar system communications network. The effects of light-time delay and occultations on real-time mission decision-making are discussed; the availability of increased local mass data storage may be more important than increasing peak data rates to earth. The long-term frequency use plan will most likely include a mix of microwave, millimeter-wave and optical link capabilities to meet a variety of deep space mission needs.

Cognitive Abilities Explain Wording Effects in the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

PubMed

Gnambs, Timo; Schroeders, Ulrich

2017-12-01

There is consensus that the 10 items of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) reflect wording effects resulting from positively and negatively keyed items. The present study examined the effects of cognitive abilities on the factor structure of the RSES with a novel, nonparametric latent variable technique called local structural equation models. In a nationally representative German large-scale assessment including 12,437 students competing measurement models for the RSES were compared: a bifactor model with a common factor and a specific factor for all negatively worded items had an optimal fit. Local structural equation models showed that the unidimensionality of the scale increased with higher levels of reading competence and reasoning, while the proportion of variance attributed to the negatively keyed items declined. Wording effects on the factor structure of the RSES seem to represent a response style artifact associated with cognitive abilities.

Trophic compensation reinforces resistance: herbivory absorbs the increasing effects of multiple disturbances.

PubMed

Ghedini, Giulia; Russell, Bayden D; Connell, Sean D

2015-02-01

Disturbance often results in small changes in community structure, but the probability of transitioning to contrasting states increases when multiple disturbances combine. Nevertheless, we have limited insights into the mechanisms that stabilise communities, particularly how perturbations can be absorbed without restructuring (i.e. resistance). Here, we expand the concept of compensatory dynamics to include countervailing mechanisms that absorb disturbances through trophic interactions. By definition, 'compensation' occurs if a specific disturbance stimulates a proportional countervailing response that eliminates its otherwise unchecked effect. We show that the compounding effects of disturbances from local to global scales (i.e. local canopy-loss, eutrophication, ocean acidification) increasingly promote the expansion of weedy species, but that this response is countered by a proportional increase in grazing. Finally, we explore the relatively unrecognised role of compensatory effects, which are likely to maintain the resistance of communities to disturbance more deeply than current thinking allows. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Dynamic bulk and shear moduli due to grain-scale local fluid flow in fluid-saturated cracked poroelastic rocks: Theoretical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yongjia; Hu, Hengshan; Rudnicki, John W.

2016-07-01

Grain-scale local fluid flow is an important loss mechanism for attenuating waves in cracked fluid-saturated poroelastic rocks. In this study, a dynamic elastic modulus model is developed to quantify local flow effect on wave attenuation and velocity dispersion in porous isotropic rocks. The Eshelby transform technique, inclusion-based effective medium model (the Mori-Tanaka scheme), fluid dynamics and mass conservation principle are combined to analyze pore-fluid pressure relaxation and its influences on overall elastic properties. The derivation gives fully analytic, frequency-dependent effective bulk and shear moduli of a fluid-saturated porous rock. It is shown that the derived bulk and shear moduli rigorously satisfy the Biot-Gassmann relationship of poroelasticity in the low-frequency limit, while they are consistent with isolated-pore effective medium theory in the high-frequency limit. In particular, a simplified model is proposed to quantify the squirt-flow dispersion for frequencies lower than stiff-pore relaxation frequency. The main advantage of the proposed model over previous models is its ability to predict the dispersion due to squirt flow between pores and cracks with distributed aspect ratio instead of flow in a simply conceptual double-porosity structure. Independent input parameters include pore aspect ratio distribution, fluid bulk modulus and viscosity, and bulk and shear moduli of the solid grain. Physical assumptions made in this model include (1) pores are inter-connected and (2) crack thickness is smaller than the viscous skin depth. This study is restricted to linear elastic, well-consolidated granular rocks.

Effect of the lattice dynamics on the electronic structure of paramagnetic NiO within the disordered local moment picture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mozafari, Elham; Alling, Björn; Belov, Maxim P.; Abrikosov, Igor A.

2018-01-01

Using the disordered local moments approach in combination with the ab initio molecular dynamics method, we simulate the behavior of a paramagnetic phase of NiO at finite temperatures to investigate the effect of magnetic disorder, thermal expansion, and lattice vibrations on its electronic structure. In addition, we study its lattice dynamics. We verify the reliability of our theoretical scheme via comparison of our results with available experiment and earlier theoretical studies carried out within static approximations. We present the phonon dispersion relations for the paramagnetic rock-salt (B1) phase of NiO and demonstrate that it is dynamically stable. We observe that including the magnetic disorder to simulate the paramagnetic phase has a small yet visible effect on the band gap. The amplitude of the local magnetic moment of Ni ions from our calculations for both antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases agree well with other theoretical and experimental values. We demonstrate that the increase of temperature up to 1000 K does not affect the electronic structure strongly. Taking into account the lattice vibrations and thermal expansion at higher temperatures have a major impact on the electronic structure, reducing the band gap from ˜3.5 eV at 600 K to ˜2.5 eV at 2000 K. We conclude that static lattice approximations can be safely employed in simulations of the paramagnetic state of NiO up to relatively high temperatures (˜1000 K), but as we get closer to the melting temperature vibrational effects become quite large and therefore should be included in the calculations.

Systematic social observation of children’s neighborhoods using Google Street View: a reliable and cost-effective method

PubMed Central

Odgers, Candice L.; Caspi, Avshalom; Bates, Christopher J.; Sampson, Robert J.; Moffitt, Terrie E.

2012-01-01

Background Children growing up in poor versus affluent neighborhoods are more likely to spend time in prison, develop health problems and die at an early age. The question of how neighborhood conditions influence our behavior and health has attracted the attention of public health officials and scholars for generations. Online tools are now providing new opportunities to measure neighborhood features and may provide a cost effective way to advance our understanding of neighborhood effects on child health. Method A virtual systematic social observation (SSO) study was conducted to test whether Google Street View could be used to reliably capture the neighborhood conditions of families participating in the Environmental-Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. Multiple raters coded a subsample of 120 neighborhoods and convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated on the full sample of over 1,000 neighborhoods by linking virtual SSO measures to: (a) consumer based geo-demographic classifications of deprivation and health, (b) local resident surveys of disorder and safety, and (c) parent and teacher assessments of children’s antisocial behavior, prosocial behavior, and body mass index. Results High levels of observed agreement were documented for signs of physical disorder, physical decay, dangerousness and street safety. Inter-rater agreement estimates fell within the moderate to substantial range for all of the scales (ICCs ranged from .48 to .91). Negative neighborhood features, including SSO-rated disorder and decay and dangerousness corresponded with local resident reports, demonstrated a graded relationship with census-defined indices of socioeconomic status, and predicted higher levels of antisocial behavior among local children. In addition, positive neighborhood features, including SSO-rated street safety and the percentage of green space, were associated with higher prosocial behavior and healthy weight status among children. Conclusions Our results support the use of Google Street View as a reliable and cost effective tool for measuring both negative and positive features of local neighborhoods. PMID:22676812

Systematic social observation of children's neighborhoods using Google Street View: a reliable and cost-effective method.

PubMed

Odgers, Candice L; Caspi, Avshalom; Bates, Christopher J; Sampson, Robert J; Moffitt, Terrie E

2012-10-01

Children growing up in poor versus affluent neighborhoods are more likely to spend time in prison, develop health problems and die at an early age. The question of how neighborhood conditions influence our behavior and health has attracted the attention of public health officials and scholars for generations. Online tools are now providing new opportunities to measure neighborhood features and may provide a cost effective way to advance our understanding of neighborhood effects on child health. A virtual systematic social observation (SSO) study was conducted to test whether Google Street View could be used to reliably capture the neighborhood conditions of families participating in the Environmental-Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study. Multiple raters coded a subsample of 120 neighborhoods and convergent and discriminant validity was evaluated on the full sample of over 1,000 neighborhoods by linking virtual SSO measures to: (a) consumer based geo-demographic classifications of deprivation and health, (b) local resident surveys of disorder and safety, and (c) parent and teacher assessments of children's antisocial behavior, prosocial behavior, and body mass index. High levels of observed agreement were documented for signs of physical disorder, physical decay, dangerousness and street safety. Inter-rater agreement estimates fell within the moderate to substantial range for all of the scales (ICCs ranged from .48 to .91). Negative neighborhood features, including SSO-rated disorder and decay and dangerousness corresponded with local resident reports, demonstrated a graded relationship with census-defined indices of socioeconomic status, and predicted higher levels of antisocial behavior among local children. In addition, positive neighborhood features, including SSO-rated street safety and the percentage of green space, were associated with higher prosocial behavior and healthy weight status among children. Our results support the use of Google Street View as a reliable and cost effective tool for measuring both negative and positive features of local neighborhoods. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2012 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Aqueous Leaf Extract of Jatropha gossypiifolia L. (Euphorbiaceae) Inhibits Enzymatic and Biological Actions of Bothrops jararaca Snake Venom

PubMed Central

Félix-Silva, Juliana; Souza, Thiago; Menezes, Yamara A. S.; Cabral, Bárbara; Câmara, Rafael B. G.; Silva-Junior, Arnóbio A.; Rocha, Hugo A. O.; Rebecchi, Ivanise M. M.; Zucolotto, Silvana M.; Fernandes-Pedrosa, Matheus F.

2014-01-01

Snakebites are a serious public health problem due their high morbi-mortality. The main available specific treatment is the antivenom serum therapy, which has some disadvantages, such as poor neutralization of local effects, risk of immunological reactions, high cost and difficult access in some regions. In this context, the search for alternative therapies is relevant. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antiophidic properties of Jatropha gossypiifolia, a medicinal plant used in folk medicine to treat snakebites. The aqueous leaf extract of the plant was prepared by decoction and phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of sugars, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes and/or steroids and proteins. The extract was able to inhibit enzymatic and biologic activities induced by Bothrops jararaca snake venom in vitro and in vivo. The blood incoagulability was efficiently inhibited by the extract by oral route. The hemorrhagic and edematogenic local effects were also inhibited, the former by up to 56% and the latter by 100%, in animals treated with extract by oral and intraperitoneal routes, respectively. The inhibition of myotoxic action of B. jararaca reached almost 100%. According to enzymatic tests performed, it is possible to suggest that the antiophidic activity may be due an inhibitory action upon snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) and/or serine proteinases (SVSPs), including fibrinogenolytic enzymes, clotting factors activators and thrombin like enzymes (SVTLEs), as well upon catalytically inactive phospholipases A2 (Lys49 PLA2). Anti-inflammatory activity, at least partially, could also be related to the inhibition of local effects. Additionally, protein precipitating and antioxidant activities may also be important features contributing to the activity presented. In conclusion, the results demonstrate the potential antiophidic activity of J. gossypiifolia extract, including its significant action upon local effects, suggesting that it may be used as a new source of bioactive molecules against bothropic venom. PMID:25126759

Real fuel effects on flame extinction and re-ignition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xinyu; Wu, Bifen; Xu, Chao; Lu, Tianfeng; Chen, Jacqueline H.

2016-11-01

Flame-vortex interactions have significant implications in studying combustion in practical aeronautical engines, and can be used to facilitate the model development in capturing local extinction and re-ignition. To study the interactions between the complex fuel and the intense turbulence that are commonly encountered in engines, direct numerical simulations of the interactions between a flame and a vortex pair are carried out using a recently-developed 24-species reduced chemistry for n-dodecane. Both non-premixed and premixed flames with different initial and inlet thermochemical conditions are studied. Parametric studies of different vortex strengths and orientations are carried out to induce maximum local extinction and re-ignition. Chemical-explosive-mode-analysis based flame diagnostic tools are used to identify different modes of combustion, including auto-ignition and extinction. Results obtained from the reduced chemistry are compared with those obtained from one-step chemistry to quantify the effect of fuel pyrolysis on the extinction limit. Effects of flame curvature, heat loss and unsteadiness on flame extinction are also explored. Finally, the validity of current turbulent combustion models to capture the local extinction and re-ignition will be discussed.

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

Meng, Xiangyu; Shi, Xianbo; Wang, Yong

The mutual optical intensity (MOI) model is extended to include the propagation of partially coherent radiation through non-ideal mirrors. The propagation of the MOI from the incident to the exit plane of the mirror is realised by local ray tracing. The effects of figure errors can be expressed as phase shifts obtained by either the phase projection approach or the direct path length method. Using the MOI model, the effects of figure errors are studied for diffraction-limited cases using elliptical cylinder mirrors. Figure errors with low spatial frequencies can vary the intensity distribution, redistribute the local coherence function and distortmore » the wavefront, but have no effect on the global degree of coherence. The MOI model is benchmarked againstHYBRIDand the multi-electronSynchrotron Radiation Workshop(SRW) code. The results show that the MOI model gives accurate results under different coherence conditions of the beam. Other than intensity profiles, the MOI model can also provide the wavefront and the local coherence function at any location along the beamline. The capability of tuning the trade-off between accuracy and efficiency makes the MOI model an ideal tool for beamline design and optimization.« less

Content and effects of news stories about uncertain cancer causes and preventive behaviors.

PubMed

Niederdeppe, Jeff; Lee, Theodore; Robbins, Rebecca; Kim, Hye Kyung; Kresovich, Alex; Kirshenblat, Danielle; Standridge, Kimberly; Clarke, Christopher E; Jensen, Jakob; Fowler, Erika Franklin

2014-01-01

This article presents findings from two studies that describe news portrayals of cancer causes and prevention in local TV and test the effects of typical aspects of this coverage on cancer-related fatalism and overload. Study 1 analyzed the content of stories focused on cancer causes and prevention from an October 2002 national sample of local TV and newspaper cancer coverage (n = 122 television stations; n = 60 newspapers). Informed by results from the content analysis, Study 2 describes results from a randomized experiment testing effects of the volume and content of news stories about cancer causes and prevention (n = 601). Study 1 indicates that local TV news stories describe cancer causes and prevention as comparatively more certain than newspapers but include less information about how to reduce cancer risk. Study 2 reveals that the combination of stories conveying an emerging cancer cause and prevention behavior as moderately certain leads to an increased sense of overload, while a short summary of well-established preventive behaviors mitigates these potentially harmful beliefs. We conclude with a series of recommendations for health communication and health journalism practice.

Osteoporosis in Rheumatic Diseases: Anti-rheumatic Drugs and the Skeleton.

PubMed

Dubrovsky, Alanna M; Lim, Mie Jin; Lane, Nancy E

2018-05-01

Osteoporosis in rheumatic diseases is a very well-known complication. Systemic inflammation results in both generalized and localized bone loss and erosions. Recently, increased knowledge of inflammatory process in rheumatic diseases has resulted in the development of potent inhibitors of the cytokines, the biologic DMARDs. These treatments reduce systemic inflammation and have some effect on the generalized and localized bone loss. Progression of bone erosion was slowed by TNF, IL-6 and IL-1 inhibitors, a JAK inhibitor, a CTLA4 agonist, and rituximab. Effects on bone mineral density varied between the biological DMARDs. Medications that are approved for the treatment of osteoporosis have been evaluated to prevent bone loss in rheumatic disease patients, including denosumab, cathepsin K, bisphosphonates, anti-sclerostin antibodies and parathyroid hormone (hPTH 1-34), and have some efficacy in both the prevention of systemic bone loss and reducing localized bone erosions. This article reviews the effects of biologic DMARDs on bone mass and erosions in patients with rheumatic diseases and trials of anti-osteoporotic medications in animal models and patients with rheumatic diseases.

Translating an early childhood obesity prevention program for local community implementation: a case study of the Melbourne InFANT Program.

PubMed

Laws, R; Hesketh, K D; Ball, K; Cooper, C; Vrljic, K; Campbell, K J

2016-08-08

While there is a growing interest in the field of research translation, there are few published examples of public health interventions that have been effectively scaled up and implemented in the community. This paper provides a case study of the community-wide implementation of the Melbourne Infant, Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT), an obesity prevention program for parents with infants aged 3-18 months. The study explored key factors influencing the translation of the Program into routine practice and the respective role of policy makers, researchers and implementers. Case studies were conducted of five of the eight prevention areas in Victoria, Australia who implemented the Program. Cases were selected on the basis of having implemented the Program for 6 months or more. Data were collected from January to June 2015 and included 18 individual interviews, one focus group and observation of two meetings. A total of 28 individuals, including research staff (n = 4), policy makers (n = 2) and implementers (n = 22), contributed to the data collected. Thematic analysis was conducted using cross case comparisons and key themes were verified through member checking. Key facilitators of implementation included availability of a pre-packaged evidence based program addressing a community need, along with support and training provided by research staff to local implementers. Partnerships between researchers and policy makers facilitated initial program adoption, while local partnerships supported community implementation. Community partnerships were facilitated by local coordinators through alignment of program goals with existing policies and services. Workforce capacity for program delivery and administration was a challenge, largely overcome by embedding the Program into existing roles. Adapting the Program to fit local circumstance was critical for feasible and sustainable delivery, however balancing this with program fidelity was a critical issue. The lack of ongoing funding to support translation activities was a barrier for researchers continued involvement in community implementation. Policy makers, researchers and practitioners have important and complementary roles to play in supporting the translation of effective research interventions into practice. New avenues need to be explored to strengthen partnerships between researchers and end users to support the integration of effective public health research interventions into practice.

Relative importance of current and past landscape structure and local habitat conditions for plant species richness in dry grassland-like forest openings.

PubMed

Husáková, Iveta; Münzbergová, Zuzana

2014-01-01

In fragmented landscapes, plant species richness may depend not only on local habitat conditions but also on landscape structure. In addition, both present and past landscape structure may be important for species richness. There are, however, only a few studies that have investigated the relative importance of all of these factors. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of current and past landscape structures and habitat conditions on species richness at dry grassland-like forest openings in a forested landscape and to assess their relative importance for species richness. We analyzed information on past and present landscape structures using aerial photographs from 1938, 1973, 1988, 2000 and 2007. We calculated the area of each locality and its isolation in the present and in the past and the continuity of localities in GIS. At each locality, we recorded all vascular plant species (296 species in 110 forest openings) and information on abiotic conditions of the localities. We found that the current species richness of the forest openings was significantly determined by local habitat conditions as well as by landscape structure in the present and in the past. The highest species richness was observed on larger and more heterogeneous localities with rocks and shallow soils, which were already large and well connected to other localities in 1938. The changes in the landscape structure in the past can thus have strong effects on current species richness. Future studies attempting to understand determinants of species diversity in fragmented landscapes should also include data on past landscape structure, as it may in fact be more important than the present structure.

Effective dialogue: Enhanced public engagement as a legitimising tool for municipal waste management decision-making

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

Garnett, Kenisha, E-mail: k.garnett@cranfield.ac.uk; Cooper, Tim, E-mail: t.h.cooper@ntu.ac.uk

2014-12-15

Highlights: • A review of public engagement in waste management decision-making is undertaken. • Enhanced public engagement is explored as a means to legitimise waste decisions. • Analytical–deliberative processes are explored as a tool for effective dialogue. • Considerations for integrating public values with technical analysis are outlined. • Insights into the design of appropriate public engagement processes are provided. - Abstract: The complexity of municipal waste management decision-making has increased in recent years, accompanied by growing scrutiny from stakeholders, including local communities. This complexity reflects a socio-technical framing of the risks and social impacts associated with selecting technologies andmore » sites for waste treatment and disposal facilities. Consequently there is growing pressure on local authorities for stakeholders (including communities) to be given an early opportunity to shape local waste policy in order to encourage swift planning, development and acceptance of the technologies needed to meet statutory targets to divert waste from landfill. This paper presents findings from a research project that explored the use of analytical–deliberative processes as a legitimising tool for waste management decision-making. Adopting a mixed methods approach, the study revealed that communicating the practical benefits of more inclusive forms of engagement is proving difficult even though planning and policy delays are hindering development and implementation of waste management infrastructure. Adopting analytical–deliberative processes at a more strategic level will require local authorities and practitioners to demonstrate how expert-citizen deliberations may foster progress in resolving controversial issues, through change in individuals, communities and institutions. The findings suggest that a significant shift in culture will be necessary for local authorities to realise the potential of more inclusive decision processes. This calls for political actors and civic society to collaborate in institutionalising public involvement in both strategic and local planning structures.« less

Training NOAA Staff on Effective Communication Methods with Local Climate Users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timofeyeva, M. M.; Mayes, B.

2011-12-01

Since 2002 NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Services Division (CSD) offered training opportunities to NWS staff. As a result of eight-year-long development of the training program, NWS offers three training courses and about 25 online distance learning modules covering various climate topics: climate data and observations, climate variability and change, NWS national and local climate products, their tools, skill, and interpretation. Leveraging climate information and expertise available at all NOAA line offices and partners allows delivery of the most advanced knowledge and is a very critical aspect of the training program. NWS challenges in providing local climate services includes effective communication techniques on provide highly technical scientific information to local users. Addressing this challenge requires well trained, climate-literate workforce at local level capable of communicating the NOAA climate products and services as well as provide climate-sensitive decision support. Trained NWS climate service personnel use proactive and reactive approaches and professional education methods in communicating climate variability and change information to local users. Both scientifically-unimpaired messages and amiable communication techniques such as story telling approach are important in developing an engaged dialog between the climate service providers and users. Several pilot projects NWS CSD conducted in the past year applied the NWS climate services training program to training events for NOAA technical user groups. The technical user groups included natural resources managers, engineers, hydrologists, and planners for transportation infrastructure. Training of professional user groups required tailoring the instructions to the potential applications of each group of users. Training technical user identified the following critical issues: (1) Knowledge of target audience expectations, initial knowledge status, and potential use of climate information; (2) Leveraging partnership with climate services providers; and, (3) Applying 3H training approach, where the first H stands for Head (trusted science), the second H stands for Heart (make it easy), and the third H for Hand (support with applications).

Implementing a Nutrition and Physical Activity Curriculum in Head Start Through an Academic-Community Partnership.

PubMed

Zahnd, Whitney E; Smith, Tracey; Ryherd, Susan J; Cleer, Melissa; Rogers, Valerie; Steward, David E

2017-06-01

Schools may be an effective avenue for interventions that prevent childhood obesity. I am Moving I am Learning/Choosy Kids © (IMIL/CK) is a curriculum recommended by Head Start (HS) for education in nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle habits. We formed an academic-community partnership (ACP), the Springfield Collaborative for Active Child Health, to promote prevention of childhood obesity, in part, to implement the IMIL/CK curriculum in local HS sites. The ACP included a medical school, HS program, public school district, and state health department. Community-based participatory research principles helped identify and organize important implementation activities: community engagement, curriculum support, professional teacher training, and evaluation. IMIL/CK was piloted in 1 school then implemented in all local HS sites. All sites were engaged in IMIL/CK professional teacher training, classroom curriculum delivery, and child physical activity assessments. Local HS policy changed to include IMIL/CK in lesson plans and additional avenues of collaboration were initiated. Furthermore, improvements in physical activity and/or maintenance or improvement of healthy weight prevalence was seen in 4 of the 5 years evaluated. An ACP is an effective vehicle to implement and evaluate childhood obesity prevention programming in HS sites. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Effective Strategies for Global Health Research, Training and Clinical Care: A Narrative Review

PubMed Central

Walker, Rebekah J.; Campbell, Jennifer A.; Egede, Leonard E.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this narrative review was to synthesize the evidence on effective strategies for global health research, training and clinical care in order to identify common structures that have been used to guide program development. A Medline search from 2001 to 2011 produced 951 articles, which were reviewed and categorized. Thirty articles met criteria to be included in this review. Eleven articles discussed recommendations for research, 8 discussed training and 11 discussed clinical care. Global health program development should be completed within the framework of a larger institutional commitment or partnership. Support from leadership in the university or NGO, and an engaged local community are both integral to success and sustainability of efforts. It is also important for program development to engage local partners from the onset, jointly exploring issues and developing goals and objectives. Evaluation is a recommended way to determine if goals are being met, and should include considerations of sustainability, partnership building, and capacity. Global health research programs should consider details regarding the research process, context of research, partnerships, and community relationships. Training for global health should involve mentorship, pre-departure preparation of students, and elements developed to increase impact. Clinical care programs should focus on collaboration, sustainability, meeting local needs, and appropriate process considerations. PMID:25716404

Reducing health care costs--potential and limitations of local authority health services.

PubMed

Ijsselmuiden, C B; De Beer, C

1990-08-04

Local authorities (LAs) currently provide preventive and promotive services. It is argued that, by extending the role of the LA to the provision of comprehensive services, including ambulatory and hospital curative care, both the quality and the cost-effectiveness of health care would be improved. Making health care the responsibility of the LA would minimise fragmentation, allow for the provision of a number of services that currently are neglected because they fall through the gap that exists between preventive and curative services, and result in the more effective use of personnel currently restricted to providing preventive care only. LAs offer an appropriate structure for effective community control over the health services, and are more likely to be sensitive to local needs and demands. In addition, their administrative proximity to other LA departments responsible for housing, town planning and parks and recreation allows for an effective multisectoral approach to health. The positive aspects of LA care can only be achieved in the context of racially integrated services provided by an LA elected by universal adult franchise. Smaller LAs may need to be grouped together in larger units for the purpose of achieving satisfactory economies of scale in the provision of health care.

Inhibition of Kv7/M Channel Currents by the Local Anesthetic Chloroprocaine.

PubMed

Zhang, Fan; Cheng, Yanxin; Li, Hong; Jia, Qingzhong; Zhang, Hailin; Zhao, Senming

2015-01-01

Chloroprocaine is a local ester anesthetic, producing excellent sensory block in clinical use. The Kv7/M potassium channel plays an important role in the control of neuronal excitability. In this study, we investigated the effects of the local anesthetic chloroprocaine on Kv7/M channels as well as the effect of retigabine on chloroprocaine-induced seizures. A perforated whole-cell patch technique was used to record Kv7 currents from HEK293 cells and M-type currents from rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Chloroprocaine produced a number of effects on Kv7.2/Kv7.3 currents, including a lowering of current amplitudes, a rightward shift in the voltage-dependent activation curves, and a slowing of channel activation. Chloroprocaine had a more selective inhibitory effect on the homomeric Kv7.3 and heteromeric Kv7.2/Kv7.3 channels than on the homomeric Kv7.2 channel. Chloroprocaine also inhibited native M channel currents and induced a depolarization of the DRG neuron membrane potential. Taken together, the findings indicate that chloroprocaine concentration dependently inhibited Kv7/M channel currents. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Efficacy of Local and Systemic Antimicrobials in the Non-Surgical Treatment of Smokers With Chronic Periodontitis: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Chambrone, Leandro; Vargas, Miguel; Arboleda, Silie; Serna, Maritza; Guerrero, Marcela; de Sousa, Jose; Lafaurie, Gloria Inés

2016-11-01

The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate whether use of local or systemic antimicrobials would improve clinical results of non-surgical periodontal therapy for smokers with chronic periodontitis (CP). Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica Database, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to and including March 2016. Randomized clinical trials of duration of at least 6 months were included if they reported on treatment of smokers (≥10 cigarettes per day for minimum 12 months) with CP with non-surgical periodontal therapy either alone or associated with local or systemic antimicrobials. Random-effects meta-analyses were undertaken to evaluate mean differences in probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL). Of 108 potentially eligible articles, seven were included. Most individual studies (75%) testing locally delivered antibiotics reported that smokers benefited from this treatment approach. Pooled estimates found additional PD reduction of 0.81 mm (P = 0.01) and CAL gain of 0.91 mm (P = 0.01) at sites with baseline PD ≥5 mm. Conversely, meta-analysis on systemic use of antimicrobials failed to detect significant differences in mean changes from baseline, and only one trial supported their use. In smokers with CP, adjunctive use of local antimicrobials improved efficacy of non-surgical periodontal therapy in reducing PD and improving CAL at sites presenting PD ≥5 mm before treatment. Current evidence does not demonstrate similar gains when scaling and root planing plus systemic antimicrobial/antibiotics were associated with therapy.

Perceptual representation and effectiveness of local figure–ground cues in natural contours

PubMed Central

Sakai, Ko; Matsuoka, Shouhei; Kurematsu, Ken; Hatori, Yasuhiro

2015-01-01

A contour shape strongly influences the perceptual segregation of a figure from the ground. We investigated the contribution of local contour shape to figure–ground segregation. Although previous studies have reported local contour features that evoke figure–ground perception, they were often image features and not necessarily perceptual features. First, we examined whether contour features, specifically, convexity, closure, and symmetry, underlie the perceptual representation of natural contour shapes. We performed similarity tests between local contours, and examined the contribution of the contour features to the perceptual similarities between the contours. The local contours were sampled from natural contours so that their distribution was uniform in the space composed of the three contour features. This sampling ensured the equal appearance frequency of the factors and a wide variety of contour shapes including those comprised of contradictory factors that induce figure in the opposite directions. This sampling from natural contours is advantageous in order to randomly pickup a variety of contours that satisfy a wide range of cue combinations. Multidimensional scaling analyses showed that the combinations of convexity, closure, and symmetry contribute to perceptual similarity, thus they are perceptual quantities. Second, we examined whether the three features contribute to local figure–ground perception. We performed psychophysical experiments to judge the direction of the figure along the local contours, and examined the contribution of the features to the figure–ground judgment. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that closure was a significant factor, but that convexity and symmetry were not. These results indicate that closure is dominant in the local figure–ground perception with natural contours when the other cues coexist with equal probability including contradictory cases. PMID:26579057

Perceptual representation and effectiveness of local figure-ground cues in natural contours.

PubMed

Sakai, Ko; Matsuoka, Shouhei; Kurematsu, Ken; Hatori, Yasuhiro

2015-01-01

A contour shape strongly influences the perceptual segregation of a figure from the ground. We investigated the contribution of local contour shape to figure-ground segregation. Although previous studies have reported local contour features that evoke figure-ground perception, they were often image features and not necessarily perceptual features. First, we examined whether contour features, specifically, convexity, closure, and symmetry, underlie the perceptual representation of natural contour shapes. We performed similarity tests between local contours, and examined the contribution of the contour features to the perceptual similarities between the contours. The local contours were sampled from natural contours so that their distribution was uniform in the space composed of the three contour features. This sampling ensured the equal appearance frequency of the factors and a wide variety of contour shapes including those comprised of contradictory factors that induce figure in the opposite directions. This sampling from natural contours is advantageous in order to randomly pickup a variety of contours that satisfy a wide range of cue combinations. Multidimensional scaling analyses showed that the combinations of convexity, closure, and symmetry contribute to perceptual similarity, thus they are perceptual quantities. Second, we examined whether the three features contribute to local figure-ground perception. We performed psychophysical experiments to judge the direction of the figure along the local contours, and examined the contribution of the features to the figure-ground judgment. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that closure was a significant factor, but that convexity and symmetry were not. These results indicate that closure is dominant in the local figure-ground perception with natural contours when the other cues coexist with equal probability including contradictory cases.

Localized hippocampus measures are associated with Alzheimer pathology and cognition independent of total hippocampal volume.

PubMed

Carmichael, Owen; Xie, Jing; Fletcher, Evan; Singh, Baljeet; DeCarli, Charles

2012-06-01

Hippocampal injury in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathological process is region-specific and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based measures of localized hippocampus (HP) atrophy are known to detect region-specific changes associated with clinical AD, but it is unclear whether these measures provide information that is independent of that already provided by measures of total HP volume. Therefore, this study assessed the strength of association between localized HP atrophy measures and AD-related measures including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta and tau concentrations, and cognitive performance, in statistical models that also included total HP volume as a covariate. A computational technique termed localized components analysis (LoCA) was used to identify 7 independent patterns of HP atrophy among 390 semiautomatically delineated HP from baseline magnetic resonance imaging of participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Among cognitively normal participants, multiple measures of localized HP atrophy were significantly associated with CSF amyloid concentration, while total HP volume was not. In addition, among all participants, localized HP atrophy measures and total HP volume were both independently and additively associated with CSF tau concentration, performance on numerous neuropsychological tests, and discrimination between normal, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD clinical diagnostic groups. Together, these results suggest that regional measures of hippocampal atrophy provided by localized components analysis may be more sensitive than total HP volume to the effects of AD pathology burden among cognitively normal individuals and may provide information about HP regions whose deficits may have especially profound cognitive consequences throughout the AD clinical course. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

LeBaron, Robin; Saul-Rinaldi, Kara

There has never been a better time to launch initiatives to promote residential energy efficiency savings. Over the past several decades, residential retrofit programs have demonstrated that energy efficiency measures contribute to achieving multiple benefits, including but not limited to reductions in home energy consumption, stabilization improvements for the grid by shaving peak loads, saving consumers millions on utility bills, and significantly reducing carbon emissions. Although a number of barriers to widespread uptake of home energy upgrades persist, the lessons learned as a result of the 2009 stimulus funding1 have resulted in a set of policy approaches that create newmore » strategies for taking residential energy efficiency to scale.2 The identification of these approaches is well timed; energy efficiency is often the least expensive and most cost effective way to comply with a variety of federal, state and local policies. This Guide is designed to help state and local policymakers to take full advantage of new policy developments by providing them with a comprehensive set of tools to support launching or accelerating residential energy efficiency programs. It is written primarily for state and local policymakers, including state and local executives, legislators, public utility commissioners, and the staff who advise them.« less

Better parks through law and policy: a legal analysis of authorities governing public parks and open spaces.

PubMed

Henderson, Ana; Fry, Christine R

2011-01-01

Improving parks in low income and minority neighborhoods may be a key way to increase physical activity and decrease overweight and obesity prevalence among children at the greatest risk. To advocate effectively for improved recreation infrastructure, public health advocates must understand the legal and policy landscape in which public recreation decisions are made. In this descriptive legal analysis, we reviewed federal, state, and local laws to determine the authority of each level of government over parks. We then examined current practices and state laws regarding park administration in urban California and rural Texas. We identified several themes through the analysis: (1) multiple levels of governments are often involved in parks offerings in a municipality, (2) state laws governing parks vary, (3) local authority may vary substantially within a state, and (4) state law may offer greater authority than local jurisdictions use. Public health advocates who want to improve parks need to (1) think strategically about which levels of government to engage; (2) identify parks law and funding from all levels of government, including those not typically associated with local parks; and (3) partner with advocates with similar interests, including those from active living and school communities.

Simulating the Generalized Gibbs Ensemble (GGE): A Hilbert space Monte Carlo approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alba, Vincenzo

By combining classical Monte Carlo and Bethe ansatz techniques we devise a numerical method to construct the Truncated Generalized Gibbs Ensemble (TGGE) for the spin-1/2 isotropic Heisenberg (XXX) chain. The key idea is to sample the Hilbert space of the model with the appropriate GGE probability measure. The method can be extended to other integrable systems, such as the Lieb-Liniger model. We benchmark the approach focusing on GGE expectation values of several local observables. As finite-size effects decay exponentially with system size, moderately large chains are sufficient to extract thermodynamic quantities. The Monte Carlo results are in agreement with both the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) and the Quantum Transfer Matrix approach (QTM). Remarkably, it is possible to extract in a simple way the steady-state Bethe-Gaudin-Takahashi (BGT) roots distributions, which encode complete information about the GGE expectation values in the thermodynamic limit. Finally, it is straightforward to simulate extensions of the GGE, in which, besides the local integral of motion (local charges), one includes arbitrary functions of the BGT roots. As an example, we include in the GGE the first non-trivial quasi-local integral of motion.

Locally advanced rectal cancer: time for precision therapeutics.

PubMed

Weiser, Martin R; Zhang, Zhen; Schrag, Deborah

2015-01-01

The year 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of NSABP-R01, a landmark trial demonstrating the benefit of adding pelvic radiation to the treatment regimen for locally advanced rectal cancer with a resultant decrease in local recurrence from 25% to 16%. These results ushered in the era of multimodal therapy for rectal cancer, heralding modern treatment and changing the standard of care in the United States. We have seen many advances over the past 3 decades, including optimization of the administration and timing of radiation, widespread adoption of total mesorectal excision (TME), and the implementation of more effective systemic chemotherapy. The current standard is neoadjuvant chemoradiation with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and a radiosensitizer, TME, and adjuvant chemotherapy including 5-FU and oxaliplatin. The results of this regimen have been impressive, with a reported local recurrence rate of less than 10%. However, the rates of distant relapse remain 30% to 40%, indicating room for improvement. In addition, trimodality therapy is arduous and many patients are unable to complete the full course of treatment. In this article we discuss the current standard of care and alternative strategies that have evolved in an attempt to individualize therapy according to risk of recurrence.

Effects of local treatment with and without sensorimotor and balance exercise in individuals with neck pain: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sremakaew, Munlika; Jull, Gwendolen; Treleaven, Julia; Barbero, Marco; Falla, Deborah; Uthaikhup, Sureeporn

2018-02-13

Impaired cervical joint position sense and balance are associated with neck pain. Specific therapeutic exercise and manual therapy are effective for improving neck pain and functional ability but their effects on joint position sense and balance impairments remain uncertain. Changes in the joint position sense and balance may need to be addressed specifically. The primary objective is to investigate the most effective interventions to improve impaired cervical joint position sense and balance in individuals with neck pain. The secondary objective is to assess the effectiveness of the interventions on pain intensity and disability, pain location, dizziness symptoms, cervical range of motion, gait speed, functional ability, treatment satisfaction and quality of life. A 2 × 2 factorial, single blind RCT with immediate, short- and long-term follow-ups. One hundred and sixty eight participants with neck pain with impaired joint position sense and balance will be recruited into the trial. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of four intervention groups: i) local neck treatment, ii) local treatment plus tailored sensorimotor exercises, iii) local treatment plus balance exercises, and iv) local treatment plus sensorimotor and balance exercises. Participants receive two treatments for 6 weeks. Primary outcomes are postural sway and cervical joint position error. Secondary outcomes include gait speed, dizziness intensity, neck pain intensity, neck disability, pain extent and location, cervical range of motion, functional ability, perceived benefit, and quality of life. Assessment will be measured at baseline, immediately after treatment and at 3, 6, 12 month-follow ups. Neck pain is one of the major causes of disability. Effective treatment must address not only the symptoms but the dysfunctions associated with neck pain. This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for individuals with neck pain with impaired cervical joint position sense and balance. This trial will impact on clinical practice by providing evidence towards optimal and efficient management. ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03149302 ). May 10, 2017.

Atmospheric Science: It's More than Meteorology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, David R.; Krockover, Gerald H.

1988-01-01

Indicates that atmospheric science is not just forcasting the weather. Gives an overview of current topics in meteorology including ozone depletion, acid precipitation, winter cyclones, severe local storms, the greenhouse effect, wind shear and microbursts. Outlines the Atmospheric Sciences Education Program at Purdue University to produce…

How Effective Was Civil Affairs in Bosnia?

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-13

governance the US military employed CMO to influence the population. CMO included building roads, school, ports, and educational programs. The military......mine awareness messages to be printed in comic books and on soccer balls. CA supported this effort by distributing these products via their local

Phase I/II Trial Evaluating Carbon Ion Radiotherapy for Salvaging Treatment of Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

PubMed

Kong, Lin; Hu, Jiyi; Guan, Xiyin; Gao, Jing; Lu, Rong; Lu, Jiade J

2016-01-01

Radiation therapy is the mainstay strategy for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Intensity-modulated X-ray therapy (IMXT) alone is the current standard for stage I and II NPC. For stage III and IV A/B diseases, concurrent chemotherapy should be provided in addition to IMXT. However, optimal treatment for locally recurrent NPC after previous definitive dose of radiotherapy is lacking. Various techniques including brachytherapy, IMXT, stereotactic radiosurgery or radiotherapy (SRS or SBRT) have been used in the management of locally recurrent NPC. Due to the inherent limitation of these techniques, i.e., limited range of irradiation or over-irradiation to surrounding normal tissues, moderate efficacy has been observed at the cost of severe toxicities. Carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) offers potential physical and biological advantages over photon and proton radiotherapy. Due to the inverted dose profile of particle beams and their greater energy deposition within the Bragg peak, precise dose delivery to the target volume(s) without exposing the surrounding organs at risk to extra doses is possible. In addition, CIRT provides an increased relative biological effectiveness (RBE) as compared to photon and proton radiotherapy. Such advantages may translate to improved outcomes after irradiation in terms of disease control in radio-resistant and previously treated, recurrent malignancies. It is therefore reasonable to postulate that recurrent NPC after high-dose radiotherapy could be more resistant to re-irradiation using photons. Reports on the treatment of radio-resistant malignancies in the head and neck region such as melanoma, sarcoma, and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) have demonstrated superior local control rates from CIRT as compared to photon irradiation. Thus patients with recurrent NPC are likely to benefit from the enhanced biological effectiveness of carbon ions. As effective retreatment strategy is lacking for locally recurrent NPC, carbon ion radiation therapy offers an ideal alternate to conventional X-ray irradiation. The recommended dose of re-irradiation using CIRT for locally recurrent NPC will be determined in the dose-escalating phase (Phase I) of the study. Efficacy in terms of local progression-free survival (LPFS) and overall survival (OS) will be studied in the second phase of the study. Increasing doses of CIRT using raster scanning technology from 55GyE (22×2.5 GyE) to 65 GyE (26× 2.5 GyE) will be delivered in the Phase I part of the study. The primary endpoint of the Phase I part of the study is acute and sub-acute toxicities; the primary endpoint in the Phase II part is local progression-free survival and overall survival. Using the historical 2-year OS rate of 50% in locally recurrent NPC patients treated with photon or proton, we hypothesize that CIRT can improve the 2-year OS rate to 70%. The utilization of conventional radiation techniques including IMXT, brachytherapy, or stereotactic radiation therapy provides moderate efficacy in the treatment of locally recurrent NPC due to the limitations in dose distribution and biological effectiveness. Improved outcome in terms of treatment-induced toxicity, LC, LPFS, and OS are expected using CIRT due to the physical and biological characteristics of carbon ion beam. However, the recommended dose of CIRT used in re-irradiation for the local NPC focus remain to be determined. The recommended dose as well as the efficacy of CIRT in the treatment of locally recurrent NPC will be evaluated in the present trial.

Several localized waves induced by linear interference between a nonlinear plane wave and bright solitons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Yan-Hong; Zhao, Li-Chen; Yang, Zhan-Ying; Yang, Wen-Li

2018-01-01

We investigate linear interference effects between a nonlinear plane wave and bright solitons, which are admitted by a pair-transition coupled two-component Bose-Einstein condensate. We demonstrate that the interference effects can induce several localized waves possessing distinctive wave structures, mainly including anti-dark solitons, W-shaped solitons, multi-peak solitons, Kuznetsov-Ma like breathers, and multi-peak breathers. Specifically, the explicit conditions for them are clarified by a phase diagram based on the linear interference properties. Furthermore, the interactions between these localized waves are discussed. The detailed analysis indicates that the soliton-soliton interaction induced phase shift brings the collision between these localized waves which can be inelastic for solitons involving collision and can be elastic for breathers. These characters come from the fact that the profile of solitons depends on the relative phase between bright solitons and a plane wave, and the profile of breathers does not depend on the relative phase. These results would motivate more discussions on linear interference between other nonlinear waves. Specifically, the solitons or breathers obtained here are not related to modulational instability. The underlying reasons are discussed in detail. In addition, possibilities to observe these localized waves are discussed in a two species Bose-Einstein condensate.

History of T-cain: a local anesthetic developed and manufactured in Japan.

PubMed

Tobe, Masaru; Saito, Shigeru

2015-10-01

In many anesthesia textbooks written in English, lidocaine, tetracaine, bupivacaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine are listed as useful local anesthetics for spinal anesthesia. In contrast, T-cain is not included in these lists, even though it has been reported to be suitable for spinal anesthesia in Japan. T-cain was developed as a local anesthetic in the early 1940s by Teikoku Kagaku Sangyo Inc. in Itami, Japan, by replacing a methyl group on tetracaine (Pantocaine(®)) with an ethyl group. T-cain was clinically approved for topical use in Japan in November 1949, and a mixture of dibucaine and T-cain (Neo-Percamin S(®)) was approved for spinal use in May 1950. Simply because of a lack of foreign marketing strategy, T-cain has never attracted global attention as a local anesthetic. However, in Japan, T-cain has been used topically or intrathecally (as Neo-Percamin S(®)) for more than 60 years. Other than the side effects generally known for all local anesthetics, serious side effects have not been reported for T-cain. In fact, several articles have reported that T-cain decreases the neurotoxicity of dibucaine. In this historical review, the characteristics of T-cain and its rise to become a major spinal anesthetic in Japan are discussed.

I saw the sign: the new federal menu-labeling law and lessons from local experience.

PubMed

Banker, Michelle I

2010-01-01

Following the lead of several state and local governments, Congress recently imposed menu-labeling requirements on chain restaurants as part of the federal health care reform bill signed into law in March 2010. Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires restaurant chains with 20 or more locations nationwide to display calorie information for standard menu items on menus, menu boards, and drive-thru displays. This paper examines the new federal law in light of existing state and local regulations and considers the arguments for and against mandatory calorie labeling at restaurants as a federal tool for preventing obesity. Specifically, this paper examines the provisions of the new federal law, highlights how it differs from the municipal and state menu-labeling laws already in effect, reviews early studies of the effectiveness of these state and local laws, and considers the propriety of requiring restaurants to disclose calorie information on menus by discussing arguments for and against menu labeling generally and calorie labeling in particular. This paper finds that based on initial studies of state and local menu-labeling regulations, the efficacy of compulsory menu labeling as a tool to combat obesity remains uncertain. Finally, this paper raises practical considerations associated with the new federal law, including implementation issues, potential collateral effects of the law, a survey of legal challenges that may arise, and a discussion of the Food and Drug Administration's competence to enforce a menu-labeling requirement against restaurants.

[The peculiarities of the application of transcranial magnetic therapy and electrical stimulation for the treatment of the patients presenting with various types of stroke].

PubMed

Melnikova, E A

2015-01-01

In this article, the results of the authors' research, including analysis of the clinical and instrumental data concerning 203 patients with, stroke are presented. It is shown that the clinical effectiveness of the transcranial methods incorporated in the combined rehabilitation programs depends on the type of stroke and localization of the lesions. Specifically, the patients presenting with ischemic stroke of hemispheric localization experienced a neurophysiologically confirmed significant clinical improvement that became apparent after the consistent application of transcranial magnetic therapy and micropolarization. In the patients with ischemic stroke of stem localization, the positive influence on psychomotor recovery was achieved with the application of transcranial magnetic therapy, but transcranial micropolarization did not have an appreciable effect on the recovery of such patients. The patients presenting with hemorrhagic stroke did not experience any significant improvement of psychomotor parameters from transcranial magnetic therapy and transcranial micropolarization. The likely mechanism underlying the recovery of psychomotor processes under effect of transcranial magnetic therapy in the patients with ischemic stroke is the normalization of the frequency of interaction between brain structures. In addition, in the patients with ischemic stroke of hemispheric localization and in the patients with hemorrhagic stroke electrical myostimulation has a marked impact on the psychomotor recovery only in case of functional treatment. In the patients suffering from ischemic stroke of stem localization non-functional electromyostimulation significantly improves motor functions and cognitive motor control.

The effect of local circulations on the variation of atmospheric pollutants in the northwestern Taiwan

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

Pay-Liam Lin; Hsin-Chih Lai

1996-12-31

A field experiment was held in the northwestern Taiwan as a part of a long-term research program for studying Taiwan`s local circulation. The program has been named as Taiwan Regional-circulation Experiment (TREX). The particular goal of this research is to investigate characteristics of boundary layer and local Circulation and their impact on the distribution and Variation of pollutants in the northwestern Taiwan during Mei-Yu season. It has been known for quite sometime that land-sea breeze is very pronounced under hot and humid conditions. Extensive network includes 11 pilot ballon stations, 3 acoustic sounding sites, and 14 surface stations in aboutmore » 20 km by 20 km area centered at National Central University, Chung-Li. In addition, there are ground temperature measurements at 3 sites, Integrated Sounding System (ISS) at NCU, air plane observation, tracer experiment with 10 collecting stations, 3 background upper-air sounding stations, 2 towers etc. NOAA and GMS satellite data, sea surface temperature radar, and precipitation data are collected. The local circulations such as land/sea breezes and mountain/valley winds, induced by thermal and topographical effects often play an important role in transporting, redistributing and transforming atmospheric pollutants. This study documents the effects of the development of local circulations and the accompanying evolution of boundary layer on the distribution and the variation of the atmospheric pollutants in the north western Taiwan during Mei-Yu season.« less

Radiolabelled D2 agonists as prolactinoma imaging agents. Final technical report, January 31, 1990--August 31, 1991

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

Otto, C.A.

1991-12-31

Research conducted in this terminal year of support centered on three distinct areas: mAChR ligand localization in pancreas and the effect of Ca{sup +2} on localization, continuation of assessment of quaternized and neutral mAChR ligands for possible use as PET myocardial imaging agents, and initiation of a study to determine the relationship of the nAChR receptor to the cellular receptor for measles virus. Several tables and figures illustrating the results are included.

Multipartite nonlocality and random measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Rosier, Anna; Gruca, Jacek; Parisio, Fernando; Vértesi, Tamás; Laskowski, Wiesław

2017-07-01

We present an exhaustive numerical analysis of violations of local realism by families of multipartite quantum states. As an indicator of nonclassicality we employ the probability of violation for randomly sampled observables. Surprisingly, it rapidly increases with the number of parties or settings and even for relatively small values local realism is violated for almost all observables. We have observed this effect to be typical in the sense that it emerged for all investigated states including some with randomly drawn coefficients. We also present the probability of violation as a witness of genuine multipartite entanglement.

Ideal magnetohydrodynamic theory for localized interchange modes in toroidal anisotropic plasmas

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

Shi, Tonghui, E-mail: thshi@ipp.ac.cn; Wan, B. N.; Sun, Y.

2016-08-15

Ideal magnetohydrodynamic theory for localized interchange modes is developed for toroidal plasmas with anisotropic pressure. The work extends the existing theories of Johnson and Hastie [Phys. Fluids 31, 1609 (1988)], etc., to the low n mode case, where n is the toroidal mode number. Also, the plasma compressibility is included, so that the coupling of the parallel motion to perpendicular one, i.e., the so-called apparent mass effect, is investigated in the anisotropic pressure case. The singular layer equation is obtained, and the generalized Mercier's criterion is derived.

Development and application of measurement techniques for evaluating localised magnetic properties in electrical steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, N. J.; Anderson, P. I.; Gao, Y.; Robinson, F.

2018-04-01

This paper reports the development of a measurement probe which couples local flux density measurements obtained using the needle probe method with the local magnetising field attained via a Hall effect sensor. This determines the variation in magnetic properties including power loss and permeability at increasing distances from the punched edge of 2.4% and 3.2% Si non-oriented electrical steel sample. Improvements in the characterisation of the magnetic properties of electrical steels would aid in optimising the efficiency in the design of electric machines.

Vitamin D delays breast cancer progression in the PyVMT transgenic mouse model: local conversion of the precursor 25(OH)D3 into 1,25(OH)2D3 is safer and more effective than systemic administration of 1,25(OH)2D3

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Metabolic activation of 1,25(OH)2D3 occurs at extra renal sites in several organs, including the breast. The purpose of this study was to determine if this local tumoral 25OHD3-1alphahydroxylase expression modulates any or all of the stages of breast tumor progression. For this purpose we used the...

Apparatus for measuring the local void fraction in a flowing liquid containing a gas

DOEpatents

Dunn, P.F.

1979-07-17

The local void fraction in liquid containing a gas is measured by placing an impedance-variation probe in the liquid, applying a controlled voltage or current to the probe, and measuring the probe current or voltage. A circuit for applying the one electrical parameter and measuring the other includes a feedback amplifier that minimizes the effect of probe capacitance and a digitizer to provide a clean signal. Time integration of the signal provides a measure of the void fraction, and an oscilloscope display also shows bubble size and distribution.

Apparatus for measuring the local void fraction in a flowing liquid containing a gas

DOEpatents

Dunn, Patrick F.

1981-01-01

The local void fraction in liquid containing a gas is measured by placing an impedance-variation probe in the liquid, applying a controlled voltage or current to the probe, and measuring the probe current or voltage. A circuit for applying the one electrical parameter and measuring the other includes a feedback amplifier that minimizes the effect of probe capacitance and a digitizer to provide a clean signal. Time integration of the signal provides a measure of the void fraction, and an oscilloscope display also shows bubble size and distribution.

SU-F-I-10: Spatially Local Statistics for Adaptive Image Filtering

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

Iliopoulos, AS; Sun, X; Floros, D

Purpose: To facilitate adaptive image filtering operations, addressing spatial variations in both noise and signal. Such issues are prevalent in cone-beam projections, where physical effects such as X-ray scattering result in spatially variant noise, violating common assumptions of homogeneous noise and challenging conventional filtering approaches to signal extraction and noise suppression. Methods: We present a computational mechanism for probing into and quantifying the spatial variance of noise throughout an image. The mechanism builds a pyramid of local statistics at multiple spatial scales; local statistical information at each scale includes (weighted) mean, median, standard deviation, median absolute deviation, as well asmore » histogram or dynamic range after local mean/median shifting. Based on inter-scale differences of local statistics, the spatial scope of distinguishable noise variation is detected in a semi- or un-supervised manner. Additionally, we propose and demonstrate the incorporation of such information in globally parametrized (i.e., non-adaptive) filters, effectively transforming the latter into spatially adaptive filters. The multi-scale mechanism is materialized by efficient algorithms and implemented in parallel CPU/GPU architectures. Results: We demonstrate the impact of local statistics for adaptive image processing and analysis using cone-beam projections of a Catphan phantom, fitted within an annulus to increase X-ray scattering. The effective spatial scope of local statistics calculations is shown to vary throughout the image domain, necessitating multi-scale noise and signal structure analysis. Filtering results with and without spatial filter adaptation are compared visually, illustrating improvements in imaging signal extraction and noise suppression, and in preserving information in low-contrast regions. Conclusion: Local image statistics can be incorporated in filtering operations to equip them with spatial adaptivity to spatial signal/noise variations. An efficient multi-scale computational mechanism is developed to curtail processing latency. Spatially adaptive filtering may impact subsequent processing tasks such as reconstruction and numerical gradient computations for deformable registration. NIH Grant No. R01-184173.« less

Effective dialogue: enhanced public engagement as a legitimising tool for municipal waste management decision-making.

PubMed

Garnett, Kenisha; Cooper, Tim

2014-12-01

The complexity of municipal waste management decision-making has increased in recent years, accompanied by growing scrutiny from stakeholders, including local communities. This complexity reflects a socio-technical framing of the risks and social impacts associated with selecting technologies and sites for waste treatment and disposal facilities. Consequently there is growing pressure on local authorities for stakeholders (including communities) to be given an early opportunity to shape local waste policy in order to encourage swift planning, development and acceptance of the technologies needed to meet statutory targets to divert waste from landfill. This paper presents findings from a research project that explored the use of analytical-deliberative processes as a legitimising tool for waste management decision-making. Adopting a mixed methods approach, the study revealed that communicating the practical benefits of more inclusive forms of engagement is proving difficult even though planning and policy delays are hindering development and implementation of waste management infrastructure. Adopting analytical-deliberative processes at a more strategic level will require local authorities and practitioners to demonstrate how expert-citizen deliberations may foster progress in resolving controversial issues, through change in individuals, communities and institutions. The findings suggest that a significant shift in culture will be necessary for local authorities to realise the potential of more inclusive decision processes. This calls for political actors and civic society to collaborate in institutionalising public involvement in both strategic and local planning structures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthy cities: overview of a WHO international program.

PubMed

Goldstein, G

2000-01-01

Health is the outcome of all the factors and activities impinging upon the lives of individuals and communities. The last decade has seen an emerging understanding within development circles that living conditions are greatly affected by local action, by the work of local government, and by community groups and organizations. In addressing health and environmental issues and making interventions, an integrated approach, based on 'settings', exemplified in the Healthy Cities approach, has proved most effective. A Healthy City project can involve people and organizations in the programs and activities that are needed for better health, and enables a city or neighborhood to mobilize the human and financial resources required to address many health and quality of life issues. The WHO program involves implementating city projects and networks in all regions of the world and serves as a vehicle for many health programs, including major disease control initiatives. Healthy City projects allow Ministries of Health to develop stronger partnerships with local government organizations (such as the Union of Local Authorities and its members, "Local Agenda 21" initiatives, and others). One focus for the program is the development of 'multi-'multi-city action plans' for major global priority issues, including AIDS, sanitation, women's health, and violence, to ensure that major public health programs are strengthened by wider community participation. It is recognized that city networking--at national, regional, and international levels--now must be better exploited by individual cities and municipalities to solve local health problems.

Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) 11: reporting outcomes of an evidence-driven approach to disinvestment in a local healthcare setting.

PubMed

Harris, Claire; Allen, Kelly; Ramsey, Wayne; King, Richard; Green, Sally

2018-05-30

This is the final paper in a thematic series reporting a program of Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare setting. The SHARE Program was established to explore a systematic, integrated, evidence-based organisation-wide approach to disinvestment in a large Australian health service network. This paper summarises the findings, discusses the contribution of the SHARE Program to the body of knowledge and understanding of disinvestment in the local healthcare setting, and considers implications for policy, practice and research. The SHARE program was conducted in three phases. Phase One was undertaken to understand concepts and practices related to disinvestment and the implications for a local health service and, based on this information, to identify potential settings and methods for decision-making about disinvestment. The aim of Phase Two was to implement and evaluate the proposed methods to determine which were sustainable, effective and appropriate in a local health service. A review of the current literature incorporating the SHARE findings was conducted in Phase Three to contribute to the understanding of systematic approaches to disinvestment in the local healthcare context. SHARE differed from many other published examples of disinvestment in several ways: by seeking to identify and implement disinvestment opportunities within organisational infrastructure rather than as standalone projects; considering disinvestment in the context of all resource allocation decisions rather than in isolation; including allocation of non-monetary resources as well as financial decisions; and focusing on effective use of limited resources to optimise healthcare outcomes. The SHARE findings provide a rich source of new information about local health service decision-making, in a level of detail not previously reported, to inform others in similar situations. Multiple innovations related to disinvestment were found to be acceptable and feasible in the local setting. Factors influencing decision-making, implementation processes and final outcomes were identified; and methods for further exploration, or avoidance, in attempting disinvestment in this context are proposed based on these findings. The settings, frameworks, models, methods and tools arising from the SHARE findings have potential to enhance health care and patient outcomes.

Data gaps in evidence-based research on small water enterprises in developing countries.

PubMed

Opryszko, Melissa C; Huang, Haiou; Soderlund, Kurt; Schwab, Kellogg J

2009-12-01

Small water enterprises (SWEs) are water delivery operations that predominantly provide water at the community level. SWEs operate beyond the reach of piped water systems, selling water to households throughout the world. Their ubiquity in the developing world and access to vulnerable populations suggests that these small-scale water vendors may prove valuable in improving potable water availability. This paper assesses the current literature on SWEs to evaluate previous studies and determine gaps in the evidence base. Piped systems and point-of-use products were not included in this assessment. Results indicate that SWES are active in urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. Benefits of SWEs include: no upfront connection fees; demand-driven and flexible to local conditions; and service to large populations without high costs of utility infrastructure. Disadvantages of SWEs include: higher charges for water per unit of volume compared with infrastructure-based utilities; lack of regulation; operation often outside legal structures; no water quality monitoring; increased potential for conflict with local utilities; and potential for extortion by local officials. No rigorous, evidence-based, peer-reviewed scientific studies that control for confounders examining the effectiveness of SWEs in providing potable water were identified.

Guidelines for Preservation, Conservation, and Restoration of Local History and Local Genealogical Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RQ, 1993

1993-01-01

Presents guidelines adopted by the American Library Association (ALA) relating to the preservation, conservation, and restoration of local history and local genealogical materials. Topics addressed include assessing preservation needs; developing a plan; choosing appropriate techniques, including microduplication, photoduplication, electronic…

Localized Cell and Drug Delivery for Auditory Prostheses

PubMed Central

Hendricks, Jeffrey L.; Chikar, Jennifer A.; Crumling, Mark A.; Raphael, Yehoash; Martin, David C.

2011-01-01

Localized cell and drug delivery to the cochlea and central auditory pathway can improve the safety and performance of implanted auditory prostheses (APs). While generally successful, these devices have a number of limitations and adverse effects including limited tonal and dynamic ranges, channel interactions, unwanted stimulation of non-auditory nerves, immune rejection, and infections including meningitis. Many of these limitations are associated with the tissue reactions to implanted auditory prosthetic devices and the gradual degeneration of the auditory system following deafness. Strategies to reduce the insertion trauma, degeneration of target neurons, fibrous and bony tissue encapsulation, and immune activation can improve the viability of tissue required for AP function as well as improve the resolution of stimulation for reduced channel interaction and improved place-pitch and level discrimination. Many pharmaceutical compounds have been identified that promote the viability of auditory tissue and prevent inflammation and infection. Cell delivery and gene therapy have provided promising results for treating hearing loss and reversing degeneration. Currently, many clinical and experimental methods can produce extremely localized and sustained drug delivery to address AP limitations. These methods provide better control over drug concentrations while eliminating the adverse effects of systemic delivery. Many of these drug delivery techniques can be integrated into modern auditory prosthetic devices to optimize the tissue response to the implanted device and reduce the risk of infection or rejection. Together, these methods and pharmaceutical agents can be used to optimize the tissue-device interface for improved AP safety and effectiveness. PMID:18573323

Rectal cancer. Treatment advances that reduce recurrence rates and lengthen survival.

PubMed

Sexe, R; Miedema, B W

1993-07-01

The risk of malignant disease arising in rectal mucosa is high. Surgery is the most effective form of treatment but results in cure in only 50% of patients. Adjuvant preoperative radiation therapy reduces the likelihood of local recurrence but does not improve survival rates. Fluorouracil is the most effective agent for adjuvant chemotherapy and slightly improves survival when given after surgery. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy appears to have a synergistic effect, and recent studies show that providing this combination after surgery improves survival. Future trends in the treatment of rectal cancer are expected to include expanded use of local excision to preserve anal sphincter function, preoperative use of a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, perioperative use of chemotherapy combined with immunostimulating therapy, and use of tumor antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Many-Body Theory of Pyrochlore Iridates and Related Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Runzhi

In this thesis we focus on two problems. First we propose a numerical method for generating optimized Wannier functions with desired properties. Second we perform the state of the art density functional plus dynamical mean-field calculations in pyrochlore iridates, to investigate the physics induced by the cooperation of spin-orbit coupling and electron correlation. We begin with the introduction for maximally localized Wannier functions and other related extensions. Then we describe the current research in the field of spin-orbit coupling and its interplay with correlation effects, followed by a brief introduction of the `hot' materials of iridates. Before the end of the introduction, we discuss the numerical methods employed in our work, including the density functional theory; dynamical mean-field theory and its combination with the exact diagonalization impurity solver. Then we propose our approach for constructing an optimized set of Wannier functions, which is a generalization of the functionality of the classic maximal localization method put forward by Marzari and Vanderbilt. Our work is motivated by the requirement of the effective description of the local subspace of the Hamiltonian by the beyond density functional theory methods. In extensions of density functional theory such as dynamical mean-field theory, one may want highly accurate description of particular local orbitals, including correct centers and symmetries; while the basis for the remaining degrees of freedom is unimportant. Therefore, we develop the selectively localized Wannier function approach which allows for a greater localization in the selected subset of Wannier functions and at the same time allows us to fix the centers and ensure the point symmetries. Applications in real materials are presented to demonstrate the power of our approach. Next we move to the investigation of pyrochlore iridates, focussing on the metal-insulator transition and material dependence in these compounds. We perform combined density functional plus dynamical mean-field calculations in Lu2Ir2O7, Y2Ir2O 7, Eu2Ir2O7, with spin-orbit coupling included and both single-site and cluster approximations appiled. A broad range of Weyl metal is predicted as the intervening phase in the metal-insulator transition. By comparing to experiments, we find that the single-site approximation fails to predict the gap values and substantial difference between the Y and Eu-compound, demonstrating the inadequacy of this approximation and indicating the key role played by the intersite effects. Finally, we provide a more accurate description of the vicinity of the metal-insulator and topological transitions implied by density functional plus cluster dynamical mean-field calculations of pyrochlore iridates. We find definitive evidence of the Weyl semimetal phase, the electronic structure of which can be approximately described as ``Weyl rings" with an extremely flat dispersion of one of the Weyl bands. This Weyl semimetal phase is further investigated by the k • p analysis fitting to the numerical results. We find that this unusual structure leads to interesting behavior in the optical conductivity including a Hall effect in the interband component, and to an enhanced susceptibility.

The role of private developers in local infrastructure provision in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salleh, Dani; Okinono, Otega

2016-08-01

Globally, the challenge of local infrastructure provision has attracted much debate amongst different nations including Malaysia, on how to achieve an effective and efficient infrastructural management. This approach therefore, has intensified the efforts of local authorities in incorporating private developers in their developmental agenda in attaining a sustainable infrastructural development in local areas. Basically, the knowledge of the need for adequate provision of local infrastructure is well understood by both local and private authorities. Likewise, the divergent opinions on the usage of private delivery services. Notwithstanding the common perception, significant loopholes have been identified on the most appropriate and ideal approach and practices to adopt in enhancing local infrastructure development. The study therefore examined the role of private developers in local infrastructure provision and procedure adopted by both local authorities and the privates sector in local infrastructure development. Data was obtained using the questionnaire through purposive sampling, administered to 22 local authorities and 16 developers which was descriptively analysed. Emanating from the study findings, the most frequently approved practices by local authorities are joint venture and complete public delivery systems. Likewise, negotiation was identified as a vital tool for stimulating the acquisition of local infrastructure provision. It was also discovered the one of the greatest challenge in promoting private sector involvement in local infrastructure development is due to unregulated-procedure. The study therefore recommends, there is need for local authorities to adopt a collective and integrated approach, nevertheless, cognisance and priority should be given to developing a well-structured and systematic process of local infrastructure provision and development.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Objective and Subjective Quality of Life among Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Bone Tumor Survivors

PubMed Central

Stokke, Jamie; Sung, Lillian; Gupta, Abha; Lindberg, Antoinette; Rosenberg, Abby R.

2015-01-01

Background Pediatric, adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of bone sarcomas are at risk for poor quality of life (QOL). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the literature describing QOL in this population and differences in QOL based on local control procedures. Procedure Included studies described ≥5 patients <25 years-old who had completed local control treatment for bone sarcoma, defined QOL as a main outcome, and measured it with a validated instrument. Data extraction and quality assessments were conducted with standardized tools. Meta-analyses compared QOL based on surgical procedure (limb-sparing versus amputation) and were stratified by assessment type (objective physical function, clinician-assessed disability, patient-reported disability and patient-reported QOL). Effect sizes were reported as the Standard Mean Difference when multiple instruments were used within a comparison and Weighted Mean Difference otherwise. All were weighted by inverse variance and modeled with random effects. Results Twenty-two of 452 unique manuscripts were included in qualitative syntheses, 8 of which were included in meta-analyses. Manuscripts were heterogeneous with respect to included patient populations (age, tumor type, time since treatment) and QOL instruments. Prospective studies suggested that QOL improves over time, and that female sex and older age at diagnosis are associated with poor QOL. Meta-analyses showed no differences in outcomes between patients who underwent limb-sparing versus amputation for local control. Conclusion QOL studies among children and AYAs with bone sarcoma are remarkably diverse, making it difficult to detect trends in patient outcomes. Future research should focus on standardized QOL instruments and interpretations. PMID:25820683

Inverse Source Data-Processing Strategies for Radio-Frequency Localization in Indoor Environments.

PubMed

Gennarelli, Gianluca; Al Khatib, Obada; Soldovieri, Francesco

2017-10-27

Indoor positioning of mobile devices plays a key role in many aspects of our daily life. These include real-time people tracking and monitoring, activity recognition, emergency detection, navigation, and numerous location based services. Despite many wireless technologies and data-processing algorithms have been developed in recent years, indoor positioning is still a problem subject of intensive research. This paper deals with the active radio-frequency (RF) source localization in indoor scenarios. The localization task is carried out at the physical layer thanks to receiving sensor arrays which are deployed on the border of the surveillance region to record the signal emitted by the source. The localization problem is formulated as an imaging one by taking advantage of the inverse source approach. Different measurement configurations and data-processing/fusion strategies are examined to investigate their effectiveness in terms of localization accuracy under both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) conditions. Numerical results based on full-wave synthetic data are reported to support the analysis.

Inverse Source Data-Processing Strategies for Radio-Frequency Localization in Indoor Environments

PubMed Central

Gennarelli, Gianluca; Al Khatib, Obada; Soldovieri, Francesco

2017-01-01

Indoor positioning of mobile devices plays a key role in many aspects of our daily life. These include real-time people tracking and monitoring, activity recognition, emergency detection, navigation, and numerous location based services. Despite many wireless technologies and data-processing algorithms have been developed in recent years, indoor positioning is still a problem subject of intensive research. This paper deals with the active radio-frequency (RF) source localization in indoor scenarios. The localization task is carried out at the physical layer thanks to receiving sensor arrays which are deployed on the border of the surveillance region to record the signal emitted by the source. The localization problem is formulated as an imaging one by taking advantage of the inverse source approach. Different measurement configurations and data-processing/fusion strategies are examined to investigate their effectiveness in terms of localization accuracy under both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) conditions. Numerical results based on full-wave synthetic data are reported to support the analysis. PMID:29077071

[Rehabilitation of women suffering chronic cystitis in the postmenopausal period with the use of an AMUS-01 - Intramag apparatus equipped with a Rektomassazher device].

PubMed

Azizov, A P; Azizova, P A; Beliaev, A A; Konova, A N; Raĭgorodskiĭ, Iu M

2011-01-01

The objective of the present study was to develop a rationale for the local treatment of chronic recurring cystitis in the postmenopausel period. To this effect, 76 patients at the mean age of 66.4 years with this pathology were examined and the data obtained were compared with observations of control postmenopausel women receiving traditional local substitution hormonal therapy. In the patients of the study group, this treatment was supplemented by intravaginal vibro-magnetotherapy and the conventional antibacterial therapy was replaced by local electrophoresis. All local physiotherapeutic procedures were performed with the use of a AMUS-01 - Intramag apparatus equipped with a Rektomassazher device an AMUS-01 - Intramag apparatus equipped with a Rektomassazher device. The immunological analysis of vaginal secretion coupled to bacterial and clinical investigations have demonstrated the advantages of the combined local treatment including physiotherapy. The integral efficacy index was by a factor of 1.8 higher than in the control group.

Effect of Localizer Radiography Projection on Organ Dose at Chest CT with Automatic Tube Current Modulation.

PubMed

Saltybaeva, Natalia; Krauss, Andreas; Alkadhi, Hatem

2017-03-01

Purpose To calculate the effect of localizer radiography projections to the total radiation dose, including both the dose from localizer radiography and that from subsequent chest computed tomography (CT) with tube current modulation (TCM). Materials and Methods An anthropomorphic phantom was scanned with 192-section CT without and with differently sized breast attachments. Chest CT with TCM was performed after one localizer radiographic examination with anteroposterior (AP) or posteroanterior (PA) projections. Dose distributions were obtained by means of Monte Carlo simulations based on acquired CT data. For Monte Carlo simulations of localizer radiography, the tube position was fixed at 0° and 180°; for chest CT, a spiral trajectory with TCM was used. The effect of tube start angles on dose distribution was investigated with Monte Carlo simulations by using TCM curves with fixed start angles (0°, 90°, and 180°). Total doses for lungs, heart, and breast were calculated as the sum of the dose from localizer radiography and CT. Image noise was defined as the standard deviation of attenuation measured in 14 circular regions of interest. The Wilcoxon signed rank test, paired t test, and Friedman analysis of variance were conducted to evaluate differences in noise, TCM curves, and organ doses, respectively. Results Organ doses from localizer radiography were lower when using a PA instead of an AP projection (P = .005). The use of a PA projection resulted in higher TCM values for chest CT (P < .001) owing to the higher attenuation (P < .001) and thus resulted in higher total organ doses for all investigated phantoms and protocols (P < .001). Noise in CT images was lower with PA localizer radiography than with AP localizer radiography (P = .03). The use of an AP projection allowed for total dose reductions of 16%, 15%, and 12% for lungs, breast, and heart, respectively. Differences in organ doses were not related to tube start angles (P = .17). Conclusion The total organ doses are higher when using PA projection localizer radiography owing to higher TCM values, whereas the organ doses from PA localizer radiography alone are lower. Thus, PA localizer radiography should be used in combination with reduced reference tube current at subsequent chest CT. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Finding the Genomic Basis of Local Adaptation: Pitfalls, Practical Solutions, and Future Directions.

PubMed

Hoban, Sean; Kelley, Joanna L; Lotterhos, Katie E; Antolin, Michael F; Bradburd, Gideon; Lowry, David B; Poss, Mary L; Reed, Laura K; Storfer, Andrew; Whitlock, Michael C

2016-10-01

Uncovering the genetic and evolutionary basis of local adaptation is a major focus of evolutionary biology. The recent development of cost-effective methods for obtaining high-quality genome-scale data makes it possible to identify some of the loci responsible for adaptive differences among populations. Two basic approaches for identifying putatively locally adaptive loci have been developed and are broadly used: one that identifies loci with unusually high genetic differentiation among populations (differentiation outlier methods) and one that searches for correlations between local population allele frequencies and local environments (genetic-environment association methods). Here, we review the promises and challenges of these genome scan methods, including correcting for the confounding influence of a species' demographic history, biases caused by missing aspects of the genome, matching scales of environmental data with population structure, and other statistical considerations. In each case, we make suggestions for best practices for maximizing the accuracy and efficiency of genome scans to detect the underlying genetic basis of local adaptation. With attention to their current limitations, genome scan methods can be an important tool in finding the genetic basis of adaptive evolutionary change.

Extratropical Respones to Amazon Deforestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badger, A.; Dirmeyer, P.

2014-12-01

Land-use change (LUC) is known to impact local climate conditions through modifications of land-atmosphere interactions. Large-scale LUC, such as Amazon deforestation, could have a significant effect on the local and regional climates. The question remains as to what the global impact of large-scale LUC could be, as previous modeling studies have shown non-local responses due to Amazon deforestation. A common shortcoming in many previous modeling studies is the use of prescribed ocean conditions, which can act as a boundary condition to dampen the global response with respect to changes in the mean and variability. Using fully coupled modeling simulations with the Community Earth System Model version 1.2.0, the Amazon rainforest has been replaced with a distribution of representative tropical crops. Through the modifications of local land-atmosphere interactions, a significant change in the region, both at the surface and throughout the atmosphere, can be quantified. Accompanying these local changes are significant changes to the atmospheric circulation across all scales, thus modifying regional climates in other locales. Notable impacts include significant changes in precipitation, surface fluxes, basin-wide sea surface temperatures and ENSO behavior.

Whole-brain structural topology in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Preserved global - disturbed local network organization.

PubMed

Sidlauskaite, Justina; Caeyenberghs, Karen; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund; Roeyers, Herbert; Wiersema, Jan R

2015-01-01

Prior studies demonstrate altered organization of functional brain networks in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the structural underpinnings of these functional disturbances are poorly understood. In the current study, we applied a graph-theoretic approach to whole-brain diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate the organization of structural brain networks in adults with ADHD and unaffected controls using deterministic fiber tractography. Groups did not differ in terms of global network metrics - small-worldness, global efficiency and clustering coefficient. However, there were widespread ADHD-related effects at the nodal level in relation to local efficiency and clustering. The affected nodes included superior occipital, supramarginal, superior temporal, inferior parietal, angular and inferior frontal gyri, as well as putamen, thalamus and posterior cerebellum. Lower local efficiency of left superior temporal and supramarginal gyri was associated with higher ADHD symptom scores. Also greater local clustering of right putamen and lower local clustering of left supramarginal gyrus correlated with ADHD symptom severity. Overall, the findings indicate preserved global but altered local network organization in adult ADHD implicating regions underpinning putative ADHD-related neuropsychological deficits.

Social Workers in Politics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Beatrice N., Ed.

1981-01-01

Describes in four articles the political role of the social workers both nationally and at the state and local levels, including advice on how to give effective legislative testimony. Experience with California's Proposition 13 illustrates the impact of taxes on human service programs and the need for legislative advocacy. (JAC)

Gymnastics in the Elementary School: What Works.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Lawrence F.

1996-01-01

Steps that physical educators can take to ensure that their gymnastics programs are top notch include asking local experts for help, focusing on student learning and assessment, using solid lead-ups and progressions, emphasizing safety, using teaching situations, providing feedback, managing the class effectively, being budget conscious, and…

Effects of Source-Apportioned Coarse Particulate Matter (PM) on Allergic Responses in Mice

EPA Science Inventory

The Cleveland Multiple Air Pollutant Study (CMAPS) is one of the first comprehensive studies conducted to evaluate particulate matter (PM) over local and regional scales. Cleveland and the nearby Ohio River Valley impart significant regional sources of air pollution including coa...

EVALUATING MOLECULAR SITES OF ACTION FOR TOLUENE USING AN IN VIVO MODEL.

EPA Science Inventory

In vitro studies have demonstrated that toluene disrupts the function of several ion channels localized in the brain, including the NMDA-glutamate receptor. This has led to the hypothesis that effects on ion channel function may contribute to toluene neurotoxicity, CNS depres...

78 FR 46274 - Pyroxasulfone; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-31

... following a 4-week dermal exposure producing local inflammation and systemic effects of minimal to mild...- linear approach (i.e., Reference dose (RfD)) will adequately account for all chronic toxicity, including... and other relevant data. Cancer risk is quantified using a linear or nonlinear approach. If sufficient...

7 CFR 650.13 - Review and comment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... be filed by the RFO with the Office of Environmental Review, A-104, Environmental Protection Agency... law or special expertise with respect to any environmental effect, other Federal agencies (including... obtaining the views of State and local environmental agencies that can assist in the preparation and review...

7 CFR 650.13 - Review and comment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... be filed by the RFO with the Office of Environmental Review, A-104, Environmental Protection Agency... law or special expertise with respect to any environmental effect, other Federal agencies (including... obtaining the views of State and local environmental agencies that can assist in the preparation and review...

7 CFR 650.13 - Review and comment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... be filed by the RFO with the Office of Environmental Review, A-104, Environmental Protection Agency... law or special expertise with respect to any environmental effect, other Federal agencies (including... obtaining the views of State and local environmental agencies that can assist in the preparation and review...

7 CFR 650.13 - Review and comment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... be filed by the RFO with the Office of Environmental Review, A-104, Environmental Protection Agency... law or special expertise with respect to any environmental effect, other Federal agencies (including... obtaining the views of State and local environmental agencies that can assist in the preparation and review...

7 CFR 650.13 - Review and comment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... be filed by the RFO with the Office of Environmental Review, A-104, Environmental Protection Agency... law or special expertise with respect to any environmental effect, other Federal agencies (including... obtaining the views of State and local environmental agencies that can assist in the preparation and review...

The Many-Headed Hydra: Information Networking at LAA.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winzenried, Arthur P.

1997-01-01

Describes an integrated computer library system installed at Lilydale Adventist Academy (LAA) in Melbourne (Australia) in response to a limited budget, increased demand, and greater user expectations. Topics include student workstations, cost effectiveness, CD-ROMS on local area networks, and student input regarding their needs. (Author/LRW)

A Status Report on Charter Schools in New Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casey, Jean; Andreson, Kathleen; Yelverton, Barbara; Wedeen, Linda

2002-01-01

Discusses the status of charter schools in New Mexico, including curriculum and instruction, student achievement, effects of school size, school enrollment, facilities, financial management, compliance with rules and regulations, governance, parent and community involvement, satisfaction with charter schools, and impact on local school districts.…

Modeling prescribed fire impacts on local to regional air quality and potential climate effects

EPA Science Inventory

Biomass burning, including wildfires and prescribed burns, are of increasing concern due to the potential impacts on ambient air quality. The direct and indirect radiative forcings associated the particulate matter from biomass burning are also raising questions regarding the pot...

Safety and Science Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virginia State Dept. of Education, Richmond. Div. of Sciences and Elementary Administration.

This 10-chapter handbook (designed for science teachers and school administrators) describes known hazards associated with science teaching and provides information to develop a framework for local safety programs specifically designed to avoid or neutralize the effects of such hazards. Major areas addressed in the chapters include: (1) the nature…

Lean Mean Times--Budgeting for School Media Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Doug

1995-01-01

Discusses budgeting strategies for school media technology programs. Highlights include sources for school funding, school district budget information, control of the budget, how to write an effective budget, working with other community and school groups, local politics, and sidebars that discuss spreadsheets and maintenance budgets. (LRW)

A blur-invariant local feature for motion blurred image matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Qiang; Aoki, Terumasa

2017-07-01

Image matching between a blurred (caused by camera motion, out of focus, etc.) image and a non-blurred image is a critical task for many image/video applications. However, most of the existing local feature schemes fail to achieve this work. This paper presents a blur-invariant descriptor and a novel local feature scheme including the descriptor and the interest point detector based on moment symmetry - the authors' previous work. The descriptor is based on a new concept - center peak moment-like element (CPME) which is robust to blur and boundary effect. Then by constructing CPMEs, the descriptor is also distinctive and suitable for image matching. Experimental results show our scheme outperforms state of the art methods for blurred image matching

Novel guanidine-containing molecular transporters based on lactose scaffolds: lipophilicity effect on the intracellular organellar selectivity.

PubMed

Biswas, Goutam; Jeon, Ock-Youm; Lee, Woo Sirl; Kim, Dong-Chan; Kim, Kyong-Tai; Lee, Suho; Chang, Sunghoe; Chung, Sung-Kee

2008-01-01

We have synthesized two lactose-based molecular transporters, each containing seven guanidine residues attached to the lactose scaffold through omega-aminocarboxylate linker chains of two different lengths, and have examined their cellular uptakes and intracellular and organellar localizations in HeLa cells, as well as their tissue distributions in mice. Both molecular transporters showed higher cellular uptake efficiencies than Arg8, and wide tissue distributions including the brain. Mitochondrial localization is of special interest because of its potential relevance to "mitochondrial diseases". Interestingly, it has been found that the intracellular localization sites of the G7 molecular transporters-namely either mitochondria or lysosomes and endocytic vesicles-are largely determined by the linker chain lengths, or their associated lipophilicities.

Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) 2: identifying opportunities for disinvestment in a local healthcare setting.

PubMed

Harris, Claire; Allen, Kelly; King, Richard; Ramsey, Wayne; Kelly, Cate; Thiagarajan, Malar

2017-05-05

This is the second in a series of papers reporting a program of Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare setting. Rising healthcare costs, continuing advances in health technologies and recognition of ineffective practices and systematic waste are driving disinvestment of health technologies and clinical practices that offer little or no benefit in order to maximise outcomes from existing resources. However there is little information to guide regional health services or individual facilities in how they might approach disinvestment locally. This paper outlines the investigation of potential settings and methods for decision-making about disinvestment in the context of an Australian health service. Methods include a literature review on the concepts and terminology relating to disinvestment, a survey of national and international researchers, and interviews and workshops with local informants. A conceptual framework was drafted and refined with stakeholder feedback. There is a lack of common terminology regarding definitions and concepts related to disinvestment and no guidance for an organisation-wide systematic approach to disinvestment in a local healthcare service. A summary of issues from the literature and respondents highlight the lack of theoretical knowledge and practical experience and provide a guide to the information required to develop future models or methods for disinvestment in the local context. A conceptual framework was developed. Three mechanisms that provide opportunities to introduce disinvestment decisions into health service systems and processes were identified. Presented in order of complexity, time to achieve outcomes and resources required they include 1) Explicit consideration of potential disinvestment in routine decision-making, 2) Proactive decision-making about disinvestment driven by available evidence from published research and local data, and 3) Specific exercises in priority setting and system redesign. This framework identifies potential opportunities to initiate disinvestment activities in a systematic integrated approach that can be applied across a whole organisation using transparent, evidence-based methods. Incorporating considerations for disinvestment into existing decision-making systems and processes might be achieved quickly with minimal cost; however establishment of new systems requires research into appropriate methods and provision of appropriate skills and resources to deliver them.

Modelling chemical abundance distributions for dwarf galaxies in the Local Group: the impact of turbulent metal diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escala, Ivanna; Wetzel, Andrew; Kirby, Evan N.; Hopkins, Philip F.; Ma, Xiangcheng; Wheeler, Coral; Kereš, Dušan; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Quataert, Eliot

2018-02-01

We investigate stellar metallicity distribution functions (MDFs), including Fe and α-element abundances, in dwarf galaxies from the Feedback in Realistic Environment (FIRE) project. We examine both isolated dwarf galaxies and those that are satellites of a Milky Way-mass galaxy. In particular, we study the effects of including a sub-grid turbulent model for the diffusion of metals in gas. Simulations that include diffusion have narrower MDFs and abundance ratio distributions, because diffusion drives individual gas and star particles towards the average metallicity. This effect provides significantly better agreement with observed abundance distributions in dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, including small intrinsic scatter in [α/Fe] versus [Fe/H] of ≲0.1 dex. This small intrinsic scatter arises in our simulations because the interstellar medium in dwarf galaxies is well mixed at nearly all cosmic times, such that stars that form at a given time have similar abundances to ≲0.1 dex. Thus, most of the scatter in abundances at z = 0 arises from redshift evolution and not from instantaneous scatter in the ISM. We find similar MDF widths and intrinsic scatter for satellite and isolated dwarf galaxies, which suggests that environmental effects play a minor role compared with internal chemical evolution in our simulations. Overall, with the inclusion of metal diffusion, our simulations reproduce abundance distribution widths of observed low-mass galaxies, enabling detailed studies of chemical evolution in galaxy formation.

Collaborative field research and training in occupational health and ergonomics.

PubMed

Kogi, K

1998-01-01

Networking collaborative research and training in Asian developing countries includes three types of joint activities: field studies of workplace potentials for better safety and health, intensive action training for improvement of working conditions in small enterprises, and action-oriented workshops on low-cost improvements for managers, workers, and farmers. These activities were aimed at identifying workable strategies for making locally adjusted improvements in occupational health and ergonomics. Many improvements have resulted as direct outcomes. Most these improvements were multifaceted, low-cost, and practicable using local skills. Three common features of these interactive processes seem important in facilitating realistic improvements: 1) voluntary approaches building on local achievements; 2) the use of practical methods for identifying multiple improvements; and 3) participatory steps for achieving low-cost results first. The effective use of group work tools is crucial. Stepwise training packages have thus proven useful for promoting local problem-solving interventions based on voluntary initiatives.

3D DNS of Turbulent Premixed Flame with over 50 Species and 300 Elementary Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimura, Masayasu; Yenerdag, Basmil; Naka, Yoshitsugu; Nada, Yuzuru; Tanahashi, Mamoru

2014-11-01

Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation of methane-air premixed planar flame propagating in homogenous isotropic turbulence is conducted to investigate local flame structure in thin reaction zones. Detailed kinetic mechanism, GRI-Mech 3.0 which includes 53 species and 325 elementary reactions, is used to represent methane-air reaction, and temperature dependences of transport and thermal properties are considered. For a better understanding of the local flame structure in thin reaction zones regime, distributions of mass fractions of major species, heat release rate, temperature and turbulent structures are investigated. Characteristic flame structures, such as radical fingering and multi-layered-like flame structures, are observed. The most expected maximum heat release rate in flame elements is lower than that of laminar flame with same mixture. To clarify mechanism of the decrease in local heat release rate, effects of strain rates tangential to flame front on local heat release rate are investigated.

Biochemical and pharmacological characterization of Trimersurus malabaricus snake venom.

PubMed

Gowda, Raghavendra; Rajaiah, Rajesh; Angaswamy, Nataraj; Krishna, Sharath; Bannikuppe Sannanayak, Vishwanath

2018-07-01

Trimeresurus malabaricus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to southwestern part of India. In earlier reports, we have shown that envenomation by T. malabaricus venom leading to strong local tissue damage but the mechanism of action is not clearly revealed. Local tissue damage affected by T. malabaricus venom is of great importance since the poison has serious systemic effects including death in the case of multiple attacks. The present study details the major manifestations of T. malabaricus venom and the induction of local tissue damage, which suggests that most toxins are present in the form of hydrolytic enzymes. Hydrolytic activity of the enzymes was measured and the data indicated that protease and phospholipase A 2 activity was high which is responsible for local tissue damage. Furthermore, the role of hydrolytic enzymes in the induction of pathological events such as hemorrhage, edema, myotoxicity, and blood coagulation examination were assessed through animal models. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[The significance of extravasation in oncological care].

PubMed

Zatkóné Puskás, Gabriella

2008-03-01

The treatment of cancer may be associated with various chemotherapy-induced mucocutaneous reactions. One of the mucocutaneous adverse effects of antineoplastic drugs is the toxic local tissue reaction, the extravasation, which occurs in less than 1-2% of cytotoxic infusions. The standard management of vesicant extravasation includes: discontinuing all local infusions, aspiration of any residual drug, elevating the involved limb, local cooling or warm compresses, local anesthesia, antidotes (sodium thiosulfate for alkylating agents, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) for anthracyclines and mitomycin, and hyaluronidase for the vinca alkaloids), and finally surgical debridement with plastic surgery reconstruction. Because the anthracyclines are topoisomerase II poisons that are antagonized by topoisomerase II catalytic inhibitors such as dexrazoxane, it seems to be the treatment of choice immediately after extravasation of doxorubicin, epirubicin, daunorubicin, etc. One systemic dose of dexrazoxane after the accident may significantly reduce the toxic tissue lesions. Repeated intralesional injections of GM-CSF may accelerate the wound healing without the need of skin grafts.

Security and Stability Analysis of Wind Farms Integration into Distribution Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan-yang, Li; Hongzhao, Wang; Guanglei, Li; Yamei, Cheng; Hong-zheng, Liu; Yi, Sun

2017-05-01

With the increasing share of the wind power in the power system, wind power fluctuations will cause obvious negative impacts on weak local grid. This paper firstly establish electromechanical transient simulation model for doubly fed induction wind turbine, then use Matlab/Simulink to achieve power flow calculation and transient simulation of power system including wind farms, the local synchronous generator, load, etc, finally analyze wind power on the impact of the local power grid under typical circumstances. The actual calculated results indicate that wind mutation causes little effect on the power grid, but when the three-phase short circuit fault happens, active power of wind power decreases sharply and the voltage of location of wind power into the grid also drop sharply, finally wind farm split from power system. This situation is not conducive to security and stability of the local power grid. It is necessary to develop security and stability measures in the future.

Automated metastatic brain lesion detection: a computer aided diagnostic and clinical research tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devine, Jeremy; Sahgal, Arjun; Karam, Irene; Martel, Anne L.

2016-03-01

The accurate localization of brain metastases in magnetic resonance (MR) images is crucial for patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to ensure that all neoplastic foci are targeted. Computer automated tumor localization and analysis can improve both of these tasks by eliminating inter and intra-observer variations during the MR image reading process. Lesion localization is accomplished using adaptive thresholding to extract enhancing objects. Each enhancing object is represented as a vector of features which includes information on object size, symmetry, position, shape, and context. These vectors are then used to train a random forest classifier. We trained and tested the image analysis pipeline on 3D axial contrast-enhanced MR images with the intention of localizing the brain metastases. In our cross validation study and at the most effective algorithm operating point, we were able to identify 90% of the lesions at a precision rate of 60%.

A Transport Model for Non-Local Heating of Electrons in ICP Reactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, C. H.; Bose, Deepak; Arnold, James O. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

A new model has been developed for non-local heating of electrons in ICP reactors, based on a hydrodynamic approach. The model has been derived using the electron momentum conservation in azimuthal direction with electromagnetic and frictional forces respectively as driving force and damper of harmonic oscillatory motion of electrons. The resulting transport equations include the convection of azimuthal electron momentum in radial and axial directions, thereby accounting for the non-local effects. The azimuthal velocity of electrons and the resulting electrical current are coupled to the Maxwell's relations, thus forming a self-consistent model for non-local heating. This model is being implemented along with a set of Navier-Stokes equations for plasma dynamics and gas flow to simulate low-pressure (few mTorr's) ICP discharges. Characteristics of nitrogen plasma in a TCP 300mm etch reactor is being studied. The results will be compared against the available Langmuir probe measurements.

Optimization of composite box-beam structures including effects of subcomponent interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ragon, Scott A.; Guerdal, Zafer; Starnes, James H., Jr.

1995-01-01

Minimum mass designs are obtained for a simple box beam structure subject to bending, torque and combined bending/torque load cases. These designs are obtained subject to point strain and linear buckling constraints. The present work differs from previous efforts in that special attention is payed to including the effects of subcomponent panel interaction in the optimal design process. Two different approaches are used to impose the buckling constraints. When the global approach is used, buckling constraints are imposed on the global structure via a linear eigenvalue analysis. This approach allows the subcomponent panels to interact in a realistic manner. The results obtained using this approach are compared to results obtained using a traditional, less expensive approach, called the local approach. When the local approach is used, in-plane loads are extracted from the global model and used to impose buckling constraints on each subcomponent panel individually. In the global cases, it is found that there can be significant interaction between skin, spar, and rib design variables. This coupling is weak or nonexistent in the local designs. It is determined that weight savings of up to 7% may be obtained by using the global approach instead of the local approach to design these structures. Several of the designs obtained using the linear buckling analysis are subjected to a geometrically nonlinear analysis. For the designs which were subjected to bending loads, the innermost rib panel begins to collapse at less than half the intended design load and in a mode different from that predicted by linear analysis. The discrepancy between the predicted linear and nonlinear responses is attributed to the effects of the nonlinear rib crushing load, and the parameter which controls this rib collapse failure mode is shown to be the rib thickness. The rib collapse failure mode may be avoided by increasing the rib thickness above the value obtained from the (linear analysis based) optimizer. It is concluded that it would be necessary to include geometric nonlinearities in the design optimization process if the true optimum in this case were to be found.

Cell Shape Change by Drebrin.

PubMed

Hayashi, Kensuke

2017-01-01

Drebrin is localized in actin-rich regions of neuronal and non-neuronal cells. In mature neurons, its localization is strictly restricted to the postsynaptic sites. In order to understand the function of drebrin in cells, many studies have been performed to examine the effect of overexpression or knocking down of drebrin in various cell types, including neurons, myoblasts, kidney cells, and intestinal epithelial cells. In most cases alteration of cell shape and impairment or facilitation of actin-based activities of these cells were observed. Interestingly, overexpression of drebrin in matured neurons results in the alteration in dendritic spine morphology. Further studies have shown alteration in the localization of postsynaptic receptors and even changes in synaptic transmission caused by drebrin overexpression or depletion in neurons. These drebrin's effects are thought to come from drebrin's actin-cross-linking activity or competitive binding to actin against tropomyosin, fascin, and α-actinin. Furthermore, drebrin binds to various molecules, such as homer, EB3, and cell-cell junctional proteins, indicating that drebrin is a multifunctional cytoskeletal regulator.

Predictors of human rotation.

PubMed

Stochl, Jan; Croudace, Tim

2013-01-01

Why some humans prefer to rotate clockwise rather than anticlockwise is not well understood. This study aims to identify the predictors of the preferred rotation direction in humans. The variables hypothesised to influence rotation preference include handedness, footedness, sex, brain hemisphere lateralisation, and the Coriolis effect (which results from geospatial location on the Earth). An online questionnaire allowed us to analyse data from 1526 respondents in 97 countries. Factor analysis showed that the direction of rotation should be studied separately for local and global movements. Handedness, footedness, and the item hypothesised to measure brain hemisphere lateralisation are predictors of rotation direction for both global and local movements. Sex is a predictor of the direction of global rotation movements but not local ones, and both sexes tend to rotate clockwise. Geospatial location does not predict the preferred direction of rotation. Our study confirms previous findings concerning the influence of handedness, footedness, and sex on human rotation; our study also provides new insight into the underlying structure of human rotation movements and excludes the Coriolis effect as a predictor of rotation.

Hyperconnectivity of local neocortical microcircuitry induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid.

PubMed

Rinaldi, Tania; Silberberg, Gilad; Markram, Henry

2008-04-01

Exposure to valproic acid (VPA) during embryogenesis can cause several teratogenic effects, including developmental delays and in particular autism in humans if exposure occurs during the third week of gestation. We examined the postnatal effects of embryonic exposure to VPA on microcircuit properties of juvenile rat neocortex using in vitro electrophysiology. We found that a single prenatal injection of VPA on embryonic day 11.5 causes a significant enhancement of the local recurrent connectivity formed by neocortical pyramidal neurons. The study of the biophysical properties of these connections revealed weaker excitatory synaptic responses. A marked decrease of the intrinsic excitability of pyramidal neurons was also observed. Furthermore, we demonstrate a diminished number of putative synaptic contacts in connection between layer 5 pyramidal neurons. Local hyperconnectivity may render cortical modules more sensitive to stimulation and once activated, more autonomous, isolated, and more difficult to command. This could underlie some of the core symptoms observed in humans prenatally exposed to valproic acid.

Google walkability: a new tool for local planning and public health research?

PubMed

Vargo, Jason; Stone, Brian; Glanz, Karen

2012-07-01

We investigate the association of different composite walkability measures with individual walking behaviors to determine if multicomponent metrics of walkability are more useful for assessing the health impacts of the built environment than single component measures. We use a previously published composite walkability measure as well as a new measure that was designed to represent easier methods of combination and which includes 2 metrics obtained using Google data sources. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between walking behavior and walkability metrics. Our results suggest that composite measures of walkability are more consistent predictors of walking behavior than single component measures. Furthermore, a walkability measure developed using free, publicly available data from Google was found to be nearly as effective in predicting walking outcomes as a walkability measure derived without such publicly and nationally available measures. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of free and locally relevant data for assessing walkable environments. This facilitates the use of locally derived and adaptive tools for evaluating the health impacts of the built environment.

Critical Review of Technical Questions Facing Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure: A Perspective from the Great Plains.

PubMed

Vogel, Jason R; Moore, Trisha L; Coffman, Reid R; Rodie, Steven N; Hutchinson, Stacy L; McDonough, Kelsey R; McLemore, Alex J; McMaine, John T

2015-09-01

Since its inception, Low Impact Development (LID) has become part of urban stormwater management across the United States, marking progress in the gradual transition from centralized to distributed runoff management infrastructure. The ultimate goal of LID is full, cost-effective implementation to maximize watershed-scale ecosystem services and enhance resilience. To reach that goal in the Great Plains, the multi-disciplinary author team presents this critical review based on thirteen technical questions within the context of regional climate and socioeconomics across increasing complexities in scale and function. Although some progress has been made, much remains to be done including continued basic and applied research, development of local LID design specifications, local demonstrations, and identifying funding mechanisms for these solutions. Within the Great Plains and beyond, by addressing these technical questions within a local context, the goal of widespread acceptance of LID can be achieved, resulting in more effective and resilient stormwater management.

Stakeholders Opinions on Multi-Use Deep Water Offshore Platform in Hsiao-Liu-Chiu, Taiwan

PubMed Central

Sie, Ya-Tsune; Chang, Yang-Chi; Lu, Shiau-Yun

2018-01-01

This paper describes a group model building activity designed to elicit the potential effects a projected multi-use deep water offshore platform may have on its local environment, including ecological and socio-economic issues. As such a platform is proposed for construction around the island of Hsiao-Liu-Chiu, Taiwan, we organized several meetings with the local stakeholders and structured the debates using group modeling methods to promote consensus. During the process, the participants iteratively built and revised a causal-loop diagram that summarizes their opinions. Overall, local stakeholders concluded that a multi-use deep water offshore marine platform might have beneficial effects for Hsiao-Liu-Chiu because more tourists and fish could be attracted by the structure, but they also raised some potential problems regarding the law in Taiwan and the design of the offshore platform, especially its resistance to extreme weather. We report the method used and the main results and insights gained during the process. PMID:29415521

Effects of antioxidants on CD4 and viral load in HIV-infected women in sub-Saharan Africa - dietary supplements vs. local diet.

PubMed

Nkengfack, Germaine N; Torimiro, Judith N; Englert, Heike

2012-02-01

In sub-Sahara Africa, micronutrient deficiency, especially of antioxidant micronutrients including vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene, selenium, zinc, and polyphenols is very common in HIV-positive patients. Amongst adults, women are the most vulnerable. Antioxidants are known to play a vital role in the immune system, reducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is induced by excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), due to the HIV infection. Such damage may be prevented or moderated through adequate oral intake of antioxidants, scavenging ROS, as well as protecting cells and tissues against oxidative stress. Antioxidants can be provided to the body through locally available antioxidant rich-diets such as fruit-and-vegetable-based diets and/or dietary supplements. Provision of antioxidants through local diets or dietary supplements exercise beneficial effects on biological markers of the immune system (CD4 and viral load). However, while dietary supplements represent a costly and short-term strategy to limiting antioxidant deficiency, local diets, combined with adequate nutritional education, can provide a low-cost and long-term strategy to reduce oxidative stress, prevent micronutrient deficiency, and slow down HIV disease progression. The former can be applicable in countries around the West, Central, and South coast of Africa, which are rich in natural food resources. In contrast with significant evidence that dietary supplements confer benefits in HIV patients, fewer data are available relating to the benefits of local diets. Thus the need to do more research in this area arises. This review compares available data on effects of antioxidants on CD4 and viral load in HIV-positive women noneligible for antiretroviral therapy. Intake of antioxidants though dietary supplements and local diet, associated with nutritional education, is compared. Studies conducted in sub-Sahara Africa are considered.

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

Ghafoori, A. Paiman; Nelson, John W.; Willett, Christopher G.

Purpose: Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is an uncommon but lethal malignancy. We analyzed the role of definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with nonmetastatic, locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated at a single institution. Methods and Materials: This retrospective analysis included 37 patients who underwent external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with concurrent chemotherapy and/or brachytherapy (BT) for locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) were assessed, and univariate regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of patient- and treatment-related factors on clinical outcomes. Results: Twenty-three patients received EBRT alone, 8 patients received EBRT plus BT, and 6 patients received BTmore » alone (median follow-up of 14 months). Two patients were alive without evidence of recurrence at the time of analysis. Actuarial OS and LC rates at 1 year were 59% and 90%, respectively, and 22% and 71%, respectively, at 2 years. Two patients lived beyond 5 years without evidence of recurrence. On univariate analysis, EBRT with or without BT improved LC compared to BT alone (97% vs. 56% at 1 year; 75% vs. 56% at 2 years; p = 0.096). Patients who received EBRT alone vs. BT alone also had improved LC (96% vs. 56% at 1 year; 80% vs. 56% at 2 years; p = 0.113). Age, gender, tumor location (proximal vs. distal), histologic differentiation, EBRT dose ({<=} or >50 Gy), EBRT planning method (two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional), and chemotherapy were not associated with patient outcomes. Conclusions: Patients with locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma have poor survival. Long-term survival is rare. The majority of patients treated with EBRT had local control at the time of death, suggesting that symptoms due to the local tumor effect might be effectively controlled with radiation therapy, and EBRT is an important element of treatment. Novel treatment approaches are indicated in the therapy for this disease.« less

Higher concentration local anaesthetics causing prolonged anaesthesia. Do they? A literature review and case reports.

PubMed

Kingon, A; Sambrook, P; Goss, A

2011-12-01

Higher concentration dental local anaesthetics (3% and 4%) have become more available in Australia in recent years. Benefits claimed include a faster onset of anaesthesia and improved success with injections compared to 2% solutions. Recent reports suggest that the higher concentration carries a greater risk of prolonged anaesthesia to the mandibular and particularly the lingual nerves. The literature was reviewed and those studies which demonstrated adverse effects of different concentrations of local anaesthetics were analysed. Recent cases are presented. There is an extensive international literature which confirms increased concentration of local anaesthetic does show an increased risk, by about ×6, of prolonged anaesthesia. Five case reports illustrate the impact of this complication on patients' quality of life. Careful consideration needs to be given before using higher concentration local anaesthetic agents for mandibular and lingual blocks as lower concentration local anaesthetics are safer. If acceptable to individual patients, avoidance of block injections or any local anaesthetic for minor restorative tasks could be encouraged given the severity of the complication. It is safe to use the higher concentration agents for infiltrations away from major nerves. © 2011 Australian Dental Association.

Nucleolar localization of cirhin, the protein mutated in North American Indian childhood cirrhosis

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

Yu, Bin; Mitchell, Grant A.; Richter, Andrea

2005-12-10

Cirhin (NP{sub 1}16219), the product of the CIRH1A gene is mutated in North American Indian childhood cirrhosis (NAIC/CIRH1A, OMIM 604901), a severe autosomal recessive intrahepatic cholestasis. It is a 686-amino-acid WD40-repeat containing protein of unknown function that is predicted to contain multiple targeting signals, including an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting signal, a C-terminal monopartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) and a bipartite nuclear localization signal (BNLS). We performed the direct determination of subcellular localization of cirhin as a crucial first step in unraveling its biological function. Using EGFP and His-tagged cirhin fusion proteins expressed in HeLa and HepG2, cells we show thatmore » cirhin is a nucleolar protein and that the R565W mutation, for which all NAIC patients are homozygous, has no effect on subcellular localization. Cirhin has an active C-terminal monopartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) and a unique nucleolar localization signal (NrLS) between residues 315 and 432. The nucleolus is not known to be important specifically for intrahepatic cholestasis. These observations provide a new dimension in the study of hereditary cholestasis.« less

Modelling the biologic effect of ions with the Local Effect Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedrich, Thomas; Elsässer, Thilo; Durante, Marco; Scholz, Michael

In many cases in radiobiological experiments as well as in ion beam therapy the Local Effect Model (LEM) has proven to be capable to describe the biologic effect of ion irradiation based on the response to X-rays. During the last years, the LEM has been extended to include important processes such as the diffusion of free radicals or the biologic effect enhancement due to clustered lesions of the DNA in a more mechanistic fashion. In its current status the predictive power of the LEM covers a wide range of ions with good quantitative precision. Hence there is potential to also apply the LEM to problems in radiation protection. In this talk, the development stages of the LEM are illustrated. Emphasis is put on the most recent version of the LEM, where spatial distributions of DNA lesions are considered. Applicability, limits and strategies for an advanced model testing are discussed. Finally, planned extensions and applications of the LEM are presented.

The Advocacy for Pedestrian Safety Study: Cluster Randomised Trial Evaluating a Political Advocacy Approach to Reduce Pedestrian Injuries in Deprived Communities

PubMed Central

Lyons, Ronan A.; Kendrick, Denise; Towner, Elizabeth M. L.; Coupland, Carol; Hayes, Mike; Christie, Nicola; Sleney, Judith; Jones, Sarah; Kimberlee, Richard; Rodgers, Sarah E.; Turner, Samantha; Brussoni, Mariana; Vinogradova, Yana; Sarvotham, Tinnu; Macey, Steven

2013-01-01

Objective To determine whether advocacy targeted at local politicians leads to action to reduce the risk of pedestrian injury in deprived areas. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial. Setting 239 electoral wards in 57 local authorities in England and Wales. Participants 617 elected local politicians. Interventions Intervention group politicians were provided with tailored information packs, including maps of casualty sites, numbers injured and a synopsis of effective interventions. Main outcome measures 25–30 months post intervention, primary outcomes included: electoral ward level: percentage of road traffic calmed; proportion with new interventions; school level: percentage with 20 mph zones, Safe Routes to School, pedestrian training or road safety education; politician level: percentage lobbying for safety measures. Secondary outcomes included politicians’ interest and involvement in injury prevention, and facilitators and barriers to implementation. Results Primary outcomes did not significantly differ: % difference in traffic calming (0.07, 95%CI: −0.07 to 0.20); proportion of schools with 20 mph zones (RR 1.47, 95%CI: 0.93 to 2.32), Safe Routes to School (RR 1.34, 95%CI: 0.83 to 2.17), pedestrian training (RR 1.23, 95%CI: 0.95 to 1.61) or other safety education (RR 1.16, 95%CI: 0.97 to 1.39). Intervention group politicians reported greater interest in child injury prevention (RR 1.09, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.16), belief in potential to help prevent injuries (RR 1.36, 95%CI 1.16 to 1.61), particularly pedestrian safety (RR 1.55, 95%CI 1.19 to 2.03). 63% of intervention politicians reported supporting new pedestrian safety schemes. The majority found the advocacy information surprising, interesting, effectively presented, and could identify suitable local interventions. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of an innovative approach to translational public health by targeting local politicians in a randomised controlled trial. The intervention package was positively viewed and raised interest but changes in interventions were not statistically significance. Longer term supported advocacy may be needed. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN91381117 PMID:23577088

Whole Community Resilience: Engaging Multiple Sectors with the Coastal Community Resilience Index and the Climate and Resilience Community of Practice in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sempier, T.

2017-12-01

Communicating risk due to flooding, sea level rise, storm surge, and other natural hazards is a complex task when attempting to build resilience in coastal communities. There are a number of challenges related to preparing for, responding to, and recovering from coastal storms. Successful resilience planning must include a wide range of sectors including, but not limited to local government, business, non-profit, religious, academia, and healthcare. Years of experience working with communities in the Gulf of Mexico has helped create a process that is both inclusive and effective at bringing the right people to the table and gaining momentum towards resilience efforts. The Coastal Community Resilience Index (CRI), a self-assessment for community leaders, has been implemented in 54 Gulf communities with funding that provides small grant awards to help communities take action to address gaps and vulnerabilities identified in the assessment process. To maintain momentum with resilience actions, the Gulf Climate and Resilience Community of Practice (CoP) encourages local municipality participants to share lessons learned and best practices from their implementation projects in an annual symposium. Recently, both graduate and undergraduate students have been exposed to the CRI and CoP as avenues to work through solutions to complex problems at the local level. In addition, a new generation of high school students has been introduced to the CRI. Their engagement in the process is building a more informed citizenry that will take on the leadership and decision-making roles in the future. Investing in multiple age groups and sectors through the CRI and CoP is building capacity for whole community resilience in the Gulf of Mexico. This presentation will focus on methods that have been successful in the Gulf of Mexico for creating effective change in local municipalities towards resilience actions. Discussion will include decision support tools for engaging local municipalities, methods for communicating risk, and approaches for involving a wide range of age groups in the decision-making process.

Stakeholders' Engagement Methods for the Mining Social Responsibility Practice: Determination of Local Issues and Concerns Related to the Mines Operations in Northwest of the US.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaitis, A.

2014-12-01

Every year, all around the world, global environmental change affects the human habitat. This is effect enhanced by the mining operation, and creates new challenges in relationship between the mining and local community. The purpose of this project are developed the Stakeholders engagement evaluation plan which is currently developed in University of Nevada, Reno for the Emigrant mining project, located in the central Nevada, USA, and belong to the Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the gold production leader worldwide. The needs for this project is to create the open dialog between Newmont mining company and all interested parties which have social or environmental impacts from the Emigrant mine. Identification of the stakeholders list is first and one of the most difficult steps in the developing of mine social responsibility. Stakeholders' engagement evaluation plan must be based on the timing and available resources of the mining company, understanding the goals for the engagement, and on analyzes of the possible risks from engagement. In conclusion, the Stakeholders engagement evaluation plan includes: first, determinations of the stakeholders list, which must include any interested or effected by the mine projects groups, for example: state and local government representatives, people from local communities, business partners, environmental NGOs, indigenous people, and academic groups. The contacts and availability for communication is critical for Stakeholders engagement. Next, is to analyze characteristics of all these parties and determinate the level of interest and level of their influence on the project. The next step includes the Stakeholders matrix and mapping development, where all these information will be put together.After that, must be chosen the methods for stakeholders' engagement. The methods usually depends from the goals of engagement (create the dialog lines, collect the data, determinations of the local issues and concerns, or establish the negotiation process) and available resources as a time, people, budget. Is it very important here to recognize the possible risks from the engagement and establish the key massage for stakeholders. Finally, the engagement plan should be evaluated and can be implementing for the new social responsibility practice development.

The Impact of Sampling Schemes on the Site Frequency Spectrum in Nonequilibrium Subdivided Populations

PubMed Central

Städler, Thomas; Haubold, Bernhard; Merino, Carlos; Stephan, Wolfgang; Pfaffelhuber, Peter

2009-01-01

Using coalescent simulations, we study the impact of three different sampling schemes on patterns of neutral diversity in structured populations. Specifically, we are interested in two summary statistics based on the site frequency spectrum as a function of migration rate, demographic history of the entire substructured population (including timing and magnitude of specieswide expansions), and the sampling scheme. Using simulations implementing both finite-island and two-dimensional stepping-stone spatial structure, we demonstrate strong effects of the sampling scheme on Tajima's D (DT) and Fu and Li's D (DFL) statistics, particularly under specieswide (range) expansions. Pooled samples yield average DT and DFL values that are generally intermediate between those of local and scattered samples. Local samples (and to a lesser extent, pooled samples) are influenced by local, rapid coalescence events in the underlying coalescent process. These processes result in lower proportions of external branch lengths and hence lower proportions of singletons, explaining our finding that the sampling scheme affects DFL more than it does DT. Under specieswide expansion scenarios, these effects of spatial sampling may persist up to very high levels of gene flow (Nm > 25), implying that local samples cannot be regarded as being drawn from a panmictic population. Importantly, many data sets on humans, Drosophila, and plants contain signatures of specieswide expansions and effects of sampling scheme that are predicted by our simulation results. This suggests that validating the assumption of panmixia is crucial if robust demographic inferences are to be made from local or pooled samples. However, future studies should consider adopting a framework that explicitly accounts for the genealogical effects of population subdivision and empirical sampling schemes. PMID:19237689

Solute drag in polycrystalline materials: Derivation and numerical analysis of a variational model for the effect of solute on the motion of boundaries and junctions during coarsening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Seth Robert

A mathematical model that results in an expression for the local acceleration of a network of sharp interfaces interacting with an ambient solute field is proposed. This expression comprises a first-order differential equation for the local velocity that, given the appropriate initial conditions, may be used to predict the subsequent time evolution of the system, including non-steady state absorption and desorption of solute. Evolution equations for both interfaces and the junction of interfaces are derived by maximizing a functional approximating the rate at which the local Gibbs free energy density decreases, as a function of the local solute content and the instantaneous velocity. The model has been formulated in three dimensions, and non-equilibrium effects such as grain boundary diffusion, solute gradients, and time-dependant segregation are taken into account. As a consequence of this model, it is shown that both interfaces and the junctions between interfaces obey evolution equations that closely resemble Newton's second law. In particular, the concept of "thrust" in variable-mass systems is shown to have a direct analog in solute-interface interaction. Numerical analysis of the equations that result reveals that a double cusp catastrophe governs the behavior of the solute-interface system, for which trajectories that include hysteresis, slip-stick motion, and jerky motion are all conceivable. The geometry of the cusp catastrophe is quantified, and a number of relations between physical parameters and system behavior are consequently predicted.

Lemongrass essential oil gel as a local drug delivery agent for the treatment of periodontitis

PubMed Central

Warad, Shivaraj B.; Kolar, Sahana S.; Kalburgi, Veena; Kalburgi, Nagaraj B.

2013-01-01

Background: It has been long recognized that periodontal diseases are infections of the periodontium, comprising the bacterial etiology, an immune response, and tissue destruction. Treatment strategies aiming primarily at suppressing or eliminating specific periodontal pathogens include adjunct use of local and systemic antibiotics as part of nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Unwanted side effects and resistance of microorganisms toward antibiotics due to their widespread use have modified the general perception about their efficacy. Research in phytosciences has revealed various medicinal plants offering a new choice of optional antimicrobial therapy. Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf. (lemongrass) is a popular medicinal plant. At a concentration ≤2%, lemongrass essential oil inhibits the growth of several kinds of microorganisms including periodontal pathogens, especially the reference strains Actinomyces naeslundii and Porphyromonas gingivalis, which were resistant to tetracycline hydrochloride. Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of locally delivered 2% lemongrass essential oil in gel form as an adjunct to scaling and root planing, as compared to scaling and root planing alone for the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: 2% Lemongrass essential oil gel was prepared and placed in moderate to deep periodontal pockets after scaling and root planing. Results: Statistically significant reduction in probing depth and gingival index and gain in relative attachment level were noted in the experimental group as compared to the control group at 1 and 3 months. Conclusion: Locally delivered 2% lemongrass essential oil gel offers a new choice of safe and effective adjunct to scaling and root planing in periodontal therapy. PMID:24991068

State and Local Comprehensive Smoke-Free Laws for Worksites, Restaurants, and Bars - United States, 2015.

PubMed

Tynan, Michael A; Holmes, Carissa Baker; Promoff, Gabbi; Hallett, Cynthia; Hopkins, Maggie; Frick, Bronson

2016-06-24

Exposure to secondhand smoke from burning tobacco products causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults (1,2). Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma, respiratory symptoms, and slowed lung growth (1,2). Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year (2). This report updates a previous CDC report that evaluated state smoke-free laws in effect from 2000-2010 (3), and estimates the proportion of the population protected by comprehensive smoke-free laws. The number of states, including the District of Columbia (DC), with comprehensive smoke-free laws (statutes that prohibit smoking in indoor areas of worksites, restaurants, and bars) increased from zero in 2000 to 26 in 2010 and 27 in 2015. The percentage of the U.S. population that is protected increased from 2.72% in 2000 to 47.8% in 2010 and 49.6% in 2015. Regional disparities remain in the proportions of state populations covered by state or local comprehensive smoke-free policies, as no state in the southeast has a state comprehensive law. In addition, nine of the 24 states that lack state comprehensive smoke-free laws also lack any local comprehensive smoke-free laws. Opportunities exist to accelerate the adoption of smoke-free laws in states that lack local comprehensive smoke-free laws, including those in the south, to protect nonsmokers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure.

Adjuvant Agents in Regional Anesthesia in the Ambulatory Setting.

PubMed

Koyyalamudi, Veerandra; Sen, Sudipta; Patil, Shilpadevi; Creel, Justin B; Cornett, Elyse M; Fox, Charles J; Kaye, Alan D

2017-01-01

A majority of surgical practice has involved ambulatory centers with the number of outpatient operations in the USA doubling to 26.8 million per year. Local anesthesia delivery provides numerous benefits, including increased satisfaction, earlier discharge, and reduction in unplanned hospital admission. Further, with the epidemic of opioid mediated overdoses, local anesthesia can be a key tool in providing an opportunity to reduce the need for other analgesics postoperatively. Adjuvants such as epinephrine and clonidine enhance local anesthetic clinical utility. Further, dexmedetomidine prolongs regional blockade duration effects. There has also been a significant interest recently in the use of dexamethasone. Studies have demonstrated a significant prolongation in motor and sensory block with perineural dexamethasone. Findings are conflicting as to whether intravenous dexamethasone has similar beneficial effects. However, considering the possible neurotoxicity effects, which perineural dexamethasone may present, it would be prudent not to consider intravenously administered dexamethasone to prolong regional block duration. Many studies have also demonstrated neurotoxicity from intrathecally administered midazolam. Therefore, midazolam as an adjuvant is not recommended. Magnesium prolongs regional block duration but related to paucity of studies as of yet, cannot be recommended. Tramadol yields inconsistent results and ketamine is associated with psychotomimetic adverse effects. Buprenorphine consistently increases regional block duration and reduce opioid requirements by a significant amount. Future studies are warranted to define best practice strategies for these adjuvant agents. The present review focuses on the many roles of local anesthetics in current ambulatory practice.

Stifled Stakeholders and Subdued Participation: Interpreting Local Responses Toward Shimentai Nature Reserve in South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jim, C. Y.; Xu, Steve S. W.

2002-09-01

In recent decades, protected-area management in many developing countries has been molded to win the support and participation of local people. Increasingly, research initiatives are undertaken to enhance understanding of the perceptions and attitudes of rural stakeholders. The effectiveness of the expanding protected-area system in China is critically constrained by similar considerations of community mentality. This paper provides an empirical assessment of local responses towards conservation efforts based on a case study of the recently established Shimentai Nature Reserve (SNR) situated in Yingde, Guangdong Province, China. Questionnaire surveys, face-to-face interviews, and group discussions were employed to gauge local residents' knowledge, perceptions, and expectations towards the SNR. The study covered seven villages situated in and around the reserve, grouped into far-zone (floodplain) and near-zone (upland) categories, accommodating Hakka (Han) and minority Yao peoples. Many respondents had inadequate knowledge, understanding, and perceptions of the reserve. Although most respondents welcomed the expected park-related dividends, the most affected near-zone villagers anticipated losses due to restriction on traditional resource-extraction activities in the forest. The local expectations were influenced by place of residence, emigration of rural young, and household affluence. The lack of local participation in management and inadequate dissemination of information posed obstacles to effective conservation. The high expectation of accruing benefits from development projects, including tourism, might be misplaced and might not be realized. The present honeymoon period of positive attitudes could end soon if the hopes remain unfulfilled for too long. The need to win sustained local support and provide alternative means of livelihood is emphasized.

Local anesthetic infusion pump for pain management following total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Yeying; Lu, Ming; Chang, Cheng

2017-01-23

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were to evaluate the effect and safety of local anesthetic infusion pump versus placebo for pain management following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In September 2016, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in the Pubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Randomized controlled trials of patients prepared for primary TKA that compared local anesthetic infusion pump versus placebo for pain management following TKA were retrieved. The primary endpoint was the visual analogue scale (VAS) with rest or mobilization at 24, 48 and 72 h and morphine consumption at 24 and 48 h. The second outcomes are range of motion, length of hospital stay (LOS) and complications (infection, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), prolonged drainage and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV)). Seven clinical studies with 587 patients were included and for meta-analysis. Local anesthetic infusion pump are associated with less pain scores with rest or mobilization at 24 and 48 h with significant difference. However, the difference was likely no clinical significance. There were no significant difference between the LOS, the occurrence of DVT, prolonged drainage and PONV. However, local anesthetic infusion pump may be associated with more infection. Based on the current meta-analysis, we found no evidence to support the routine use of local anesthetic infusion pump in the management of acute pain following TKA. More RCTs are still need to identify the pain control effects and optimal dose and speed of local anesthetic pain pump.

Microscopic theory of topologically entangled fluids of rigid macromolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sussman, Daniel M.; Schweizer, Kenneth S.

2011-06-01

We present a first-principles theory for the slow dynamics of a fluid of entangling rigid crosses of zero excluded volume based on a generalization of the dynamic mean-field approach of Szamel for infinitely thin nonrotating rods. The latter theory exactly includes topological constraints at the two-body collision level and self-consistently renormalizes an effective diffusion tensor to account for many-body effects. Remarkably, it predicts scaling laws consistent with the phenomenological reptation-tube predictions of Doi and Edwards for the long-time diffusion and the localization length in the heavily entangled limit. We generalize this approach to a different macromolecular architecture, infinitely thin three-dimensional crosses, and also extend the range of densities over which a dynamic localization length can be calculated for rods. Ideal gases of nonrotating crosses have recently received attention in computer simulations and are relevant as a simple model of both a strong-glass former and entangling star-branched polymers. Comparisons of our theory with these simulations reveal reasonable agreement for the magnitude and reduced density dependence of the localization length and also the self-diffusion constant if the consequences of local density fluctuations are taken into account.

The effect of local parameters on gas turbine emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kauffman, C. W.; Correa, S. M.; Orozco, N. J.

1980-01-01

Gas turbine engine inlet parameters reflect changes in local atmospheric conditions. The pollutant emissions for the engine reflects these changes. In attempting to model the effect of the changing ambient conditions on the emissions it was found that these emissions exhibit an extreme sensitivity to some of the details of the combustion process such as the local fuel-air ratio and the size of the drops in the fuel spray. Fuel-air ratios have been mapped under nonburning conditions using a single JT8D-17 combustion can at simulated idle conditions, and significant variations in the local values have been found. Modelling of the combustor employs a combination of perfectly stirred and plug flow reactors including a finite rate vaporization treatment of the fuel spray. Results show that a small increase in the mean drop size can lead to a large increase in hydrocarbon emissions and decreasing the value of the CO-OH rate constant can lead to large increases in the carbon monoxide emissions. These emissions may also be affected by the spray characteristics with larger drops retarding the combustion process. Hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen emissions calculated using the model accurately reflect measured emission variations caused by changing engine inlet conditions.

Novel biological strategies for treatment of wear particle-induced periprosthetic osteolysis of orthopaedic implants for joint replacement

PubMed Central

Goodman, S. B.; Gibon, E.; Pajarinen, J.; Lin, T.-H.; Keeney, M.; Ren, P.-G.; Nich, C.; Yao, Z.; Egashira, K.; Yang, F.; Konttinen, Y. T.

2014-01-01

Wear particles and by-products from joint replacements and other orthopaedic implants may result in a local chronic inflammatory and foreign body reaction. This may lead to persistent synovitis resulting in joint pain and swelling, periprosthetic osteolysis, implant loosening and pathologic fracture. Strategies to modulate the adverse effects of wear debris may improve the function and longevity of joint replacements and other orthopaedic implants, potentially delaying or avoiding complex revision surgical procedures. Three novel biological strategies to mitigate the chronic inflammatory reaction to orthopaedic wear particles are reported. These include (i) interference with systemic macrophage trafficking to the local implant site, (ii) modulation of macrophages from an M1 (pro-inflammatory) to an M2 (anti-inflammatory, pro-tissue healing) phenotype in the periprosthetic tissues, and (iii) local inhibition of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) by delivery of an NF-κB decoy oligodeoxynucleotide, thereby interfering with the production of pro-inflammatory mediators. These three approaches have been shown to be viable strategies for mitigating the undesirable effects of wear particles in preclinical studies. Targeted local delivery of specific biologics may potentially extend the lifetime of orthopaedic implants. PMID:24478281

Model dielectric function for 2D semiconductors including substrate screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trolle, Mads L.; Pedersen, Thomas G.; Véniard, Valerie

2017-01-01

Dielectric screening of excitons in 2D semiconductors is known to be a highly non-local effect, which in reciprocal space translates to a strong dependence on momentum transfer q. We present an analytical model dielectric function, including the full non-linear q-dependency, which may be used as an alternative to more numerically taxing ab initio screening functions. By verifying the good agreement between excitonic optical properties calculated using our model dielectric function, and those derived from ab initio methods, we demonstrate the versatility of this approach. Our test systems include: Monolayer hBN, monolayer MoS2, and the surface exciton of a 2 × 1 reconstructed Si(111) surface. Additionally, using our model, we easily take substrate screening effects into account. Hence, we include also a systematic study of the effects of substrate media on the excitonic optical properties of MoS2 and hBN.

Correlation between Hurricane Sandy damage along the New Jersey coast with land use, dunes and other local attributes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sand dunes along New Jerseys Coast in reducing damage during Sandy. The study area included eight selected zones with different damage levels from Ocean County. A model to independently p...

Using the Medium to Teach the Medium: Radio Broadcasting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryland, Edwin H.

Effective broadcast education should get students to perform professionally in broadcast situations with a minimum of guidance. To do this, class assignments should include either activities similar to commercial work or on-the-job experiences at the campus or local commercial radio stations. The possibilities for such activities and experiences…

75 FR 60780 - Announcement of Funding Awards for Fiscal Year 2010 Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-01

... to be used to assist Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian institutions of higher education to expand their role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in their localities, including... ongoing grant programs to institutions of higher education as well as creates initiatives through which...

User's manual for ILSLOC : simulation for derogation effects on the localizer portion of the Instrument Landing System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-08-01

The manual presents the complete ILSLOC computer program package. In addition to including a thorough description of the program itself and a commented listing, the manual contains a brief description of the ILS system and antenna patterns. To illust...

Evaluation of an Annual Community-Focused Agricultural Literacy Event

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandlin, M'Randa R.; Perez, Kauahi

2017-01-01

Agricultural literacy programs are effective pathways to informally teach the public about agriculture through stakeholder (attendee and exhibitor) interaction. Such programs are generally evaluated using attendee feedback but fail to include exhibitors' experience. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a local community agricultural event by…

Emergency Preparedness: Life, Limb, the Pursuit of Safety and Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Marianne Robin; Bryan, Valerie C.; Penney, Gerri

2012-01-01

Since 9-11, emergency preparedness has been the focus on federal, state, tribal, and local levels. Although current research describes emergency management response, many barriers may exist that effect response systems, including the role of first responders, social vulnerability, and the way technology interfaces with these variables. Several…

Putting Patience to the Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, Ray

2004-01-01

A project manager recounts his decisions before and during the aftermath of the crash of a full-size flying model of Quetzalcoatlus northropi. The unstable pterodactyl crashed without harming anyone, although it caused a local power outage. The manager summarizes lessons learned about flight testing prototypes, including the effects of impatience.

Enlivening Physics, a Local Video Disc Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McInerney, M.

1989-01-01

Describes how to make and use an inexpensive video disc of physics demonstrations. Discusses the background, production of the disc, subject of the disc including angular momentum, "monkey and the hunter" experiment, Doppler shift, pressure of a constant volume of gas thermometer, and wave effects, and using the disc in classroom. (YP)

Information Communication Highways in the 1990s: An Analysis of Their Potential Impact on Library Automation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kibirige, Harry M.

1991-01-01

Discussion of the potential effects of fiber optic-based communication technology on information networks and systems design highlights library automation. Topics discussed include computers and telecommunications systems, the importance of information in national economies, microcomputers, local area networks (LANs), national computer networks,…

Learning behind Bars: Selected Educational Programs from Juvenile, Jail and Prison Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Richard; Cosgrove, Susan, Ed.

This report describes briefly a number of highly effective educational programs in correctional settings. The programs are divided into three sections: juvenile correctional education, local detention/community correctional education, and prison education. Information provided for each program includes address and telephone number; type of…

Ponderosa pine managed-yield simulator: PPSIM users guide.

Treesearch

D.J. DeMars; J.W. Barrett

1987-01-01

PPSIM simulates yields of natural and managed ponderosa pine stands. Management practices and effects that can be simulated include commercial thinning, fertilization, genetic improvement, and presence of dwarf mistletoe. An option is available that adjusts growth to simulate local conditions. Equations used in PPSIM describe growth of natural...

11 CFR 300.1 - Scope and effective date, and organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the “Act”), enacted by Title I of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”). Public... State and local candidates, including regulations about using Federal funds for certain public communications, and exceptions for entirely non-Federal communications. (6) For rules pertaining to convention...

11 CFR 300.1 - Scope and effective date, and organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the “Act”), enacted by Title I of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”). Public... State and local candidates, including regulations about using Federal funds for certain public communications, and exceptions for entirely non-Federal communications. (6) For rules pertaining to convention...

11 CFR 300.1 - Scope and effective date, and organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the “Act”), enacted by Title I of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”). Public... State and local candidates, including regulations about using Federal funds for certain public communications, and exceptions for entirely non-Federal communications. (6) For rules pertaining to convention...

11 CFR 300.1 - Scope and effective date, and organization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the “Act”), enacted by Title I of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”). Public... State and local candidates, including regulations about using Federal funds for certain public communications, and exceptions for entirely non-Federal communications. (6) For rules pertaining to convention...

Retaining Excellent Teachers through Effective Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le, Connie

2013-01-01

School districts continue to face challenges in retaining talented teachers in their schools. There are many factors that contribute to teacher retention, including working conditions, a lack of leadership support, and poor leadership behavior. In a southeastern U.S. state, local school officials were seeking strategies to provide an excellent…

Effects of the Oil Spill on Alaskan Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldaker, Lawrence Lee

Oil-industry-produced revenues, help finance Alaskan state and local governmental services including education. Capital losses incurred by the Exxon Corporation and by commerical fisheries as a consequence of the Exxon Valdez oil spill caused an economic recession, the result being diminished financing for a number of governmental programs and…

Comparison of local anesthetic effects of lidocaine versus tramadol and effect of child anxiety on pain level in circumcision procedure.

PubMed

Polat, Fazli; Tuncel, Altug; Balci, Melih; Aslan, Yilmaz; Sacan, Ozlem; Kisa, Cebrail; Kayali, Mustafa; Atan, Ali

2013-10-01

To compare the local anesthetic effects of tramadol hydrochloride with those of lidocaine in circumcision procedures. We also investigated the effect of child anxiety on pain level. A total of 70 children were included in this study. The children were randomized into 3 groups. Group 1 (n = 26) received lidocaine hydrochloride + epinephrine and they underwent circumcision using Ali's clamp(®). Group 2 (n = 35) received lidocaine hydrochloride + epinephrine and group 3 (n = 12) 5% tramadol. The last two groups underwent conventional circumcision. The mean anxiety score was 22.6. We did not find significant differences in terms of anxiety score among the groups (p = 0.761). When the pain scores of the groups during injection were compared, it was found that there were no significant differences. However, the pain score of the third group was significantly high when it was compared with the first and second group 2 and 10 min after injection. In the correlation analysis, we found a positive correlation between children's anxiety scores and the pain degree during injection (r = 0.373, p = 0.001). Tramadol may not provide effective local anesthesia in male circumcision. The child's anxiety before the circumcision seems to have a negative effect on pain level. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effective forces transmitted by high-speed, low-amplitude thoracic manipulation.

PubMed

Herzog, W; Kats, M; Symons, B

2001-10-01

Twenty asymptomatic volunteers each received three spinal manipulative treatments to the thoracic spine. The treatments consisted of a straight posterior-to-anterior high-speed, low-amplitude thrust to the transverse process of T3-T10 using a reinforced hypothenar contact. All treatments were given by a full-time practicing clinician with 3 years of experience. The primary objective of this study was to quantify local measures of loading applied by the clinician on the volunteers during spinal manipulative treatments and to compare these local measures of loading with previously described global measures. The sparse information on the mechanics of spinal manipulative treatments deals exclusively with global force or pressure measurements. On the basis of these global data, incorrect conclusions may be drawn about the beneficial effects of spinal manipulative therapy, the loading of internal structures, and the risks associated with these treatments. Twenty asymptomatic subjects each received three posterior-to-anterior, high-speed, low-amplitude spinal manipulative treatments to the transverse process of the thoracic spine. Total force, local force, contact area, peak pressure, and average pressure at the contact interface between clinician and subject were measured continuously by use of a thin, flexible pressure pad. Local and global measures of loading were compared and analyzed by use of nonparametric statistics (alpha = 0.01). The average peak total force was 238.2 N. The average peak local force over a target area of 25 mm2 was 5 N, indicating that global measures of loading vastly overestimate the local effective forces at the target site. The peak pressure point moved, on average, 9.8 mm during the course of the manipulation. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study to quantify local, effective measures of loading and compare them with the global measures typically used. The conclusions are limited because the study used a single clinician. The effective loading of specific target sites is much smaller than the global measures might suggest. This result occurs because as the forces during spinal manipulative treatment increase, so does the contact area; therefore, much of the total treatment force is taken up by non-target-specific tissues. Because of the vast discrepancy between the global and local measures of loading, it is suggested that risk-benefit assessments of high-speed, low-amplitude spinal manipulative treatments should be made, including local measures of loading. Finally, because theoretical approaches and the inverse dynamics approach can provide only global measures of loading, the results of such studies should be interpreted with caution.

Evaluation of a Local Anesthesia Simulation Model with Dental Students as Novice Clinicians.

PubMed

Lee, Jessica S; Graham, Roseanna; Bassiur, Jennifer P; Lichtenthal, Richard M

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a local anesthesia (LA) simulation model in a facilitated small group setting before dental students administered an inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) for the first time. For this pilot study, 60 dental students transitioning from preclinical to clinical education were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (N=30) that participated in a small group session using the simulation model or a control group (N=30). After administering local anesthesia for the first time, students in both groups were given questionnaires regarding levels of preparedness and confidence when administering an IANB and level of anesthesia effectiveness and pain when receiving an IANB. Students in the experimental group exhibited a positive difference on all six questions regarding preparedness and confidence when administering LA to another student. One of these six questions ("I was prepared in administering local anesthesia for the first time") showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Students who received LA from students who practiced on the simulation model also experienced fewer post-injection complications one day after receiving the IANB, including a statistically significant reduction in trismus. No statistically significant difference was found in level of effectiveness of the IANB or perceived levels of pain between the two groups. The results of this pilot study suggest that using a local anesthesia simulation model may be beneficial in increasing a dental student's level of comfort prior to administering local anesthesia for the first time.

An Atypical Local Vesicular Reaction to the Yellow Fever Vaccine.

PubMed

Wauters, Robert H; Hernandez, Camellia L; Petersen, Maureen M

2017-09-19

Yellow fever vaccine is a live attenuated viral inoculation indicated for patients traveling to endemic areas. The vaccine is generally well tolerated with minimal adverse effects. Typical side effects include malaise, pain at the injection site, and, albeit rarely, immediate hypersensitivity reactions. We present a case of a rare adverse reaction to yellow fever vaccine in which a patient developed vesicular lesions resulting in bullae and circumferential hyperpigmentation.

Nonlinear convective analysis of a rotating Oldroyd-B nanofluid layer under thermal non-equilibrium utilizing Al2O3-EG colloidal suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Shilpi; Rana, Puneet

2016-04-01

In this paper, we examine a layer of Oldroyd-B nanofluid for linear and nonlinear regimes under local thermal non-equilibrium conditions for the classical Rayleigh-Bénard problem. The free-free boundary condition has been implemented with the flux for nanoparticle concentration being zero at edges. The Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation holds good and for the rotational effect Coriolis term is included in the momentum equation. A two-temperature model explains the effect of local thermal non-equilibrium among the particle and fluid phases. The criteria for onset of stationary convection has been derived as a function of the non-dimensionalized parameters involved including the Taylor number. The assumed boundary conditions negate the possibility of overstability due to the absence of opposing forces responsible for it. The thermal Nusselt number has been obtained utilizing a weak nonlinear theory in terms of various pertinent parameters in the steady and transient mode, and has been depicted graphically. The main findings signify that the rotation has a stabilizing effect on the system. The stress relaxation parameter λ_1 inhibits whereas the strain retardation parameter λ_2 exhibits heat transfer utilizing Al2O3 nanofluids.

Have Maryland local health departments effectively put in place the information technology relevant to emergency preparedness?

PubMed

Nguh, Jonas

2013-01-01

Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the federal government has increased funding for emergency preparedness. However, the literature continues to document several areas of weaknesses in public health emergency management by local health departments (LHD). This lack of preparedness affects the entire public. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not Maryland LHDs have effectively put in place the information technology (IT) that is relevant for emergency preparedness. Base Firm-wide IT Infrastructure Services and the Feeny/Willcocks Framework for Core IS Capabilities are the two conceptual frameworks used in this study. This qualitative study used the survey method and the data were analyzed through content analysis. The results revealed that utilization, practice, and performance of IT by Maryland LHDs are not efficient or effective. Recommendations included the development of "best practices," increased funding for IT infrastructure and the establishment of strategic management framework for IT initiatives. Implications for positive social change include the development of recommendations to enhance emergency preparedness practice, and advancement of knowledge so as to facilitate the functions, and duties of health departments in emergency preparedness operations.

Maximally localized Wannier functions in LaMnO3 within PBE + U, hybrid functionals and partially self-consistent GW: an efficient route to construct ab initio tight-binding parameters for eg perovskites.

PubMed

Franchini, C; Kováčik, R; Marsman, M; Murthy, S Sathyanarayana; He, J; Ederer, C; Kresse, G

2012-06-13

Using the newly developed VASP2WANNIER90 interface we have constructed maximally localized Wannier functions (MLWFs) for the e(g) states of the prototypical Jahn-Teller magnetic perovskite LaMnO(3) at different levels of approximation for the exchange-correlation kernel. These include conventional density functional theory (DFT) with and without the additional on-site Hubbard U term, hybrid DFT and partially self-consistent GW. By suitably mapping the MLWFs onto an effective e(g) tight-binding (TB) Hamiltonian we have computed a complete set of TB parameters which should serve as guidance for more elaborate treatments of correlation effects in effective Hamiltonian-based approaches. The method-dependent changes of the calculated TB parameters and their interplay with the electron-electron (el-el) interaction term are discussed and interpreted. We discuss two alternative model parameterizations: one in which the effects of the el-el interaction are implicitly incorporated in the otherwise 'noninteracting' TB parameters and a second where we include an explicit mean-field el-el interaction term in the TB Hamiltonian. Both models yield a set of tabulated TB parameters which provide the band dispersion in excellent agreement with the underlying ab initio and MLWF bands.

Assessing Local Model Adequacy in Bayesian Hierarchical Models Using the Partitioned Deviance Information Criterion

PubMed Central

Wheeler, David C.; Hickson, DeMarc A.; Waller, Lance A.

2010-01-01

Many diagnostic tools and goodness-of-fit measures, such as the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Bayesian deviance information criterion (DIC), are available to evaluate the overall adequacy of linear regression models. In addition, visually assessing adequacy in models has become an essential part of any regression analysis. In this paper, we focus on a spatial consideration of the local DIC measure for model selection and goodness-of-fit evaluation. We use a partitioning of the DIC into the local DIC, leverage, and deviance residuals to assess local model fit and influence for both individual observations and groups of observations in a Bayesian framework. We use visualization of the local DIC and differences in local DIC between models to assist in model selection and to visualize the global and local impacts of adding covariates or model parameters. We demonstrate the utility of the local DIC in assessing model adequacy using HIV prevalence data from pregnant women in the Butare province of Rwanda during 1989-1993 using a range of linear model specifications, from global effects only to spatially varying coefficient models, and a set of covariates related to sexual behavior. Results of applying the diagnostic visualization approach include more refined model selection and greater understanding of the models as applied to the data. PMID:21243121

What is the effect of area size when using local area practice style as an instrument?

PubMed

Brooks, John M; Tang, Yuexin; Chapman, Cole G; Cook, Elizabeth A; Chrischilles, Elizabeth A

2013-08-01

Discuss the tradeoffs inherent in choosing a local area size when using a measure of local area practice style as an instrument in instrumental variable estimation when assessing treatment effectiveness. Assess the effectiveness of angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers on survival after acute myocardial infarction for Medicare beneficiaries using practice style instruments based on different-sized local areas around patients. We contrasted treatment effect estimates using different local area sizes in terms of the strength of the relationship between local area practice styles and individual patient treatment choices; and indirect assessments of the assumption violations. Using smaller local areas to measure practice styles exploits more treatment variation and results in smaller standard errors. However, if treatment effects are heterogeneous, the use of smaller local areas may increase the risk that local practice style measures are dominated by differences in average treatment effectiveness across areas and bias results toward greater effectiveness. Local area practice style measures can be useful instruments in instrumental variable analysis, but the use of smaller local area sizes to generate greater treatment variation may result in treatment effect estimates that are biased toward higher effectiveness. Assessment of whether ecological bias can be mitigated by changing local area size requires the use of outside data sources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.