A Method of Cross-Level Frequent Pattern Mining for Web-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Yueh-Min; Chen, Juei-Nan; Cheng, Shu-Chen

2007-01-01

Due to the rise of e-Learning, more and more useful learning materials are open to public access. Therefore, an appropriate learning suggestion mechanism is an important tool to enable learners to work more efficiently. A smoother learning process increases the learning effect, avoiding unnecessarily difficult concepts and disorientation during…

[Topical treatment of persistent cutaneous leishmaniasis with paromomycin].

PubMed

Flaig, M J; Rupec, J; Ruzicka, T; Rupec, R A

2007-08-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an infectious disease with increasing prevalence in Germany. Diagnosis and therapy may be difficult due to the variability of the clinical and histomorphological picture and resistance to therapy. In this case study we report on a female patient with a persistent cutaneous leishmaniasis successfully treated with topical administration of paromomycin.

Real Options Valuation of e-Learning Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freitas, Angilberto; Brandao, Luiz

2010-01-01

New information and communication technologies have been gaining widespread use in Distance Education (DE) models. At the same time, the uncertainty in the market demand for this form of higher education is such that the valuation of "e-Learning" projects has become increasingly difficult and complex. This is due to the fact that…

Suppression of annual Bromus tectorum by perennial Agropyon cristatum: roles of soil N availability and biological soil space

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Worldwide, exotic invasive grasses have caused numerous ecosystem perturbations. Rangelands of the western United States have experienced increases in the size and frequency of wildfires largely due to invasion by the annual grass Bromus tectorum. Rehabilitation of invaded rangelands is difficult; b...

Research of thread rolling on difficult-to-cut material workpieces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, A. Yu; Bugay, I. A.; Nazarov, P. V.; Evdokimova, O. P.; Popov, P. E.; Vasilyev, E. V.

2018-01-01

In medicine production Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 alloys are used. One of the most important tasks is to increase the strength of the products and decrease in value. The possibility to roll special thread on Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 alloy workpiece on 2-roller thread rolling machine has been studied. This is wrought alloy, treatment of which in cold condition causes difficulties due to low plasticity. To obtain Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 alloy product with thread by rolling is rather difficult. This is due to large axial workpiece displacements resulting from large alloy resistance to cold plastic deformation. The provision of adequate kinematics requires experimental researches and the selection of modes - speed of rolling and pressure on the movable roller. The purpose of the work is to determine the optimal modes for rolling thread on titanium alloy workpiece. It has been stated that, after rolling, the product strength has increased up to 30%. As a result of the work, the unit has been made and recommendations to choose the optimal rolling process modes have been offered.

Potential advantages of solar electric propulsion for outer planet orbiters.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, C. G.; Atkins, K. L.

1972-01-01

Past studies of solar electric propulsion for outer planet orbiters have generally emphasized the advantages of flight time reduction and payload increases. However, several subtle advantages exist, which may become important in an environment of increasingly difficult requirements as ways to extend current technology are sought. These advantages accrue primarily because of the inherent capability, unique to electric propulsion, to efficiently shape a trajectory while enroute. Stressed in this paper are: the ability to meet orbital constraints due to assumed radiation belts, science flexibility in a dual launch program, increased numbers of observational passes, and the lengthening of launch periods. These are examined for years representative of relatively easy and difficult ballistic missions. The results indicate that an early investment in solar electric technology will provide a strong performance foundation for a long range outer planet exploration program which evolves from current spacecraft technology.

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

Sievers, David A.; Lischeske, James J.; Biddy, Mary J.

Solid-liquid separation of intermediate process slurries is required in some process configurations for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to transportation fuels. Thermochemically pretreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed corn stover slurries have proven difficult to filter due to formation of very low permeability cakes that are rich in lignin. Treatment of two different slurries with polyelectrolyte flocculant was demonstrated to increase mean particle size and filterability. Filtration flux was greatly improved, and thus scaled filter unit capacity was increased approximately 40-fold compared with unflocculated slurry. Although additional costs were accrued using polyelectrolyte, techno-economic analysis revealed that the increase in filter capacity significantlymore » reduced overall production costs. Fuel production cost at 95% sugar recovery was reduced by $1.35 US per gallon gasoline equivalent for dilute-acid pretreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed slurries and $3.40 for slurries produced using an additional alkaline de-acetylation preprocessing step that is even more difficult to natively filter.« less

The analysis method of the DRAM cell pattern hotspot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyusun; Lee, Kweonjae; Chang, Jinman; Kim, Taeheon; Han, Daehan; Hong, Aeran; Kim, Yonghyeon; Kang, Jinyoung; Choi, Bumjin; Lee, Joosung; Lee, Jooyoung; Hong, Hyeongsun; Lee, Kyupil; Jin, Gyoyoung

2015-03-01

It is increasingly difficult to determine degree of completion of the patterning and the distribution at the DRAM Cell Patterns. When we research DRAM Device Cell Pattern, there are three big problems currently, it is as follows. First, due to etch loading, it is difficult to predict the potential defect. Second, due to under layer topology, it is impossible to demonstrate the influence of the hotspot. Finally, it is extremely difficult to predict final ACI pattern by the photo simulation, because current patterning process is double patterning technology which means photo pattern is completely different from final etch pattern. Therefore, if the hotspot occurs in wafer, it is very difficult to find it. CD-SEM is the most common pattern measurement tool in semiconductor fabrication site. CD-SEM is used to accurately measure small region of wafer pattern primarily. Therefore, there is no possibility of finding places where unpredictable defect occurs. Even though, "Current Defect detector" can measure a wide area, every chip has same pattern issue, the detector cannot detect critical hotspots. Because defect detecting algorithm of bright field machine is based on image processing, if same problems occur on compared and comparing chip, the machine cannot identify it. Moreover this instrument is not distinguished the difference of distribution about 1nm~3nm. So, "Defect detector" is difficult to handle the data for potential weak point far lower than target CD. In order to solve those problems, another method is needed. In this paper, we introduce the analysis method of the DRAM Cell Pattern Hotspot.

Big Progress in Authentic Assessment, but by Itself Not Enough

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Daniel F.; McConnell, Kate Drezek

2017-01-01

First, the good news: due to increased attention from accreditors, the federal and state governments, and the public, it is difficult to find a college or university that does not have at least a nascent institutional process for--if not culture of--assessing student learning. There is also bad news: the existence of an assessment office or…

Peril or Promise of Computer-Based Education: The Conceptual Framework for Evaluation and Selection of Educational Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Renee C.; McCann, Shirley J.

High technology has begun to dominate many aspects of life, and educators face the difficult challenge of its integration into curriculum and instructional practices. Computer based instruction (CBI) is becoming an increasingly popular form of instruction. Educators are often reluctant, however, to incorporate CBI into their courses due to limited…

A 3D Geometry Model Search Engine to Support Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Gary K. L.; Lau, Rynson W. H.; Zhao, Jianmin

2009-01-01

Due to the popularity of 3D graphics in animation and games, usage of 3D geometry deformable models increases dramatically. Despite their growing importance, these models are difficult and time consuming to build. A distance learning system for the construction of these models could greatly facilitate students to learn and practice at different…

From Access to Quality: Migrant Children's Education in Urban China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Jing; Jacob, W. James

2013-01-01

An increasing number of migrant children are involved in public education due largely to the policy for migrant children education outlined by the Government of China from the late 1990s. In this article, we describe the unique and often difficult situation rural migrant children face after they enter urban public schools. Drawing from the Theory…

Acculturation Attitudes and Sociocultural Adaptation of Chinese Mainland Sojourners in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Yuanyi; Wang, Bo

2015-01-01

Within these years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Chinese Mainland sojourners studying in Hong Kong. Due to the huge differences in various aspects like language, culture, cultural value, it would be considerably difficult for the Chinese Mainland students to adapt to the Hong Kong environment. This article investigates…

Evaluating the Comparability of Paper- and Computer-Based Science Tests across Sex and SES Subgroups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randall, Jennifer; Sireci, Stephen; Li, Xueming; Kaira, Leah

2012-01-01

As access and reliance on technology continue to increase, so does the use of computerized testing for admissions, licensure/certification, and accountability exams. Nonetheless, full computer-based test (CBT) implementation can be difficult due to limited resources. As a result, some testing programs offer both CBT and paper-based test (PBT)…

The use of intraosseous anesthesia in a patient with myositis ossificans progressiva.

PubMed

Webb, M D; Wilson, C

1996-01-01

The case of a pediatric patient with myositis ossificans progressiva in whom it became increasingly difficult to obtain local anesthesia is presented. Intraosseous anesthesia was successful in allowing pain-free dental treatment to be completed. This approach should be considered in other patients who have limited mouth-opening ability due to injury or disease.

Allergic reactions to Anisakis found in fish.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuizen, Natalie E; Lopata, Andreas L

2014-08-01

The food-borne parasite Anisakis is an important hidden food allergen. Anisakis is a parasitic nematode which has a third-stage larval form that infects mainly fish, and ingestion of contaminated seafood can result in severe allergic reactions. Symptoms experienced due to exposure to this parasite include gastrointestinal disorders, urticaria, dermatitis, asthma and even anaphylaxis. Accurate prevalence data of allergic sensitisation to Anisakis are difficult to estimate due to the lack of well-designed population-based studies. Current diagnostic approaches rely on the detection of serum IgE antibodies to allergenic proteins, which however demonstrate considerable immunological cross-reactivity to other invertebrate allergens. While exposure to this parasite seems to increase due to the increasing consumption of seafood worldwide, the immunology of infection and allergic sensitization is not fully understood.

Green PCB Remediation from Sediment Systems (GPRSS) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falker, John; Thompson, Karen; Zeitlin, Nancy; Quinn, Jacqueline; Parrish, Lewis M.

2014-01-01

An ongoing problem facing the global environment community including NASA centers is the removal and remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs were commonly used in a variety of materials including paints, caulking, and adhesives due to the advantageous physical and chemical properties that PCBs imparted to these various materials. Unfortunately, these properties have made the treatment of sites contaminated with these chemicals extremely difficult to deal with, due to their inherent chemical stability. The remediation of sediments contaminated with PCBs is especially difficult, primarily due to the risk of releasing the contaminant into the environment during the treatment process. Traditional treatment options involve the use of dredging and incineration of the contaminated soils/sediments, in which the chance of releasing the contaminants is greatly increased. The purpose of this project is to develop cleanup technology capable of remediating contaminated sediments in-situ, with minimum intrusion. This allows for the minimization of any potential contaminant release during the treatment process, providing a safer method for cleanup operations (as opposed to dredging/incineration) and still treating the basic problem of PCB contamination (as opposed to capping).

Metachronous bilateral subtrochanteric fracture of femur in an osteopetrotic bone: A case report with technical note.

PubMed

Kumar, Dharmendra; Jain, Vijay Kumar; Lal, Hitesh; Arya, Rajinder Kumar; Sinha, Skand

2012-12-01

Osteopetrosis is a rare inherited skeletal disorder characterized by increased density. The increased fragility of such dense bone results in a greater incidence of fractures, especially around hip and proximal femur. The surgical treatment of such fractures is difficult due to hard but brittle structure of bone. Herein we report a case of bilateral subtrochanteric fracture in an osteopetrotic patient. It was fixed using a dynamic hip screw with plate.

Management of subtotal tracheal section with esophageal perforation: a catastrophic complication of tracheostomy.

PubMed

Caronia, Francesco Paolo; Fiorelli, Alfonso; Arrigo, Ettore; Santini, Mario; Castorina, Sergio

2016-05-01

Herein, we reported a catastrophic condition as the almost complete rupture of trachea associated with esophageal lesion following an urgent surgical tracheostomy performed for unexpected difficult intubation. The extent of lesions required a surgical management. We decided against a resection and an end to end anastomosis but preferred to perform a direct suture of the lesion due to the presence of local and systemic infection. Then, the diagnosis of a tracheal fistula led us to perform a direct suture of the defect that was covered with muscle flaps. Actually the patient is alive without problems. Emergency situations as unexpected airway difficult intubation increase morbidity and mortality rate of tracheostomy also in expert hands. Sometimes these events are unpredictable. Mastery with a number of advanced airway technique should be sought when faced dealing with unexpected difficult intubations and written consent of such a concern should be given to the patient.

A Graph Theoretical Approach to Study the Organization of the Cortical Networks during Different Mathematical Tasks

PubMed Central

Klados, Manousos A.; Kanatsouli, Kassia; Antoniou, Ioannis; Babiloni, Fabio; Tsirka, Vassiliki; Bamidis, Panagiotis D.; Micheloyannis, Sifis

2013-01-01

The two core systems of mathematical processing (subitizing and retrieval) as well as their functionality are already known and published. In this study we have used graph theory to compare the brain network organization of these two core systems in the cortical layer during difficult calculations. We have examined separately all the EEG frequency bands in healthy young individuals and we found that the network organization at rest, as well as during mathematical tasks has the characteristics of Small World Networks for all the bands, which is the optimum organization required for efficient information processing. The different mathematical stimuli provoked changes in the graph parameters of different frequency bands, especially the low frequency bands. More specific, in Delta band the induced network increases it’s local and global efficiency during the transition from subitizing to retrieval system, while results suggest that difficult mathematics provoke networks with higher cliquish organization due to more specific demands. The network of the Theta band follows the same pattern as before, having high nodal and remote organization during difficult mathematics. Also the spatial distribution of the network’s weights revealed more prominent connections in frontoparietal regions, revealing the working memory load due to the engagement of the retrieval system. The cortical networks of the alpha brainwaves were also more efficient, both locally and globally, during difficult mathematics, while the fact that alpha’s network was more dense on the frontparietal regions as well, reveals the engagement of the retrieval system again. Concluding, this study gives more evidences regarding the interaction of the two core systems, exploiting the produced functional networks of the cerebral cortex, especially for the difficult mathematics. PMID:23990992

A Graph theoretical approach to study the organization of the cortical networks during different mathematical tasks.

PubMed

Klados, Manousos A; Kanatsouli, Kassia; Antoniou, Ioannis; Babiloni, Fabio; Tsirka, Vassiliki; Bamidis, Panagiotis D; Micheloyannis, Sifis

2013-01-01

The two core systems of mathematical processing (subitizing and retrieval) as well as their functionality are already known and published. In this study we have used graph theory to compare the brain network organization of these two core systems in the cortical layer during difficult calculations. We have examined separately all the EEG frequency bands in healthy young individuals and we found that the network organization at rest, as well as during mathematical tasks has the characteristics of Small World Networks for all the bands, which is the optimum organization required for efficient information processing. The different mathematical stimuli provoked changes in the graph parameters of different frequency bands, especially the low frequency bands. More specific, in Delta band the induced network increases it's local and global efficiency during the transition from subitizing to retrieval system, while results suggest that difficult mathematics provoke networks with higher cliquish organization due to more specific demands. The network of the Theta band follows the same pattern as before, having high nodal and remote organization during difficult mathematics. Also the spatial distribution of the network's weights revealed more prominent connections in frontoparietal regions, revealing the working memory load due to the engagement of the retrieval system. The cortical networks of the alpha brainwaves were also more efficient, both locally and globally, during difficult mathematics, while the fact that alpha's network was more dense on the frontparietal regions as well, reveals the engagement of the retrieval system again. Concluding, this study gives more evidences regarding the interaction of the two core systems, exploiting the produced functional networks of the cerebral cortex, especially for the difficult mathematics.

A multicomponent nutrient bar promotes weight loss and improves dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in the overweight/obese: Chronic inflammation blunts these improvements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poor diets are a major cause of obesity-associated metabolic dysregulation. It is difficult for many people to change dietary patterns. We hypothesized that dietary-induced metabolic dysregulation, and consequent increased risk of disease, is due in large part to what poor diets are lacking; a nutri...

Producing and Consuming the Controversial--A Social Media Perspective on Political Conversations in the Social Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Erik

2016-01-01

Teachers find it difficult to conduct political controversial conversations in the social science classroom and due to an increased use of social media in educational settings new challenges and possibilities are raised. The use of social media causes fundamental changes to the role of the learner who becomes a producer and consumer--a…

Who Is Going to Build the Wall? A Building Trades Crisis in the U.S.A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toppin, Ian

2018-01-01

The context of this study was to examine factors contributing to significant workforce shortages in building trades in the United States. As it is, recruitment of qualified skilled trades workers is becoming increasingly difficult due to lack of a pipeline of prospective workers, and training programs. The study assumed a theoretical inquiry…

Berkeley Lighting Cone

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

Lask, Kathleen; Gadgil, Ashok

A lighting cone is a simple metal cone placed on the fuel bed of a stove during ignition to act as a chimney, increasing the draft through the fuel bed. Many stoves tend to be difficult to light due to poor draft through the fuel bed, so lighting cones are used in various parts of the world as an inexpensive accessory to help with ignition.

Functioning and Participation of Students with ADHD in Higher Education According to the ICF-Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmers, Elke; Jansen, Dorien; Petry, Katja; van der Oord, Saskia; Baeyens, Dieter

2017-01-01

Due to an increasing number of students with ADHD in higher education and the difficult course of their academic career, a comprehensive overview of participation and functioning of this group is needed. A comprehensive search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, CINAHL and ERIC electronic databases in June 2014. This systematic literature…

Sharing the Focus: Engaging with Support Workers to Include People with Communication Needs in Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lutz, Deborah; Fisher, Karen R.; Robinson, Sally

2016-01-01

Inclusive research is an increasing expectation to value and include people's voice in research and evaluations intended to benefit them. The active participation of people with communication support needs can be difficult due to the practical constraints of evaluations. One technique is to engage with workers who are familiar with the person, but…

The interplay between customer participation and difficulty of design examples in the online designing process and its effect on customer satisfaction: mediational analyses.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Chi; Chen, Hui-Yun; Huang, I-Chiang

2009-04-01

In the current consumer-centric economy, consumers increasingly desire the opportunity to design their own products in order to express more effectively their self-image. Mass customization, based on efficient and flexible modulization designs, has provided individualized products to satisfy this desire. This work presents an experiment employed to demonstrate that customer participation leads to higher satisfaction. Specifically, the increment in customer satisfaction due to participation is greater when an easy example is provided than when either no example or a difficult one is provided. Additionally, self-congruity plays a mediating role on the customer participation-satisfaction relationship, and this mediating effect varies across different levels of the design example provided in the design process. When an easy design example is present, customer participation has a direct effect on satisfaction, in addition to the indirect effect of self-congruity. When a difficult example is provided, customer participation does not have incremental effects on either self-congruity or customer satisfaction. Finally, when no design example is shown to customers, contrary to our expectation, participation still enhances customer satisfaction due to an increased sense of self-congruity.

Dental biomaterials for chairside CAD/CAM: State of the art

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The wide use of chairside CAD/CAM restorations has increased the diversity of the restorative material. For the practitioner, the selection of the appropriate material is difficult amongst the variety offered by the market. Information on the characteristics of the products can be difficult to assess due to the lack of up-to-date classification and the lack of reliability of manufacturer's advertising. The purpose of this article is to structure the data on restorative materials provided by various sources in order for the practitioner to choose the product most suited to the clinical situation. The objective is to classify chairside CAD/CAM materials and to define their characteristics and indications. PMID:29279770

Malignancies and infection due to the human immunodeficiency virus. Are these emerging diseases?

PubMed

Valencia Ortega, M E

2018-04-01

Since the start of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, tumour disease among patients has been significant. The collection of malignancies can be divided primarily into 2 groups: those associated with HIV (all of which are related to viral diseases) and those not associated with HIV (only some of which are associated with viral diseases). The origin of these malignancies is multifactorial, and the main causes that have led to an increase in tumour disease are immunosuppression, coinfection with oncogenic viruses and life prolongation secondary to the use of antiretroviral therapy. Establishing the general characteristics of the undiagnosed AIDS tumours is difficult, mainly because they are a highly heterogeneous group formed by malignancies of a diverse nature. The treatments do not differ from those used in the general population, although the management can be more difficult due to the late diagnosis, drug interactions and associated comorbidities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

A low-cost solid–liquid separation process for enzymatically hydrolyzed corn stover slurries

DOE PAGES

Sievers, David A.; Lischeske, James J.; Biddy, Mary J.; ...

2015-07-01

Solid-liquid separation of intermediate process slurries is required in some process configurations for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to transportation fuels. Thermochemically pretreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed corn stover slurries have proven difficult to filter due to formation of very low permeability cakes that are rich in lignin. Treatment of two different slurries with polyelectrolyte flocculant was demonstrated to increase mean particle size and filterability. Filtration flux was greatly improved, and thus scaled filter unit capacity was increased approximately 40-fold compared with unflocculated slurry. Although additional costs were accrued using polyelectrolyte, techno-economic analysis revealed that the increase in filter capacity significantlymore » reduced overall production costs. Fuel production cost at 95% sugar recovery was reduced by $1.35 US per gallon gasoline equivalent for dilute-acid pretreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed slurries and $3.40 for slurries produced using an additional alkaline de-acetylation preprocessing step that is even more difficult to natively filter.« less

Towards a Functionally-Formed Air Traffic System-of-Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conway, Sheila R.; Consiglio, Maria C.

2005-01-01

Incremental improvements to the national aviation infrastructure have not resulted in sufficient increases in capacity and flexibility to meet emerging demand. Unfortunately, revolutionary changes capable of substantial and rapid increases in capacity have proven elusive. Moreover, significant changes have been difficult to implement, and the operational consequences of such change, difficult to predict due to the system s complexity. Some research suggests redistributing air traffic control functions through the system, but this work has largely been dismissed out of hand, accused of being impractical. However, the case for functionally-based reorganization of form can be made from a theoretical, systems perspective. This paper investigates Air Traffic Management functions and their intrinsic biases towards centralized/distributed operations, grounded in systems engineering and information technology theories. Application of these concepts to a small airport operations design is discussed. From this groundwork, a robust, scalable system transformation plan may be made in light of uncertain demand.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Core Content of the Incredible Years with and without Visual Performance Feedback for Parents of Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Tia R.

2011-01-01

Many children with autism display externalizing behavior due to challenges they face in the areas of communication, social skills and repetitive behavior or restricted interests. Parents have reported that it is difficult to know how to address these behaviors. Parent training programs have been found to increase parents' skills and decrease child…

International trade of U.S. hardwood lumber and logs, 1990-2013

Treesearch

William G. Luppold; Matthew S. Bumgardner

2014-01-01

United States (U.S.) hardwood log and lumber exports surged in the early- and mid-1970s in response to the adoption of floating exchange rates. However, assessing these changes in international trade became difficult in the 1980s due to increased underreporting of hardwood lumber and log shipments between the U.S. and Canada. By 1990, these data problems were rectified...

Modeling School Violence across Grade Levels in the U.S. Using the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Lei

School violence has increasingly captured public attention due to deadly school shootings. Controversy on school violence is demonstrated by a mixed picture of school safety and the lack of consensus on the definition of violence, which makes comparison of findings across studies difficult. This study extended the application of the Rasch model to…

Climate change and water resources in a tropical island system: propagation of uncertainty from statistically downscaled climate models to hydrologic models

Treesearch

Ashley E. Van Beusekom; William A. Gould; Adam J. Terando; Jaime A. Collazo

2015-01-01

Many tropical islands have limited water resources with historically increasing demand, all potentially affected by a changing climate. The effects of climate change on island hydrology are difficult to model due to steep local precipitation gradients and sparse data. Thiswork uses 10 statistically downscaled general circulationmodels (GCMs) under two greenhouse gas...

Virtual and Traditional Slides for Teaching Cellular Morphology to Medical Laboratory Science Undergraduates: A Comparative Study of Performance Outcomes, Retention, and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solberg, Brooke L.

2011-01-01

As a result of massive retirement and educational program expense and closure, the field of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) is facing a critical workforce shortage. Combatting this issue by increasing undergraduate class size is a difficult proposition due to the intense psychomotor curricular requirements of MLS programs. Technological advances…

Detecting larval export from marine reserves

PubMed Central

Pelc, R. A.; Warner, R. R.; Gaines, S. D.; Paris, C. B.

2010-01-01

Marine reserve theory suggests that where large, productive populations are protected within no-take marine reserves, fished areas outside reserves will benefit through the spillover of larvae produced in the reserves. However, empirical evidence for larval export has been sparse. Here we use a simple idealized coastline model to estimate the expected magnitude and spatial scale of larval export from no-take marine reserves across a range of reserve sizes and larval dispersal scales. Results suggest that, given the magnitude of increased production typically found in marine reserves, benefits from larval export are nearly always large enough to offset increased mortality outside marine reserves due to displaced fishing effort. However, the proportional increase in recruitment at sites outside reserves is typically small, particularly for species with long-distance (on the order of hundreds of kilometers) larval dispersal distances, making it very difficult to detect in field studies. Enhanced recruitment due to export may be detected by sampling several sites at an appropriate range of distances from reserves or at sites downcurrent of reserves in systems with directional dispersal. A review of existing empirical evidence confirms the model's suggestion that detecting export may be difficult without an exceptionally large differential in production, short-distance larval dispersal relative to reserve size, directional dispersal, or a sampling scheme that encompasses a broad range of distances from the reserves. PMID:20181570

Probiotics and gastrointestinal disease: successes, problems and future prospects

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Gastrointestinal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Treatment of chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is difficult due to the ambiguity surrounding their precise aetiology. Infectious gastrointestinal diseases, such as various types of diarrheal disease are also becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to the increasing dissemination of antibiotic resistance among microorganisms and the emergence of the so-called 'superbugs'. Taking into consideration these problems, the need for novel therapeutics is essential. Although described for over a century probiotics have only been extensively researched in recent years. Their use in the treatment and prevention of disease, particularly gastrointestinal disease, has yielded many successful results, some of which we outline in this review. Although promising, many probiotics are hindered by inherent physiological and technological weaknesses and often the most clinically promising strains are unusable. Consequently we discuss various strategies whereby probiotics may be engineered to create designer probiotics. Such innovative approaches include; a receptor mimicry strategy to create probiotics that target specific pathogens and toxins, a patho-biotechnology approach using pathogen-derived genes to create more robust probiotic stains with increased host and processing-associated stress tolerance profiles and meta-biotechnology, whereby, functional metagenomics may be used to identify novel genes from diverse and vastly unexplored environments, such as the human gut, for use in biotechnology and medicine. PMID:19930635

Probiotics and gastrointestinal disease: successes, problems and future prospects.

PubMed

Culligan, Eamonn P; Hill, Colin; Sleator, Roy D

2009-11-23

Gastrointestinal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Treatment of chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is difficult due to the ambiguity surrounding their precise aetiology. Infectious gastrointestinal diseases, such as various types of diarrheal disease are also becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to the increasing dissemination of antibiotic resistance among microorganisms and the emergence of the so-called 'superbugs'. Taking into consideration these problems, the need for novel therapeutics is essential. Although described for over a century probiotics have only been extensively researched in recent years. Their use in the treatment and prevention of disease, particularly gastrointestinal disease, has yielded many successful results, some of which we outline in this review. Although promising, many probiotics are hindered by inherent physiological and technological weaknesses and often the most clinically promising strains are unusable. Consequently we discuss various strategies whereby probiotics may be engineered to create designer probiotics. Such innovative approaches include; a receptor mimicry strategy to create probiotics that target specific pathogens and toxins, a patho-biotechnology approach using pathogen-derived genes to create more robust probiotic stains with increased host and processing-associated stress tolerance profiles and meta-biotechnology, whereby, functional metagenomics may be used to identify novel genes from diverse and vastly unexplored environments, such as the human gut, for use in biotechnology and medicine.

Emerging communications technologies for outer-planet exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stelzried, C.; Lesh, J.

2001-01-01

Communication over long free space distances is extremely difficult due to the inverse squared propagation losses associated with link distance. That makes communications particularly difficult from outer planet destinations.

Physical stability, microstructure and micro-rheological properties of water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions stabilized by porcine gelatin.

PubMed

Zhu, Qiaomei; Qiu, Shuang; Zhang, Hongwei; Cheng, Yongqiang; Yin, Lijun

2018-07-01

Water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions could be utilized for fat-reduced food formulation and delivery of bioactive nutrients. However, due to thermodynamic instability, it is difficult to prepare stable double emulsions. The purpose of this study was to improve the stability of W/O/W double emulsions containing 2.0 M MgCl 2 by adding porcine gelatin in the inner water phase. The impact of gelatin on the physical stability, microstructure and micro-rheological properties of W/O/W emulsions was investigated. It was found that, when the concentration of porcine gelatin exceeded 4.0 wt%, the stability of emulsions was improved, due to increased viscoelasticity of emulsion droplets. When MgCl 2 concentration increased to 2.0 M, the particle size of emulsions increased, due to the osmotic pressure gradient, and the presence of gelatin further increased the droplet size. Confocal microscopy results showed that the presence of gelatin could improve the stability of W/O/W emulsions against coalescence。. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Non-Clinical Interventions for Families with Temperamentally Difficult Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mettetal, Gwendolyn

This study sought to determine if general parent education, in the form of books and workshops, was an effective intervention in cases of moderate parental distress due to difficult child temperament. The parents of six "difficult" children answered questionnaires and were interviewed over several years concerning their child's temperament and its…

Otomastoiditis caused by Candida auris: Case report and literature review.

PubMed

Choi, Hyoung Il; An, Jin; Hwang, Jae Joon; Moon, Soo-Youn; Son, Jun Seong

2017-08-01

Fungal otomastoiditis is a rare disease, but can be fatal for immunocompromised patients. Recently, there have been increasing cases of otologic infection caused by Candida auris. Candida auris can be easily misdiagnosed for other species and treatment is difficult due to multidrug resistance. Clinician should be aware of this rare pathogen, and it should be treated with appropriate antifungal agent with surgical debridement. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Meningoencephalitis associated with non-tuberculous mycobacteria

PubMed Central

O’Dwyer, John Philip; O’Connor, John Gerard; McDermott, Helene; Sheehan, Stella; Fanning, Noel Francis; Corcoran, Gerard Dan; Sweeney, Brian

2009-01-01

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are fastidious, difficult organisms to identify, but are increasingly associated with human disease. We report a case of meningoencephalitis associated with Mycobacterium malmoense and Mycobacterium interjectum co-isolation from cerebrospinal fluid. Recognition of these slow growing mycobacteria is important due to differences from standard mycobacterial treatments. We illustrate the rare occurrence of M malmoense as a central nervous system isolate, appearing almost unique among non-tuberculous mycobacteria. PMID:22110557

[Can nitrates lead to indirect toxicity?].

PubMed

Hamon, M

2007-09-01

For many years, nitrates have been used, at low dosages, as an additive in salted food. New laws have been promulgated to limit their concentration in water due to increased levels found in soils, rivers and even the aquifer. Although nitrate ions themselves have not toxic properties, bacterial reduction into nitrite ions (occurring even in aqueous medium) can lead to nitrous anhydride, which in turn generates nitrosonium ions. Nitrosium ions react with secondary amine to give nitrosamines, many of which are cancer-inducing agents at very low doses. Opinions on this toxicity are clear-cut and difficult to reconcile. In fact, increased levels are due, in a large part, to the use of nitrates as fertiliéers but also to bacterial transformation of human and animal nitrogenous wastes such as urea.

Eltrombopag Use in Thrombocytopenia for Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection of a Gastric Carcinoid

PubMed Central

Kaltenbach, Tonya; Martin, Beth; Rouse, Robert V.; Soetikno, Roy

2014-01-01

Severe thrombocytopenia is a contraindication for therapeutic endoscopy due to the risk of bleeding. Platelet transfusions can temporarily increase platelet count, but are difficult to administer in the 2 weeks following endoscopic resection, during which the patient is at high risk for delayed bleeding. We present the use of a novel thrombopoietin receptor agonist, eltrombopag, to sustain platelet levels for the safe and complete endoscopic submucosal dissection of a gastric carcinoid in a patient with severe thrombocytopenia due to cirrhosis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. We performed complete and safe endoscopic removal of a gastric carcinoid after correcting the thrombocytopenia. PMID:26157896

Chronic suppurative otitis media due to nontuberculous mycobacteria: A case of successful treatment with topical boric acid.

PubMed

Lefebvre, Marie-Astrid; Quach, Caroline; Daniel, Sam J

2015-07-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are an increasingly recognized cause of chronic suppurative otitis media in children with tympanostomy tubes. Treatment of this condition is difficult and typically requires a combination of systemic antibiotics and surgical debridement. We present the first case of a 2-year-old male with chronic suppurative otitis media due to NTM who failed systemic antibiotic therapy and was successfully managed with topical boric acid powder. This report highlights the challenges involved in treating this infection, and introduces boric acid as a potentially valuable component of therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of Seasonal Snow Microwave TB Using Coupled Multi-Layered Snow Evolution and Microwave Emission Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brucker, Ludovic; Royer, Alain; Picard, Ghislain; Langlois, Alex; Fily, Michel

2014-01-01

The accurate quantification of SWE has important societal benefits, including improving domestic and agricultural water planning, flood forecasting and electric power generation. However, passive-microwave SWE algorithms suffer from variations in TB due to snow metamorphism, difficult to distinguish from those due to SWE variations. Coupled snow evolution-emission models are able to predict snow metamorphism, allowing us to account for emissivity changes. They can also be used to identify weaknesses in the snow evolution model. Moreover, thoroughly evaluating coupled models is a contribution toward the assimilation of TB, which leads to a significant increase in the accuracy of SWE estimates.

Improving Content Area Reading Comprehension with 4-6th Grade Spanish ELLs Using Web-Based Structure Strategy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wijekumar, Kausalai; Meyer, Bonnie J. F.; Lei, Puiwa

2014-01-01

Reading in the content areas of science, social studies, and current events is a difficult task that is even more elusive to Spanish speaking English language learners. There is a huge increase in children transitioning from their L1 (e.g., Spanish) to L2 (e.g., English) in classrooms across the US. These ELs face challenges due to a lack of…

Exploring Ultrafast Structural Dynamics for Energetic Enhancement or Disruption

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

it. In a pump -push/ dump probe experiment, a secondary laser pulse (push/ dump ) is used after the initial perturbation due to the pump pulse. The...increased. The pump -push/ dump probe technique is a difficult experiment that requires a highly stable laser source. Ultrafast pump -probe experiments...decomposition of solids. Journal of Applied Physics. 2001;89:4156–4166. 17. Kee TW. Femtosecond pump -push-probe and pump - dump -probe spectroscopy of

Nonadherence in the era of severe asthma biologics and thermoplasty

PubMed Central

Lee, Joy; Tay, Tunn Ren; Radhakrishna, Naghmeh; Hore-Lacy, Fiona; Mackay, Anna; Hoy, Ryan; Dabscheck, Eli; O'Hehir, Robyn; Hew, Mark

2018-01-01

Nonadherence to inhaled preventers impairs asthma control. Electronic monitoring devices (EMDs) can objectively measure adherence. Their use has not been reported in difficult asthma patients potentially suitable for novel therapies, i.e. biologics and bronchial thermoplasty. Consecutive patients with difficult asthma were assessed for eligibility for novel therapies. Medication adherence, defined as taking >75% of prescribed doses, was assessed by EMD and compared with standardised clinician assessment over an 8-week period. Among 69 difficult asthma patients, adherence could not be analysed in 13, due to device incompatibility or malfunction. Nonadherence was confirmed in 20 out of 45 (44.4%) patients. Clinical assessment of nonadherence was insensitive (physician 15%, nurse 28%). Serum eosinophils were higher in nonadherent patients. Including 11 patients with possible nonadherence (device refused or not returned) increased the nonadherence rate to 31 out of 56 (55%) patients. Severe asthma criteria were fulfilled by 59 out of 69 patients. 47 were eligible for novel therapies, with confirmed nonadherence in 16 out of 32 (50%) patients with EMD data; including seven patients with possible nonadherence increased the nonadherence rate to 23 out of 39 (59%). At least half the patients eligible for novel therapies were nonadherent to preventers. Nonadherence was often undetectable by clinical assessments. Preventer adherence must be confirmed objectively before employing novel severe asthma therapies. PMID:29519922

Esophageal perforation due to blunt chest trauma: Difficult diagnosis because of coexisting severe disturbance of consciousness.

PubMed

Mezuki, Satomi; Shono, Yuji; Akahoshi, Tomohiko; Hisanaga, Kana; Saeki, Hiroshi; Nakashima, Yuichiro; Momii, Kenta; Maki, Jun; Tokuda, Kentaro; Maehara, Yoshihiko

2017-11-01

Esophageal perforation due to blunt trauma is a rare clinical condition, and the diagnosis is often difficult because patients have few specific symptoms. Delayed diagnosis may result in a fatal clinical course due to mediastinitis and subsequent sepsis. In this article, we describe a 26-year-old man with esophageal perforation due to blunt chest trauma resulting from a motor vehicle accident. Because a severe disturbance of consciousness masked the patient's trauma-induced thoracic symptoms, we required 11h to diagnose the esophageal perforation. Therefore, the patient developed septic shock due to mediastinitis. However, his subsequent clinical course was good because of prompt combined therapy involving surgical repair and medical treatment after the diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methods for Decontamination of a Bipropellant Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClure, Mark B.; Greene, Benjamin

2012-01-01

Most propulsion systems are designed to be filled and flown, draining can be done but decontamination may be difficult. Transport of these systems may be difficult as well because flight weight vessels are not designed around DOT or UN shipping requirements. Repairs, failure analysis work or post firing inspections may be difficult or impossible to perform due to the hazards of residual propellants being present.

Severe maternal morbidity due to sepsis: The burden and preventability of disease in New Zealand.

PubMed

Lepine, Sam; Lawton, Beverley; Geller, Stacie; Abels, Peter; MacDonald, Evelyn J

2018-02-20

Sepsis is a life-threatening systemic condition that appears to be increasing in the obstetric population. Clinical detection can be difficult and may result in increased morbidity via delays in the continuum of patient care. To describe the burden of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) caused by sepsis in New Zealand and investigate the potential preventability. A multidisciplinary expert review panel was established to review cases of obstetric sepsis admitted to intensive care or high-dependency units over an 18 month span in New Zealand. Cases were then analysed for the characteristics of infection and their preventability. Fifty cases met the inclusion criteria, most commonly due to uterine, respiratory or kidney infection. Fifty per cent (25) of these cases were deemed potentially preventable, predominantly due to delays in diagnosis and treatment. A high index of suspicion, development of early recognition systems and multi-disciplinary training are recommended to decrease preventable cases of maternal sepsis. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Practical guidelines for implementing adaptive optics in fluorescence microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilding, Dean; Pozzi, Paolo; Soloviev, Oleg; Vdovin, Gleb; Verhaegen, Michel

2018-02-01

In life sciences, interest in the microscopic imaging of increasingly complex three dimensional samples, such as cell spheroids, zebrafish embryos, and in vivo applications in small animals, is growing quickly. Due to the increasing complexity of samples, more and more life scientists are considering the implementation of adaptive optics in their experimental setups. While several approaches to adaptive optics in microscopy have been reported, it is often difficult and confusing for the microscopist to choose from the array of techniques and equipment. In this poster presentation we offer a small guide to adaptive optics providing general guidelines for successful adaptive optics implementation.

Basal cell carcinoma of the skin (part 1): epidemiology, pathology and genetic syndromes.

PubMed

Correia de Sá, Tiago Ribeiro; Silva, Roberto; Lopes, José Manuel

2015-11-01

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer worldwide with increasing incidence, but difficult to assess due to the current under registration practice. Despite the low mortality rate, BCC is a cause of great morbidity and an economic burden to health services. There are several risk factors that increase the risk of BCC and partly explain its incidence. Low-penetrance susceptibility alleles, as well as genetic alterations in signaling pathways, namely SHH pathway, also contribute to the carcinogenesis. BCC associate with several genetic syndromes, of which basal cell nevus syndrome is the most common.

Preliminary development of augmented reality systems for spinal surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Nhu Q.; Ramjist, Joel M.; Jivraj, Jamil; Jakubovic, Raphael; Deorajh, Ryan; Yang, Victor X. D.

2017-02-01

Surgical navigation has been more actively deployed in open spinal surgeries due to the need for improved precision during procedures. This is increasingly difficult in minimally invasive surgeries due to the lack of visual cues caused by smaller exposure sites, and increases a surgeon's dependence on their knowledge of anatomical landmarks as well as the CT or MRI images. The use of augmented reality (AR) systems and registration technologies in spinal surgeries could allow for improvements to techniques by overlaying a 3D reconstruction of patient anatomy in the surgeon's field of view, creating a mixed reality visualization. The AR system will be capable of projecting the 3D reconstruction onto a field and preliminary object tracking on a phantom. Dimensional accuracy of the mixed media will also be quantified to account for distortions in tracking.

AZALIA: an A to Z Assessment of the Likelihood of Insider Attack

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

Bishop, Matt; Gates, Carrie; Frincke, Deborah A.

2009-05-12

Recent surveys indicate that the ``financial impact and operating losses due to insider intrusions are increasing'' . Within the government, insider abuse by those with access to sensitive or classified material can be particularly damaging. Further, the detection of such abuse is becoming more difficult due to other influences, such as out-sourcing, social networking and mobile computing. This paper focuses on a key aspect of our enterprise-wide architecture: a risk assessment based on predictions of the likelihood that a specific user poses an increased risk of behaving in a manner that is inconsistent with the organization’s stated goals and interests.more » We present a high-level architectural description for an enterprise-level insider threat product and we describe psychosocial factors and associated data needs to recognize possible insider threats.« less

Management of female sexual pain disorders.

PubMed

Boyer, Stéphanie C; Goldfinger, Corrie; Thibault-Gagnon, Stéphanie; Pukall, Caroline F

2011-01-01

Our understanding of the sexual pain disorders vaginismus and dyspareunia has been fundamentally altered over the past two decades due to increased attention and empirically sound research in this domain. This increased knowledge base has included a shift from a dualistic view of the etiology of painful and/or difficult vaginal penetration being due to either psychological or physiological causes, to a multifactorial perspective. The present chapter reviews current classification and prevalence rates, including ongoing definitional debates. Research regarding the etiology, assessment and management of sexual pain disorders is discussed from a biopsychosocial perspective. Cyclical theories of the development and maintenance of sexual pain disorders, which highlight the complex interplay among physiological, psychological and social factors, are described. Medical/surgical treatment options, pelvic floor rehabilitation and psychological approaches are reviewed, as well as future directions in treatment research. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Intramedullary osteosynthesis versus plate osteosynthesis in subtrochanteric fractures.

PubMed

Burnei, C; Popescu, Gh; Barbu, D; Capraru, F

2011-11-14

Due to an ever-aging population and a growing prevalence of osteoporosis and motor vehicle accidents, the number of subtrochanteric fractures is increasing worldwide. The choice of the appropriate implant continues to be critical for fixation of unstable hip fractures. The subtrochanteric region has certain anatomical and biomechanical features that can make fractures in this region difficult to treat. The preferred type of device is a matter of debate. Increased understandings of biomechanical characteristics of the hip and improvement of the implant materials have reduced the incidence of complications. The surgeons choose between the two methods according to Seinsheimer's classification and also to their personal preferences. As a general principle, the open reduction and internal fixation were performed in stable fractures, and the closed reduction and internal fixation were performed in unstable fractures. The advantages of intramedullary nailing consist in a small skin incision, lower operating times, preservation of fracture hematoma and the possibility of early weight bearing. The disadvantages consist in a difficult closed reduction due to important muscular forces, although the nail can be used as a reduction instrument, and higher implant cost. In open reduction internal fixation techniques, the advantage is represented by anatomical reduction which, in our opinion, is not necessary. The disadvantages are represented by: higher operating time, demanding surgery, large devascularization, higher infection rates, late weight bearing, medial instability, refracture after plate removal and inesthetic approach.

Intramedullary osteosynthesis versus plate osteosynthesis in subtrochanteric fractures

PubMed Central

Burnei, C; Popescu, Gh; Barbu, D; Capraru, F

2011-01-01

Due to an ever-aging population and a growing prevalence of osteoporosis and motor vehicle accidents, the number of subtrochanteric fractures is increasing worldwide. The choice of the appropriate implant continues to be critical for fixation of unstable hip fractures. The subtrochanteric region has certain anatomical and biomechanical features that can make fractures in this region difficult to treat. The preferred type of device is a matter of debate. Increased understandings of biomechanical characteristics of the hip and improvement of the implant materials have reduced the incidence of complications. The surgeons choose between the two methods according to Seinsheimer's classification and also to their personal preferences. As a general principle, the open reduction and internal fixation were performed in stable fractures, and the closed reduction and internal fixation were performed in unstable fractures. The advantages of intramedullary nailing consist in a small skin incision, lower operating times, preservation of fracture hematoma and the possibility of early weight bearing. The disadvantages consist in a difficult closed reduction due to important muscular forces, although the nail can be used as a reduction instrument, and higher implant cost. In open reduction internal fixation techniques, the advantage is represented by anatomical reduction which, in our opinion, is not necessary. The disadvantages are represented by: higher operating time, demanding surgery, large devascularization, higher infection rates, late weight bearing, medial instability, refracture after plate removal and inesthetic approach. PMID:22514563

Near-infrared imaging of enamel hypomineralization due to developmental defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Robert C.; Jang, Andrew; Fried, Daniel

2017-02-01

The increasing prevalence of mild hypomineralization due to developmental defects on tooth surfaces poses a challenge for caries detection and caries risk assessment and reliable methods need to be developed to discriminate such lesions from active caries lesions that need intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated that areas of hypomineralization are typically covered with a relatively thick surface layer of highly mineralized and transparent enamel similar to arrested lesions. Seventy-six extracted human teeth with mild to moderate degrees of suspicious fluorosis were imaged using near-infrared reflectance and transillumination. Enamel hypomineralization was clearly visible in both modalities. However, it was difficult to distinguish hypomineralization due to developmental defects from caries lesions with contrast measurements alone. The location of the lesion on tooth coronal surface (i.e. generalized vs. localized) seems to be the most important indicator for the presence of enamel hypomineralization due to developmental defects.

Near-infrared imaging of enamel hypomineralization due to developmental defects.

PubMed

Lee, Robert C; Jang, Andrew; Fried, Daniel

2017-01-28

The increasing prevalence of mild hypomineralization due to developmental defects on tooth surfaces poses a challenge for caries detection and caries risk assessment and reliable methods need to be developed to discriminate such lesions from active caries lesions that need intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated that areas of hypomineralization are typically covered with a relatively thick surface layer of highly mineralized and transparent enamel similar to arrested lesions. Seventy-six extracted human teeth with mild to moderate degrees of suspicious fluorosis were imaged using near-infrared reflectance and transillumination. Enamel hypomineralization was clearly visible in both modalities. However, it was difficult to distinguish hypomineralization due to developmental defects from caries lesions with contrast measurements alone. The location of the lesion on tooth coronal surface (i.e. generalized vs. localized) seems to be the most important indicator for the presence of enamel hypomineralization due to developmental defects.

ENSO effects on stratospheric trace gases: How do we capture reality?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braesicke, Peter; Kirner, Oliver; Versick, Stefan; Joeckel, Patrick; Stiler, Gabriele

2016-04-01

The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is an important pacemaker for interannual variability in the Earth's atmosphere. ENSO impacts on trace gases have been observed and modelled for the stratosphere and the troposphere. However, unambiguous attribution is often difficult due to the limited length of homogenous observational records and thus long-term (decadal) trends are sometimes difficult to detect. Generally ENSO impacts in low latitudes are easier to detect, because the response emerges close (temporally and spatially) to the forcing. Moving from low to high latitudes it becomes increasingly difficult to isolate ENSO driven variability, due to time-lags involved and many other modes of variability playing a role as well. Here, we use a nudged version of the EMAC chemistry-climate model to evaluate ENSO impacts on trace gases over the last 35 years (a so-called Ref-C1SD integration) and contrast the nudged model with its free running counterpart. We use water vapour and ozone observations from the MIPAS instrument on ENVISAT from 2002 to 2012 to test the model performance. Using lagged correlations for the longer model time-series we trace the ENSO signal from the tropical lower troposphere to the polar lower and middle stratosphere and provide a framework for simple attribution of the ENSO signal in trace gases. This concise characterisation of the ENSO impact on trace gases aids improved trend detection in temporally limited time series.

LGBT Students in Community College: Characteristics, Challenges, and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivory, Brian T.

2005-01-01

Due to the transitory nature of students at community colleges, it is often difficult for student affairs professionals to connect with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and even more difficult for them to provide services for this invisible population.

Rectus sheath hematoma of the abdomen. Case report.

PubMed

Villena-Tovar, José Francisco

2010-01-01

Rectus sheath hematoma in the vast number of cases is due to an inferior epigastric artery tear occasionally due to trauma (not considered serious) or alterations in coagulation or use of anticoagulant therapy. It is an unlikely and difficult to diagnose pathology. We present the case of a 61-year-old female patient. The patient presented in emergency service with sudden abdominal pain caused by coughing as a result of an upper respiratory tract infection. The culmination was a spontaneous rectus sheath hematoma. Rectus sheath hematoma is a diagnosis to consider in a previously asymptomatic patient who presents with clinical features of acute pain and appearance of increase of volume in the abdominal wall involving the rectus muscles.

Software technology insertion: A study of success factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lydon, Tom

1990-01-01

Managing software development in large organizations has become increasingly difficult due to increasing technical complexity, stricter government standards, a shortage of experienced software engineers, competitive pressure for improved productivity and quality, the need to co-develop hardware and software together, and the rapid changes in both hardware and software technology. The 'software factory' approach to software development minimizes risks while maximizing productivity and quality through standardization, automation, and training. However, in practice, this approach is relatively inflexible when adopting new software technologies. The methods that a large multi-project software engineering organization can use to increase the likelihood of successful software technology insertion (STI), especially in a standardized engineering environment, are described.

[What is new in the epidemiology of lung cancer: non-smokers, women and the role of cannabis?].

PubMed

Quoix, Elisabeth

2009-09-20

Lung cancer is in France, like in other countries, the first cause of death by cancer in men. It has become the third one in women in a few years span. If smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, other causes have been quite neglected for years such as occupational risk mainly asbestos exposure. Lung cancer in non-smokers has increased during the last years. This may be a real increase or the consequence of ageing of the general population with increased incidence of lung cancer rather due to age than to tobacco. The considerable increase in women's incidence of lung cancer is partly due to the development of smoking habits since 1960 in France. The possibility of an increased suceptibility to tobacco smoke in women is biologically plausible but still very controversial. The role of cannabis smoke is also controversial since it is very difficult to isolate the effects of cannabis which is in the majority of cases smoked with tobacco. However, recent studies are in favor of an independent role of cannabis in the development of lung cancers.

Positive water vapour feedback in climate models confirmed by satellite data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rind, D.; Lerner, J.; Chiou, E.-W.; Chu, W.; Larsen, J.; Mccormick, M. P.; Mcmaster, L.

1991-01-01

It has recently been suggested that GCMs used to evaluate climate change overestimate the greenhouse effect due to increased concentrations of trace gases in the atmosphere. Here, new satellite-generated water vapor data are used to compare summer and winter moisture values in regions of the middle and upper troposphere that have previously been difficult to observe with confidence. It is found that, as the hemispheres warm, increased convection leads to increased water vapor above 500 mbar in approximate quantitative agreement with results from current climate models. The same conclusion is reached by comparing the tropical western and eastern Pacific regions. Thus, water vapor feedback is not overestimated in models and should amplify the climate response to increased trace-gas concentrations.

Selecting Statistical Quality Control Procedures for Limiting the Impact of Increases in Analytical Random Error on Patient Safety.

PubMed

Yago, Martín

2017-05-01

QC planning based on risk management concepts can reduce the probability of harming patients due to an undetected out-of-control error condition. It does this by selecting appropriate QC procedures to decrease the number of erroneous results reported. The selection can be easily made by using published nomograms for simple QC rules when the out-of-control condition results in increased systematic error. However, increases in random error also occur frequently and are difficult to detect, which can result in erroneously reported patient results. A statistical model was used to construct charts for the 1 ks and X /χ 2 rules. The charts relate the increase in the number of unacceptable patient results reported due to an increase in random error with the capability of the measurement procedure. They thus allow for QC planning based on the risk of patient harm due to the reporting of erroneous results. 1 ks Rules are simple, all-around rules. Their ability to deal with increases in within-run imprecision is minimally affected by the possible presence of significant, stable, between-run imprecision. X /χ 2 rules perform better when the number of controls analyzed during each QC event is increased to improve QC performance. Using nomograms simplifies the selection of statistical QC procedures to limit the number of erroneous patient results reported due to an increase in analytical random error. The selection largely depends on the presence or absence of stable between-run imprecision. © 2017 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in case of hemorrhagic cystitis after radiotherapy

PubMed Central

Klejnotowska, Alicja; Matuszewski, Marcin; Sicko, Zdzislaw; Markuszewski, Marcin; Krajka, Kazimierz

2012-01-01

Introduction We present the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) after radiotherapy for cancer in the pelvic cavity resulting in hematuria. Increasing the pressure of oxygen (PO2) in ischemic tissues favors the formation of new blood vessels and increases the secretion of collagen. Material and methods We evaluated 10 patients who were treated with HBOT from October 2006 to December 2010 due to persistent radiation damage to the lining of the bladder leading to recurrent hematuria. The study group was comprised of seven men and three women. In the case of cervical and endometrial cancers, 30 Gy of brachytherapy with 45-50 Gy of teleradiotherapy were used. In prostate cancer (PCa), we applied 50 Gy of teleradiotherapy with an additional dose of 20-24 Gy, and in the case of bladder cancer (BCa), 50 Gy of teleradiotherapy was applied with an additional dose of 16 Gy. HBOT consisted of 60 HBO2 treatments, in which patients were administered 100% oxygen at a pressure of 2.5 atm. Results The group effect of total or partial resolution was observed in six patients. In one case, treatment was discontinued due to an increase in hematuria and the consequent suspicion of bladder tumor recurrence. While in and additional three cases, the treatment did not produce the desired result. Conclusions Treatment of hemorrhagic cystitis is a difficult therapeutic challenge. One possible method is the implementation of HBOT. In very difficult cases, HBO2 treatment appears to be effective in giving more than half of patients a chance of getting better. PMID:24578962

The applications of computers in biological research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, Jennifer

1988-01-01

Research in many fields could not be done without computers. There is often a great deal of technical data, even in the biological fields, that need to be analyzed. These data, unfortunately, previously absorbed much of every researcher's time. Now, due to the steady increase in computer technology, biological researchers are able to make incredible advances in their work without the added worries of tedious and difficult tasks such as the many mathematical calculations involved in today's research and health care.

Chylothorax after blunt trauma

PubMed Central

Arellano, Jason J.; Takabe, Kazuaki; Barrett, Leonard; Faust, Glenn; Angus, L.D. George

2012-01-01

Presented is a 50-year-old female who sustained a rare blunt traumatic chylothorax. Traumatic chylothoracies are usually the result of penetrating trauma and disruption of the thoracic duct. Diagnosis and treatment are discussed. The diagnosis is sometimes difficult in the trauma setting due to the possible presence of an underlying hemothorax or empyema and the usual delayed onset of chylothorax. Increased vigilance will allow physicians to properly diagnose and treat this condition early to avoid having to ligate the thoracic duct. PMID:22754675

Histopathology of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Schlageter, Manuel; Terracciano, Luigi Maria; D'Angelo, Salvatore; Sorrentino, Paolo

2014-11-21

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the sixth most common type of cancer with a high mortality rate and an increasing incidence worldwide. Its etiology is usually linked to environmental, dietary or life-style factors. HCC most commonly arises in a cirrhotic liver but interestingly an increasing proportion of HCCs develop in the non-fibrotic or minimal fibrotic liver and a shift in the underlying etiology can be observed. Although this process is yet to be completely understood, this changing scenario also has impact on the material seen by pathologists, presenting them with new diagnostic dilemmas. Histopathologic criteria for diagnosing classical, progressed HCC are well established and known, but with an increase in detection of small and early HCCs due to routine screening programs, the diagnosis of these small lesions in core needle biopsies poses a difficult challenge. These lesions can be far more difficult to distinguish from one another than progressed HCC, which is usually a clear cut hematoxylin and eosin diagnosis. Furthermore lesions thought to derive from progenitor cells have recently been reclassified in the WHO. This review summarizes recent developments and tries to put new HCC biomarkers in context with the WHOs reclassification. Furthermore it also addresses the group of tumors known as combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinomas.

Nano-Scale Characterization of Al-Mg Nanocrystalline Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, Evan; Ladani, Leila

Materials with nano-scale microstructure have become increasingly popular due to their benefit of substantially increased strengths. The increase in strength as a result of decreasing grain size is defined by the Hall-Petch equation. With increased interest in miniaturization of components, methods of mechanical characterization of small volumes of material are necessary because traditional means such as tensile testing becomes increasingly difficult with such small test specimens. This study seeks to characterize elastic-plastic properties of nanocrystalline Al-5083 through nanoindentation and related data analysis techniques. By using nanoindentation, accurate predictions of the elastic modulus and hardness of the alloy were attained. Also, the employed data analysis model provided reasonable estimates of the plastic properties (strain-hardening exponent and yield stress) lending credibility to this procedure as an accurate, full mechanical characterization method.

Signal processing for non-destructive testing of railway tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckel, Thomas; Casperson, Ralf; Rühe, Sven; Mook, Gerhard

2018-04-01

Increased speed, heavier loads, altered material and modern drive systems result in an increasing number of rail flaws. The appearance of these flaws also changes continually due to the rapid change in damage mechanisms of modern rolling stock. Hence, interpretation has become difficult when evaluating non-destructive rail testing results. Due to the changed interplay between detection methods and flaws, the recorded signals may result in unclassified types of rail flaws. Methods for automatic rail inspection (according to defect detection and classification) undergo continual development. Signal processing is a key technology to master the challenge of classification and maintain resolution and detection quality, independent of operation speed. The basic ideas of signal processing, based on the Glassy-Rail-Diagram for classification purposes, are presented herein. Examples for the detection of damages caused by rolling contact fatigue also are given, and synergetic effects of combined evaluation of diverse inspection methods are shown.

Node position influences viability and contamination in hazelnut shoot

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Initiation of shoot cultures is difficult in many woody plants due to internal microbial contaminants and general lack of juvenility in material from the source plants. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.) are generally difficult to initiate into culture for these same reasons. This study was designed to...

Aerostat-Lofted Instrument Platform and Sampling Method for Determination of Emissions from Open Area Sources

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling emissions from open area sources, particularly sources of open burning, is difficult due to fast dilution of emissions and safety concerns for personnel. Representative emission samples can be difficult to obtain with flaming and explosive sources since personnel safety ...

The study of production performance of water heater manufacturing by using simulation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, M.; Bamatraf, OAA; Tadjuddin, M.

2018-02-01

In industrial companies, as demand increases, decision-making to increase production becomes difficult due to the complexity of the model systems. Companies are trying to find the optimum methods to tackle such problems so that resources are utilized and production is increased. One line system of a manufacturing company in Malaysia was considered in this research. The Company produces several types of water heater and each type went into many processes, which was divided into twenty six sections. Each section has several operations. The main type of the product was 10G water heater which is produced most compare to other types, hence it was taken under consideration to be studied in this research. It was difficult to find the critical section that could improve the productions of the company. This research paper employed Delmia Quest software, Distribution Analyser software and Design of Experiment (DOE software) to simulate one model system taken from the company to be studied and to find the critical section that will improve the production system. As a result, assembly of inner and outer tank section were found to be the bottleneck section. Adding one section to the bottleneck increases the production rate by four products a day. The buffer size is determined by the experiment was six items.

Increasing role of arthropod bites in tularaemia transmission in Poland - case reports and diagnostic methods.

PubMed

Formińska, Kamila; Zasada, Aleksandra A; Rastawicki, Waldemar; Śmietańska, Karolina; Bander, Dorota; Wawrzynowicz-Syczewska, Marta; Yanushevych, Mariya; Niścigórska-Olsen, Jolanta; Wawszczak, Marek

2015-01-01

The study describes four cases of tularaemia - one developed after contact with rabbits and three developed after an arthropod bite. Due to non-specific clinical symptoms, accurate diagnosis of tularaemia may be difficult. The increasing contribution of the arthropod vectors in the transmission of the disease indicates that special effort should be made to apply sensitive and specific diagnostic methods for tularaemia, and to remind health-care workers about this route of Francisella tularensis infections. The advantages and disadvantages of various diagnostic methods - molecular, serological and microbiological culture - are discussed. The PCR as a rapid and proper diagnostic method for ulceroglandular tularaemia is presented.

Successful Aging: Advancing the Science of Physical Independence in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Anton, Stephen D.; Woods, Adam J.; Ashizawa, Tetso; Barb, Diana; Buford, Thomas W.; Carter, Christy S.; Clark, David J.; Cohen, Ronald A.; Corbett, Duane B.; Cruz-Almeida, Yenisel; Dotson, Vonetta; Ebner, Natalie; Efron, Philip A.; Fillingim, Roger B.; Foster, Thomas C.; Gundermann, David M.; Joseph, Anna-Maria; Karabetian, Christy; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Manini, Todd M.; Marsiske, Michael; Mankowski, Robert T.; Mutchie, Heather L.; Perri, Michael G.; Ranka, Sanjay; Rashidi, Parisa; Sandesara, Bhanuprasad; Scarpace, Philip J.; Sibille, Kimberly T.; Solberg, Laurence M.; Someya, Shinichi; Uphold, Connie; Wohlgemuth, Stephanie; Wu, Samuel Shangwu; Pahor, Marco

2015-01-01

The concept of ‘Successful Aging’ has long intrigued the scientific community. Despite this long-standing interest, a consensus definition has proven to be a difficult task, due to the inherent challenge involved in defining such a complex, multi-dimensional phenomenon. The lack of a clear set of defining characteristics for the construct of successful aging has made comparison of findings across studies difficult and has limited advances in aging research. The domain in which consensus on markers of successful aging is furthest developed is the domain of physical functioning. For example, walking speed appears to be an excellent surrogate marker of overall health and predicts the maintenance of physical independence, a cornerstone of successful aging. The purpose of the present article is to provide an overview and discussion of specific health conditions, behavioral factors, and biological mechanisms that mark declining mobility and physical function and promising interventions to counter these effects. With life expectancy continuing to increase in the United States and developed countries throughout the world, there is an increasing public health focus on the maintenance of physical independence among all older adults. PMID:26462882

I Would Simply Say, Keep Going

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaBoskey, Vicki Kubler

2015-01-01

This article describes the author's experience as President of the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE) from 2004-2006, which began under difficult conditions due to her daughter's terminal illness. The author shares her story of how the organization supported her during this difficult time, which she feels is representative of the…

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

Siranosian, Antranik Antonio; Schembri, Philip Edward; Miller, Nathan Andrew

The Benchmark Extensible Tractable Testbed Engineering Resource (BETTER) is proposed as a family of modular test bodies that are intended to support engineering capability development by helping to identify weaknesses and needs. Weapon systems, subassemblies, and components are often complex and difficult to test and analyze, resulting in low confidence and high uncertainties in experimental and simulated results. The complexities make it difficult to distinguish between inherent uncertainties and errors due to insufficient capabilities. BETTER test bodies will first use simplified geometries and materials such that testing, data collection, modeling and simulation can be accomplished with high confidence and lowmore » uncertainty. Modifications and combinations of simple and well-characterized BETTER test bodies can then be used to increase complexity in order to reproduce relevant mechanics and identify weaknesses. BETTER can provide both immediate and long-term improvements in testing and simulation capabilities. This document presents the motivation, concept, benefits and examples for BETTER.« less

Applying Sensor-Based Technology to Improve Construction Safety Management.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingyuan; Cao, Tianzhuo; Zhao, Xuefeng

2017-08-11

Construction sites are dynamic and complicated systems. The movement and interaction of people, goods and energy make construction safety management extremely difficult. Due to the ever-increasing amount of information, traditional construction safety management has operated under difficult circumstances. As an effective way to collect, identify and process information, sensor-based technology is deemed to provide new generation of methods for advancing construction safety management. It makes the real-time construction safety management with high efficiency and accuracy a reality and provides a solid foundation for facilitating its modernization, and informatization. Nowadays, various sensor-based technologies have been adopted for construction safety management, including locating sensor-based technology, vision-based sensing and wireless sensor networks. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive review of previous studies in this field to acknowledge useful findings, identify the research gaps and point out future research directions.

Applying Sensor-Based Technology to Improve Construction Safety Management

PubMed Central

Zhang, Mingyuan; Cao, Tianzhuo; Zhao, Xuefeng

2017-01-01

Construction sites are dynamic and complicated systems. The movement and interaction of people, goods and energy make construction safety management extremely difficult. Due to the ever-increasing amount of information, traditional construction safety management has operated under difficult circumstances. As an effective way to collect, identify and process information, sensor-based technology is deemed to provide new generation of methods for advancing construction safety management. It makes the real-time construction safety management with high efficiency and accuracy a reality and provides a solid foundation for facilitating its modernization, and informatization. Nowadays, various sensor-based technologies have been adopted for construction safety management, including locating sensor-based technology, vision-based sensing and wireless sensor networks. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive review of previous studies in this field to acknowledge useful findings, identify the research gaps and point out future research directions. PMID:28800061

Abdominal pregnancy - Case presentation.

PubMed

Bohiltea, R; Radoi, V; Tufan, C; Horhoianu, I A; Bohiltea, C

2015-01-01

Abdominal pregnancy, a rare diagnosis, belongs to the ectopic pregnancy group, the leading cause of pregnancy related exitus. The positive diagnosis is very difficult to establish most often in an acute setting, leading to a staggering percent of feto-maternal morbidity and mortality. We present the case of 26-weeks-old abdominal pregnancy with partial feto-placental detachment in a patient, after hysteroscopy and in vitro fertilization, which until the acute symptoms that led to emergency laparotomy went unrecognized. The patient recovered completely and satisfactorily after surgery and, due to the high risk of uterine rupture with regard to a second pregnancy, opted for a surrogate mother. Abdominal pregnancy can be regarded as a difficult to establish diagnosis, with a greater chance in case of increased awareness. It is compulsory to be well informed in order not to be surprised by the diagnosis and to apply the correct treatment immediately as the morbidity and mortality rate is elevated.

New PSM optimized for stable resolution of fine holes in FPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imashiki, Nobuhisa; Yoshikawa, Yutaka; Hayase, Michihiko

2017-07-01

Recently, due to increases in the definition of high function panels for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, LCD panel TFT and OLED (organic electro luminescence display) circuits are becoming increasingly denser and more miniaturized by the year. TFT and OLED circuits are composed of several layers, such as gate, semiconductor and contact hole (C / H). It is particularly difficult to obtain a stable resolution for C/H due to the decrease in the C/H process margin (EL, DOF, MEEF) as a result of increases in the density of the circuit. Moreover, C/H productivity has also markedly decreased due to an increase in the exposure dose. In response to this, attenuated phase shift mask (Att. PSM) for large size photomasks have been proposed as a means to improve the process margin in FPD. We have developed new PSM that can further improve the process margin and the productivity of C/H via the effective positioning of a high transmittance phase shift film. Using a 1.5um sized hole as the target, we confirmed the improvement effect of the optimized PSM via a software simulation and an exposure test. Hereafter it is necessary for us to optimize the new PSM for each panel process so as to allow us to use this mask in actual processes.

Toward a Molecular Understanding of Protein Solubility: Increased Negative Surface Charge Correlates with Increased Solubility

PubMed Central

Kramer, Ryan M.; Shende, Varad R.; Motl, Nicole; Pace, C. Nick; Scholtz, J. Martin

2012-01-01

Protein solubility is a problem for many protein chemists, including structural biologists and developers of protein pharmaceuticals. Knowledge about how intrinsic factors influence solubility is limited due to the difficulty of obtaining quantitative solubility measurements. Solubility measurements in buffer alone are difficult to reproduce, because gels or supersaturated solutions often form, making it impossible to determine solubility values for many proteins. Protein precipitants can be used to obtain comparative solubility measurements and, in some cases, estimations of solubility in buffer alone. Protein precipitants fall into three broad classes: salts, long-chain polymers, and organic solvents. Here, we compare the use of representatives from two classes of precipitants, ammonium sulfate and polyethylene glycol 8000, by measuring the solubility of seven proteins. We find that increased negative surface charge correlates strongly with increased protein solubility and may be due to strong binding of water by the acidic amino acids. We also find that the solubility results obtained for the two different precipitants agree closely with each other, suggesting that the two precipitants probe similar properties that are relevant to solubility in buffer alone. PMID:22768947

Are Samples Obtained after Return to Earth Reflective of Spaceflight or Increased Gravity?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wade, C. R.; Holton, E.; Baer, L.; Moran, M.

2001-01-01

Upon return to Earth, following space flight, living systems are immediately exposed to an increase in gravity of 1G. It has been difficult to differentiate between changes that are residuals of the acclimation to space flight from those resulting from acute exposure to an increase in =gravity upon re-entry. We compared previously reported changes observed in male Sprague-Dawley rats upon return to Earth to those induced by centrifugation, because both paradigms result in an increase of 1G. With both treatments there was a reduction in body mass, due to reduced food intake and increased urine output. The decrease in food intake was initially greater with centrifugation. The magnitudes of the changes in food intake and urine output were similar in both treatments. However, the slightly greater initial loss in body mass with centrifugation was due to a decrease in water intake not seen after space flight. The absence of pronounced differences between these treatments suggest the responses observed after landing are not residuals of adaptation to the space flight environment, but the result of adaptation to an increase in the level of gravity.

Learning Your Kids: An Action Research Approach to Home Visits and Teacher Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polson, Bilal

2013-01-01

Due to demographic shifts suburban schools are having difficulty meeting the needs of students of immigrant, poor and working class families. Schools are forced with the difficult task of closing learning gaps with students who may have difficult circumstances. Literature indicates fostering a healthy home/school connection by conducting…

Thermal pretreatment of a high lignin SSF digester residue to increase its softening point

DOE PAGES

Howe, Daniel; Garcia-Perez, Manuel; Taasevigen, Danny; ...

2016-03-24

Residues high in lignin and ash generated from the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of corn stover were thermally pretreated in an inert (N 2) atmosphere to study the effect of time and temperature on their softening points. These residues are difficult to feed into gasifiers due to premature thermal degradation and formation of reactive liquids in the feed lines, leading to plugging. The untreated and treated residues were characterized by proximate and ultimate analysis, and then analyzed via TGA, DSC, 13C NMR, Py-GC–MS, CHNO/S, and TMA. Interpretation of the compositional analysis indicates that the weight loss observed during pretreatment ismore » mainly due to the thermal decomposition and volatilization of the hemicelluloses and amorphous cellulose fractions. Fixed carbon increases in the pretreated material, mostly due to a concentration effect rather than the formation of new extra poly-aromatic material. The optimal processing time and temperature to minimize the production of carbonyl groups in the pretreated samples was 300 °C at a time of 30 min. Results showed that the softening point of the material could be increased from 187 °C to 250 °C, and that under the experimental conditions studied, pretreatment temperature plays a more important role than time. The increase in softening point was mainly due to the formation of covalent bonds in the lignin structures and the removal of low molecular weight volatile intermediates.« less

Eaves-dropping on plant volatiles by a specialist moth: significance of ratio and concentration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Volatile signals mediate many multitrophic interactions, some due to coevolution and others due to eavesdropping, but the role of specific concentrations and ratios has been controversial and difficult to test due to methodological limitations. We investigated the role of ratio and concentration usi...

[The effective growth of the population as a factor of regional social and economic activity and living conditions].

PubMed

Rakowski, W

1993-01-01

"The author analyses changes in location of the Polish population in the years 1989-1991. From the analysis it appears...that the role of the Warszawa, Lodz, Wroclaw, Krakow and Legnica voivodeships in the process of population concentration is decreasing, and...the role of Western, Northern and South-Eastern regions [is increasing].... It is difficult to say how much [current changes are] due to economic transformations and how much to the crisis in local economies." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND RUS) excerpt

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

Bales, Benjamin B; Barrett, Richard F

In almost all modern scientific applications, developers achieve the greatest performance gains by tuning algorithms, communication systems, and memory access patterns, while leaving low level instruction optimizations to the compiler. Given the increasingly varied and complicated x86 architectures, the value of these optimizations is unclear, and, due to time and complexity constraints, it is difficult for many programmers to experiment with them. In this report we explore the potential gains of these 'last mile' optimization efforts on an AMD Barcelona processor, providing readers with relevant information so that they can decide whether investment in the presented optimizations is worthwhile.

Trypan blue staining of the anterior capsule under an air bubble with a modified cannula.

PubMed

Toprak, Ahmet Baris; Erkin, Esin Fatma; Guler, Cenap

2003-01-01

To attain good visibility of the anterior capsule in the advanced or white cataract, trypan blue 0.1% is used to stain the anterior capsule. The dye is usually injected under an air bubble. However, it is difficult to inject the dye properly due to capillary forces. An ordinary anterior chamber cannula was modified and its coverage area increased to facilitate the staining of the anterior capsule under an air bubble. The anterior capsule was stained properly by using the modified cannula in all of the cases.

Financial incentives for reducing proliferation risks

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

Weise, Rachel A.; Hund, Gretchen

This article submitted for publication to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists explains the possible financial incentives for financial institutions and large integrators to reduce nuclear proliferation risks by including anti-proliferation measures in their due diligence and requiring their suppliers to meet heightened compliance standards. Because manufacturers of dual-use nuclear goods are diverse and numerous outreach is difficult. However, financial institutions and large integrators work with nearly all dual-use manufacturers, making financial institutions and integrators well-positioned to increase awareness of proliferation and trafficking risks throughout the nuclear supply chain

Evidence against a speed limit in multiple-object tracking.

PubMed

Franconeri, S L; Lin, J Y; Pylyshyn, Z W; Fisher, B; Enns, J T

2008-08-01

Everyday tasks often require us to keep track of multiple objects in dynamic scenes. Past studies show that tracking becomes more difficult as objects move faster. In the present study, we show that this trade-off may not be due to increased speed itself but may, instead, be due to the increased crowding that usually accompanies increases in speed. Here, we isolate changes in speed from variations in crowding, by projecting a tracking display either onto a small area at the center of a hemispheric projection dome or onto the entire dome. Use of the larger display increased retinal image size and object speed by a factor of 4 but did not increase interobject crowding. Results showed that tracking accuracy was equally good in the large-display condition, even when the objects traveled far into the visual periphery. Accuracy was also not reduced when we tested object speeds that limited performance in the small-display condition. These results, along with a reinterpretation of past studies, suggest that we might be able to track multiple moving objects as fast as we can a single moving object, once the effect of object crowding is eliminated.

Diagnosis of adolescent polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Hardy, Tristan S E; Norman, Robert J

2013-08-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy affecting women of reproductive age and is increasingly recognized as a disorder manifesting in the peripubertal and adolescent period. Diagnosis in the adolescent is difficult due to the high background rate of menstrual irregularity, the high prevalence of polycystic ovarian morphology and hyperandrogenic features in this population. Recent guidelines suggest that menstrual irregularity for over two years, reduced reliance on ultrasound diagnosis of polycystic ovarian morphology, and accurate assessment of hyperandrogenic and metabolic features are suitable strategies for the diagnosis of PCOS in the adolescent. Accurate diagnosis is important given the long-term implications of the disorder, with increasing emphasis on metabolic sequelae. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

WAAR (World Alliance against Antibiotic Resistance): Safeguarding antibiotics.

PubMed

Carlet, Jean; Rambaud, Claude; Pulcini, Céline

2012-07-09

Resistance to antibiotics has increased recently to a dramatic extend, and the pipeline of new antibiotics is almost dry for the five next years. Failures happen already for trivial community acquired infections, like pyelonephritis, or peritonitis, and this is likely to increase. Difficult surgical procedures, transplants, and other immunosuppressive therapies will become far more risky. Resistance is mainly due to an excessive usage of antibiotics, in all sectors, including the animal one. Action is urgently needed. Therefore, an alliance against MDRO has been recently created, which includes health care professionals, consumers, health managers, and politicians. The document highlights the different proposed measures, and represents a strong consensus between the different professionals, including general practicionners, and veterinarians.

Canary in the coal mine: Historical oxygen decline in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to large scale climate changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claret, M.; Galbraith, E. D.; Palter, J. B.; Gilbert, D.; Bianchi, D.; Dunne, J. P.

2016-02-01

The regional signature of anthropogenic climate change on the atmosphere and upper ocean is often difficult to discern from observational timeseries, dominated as they are by decadal climate variability. Here we argue that a long-term decline of dissolved oxygen concentrations observed in the Gulf of S. Lawrence (GoSL) is consistent with anthropogenic climate change. Oxygen concentrations in the GoSL have declined markedly since 1930 due primarily to an increase of oxygen-poor North Atlantic Central Waters relative to Labrador Current Waters (Gilbert et al. 2005). We compare these observations to a climate warming simulation using a very high-resolution global coupled ocean-atmospheric climate model. The numerical model (CM2.6), developed by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, is strongly eddying and includes a biogeochemical module with dissolved oxygen. The warming scenario shows that oxygen in the GoSL decreases and it is associated to changes in western boundary currents and wind patterns in the North Atlantic. We speculate that the large-scale changes behind the simulated decrease in GoSL oxygen have also been at play in the real world over the past century, although they are difficult to resolve in noisy atmospheric data.

Collegiate Connections: Music Education Budget Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slaton, Emily Dawn

2012-01-01

Due to the current recession, the American economy within the last few years has taken a nosedive, making it difficult for national, state, and local governments to support all the programs they currently have in place. There are difficult choices that need to be made about where to make sacrifices in their budgets so things can still run…

Identification of a low copy number plasmid in Xylella fastidiosa Strain Stag’s Leap

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) causes Pierce’s Disease (PD) in grapevine. The Stag’s Leap strain is known for its high virulence level and is a model for PD research. Research on Xf has been difficult due to its nutritional fastidiousness. One difficult research issue is the low copy number plasmid. Plasmi...

Effective Inclusion Strategies for Professionals Working with Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Kathleen A.; Lohmann, Marla; Champion, Rose

2013-01-01

Inclusive classrooms are now the norm in many K-12 public schools across the United States. General education teachers have a difficult job making sure all their students are meeting state standards. With the addition of special education students in the classroom, their job becomes even more difficult due to meeting the needs of the general…

[Contemporary family systems--developments, problems, and possibilities].

PubMed

Reich, Günter

2005-12-01

Contemporary forms of family life and their development are described. The thesis of the pluralism of family types as a historical new phenomenon is critically reviewed, with special consideration of the relationship between family life and working world. An increasing move away from the "fordistic model" of family life took place during the last two decades towards the "multilocal multigenerational family". This development is, among others, due to the increased life expectancy and the change in the population structure. Simultaneous to this the boundaries between family and working world become more permeable. If the stability of employments decreases and the mobility of employees increases in a large scale, is discussed controversely. For an increasing number of families it becomes more and more difficult to make flexibility at work compatible with security for the children or to cope with the consequences of unemployment.

Emotionally Negative Pictures Enhance Gist Memory

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

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

[Domestic violence: a current issue to take into account in diagnostic imaging].

PubMed

Santos Corraliza, E; Larrañaga Hernando, G; Neve Lete, I; Sánchez García, A

2014-01-01

Domestic violence is currently an issue of great political and social importance. The real incidence of domestic violence is difficult to determine due to the environment where it takes place and the reluctance of victims to report abuse. On the other hand, all types of violence represent an important public health problem. We report the case of a young woman who presented with thromboembolic phenomena at different sites due to domestic violence. We emphasize that it is necessary for radiologists and other healthcare professionals to consider the possibility of domestic violence when establishing the diagnosis. This can be important for determining the incidence of abuse, diminishing its sequela, and help increase its reporting. Copyright © 2011 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Reliability Growth in Space Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.

2014-01-01

A hardware system's failure rate often increases over time due to wear and aging, but not always. Some systems instead show reliability growth, a decreasing failure rate with time, due to effective failure analysis and remedial hardware upgrades. Reliability grows when failure causes are removed by improved design. A mathematical reliability growth model allows the reliability growth rate to be computed from the failure data. The space shuttle was extensively maintained, refurbished, and upgraded after each flight and it experienced significant reliability growth during its operational life. In contrast, the International Space Station (ISS) is much more difficult to maintain and upgrade and its failure rate has been constant over time. The ISS Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) reliability has slightly decreased. Failures on ISS and with the ISS CDRA continue to be a challenge.

[Bile duct obstruction due to non-Hodkin's lymphoma in patients with HIV infection].

PubMed

Gómez-Domínguez, E; Rodríguez Serrano, D A; Mendoza, J; Iscar, T; Sarriá, C; García-Buey, L

2003-12-01

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome increases the risk of developing non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma (NHL) (relative risk over 100). NHL tend to be high-grade and to affect the central nervous system and digestive tract. Biliary tract compression is usually due to external compression from enlarged lymph nodes, but is not usually the first manifestation.We describe 2 cases of bile duct obstruction secondary to NHL in patients diagnosed with HIV infection. Histological diagnosis of the lymphoma can be difficult but is necessary so that these patients do not undergo highly aggressive surgical treatment instead of chemotherapy, which currently produces the best results. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of including lymphomas in the differential diagnosis of bile duct obstruction in patients with HIV infection.

Increased variability of tornado occurrence in the United States.

PubMed

Brooks, Harold E; Carbin, Gregory W; Marsh, Patrick T

2014-10-17

Whether or not climate change has had an impact on the occurrence of tornadoes in the United States has become a question of high public and scientific interest, but changes in how tornadoes are reported have made it difficult to answer it convincingly. We show that, excluding the weakest tornadoes, the mean annual number of tornadoes has remained relatively constant, but their variability of occurrence has increased since the 1970s. This is due to a decrease in the number of days per year with tornadoes combined with an increase in days with many tornadoes, leading to greater variability on annual and monthly time scales and changes in the timing of the start of the tornado season. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The evolution of tooth wear indices

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Tooth wear—attrition, erosion and abrasion—is perceived internationally as an ever-increasing problem. Clinical and epidemiological studies, however, are difficult to interpret and compare due to differences in terminology and the large number of indices that have been developed for diagnosing, grading and monitoring dental hard tissue loss. These indices have been designed to identify increasing severity and are usually numerical. Some record lesions on an aetiological basis (e.g. erosion indices), others record lesions irrespective of aetiology (tooth wear indices); none have universal acceptance, complicating the evaluation of the true increase in prevalence reported. This article considers the ideal requirements for an erosion index. It reviews the literature to consider how current indices have evolved and discusses if these indices meet the clinical and research needs of the dental profession. PMID:17701430

The emerging obesity problem in Latin America.

PubMed

Cuevas, Ada; Alvarez, Verónica; Olivos, Cristina

2009-03-01

Obesity and overweight prevalence is increasing rapidly in Latin America. This increase has been attributed to lifestyle changes occurring in recent decades related to rapid socioeconomic development, including a more Westernized diet, physical inactivity, urbanization, rural-urban migration and some maternal-fetal factors. In addition, genetic factors may have a role, inducing a higher predisposition to accumulate abdominal fat and develop metabolic syndrome. This increase in obesity and metabolic syndrome is leading to higher morbidity and mortality due to Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In a few poor countries, obesity coexists with undernutrition, making the situation even more difficult. Global intervention, from both governments and nongovernmental organizations, is necessary. They must play an active role, monitoring the food market and facilitating community-based initiatives that promote a healthy lifestyle.

Quantifying risk factors of coccidiosis in broilers using on-farm data based on a veterinary practice.

PubMed

Graat, E A; van der Kooij, E; Frankena, K; Henken, A M; Smeets, J F; Hekerman, M T

1998-01-01

A study was done to find and quantify risk factors for coccidiosis. The study population consisted of 4774 broiler flocks kept on 177 farms. Flocks were considered a case when at least one bird in the flock showed microscopic presence of oocysts in intestinal scrapings in a grow-out cycle. Other flocks were defined as controls. This was done for three types of Eimeria: Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima. Logistic regression was used to assess variables that influence the occurrence of Eimeria species. There were 49 variables, based on animal, flock or farm level. There was an enhanced risk of coccidiosis due to environmental and management factors that increase the risk of introducing contamination or that are related to hygienic measures. These include lack of use of overalls by visitors, a farmyard which is difficult to clean, bad hygienic status, personnel who might also be working on other farms, presence of other animals on the farm, and feeding and drinking systems which are more difficult to clean. Also, the presence of other diseases on the farm and Eimeria species found in the previous flock increased the risk of coccidiosis.

Background and principles of throttles-only flight control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burcham, Frank W., Jr.

1995-01-01

There have been many cases in which the crew of a multi-engine airplane had to use engine thrust for emergency flight control. Such a procedure is very difficult, because the propulsive control forces are small, the engine response is slow, and airplane dynamics such as the phugoid and dutch roll are difficult to damp with thrust. In general, thrust increases are used to climb, thrust decreases to descend, and differential thrust is used to turn. Average speed is not significantly affected by changes in throttle setting. Pitch control is achieved because of pitching moments due to speed changes, from thrust offset, and from the vertical component of thrust. Roll control is achieved by using differential thrust to develop yaw, which, through the normal dihedral effect, causes a roll. Control power in pitch and roll tends to increase as speed decreases. Although speed is not controlled by the throttles, configuration changes are often available (lowering gear, flaps, moving center-of-gravity) to change the speed. The airplane basic stability is also a significant factor. Fuel slosh and gyroscopic moments are small influences on throttles-only control. The background and principles of throttles-only flight control are described.

Diverticular Disease and Colorectal Cancer: Incidental Diagnosis or Real Association? Final Answer.

PubMed

Regula, Jaroslaw

2016-10-01

Associations between diverticular disease of the colon and the colorectal cancer has been studied for >60 years. Observational, cross-sectional, and case-control studies as well as large population-based studies gave conflicting results and association was not fully proven. Obtaining the proof was difficult because both diseases share similar clinical characteristics, both increase with age, and both involve similar dietary factors. Long-term observations are difficult as diagnostic methods changed over time from barium enema 50 to 60 years ago, through endoscopy, up to CT and MR in recent years. Cancer or adenomas may be missed within diverticular segment; diverticula may be underreported in patients with colon cancer diagnosis. Most recent 2 large cohort studies have solved the dilemma. These studies have clearly shown that diverticular disease does not increase the risk of colon cancer after the first year of diagnosis. Within the first year of diagnosis the association is strong, most probably due to difficulties with differential diagnosis and misclassifications and shared symptoms. Findings of these studies have led to the conclusion that colon cancer has to be excluded using modern techniques after the first episode of suspected diverticulitis.

Data Relationships: Towards a Conceptual Model of Scientific Data Catalogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hourcle, J. A.

2008-12-01

As the amount of data, types of processing and storage formats increase, the total number of record permutations increase dramatically. The result is an overwhelming number of records that make identifying the best data object to answer a user's needs more difficult. The issue is further complicated as each archive's data catalog may be designed around different concepts - - anything from individual files to be served, series of similarly generated and processed data, or something entirely different. Catalogs may not only be flat tables, but may be structured as multiple tables with each table being a different data series, or a normalized structure of the individual data files. Merging federated search results from archives with different catalog designs can create situations where the data object of interest is difficult to find due to an overwhelming number of seemingly similar or entirely unwanted records. We present a reference model for discussing data catalogs and the complex relationships between similar data objects. We show how the model can be used to improve scientist's ability to quickly identify the best data object for their purposes and discuss technical issues required to use this model in a federated system.

Old age as an "alternative" to illness: gerontological and medico-legal aspects.

PubMed

Molinelli, Andrea; Viale, Laura; Landolfa, Maria Celeste; De Stefano, Francesco

2011-04-01

The current trend toward an ever increasing aging population forces society to face the problem of how to care for elderly people who are exposed to the risk of so-called "elder abuse," a phenomenon becoming increasingly widespread in Italy, as legislation does not provide a precise juridical definition of "elderly" nor does it provide for their specific protection. From a geriatric and medico-legal point of view, it is difficult to assess the cognitive performance of elderly individuals due to a number of factors, including the lack of evaluation tools with well-defined reference parameters for assessing decision-making capacities. Nonetheless, according to Italian penal code, abandoning a person incapable of self-support due to old age is considered a violation of the obligation of family assistance. Just as in the USA, which has instituted the Adult Protective Services, the Authors propose that the local health authorities provide help desks for the victims of elder abuse in Italy.

Transgenic bovine as bioreactors: Challenges and perspectives

PubMed Central

Monzani, Paulo S.; Adona, Paulo R.; Ohashi, Otávio M.; Meirelles, Flávio V.; Wheeler, Matthew B.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The use of recombinant proteins has increased in diverse commercial sectors. Various systems for protein production have been used for the optimization of production and functional protein expression. The mammary gland is considered to be a very interesting system for the production of recombinant proteins due to its high level of expression and its ability to perform post-translational modifications. Cows produce large quantities of milk over a long period of lactation, and therefore this species is an important candidate for recombinant protein expression in milk. However, transgenic cows are more difficult to generate due to the inefficiency of transgenic methodologies, the long periods for transgene detection, recombinant protein expression and the fact that only a single calf is obtained at the end of each pregnancy. An increase in efficiency for transgenic methodologies for cattle is a big challenge to overcome. Promising methodologies have been proposed that can help to overcome this obstacle, enabling the use of transgenic cattle as bioreactors for protein production in milk for industry. PMID:27166649

[Anaesthetic management in a paediatric patient with a difficult airway due to epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica].

PubMed

Blázquez Gómez, E; Garcés Aletá, A; Monclus Diaz, E; Manen Berga, F; García-Aparicio, L; Ontanilla López, A

2015-05-01

Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by blistering after minimal trauma. These blisters tend to form dystrophic scars, leading to limiting and life-threatening sequelae. The anaesthetic management of patients with DEB is a challenge, even for the most experienced anaesthesiologists, but basic principles can help us prepare the plan of care. The main goals are to prevent trauma/infection of skin/mucous, and to establish a secure airway without causing bullae. Patient positioning and the instruments used to monitor vital signs and administering anaesthetic agents can cause new lesions. It is advisable to lubricate the instruments and to avoid adhesive material and shearing forces on the skin. Besides the implications of the comorbidities, there is a potential difficult intubation and difficult vascular access. Acute airway obstruction can occur due to airway instrumentation. We report the case of a patient diagnosed with EBD difficult airway and undergoing correction of syndactylyl and dental extractions. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Hurricane Katrina-related maternal stress, maternal mental health, and early infant temperament.

PubMed

Tees, Michael T; Harville, Emily W; Xiong, Xu; Buekens, Pierre; Pridjian, Gabriella; Elkind-Hirsch, Karen

2010-07-01

To investigate temperament in infants whose mothers were exposed to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and to determine if high hurricane exposure is associated with difficult infant temperament. A prospective cohort study of women giving birth in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, LA (n = 288) in 2006-2007 was conducted. Questionnaires and interviews assessed the mother's experiences during the hurricane, living conditions, and psychological symptoms, 2 months and 12 months postpartum. Infant temperament characteristics were reported by the mother using the activity, adaptability, approach, intensity, and mood scales of the Early Infant and Toddler Temperament Questionnaires, and "difficult temperament" was defined as scoring in the top quartile for three or more of the scales. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between hurricane experience, mental health, and infant temperament. Serious experiences of the hurricane did not strongly increase the risk of difficult infant temperament (association with three or more serious experiences of the hurricane: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63-3.58 at 2 months; 0.58, 0.15-2.28 at 12 months). Maternal mental health was associated with report of difficult infant temperament, with women more likely to report having a difficult infant temperament at 1 year if they had screened positive for PTSD (aOR 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61-5.41), depression, (aOR 3.16, 95% CI 1.22-8.20) or hostility (aOR 2.17, 95% CI 0.81-5.82) at 2 months. Large associations between maternal stress due to a natural disaster and infant temperament were not seen, but maternal mental health was associated with reporting difficult temperament. Further research is needed to determine the effects of maternal exposure to disasters on child temperament, but in order to help babies born in the aftermath of disaster, the focus may need to be on the mother's mental health.

Hurricane Katrina-related maternal stress, maternal mental health, and early infant temperament

PubMed Central

Tees, Michael T.; Xiong, Xu; Buekens, Pierre; Pridjian, Gabriella; Elkind-Hirsch, Karen

2012-01-01

To investigate temperament in infants whose mothers were exposed to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and to determine if high hurricane exposure is associated with difficult infant temperament. A prospective cohort study of women giving birth in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, LA (n=288) in 2006–2007 was conducted. Questionnaires and interviews assessed the mother’s experiences during the hurricane, living conditions, and psychological symptoms, two months and 12 months postpartum. Infant temperament characteristics were reported by the mother using the activity, adaptability, approach, intensity, and mood scales of the Early Infant and Toddler Temperament Questionnaires, and “difficult temperament” was defined as scoring in the top quartile for three or more of the scales. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between hurricane experience, mental health, and infant temperament. Serious experiences of the hurricane did not strongly increase the risk of difficult infant temperament (association with 3 or more serious experiences of the hurricane: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63–3.58 at 2 months; 0.58, 0.15–2.28 at 12 months). Maternal mental health was associated with report of difficult infant temperament, with women more likely to report having a difficult infant temperament at one year if they had screened positive for PTSD (aOR 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61–5.41), depression, (aOR 3.16, 95% CI 1.22–8.20) or hostility (aOR 2.17, 95% CI 0.81–5.82) at 2 months. Large associations between maternal stress due to a natural disaster and infant temperament were not seen, but maternal mental health was associated with reporting difficult temperament. Further research is needed to determine the effects of maternal exposure to disasters on child temperament, but in order to help babies born in the aftermath of disaster, the focus may need to be on the mother’s mental health. PMID:19554438

Difficult temperament and negative parenting in early childhood: a genetically informed cross-lagged analysis

PubMed Central

Micalizzi, Lauren; Wang, Manjie; Saudino, Kimberly J.

2015-01-01

A genetically informed longitudinal cross-lagged model was applied to twin data to explore etiological links between difficult temperament and negative parenting in early childhood. The sample comprised 313 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. Difficult temperament and negative parenting were assessed at ages 2 and 3 using parent ratings. Both constructs were interrelated within and across age (rs .34–.47) and showed substantial stability (rs .65–.68). Difficult temperament and negative parenting were influenced by genetic and environmental factors at ages 2 and 3. The genetic and nonshared environmental correlations (rs .21–.76) at both ages suggest overlap at the level of etiology between the phenotypes. Significant bidirectional associations between difficult temperament and negative parenting were found. The cross-lagged association from difficult temperament at age 2 to negative parenting at age 3 and from negative parenting at age 2 and difficult temperament at age 3 were due to genetic, shared environmental, and nonshared environmental factors. Substantial novel genetic and nonshared environmental influences emerged at age 3 and suggest change in the etiology of these constructs over time. PMID:26490166

Groundwater – The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets. Part 2: effects of groundwater on nutrients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewandowski, Jörg; Meinikmann, Karin; Nützmann, Gunnar; Rosenberry, Donald O.

2015-01-01

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) transports nutrients from a catchment to a lake, which may fuel eutrophication, one of the major threats to our fresh waters. Unfortunately, LGD has often been disregarded in lake nutrient studies. Most measurement techniques are based on separate determinations of volume and nutrient concentration of LGD: Loads are calculated by multiplying seepage volumes by concentrations of exfiltrating water. Typically low phosphorus (P) concentrations of pristine groundwater often are increased due to anthropogenic sources such as fertilizer, manure or sewage. Mineralization of naturally present organic matter might also increase groundwater P. Reducing redox conditions favour P transport through the aquifer to the reactive aquifer-lake interface. In some cases, large decreases of P concentrations may occur at the interface, for example, due to increased oxygen availability, while in other cases, there is nearly no decrease in P. The high reactivity of the interface complicates quantification of groundwater-borne P loads to the lake, making difficult clear differentiation of internal and external P loads to surface water. Anthropogenic sources of nitrogen (N) in groundwater are similar to those of phosphate. However, the environmental fate of N differs fundamentally from P because N occurs in several different redox states, each with different mobility. While nitrate behaves essentially conservatively in most oxic aquifers, ammonium's mobility is similar to that of phosphate. Nitrate may be transformed to gaseous N2 in reducing conditions and permanently removed from the system. Biogeochemical turnover of N is common at the reactive aquifer-lake interface. Nutrient loads from LGD were compiled from the literature. Groundwater-borne P loads vary from 0.74 to 2900 mg PO4-P m−2 year−1; for N, these loads vary from 0.001 to 640 g m−2 year−1. Even small amounts of seepage can carry large nutrient loads due to often high nutrient concentrations in groundwater. Large spatial heterogeneity, uncertain areal extent of the interface and difficult accessibility make every determination of LGD a challenge. However, determinations of LGD are essential to effective lake management.

Cyclone Simulation via Action Minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plotkin, D. A.; Weare, J.; Abbot, D. S.

2016-12-01

A postulated impact of climate change is an increase in intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs). This hypothesized effect results from the fact that TCs are powered subsaturated boundary layer air picking up water vapor from the surface ocean as it flows inwards towards the eye. This water vapor serves as the energy input for TCs, which can be idealized as heat engines. The inflowing air has a nearly identical temperature as the surface ocean; therefore, warming of the surface leads to a warmer atmospheric boundary layer. By the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship, warmer boundary layer air can hold more water vapor and thus results in more energetic storms. Changes in TC intensity are difficult to predict due to the presence of fine structures (e.g. convective structures and rainbands) with length scales of less than 1 km, while general circulation models (GCMs) generally have horizontal resolutions of tens of kilometers. The models are therefore unable to capture these features, which are critical to accurately simulating cyclone structure and intensity. Further, strong TCs are rare events, meaning that long multi-decadal simulations are necessary to generate meaningful statistics about intense TC activity. This adds to the computational expense, making it yet more difficult to generate accurate statistics about long-term changes in TC intensity due to global warming via direct simulation. We take an alternative approach, applying action minimization techniques developed in molecular dynamics to the WRF weather/climate model. We construct artificial model trajectories that lead from quiescent (TC-free) states to TC states, then minimize the deviation of these trajectories from true model dynamics. We can thus create Monte Carlo model ensembles that are biased towards cyclogenesis, which reduces computational expense by limiting time spent in non-TC states. This allows for: 1) selective interrogation of model states with TCs; 2) finding the likeliest paths for transitions between TC-free and TC states; and 3) an increase in horizontal resolution due to computational savings achieved by reducing time spent simulating TC-free states. This increase in resolution, coupled with a decrease in simulation time, allows for prediction of the change in TC frequency and intensity distributions resulting from climate change.

Postpartum plasma exchange in a woman with suspected thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) vs. hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet syndrome (HELLP): a case study.

PubMed

Myers, Linda

2010-01-01

The occurrence of a hypercoagulable state and decreasing concentration of ADAMTS 13 in late pregnancy and during the postpartum period increases the risk for a woman to develop life-threatening thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). This is also the time of great risk for the more common obstetric complications of preeclampsia; eclampsia; and hemolysis, elevated liver functions tests, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome. These conditions are associated with high maternal and perinatal mortality. Differential diagnosis may be difficult due to the overlapping of clinical and laboratory findings, including thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, neurologic symptoms, and renal insufficiency, making it difficult or impossible to distinguish them from TTP. Management of microangiopathic disorders encountered during pregnancy differ; therefore, an accurate diagnosis is required. Outcomes of TTP without plasma exchange therapy (TPE) are almost uniformly fatal. Early recognition and management of symptoms with prompt and aggressive TPE is essential when TTP is suspected.

[Attendance at a health center by clandestine prostitutes in Djibouti].

PubMed

Philippon, M; Saada, M; Kamil, M A; Houmed, H M

1997-01-01

The extent of clandestine prostitution in Djibouti is difficult to evaluate. Due to the secrecy of the prostitutes and often their low level of education, the follow-up of these patients is also difficult. A sexually transmitted disease clinic specialized in the treatment of prostitutes and their customers has been established in Djibouti since 1963. We tried to evaluate the available data on the clandestine prostitutes attendance at the center. The population was young with a mean age of 23 years. Fifty percent had children and 60% were divorced or separated. Ninety-one percent were Ethiopian and 73% lived in the same district of the city of Djibouti. Almost half of them were HIV positive. The duration of residence in Djibouti before the first visit to the clinic varied widely with a median of 12 months. However, the total duration of prostitution before the first visit was shorter with a median of 3 months. The complaint at the first visit was most often minor. Among the prostitutes who first came to the center in 1993, half of them came only once. The overall duration of follow-up was 8 months, for an average of 3.7 visits per patient. Alternatively, 20 patients had more than 10 consultations and this represented one third of the consultations given to previous patients. This last group is the only one which tended to respect the monthly visits proposed to each patient at the first consultation. The other patients seemed to come only when they felt ill. The routine statistical activities which separately counted the new and previous patients gave an optimistic but faulty impression: these showed an increase in the total number of patients and also an increase in the percentage of previous patients visiting (from 42 to 69% between 1988 and 1994). It is difficult to evaluate the follow-up of such a mobile population. The few patients known for their fidelity contrasted with the fact that half of the patients had visited the center only once. This low frequency of visitation could be due to either the management of the center or to the lack of proximity of the contacts within the districts.

Progress in understanding the formation of fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone in Pearl River Delta region, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xuemei; Wang, Tao; Zheng, Junyu; Shao, Min; Wang, Xinming

2015-12-01

In the past three decades, the Pearl River Delta of China has been suffered from severe air pollution due to the rapid increase in energy consumption associated with industrialization and urbanization of the region. The number of hazy days, increased from below 20 days in a year before 1970, to more than 150 days a year during 1980 and 2000. The ground-level ozone levels have also on the rise, with hourly concentration of 160 ppbv being observed in Guangzhou and 201 ppbv in nearby Hong Kong (Zhang et al., 2008). The ozone pollution has been difficult to reduce even in air quality improvement program for the Guangzhou Asian Games (Liu et al., 2013).

Social controversy belongs in the climate science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, Elizabeth M.; Tsurusaki, Blakely K.

2014-04-01

Scientists, educators and stakeholders are grappling with how to best approach climate change education for diverse audiences, a task made difficult due to persistent social controversy. This Perspective examines how sociocultural learning theories can inform the design and implementation of climate change education experiences for learners with varied understandings of and attitudes towards climate change. The literature demonstrates that explicitly addressing learners' social and community experiences, values and knowledge supports understandings of and increased concern about climate change. Science learning environments that situate climate change in its social context can support conceptual understandings, shift attitudes and increase the participation of diverse communities in responding to climate change. Examples are provided of successful programmes that attend to social dimensions and learners' previous experiences, including experiences of social controversy.

Study on key technologies of vehicle networking system platform for electric automobiles based on micro-service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Fei

2018-04-01

With the rapid increase of electric automobiles and charging piles, the elastic expansion and online rapid upgrade were required for the vehicle networking system platform (system platform for short). At present, it is difficult to meet the operation needs due to the traditional huge rock architecture used by the system platform. This paper studied the system platform technology architecture based on "cloud platform +micro-service" to obtain a new generation of vehicle networking system platform with the combination of elastic expansion and application, thus significantly improving the service operation ability of system.

Atmospheric corrosion of metals in industrial city environment.

PubMed

Kusmierek, Elzbieta; Chrzescijanska, Ewa

2015-06-01

Atmospheric corrosion is a significant problem given destruction of various materials, especially metals. The corrosion investigation in the industrial city environment was carried out during one year exposure. Corrosion potential was determined using the potentiometric method. The highest effect of corrosion processes was observed during the winter season due to increased air pollution. Corrosion of samples pre-treated in tannic acid before the exposure was more difficult compared with the samples without pretreatment. The corrosion products determined with the SEM/EDS method prove that the most corrosive pollutants present in the industrial city air are SO2, CO2, chlorides and dust.

[The design and experiment of complementary S coding matrix based on digital micromirror spectrometer].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Hai; Gao, Ling-Xiao; Guo, Yuan-Jun; Wang, Wei; Mo, Xiang-Xia

2012-12-01

The template selection is essential in the application of digital micromirror spectrometer. The best theoretical coding H-matrix is not widely used due to acyclic, complex coding and difficult achievement. The noise ratio of best practical S-matrix for improvement is slightly inferior to matrix H. So we designed a new type complementary S-matrix. Through studying its noise improvement theory, the algorithm is proved to have the advantages of both H-matrix and S-matrix. The experiments proved that the SNR can be increased 2.05 times than S-template.

Aerothermal modeling program, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, R.; Reynolds, R.; Ball, I.; Berry, R.; Johnson, K.; Mongia, H.

1983-01-01

The combustor performance submodels for complex flows are evaluated. The benchmark test cases for complex nonswirling flows are identified and analyzed. The introduction of swirl into the flow creates much faster mixing, caused by radial pressure gradients and increase in turbulence generation. These phenomena are more difficult to predict than the effects due to geometrical streamline curvatures, like the curved duct, and sudden expansion. Flow fields with swirl, both confined and unconfined are studied. The role of the dilution zone to achieve the turbine inlet radial profile plays an important part, therefore temperature field measurements were made in several idealized dilution zone configurations.

The Energy Efficiency Potential of Cloud-Based Software: A U.S. Case Study

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

Masanet, Eric; Shehabi, Arman; Liang, Jiaqi

The energy use of data centers is a topic that has received much attention, given that data centers currently account for 1-2% of global electricity use. However, cloud computing holds great potential to reduce data center energy demand moving forward, due to both large reductions in total servers through consolidation and large increases in facility efficiencies compared to traditional local data centers. However, analyzing the net energy implications of shifts to the cloud can be very difficult, because data center services can affect many different components of society’s economic and energy systems.

Comparison of Available Technologies for Fire Spots Detection via Linear Heat Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miksa, František; Nemlaha, Eduard

2016-12-01

It is very demanding to detect fire spots under difficult conditions with high occurrence of interfering external factors such as large distances, airflow difficultly, high dustiness, high humidity, etc. Spot fire sensors do not meet the requirements due to the aforementioned conditions as well as large distances. Therefore, the detection of a fire spot via linear heat sensing cables is utilized.

The epigenetic lorax: gene–environment interactions in human health

PubMed Central

Latham, Keith E; Sapienza, Carmen; Engel, Nora

2012-01-01

Over the last decade, we have witnessed an explosion of information on genetic factors underlying common human diseases and disorders. This ‘human genomics’ information revolution has occurred as a backdrop to a rapid increase in the rates of many human disorders and diseases. For example, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, asthma, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have increased at rates that cannot be due to changes in the genetic structure of the population, and are difficult to ascribe to changes in diagnostic criteria or ascertainment. A likely cause of the increased incidence of these disorders is increased exposure to environmental factors that modify gene function. Many environmental factors that have epidemiological association with common human disorders are likely to exert their effects through epigenetic alterations. This general mechanism of gene–environment interaction poses special challenges for individuals, educators, scientists and public policy makers in defining, monitoring and mitigating exposures. PMID:22920179

Vital Pulp Therapy—Current Progress of Dental Pulp Regeneration and Revascularization

PubMed Central

Zhang, Weibo; Yelick, Pamela C.

2010-01-01

Pulp vitality is extremely important for the tooth viability, since it provides nutrition and acts as biosensor to detect pathogenic stimuli. In the dental clinic, most dental pulp infections are irreversible due to its anatomical position and organization. It is difficult for the body to eliminate the infection, which subsequently persists and worsens. The widely used strategy currently in the clinic is to partly or fully remove the contaminated pulp tissue, and fill and seal the void space with synthetic material. Over time, the pulpless tooth, now lacking proper blood supply and nervous system, becomes more vulnerable to injury. Recently, potential for successful pulp regeneration and revascularization therapies is increasing due to accumulated knowledge of stem cells, especially dental pulp stem cells. This paper will review current progress and feasible strategies for dental pulp regeneration and revascularization. PMID:20454445

Equine orbital neoplasia: a review of 10 cases (1983-1998).

PubMed Central

Baptiste, K E; Grahn, B H

2000-01-01

The clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and survival times of 10 horses with orbital neoplasms are reported. In all cases, orbital neoplasms were malignant and locally invasive with no defined surgical circumscribed edges. It was often difficult to identify the primary cell type of the neoplasia in histologic specimens due to the poorly differentiated, anaplastic nature of the majority of cases. All except one horse were eventually euthanized 2 mo to 5 y after diagnosis due to poor response to treatment, metastasis, or unrelenting orbital neoplasia. Mean survival time increased with surgical treatment, but no significant difference was found among no treatment, chemotherapy, surgical mass removal, or exenteration/enucleation. Equine practitioners should be aware of the marked difference in prognosis of orbital neoplasms compared with ocular or localized eyelid neoplasia. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. PMID:10769765

[Primary hyperaldosteronism: problems of diagnostic approaches].

PubMed

Widimský, Jiří

2015-05-01

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PH) is common cause of endocrine/secondary hypertension with autonomous aldosterone overproduction by adrenal cortex. PH is typically characterized by hypertension, hypokalemia, high plasma aldosterone/renin ratio, high aldosterone, suppressed renin and nonsupressibilty of aldosterone during confirmatory tests. Diagnosis of PH can be difficult since hypokalemia is found only in 50 % of cases and measurement of the parameters of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system can be influenced by several factors. Morphological dia-gnosis requires in majority of cases adrenal venous sampling. Early diagnostic and therapeutic measures are very important due to high prevalence of PH and potential cure. Patients with suspicion to PH should be investigated in experienced hypertensive centers due to relatively difficult laboratory and morphological diagnostic approaches.

Transgender HIV prevention: implementation and evaluation of a workshop.

PubMed

Bockting, W O; Rosser, B R; Scheltema, K

1999-04-01

Virtually no HIV prevention education has specifically targeted the transgender community. To fill this void, a transgender HIV prevention workshop was developed, implemented and evaluated. A 4 h workshop, grounded in the Health Belief Model and the Eroticizing Safer Sex approach, combined lectures, videos, a panel, discussion, roleplay and exercises. Evaluation using a pre-, post- and follow-up test design showed an increase in knowledge and an initial increase in positive attitudes that diminished over time. Due to the small sample size (N = 59) and limited frequency of risk behavior, a significant decrease in unsafe sexual or needle practices could not be demonstrated. However, findings suggested an increase in safer sexual behaviors such as (mutual) masturbation. Peer support improved significantly. Future prevention education should make special efforts to target the more difficult-to-reach, high-risk subgroups of the transgender population.

Bonding Cu to Al2O3 with Bi-B-Zn Oxide Glass Via Oxidation-Reduction Reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianqiang; Li, Yufeng; Miao, Weiliang; Mai, Chengle; Li, Mingyu

2018-01-01

Bonding Cu on Al2O3 is a key and difficult technology applied in high-power semiconductor devices. A method proposed in this work investigates bonding with a kind of Bi-B-Zn oxide glass powder paste as a solder. Oxidation-reduction reactions between the Cu plate and the solder took place and generated Bi metal during the joining procedure. With an increase in the joining temperature, the tensile strength increased due to the increase of Bi metal formation. The Bi metal played an important role in joining Cu and Al2O3 because of its much better wettability on Cu than that of the oxides. A compound ZnAl2O4 was observed to form between the Al2O3 ceramic and oxide layer, which strengthened the bond.

Effects of ageing on the hydraulics of water wells and the influence of non-Darcy flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houben, Georg J.; Wachenhausen, Julia; Guevara Morel, Carlos R.

2018-04-01

Well ageing is mostly caused by mechanical and biogeochemical clogging processes, which affect the gravel pack, screen slots and casing. Clogging deposits increase head losses due to a constriction of the hydraulically effective area. For this study, clogging is mimicked by systematically reducing the gravel pack porosity, the screen open area and the nominal inner casing diameter. Groundwater flow velocity strongly increases close to the well, inducing inertial and turbulent flow components. Therefore, gravel pack head losses were calculated using the Forchheimer-Engelund equation, in conjunction with the Kozeny-Carman equation, which relates gravel pack porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Screen losses were assessed using the Orifice equation and turbulent casing losses with the Darcy-Weisbach equation. For the settings chosen here, a dramatic increase of head losses occurs when the clogging has reduced the effective porosity in the gravel pack by 65%, the open area of the screen by ≥98%, and the casing diameter by 50%. Since the latter two conditions are rarely reached in actual wells, the clogging of the gravel pack is the decisive parameter that controls well ageing. Regular monitoring of the well yield is therefore needed, since processes in the gravel pack are difficult to track directly. Unlike the deposits on the casing and in the screen slots, obstructions in the gravel pack are much more difficult to remove.

Effects of ageing on the hydraulics of water wells and the influence of non-Darcy flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houben, Georg J.; Wachenhausen, Julia; Guevara Morel, Carlos R.

2018-06-01

Well ageing is mostly caused by mechanical and biogeochemical clogging processes, which affect the gravel pack, screen slots and casing. Clogging deposits increase head losses due to a constriction of the hydraulically effective area. For this study, clogging is mimicked by systematically reducing the gravel pack porosity, the screen open area and the nominal inner casing diameter. Groundwater flow velocity strongly increases close to the well, inducing inertial and turbulent flow components. Therefore, gravel pack head losses were calculated using the Forchheimer-Engelund equation, in conjunction with the Kozeny-Carman equation, which relates gravel pack porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Screen losses were assessed using the Orifice equation and turbulent casing losses with the Darcy-Weisbach equation. For the settings chosen here, a dramatic increase of head losses occurs when the clogging has reduced the effective porosity in the gravel pack by 65%, the open area of the screen by ≥98%, and the casing diameter by 50%. Since the latter two conditions are rarely reached in actual wells, the clogging of the gravel pack is the decisive parameter that controls well ageing. Regular monitoring of the well yield is therefore needed, since processes in the gravel pack are difficult to track directly. Unlike the deposits on the casing and in the screen slots, obstructions in the gravel pack are much more difficult to remove.

Difficult temperament and negative parenting in early childhood: a genetically informed cross-lagged analysis.

PubMed

Micalizzi, Lauren; Wang, Manjie; Saudino, Kimberly J

2017-03-01

A genetically informed longitudinal cross-lagged model was applied to twin data to explore etiological links between difficult temperament and negative parenting in early childhood. The sample comprised 313 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. Difficult temperament and negative parenting were assessed at ages 2 and 3 using parent ratings. Both constructs were interrelated within and across age (rs .34-.47) and showed substantial stability (rs .65-.68). Difficult temperament and negative parenting were influenced by genetic and environmental factors at ages 2 and 3. The genetic and nonshared environmental correlations (rs .21-.76) at both ages suggest overlap at the level of etiology between the phenotypes. Significant bidirectional associations between difficult temperament and negative parenting were found. The cross-lagged association from difficult temperament at age 2 to negative parenting at age 3 and from negative parenting at age 2 and difficult temperament at age 3 were due to genetic, shared environmental, and nonshared environmental factors. Substantial novel genetic and nonshared environmental influences emerged at age 3 and suggest change in the etiology of these constructs over time. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Detection of nerve gases using surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates with high droplet adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakonen, Aron; Rindzevicius, Tomas; Schmidt, Michael Stenbæk; Andersson, Per Ola; Juhlin, Lars; Svedendahl, Mikael; Boisen, Anja; Käll, Mikael

2016-01-01

Threats from chemical warfare agents, commonly known as nerve gases, constitute a serious security issue of increasing global concern because of surging terrorist activity worldwide. However, nerve gases are difficult to detect using current analytical tools and outside dedicated laboratories. Here we demonstrate that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be used for sensitive detection of femtomol quantities of two nerve gases, VX and Tabun, using a handheld Raman device and SERS substrates consisting of flexible gold-covered Si nanopillars. The substrate surface exhibits high droplet adhesion and nanopillar clustering due to elasto-capillary forces, resulting in enrichment of target molecules in plasmonic hot-spots with high Raman enhancement. The results may pave the way for strategic life-saving SERS detection of chemical warfare agents in the field.Threats from chemical warfare agents, commonly known as nerve gases, constitute a serious security issue of increasing global concern because of surging terrorist activity worldwide. However, nerve gases are difficult to detect using current analytical tools and outside dedicated laboratories. Here we demonstrate that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be used for sensitive detection of femtomol quantities of two nerve gases, VX and Tabun, using a handheld Raman device and SERS substrates consisting of flexible gold-covered Si nanopillars. The substrate surface exhibits high droplet adhesion and nanopillar clustering due to elasto-capillary forces, resulting in enrichment of target molecules in plasmonic hot-spots with high Raman enhancement. The results may pave the way for strategic life-saving SERS detection of chemical warfare agents in the field. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr06524k

Comparison of Field Measurements to Methane Emissions Models at a New Landfill

EPA Science Inventory

Due to both technical and economic limitations, estimates of methane emissions from landfills rely primarily on models. While models are easy to implement, there is uncertainty due to the use of parameters that are difficult to validate. The objective of this research was to comp...

Mass Spectrometry Imaging Reveals Elevated Glomerular ATP/AMP in Diabetes/obesity and Identifies Sphingomyelin as a Possible Mediator.

PubMed

Miyamoto, Satoshi; Hsu, Cheng-Chih; Hamm, Gregory; Darshi, Manjula; Diamond-Stanic, Maggie; Declèves, Anne-Emilie; Slater, Larkin; Pennathur, Subramaniam; Stauber, Jonathan; Dorrestein, Pieter C; Sharma, Kumar

2016-05-01

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is suppressed in diabetes and may be due to a high ATP/AMP ratio, however the quantitation of nucleotides in vivo has been extremely difficult. Via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) to localize renal nucleotides we found that the diabetic kidney had a significant increase in glomerular ATP/AMP ratio. Untargeted MALDI-MSI analysis revealed that a specific sphingomyelin species (SM(d18:1/16:0)) accumulated in the glomeruli of diabetic and high-fat diet-fed mice compared with wild-type controls. In vitro studies in mesangial cells revealed that exogenous addition of SM(d18:1/16:0) significantly elevated ATP via increased glucose consumption and lactate production with a consequent reduction of AMPK and PGC1α. Furthermore, inhibition of sphingomyelin synthases reversed these effects. Our findings suggest that AMPK is reduced in the diabetic kidney due to an increase in the ATP/AMP ratio and that SM(d18:1/16:0) could be responsible for the enhanced ATP production via activation of the glycolytic pathway. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissecting the Illegal Ivory Trade: An Analysis of Ivory Seizures Data

PubMed Central

Underwood, Fiona M.; Burn, Robert W.; Milliken, Tom

2013-01-01

Reliable evidence of trends in the illegal ivory trade is important for informing decision making for elephants but it is difficult to obtain due to the covert nature of the trade. The Elephant Trade Information System, a global database of reported seizures of illegal ivory, holds the only extensive information on illicit trade available. However inherent biases in seizure data make it difficult to infer trends; countries differ in their ability to make and report seizures and these differences cannot be directly measured. We developed a new modelling framework to provide quantitative evidence on trends in the illegal ivory trade from seizures data. The framework used Bayesian hierarchical latent variable models to reduce bias in seizures data by identifying proxy variables that describe the variability in seizure and reporting rates between countries and over time. Models produced bias-adjusted smoothed estimates of relative trends in illegal ivory activity for raw and worked ivory in three weight classes. Activity is represented by two indicators describing the number of illegal ivory transactions – Transactions Index – and the total weight of illegal ivory transactions – Weights Index – at global, regional or national levels. Globally, activity was found to be rapidly increasing and at its highest level for 16 years, more than doubling from 2007 to 2011 and tripling from 1998 to 2011. Over 70% of the Transactions Index is from shipments of worked ivory weighing less than 10 kg and the rapid increase since 2007 is mainly due to increased consumption in China. Over 70% of the Weights Index is from shipments of raw ivory weighing at least 100 kg mainly moving from Central and East Africa to Southeast and East Asia. The results tie together recent findings on trends in poaching rates, declining populations and consumption and provide detailed evidence to inform international decision making on elephants. PMID:24250744

Dissecting the illegal ivory trade: an analysis of ivory seizures data.

PubMed

Underwood, Fiona M; Burn, Robert W; Milliken, Tom

2013-01-01

Reliable evidence of trends in the illegal ivory trade is important for informing decision making for elephants but it is difficult to obtain due to the covert nature of the trade. The Elephant Trade Information System, a global database of reported seizures of illegal ivory, holds the only extensive information on illicit trade available. However inherent biases in seizure data make it difficult to infer trends; countries differ in their ability to make and report seizures and these differences cannot be directly measured. We developed a new modelling framework to provide quantitative evidence on trends in the illegal ivory trade from seizures data. The framework used Bayesian hierarchical latent variable models to reduce bias in seizures data by identifying proxy variables that describe the variability in seizure and reporting rates between countries and over time. Models produced bias-adjusted smoothed estimates of relative trends in illegal ivory activity for raw and worked ivory in three weight classes. Activity is represented by two indicators describing the number of illegal ivory transactions--Transactions Index--and the total weight of illegal ivory transactions--Weights Index--at global, regional or national levels. Globally, activity was found to be rapidly increasing and at its highest level for 16 years, more than doubling from 2007 to 2011 and tripling from 1998 to 2011. Over 70% of the Transactions Index is from shipments of worked ivory weighing less than 10 kg and the rapid increase since 2007 is mainly due to increased consumption in China. Over 70% of the Weights Index is from shipments of raw ivory weighing at least 100 kg mainly moving from Central and East Africa to Southeast and East Asia. The results tie together recent findings on trends in poaching rates, declining populations and consumption and provide detailed evidence to inform international decision making on elephants.

Fukushima nuclear power plant accident and comprehensive health risk management-global radiocontamination and information disaster.

PubMed

Yamashita, Shunichi

2014-06-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, besides further studying the appropriateness of the initial response and post-countermeasures against the severe Fukushima nuclear accident, has now increased the importance of the epidemiological study in comprehensive health risk management and radiation protection; lessons learnt from the Chernobyl accident should be also implemented. Therefore, since May 2011, Fukushima Prefecture has started the "Fukushima Health Management Survey Project" for the purpose of long-term health care administration and early diagnosis/treatment for the prefectural residents. Basic survey is under investigation on a retrospective estimation of external exposure of the first four months. As one of the four detailed surveys, the thyroid ultrasound examination has clarified the increased detection rate of childhood thyroid cancers as a screening effect in the past three years and so thyroid cancer occurrence by Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, especially due to radioactive iodine will be discussed despite of difficult challenge of accurate estimation of low dose and low-dose rate radiation exposures. Through the on-site valuable experience and a difficult challenge for recovery, we should learn the lessons from this severe and large-scale nuclear accident, especially how to countermeasure against public health emergency at the standpoint of health risk and also social risk management.

Printed circuit boards: a review on the perspective of sustainability.

PubMed

Canal Marques, André; Cabrera, José-María; Malfatti, Célia de Fraga

2013-12-15

Modern life increasingly requires newer equipments and more technology. In addition, the fact that society is highly consumerist makes the amount of discarded equipment as well as the amount of waste from the manufacture of new products increase at an alarming rate. Printed circuit boards, which form the basis of the electronics industry, are technological waste of difficult disposal whose recycling is complex and expensive due to the diversity of materials and components and their difficult separation. Currently, printed circuit boards have a fixing problem, which is migrating from traditional Pb-Sn alloys to lead-free alloys without definite choice. This replacement is an attempt to minimize the problem of Pb toxicity, but it does not change the problem of separation of the components for later reuse and/or recycling and leads to other problems, such as temperature rise, delamination, flaws, risks of mechanical shocks and the formation of "whiskers". This article presents a literature review on printed circuit boards, showing their structure and materials, the environmental problem related to the board, some the different alternatives for recycling, and some solutions that are being studied to reduce and/or replace the solder, in order to minimize the impact of solder on the printed circuit boards. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident and Comprehensive Health Risk Management—Global Radiocontamination and Information Disaster

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, besides further studying the appropriateness of the initial response and post-countermeasures against the severe Fukushima nuclear accident, has now increased the importance of the epidemiological study in comprehensive health risk management and radiation protection; lessons learnt from the Chernobyl accident should be also implemented. Therefore, since May 2011, Fukushima Prefecture has started the “Fukushima Health Management Survey Project” for the purpose of long-term health care administration and early diagnosis/treatment for the prefectural residents. Basic survey is under investigation on a retrospective estimation of external exposure of the first four months. As one of the four detailed surveys, the thyroid ultrasound examination has clarified the increased detection rate of childhood thyroid cancers as a screening effect in the past three years and so thyroid cancer occurrence by Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, especially due to radioactive iodine will be discussed despite of difficult challenge of accurate estimation of low dose and low-dose rate radiation exposures. Through the on-site valuable experience and a difficult challenge for recovery, we should learn the lessons from this severe and large-scale nuclear accident, especially how to countermeasure against public health emergency at the standpoint of health risk and also social risk management. PMID:25425958

[Clinical and health economic challenges of personalized medicine].

PubMed

Brüggenjürgen, B; Kornbluth, L; Ferrara, J V; Willich, S N

2012-05-01

Healthcare systems across the globe are currently challenged by aging populations, increases in chronic diseases and the difficult task of managing a healthcare budget. In this health economic climate, personalized medicine promises not only an improvement in healthcare delivery but also the possibility of more cost-effective therapies. It is important to remember, however, that personalized medicine has the potential to both increase and decrease costs. Each targeted therapy must be evaluated individually. However, standard clinical trial design is not suitable for personalized therapies. Therefore, both scientists and regulatory authorities will need to accept innovative study designs in order to validate personalized therapies. Hence correct economic evaluations are difficult to carry out due to lack of clear clinical evidence, longitudinal accounting and experience with patient/clinician behavior in the context of personalized medicine. In terms of reimbursement, payers, pharmaceutical companies and companion diagnostic manufacturers will also need to explore creative risk-sharing concepts. Germany is no exception to the challenges that face personalized medicine and for personalized medicine to really become the future of medicine many health economic challenges first need to be overcome. The health economic implications of personalized medicine remain unclear but it is certain that the expansion of targeted therapies in current healthcare systems will create a host of challenges.

Determination of properties of PVE lubricants with HFC refrigerants[PolyVinylEther

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

Kaneko, Masato; Sakanoue, Shuichi; Tazaki, Toshihiro

1999-07-01

Polyalkyleneglycol (PAG) and polyol ester (POE) have been developed as refrigeration lubricants, used with HFC134a. PAG is used for automotive air conditioning systems and POE is used for domestic reciprocating refrigerators and for A/C systems. Although PAG exhibits good lubricity performance, it is difficult to use for domestic reciprocating refrigerators due to its low dielectric property. POE is difficult to use for automotive A/C systems, due to hydrolysis and poor lubricity performance. Polyvinylether (PVE) can be used in place of PAG and POE with HFC refrigerants. PVE is used for A/C systems as well as refrigerator and freezer applications. PVEmore » is an ideal lubricant for use with HFCs.« less

Prospects and challenges of developing new agents for tough Gram-negatives.

PubMed

Meyer, Annette L

2005-10-01

Historically, the medical profession has been successful in treating most bacterial infections in humans with synthetic second- and third-generation antibiotics. Recently, the prospects for continued success have dimmed with the increase in multidrug-resistant stains of bacteria. Infections caused by the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. in particular have increased in frequency and severity, and become progressively more difficult to treat. Contributors to disease severity include chronic infections due to mutator strains, persister cells and biofilms. The worst-case scenario of infections susceptible only to toxic polymixins is now a reality. The need to address the treatment of multidrug-resistant pathogens with innovative combination approaches and/or novel antibacterial agents is occurring in the context of reduced investment in antimicrobial drug discovery by the pharmaceutical industry.

Long-Wavelength X-Ray Diffraction and Its Applications in Macromolecular Crystallography.

PubMed

Weiss, Manfred S

2017-01-01

For many years, diffraction experiments in macromolecular crystallography at X-ray wavelengths longer than that of Cu-K α (1.54 Å) have been largely underappreciated. Effects caused by increased X-ray absorption result in the fact that these experiments are more difficult than the standard diffraction experiments at short wavelengths. However, due to the also increased anomalous scattering of many biologically relevant atoms, important additional structural information can be obtained. This information, in turn, can be used for phase determination, for substructure identification, in molecular replacement approaches, as well as in structure refinement. This chapter reviews the possibilities and the difficulties associated with such experiments, and it provides a short description of two macromolecular crystallography synchrotron beam lines dedicated to long-wavelength X-ray diffraction experiments.

Impact du réchauffement climatique sur le cycle hydrologique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planton, Serge; Déqué, Michel; Douville, Hervé; Spagnoli, Bruno

2005-02-01

At the planetary scale, the models consistently simulate an intensification of the hydrological cycle in a future climate, warmer than the present-day one. However, this intensification might be accompanied by its slowing down due to an increase of the residence time of water vapour in the atmosphere. The impact of climate change on extreme events is even more difficult to evaluate, as results are dependent on methods, emission scenarios and, above all, on models. However, the increase of extreme winter precipitation over northern Europe is a common feature of these evaluations. The hydrological cycle, through the geographical distribution of continental surface humidity, seems to play a key role on the possibility to detect the warming in France. To cite this article: S. Planton et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).

EDF experience with {open_quotes}hot spot{close_quotes} management

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

Guio, J.M. de

1995-03-01

During the past few years, {open_quotes}hot spots{close_quotes} due to the presence of particles of metal activated during their migration through the reactor core, have been detected at several French pressurized water reactor (PWR) units. These {open_quotes}hot spots,{close_quotes} which generate very high dose rates (from about 10 Gy/h to 200 G/h) are a significant factor in increase occupational exposures during outrates. Of particular concern are the difficult cases which prolong outage duration and increase the volume of radiological waste. Confronted with this situation, Electricite de France (EDF) has set up a national research group, as part of its ALARA program, tomore » establish procedures and techniques to avoid, detect, and eliminate of hot spots. In particular, specific processes have been developed to eliminate these hot spots which are most costly in terms of occupational exposure due to the need for reactor maintenance. This paper sets out the general approach adopted at EDF so far to cope with the problem of hot spots, illustrated by experience at Blayais 3 and 4.« less

Shifts in disease dynamics in a tropical amphibian assemblage are not due to pathogen attenuation.

PubMed

Voyles, Jamie; Woodhams, Douglas C; Saenz, Veronica; Byrne, Allison Q; Perez, Rachel; Rios-Sotelo, Gabriela; Ryan, Mason J; Bletz, Molly C; Sobell, Florence Ann; McLetchie, Shawna; Reinert, Laura; Rosenblum, Erica Bree; Rollins-Smith, Louise A; Ibáñez, Roberto; Ray, Julie M; Griffith, Edgardo J; Ross, Heidi; Richards-Zawacki, Corinne L

2018-03-30

Infectious diseases rarely end in extinction. Yet the mechanisms that explain how epidemics subside are difficult to pinpoint. We investigated host-pathogen interactions after the emergence of a lethal fungal pathogen in a tropical amphibian assemblage. Some amphibian host species are recovering, but the pathogen is still present and is as pathogenic today as it was almost a decade ago. In addition, some species have defenses that are more effective now than they were before the epidemic. These results suggest that host recoveries are not caused by pathogen attenuation and may be due to shifts in host responses. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying disease transitions, which are increasingly important to understand in an era of emerging infectious diseases and unprecedented global pandemics. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

[Invasive fungal disease due to Scedosporium, Fusarium and mucorales].

PubMed

Pemán, Javier; Salavert, Miguel

2014-01-01

The number of emerging organisms causing invasive fungal infections has increased in the last decades. These etiological agents include Scedosporium, Fusarium and mucorales. All of them can cause disseminated, virulent, and difficult-to treat infections in immunosuppressed patients, the most affected, due to their resistance to most available antifungal agents. Current trends in transplantation including the use of new immunosuppressive treatments, the common prescription of antifungal agents for prophylaxis, and new ecological niches could explain the emergence of these fungal pathogens. These pathogens can also affect immunocompetent individuals, especially after natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, tsunamis), combat wounds or near drowning. All the invasive infections caused by Scedosporium, Fusarium, and mucorales are potentially lethal and a favourable outcome is associated with rapid diagnosis by direct microscopic examination of the involved tissue, wide debridement of infected material, early use of antifungal agents including combination therapy, and an improvement in host defenses, especially neutropenia. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Espana.

Expert perspectives on Western European prison health services: do ageing prisoners receive equivalent care?

PubMed

Bretschneider, Wiebke; Elger, Bernice Simone

2014-09-01

Health care in prison and particularly the health care of older prisoners are increasingly important topics due to the growth of the ageing prisoner population. The aim of this paper is to gain insight into the approaches used in the provision of equivalent health care to ageing prisoners and to confront the intuitive definition of equivalent care and the practical and ethical challenges that have been experienced by individuals working in this field. Forty interviews took place with experts working in the prison setting from three Western European countries to discover their views on prison health care. Experts indicated that the provision of equivalent care in prison is difficult mostly due to four factors: variability of care in different prisons, gatekeeper systems, lack of personnel, and delays in providing access. This lack of equivalence can be fixed by allocating adequate budgets and developing standards for health care in prison.

On the crystallization kinetics of Zr-(Co,Ni)-Al bulk metallic glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, X. M.; Zhang, Q. F.; Duan, X. Y.; Wang, X. C.; Jiang, Y. H.; Zhou, R.; Tan, J.

2017-07-01

Zr-based amorphous alloys are promising materials applied in engineering field, due to their strong glass-forming ability, outstanding mechanical properties and relatively low cost. In this work, the crystallization kinetics of Zr56Co18-xNixAl16 (x = 0, 2, 4 and 8; marked as Ni0, Ni2, Ni4 and Ni8, respectively) alloys are investigated in detail. The results show that, due to the addition of Ni, the glass transition of the alloys presents obvious dynamic characteristics, i.e., with the increasing heating rate, all characteristic temperatures are shifted to higher temperature. By fitting the Kissinger equation, the glass transition activation energy of Ni8 is the highest, indicating that Ni8 is much more difficult to crystallize. Therefore, the Ni8 alloy has the strongest anti-crystallization ability in the Zr56Co18-xNixAl16 alloys investigated.

Traumatic Gallbladder Rupture Treated by Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

PubMed Central

Egawa, Noriyuki; Ueda, Junji; Hiraki, Masatsugu; Ide, Takao; Inoue, Satoshi; Sakamoto, Yuichiro; Noshiro, Hirokazu

2016-01-01

Abstract Gallbladder rupture due to blunt abdominal injury is rare. There are few reports of traumatic gallbladder injury, and it is commonly associated with other concomitant visceral injuries. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose traumatic gallbladder rupture preoperatively when it is caused by blunt abdominal injury. We report a patient who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy after an exact preoperative diagnosis of traumatic gallbladder rupture. A 43-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to blunt abdominal trauma. The day after admission, abdominal pain and ascites increased and a muscular defense sign appeared. Percutaneous drainage of the ascites was performed, and the aspirated fluid was bloody and almost pure bile. He was diagnosed with gallbladder rupture by the cholangiography using the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography technique. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed safely, and he promptly recovered. If accumulated fluids contain bile, endoscopic cholangiography is useful not only to diagnose gallbladder injury but also to determine the therapeutic strategy. PMID:27462188

Missed cases of multiple forms of child abuse and neglect.

PubMed

Koc, Feyza; Oral, Resmiye; Butteris, Regina

2014-01-01

Child abuse and neglect is a public health problem and usually associated with family dysfunction due to multiple psychosocial, individual, and environmental factors. The diagnosis of child abuse may be difficult and require a high index of suspicion on the part of the practitioners encountering the child and the family. System-related factors may also enable abuse or prevent the early recognition of abuse. Child abuse and neglect that goes undiagnosed may give rise to chronic abuse and increased morbidity-mortality. In this report, we present two siblings who missed early diagnosis and we emphasize the importance of systems issues to allow early recognition of child abuse and neglect.

Atmospheric corrosion of metals in industrial city environment

PubMed Central

Kusmierek, Elzbieta; Chrzescijanska, Ewa

2015-01-01

Atmospheric corrosion is a significant problem given destruction of various materials, especially metals. The corrosion investigation in the industrial city environment was carried out during one year exposure. Corrosion potential was determined using the potentiometric method. The highest effect of corrosion processes was observed during the winter season due to increased air pollution. Corrosion of samples pre-treated in tannic acid before the exposure was more difficult compared with the samples without pretreatment. The corrosion products determined with the SEM/EDS method prove that the most corrosive pollutants present in the industrial city air are SO2, CO2, chlorides and dust. PMID:26217736

Western Juniper Field Guide: Asking the Right Questions to Select Appropriate Management Actions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, R.F.; Bates, J.D.; Svejcar, T.J.; Pierson, F.B.; Eddleman, L.E.

2007-01-01

Introduction Strong evidence indicates that western juniper has significantly expanded its range since the late 1800s by encroaching into landscapes once dominated by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation (fig. 1). Woodland expansion affects soil resources, plant community structure and composition, water, nutrient and fire cycles, forage production, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity. Goals of juniper management include an attempt to restore ecosystem function and a more balanced plant community that includes shrubs, grasses, and forbs, and to increase ecosystem resilience to disturbances. Developing a management strategy can be a difficult task due to uncertainty about how vegetation, soils, hydrologic function, and wildlife will respond to treatments.

Managing health care organizations in an age of rapid change.

PubMed

Benjamin, S; al-Alaiwat, S

1998-03-01

Health care managers find their work increasingly difficult, due in part to rapid environmental change that plagues organizational life. Management practices and attitudes that may have been appropriate in previous eras are ineffective today. A study was conducted among managers in the Ministry of Health, State of Bahrain, seeking information about current trends in the macro or external environment that affect the Ministry of Health, as well as internal environmental pressures that may be similar or different. This article provides a clear picture of the context in which managers perform their work and offers recommendations for coping with change in dynamic, complex organizations.

Solar concentrator with diffuser segments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esparza, Diego; Moreno, Ivan

2011-08-01

Solar energy systems use concentrating optics with photovoltaic cells for optimizing the performance. Advanced concentrators are designed to maximize both the light collection and the spatial uniformity of radiation. This is important because irradiance uniformity is critical for all types of photovoltaic cells. This is difficult to achieve with traditional concentrators, which are built with polished optical surfaces. In this work we propose a new concept of solar concentrator which uses small diffuser segments in key points to increase the irradiation uniformity. We experimentally demonstrate this new concept by analyzing the effects on both efficiency and irradiance uniformity due to the incorporation of scattering ribbons in a compound parabolic concentrator.

Ultrasound Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System.

PubMed

Cook, Cristi R

2016-05-01

Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a rapidly growing field within veterinary medicine. Ultrasound for musculoskeletal disorders has been commonly used in equine and human medicine and is becoming more commonly performed in small animal patients due to the increase in the recognition of soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound is widely available, cost-effective, but technically difficult to learn. Advantages of musculoskeletal ultrasound are the opposite limb is commonly used for comparison to evaluate symmetry of the tendinous structures and the ease of repeat examinations to assess healing. The article discusses the major areas of shoulder, stifle, iliopsoas, gastrocnemius, and musculoskeletal basics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Malware distributed collection and pre-classification system using honeypot technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grégio, André R. A.; Oliveira, Isabela L.; Santos, Rafael D. C.; Cansian, Adriano M.; de Geus, Paulo L.

2009-04-01

Malware has become a major threat in the last years due to the ease of spread through the Internet. Malware detection has become difficult with the use of compression, polymorphic methods and techniques to detect and disable security software. Those and other obfuscation techniques pose a problem for detection and classification schemes that analyze malware behavior. In this paper we propose a distributed architecture to improve malware collection using different honeypot technologies to increase the variety of malware collected. We also present a daemon tool developed to grab malware distributed through spam and a pre-classification technique that uses antivirus technology to separate malware in generic classes.

Spinal osteomyelitis due to Aspergillus flavus in a child: a rare complication after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Beluffi, Giampiero; Bernardo, Maria Ester; Meloni, Giulia; Spinazzola, Angelo; Locatelli, Franco

2008-06-01

We report the case of a child affected by acute myeloid leukaemia who was treated with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and developed cervicothoracic spinal osteomyelitis due to Aspergillus flavus. The diagnosis was difficult on a clinical basis, but made possible by conventional radiography and MRI.

Special Education Financing and ADHD Medications: A Bitter Pill to Swallow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrill, Melinda Sandler

2018-01-01

Accurate diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children is difficult because the major symptoms, inattentiveness and hyperactivity, can be exhibited by any child. This study finds evidence of systematic differences in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD due to third party financial incentives. In some states, due to the…

Giant spigelian hernia due to abdominal wall injury: a case report.

PubMed

Topal, Ersun; Kaya, Ekrem; Topal, Naile Bolca; Sahin, Ilker

2007-02-01

Spigelian hernia is a rare clinical entity. It is difficult to diagnose due to its location. In this article we report the case of a giant spigelian hernia consequent to abdominal wall injury. The neck of the hernia was 10 cm in diameter. We repaired this hernia with a polypropylene mesh.

Transfer of Algebraic and Graphical Thinking between Mathematics and Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potgieter, Marietjie; Harding, Ansie; Engelbrecht, Johann

2008-01-01

Students in undergraduate chemistry courses find, as a rule, topics with a strong mathematical basis difficult to master. In this study we investigate whether such mathematically related problems are due to deficiencies in their mathematics foundation or due to the complexity introduced by transfer of mathematics to a new scientific domain. In the…

Climate change and the ecology and evolution of Arctic vertebrates.

PubMed

Gilg, Olivier; Kovacs, Kit M; Aars, Jon; Fort, Jérôme; Gauthier, Gilles; Grémillet, David; Ims, Rolf A; Meltofte, Hans; Moreau, Jérôme; Post, Eric; Schmidt, Niels Martin; Yannic, Glenn; Bollache, Loïc

2012-02-01

Climate change is taking place more rapidly and severely in the Arctic than anywhere on the globe, exposing Arctic vertebrates to a host of impacts. Changes in the cryosphere dominate the physical changes that already affect these animals, but increasing air temperatures, changes in precipitation, and ocean acidification will also affect Arctic ecosystems in the future. Adaptation via natural selection is problematic in such a rapidly changing environment. Adjustment via phenotypic plasticity is therefore likely to dominate Arctic vertebrate responses in the short term, and many such adjustments have already been documented. Changes in phenology and range will occur for most species but will only partly mitigate climate change impacts, which are particularly difficult to forecast due to the many interactions within and between trophic levels. Even though Arctic species richness is increasing via immigration from the South, many Arctic vertebrates are expected to become increasingly threatened during this century. © 2012 New York Academy of Sciences.

The effect of investor-owned chain acquisitions on hospital expenses and staffing.

PubMed Central

Manheim, L M; Shortell, S M; McFall, S

1989-01-01

Much concern has been raised about the effect of "corporatization" of health through the expansion of investor-owned hospital chains. One method of expansion is through hospital acquisition. At issue is the question of the effect of acquisitions on expenses and on such patient care inputs as staffing levels. In this article, we examine the effect of acquisition by one investor-owned chain on hospital costs and staffing. Subsequent to acquisition, hospital costs increase and staffing decreases, relative to competitor hospitals. However, since investor-owned hospitals not recently acquired do not have higher cost levels than their competitors, the increase in costs appears to be due to factors associated with the acquisition itself rather than factors associated with being an investor-owned hospital. Under the retrospective payment system in effect at the time, revenues also were higher for acquired hospitals. Under prospective payment, increasing revenues has been more difficult, decreasing acquisition incentives. PMID:2807933

Measuring the success of electronic medical record implementation using electronic and survey data.

PubMed Central

Keshavjee, K.; Troyan, S.; Holbrook, A. M.; VanderMolen, D.

2001-01-01

Computerization of physician practices is increasing. Stakeholders are demanding demonstrated value for their Electronic Medical Record (EMR) implementations. We developed survey tools to measure medical office processes, including administrative and physician tasks pre- and post-EMR implementation. We included variables that were expected to improve with EMR implementation and those that were not expected to improve, as controls. We measured the same processes pre-EMR, at six months and 18 months post-EMR. Time required for most administrative tasks decreased within six months of EMR implementation. Staff time spent on charting increased with time, in keeping with our anecdotal observations that nurses were given more responsibility for charting in many offices. Physician time to chart increased initially by 50%, but went down to original levels by 18 months. However, this may be due to the drop-out of those physicians who had a difficult time charting electronically. PMID:11825201

Synthetic cannabinoids 2015: An update for pediatricians in clinical practice

PubMed Central

Castellanos, Daniel; Gralnik, Leonard M

2016-01-01

Synthetic cannabinoids are a group of substances in the world of designer drugs that have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Synthetic cannabinoids are a chemically diverse group of compounds functionally similar to THC. Since first appearing on the world market a few years ago these compounds have evolved rapidly. Newer more potent analogues have been developed. Identifying youth who abuse these substances can be difficult. Newer forms of consumption have also evolved. These products are now manufactured in products that look like natural cannabis resin and in liquid cartridges used in electronic cigarettes. Synthetic cannabinoids appear to be associated with potentially dangerous health effects that are more severe than that of marijuana. Some synthetic cannabinoid compounds have been associated with serious physical consequences, such as, seizures, myocardial infarction and renal damage. In addition, psychoactive effects, such as aggression, confusion, anxiety and psychosis have also been reported. The diagnosis remains primarily clinical with toxicological confirmation difficult due to manufacturers constantly developing new analogues to avoid detection. Pediatricians are urged to familiarize themselves with these drugs and the typical presentations of patients who use them. PMID:26862498

What is metabolic syndrome, and why are children getting it?

PubMed Central

Weiss, Ram; Bremer, Andrew A; Lustig, Robert H

2013-01-01

Metabolic syndrome comprises a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, altered glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, and abdominal obesity) that occur in obese children. However, metabolic syndrome can also occur in lean individuals, suggesting that obesity is a marker for the syndrome, not a cause. Metabolic syndrome is difficult to define, due to its nonuniform classification and reliance on hard cutoffs in the evaluation of disorders with non-Gaussian distributions. Defining the syndrome is even more difficult in children, owing to racial and pubertal differences and lack of cardiovascular events. Lipid partitioning among specific fat depots is associated with insulin resistance, which can lead to mitochondrial overload and dysfunctional subcellular energy use and drive the various elements of metabolic syndrome. Multiple environmental factors, in particular a typical Western diet, drive mitochondrial overload, while other changes in Western society, such as stress and sleep deprivation, increase insulin resistance and the propensity for food intake. These culminate in an adverse biochemical phenotype, including development of altered glucose metabolism and early atherogenesis during childhood and early adulthood. PMID:23356701

Taking error into account when fitting models using Approximate Bayesian Computation.

PubMed

van der Vaart, Elske; Prangle, Dennis; Sibly, Richard M

2018-03-01

Stochastic computer simulations are often the only practical way of answering questions relating to ecological management. However, due to their complexity, such models are difficult to calibrate and evaluate. Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) offers an increasingly popular approach to this problem, widely applied across a variety of fields. However, ensuring the accuracy of ABC's estimates has been difficult. Here, we obtain more accurate estimates by incorporating estimation of error into the ABC protocol. We show how this can be done where the data consist of repeated measures of the same quantity and errors may be assumed to be normally distributed and independent. We then derive the correct acceptance probabilities for a probabilistic ABC algorithm, and update the coverage test with which accuracy is assessed. We apply this method, which we call error-calibrated ABC, to a toy example and a realistic 14-parameter simulation model of earthworms that is used in environmental risk assessment. A comparison with exact methods and the diagnostic coverage test show that our approach improves estimation of parameter values and their credible intervals for both models. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

As-built data capture of complex piping using photogrammetry technology

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

Morray, J.P.; Ziu, C.G.

1995-11-01

Plant owners face an increasingly difficult and expensive task of updating drawings, both regarding the plant logic and physical layout. Through the use of photogrammetry technology, H-H spectrum has created a complete operating plant data capture service, with the result that the task of recording accurate plant configurations has become assured and economical. The technology has proven to be extremely valuable for the capture of complex piping configurations, as well as entire plant facilities, and yields accuracy within 1/4 inch. The method uses photographs and workstation technology to quickly document and compute the plant layout, with all components, regardless ofmore » size, included in the resulting model. The system has the capability to compute actual 3-D coordinates of any point based on previous triangulations, allowing for an immediate assessment of accuracy. This ensures a consistent level of accuracy, which is impossible to achieve in a manual approach. Due to the speed of the process, the approach is very important in hazardous/difficult environments such as nuclear power facilities or offshore platforms.« less

Remote sensing of ocean surface currents: a review of what is being observed and what is being assimilated

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isern-Fontanet, Jordi; Ballabrera-Poy, Joaquim; Turiel, Antonio; García-Ladona, Emilio

2017-10-01

Ocean currents play a key role in Earth's climate - they impact almost any process taking place in the ocean and are of major importance for navigation and human activities at sea. Nevertheless, their observation and forecasting are still difficult. First, no observing system is able to provide direct measurements of global ocean currents on synoptic scales. Consequently, it has been necessary to use sea surface height and sea surface temperature measurements and refer to dynamical frameworks to derive the velocity field. Second, the assimilation of the velocity field into numerical models of ocean circulation is difficult mainly due to lack of data. Recent experiments that assimilate coastal-based radar data have shown that ocean currents will contribute to increasing the forecast skill of surface currents, but require application in multidata assimilation approaches to better identify the thermohaline structure of the ocean. In this paper we review the current knowledge in these fields and provide a global and systematic view of the technologies to retrieve ocean velocities in the upper ocean and the available approaches to assimilate this information into ocean models.

A child with a difficult airway: what do I do next?

PubMed

Engelhardt, Thomas; Weiss, Markus

2012-06-01

Difficulties in pediatric airway management are common and continue to result in significant morbidity and mortality. This review reports on current concepts in approaching a child with a difficult airway. Routine airway management in healthy children with normal airways is simple in experienced hands. Mask ventilation (oxygenation) is always possible and tracheal intubation normally simple. However, transient hypoxia is common in these children usually due to unexpected anatomical and functional airway problems or failure to ventilate during rapid sequence induction. Anatomical airway problems (upper airway collapse and adenoid hypertrophy) and functional airway problems (laryngospasm, bronchospasm, insufficient depth of anesthesia and muscle rigidity, gastric hyperinflation, and alveolar collapse) require urgent recognition and treatment algorithms due to insufficient oxygen reserves. Early muscle paralysis and epinephrine administration aids resolution of these functional airway obstructions. Children with an 'impaired' normal (foreign body, allergy, and inflammation) or an expected difficult (scars, tumors, and congenital) airway require careful planning and expertise. Training in the recognition and management of these different situations as well as a suitably equipped anesthesia workstation and trained personnel are essential. The healthy child with an unexpected airway problem requires clear strategies. The 'impaired' normal pediatric airway may be handled by anesthetists experienced with children, whereas the expected difficult pediatric airway requires dedicated pediatric anesthesia specialist care and should only be managed in specialized centers.

POPcorn: A PrOject Portal for corn

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The rapidly increasing quantity of maize data available on the Internet means that locating and searching for relevant data and information is increasingly difficult for maize researchers. Finding appropriate sites and then learning how to navigate the sites can be difficult and time-consuming. Find...

Repeated retrieval practice and item difficulty: does criterion learning eliminate item difficulty effects?

PubMed

Vaughn, Kalif E; Rawson, Katherine A; Pyc, Mary A

2013-12-01

A wealth of previous research has established that retrieval practice promotes memory, particularly when retrieval is successful. Although successful retrieval promotes memory, it remains unclear whether successful retrieval promotes memory equally well for items of varying difficulty. Will easy items still outperform difficult items on a final test if all items have been correctly recalled equal numbers of times during practice? In two experiments, normatively difficult and easy Lithuanian-English word pairs were learned via test-restudy practice until each item had been correctly recalled a preassigned number of times (from 1 to 11 correct recalls). Despite equating the numbers of successful recalls during practice, performance on a delayed final cued-recall test was lower for difficult than for easy items. Experiment 2 was designed to diagnose whether the disadvantage for difficult items was due to deficits in cue memory, target memory, and/or associative memory. The results revealed a disadvantage for the difficult versus the easy items only on the associative recognition test, with no differences on cue recognition, and even an advantage on target recognition. Although successful retrieval enhanced memory for both difficult and easy items, equating retrieval success during practice did not eliminate normative item difficulty differences.

Federal Student Loans: Impact of Loan Limit Increases on College Prices Is Difficult to Discern. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-14-7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowicki, Jacqueline M.

2014-01-01

For more than a decade, college prices have been rising consistently and have continued to rise at a gradual pace after the Stafford loan limit increases were enacted in 2008 and 2009. However, it is difficult to determine if a direct relationship exists between increases in college prices and the Stafford loan limit increases because of the…

Graph-matching based CTA.

PubMed

Maksimov, Dmitry; Hesser, Jürgen; Brockmann, Carolin; Jochum, Susanne; Dietz, Tiina; Schnitzer, Andreas; Düber, Christoph; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Diehl, Steffen

2009-12-01

Separating bone, calcification, and vessels in computer tomography angiography (CTA) allows for a detailed diagnosis of vessel stenosis. This paper presents a new, graph-based technique that solves this difficult problem with high accuracy. The approach requires one native data set and one that is contrast enhanced. On each data set, an attributed level-graph is derived and both graphs are matched by dynamic programming to differentiate between bone, on one hand side, and vessel/calcification on the other hand side. Lumen and calcified regions are then separated by a profile technique. Evaluation is based on data from vessels of pelvis and lower extremities of elderly patients. Due to substantial calcification and motion of patients between and during the acquisitions, the underlying approach is tested on a class of difficult cases. Analysis requires 3-5 min on a Pentium IV 3 GHz for a 700 MByte data set. Among 37 patients, our approach correctly identifies all three components in 80% of cases correctly compared to visual control. Critical inconsistencies with visual inspection were found in 6% of all cases; 70% of these inconsistencies are due to small vessels that have 1) a diameter near the resolution of the CT and 2) are passing next to bony structures. All other remaining deviations are found in an incorrect handling of the iliac artery since the slice thickness is near the diameter of this vessel and since the orientation is not in cranio-caudal direction. Increasing resolution is thus expected to solve many the aforementioned difficulties.

Should religious beliefs be allowed to stonewall a secular approach to withdrawing and withholding treatment in children?

PubMed

Brierley, Joe; Linthicum, Jim; Petros, Andy

2013-09-01

Religion is an important element of end-of-life care on the paediatric intensive care unit with religious belief providing support for many families and for some staff. However, religious claims used by families to challenge cessation of aggressive therapies considered futile and burdensome by a wide range of medical and lay people can cause considerable problems and be very difficult to resolve. While it is vital to support families in such difficult times, we are increasingly concerned that deeply held belief in religion can lead to children being potentially subjected to burdensome care in expectation of 'miraculous' intervention. We reviewed cases involving end-of-life decisions over a 3-year period. In 186 of 203 cases in which withdrawal or limitation of invasive therapy was recommended, agreement was achieved. However, in the 17 remaining cases extended discussions with medical teams and local support mechanisms did not lead to resolution. Of these cases, 11 (65%) involved explicit religious claims that intensive care should not be stopped due to expectation of divine intervention and complete cure together with conviction that overly pessimistic medical predictions were wrong. The distribution of the religions included Protestant, Muslim, Jewish and Roman Catholic groups. Five of the 11 cases were resolved after meeting religious community leaders; one child had intensive care withdrawn following a High Court order, and in the remaining five, all Christian, no resolution was possible due to expressed expectations that a 'miracle' would happen.

Sequential algorithm analysis to facilitate selective biliary access for difficult biliary cannulation in ERCP: a prospective clinical study.

PubMed

Lee, Tae Hoon; Hwang, Soon Oh; Choi, Hyun Jong; Jung, Yunho; Cha, Sang Woo; Chung, Il-Kwun; Moon, Jong Ho; Cho, Young Deok; Park, Sang-Heum; Kim, Sun-Joo

2014-02-17

Numerous clinical trials to improve the success rate of biliary access in difficult biliary cannulation (DBC) during ERCP have been reported. However, standard guidelines or sequential protocol analysis according to different methods are limited in place. We planned to investigate a sequential protocol to facilitate selective biliary access for DBC during ERCP. This prospective clinical study enrolled 711 patients with naïve papillae at a tertiary referral center. If wire-guided cannulation was deemed to have failed due to the DBC criteria, then according to the cannulation algorithm early precut fistulotomy (EPF; cannulation time > 5 min, papillary contacts > 5 times, or hook-nose-shaped papilla), double-guidewire cannulation (DGC; unintentional pancreatic duct cannulation ≥ 3 times), and precut after placement of a pancreatic stent (PPS; if DGC was difficult or failed) were performed sequentially. The main outcome measurements were the technical success, procedure outcomes, and complications. Initially, a total of 140 (19.7%) patients with DBC underwent EPF (n = 71) and DGC (n = 69). Then, in DGC group 36 patients switched to PPS due to difficulty criteria. The successful biliary cannulation rate was 97.1% (136/140; 94.4% [67/71] with EPF, 47.8% [33/69] with DGC, and 100% [36/36] with PPS; P < 0.001). The mean successful cannulation time (standard deviation) was 559.4 (412.8) seconds in EPF, 314.8 (65.2) seconds in DGC, and 706.0 (469.4) seconds in PPS (P < 0.05). The DGC group had a relatively low successful cannulation rate (47.8%) but had a shorter cannulation time compared to the other groups due to early switching to the PPS method in difficult or failed DGC. Post-ERCP pancreatitis developed in 14 (10%) patients (9 mild, 1 moderate), which did not differ significantly among the groups (P = 0.870) or compared with the conventional group (P = 0.125). Based on the sequential protocol analysis, EPF, DGC, and PPS may be safe and feasible for DBC. The use of EPF in selected DBC criteria, DGC in unintentional pancreatic duct cannulations, and PPS in failed or difficult DGC may facilitate successful biliary cannulation.

Deep Learning-Based Gaze Detection System for Automobile Drivers Using a NIR Camera Sensor.

PubMed

Naqvi, Rizwan Ali; Arsalan, Muhammad; Batchuluun, Ganbayar; Yoon, Hyo Sik; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-02-03

A paradigm shift is required to prevent the increasing automobile accident deaths that are mostly due to the inattentive behavior of drivers. Knowledge of gaze region can provide valuable information regarding a driver's point of attention. Accurate and inexpensive gaze classification systems in cars can improve safe driving. However, monitoring real-time driving behaviors and conditions presents some challenges: dizziness due to long drives, extreme lighting variations, glasses reflections, and occlusions. Past studies on gaze detection in cars have been chiefly based on head movements. The margin of error in gaze detection increases when drivers gaze at objects by moving their eyes without moving their heads. To solve this problem, a pupil center corneal reflection (PCCR)-based method has been considered. However, the error of accurately detecting the pupil center and corneal reflection center is increased in a car environment due to various environment light changes, reflections on glasses surface, and motion and optical blurring of captured eye image. In addition, existing PCCR-based methods require initial user calibration, which is difficult to perform in a car environment. To address this issue, we propose a deep learning-based gaze detection method using a near-infrared (NIR) camera sensor considering driver head and eye movement that does not require any initial user calibration. The proposed system is evaluated on our self-constructed database as well as on open Columbia gaze dataset (CAVE-DB). The proposed method demonstrated greater accuracy than the previous gaze classification methods.

Deep Learning-Based Gaze Detection System for Automobile Drivers Using a NIR Camera Sensor

PubMed Central

Naqvi, Rizwan Ali; Arsalan, Muhammad; Batchuluun, Ganbayar; Yoon, Hyo Sik; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-01-01

A paradigm shift is required to prevent the increasing automobile accident deaths that are mostly due to the inattentive behavior of drivers. Knowledge of gaze region can provide valuable information regarding a driver’s point of attention. Accurate and inexpensive gaze classification systems in cars can improve safe driving. However, monitoring real-time driving behaviors and conditions presents some challenges: dizziness due to long drives, extreme lighting variations, glasses reflections, and occlusions. Past studies on gaze detection in cars have been chiefly based on head movements. The margin of error in gaze detection increases when drivers gaze at objects by moving their eyes without moving their heads. To solve this problem, a pupil center corneal reflection (PCCR)-based method has been considered. However, the error of accurately detecting the pupil center and corneal reflection center is increased in a car environment due to various environment light changes, reflections on glasses surface, and motion and optical blurring of captured eye image. In addition, existing PCCR-based methods require initial user calibration, which is difficult to perform in a car environment. To address this issue, we propose a deep learning-based gaze detection method using a near-infrared (NIR) camera sensor considering driver head and eye movement that does not require any initial user calibration. The proposed system is evaluated on our self-constructed database as well as on open Columbia gaze dataset (CAVE-DB). The proposed method demonstrated greater accuracy than the previous gaze classification methods. PMID:29401681

Assessment of rat optic nerve damage due to microbeam radiation therapy in the treatment of glioblastomas.

PubMed

Mohamed, A; Worobec, S; Schultke, E

2008-01-01

Glioblastomas are the most common and aggressive subtype of human primary brain tumors. Due to their uncontrolled cellular proliferation, intense invasion, and lack of apoptosis, they are extremely difficult to treat. Currently, different approaches such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been employed as possible treatments however thus far; these treatments are not curative. Currently, microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is being trialed in animal models of malignant brain tumors (rats) to aid in treatment. Some of the protocols tested have been shown to significantly increase survival rates. However, due to the high x-ray doses uses in MRT, the surrounding tissue of the targeted Glioblastomas may be irreversibly damaged. In previous studies, lens damage and clouding of the cornea have been observed in microbeam exposed eyes. However, to date no studies have assessed optic nerve damage. Therefore, this study examines the potential rat optic nerve damage following exposure to microbeam radiation therapy in the treatment of Glioblastomas. Although there appears to be no significant damage to the optic nerve, slight inflammation was observed within the extra ocular muscle.

3D quantification of microclimate volume in layered clothing for the prediction of clothing insulation.

PubMed

Lee, Yejin; Hong, Kyunghi; Hong, Sung-Ae

2007-05-01

Garment fit and resultant air volume is a crucial factor in thermal insulation, and yet, it has been difficult to quantify the air volume of clothing microclimate and relate it to the thermal insulation value just using the information on the size of clothing pattern without actual 3D volume measurement in wear condition. As earlier methods for the computation of air volume in clothing microclimate, vacuum over suit and circumference model have been used. However, these methods have inevitable disadvantages in terms of cost or accuracy due to the limitations of measurement equipment. In this paper, the phase-shifting moiré topography was introduced as one of the 3D scanning tools to measure the air volume of clothing microclimate quantitatively. The purpose of this research is to adopt a non-contact image scanning technology, phase-shifting moiré topography, to ascertain relationship between air volume and insulation value of layered clothing systems in wear situations where the 2D fabric creates new conditions in 3D spaces. The insulation of vests over shirts as a layered clothing system was measured with a thermal manikin in the environmental condition of 20 degrees C, 65% RH and air velocity of 0.79 m/s. As the pattern size increased, the insulation of the clothing system was increased. But beyond a certain limit, the insulation started to decrease due to convection and ventilation, which is more apparent when only the vest was worn over the torso of manikin. The relationship between clothing air volume and insulation was difficult to predict with a single vest due to the extreme openings which induced active ventilation. But when the vest was worn over the shirt, the effects of thickness of the fabrics on insulation were less pronounced compared with that of air volume. In conclusion, phase-shifting moiré topography was one of the efficient and accurate ways of quantifying air volume and its distribution across the clothing microclimate. It is also noted that air volume becomes more crucial factor in predicting thermal insulation when clothing is layered.

Does More Public Health Spending Buy Better Health?

PubMed Central

Sung, Jaesang; Honore, Peggy

2015-01-01

Background: In this article, we attempt to address a persistent question in the health policy literature: Does more public health spending buy better health? This is a difficult question to answer due to unobserved differences in public health across regions as well as the potential for an endogenous relationship between public health spending and public health outcomes. Methods: We take advantage of the unique way in which public health is funded in Georgia to avoid this endogeneity problem, using a twelve year panel dataset of Georgia county public health expenditures and outcomes in order to address the “unobservables” problem. Results: We find that increases in public health spending lead to increases in mortality by several different causes, including early deaths and heart disease deaths. We also find that increases in such spending leads to increases in morbidity from heart disease. Conclusions: Our results suggest that more public health funding may not always lead to improvements in health outcomes at the county level. PMID:28462255

Two case reports of unexpected tracheal agenesis in the neonate: 3 C's beyond algorithms for difficult airway management.

PubMed

Grass, Beate; Simma, Leopold; Reinehr, Michael; Zimmermann, Urs; Gysin, Claudine; Henze, Georg; Cannizzaro, Vincenzo

2017-02-08

Handling neonates with postnatal respiratory failure due to congenital airway malformations implies knowledge about emergency management of unexpected difficult airway. In these stressful situations both technical and communication skills of the caretakers are essential. Two cases with prenatally unknown tracheal agenesis are reported. In the presented cases, airway malformation and subsequent difficulties upon endotracheal intubation were not adequately communicated between caretakers. We discuss the aspects of culture, communication, and capnography.

[The relationships between population and economy, and between population and education].

PubMed

Yu, W

1981-01-01

The relationship between population and economy is regarded seriously by China and other countries. This problem can be analyzed and studied under 2 aspects: 1) the influence of economic development on changes in population, and 2) the influence of population increases on economic development. Under the 1st aspect, improved living conditions, hygiene, and health care generally result in lowered mortality rates. Improved economic conditions in China also increased the birthrate and at the same time increased birth control among the people; the increased birthrate was due to more marriages after liberation. In economically advanced countries, due to high expenses in raising children, people tend to limit family sizes to 2 children/family. Under the 2nd aspect, population increases place strains on the food supply and nutritional requirements, especially when increases are too rapid. They also demand more educational resources and influence quality of education. As there are currently 210 million students in China, the quality of education suffers, particularly at the college level, since most of Chinese manpower, physical and financial resources are spent on primary and secondary education. In terms of housing, transportation, health care, and natural resources, they are all intimately related to and influenced by increases in population. Consequently, the living standard would be difficult to raise if population increases are too rapid. Since 1971, population increases have been incorporated into 5-yearly and later yearly national economic plans in China. The large Chinese population is a major obstacle in raising the Chinese economic level, hence a well-planned population control program is essential.

[Aggression and restlessness following baclofen overdose: the narrow line between intoxication and withdrawal symptoms].

PubMed

de Witte, L D; Dekker, D; Veraart, J; Kromkamp, M; Kaasjager, K; Vinkers, C H

2016-01-01

Baclofen is increasingly prescribed for alcohol dependency. Subsequently, the risk of self-intoxication with this medicinal product is increasing. A 23-year-old man with a history of alcohol dependence was admitted to our hospital after self-intoxication with 2700 mg baclofen and 330 mg mirtazapine. Respiratory insufficiency as a result of the baclofen intoxication required intubation and admission to the ICU. During the first day, despite the use of sedatives, the patient became intermittently agitated and aggressive. In the following days, he developed severe delirium, probably due to baclofen withdrawal. The reintroduction of baclofen quickly resolved these symptoms. In the case of baclofen, in practice it is difficult to differentiate between intoxication and withdrawal. To prevent potentially severe withdrawal symptoms, we recommend reintroduction of baclofen when the first signs of restlessness and agitation arise following intoxication.

Metal-Organic Framework Modified Glass Substrate for Analysis of Highly Volatile Chemical Warfare Agents by Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Dhummakupt, Elizabeth S; Carmany, Daniel O; Mach, Phillip M; Tovar, Trenton M; Ploskonka, Ann M; Demond, Paul S; DeCoste, Jared B; Glaros, Trevor

2018-03-07

Paper spray mass spectrometry has been shown to successfully analyze chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants. However, due to the volatility differences between the simulants and real G-series (i.e., sarin, soman) CWAs, analysis from an untreated paper substrate proved difficult. To extend the analytical lifetime of these G-agents, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were successfully integrated onto the paper spray substrates to increase adsorption and desorption. In this study, several MOFs and nanoparticles were tested to extend the analytical lifetimes of sarin, soman, and cyclosarin on paper spray substrates. It was found that the addition of either UiO-66 or HKUST-1 to the paper substrate increased the analytical lifetime of the G-agents from less than 5 min detectability to at least 50 min.

[Alliance against MDRO: safeguarding antibiotics].

PubMed

Carlet, J; Rambaud, C; Pulcini, C

2012-09-01

Resistance to antibiotics has increased recently to a dramatic extend, and the pipeline of new antibiotics is almost dry for the 5 next years. Failures happen already for trivial community acquired infections, like pyelonephritis, or peritonitis, and this is likely to increase. Difficult surgical procedures, transplants, and other immunosuppressive therapies will become far more risky. Resistance is mainly due to an excessive usage of antibiotics, in all sectors, including the animal one. Action is urgently needed. Therefore, an alliance against MDRO has been recently created, which includes health care professionals, consumers, health managers, and politicians. The document highlights the different proposed measures, and represents a strong consensus between the different professionals, including general practitioners, and veterinarians. Copyright © 2012 Société française d'anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Standardizing economic analysis in prevention will require substantial effort.

PubMed

Guyll, Max

2014-12-01

It is exceedingly difficult to compare results of economic analyses across studies due to variations in assumptions, methodology, and outcome measures, a fact which surely decreases the impact and usefulness of prevention-related economic research. Therefore, Crowley et al. (Prevention Science, 2013) are precisely correct in their call for increased standardization and have usefully highlighted the issues that must be addressed. However, having made the need clear, the questions become what form the solution should take, and how should it be implemented. The present discussion outlines the rudiments of a comprehensive framework for promoting standardized methodology in the estimation of economic outcomes, as encouraged by Crowley et al. In short, a single, standard, reference case approach should be clearly articulated, and all economic research should be encouraged to apply that standard approach, with results from compliant analyses being reported in a central archive. Properly done, the process would increase the ability of those without specialized training to contribute to the body of economic research pertaining to prevention, and the most difficult tasks of predicting and monetizing distal outcomes would be readily completed through predetermined models. These recommendations might be viewed as somewhat forcible, insomuch as they advocate for prescribing the details of a standard methodology and establishing a means of verifying compliance. However, it is unclear that the best practices proposed by Crowley et al. will be widely adopted in the absence of a strong and determined approach.

Quantifying climate change impacts emphasises the importance of managing regional threats in the endangered Yellow-eyed penguin.

PubMed

Mattern, Thomas; Meyer, Stefan; Ellenberg, Ursula; Houston, David M; Darby, John T; Young, Melanie; van Heezik, Yolanda; Seddon, Philip J

2017-01-01

Climate change is a global issue with effects that are difficult to manage at a regional scale. Yet more often than not climate factors are just some of multiple stressors affecting species on a population level. Non-climatic factors-especially those of anthropogenic origins-may play equally important roles with regard to impacts on species and are often more feasible to address. Here we assess the influence of climate change on population trends of the endangered Yellow-eyed penguin ( Megadyptes antipodes ) over the last 30 years, using a Bayesian model. Sea surface temperature (SST) proved to be the dominating factor influencing survival of both adult birds and fledglings. Increasing SST since the mid-1990s was accompanied by a reduction in survival rates and population decline. The population model showed that 33% of the variation in population numbers could be explained by SST alone, significantly increasing pressure on the penguin population. Consequently, the population becomes less resilient to non-climate related impacts, such as fisheries interactions, habitat degradation and human disturbance. However, the extent of the contribution of these factors to declining population trends is extremely difficult to assess principally due to the absence of quantifiable data, creating a discussion bias towards climate variables, and effectively distracting from non-climate factors that can be managed on a regional scale to ensure the viability of the population.

Anesthetic management for Cesarean delivery in parturients with a diagnosis of dwarfism.

PubMed

Lange, Elizabeth M S; Toledo, Paloma; Stariha, Jillian; Nixon, Heather C

2016-08-01

The literature on the anesthetic management of parturients with dwarfism is sparse and limited to isolated case reports. Pregnancy complications associated with dwarfism include an increased risk of respiratory compromise, an increased risk of Cesarean delivery, and an unpredictable degree of anesthesia with neuraxial techniques. Therefore, we conducted this retrospective review to evaluate the anesthetic management of parturients with a diagnosis of dwarfism. We used a query of billing data to identify short statured women who underwent a Cesarean delivery during May 1, 2008 to May 1, 2013. We then hand searched the electronic medical record for qualifying patients with heights < 148 cm and a diagnosis of dwarfism. The extracted data included patient demographics and obstetric and anesthetic information. We identified 13 women with dwarfism who had 15 Cesarean deliveries in total. Twelve of the women had disproportionate dwarfism, and ten of the 15 Cesarean deliveries were due to cephalopelvic disproportion. Neuraxial anesthesia was attempted in 93% of deliveries. The dose chosen for initiation of neuraxial anesthesia was lower than the typical doses used in parturients of normal stature. Neuraxial anesthetic complications included difficult neuraxial placement (64%), high spinal (7%), inadequate surgical level (13%), and unrecognized intrathecal catheter (7%). The data collected suggest that females with a diagnosis of dwarfism may have difficult neuraxial placement and potentially require lower dosages of local anesthetic for both spinal and epidural anesthesia to achieve adequate surgical blockade.

Hardness of model dental composites - the effect of filler volume fraction and silanation.

PubMed

McCabe, J F; Wassell, R W

1999-05-01

The relationship between structure and mechanical properties for dental composites has often proved difficult to determine due to the use of commercially available materials having a number of differences in composition i.e. different type of resin, different type of filler, etc. This makes a scientific study of any one variable such as filler content difficult if not impossible. In the current study it was the aim to test the hypothesis that hardness measurements of dental composites could be used to monitor the status of the resin-filler interface and to determine the efficacy of any particle silanation process. Ten model composites formulated from a single batch of resin and containing a common type of glass filler were formulated to contain varying amounts of filler. Some materials contained silanated filler, others contained unsilanated filler. Specimens were prepared and stored in water and hardness (Vickers') was determined at 24 h using loads of 50, 100, 200 and 300 g. Composites containing silanated fillers were significantly harder than materials containing unsilanated fillers. For unsilanated products hardness was independent of applied load and in this respect they behaved like homogeneous materials. For composites containing silanated fillers there was a marked increase in measured hardness as applied load was increased. This suggests that the hardness-load profile could be used to monitor the status of the resin-filler interface. Copyright 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers

Recruitment Modeling Applied to Longitudinal Studies of Group Differences in Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madhyastha, Tara M.; Hunt, Earl; Deary, Ian J.; Gale, Catharine R.; Dykiert, Dominika

2009-01-01

In longitudinal studies data is collected in a series of waves. Each wave after the first suffers from attrition. Therefore it can be difficult to discriminate between changes in sample parameters due to a longitudinal process (e.g. ageing) and changes due to attrition. The problem is particularly vexing if one of the purposes is to compare…

A Corpus-Based Evaluation on Two Different English for Nursing Purposes (ENP) Course Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamad, Alif Fairus Nor; Puteh, Sharifah Nor

2017-01-01

It is difficult for most of the second language learners in Malaysia to function proficiently in English language due to limited vocabulary knowledge. It has also been challenging for TESL graduates to fit in as ENP teachers due to the lack of specialized vocabulary knowledge in nursing field. Thus, a course books has always been a highly…

Classification of dried vegetables using computer image analysis and artificial neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koszela, K.; Łukomski, M.; Mueller, W.; Górna, K.; Okoń, P.; Boniecki, P.; Zaborowicz, M.; Wojcieszak, D.

2017-07-01

In the recent years, there has been a continuously increasing demand for vegetables and dried vegetables. This trend affects the growth of the dehydration industry in Poland helping to exploit excess production. More and more often dried vegetables are used in various sectors of the food industry, both due to their high nutritional qualities and changes in consumers' food preferences. As we observe an increase in consumer awareness regarding a healthy lifestyle and a boom in health food, there is also an increase in the consumption of such food, which means that the production and crop area can increase further. Among the dried vegetables, dried carrots play a strategic role due to their wide application range and high nutritional value. They contain high concentrations of carotene and sugar which is present in the form of crystals. Carrots are also the vegetables which are most often subjected to a wide range of dehydration processes; this makes it difficult to perform a reliable qualitative assessment and classification of this dried product. The many qualitative properties of dried carrots determining their positive or negative quality assessment include colour and shape. The aim of the research was to develop and implement the model of a computer system for the recognition and classification of freeze-dried, convection-dried and microwave vacuum dried products using the methods of computer image analysis and artificial neural networks.

Satellite Observations and Chemistry Climate Models - A Meandering Path Towards Better Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, Anne R.

2011-01-01

Knowledge of the chemical and dynamical processes that control the stratospheric ozone layer has grown rapidly since the 1970s, when ideas that depletion of the ozone layer due to human activity were put forth. The concept of ozone depletion due to anthropogenic chlorine increase is simple; quantification of the effect is much more difficult. The future of stratospheric ozone is complicated because ozone is expected to increase for two reasons: the slow decrease in anthropogenic chlorine due to the Montreal Protocol and its amendments and stratospheric cooling caused by increases in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Prediction of future ozone levels requires three-dimensional models that represent physical, photochemical and radiative processes, i.e., chemistry climate models (CCMs). While laboratory kinetic and photochemical data are necessary inputs for a CCM, atmospheric measurements are needed both to reveal physical and chemical processes and for comparison with simulations to test the conceptual model that CCMs represent. Global measurements are available from various satellites including but not limited to the LIMS and TOMS instruments on Nimbus 7 (1979 - 1993), and various instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (1991 - 2005), Envisat (2002 - ongoing), Sci-Sat (2003 - ongoing) and Aura (2004 - ongoing). Every successful satellite instrument requires a physical concept for the measurement, knowledge of physical chemical properties of the molecules to be measured, and stellar engineering to design an instrument that will survive launch and operate for years with no opportunity for repair but providing enough information that trend information can be separated from any instrument change. The on-going challenge is to use observations to decrease uncertainty in prediction. This talk will focus on two applications. The first considers transport diagnostics and implications for prediction of the eventual demise of the Antarctic ozone hole. The second focuses on the upper stratosphere, where ozone is predicted to increase both due to chlorine decrease and due to temperature decrease expected as a result of increased concentrations Of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Both applications show how diagnostics developed from global observations are being used to explain why the ozone response varies among CCM predictions for stratospheric ozone in the 21st century.

Expanding pH screening space using multiple droplets with secondary buffers for protein crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chen-Yan; Dong, Chen; Lu, Xiao-Li; Wang, Bei; He, Tian-Yuan; Yang, Rui-Zeng; Lin, Hua-Long; Yang, Xue-Zhou; Yin, Da-Chuan

2017-04-01

We have proposed a rational strategy for selecting a suitable pH of protein solution based on protein biochemical properties. However, it is difficult to use this strategy for biochemical properties unknown proteins. In this paper, a simpler and faster pH buffer strategy was proposed. An additional pH-controlling buffer was added to crystallization droplet mixed with protein solution and commercial crystallization reagents to adjust its pH. The results revealed that protein crystallization success rates were enhanced by this strategy due to expansion of the pH screening space, which was closely related with protein solubility. Thus, the possibility of reaching supersaturation was increased by using this strategy.

Changes of endolymphatic pressure in the semicircular canal of pigeon by caloric stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Y.; Suzuki, H.; Watanabe, S.

1994-08-01

It gets into difficult to explain the mechanism of caloric nystagmus only by convection theory from results of microgravity experiments. One of the other theories is an occurrence of a relative volume change due to a temperature change. Since the volume change must lead to a pressure change after caloric stimulation, we tried to measure the ampulla pressure of the horizontal semicircular canal in pigeons (Columba livia) using an improved servo micropipette system. The main result was that the ampulla pressure increased by cooling and decreased by heating. The changes of the ampulla pressure depended on the temperature change but were not influenced by the pigeon's head position.

Effects of noise and electromagnetic fields on reproductive outcomes.

PubMed Central

Meyer, R E; Aldrich, T E; Easterly, C E

1989-01-01

Much public health research has been directed to studies of cancer risks due to chemical agents. Recently, increasing attention has been given to adverse reproductive outcomes as another, shorter-term biologic indicator of public health impact. Further, several low-level ubiquitous physical agents have been implicated recently as possibly affecting human health. These physical factors (noise and electromagnetic fields) represent difficult topics for research with epidemiologic study methods. This paper provides a brief review of the published data related to the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes and exposure to noise or electromagnetic fields. The discussion includes ideas for possible biologic mechanisms, considerations for exposure assessment, and suggestions for epidemiologic research. PMID:2667980

Genetic mechanism for designing new generation of buildings from data obtained by sensor agent robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Chihiro; Mita, Akira

2012-04-01

Due to an increase in an elderly-people household, and global warming, the design of building spaces requires delicate consideration of the needs of elderly-people. Studies of intelligent spaces that can control suitable devices for residents may provide some of functions needed. However, these intelligent spaces are based on predefined scenarios so that it is difficult to handle unexpected circumstances and adapt to the needs of people. This study aims to suggest a Genetic adaption algorithm for building spaces. The feasibility of the algorithm is tested by simulation. The algorithm extend the existing design methodology by reflecting ongoing living information quickly in the variety of patterns.

Genetic and Biochemical characterization of OXA-519, a novel OXA-48-like β-lactamase.

PubMed

Dabos, Laura; Bogaerts, Pierre; Bonnin, Remy A; Zavala, Agustin; Sacré, Pierre; Iorga, Bogdan I; Huang, Daniel T; Glupczynski, Youri; Naas, Thierry

2018-06-04

A multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae 1210 isolate with reduced carbapenem susceptibility revealed the presence of a novel plasmid-encoded bla OXA-48-like gene, named bla OXA-519. The 60.7-kb plasmid (pOXA-519) was similar to the IncL-OXA-48 prototypical plasmid except for a ca. 2-kb deletion due to an IS 1R insertion. OXA-519 differed from OXA-48 by a Val120Leu substitution, which resulted in an overall reduced ß-lactam-hydrolysis profile, except for ertapenem and meropenem that was increased. Thus, detection of OXA-519-producers using biochemical tests monitoring imipenem-hydrolysis will be difficult. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

[Autoerotic fatalities in Greater Dusseldorf].

PubMed

Hartung, Benno; Hellen, Florence; Borchard, Nora; Huckenbeck, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Autoerotic fatalities in the Greater Dusseldorf area correspond to the relevant medicolegal literature. Our results included exclusively young to middle-aged, usually single men who were found dead in their city apartments. Clothing and devices used showed a great variety. Women's or fetish clothing and complex shackling or hanging devices were disproportionately frequent. In most cases, death occurred due to hanging or ligature strangulation. There was no increased incidence of underlying psychiatric disorders. In most of the deceased no or at least no remarkable alcohol intoxication was found. Occasionally, it may be difficult to reliably differentiate autoerotic accidents, accidents occurring in connection with practices of bondage & discipline, dominance & submission (BDSM) from natural death, suicide or homicide.

MRI-guided Wire Localization Surgical Biopsy in an Adolescent Patient with a Difficult to Diagnose Case of Lymphoma

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

Thompson, Scott M., E-mail: Thompson.scott@mayo.edu; Gorny, Krzysztof R.; Jondal, Danielle E.

A 17-year-old previously healthy female presented with a progressive soft tissue infiltrative process involving the neck and thorax. Extensive diagnostic evaluation including multiple imaging, laboratory, and biopsy studies was nondiagnostic. Due to an urgent need to establish a diagnosis and several previous nondiagnostic biopsies, she was referred to interventional radiology for MRI-guided wire localization immediately prior to open surgical biopsy. Under general anesthesia, wires were placed in the areas of increased T2 signal within the bilateral splenius capitis muscles using intermittent MRI-guidance followed by immediate surgical biopsy down to the wires. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

[Caring for families of charcoal-burning suicide patients].

PubMed

Pien, Feng-Chen; Feng, Hsin-Pei; Tzeng, Wen-Chii

2013-12-01

Charcoal-burning is the second major cause of suicide death in Taiwan. Predicting the variable damage and sequelae in this suicide mode is difficult due to the rapid combination of carbon monoxide with red blood cells. Delayed neuropsychological sequelae (DNS) may result in significantly extended recovery times, causing additional stress to the family. Nurses may help increase family understanding and support and guide family members to more positive intra-family interactions, shared perspectives on the recovery process, and resource seeking behavior by depicting subsequent family life and helping the entire family develop coping strategies those allow all members to effect cognitive, emotional and behavioral change. This result may help families of attempted suicide individuals recover successfully.

An Approach for Improvement of Carbon Fiber Technique to Study Cardiac Cell Contractility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myachina, T.; Khokhlova, A.; Antsygin, I.; Lookin, O.

2018-05-01

The technologies to study cardiac cell mechanics in near-physiological conditions are limited. Carbon fiber (CF) technique is a unique tool to study single cardiomyocyte contractility. However, the CF adhesion to a cell is limited and it is difficult to control CF sliding occurred due to inappropriate adhesion. In this study, we present a CF adhesion quality index – a linear coefficient (slope) derived from “end-diastolic cell length - end-diastolic sarcomere length” relationship. Potential applicability of this index is demonstrated on isolated rat and guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes. Further improvement of the approach may help to increase the quality of the experimental data obtained by CF technique.

Optimal concentrations in nectar feeding

PubMed Central

Kim, Wonjung; Gilet, Tristan; Bush, John W. M.

2011-01-01

Nectar drinkers must feed quickly and efficiently due to the threat of predation. While the sweetest nectar offers the greatest energetic rewards, the sharp increase of viscosity with sugar concentration makes it the most difficult to transport. We here demonstrate that the sugar concentration that optimizes energy transport depends exclusively on the drinking technique employed. We identify three nectar drinking techniques: active suction, capillary suction, and viscous dipping. For each, we deduce the dependence of the volume intake rate on the nectar viscosity and thus infer an optimal sugar concentration consistent with laboratory measurements. Our results provide the first rationale for why suction feeders typically pollinate flowers with lower sugar concentration nectar than their counterparts that use viscous dipping. PMID:21949358

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

... identity and location of the general licensees, it would be difficult to enforce restrictions on the..., and that the immediate need for this rule has changed due to the shift in timing for reactor...

Developing a Trace Element Biosignature for Early Earth and Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gangidine, A.; Czaja, A. D.; Havig, J.

2018-04-01

Due to metamorphism and diagenesis, determining the biogenicity of ancient fossils is difficult and often contentious. Using trace element concentrations, we propose a novel biosignature independent from organic and morphological preservation.

Analysis of Production, Impact, and Scientific Collaboration on Difficult Airway Through the Web of Science and Scopus (1981-2013).

PubMed

García-Aroca, Miguel Ángel; Pandiella-Dominique, Andrés; Navarro-Suay, Ricardo; Alonso-Arroyo, Adolfo; Granda-Orive, José Ignacio; Anguita-Rodríguez, Francisco; López-García, Andrés

2017-06-01

Bibliometrics, the statistical analysis of written publications, is an increasingly popular approach to the assessment of scientific activity. Bibliometrics allows researchers to assess the impact of a field, or research area, and has been used to make decisions regarding research funding. Through bibliometric analysis, we hypothesized that a bibliometric analysis of difficult airway research would demonstrate a growth in authors and articles over time. Using the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases, we conducted a search of published manuscripts on the difficult airway from January 1981 to December 2013. After removal of duplicates, we identified 2412 articles. We then analyzed the articles as a group to assess indicators of productivity, collaboration, and impact over this time period. We found an increase in productivity over the study period, with 37 manuscripts published between 1981 and 1990, and 1268 between 2001 and 2010 (P < .001). The difficult airway papers growth rate was bigger than that of anesthesiology research in general, with CAGR (cumulative average growth rate) since 1999 for difficult airway >9% for both WoS and Scopus, and CAGR for anesthesiology as a whole =0.64% in WoS, and =3.30% in Scopus. Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between the number of papers published per author and the number of coauthored manuscripts (P < .001). We also found an increase in the number of coauthored manuscripts, in international cooperation between institutions, and in the number of citations for each manuscript. For any author, we also identified a positive relationship between the number of citations per manuscript and the number of papers published (P < .001). We found a greater increase over time in the number of difficult airway manuscripts than for anesthesiology research overall. We found that collaboration between authors increases their impact, and that an increase in collaboration increases citation rates. Publishing in English and in certain journals, and collaborating with certain authors and institutions, increases the visibility of manuscripts published on this subject.

Conflict management: difficult conversations with difficult people.

PubMed

Overton, Amy R; Lowry, Ann C

2013-12-01

Conflict occurs frequently in any workplace; health care is not an exception. The negative consequences include dysfunctional team work, decreased patient satisfaction, and increased employee turnover. Research demonstrates that training in conflict resolution skills can result in improved teamwork, productivity, and patient and employee satisfaction. Strategies to address a disruptive physician, a particularly difficult conflict situation in healthcare, are addressed.

[Predictive value of preoperative tests in estimating difficult intubation in patients who underwent direct laryngoscopy in ear, nose, and throat surgery].

PubMed

Karakus, Osman; Kaya, Cengiz; Ustun, Faik Emre; Koksal, Ersin; Ustun, Yasemin Burcu

2015-01-01

Predictive value of preoperative tests in estimating difficult intubation may differ in the laryngeal pathologies. Patients who had undergone direct laryngoscopy (DL) were reviewed, and predictive value of preoperative tests in estimating difficult intubation was investigated. Preoperative, and intraoperative anesthesia record forms, and computerized system of the hospital were screened. A total of 2611 patients were assessed. In 7.4% of the patients, difficult intubations were detected. Difficult intubations were encountered in some of the patients with Mallampati scoring (MS) system Class 4 (50%), Cormack-Lehane classification (CLS) Grade 4 (95.7%), previous knowledge of difficult airway (86.2%), restricted neck movements (cervical ROM) (75.8%), short thyromental distance (TMD) (81.6%), vocal cord mass (49.5%) as indicated in parentheses (p<0.0001). MS had a low sensitivity, while restricted cervical ROM, presence of a vocal cord mass, short thyromental distance, and MS each had a relatively higher positive predictive value. Incidence of difficult intubations increased 6.159 and 1.736-fold with each level of increase in CLS grade and MS class, respectively. When all tests were considered in combination difficult intubation could be classified accurately in 96.3% of the cases. Test results predicting difficult intubations in cases with DL had observedly overlapped with the results provided in the literature for the patient populations in general. Differences in some test results when compared with those of the general population might stem from the concomitant underlying laryngeal pathological conditions in patient populations with difficult intubation. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The Identification of Complex Organic Molecules in the Interstellar Medium: Using Lasers and Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy to Simulate the Interstellar Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Bradley M.

1998-01-01

The Astrochemistry Group at NASA Ames Research Center is interested in the identification of large organic molecules in the interstellar medium Many smaller organic species (e.g. hydrocarbons, alcohols, etc.) have been previously identified by their radiofrequency signature due to molecular rotations. However, this becomes increasingly difficult to observe as the size of the molecule increases. Our group in interested in the identification of the carriers of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands (absorption features observed throughout the visible and near-infrared in the spectra of stars, due to species in the interstellar medium). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related molecules are thought to be good candidates for these carriers. Laboratory experiments am performed at Ames to simulate the interstellar environment, and to compare spectra obtained from molecules in the laboratory to those derived astronomically. We are also interested in PAHs with respect to their possible connection to the UIR (Unidentified infrared) and ERE (Extended Red Emission) bands - emission features found to emanate from particular regions of our galaxy (e.g. Orion nebula, Red Rectangle, etc.). An old, "tried and proven spectroscopic technique, matrix isolation spectroscopy creates molecular conditions ideal for performing laboratory astrophysics.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Chronic Wounds: The Spectrum from Basic to Advanced Therapy

PubMed Central

Otero-Viñas, Marta; Falanga, Vincent

2016-01-01

Significance: Almost 7 million Americans have chronic cutaneous wounds and billions of dollars are spent on their treatment. The number of patients with nonhealing wounds keeps increasing worldwide due to an ever-aging population, increasing number of obese and diabetic patients, and cardiovascular disease. Recent Advances: Advanced treatments for difficult wounds are needed. Therapy with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is attractive due to their differentiating potential, their immunomodulating properties, and their paracrine effects. Critical Issues: New technologies (including growth factors and skin substitutes) are now widely used for stimulating wound healing. However, in spite of these advances, the percentage of complete wound closure in most clinical situations is around 50–60%. Moreover, there is a high rate of wound recurrence. Future Directions: Recently, it has been demonstrated that MSCs speed up wound healing by decreasing inflammation, by promoting angiogenesis, and by decreasing scarring. However, there are some potential limitations to successful MSC therapy. These limitations include the need to improve cell delivery methods, cell viability, heterogeneity in MSC preparations, and suboptimal wound bed preparation. Further large, controlled clinical trials are needed to establish the safety of MSCs before widespread clinical application. PMID:27076993

Light Pollution: Outdoor lighting is a growing threat to astronomy.

PubMed

Riegel, K W

1973-03-30

There have been major qualitative and quantitative changes in outdoor lighting technology in the last decade. The level of skylight caused by outdoor lighting systems is growing at a very high rate, about 20 percent per year nationwide. In addition, the spectral distribution of man-made light pollution may change in the next decade from one containing a few mercury lines to one containing dozens of lines and a significantly increased continuum level. Light pollution is presently damaging to some astronomical programs, and it is likely to become a major factor limiting progress in the next decade. Suitable sites in the United States for new dark sky observing facilities are very difficult to find. Some of the increase in outdoor illumination is due to the character of national growth and development. Some is due to promotional campaigns, in which questionable arguments involving public safety are presented. There are protective measures which might be adopted by the government; these would significantly aid observational astronomy, without compromising the legitimate outdoor lighting needs of society. Observatories should establish programs to routinely monitor sky brightness as a function of position, wavelength, and time. The astronomical community should establish a mechanism by which such programs can be supported and coordinated.

Unexpected storm-time nightside plasmaspheric density enhancement at low L shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, X.; Bortnik, J.; Denton, R. E.; Yue, C.

2017-12-01

We have developed a three-dimensional dynamic electron density (DEN3D) model in the inner magnetosphere using a neural network approach. The DEN3D model can provide spatiotemporal distribution of the electron density at any location and time that spacecraft observations are not available. Given DEN3D's good performance in predicting the structure and dynamic evolution of the plasma density, the salient features of the DEN3D model can be used to gain further insight into the physics. For instance, the DEN3D models can be used to find unusual phenomena that are difficult to detect in observations or simulations. We report, for the first time, an unexpected plasmaspheric density increase at low L shell regions on the nightside during the main phase of a moderate storm during 12-16 October 2004, as opposed to the expected density decrease due to storm-time plasmaspheric erosion. The unexpected density increase is first discovered in the modeled electron density distribution using the DEN3D model, and then validated using in-situ density measurements obtained from the IMAGE satellite. The density increase was likely caused by increased earthward transverse field plasma transport due to enhanced nightside ExB drift, which coincided with enhanced solar wind electric field and substorm activity. This is consistent with the results of physics-based simulation SAMI3 model which show earthward enhanced plasma transport and electron density increase at low L shells during storm main phase.

Genetics Home Reference: Moebius syndrome

MedlinePlus

... likely than unaffected children to have characteristics of autism spectrum disorders, which are a group of conditions characterized by ... contact and speech due to their physical differences, autism spectrum disorders can be difficult to diagnose in these individuals. ...

Effects of container size and copper treatment on western white pine seedling growth and survival

Treesearch

Donald J. Regan; Anthony S. Davis

2008-01-01

Dry, south-facing slopes, such as those commonly found in north-central Idaho, often need to be planted more than once due to poor seedling survival. The Idaho State Forest Practices Act requires minimum stocking levels to be achieved within 5 years following harvest. However, this requirement can be difficult to meet based on seedling mortality due to moisture stress...

Classification and regression tree analysis vs. multivariable linear and logistic regression methods as statistical tools for studying haemophilia.

PubMed

Henrard, S; Speybroeck, N; Hermans, C

2015-11-01

Haemophilia is a rare genetic haemorrhagic disease characterized by partial or complete deficiency of coagulation factor VIII, for haemophilia A, or IX, for haemophilia B. As in any other medical research domain, the field of haemophilia research is increasingly concerned with finding factors associated with binary or continuous outcomes through multivariable models. Traditional models include multiple logistic regressions, for binary outcomes, and multiple linear regressions for continuous outcomes. Yet these regression models are at times difficult to implement, especially for non-statisticians, and can be difficult to interpret. The present paper sought to didactically explain how, why, and when to use classification and regression tree (CART) analysis for haemophilia research. The CART method is non-parametric and non-linear, based on the repeated partitioning of a sample into subgroups based on a certain criterion. Breiman developed this method in 1984. Classification trees (CTs) are used to analyse categorical outcomes and regression trees (RTs) to analyse continuous ones. The CART methodology has become increasingly popular in the medical field, yet only a few examples of studies using this methodology specifically in haemophilia have to date been published. Two examples using CART analysis and previously published in this field are didactically explained in details. There is increasing interest in using CART analysis in the health domain, primarily due to its ease of implementation, use, and interpretation, thus facilitating medical decision-making. This method should be promoted for analysing continuous or categorical outcomes in haemophilia, when applicable. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantifying the Impact of Technological Trends and Spatiotemporal Variability in Hydraulic Fracturing Water Intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montgomery, J.; O'sullivan, F.

2016-12-01

An important metric for comparing the environmental impact of hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells to other energy technologies is the water intensity, or water usage normalized to energy production. Due to varying hydraulic fracturing practices, immense variability in short-term well performance, and uncertainty about lifetime production from wells, the water intensity of wells is difficult to predict and should be modeled statistically using field data. We analyzed public production and hydraulic fracturing data for 3497 wells drilled in the North Dakota Williston Basin between 2012 and 2015 to identify technology and sweet-spotting trends and identify their impact on well productivity and water intensity. We found that the water used per well increased by an average of 43% per year over this period while the water intensity of wells increased by 32% per year. The difference in these rates was due to a trend of increasing production rates, which we found to be associated equally with changes in technology and sweet-spotting. The prevalent role of sweet spotting means that as future drilling activity shifts into less productive areas than are presently being exploited, this will predictably increase the water intensity of new wells. Although some of the variability in well productivity and water intensity is resolvable to the influence of spatial heterogeneity and technology practices, a substantial amount of uncertainty is irreducible due to unobservable factors. This uncertainty can best be represented and updated with new information, such as initial rates of production, using a Bayesian decline curve model. We demonstrate how this approach can be used to forecast uncertainty of water intensity at different locations and points in time, making it a useful tool for a range of stakeholders, including regulatory agencies assessing the environmental impact of drilling activity within particular watersheds.

Conflict Management: Difficult Conversations with Difficult People

PubMed Central

Overton, Amy R.; Lowry, Ann C.

2013-01-01

Conflict occurs frequently in any workplace; health care is not an exception. The negative consequences include dysfunctional team work, decreased patient satisfaction, and increased employee turnover. Research demonstrates that training in conflict resolution skills can result in improved teamwork, productivity, and patient and employee satisfaction. Strategies to address a disruptive physician, a particularly difficult conflict situation in healthcare, are addressed. PMID:24436688

Low Z total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis — challenges and answers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streli, C.; Kregsamer, P.; Wobrauschek, P.; Gatterbauer, H.; Pianetta, P.; Pahlke, S.; Fabry, L.; Palmetshofer, L.; Schmeling, M.

1999-10-01

Low Z elements, like C, O, ... Al are difficult to measure, due to the lack of suitable low-energy photons for efficient excitation using standard X-ray tubes, as well as difficult to detect with an energy dispersive detector, if the entrance window is not thin enough. Special excitation sources and special energy dispersive detectors are required to increase the sensitivity and to increase the detected fluorescence signal and so to improve the detection limits. Synchrotron radiation, due to its features like high intensity and wide spectral range covering also the low-energy region, is the ideal source for TXRF, especially of low-Z elements. Experiments at a specific beamline (BL 3-4) at SSRL, Stanford, designed for the exclusive use of low-energy photons has been used as an excitation source. Detection limits <100 fg for Al, Mg and Na have been achieved using quasimonochromatic radiation of 1.7 keV. A Ge(HP) detector with an ultra-thin NORWAR entrance window is used. One application is the determination of low-Z surface contamination on Si-wafers. Sodium, as well as Al, are elements of interest for the semiconductor industry, both influencing the yield of ICs negatively. A detection capacity of 10 10 atoms/cm 2 is required which can be reached using synchrotron radiation as excitation source. Another promising application is the determination of low-Z atoms implanted in Si wafers. Sodium, Mg and Al were implanted in Si-wafers at various depths. From measuring the dependence of the fluorescence signal on the glancing angle, characteristic shapes corresponding to the depth profile and the relevant implantation depth are found. Calculations are compared with measurements. Finally, aerosols sampled on polycarbonate plates in a Battelle impactor were analyzed with LZ-TXRF using multilayer monochromatized Cr-Kα radiation from a 1300-W fine-focus tube for excitation. Results are presented.

Improvement on post-OPC verification efficiency for contact/via coverage check by final CD biasing of metal lines and considering their location on the metal layout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Youngmi; Choi, Jae-Young; Choi, Kwangseon; Choi, Jung-Hoe; Lee, Sooryong

2011-04-01

As IC design complexity keeps increasing, it is more and more difficult to ensure the pattern transfer after optical proximity correction (OPC) due to the continuous reduction of layout dimensions and lithographic limitation by k1 factor. To guarantee the imaging fidelity, resolution enhancement technologies (RET) such as off-axis illumination (OAI), different types of phase shift masks and OPC technique have been developed. In case of model-based OPC, to cross-confirm the contour image versus target layout, post-OPC verification solutions continuously keep developed - contour generation method and matching it to target structure, method for filtering and sorting the patterns to eliminate false errors and duplicate patterns. The way to detect only real errors by excluding false errors is the most important thing for accurate and fast verification process - to save not only reviewing time and engineer resource, but also whole wafer process time and so on. In general case of post-OPC verification for metal-contact/via coverage (CC) check, verification solution outputs huge of errors due to borderless design, so it is too difficult to review and correct all points of them. It should make OPC engineer to miss the real defect, and may it cause the delay time to market, at least. In this paper, we studied method for increasing efficiency of post-OPC verification, especially for the case of CC check. For metal layers, final CD after etch process shows various CD bias, which depends on distance with neighbor patterns, so it is more reasonable that consider final metal shape to confirm the contact/via coverage. Through the optimization of biasing rule for different pitches and shapes of metal lines, we could get more accurate and efficient verification results and decrease the time for review to find real errors. In this paper, the suggestion in order to increase efficiency of OPC verification process by using simple biasing rule to metal layout instead of etch model application is presented.

Corrosion monitoring using high-frequency guided waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fromme, P.

2016-04-01

Corrosion can develop due to adverse environmental conditions during the life cycle of a range of industrial structures, e.g., offshore oil platforms, ships, and desalination plants. Generalized corrosion leading to wall thickness loss can cause the reduction of the strength and thus degradation of the structural integrity. The monitoring of corrosion damage in difficult to access areas can be achieved using high frequency guided waves propagating along the structure from accessible areas. Using standard ultrasonic wedge transducers with single sided access to the structure, guided wave modes were selectively generated that penetrate through the complete thickness of the structure. The wave propagation and interference of the different guided wave modes depends on the thickness of the structure. Laboratory experiments were conducted for wall thickness reduction due to milling of the steel structure. From the measured signal changes due to the wave mode interference the reduced wall thickness was monitored. Good agreement with theoretical predictions was achieved. The high frequency guided waves have the potential for corrosion damage monitoring at critical and difficult to access locations from a stand-off distance.

[The epidemiology of musculoskeletal changes due to biomechanical overload of the spine in the manual lifting of patients].

PubMed

Bordini, L; De Vito, G; Molteni, G; Boccardi, S

1999-01-01

The painful lumbosacral symptoms associated with manual lifting by nursing staff constitutes an increasingly important problem in Occupational Health. This category of workers is in fact particularly exposed to risk situations involving the lumbar region of the spine, due especially to the extreme variability of work on the shift, the nature of what is lifted and not always sufficient knowledge and proper performance of the movements. On the basis of a review of a series of studies made on this topic, it was possible to assess the incidence and prevalence of low back pain in selected populations and identify the postural risk to which nursing staff are exposed at work, stressing also the importance of a correct knowledge of manual lifting techniques, frequency and mode of performing them, and the psychological aspects (perception of the intensity of tasks and osteoarticular strain). It was also observed that the data on painful lumbosacral symptoms were underestimated due to the type of epidemiological investigations carried out (mostly cross-sectional) and that comparison of the data proposed was often difficult due to the different criteria of evaluation used to classify the painful symptoms and also to the various epidemiological parameters used (incidence, cumulative incidence, prevalence).

Vulval Elephantiasis: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Mohan, Harsh; Bisht, Bhumika; Goel, Poonam; Garg, Geeta

2012-01-01

Introduction. Elephantiasis is a chronic manifestation of filariasis; it commonly affects limbs, scrotum, and trunk. Females have lower incidence of filarial infection. Vulval elephantiasis due to filariasis is still rarer. It is difficult to make the diagnosis on histopathology alone, more so in view of the fact that the parasite is usually not identified in tissue sections. Identification of microfilariae in night samples of peripheral blood or seropositivity for filarial antigen is requisite for the correct diagnosis. Case Presentation. A young female presented with progressively increasing vulval swelling over a period of two years. The swelling was soft and measured 5 × 6 cm. Other possible differential diagnoses were excluded, and ancillary tests were performed to reach a conclusive diagnosis of vulval elephantiasis on histopathology. Conclusion. Vulval elephantiasis due to filariasis is rare. Its diagnosis on histopathology is more often by exclusion. High index of suspicion on microscopic findings and corelation with relevant diagnostic tests are required to reach the correct diagnosis. PMID:23198192

Accounting for observed small angle X-ray scattering profile in the protein-protein docking server ClusPro.

PubMed

Xia, Bing; Mamonov, Artem; Leysen, Seppe; Allen, Karen N; Strelkov, Sergei V; Paschalidis, Ioannis Ch; Vajda, Sandor; Kozakov, Dima

2015-07-30

The protein-protein docking server ClusPro is used by thousands of laboratories, and models built by the server have been reported in over 300 publications. Although the structures generated by the docking include near-native ones for many proteins, selecting the best model is difficult due to the uncertainty in scoring. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is an experimental technique for obtaining low resolution structural information in solution. While not sufficient on its own to uniquely predict complex structures, accounting for SAXS data improves the ranking of models and facilitates the identification of the most accurate structure. Although SAXS profiles are currently available only for a small number of complexes, due to its simplicity the method is becoming increasingly popular. Since combining docking with SAXS experiments will provide a viable strategy for fairly high-throughput determination of protein complex structures, the option of using SAXS restraints is added to the ClusPro server. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In vivo marking of single cells in chick embryos using photoactivation of GFP.

PubMed

Stark, D A; Kulesa, P M

2005-10-01

Selective marking of a single cell within a living embryo is often difficult due to the inaccuracy and invasiveness of standard techniques. This unit describes a minimally invasive optical protocol that uses 405-nm laser light to photoactivate a variant of green fluorescent protein (PAGFP). This method takes advantage of the accessibility of the chick embryo to inject PAGFP into a region of interest and uses electroporation to deliver the construct into cells. This unit describes in detail how single and small groups of cells (n<10) that express PAGFP can be made visually distinguishable from the host population using the photoactivation process. Included is a means to maximize the fluorescence increase due to photoactivated GFP signal and to reduce photobleaching. Briefly outlined are previously developed chick culture and time-lapse imaging techniques to allow for the subsequent monitoring of photoactivated cell migratory behaviors. The technique has the potential to be a less-invasive, accurate tool for in vivo studies that involve following cell lineage and cell migration.

Metastatic melanoma to the pituitary gland.

PubMed

McCutcheon, Ian E; Waguespack, Steven G; Fuller, Gregory N; Couldwell, William T

2007-08-01

Metastasis to the pituitary gland is unusual, and occurs most often in patients with carcinomas of the breast or lung. Despite its propensity for spread to the brain, metastatic melanoma has rarely been described within the sella. We report two cases of malignant melanoma pathologically confirmed within the pituitary, both metastatic from a primary site on the chest wall. In each patient, transsphenoidal resection of the tumor was incomplete and each received local radiotherapy after surgery. One patient recurred quickly and developed brain metastasis as well. He died four months after resection of the pituitary metastasis, but the second patient survived six months without recurrence. As intrasellar metastasis portends widespread systemic disease and may be synchronous with parenchymal brain metastasis, survival in such patients is limited regardless of adjunctive therapy. Such cases are likely to arise more commonly in future due to the increasing incidence of melanoma. Identifying them by imaging alone is difficult due to inconsistent signal characteristics on MRI (as shown by these cases) and the confusion introduced by any associated intratumoral hemorrhage.

Efficacy of an enterovaccine in recurrent episodes of diarrhea in the dog: a pilot study.

PubMed

Cerquetella, Matteo; Laus, Fulvio; Speranzini, Fabiana; Carnevali, Cristina; Spaterna, Andrea; Battaglia, Edda; Bassotti, Gabrio

2012-02-01

Recurrent episodes of self-limiting diarrhea in the dog, due to sudden dietary changes and to stressful or exciting situations, are conditions sometimes difficult to treat. Colifagina(®), a commercially available bacterial enterovaccine, showed, in previous studies performed on experimentally induced colitis in mice, to be able to improve both disease activity index and histological appearance, increase colonic secretion of IgA, and reduce inflammatory chemokine secretion. In the present study Colifagina(®) was administered to five dogs presenting recurrent episodes of self-limiting diarrhea and to one dog presenting chronic diarrhea. During the follow-up period, almost all patients decreased the number of episodes of abnormal defecation and the fecal score of such episodes improved in five out of six dogs. Even if further studies are needed to understand the exact potential of the compound, in dogs presenting recurrent episodes of self-limiting diarrhea due to sudden dietary changes and/or stressing or exciting situations, Colifagina(®) seems to be helpful in managing most of these patients.

The Value of Outsourcing Selected Cases in a Medical Examiner Population: A 10-Year Experience.

PubMed

McCleskey, Brandi C; Reilly, Stephanie D; Atherton, Dan

2017-01-01

Due to increasing caseloads and inadequate staffing, the burden on Coroner/Medical Examiner Offices to comply with recommended autopsy limits for forensic pathologists (FPs) has been difficult. Since 2006, pathologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have performed select autopsies for the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Each case was reviewed by a state FP and scene investigator to determine appropriateness for referral. All referred cases received full postmortem examination including microscopic examination and collection of toxicological samples, and toxicology was ordered by the referring FP as appropriate. The final cause and manner of death were determined by the referring state FP after review of all findings. A majority of the 421 cases were ruled accidental deaths (233), most due to drug toxicity. Of the 178 natural deaths, 118 were attributed to cardiovascular disease. Outsourcing select forensic cases can be educational and an effective tool to manage workflow without compromising quality. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Diagnosis and management of heart failure in the elderly.

PubMed

King, D

1996-10-01

Heart failure is common in the elderly and is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. It accounts for about 5% of adult medical admissions and the expenditure of 1% of the total National Health Service budget. Clinical presentation in old age may be with the classical symptoms of heart failure but often, due to multiple pathology and low functional ability, presentation is atypical. Both nonspecific symptoms and signs of heart failure, are often a delayed presentation in this population, make diagnosis difficult. Treatment of the failing heart in an older person is similar to the young however, diligence is required when prescribing due to age-related pharmacokinetic changes and co-existent morbidity. This may result in polypharmacy and an increase in drug interactions which themselves may have deleterious consequences. However, knowledge of the aetiology of heart failure in old age and the possible atypical presentation as well as available treatments, will result in better management and improved quality of life and reduced mortality in the elderly heart failure population.

Diagnosis and management of heart failure in the elderly.

PubMed Central

King, D.

1996-01-01

Heart failure is common in the elderly and is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. It accounts for about 5% of adult medical admissions and the expenditure of 1% of the total National Health Service budget. Clinical presentation in old age may be with the classical symptoms of heart failure but often, due to multiple pathology and low functional ability, presentation is atypical. Both nonspecific symptoms and signs of heart failure, are often a delayed presentation in this population, make diagnosis difficult. Treatment of the failing heart in an older person is similar to the young however, diligence is required when prescribing due to age-related pharmacokinetic changes and co-existent morbidity. This may result in polypharmacy and an increase in drug interactions which themselves may have deleterious consequences. However, knowledge of the aetiology of heart failure in old age and the possible atypical presentation as well as available treatments, will result in better management and improved quality of life and reduced mortality in the elderly heart failure population. PMID:8977936

Nano-Al Based Energetics: Rapid Heating Studies and a New Preparation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Kyle; Kuntz, Josh; Gash, Alex; Zachariah, Michael

2011-06-01

Nano-Al based thermites have become an attractive alternative to traditional energetic formulations due to their increased energy density and high reactivity. Understanding the intrinsic reaction mechanism has been a difficult task, largely due to the lack of experimental techniques capable of rapidly and uniform heating a sample (~104- 108 K/s). The current work presents several studies on nano-Al based thermites, using rapid heating techniques. A new mechanism termed a Reactive Sintering Mechanism is proposed for nano-Al based thermites. In addition, new experimental techniques for nanocomposite thermite deposition onto thin Pt electrodes will be discussed. This combined technique will offer more precise control of the deposition, and will serve to further our understanding of the intrinsic reaction mechanism of rapidly heated energetic systems. An improved mechanistic understanding will lead to the development of optimized formulations and architectures. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Biological technologies for the remediation of co-contaminated soil.

PubMed

Ye, Shujing; Zeng, Guangming; Wu, Haipeng; Zhang, Chang; Dai, Juan; Liang, Jie; Yu, Jiangfang; Ren, Xiaoya; Yi, Huan; Cheng, Min; Zhang, Chen

2017-12-01

Compound contamination in soil, caused by unreasonable waste disposal, has attracted increasing attention on a global scale, particularly since multiple heavy metals and/or organic pollutants are entering natural ecosystem through human activities, causing an enormous threat. The remediation of co-contaminated soil is more complicated and difficult than that of single contamination, due to the disparate remediation pathways utilized for different types of pollutants. Several modern remediation technologies have been developed for the treatment of co-contaminated soil. Biological remediation technologies, as the eco-friendly methods, have received widespread concern due to soil improvement besides remediation. This review summarizes the application of biological technologies, which contains microbial technologies (function microbial remediation and composting or compost addition), biochar, phytoremediation technologies, genetic engineering technologies and biochemical technologies, for the remediation of co-contaminated soil with heavy metals and organic pollutants. Mechanisms of these technologies and their remediation efficiencies are also reviewed. Based on this study, this review also identifies the future research required in this field.

HOW WE MANAGE IRON OVERLOAD IN SICKLE CELL PATIENTS

PubMed Central

Coates, Thomas D.; Wood, John C.

2017-01-01

Summary Blood transfusion plays a prominent role in the management of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), but causes significant iron overload. As transfusions are used to treat the severe complications of SCD, it remains difficult to distinguish whether organ damage is a consequence of iron overload or is due to the complications treated by transfusion. Better management has resulted in increased survival, but prolonged exposure to iron puts SCD patients at greater risk for iron-related complications that should be treated. The success of chelation therapy is dominated by patient adherence to prescribed treatment; thus, adjustment of drug regimens to increase adherence to treatment is critical. This review will discuss the current biology of iron homeostasis in patients with SCD and how this informs our clinical approach to treatment. We will present the clinical approach to treatment of iron overload at our centre using serial assessment of organ iron by magnetic resonance imaging. PMID:28295188

An overview of modelling approaches and potential solution towards an endgame of tobacco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halim, Tisya Farida Abdul; Sapiri, Hasimah; Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal

2015-12-01

A high number of premature mortality due to tobacco use has increased worldwide. Despite control policies being implemented to reduce premature mortality, the rate of smoking prevalence is still high. Moreover, tobacco issues become increasingly difficult since many aspects need to be considered simultaneously. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present an overview of existing modelling studies on tobacco control system. The background section describes the tobacco issues and its current trends. These models have been categorised according to their modelling approaches either individual or integrated approaches. Next, a framework of modelling approaches based on the integration of multi-criteria decision making, system dynamics and nonlinear programming is proposed, expected to reduce the smoking prevalence. This framework provides guideline for modelling the interaction between smoking behaviour and its impacts, tobacco control policies and the effectiveness of each strategy in healthcare.

A novel approach of deposition for uniform diamond films on circular saw blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hongxiu, ZHOU; Boya, YUAN; Jilei, LYU; Nan, JIANG

2017-11-01

Uniform diamond films are highly desirable for cutting industries, due to their high performance and long lifetime used on cutting tools. Nevertheless, they are difficult to obtain on cutting tools with complicated shapes, greatly limiting the applications of diamond films. In this study, a novel approach of deposition for uniform diamond films is proposed, on circular saw blades made of cemented carbide using reflectors of brass sheets. Diamond films are deposited using hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). A novel concave structure of brass sheets is designed and fabricated, improving the distribution of temperature field, and overcoming the disadvantages of the conventional HFCVD systems. This increases the energy efficiency of use without changing the structure and increasing the cost of HFCVD. The grains are refined and the intensities of diamond peaks are strengthened obviously, which is confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectra respectively.

An ecological evaluation of the metabolic benefits due to robot-assisted gait training.

PubMed

Peri, E; Biffi, E; Maghini, C; Marzorati, M; Diella, E; Pedrocchi, A; Turconi, A C; Reni, G

2015-08-01

Cerebral palsy (CP), one of the most common neurological disorders in childhood, features affected individual's motor skills and muscle actions. This results in elevated heart rate and rate of oxygen uptake during sub-maximal exercise, thus indicating a mean energy expenditure higher than healthy subjects. Rehabilitation, currently involving also robot-based devices, may have an impact also on these aspects. In this study, an ecological setting has been proposed to evaluate the energy expenditure of 4 children with CP before and after a robot-assisted gait training. Even if the small sample size makes it difficult to give general indications, results presented here are promising. Indeed, children showed an increasing trend of the energy expenditure per minute and a decreasing trend of the energy expenditure per step, in accordance to the control group. These data suggest a metabolic benefit of the treatment that may increase the locomotion efficiency of disabled children.

Increasing access to kidney transplantation for sensitized recipient through three-way kidney paired donation with desensitization: The first Indian report

PubMed Central

Kute, Vivek B; Patel, Himanshu V; Shah, Pankaj R; Modi, Pranjal R; Shah, Veena R; Rizvi, Sayyed J; Pal, Bipin C; Modi, Manisha P; Shah, Priya S; Varyani, Umesh T; Wakhare, Pavan S; Shinde, Saiprasad G; Ghodela, Viajay A; Patel, Minaxi H; Trivedi, Varsha B; Trivedi, Hargovind L

2016-01-01

The combination of kidney paired donation (KPD) with desensitization represents a promising method of increasing the rate of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) in immunologically challenging patients. Patients who are difficult to match and desensitize due to strong donor specific antibody are may be transplanted by a combination of desensitization and KPD protocol with more immunologically favorable donor. We present our experience of combination of desensitization protocol with three-way KPD which contributed to successful LDKT in highly sensitized end stage renal disease patient. All recipients were discharged with normal and stable allograft function at 24 mo follow up. We believe that this is first report from India where three-way KPD exchange was performed with the combination of KPD and desensitization. The combination of desensitization protocol with KPD improves access and outcomes of LDKT. PMID:27803919

Algorithm of probabilistic assessment of fully-mechanized longwall downtime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domrachev, A. N.; Rib, S. V.; Govorukhin, Yu M.; Krivopalov, V. G.

2017-09-01

The problem of increasing the load on a long fully-mechanized longwall has several aspects, one of which is the improvement of efficiency in using available stoping equipment due to the increase in coefficient of the machine operating time of a shearer and other mining machines that form an integral part of the longwall set of equipment. The task of predicting the reliability indicators of stoping equipment is solved by the statistical evaluation of parameters of downtime exponential distribution and failure recovery. It is more difficult to solve the problems of downtime accounting in case of accidents in the face workings and, despite the statistical data on accidents in mine workings, no solution has been found to date. The authors have proposed a variant of probability assessment of workings caving using Poisson distribution and the duration of their restoration using normal distribution. The above results confirm the possibility of implementing the approach proposed by the authors.

Mapping bright and dark modes in gold nanoparticle chains using electron energy loss spectroscopy.

PubMed

Barrow, Steven J; Rossouw, David; Funston, Alison M; Botton, Gianluigi A; Mulvaney, Paul

2014-07-09

We present a scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) investigation of gold nanosphere chains with lengths varying from 1 to 5 particles. We show localized EELS signals from the chains and identify energy-loss peaks arising due to l = 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 plasmon modes through the use of EELS mapping. We also show the evolution of the energy of these modes as the length of a given chain increases, and we find that a chain containing N particles can accommodate at least N experimentally observable modes, in addition to the transverse mode. As the chain length is increased by the addition of one more gold particle to the chain, the new N + 1 mode becomes the highest energy mode, while the existing modes lower their energy and eventually asymptote as they delocalize along the chain. We also show that modes become increasingly difficult to detect with the EELS technique as l approaches N. The data are compared to numerical simulations.

Improving performance of electrostatic heater-theaters for light crude doped heavy crude; A case study

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

Bhattacharya, A.; Ray, S.; Rai, R.

1995-12-31

Crude oil treatment systems for heavy oil assume paramount importance due to the difficult nature of emulsions formed and presence of water in the form of small droplets. With the aging of heavy oil fields, operating under active water drive, water content in the emulsion produced increases substantially. This has a direct impact on heater-treater performance and treated crude quality. A typical problem is discussed in this paper where the gradual increase in emulsion production over a period of time in heavy oil belts of ONGC have affected the electrostatic heater-treater performance, treating light crude doped heavy crude, resulting inmore » increased BS&W (basic sediments and water) in the treated crude. Critical levels of water cut in both heavy and light crudes have been identified beyond which the existing emulsion treating system becomes ineffective. Analysis have also been carried out to identify optimum mixing proportion which result in the most effective demulsification.« less

Severe Pain Due to Paraspinal Abscess Formation in Two Patients with Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck after Multimodal Treatment Including Cetuximab.

PubMed

Gerlach, Christina; Pretzell, Ina; Lieberknecht, Elisabeth; Mattyasovszky, Stefan; Weber, Martin

2018-01-01

Patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) on palliative therapy usually have a bad prognosis and suffer from various symptoms. With increasing use of targeted agents in cancer patients at the end of life, the correct assignment of therapy-related symptoms becomes increasingly difficult as cancer-related symptoms usually increase as well. We report on 2 cases of patients with SCCHN who received multimodal treatment including palliative therapy with cetuximab. Both patients developed severe thoracic and cervicothoracic pain following treatment. In both cases, extensive paraspinal abscess formation proved to be the underlying cause. One patient was treated conservatively; the other one had to undergo surgical intervention. Awareness of multifaceted therapy-related complications is mandatory when patients receive multimodal treatment including targeted therapies. Unexplained pain syndromes in this context should raise suspicions concerning possible infectious complications and should lead to early use of magnetic resonance imaging. © 2018 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Trends in stratospheric minor constituents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolarski, R. S.; Chu, W. P.; Coffey, M. T.; Heaps, W. S.; Kaye, J. A.; Mccormick, M. P.; Zander, R.

1989-01-01

Photochemical models predict that increasing source gas concentrations are also expected to lead to changes in the concentrations of both catalytically active radical species (such as NO2, ClO, and OH) and inactive reservoir species (such as HNO3, HCl, and H2O). For simplicity, we will refer to all these as trace species. Those species that are expected to have increasing concentration levels are investigated. Additionally, the trace species concentration levels are monitored for unexpected changes on the basis of the measure increase in source gases. Carrying out these investigations is difficult due to the limited data base of measurements of stratospheric trace species. In situ measurements are made only infrequently, and there are few satelliteborne measurements, most over a time space insufficient for trend determination. Instead, ground-based measurements of column content must be used for many species, and interpretation is complicated by contributions from the troposphere or mesosphere or both. In this chapter, we examine existing measurements as published or tabulated.

Influence of sleep deprivation and auditory intensity on reaction time and response force.

PubMed

Włodarczyk, Dariusz; Jaśkowski, Piotr; Nowik, Agnieszka

2002-06-01

Arousal and activation are two variables supposed to underlie change in response force. This study was undertaken to explain these roles, specifically, for strong auditory stimuli and sleep deficit. Loud auditory stimuli can evoke phasic overarousal whereas sleep deficit leads to general underarousal. Moreover, Van der Molen and Keuss (1979, 1981) showed that paradoxically long reaction times occurred with extremely strong auditory stimuli when the task was difficult, e.g., choice reaction or Simon paradigm. It was argued that this paradoxical behavior related to reaction time is due to active disconnecting of the coupling between arousal and activation to prevent false responses. If so, we predicted that for extremely loud stimuli and for difficult tasks, the lengthening of reaction time should be associated with reduction of response force. The effects of loudness and sleep deficit on response time and force were investigated in three different tasks: simple response, choice response, and Simon paradigm. According to our expectation, we found a detrimental effect of sleep deficit on reaction time and on response force. In contrast to Van der Molen and Keuss, we found no increase in reaction time for loud stimuli (up to 110 dB) even on the Simon task.

The efficacy of short-term clobetasol lotion in the treatment of scalp psoriasis.

PubMed

Rajabi-Estarabadi, Ali; Hasanzadeh, Hournaz; Taheri, Arash; Feldman, Steven R; Firooz, Alireza

2018-03-01

Scalp psoriasis can have a considerable impact on patients' quality of life and is considered difficult to treat. Treatment failure may, however, be due to poor adherence, as application of topical treatments to hair bearing areas is difficult and time consuming and also poor communication between physician and patient. To assess the efficacy of short-term treatment of scalp psoriasis with topical clobetasol lotion. Twelve patients with mild to severe scalp psoriasis were recruited for this study. Patients applied clobetasol 0.05% lotion twice daily for seven days. They were followed up with phone calls three days after starting the treatment. Skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin erythema were assessed noninvasively at baseline and end of study. One week after treatment, median PSI score decreased significantly (p = .002). There was also a significant decrease in median TEWL (p = .012) and increase in skin hydration one week after treatment (p = .010). Eighty three percent of patients were satisfied with treatment result and felt convenient with applying clobetasol lotion. Lack of a long-term follow-up. Psoriasis is a long-term disease, and improving adherence in the short time could improve patient's adherence to treatment in long time.

Viral Aggregation: Impact on Virus Behavior in the Environment.

PubMed

Gerba, Charles P; Betancourt, Walter Q

2017-07-05

Aggregates of viruses can have a significant impact on quantification and behavior of viruses in the environment. Viral aggregates may be formed in numerous ways. Viruses may form crystal like structures and aggregates in the host cell during replication or may form due to changes in environmental conditions after virus particles are released from the host cells. Aggregates tend to form near the isoelectric point of the virus, under the influence of certain salts and salt concentrations in solution, cationic polymers, and suspended organic matter. The given conditions under which aggregates form in the environment are highly dependent on the type of virus, type of salts in solution (cation, anion. monovalent, divalent) and pH. However, virus type greatly influences the conditions when aggregation/disaggregation will occur, making predictions difficult under any given set of water quality conditions. Most studies have shown that viral aggregates increase the survival of viruses in the environment and resistance to disinfectants, especially with more reactive disinfectants. The presence of viral aggregates may also result in overestimation of removal by filtration processes. Virus aggregation-disaggregation is a complex process and predicting the behavior of any individual virus is difficult under a given set of environmental circumstances without actual experimental data.

Nanocrystal sensitized photovoltaics and photodetectors with performance enhanced using ligand engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schut, David M.; Williams, George M., Jr.; Arteaga, Stefan; Allen, Thomas L.; Novet, Thomas

2011-06-01

Nanocrystal quantum dot photovoltaics and photodetectors with performance optimized by engineering the nanocrystals size and the optoelectronic properties of the nanocrystal's chemical coating are reported. Due to the large surface-to-volume ratio inherent to nanocrystals, the surface effects of ligands used to chemically coat and passivate nanocrystals play a significant role in device performance. However, the optoelectronic properties of ligands are difficult to ascertain, as the band structure of the ligand-capped nanoparticle system is complex and difficult to model. Using density-of-states measurements, we demonstrate that modeling of electropositive and electronegative substituents and use of the Hammett equation, are useful tools in optimizing nanocrystal detector performance. A new particle, the Janus-II nanoparticles, developed using 'charge-donating' and 'charge-withdrawing' ligands distributed over opposite surfaces of the nanocrystal, is described. The polarizing ligands of the Janus-II nanoparticle form a degeneracy-splitting dipole, which reduces the overlap integral between excitonic states, and thus reduces the probability of carrier recombination, allowing carrier extraction to take place more efficiently. This is shown to allow increased photodetection efficiencies and to allow the capture of multiple exciton events in working photodetectors.

Wear-dependent specific coefficients in a mechanistic model for turning of nickel-based superalloy with ceramic tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López de Lacalle, Luis Norberto; Urbicain Pelayo, Gorka; Fernández-Valdivielso, Asier; Alvarez, Alvaro; González, Haizea

2017-09-01

Difficult to cut materials such as nickel and titanium alloys are used in the aeronautical industry, the former alloys due to its heat-resistant behavior and the latter for the low weight - high strength ratio. Ceramic tools made out alumina with reinforce SiC whiskers are a choice in turning for roughing and semifinishing workpiece stages. Wear rate is high in the machining of these alloys, and consequently cutting forces tends to increase along one operation. This paper establishes the cutting force relation between work-piece and tool in the turning of such difficult-to-cut alloys by means of a mechanistic cutting force model that considers the tool wear effect. The cutting force model demonstrates the force sensitivity to the cutting engagement parameters (ap, f) when using ceramic inserts and wear is considered. Wear is introduced through a cutting time factor, being useful in real conditions taking into account that wear quickly appears in alloys machining. A good accuracy in the cutting force model coefficients is the key issue for an accurate prediction of turning forces, which could be used as criteria for tool replacement or as input for chatter or other models.

Conceptual design of a novel multi-DoF manual instrument for laparoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaofei; Wang, Shuxin; Li, Jianmin; Zhang, Guokai; Wu, Zhiliang

2013-03-01

Laparoscopic surgery is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. But the conventional instruments used in many surgeries are not flexible enough to be operated. Challenging tasks, such as suturing and knot-tying tasks are difficult to complete using conventional instruments with limited degrees of freedom (DoFs). In the paper, a novel cable-driven multi-DoF manual instrument is presented with a simple structure but strong functionality. The proposed instrument has been developed with a wristlike operation end (OE), a wristlike end effector (EE), and the transmission system. It can be operated intuitively. The orientation and the position of the EE are directly controlled by surgeons due to the one-to-one motion mapping structure. The clamp structure and tension device are reasonably designed. The pitch, yaw, and the open and close motion are actuated by cables. Based on the optimization index Global Condition Index (GCI), four cables are used to actuate the pitch and yaw motions, while other two are used for the open and close motion. The layout of the cables is also determined by the GCI. Experiments carried out with a prototype show that tasks such as suturing and knot-tying can be completed comfortably. Due to the intuitive control and multi-DoFs, surgeons can use the prototype to finish the tasks with ease. The instrument developed herein with intuitive control and dexterity can be used alone or together with a robotic system to accomplish some challenging tasks that are difficult for conventional instruments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Color related to ceramic and zirconia restorations: a review.

PubMed

Vichi, Alessandro; Louca, Chris; Corciolani, Gabriele; Ferrari, Marco

2011-01-01

The requirement to achieve natural looking restorations is one of the most challenging aspects of dentistry, and the shade matching of dental restorations with the natural dentition is a difficult task due to the complex optical characteristics of natural teeth. Dental porcelain is considered the reference material for prosthetic rehabilitation, but it is not easy to handle and aesthetic excellence is quite difficult to obtain. For these reasons, shade matching with dental porcelain is often considered to be more artistic than scientific. Shade matching is considered unpredictable due to several variables that may influence the final appearance of a restoration. In order to improve this situation, over the last decade new shade guides and instruments have been developed and the aesthetic aspects of dental porcelain have been further investigated. In this review some aspects of color selection and color reproduction have been examined. Color selection has advanced through the development of new shade guides and electronic shade taking devices, although visual assessment has still not been entirely replaced by electronic instruments. Color reproduction with dental porcelain has improved thanks to advances in the performance and knowledge of dental porcelain, but is still not easy to achieve. The difficulties of achieving good aesthetics with PFM restorations and the desire for metal free solutions have resulted in the increased use of zirconia. The unique optical properties of zirconia have introduced new opportunities for achieving superior aesthetics, however further research is required with this material. Copyright © 2010 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single molecule-level study of donor-acceptor interactions and nanoscale environment in blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quist, Nicole; Grollman, Rebecca; Rath, Jeremy; Robertson, Alex; Haley, Michael; Anthony, John; Ostroverkhova, Oksana

2017-02-01

Organic semiconductors have attracted considerable attention due to their applications in low-cost (opto)electronic devices. The most successful organic materials for applications that rely on charge carrier generation, such as solar cells, utilize blends of several types of molecules. In blends, the local environment strongly influences exciton and charge carrier dynamics. However, relationship between nanoscale features and photophysics is difficult to establish due to the lack of necessary spatial resolution. We use functionalized fluorinated pentacene (Pn) molecule as single molecule probes of intermolecular interactions and of the nanoscale environment in blends containing donor and acceptor molecules. Single Pn donor (D) molecules were imaged in PMMA in the presence of acceptor (A) molecules using wide-field fluorescence microscopy. Two sample configurations were realized: (i) a fixed concentration of Pn donor molecules, with increasing concentration of acceptor molecules (functionalized indenflouorene or PCBM) and (ii) a fixed concentration of acceptor molecules with an increased concentration of the Pn donor. The D-A energy transfer and changes in the donor emission due to those in the acceptor- modified polymer morphology were quantified. The increase in the acceptor concentration was accompanied by enhanced photobleaching and blinking of the Pn donor molecules. To better understand the underlying physics of these processes, we modeled photoexcited electron dynamics using Monte Carlo simulations. The simulated blinking dynamics were then compared to our experimental data, and the changes in the transition rates were related to the changes in the nanoscale environment. Our study provides insight into evolution of nanoscale environment during the formation of bulk heterojunctions.

Women and Working Conditions: Prospects for Improvement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seguret, Marie-Claire

1983-01-01

Women's difficult working conditions are due to factors such as the nature and form of women's employment, their reproductive role, and family responsibilities. The relative importance of these factors must be assessed in order to redress inequalities. (SK)

75 FR 79933 - Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-20

.... Without knowledge of the identity and location of the general licensees, it would be difficult to enforce... changed due to the shift in timing for reactor decommissioning. The Commission has deferred action on this...

78 FR 51267 - Hours of Service of Drivers: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association; Application for Exemption

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-20

... rule is extremely difficult due to the numerous variables associated with delivery (e.g., weather... 2 hours resulting from weather or unforeseen construction delays. NRMCA claims that these frequent...

Chloramination of Organophosphorus Pesticides Found in Drinking Water Sources

EPA Science Inventory

The degradation of commonly detected organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, in drinking water sources, was investigated under simulated chloramination conditions. Due to monochloramine autodecomposition, it is difficult to observe the direct reaction of monochloramine with each OP pe...

A Rare Cause of Hypothalamic Obesity, Rohhad Syndrome: 2 Cases.

PubMed

Şiraz, Ülkü Gül; Okdemir, Deniz; Direk, Gül; Akın, Leyla; Hatipoğlu, Nihal; Kendırcı, Mustafa; Kurtoğlu, Selim

2018-03-19

Rapid-onset obesity with hypoventilation, hypothalamic dysfunction and autonomic dysregulation (ROHHAD) syndrome is a rare disease that is difficult to diagnosis and distinguish from genetic obesity syndromes. The underlying causes of the disease has not been fully explained. Hypothalamic dysfunction causes endocrine problems, respiratory dysfunction and autonomic alterations. There are around 80 reported patients due to lack of recognition. We present two female patient suspected of ROHHAD due to weight gain since early childhood. The presented symptoms, respiratory and circulatory dysfunction, hypothalamic hypernatremia, hypothalamo-pituitary hormonal disorders such as santral hypothyrodism, hyperprolactinemia and santral early puberty are completely matched the criteria of ROHHAD syndrome. ROHHAD syndrome should be considered in differential diagnosis since it is difficult to distinguish from causes of monogenic obesity. Early identification of the disease reduces morbidity of the syndrome and patients require regular follow-up by a multidisciplinary approach.

Urdu Nasta'liq text recognition using implicit segmentation based on multi-dimensional long short term memory neural networks.

PubMed

Naz, Saeeda; Umar, Arif Iqbal; Ahmed, Riaz; Razzak, Muhammad Imran; Rashid, Sheikh Faisal; Shafait, Faisal

2016-01-01

The recognition of Arabic script and its derivatives such as Urdu, Persian, Pashto etc. is a difficult task due to complexity of this script. Particularly, Urdu text recognition is more difficult due to its Nasta'liq writing style. Nasta'liq writing style inherits complex calligraphic nature, which presents major issues to recognition of Urdu text owing to diagonality in writing, high cursiveness, context sensitivity and overlapping of characters. Therefore, the work done for recognition of Arabic script cannot be directly applied to Urdu recognition. We present Multi-dimensional Long Short Term Memory (MDLSTM) Recurrent Neural Networks with an output layer designed for sequence labeling for recognition of printed Urdu text-lines written in the Nasta'liq writing style. Experiments show that MDLSTM attained a recognition accuracy of 98% for the unconstrained Urdu Nasta'liq printed text, which significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art techniques.

[Correlation between obstructive apnea syndrome and difficult airway in ENT surgery].

PubMed

Pera, Marcia Hiray; Tardelli, Maria Angela; Novo, Neil Ferreira; Juliano, Yara; Silva, Helga Cristina Almeida da

2017-12-21

ENT patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have a tendency of collapsing the upper airways in addition to anatomical obstacles. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is related to the increased risk of difficult airway and also increased perioperative complications. In order to identify these patients in the preoperative period, the STOP Bang questionnaire has been highlighted because it is summarized and easy to apply. Evaluate through the STOP Bang questionnaire whether patients undergoing ENT surgery with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have a higher risk of complications, particularly the occurrence of difficult airway. Measurements of anatomical parameters for difficult airway and questionnaire application for clinical prediction of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were performed in 48 patients with a previous polysomnographic study. The sample detected difficult airway in about 18.7% of patients, all of them with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. This group had older age, cervical circumference > 40cm, ASA II and Cormack III/IV. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome had higher body mass index, cervical circumference, and frequent apnea. In subgroup analysis, the group with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome showed a significantly higher SB score compared to patients without this syndrome or with a mild/moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The STOP Bang questionnaire was not able to predict difficult airway and mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, but it identified marked obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. All patients with difficult airway had moderate and marked obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, although this syndrome did not involve difficult airway. The variables Cormack III/IV and BMI greater than 35 Kg.m -2 were able to predict difficult airway and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Anatomic and physiopathologic changes affecting the airway of the elderly patient: implications for geriatric-focused airway management

PubMed Central

Johnson, Kathleen N; Botros, Daniel B; Groban, Leanne; Bryan, Yvon F

2015-01-01

There are many anatomical, physiopathological, and cognitive changes that occur in the elderly that affect different components of airway management: intubation, ventilation, oxygenation, and risk of aspiration. Anatomical changes occur in different areas of the airway from the oral cavity to the larynx. Common changes to the airway include tooth decay, oropharyngeal tumors, and significant decreases in neck range of motion. These changes may make intubation challenging by making it difficult to visualize the vocal cords and/or place the endotracheal tube. Also, some of these changes, including but not limited to, atrophy of the muscles around the lips and an edentulous mouth, affect bag mask ventilation due to a difficult face-mask seal. Physiopathologic changes may impact airway management as well. Common pulmonary issues in the elderly (eg, obstructive sleep apnea and COPD) increase the risk of an oxygen desaturation event, while gastrointestinal issues (eg, achalasia and gastroesophageal reflux disease) increase the risk of aspiration. Finally, cognitive changes (eg, dementia) not often seen as related to airway management may affect patient cooperation, especially if an awake intubation is required. Overall, degradation of the airway along with other physiopathologic and cognitive changes makes the elderly population more prone to complications related to airway management. When deciding which airway devices and techniques to use for intubation, the clinician should also consider the difficulty associated with ventilating the patient, the patient’s risk of oxygen desaturation, and/or aspiration. For patients who may be difficult to bag mask ventilate or who have a risk of aspiration, a specialized supralaryngeal device may be preferable over bag mask for ventilation. Patients with tumors or decreased neck range of motion may require a device with more finesse and maneuverability, such as a flexible fiberoptic broncho-scope. Overall, geriatric-focused airway management is necessary to decrease complications in this patient population. PMID:26673904

Josephson frequency meter for millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anischenko, S. E.; Larkin, S. Y.; Chaikovsky, V. I.; Kabayev, P. V.; Kamyshin, V. V.

1995-01-01

Frequency measurements of electromagnetic oscillations of millimeter and submillimeter wavebands with frequency growth due to a number of reasons become more and more difficult. First, these frequencies are considered to be cutoffs for semiconductor converting devices and one has to use optical measurement methods instead of traditional ones with frequency transfer. Second, resonance measurement methods are characterized by using relatively narrow bands and optical ones are limited in frequency and time resolution due to the limited range and velocity of movement of their mechanical elements as well as the efficiency of these optical techniques decrease with the increase of wavelength due to diffraction losses. That requires a priori information on the radiation frequency band of the source involved. Method of measuring frequency of harmonic microwave signals in millimeter and submillimeter wavebands based on the ac Josephson effect in superconducting contacts is devoid of all the above drawbacks. This approach offers a number of major advantages over the more traditional measurement methods, that is one based on frequency conversion, resonance and interferometric techniques. It can be characterized by high potential accuracy, wide range of frequencies measured, prompt measurement and the opportunity to obtain a panoramic display of the results as well as full automation of the measuring process.

[Blunt force injuries due to martial arts in children--a diagnostic problem? Delayed diagnosis of an infected hematoma].

PubMed

Kruppa, C; Goericke, S L; Matheney, T; Ozokyay, L; Schildhauer, T A; Muhr, G; Dudda, M

2010-10-01

Blunt force injuries in martial arts occur frequently but isolated hematoma of muscles in the extremities is rare. Even minor trauma of the lower extremities due to throwing techniques in judo and other forms of Asian martial arts can lead to major pathologies. A 9-year-old girl presented with an unclear swelling and soreness of the calf muscle. The patient could not remember an obvious traumatic event. She was admitted 4 days later because of increased swelling, pain and erythema. The parents reported a minor trauma at judo training 1 week ago. Further investigation was performed with MRI and confirmed a massive hematoma much greater than previously shown by sonography. Histologic and microbiologic evaluation demonstrated florid inflammation and proof of Staphylococcus aureus was found intra-operatively. The diagnosis of blunt force injuries due to martial arts is difficult in childhood because often children do not remember a traumatic event. Therefore, it is important to obtain a thorough history from caregivers. Because sonography depends highly on the experience of the investigator MRI is considered to be a better diagnostic modality to diagnose and guide treatment in this age group.

Intravenous Minocycline: A Review in Acinetobacter Infections.

PubMed

Greig, Sarah L; Scott, Lesley J

2016-10-01

Intravenous minocycline (Minocin ® ) is approved in the USA for use in patients with infections due to susceptible strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, including infections due to Acinetobacter spp. Minocycline is a synthetic tetracycline derivative that was originally introduced in the 1960s. A new intravenous formulation of minocycline was recently approved and introduced to address the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Minocycline shows antibacterial activity against A. baumannii clinical isolates worldwide, and exhibits synergistic bactericidal activity against MDR and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) A. baumannii isolates when combined with other antibacterial agents. In retrospective studies, intravenous minocycline provided high rates of clinical success or improvement and was generally well tolerated among patients with MDR or carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii infections. While randomized clinical trial data would be useful to fully establish the place of minocycline in the management of these infections for which there are currently very few available options, clinical trials in patients with infections due to Acinetobacter spp. are difficult to perform. Nevertheless, current data indicate a potential role for intravenous minocycline in the treatment of patients MDR A. baumannii infections, particularly when combined with a second antibacterial agent (e.g. colistin).

RedThreads: An Interface for Application-Level Fault Detection/Correction Through Adaptive Redundant Multithreading

DOE PAGES

Hukerikar, Saurabh; Teranishi, Keita; Diniz, Pedro C.; ...

2017-02-11

In the presence of accelerated fault rates, which are projected to be the norm on future exascale systems, it will become increasingly difficult for high-performance computing (HPC) applications to accomplish useful computation. Due to the fault-oblivious nature of current HPC programming paradigms and execution environments, HPC applications are insufficiently equipped to deal with errors. We believe that HPC applications should be enabled with capabilities to actively search for and correct errors in their computations. The redundant multithreading (RMT) approach offers lightweight replicated execution streams of program instructions within the context of a single application process. Furthermore, the use of completemore » redundancy incurs significant overhead to the application performance.« less

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

Heaney, Libby; Jaksch, Dieter; Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore

Proposals for Bell-inequality tests on systems restricted by the particle-number-superselection rule often require operations that are difficult to implement in practice. In this article, we derive a Bell inequality, where measurements on pairs of states are used as a method to bypass this superselection rule. In particular, we focus on mode entanglement of an arbitrary number of massive particles and show that our Bell inequality detects the entanglement in an identical pair of states when other inequalities fail. However, as the number of particles in the system increases, the violation of our Bell inequality decreases due to the restriction inmore » the measurement space caused by the superselection rule. This Bell test can be implemented using techniques that are routinely used in current experiments.« less

Controlling light’s helicity at the source: orbital angular momentum states from lasers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Optical modes that carry orbital angular momentum (OAM) are routinely produced external to the laser cavity and have found a variety of applications, thus increasing the demand for integrated solutions for their production. Yet such modes are notoriously difficult to produce from lasers due to the strict symmetry requirements for their creation, together with the need to break the degeneracy in helicity. Here, we review the progress made since 1992 in producing such twisted light modes directly at the source, from gas to solid-state lasers, bulk to integrated on-chip solutions, through to generic devices for on-demand OAM in both scalar and vector forms. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Optical orbital angular momentum’. PMID:28069767

RedThreads: An Interface for Application-Level Fault Detection/Correction Through Adaptive Redundant Multithreading

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

Hukerikar, Saurabh; Teranishi, Keita; Diniz, Pedro C.

In the presence of accelerated fault rates, which are projected to be the norm on future exascale systems, it will become increasingly difficult for high-performance computing (HPC) applications to accomplish useful computation. Due to the fault-oblivious nature of current HPC programming paradigms and execution environments, HPC applications are insufficiently equipped to deal with errors. We believe that HPC applications should be enabled with capabilities to actively search for and correct errors in their computations. The redundant multithreading (RMT) approach offers lightweight replicated execution streams of program instructions within the context of a single application process. Furthermore, the use of completemore » redundancy incurs significant overhead to the application performance.« less

Spawning of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and rearing of veligers under laboratory conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, S. Jerrine; Nalepa, Thomas F.; Schloesser, Donald W.

1992-01-01

The spawning cycle of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is amenable to laboratory manipulations. Techniques are presented that can be used to initiate spawning and rear veligers from fertilized egg to settlement stage. Spawning can be induced in sexually mature mussels by temperature flucuations or by the addition of ripe gametes. Embryonic survival is excellent until the straight-hinge stage when the first wave of mortality occurs, usually due to improper food. The second critical stage of development occurs just prior to settlement when mortality increases again. Veliger mortality averaged over 90% from egg to settlement. The results indicate that obtaining large numbers of veligers for laboratory experiments to be conducted year-round is difficult.

Power dissipated measurement of an ultrasonic generator in a viscous medium by flowmetric method.

PubMed

Mancier, Valérie; Leclercq, Didier

2008-09-01

A new flowmetric method of the power dissipated by an ultrasound generator in an aqueous medium has been developed in previous works and described in a preceding paper [V. Mancier, D. Leclercq, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 14 (2007) 99-106]. The works presented here are an enlargement of this method to a high viscosity liquid (glycerol) for which the classical calorimetric measurements are rather difficult. As expected, it is shown that the dissipated power increases with the medium viscosity. It was also found that this flowmetric method gives good results for various quantities of liquid and positioning of the sonotrode in the tank. Moreover, the important variation of viscosity due to the heating of the liquid during experiments does not disturb flow measurements.

[Nickel contact dermatitis. A ring signal in actual pathology].

PubMed

Cherciu, Mirela; Zbranca, Anca

2004-01-01

Contact dermatitis produced by nickel is extremely common in women by earrings or other items of jewelry which contain nickel. Areas of involvement are under rings, bracelets, watches, spectacle frames, coins in pockets, jeans studs and other sites of direct contact with the metal. The frequency of nickel dermatitis is increasing in the male population and this may be due of body-piercing or professional contact in the field of metallic constructions. The treatment is difficult because of the presence of nickel in so many substances, things or even food. The management of contact dermatitis include the reduction or elimination of the allergen, the use of topical or systemic steroids, oral desensitisation and use of nickel in selected cases.

Reporting the incidence of school violence across grade levels in the U.S. using the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

PubMed

Yu, Lei

2004-01-01

School violence has increasingly captured public attention due to deadly school shootings. Controversy on school violence is demonstrated by a mixed picture of school safety and the lack of consensus on the definitions of violence, which makes comparison of findings across studies difficult. This study extended the application of the Rasch model to school violence research using TIMSS data. The results show that school violence occurred at a level much lower than the predictions of the measurement model. Across all grade levels the most frequently reported type of violence is intimidation or verbal abuse of students and the least frequently reported physical injury to teachers or staff. Copyright 2004

Simulation of magnetic hysteresis loops and magnetic Barkhausen noise of α-iron containing nonmagnetic particles

DOE PAGES

Li, Yi; Xu, Ben; Hu, Shenyang; ...

2015-07-01

The magnetic hysteresis loops and Barkhausen noise of a single α-iron with nonmagnetic particles are simulated to investigate into the magnetic hardening due to Cu-rich precipitates in irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. Phase field method basing Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation is used for this simulation. The results show that the presence of the nonmagnetic particle could result in magnetic hardening by making the nucleation of reversed domains difficult. The coercive field is found to increase, while the intensity of Barkhausen noise voltage is decreased when the nonmagnetic particle is introduced. Simulations demonstrate the impact of nucleation field of reversed domainsmore » on the magnetization reversal behavior and the magnetic properties.« less

Investigations of DC power supplies with optoelectronic transducers and RF energy converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzowski, B.; Gozdur, R.; Bernacki, L.; Lakomski, M.

2016-04-01

Fiber Distribution Cabinets (FDC) monitoring systems are increasingly popular. However it is difficult to realize such system in passive FDC, due to lack of source of power supply. In this paper investigation of four different DC power supplies with optoelectronic transducers is described. Two converters: photovoltaic power converter and PIN photodiode can convert the light transmitted through the optical fiber to electric energy. Solar cell and antenna RF-PCB are also tested. Results presented in this paper clearly demonstrate that it is possible to build monitoring system in passive FDC. During the tests maximum obtained output power was 11 mW. However all converters provided enough power to excite 32-bit microcontroller with ARM-cores and digital thermometer.

Mass Movement Hazards in the Mediterranean; A review on applied techniques and methodologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziade, R.; Abdallah, C.; Baghdadi, N.

2012-04-01

Emergent population and expansions of settlements and life-lines over hazardous areas in the Mediterranean region have largely increased the impact of Mass Movements (MM) both in industrialized and developing countries. This trend is expected to continue in the next decades due to increased urbanization and development, continued deforestation and increased regional precipitation in MM-prone areas due to changing climatic patterns. Consequently, and over the past few years, monitoring of MM has acquired great importance from the scientific community as well as the civilian one. This article begins with a discussion of the MM classification, and the different topographic, geologic, hydrologic and environmental impacting factors. The intrinsic (preconditioning) variables determine the susceptibility of MM and extrinsic factors (triggering) can induce the probability of MM occurrence. The evolution of slope instability studies is charted from geodetic or observational techniques, to geotechnical field-based origins to recent higher levels of data acquisition through Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. Since MM detection and zoning is difficult in remote areas, RS and GIS have enabled regional studies to predominate over site-based ones where they provide multi-temporal images hence facilitate greatly MM monitoring. The unusual extent of the spectrum of MM makes it difficult to define a single methodology to establish MM hazard. Since the probability of occurrence of MM is one of the key components in making rational decisions for management of MM risk, scientists and engineers have developed physical parameters, equations and environmental process models that can be used as assessment tools for management, education, planning and legislative purposes. Assessment of MM is attained through various modeling approaches mainly divided into three main sections: quantitative/Heuristic (1:2.000-1:10.000), semi-quantitative/Statistical (1:25.000-1:50.000) and qualitative/Deterministic (1:100.000 to 1:250.00).The scale of study is usually chosen on the basis of the purpose of assessment, the extent of the study area and data availability. Despite the operational and theoretical limitations due to an extent of data uncertainty where geomorphologic data for instance remains basically subjective and descriptive in addition to unpredictable climatic factors, MM hazard evaluation may constitute a suitable, cost-effective aid to land-use planning. The objective of this paper is to provide a holistic understanding of the nature of different MM, parameters affecting their occurrence and to put forward the wide range of MM detection, modeling and zoning techniques that would eventually serve as prediction and warning systems for communities at risk.

Data Quality Screening Using Trend Charts. October, 2011 v.2

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Frequently the quality of results from data collection activities are difficult to assess due to the number of reports one needs to review and digest. These reviews may take place months after data collection is conducted.

Typhoon Sinlaku

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

... before the storm weakened as it moved inland. While the nature and formation of individual storm events is relatively well understood, ... clouds on climate is difficult to assess due to the variable nature of cloud cover at various altitudes. MISR's data products are designed ...

The CAESAR models for developmental toxicity

EPA Science Inventory

The new REACH legislation requires assessment of a high number of chemicals in the European market for several endpoints. Developmental Toxicity results amongst the most difficult endpoint to assess, due to the complexity, length and costs of experiments. Following the encouragem...

Acid soil infertility effects on peanut yields and yield components

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

Blamey, F.P.C.

1983-01-01

The interpretation of soil amelioration experiments with peanuts is made difficult by the unpredictibility of the crop and by the many factors altered when ameliorating acid soils. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of lime and gypsum applications on peanut kernel yield via the three first order yield components, pods per ha, kernels per pod, and kernel mass. On an acid medium sandy loam soil (typic Plinthustult), liming resulted in a highly significant kernel yield increase of 117% whereas gypsum applications were of no significant benefit. As indicated by path coefficient analysis, an increase in the numbermore » of pods per ha was markedly more important in increasing yield than an increase in either the number of kernels per pod or kernel mass. Furthermore, exch. Al was found to be particularly detrimental to pod number. It was postulated that poor peanut yields resulting from acid soil infertility were mainly due to the depressive effect of exch. Al on pod number. Exch. Ca appeared to play a secondary role by ameliorating the adverse effects of exch. Al.« less

Molybdenum target specifications for cyclotron production of 99mTc based on patient dose estimates.

PubMed

Hou, X; Tanguay, J; Buckley, K; Schaffer, P; Bénard, F; Ruth, T J; Celler, A

2016-01-21

In response to the recognized fragility of reactor-produced (99)Mo supply, direct production of (99m)Tc via (100)Mo(p,2n)(99m)Tc reaction using medical cyclotrons has been investigated. However, due to the existence of other Molybdenum (Mo) isotopes in the target, in parallel with (99m)Tc, other technetium (Tc) radioactive isotopes (impurities) will be produced. They will be incorporated into the labeled radiopharmaceuticals and result in increased patient dose. The isotopic composition of the target and beam energy are main factors that determine production of impurities, thus also dose increases. Therefore, they both must be considered when selecting targets for clinical (99m)Tc production. Although for any given Mo target, the patient dose can be predicted based on complicated calculations of production yields for each Tc radioisotope, it would be very difficult to reverse these calculations to specify target composition based on dosimetry considerations. In this article, a relationship between patient dosimetry and Mo target composition is studied. A simple and easy algorithm for dose estimation, based solely on the knowledge of target composition and beam energy, is described. Using this algorithm, the patient dose increase due to every Mo isotope that could be present in the target is estimated. Most importantly, a technique to determine Mo target composition thresholds that would meet any given dosimetry requirement is proposed.

The effect of warmer winters on the demography of an outbreak insect is hidden by intraspecific competition

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

Goodsman, Devin W.; Grosklos, Guenchik; Aukema, Brian H.

Warmer climates are predicted to increase bark beetle outbreak frequency, severity, and range. Even in favorable climates, however, outbreaks can decelerate due to resource limitation, which necessitates the inclusion of competition for limited resources in analyses of climatic effects on populations. We evaluated several hypotheses of how climate impacts mountain pine beetle reproduction using an extensive 9-year dataset, in which nearly 10,000 trees were sampled across a region of approximately 90,000 km 2, that was recently invaded by the mountain pine beetle in Alberta, Canada. Our analysis supports the hypothesis of a positive effect of warmer winter temperatures on mountainmore » pine beetle overwinter survival and provides evidence that the increasing trend in minimum winter temperatures over time in North America is an important driver of increased mountain pine beetle reproduction across the region. Although we demonstrate a consistent effect of warmer minimum winter temperatures on mountain pine beetle reproductive rates that is evident at the landscape and regional scales, this effect is overwhelmed by the effect of competition for resources within trees at the site level. Our results suggest that detection of the effects of a warming climate on bark beetle populations at small spatial scales may be difficult without accounting for negative density dependence due to competition for resources.« less

Modeling of Thermospheric Neutral Density Variations in Response to Geomagnetic Forcing using GRACE Accelerometer Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calabia, A.; Matsuo, T.; Jin, S.

2017-12-01

The upper atmospheric expansion refers to an increase in the temperature and density of Earth's thermosphere due to increased geomagnetic and space weather activities, producing anomalous atmospheric drag on LEO spacecraft. Increased drag decelerates satellites, moving their orbit closer to Earth, decreasing the lifespan of satellites, and making satellite orbit determination difficult. In this study, thermospheric neutral density variations due to geomagnetic forcing are investigated from 10 years (2003-2013) of GRACE's accelerometer-based estimates. In order to isolate the variations produced by geomagnetic forcing, 99.8% of the total variability has been modeled and removed through the parameterization of annual, LST, and solar-flux variations included in the primary Empirical Orthogonal Functions. The residual disturbances of neutral density variations have been investigated further in order to unravel their relationship to several geomagnetic indices and space weather activity indicators. Stronger fluctuations have been found in the southern polar cap, following the dipole-tilt angle variations. While the parameterization of the residual disturbances in terms of Dst index results in the best fit to training data, the use of merging electric field as a predictor leads to the best forecasting performance. An important finding is that modeling of neutral density variations in response geomagnetic forcing can be improved by accounting for the latitude-dependent delay. Our data-driven modeling results are further compared to modeling with TIEGCM.

Molybdenum target specifications for cyclotron production of 99mTc based on patient dose estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, X.; Tanguay, J.; Buckley, K.; Schaffer, P.; Bénard, F.; Ruth, T. J.; Celler, A.

2016-01-01

In response to the recognized fragility of reactor-produced 99Mo supply, direct production of 99mTc via 100Mo(p,2n)99mTc reaction using medical cyclotrons has been investigated. However, due to the existence of other Molybdenum (Mo) isotopes in the target, in parallel with 99mTc, other technetium (Tc) radioactive isotopes (impurities) will be produced. They will be incorporated into the labeled radiopharmaceuticals and result in increased patient dose. The isotopic composition of the target and beam energy are main factors that determine production of impurities, thus also dose increases. Therefore, they both must be considered when selecting targets for clinical 99mTc production. Although for any given Mo target, the patient dose can be predicted based on complicated calculations of production yields for each Tc radioisotope, it would be very difficult to reverse these calculations to specify target composition based on dosimetry considerations. In this article, a relationship between patient dosimetry and Mo target composition is studied. A simple and easy algorithm for dose estimation, based solely on the knowledge of target composition and beam energy, is described. Using this algorithm, the patient dose increase due to every Mo isotope that could be present in the target is estimated. Most importantly, a technique to determine Mo target composition thresholds that would meet any given dosimetry requirement is proposed.

The effect of warmer winters on the demography of an outbreak insect is hidden by intraspecific competition.

PubMed

Goodsman, Devin W; Grosklos, Guenchik; Aukema, Brian H; Whitehouse, Caroline; Bleiker, Katherine P; McDowell, Nate G; Middleton, Richard S; Xu, Chonggang

2018-05-29

Warmer climates are predicted to increase bark beetle outbreak frequency, severity, and range. Even in favorable climates, however, outbreaks can decelerate due to resource limitation, which necessitates the inclusion of competition for limited resources in analyses of climatic effects on populations. We evaluated several hypotheses of how climate impacts mountain pine beetle reproduction using an extensive 9-year dataset, in which nearly 10,000 trees were sampled across a region of approximately 90,000 km 2 , that was recently invaded by the mountain pine beetle in Alberta, Canada. Our analysis supports the hypothesis of a positive effect of warmer winter temperatures on mountain pine beetle overwinter survival and provides evidence that the increasing trend in minimum winter temperatures over time in North America is an important driver of increased mountain pine beetle reproduction across the region. Although we demonstrate a consistent effect of warmer minimum winter temperatures on mountain pine beetle reproductive rates that is evident at the landscape and regional scales, this effect is overwhelmed by the effect of competition for resources within trees at the site level. Our results suggest that detection of the effects of a warming climate on bark beetle populations at small spatial scales may be difficult without accounting for negative density dependence due to competition for resources. © 2018 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effect of warmer winters on the demography of an outbreak insect is hidden by intraspecific competition

DOE PAGES

Goodsman, Devin W.; Grosklos, Guenchik; Aukema, Brian H.; ...

2018-05-29

Warmer climates are predicted to increase bark beetle outbreak frequency, severity, and range. Even in favorable climates, however, outbreaks can decelerate due to resource limitation, which necessitates the inclusion of competition for limited resources in analyses of climatic effects on populations. We evaluated several hypotheses of how climate impacts mountain pine beetle reproduction using an extensive 9-year dataset, in which nearly 10,000 trees were sampled across a region of approximately 90,000 km 2, that was recently invaded by the mountain pine beetle in Alberta, Canada. Our analysis supports the hypothesis of a positive effect of warmer winter temperatures on mountainmore » pine beetle overwinter survival and provides evidence that the increasing trend in minimum winter temperatures over time in North America is an important driver of increased mountain pine beetle reproduction across the region. Although we demonstrate a consistent effect of warmer minimum winter temperatures on mountain pine beetle reproductive rates that is evident at the landscape and regional scales, this effect is overwhelmed by the effect of competition for resources within trees at the site level. Our results suggest that detection of the effects of a warming climate on bark beetle populations at small spatial scales may be difficult without accounting for negative density dependence due to competition for resources.« less

Hepatitis E, Helicobacter pylori, and gastrointestinal symptoms in workers exposed to waste water

PubMed Central

Jeggli, S; Steiner, D; Joller, H; Tschopp, A; Steffen, R; Hotz, P

2004-01-01

Background: Workers exposed to sewage may have an increased risk of infection by Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis E virus (HEV). Aims: To assess the prevalence of clinical hepatitis E (HE) and peptic ulcer disease as well as the seroprevalence of antibodies to H pylori and HEV in workers with and without sewage exposure and to look for symptoms due to exposure to endotoxin. Methods: In the first year of a prospective cohort study 349 sewage exposed workers and 429 municipal manual workers (participation: 61%) underwent a complete medical examination. Travelling to endemic areas, socioeconomic level, age, country in which childhood was spent, and number of siblings were considered as the main confounding factors. Results: Peptic ulcer disease and clinical HE did not occur more often in workers exposed to sewage. Prevalence of antibodies to HEV was 3.3% and overall prevalence of IgG antibodies to H pylori was 42% with large differences between subgroups. Logistic regression did not show an increased risk of seropositivity or antibodies to parietal cells in sewage exposed workers, but disentangling the effect of exposure from that of confounders was extremely difficult. No increase of symptoms due to exposure to endotoxin was found in sewage workers, with the exception of diarrhoea. Conclusions: No clear increased risk of infection by H pylori or by HEV in workers exposed to sewage was found in this cross-sectional study, but these results need to be confirmed by follow up. PMID:15208379

Biodistribution of fracture-targeted GSK3β inhibitor-loaded micelles for improved fracture healing

PubMed Central

Low, Stewart A.; Galliford, Chris V.; Yang, Jiyuan; Low, Philip S.; Kopeček, Jindřich

2016-01-01

Bone fractures constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality especially in the elderly. Complications associated with osteoporosis drugs and the age of the patient slow bone turnover and render such fractures difficult to heal. Increasing the speed of fracture repair by administration of a fracture-targeted bone anabolic agent could find considerable application. Aspartic acid oligopeptides are negatively charged molecules at physiological pH that adsorb to hydroxyapatite, the mineral portion of bone. This general adsorption is the strongest where bone turnover is highest or where hydroxyapatite is freshly exposed. Importantly, both of these conditions are prominent at fracture sites. GSK3β inhibitors are potent anabolic agents that can promote tissue repair when concentrated in a damaged tissue. Unfortunately, they can also cause significant toxicity when administered systemically and are furthermore difficult to deliver due to their strong hydrophobicity. In this paper, we solve both problems by conjugating the hydrophobic GSK3β inhibitor to a hydrophilic aspartic acid octapeptide using a hydrolyzable bond, thereby generating a bone fracture-targeted water-soluble form of the drug. The resulting amphiphile is shown to assemble into micelles, extending its circulation time while maintaining its fracture-targeting abilities. For measurement of pharmacokinetics, an 125I was introduced at the location of the bromine in the GSK3β inhibitor to minimize any structural differences. Biodistribution studies demonstrate a greater than 4-fold increase in fracture accumulation over healthy bone. PMID:26331790

Stable heterologous expression of biologically active terpenoids in green plant cells

PubMed Central

Ikram, N. Kusaira B. K.; Zhan, Xin; Pan, Xi-Wu; King, Brian C.; Simonsen, Henrik T.

2015-01-01

Plants biosynthesize a great diversity of biologically active small molecules of interest for fragrances, flavors, and pharmaceuticals. Among specialized metabolites, terpenoids represent the greatest molecular diversity. Many terpenoids are very complex, and total chemical synthesis often requires many steps and difficult chemical reactions, resulting in a low final yield or incorrect stereochemistry. Several drug candidates with terpene skeletons are difficult to obtain by chemical synthesis due to their large number of chiral centers. Thus, biological production remains the preferred method for industrial production for many of these compounds. However, because these chemicals are often found in low abundance in the native plant, or are produced in plants which are difficult to cultivate, there is great interest in engineering increased production or expression of the biosynthetic pathways in heterologous hosts. Although there are many examples of successful engineering of microbes such as yeast or bacteria to produce these compounds, this often requires extensive changes to the host organism's metabolism. Optimization of plant gene expression, post-translational protein modifications, subcellular localization, and other factors often present challenges. To address the future demand for natural products used as drugs, new platforms are being established that are better suited for heterologous production of plant metabolites. Specifically, direct metabolic engineering of plants can provide effective heterologous expression for production of valuable plant-derived natural products. In this review, our primary focus is on small terpenoids and we discuss the benefits of plant expression platforms and provide several successful examples of stable production of small terpenoids in plants. PMID:25852702

Efficacy of single-layer continuous suture of the posterior wall in anastomosis involving a difficult location of the digestive tract

PubMed Central

LI, GUO-CAI; XU, YONG; ZHANG, YU-CHUN; ZHANG, FANG-CHENG; WANG, QI; MA, QING-JIU

2014-01-01

Surgery for digestive tract disease predominantly consists of reconstruction and anastomosis. Due to the difficult location, anastomosis is extremely challenging and the risk of complication increases accordingly. Traditional manual anastomosis and the application of a stapling device are insufficient. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of a novel manual method in a difficult anastomotic location, consisting of a single-layer continuous suture in the posterior wall. In total, 15 beagle dogs were included in the study; eight underwent surgery with the novel manual method for reconstruction and anastomosis of the digestive tract, while seven underwent surgery with the stapler device as a control. The subsequent postoperative complications were observed and, three months later, the anastomotic ports were excised, and the pathological formation and morphological changes were evaluated. No statistically significant differences were identified between the total (50.0 vs. 57.1%; P=0.782) and anastomotic (0.0 vs. 28.6%; P=0.200) complication rates in the manual suture and staple suture groups, respectively. Compared with the control group, the operative expenditure was lower in the manual group (1726.7±33.5 vs. 2135.7±43.1 renminbi; P=0.001), the diameter of the anastomotic port was larger in the manual group (3.04±0.07 vs. 2.24±0.25 cm; P=0.004) and the thickness of the anastomotic port (in cm) was thinner in the manual group (2.94±0.06 vs. 5.07±0.85; P=0.002). Furthermore, the pathological formation of the anastomositic port in the manual group was improved. The results of the current study suggest single-layer continuous suture of the posterior wall in anastomosis of the digestive tract to be a novel method with feasibility and safety, particularly in difficult anastomotic locations. PMID:25202369

Efficacy of single-layer continuous suture of the posterior wall in anastomosis involving a difficult location of the digestive tract.

PubMed

Li, Guo-Cai; Xu, Yong; Zhang, Yu-Chun; Zhang, Fang-Cheng; Wang, Qi; Ma, Qing-Jiu

2014-10-01

Surgery for digestive tract disease predominantly consists of reconstruction and anastomosis. Due to the difficult location, anastomosis is extremely challenging and the risk of complication increases accordingly. Traditional manual anastomosis and the application of a stapling device are insufficient. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of a novel manual method in a difficult anastomotic location, consisting of a single-layer continuous suture in the posterior wall. In total, 15 beagle dogs were included in the study; eight underwent surgery with the novel manual method for reconstruction and anastomosis of the digestive tract, while seven underwent surgery with the stapler device as a control. The subsequent postoperative complications were observed and, three months later, the anastomotic ports were excised, and the pathological formation and morphological changes were evaluated. No statistically significant differences were identified between the total (50.0 vs. 57.1%; P=0.782) and anastomotic (0.0 vs. 28.6%; P=0.200) complication rates in the manual suture and staple suture groups, respectively. Compared with the control group, the operative expenditure was lower in the manual group (1726.7±33.5 vs. 2135.7±43.1 renminbi; P=0.001), the diameter of the anastomotic port was larger in the manual group (3.04±0.07 vs. 2.24±0.25 cm; P=0.004) and the thickness of the anastomotic port (in cm) was thinner in the manual group (2.94±0.06 vs. 5.07±0.85; P=0.002). Furthermore, the pathological formation of the anastomositic port in the manual group was improved. The results of the current study suggest single-layer continuous suture of the posterior wall in anastomosis of the digestive tract to be a novel method with feasibility and safety, particularly in difficult anastomotic locations.

The potential impact on atmospheric ozone and temperature of increasing trace gas concentrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brasseur, G.; Derudder, A.

1987-01-01

The response of the atmosphere to emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other chlorocarbons, and to increasing concentrations of other radiatively active trace gases such as CO2, CH4, and N2O is calculated by a coupled chemical-radiative transport one-dimensional model. It is shown that significant reductions in the ozone concentration and in the temperature are expected in the upper stratosphere as a result of increasing concentrations of active chlorine produced by photodecomposition of the CFCs. The ozone content is expected to increase in the troposphere, as a consequence of increasing concentrations of methane and nitrogen oxides. Due to enhanced greenhouse effects, the Earth's surface should warm up by several degrees. The amplitude and even the sign of future changes in the ozone column are difficult to predict as they are strongly scenario-dependent. An early detection system to prevent noticeable ozone changes as a result of increasing concentrations of source gases should thus be based on a continuous monitoring of the ozone amount in the upper stratosphere rather than on measurements of the ozone column only. Measurements of NOx, Clx, and HOx are also required for unambiguous trend detection and interpretation.

[Perioperative onset of sarcoidosis : Rare differential diagnosis of a difficult airway].

PubMed

Jansen, G; Nowak, A

2018-05-01

Sarcoidosis is a rare multisystemic chronic inflammatory condition. Typically, there is a big discrepancy between the patient's subjectively perceived symptoms and the presence of clinical signs. Due to the high number of potential sites of onset (e. g. larynx, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys) the affected organs may show functional restrictions that are relevant for decisions related to anesthesia. Therefore, an anesthetists working in a clinical setting should be familiar with the special needs of this patient collective. This article describes the onset of sarcoidosis in a case of an unexpected difficult airway.

NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

Non-point source pollution is a diffuse source that is difficult to measure and is highly variable due to different rain patterns and other climatic conditions. In many areas, however, non-point source pollution is the greatest source of water quality degradation. Presently, stat...

Investigation into effective traffic noise abatement design solutions for mountain corridors.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-07-01

Traffic noise abatement in mountain corridors can be difficult because traditional roadside barriers may be ineffective : due to topography or may not fit the setting. This study examined current best practices from around the world to gather : conce...

DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOCOLS TO IDENTIFY CRITICAL ECOSYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Healthy, functioning ecosystems are critical to the sustainability of human and natural communities, but the identification of areas of healthy ecosystems in an area as large as Region 5 is difficult due to time and information constraints. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) a...

On Test-Wiseness and Some Related Constructs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilsson, Ingvar; Wedman, Ingemar

1976-01-01

States that, due to confusion of concepts and lack of systemization, "previous studies are often difficult to interpret and consequently...afford little possibility of formulating more precise statements about those errors the concepts represent...." A proposal for systematization is presented. (Author/RW)

Application of a Resilience Framework to Military Installations: A Methodology for Energy Resilience Business Case Decisions

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-04

analysis (due to site-level evaluations), but could be added in the future, include: wind turbines (the installations we visited were not interested due...procurement, operation, maintenance , testing, and fueling of the generators, detailed inventory and cost data is difficult to obtain. The DPW is often...understaffed, leading to uneven testing and maintenance of the equipment despite their best efforts. The reliability of these generators is typically

[Safety and health in workers employed in industry. Data from Industrial Accidents Compensation Board (INAIL) and National Social Security Institute (INPS), Veneto Region, 1994-2002].

PubMed

Mastrangelo, G; Carassai, Patrizia; Carletti, Claudia; Cattani, F; De Zorzi, Lia; Di Loreto, G; Dini, M; Mattioni, G; Mundo, Antonietta; Noceta, R; Ortolani, G; Piccioni, M; Sartori, Angela; Sereno, Antonella; Priolo, G; Scoizzato, L; Marangi, G; Marchiori, L

2008-01-01

A decreasing time trend for occupational injuries and sickness absence would be the effect of the new legislation (D.Lgs. 626/94 and successive laws) on prevention in occupational settings. Conversely, the reduction of INPS disability would reflect a health improvement due to non-occupational causes. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of the new legislation among employees in industry (where the law was mainly applied), via the time trend of three standardized rates in the Veneto Region. The numerator for the rate of occupational accidents (cases occurring in industry workers in the Veneto Region, broken down for sex, age and calendar years) was supplied by INAIL. The denominator for the above rate, as well as numerators and denominators for disability and sickness absence were supplied by INPS. Data were available from 1994 to 2002 for accidents and disability, and from 1997 to 2002 for sickness absence. In every year from 1994 to 2002, the rates were standardized for age and sex with the direct method, using an internal "standard" population. The time trend of year-specific standardized rates was analyzed by Joinpoint regression software. Among industrial workers in the Veneto Region, occupational accidents increased by 0.4% yearly, while disability decreased by 2.56% from 1994 to 2002. Sick absence increased up to 1999, then decreased. This epidemiological pattern is difficult to explain. The increase in accidents could be due to the increase of non-European Union workers and/or to the fact that accidents on the way to or from work were recognized as occupational accidents by INAIL starting from 2000. Both these phenomena could have contributed to increase the rate that was otherwise diminishing. On the other hand, this same situation could be due to insufficient efficacy of the legislation (D.Lgs. 626/94 and successive laws) for preventing occupational accidents and diseases.

Patient portals and health apps: Pitfalls, promises, and what one might learn from the other.

PubMed

Baldwin, Jessica L; Singh, Hardeep; Sittig, Dean F; Giardina, Traber Davis

2017-09-01

Widespread use of health information technology (IT) could potentially increase patients' access to their health information and facilitate future goals of advancing patient-centered care. Despite having increased access to their health data, patients do not always understand this information or its implications, and digital health data can be difficult to navigate when displayed in a small-format, complex interface. In this paper, we discuss two forms of patient-facing health IT tools-patient portals and applications (apps)-and highlight how, despite several limitations of each, combining high-yield features of mobile health (mHealth) apps with portals could increase patient engagement and self-management and be more effective than either of them alone. Patient portal adoption is variable, and due to design and interface limitations and health literacy issues, many people find the portal difficult to use. Conversely, apps have experienced rapid adoption and traditionally have more consumer-friendly features with easy log-in access, real-time tracking, and simplified data display. These features make the applications more intuitive and easy-to-use than patient portals. While apps have their own limitations and might serve different purposes, patient portals could adopt some high-yield features and functions of apps that lead to engagement success with patients. We thus suggest that to improve user experience with future portals, developers could look towards mHealth apps in design, function, and user interface. Adding new features to portals may improve their use and empower patients to track their overall health and disease states. Nevertheless, both these health IT tools should be subjected to rigorous evaluation to ensure they meet their potential in improving patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Atmospheric Pressure and Composition on LIBS

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

Hatch, Jeremy J.; Scott, Jill R.; Effenberger, A. J. Jr.

2014-03-01

Most LIBS experiments are conducted at standard atmospheric pressure in air. However, there are LIBS studies that vary the pressure and composition of the gas. These studies have provided insights into fundamentals of the mechanisms that lead to the emission and methods for improving the quality of LIBS spectra. These atmospheric studies are difficult because the effects of pressure and gas composition and interconnected, making interpretation of the results difficult. The influence of pressures below and above 760 Torr have been explored. Performing LIBS on a surface at reduced pressures (<760 Torr) can result in enhanced spectra due to highermore » resolution, increased intensity, improved signal-to-noise (S/N), and increased ablation. Lower pressures produce increased resolution because the line width in LIBS spectra is predominantly due to Stark and Doppler broadening. Stark broadening is primarily caused from collisions between electrons and atoms, while Doppler broadening is proportional to the plasma temperature. Close examination using a high resolution spectrometer reveals that spectra show significant peak broadening and self-absorption as pressures increase, especially for pressures >760 Torr. During LIBS plasma expansion, energy is lost to the surrounding atmosphere, which reduces the lifetime of the laser plasma. Therefore, reducing the pressure increases the lifetime of the plasma, allowing more light from the laser plasma to be collected; thus, increasing the observed signal intensity. However, if pressures are too low (<10 Torr), then there is a steep drop in LIBS spectral intensity. This loss in intensity is mostly due to a disordered plasma that results from the lack of sufficient atmosphere to provide adequate confinement. At reduced pressures, the plasma expands into a less dense atmosphere, which results in a less dense shock wave. The reduced density in the shock wave results in reduced plasma shielding, allowing more photons to reach the sample. Increasing the number of photons interacting with the sample surface results in increased ablation, which can lead to increased intensity. The composition of the background gas has been shown to greatly influence the observed LIBS spectra by altering the plasma temperature, electron density, mass removal, and plasma shielding that impact the emission intensity and peak resolution. It has been reported that atmospheric Ar results in the highest plasma temperature and electron density, while a He atmosphere results in the lowest plasma temperatures and electron density. Studying temporal data, it was also found that Ar had the slowest decay of both electron density and plasma temperature, while He had the fastest decay in both parameters. The higher plasma temperature and electron density results in an increase in line broadenin, or poor resolution, for Ar compared to He. A rapidly developing LIBS plasma with a sufficient amount of electrons can absorb a significant portion of the laser pulse through inverse Bremsstahlung. Ar (15.8 eV ) is more easily ionized than He (24.4 eV). The breakdown threshold for He at 760 Torr is approximately 3 times greater than Ar and approximately 5 times greater at 100 Torr. The lower breakdown threshold in Ar, compared to He, creates an environment favorable for plasma shielding, which reduces sample vaporization and leads to a weaker LIBS signal.« less

Rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria infection of prosthetic knee joints: A report of two cases.

PubMed

Kim, Manyoung; Ha, Chul-Won; Jang, Jae Won; Park, Yong-Beom

2017-08-01

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) cause prosthetic knee joint infections in rare cases. Infections with rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria (RGNTM) are difficult to treat due to their aggressive clinical behavior and resistance to antibiotics. Infections of a prosthetic knee joint by RGNTM have rarely been reported. A standard of treatment has not yet been established because of the rarity of the condition. In previous reports, diagnoses of RGNTM infections in prosthetic knee joints took a long time to reach because the condition was not suspected, due to its rarity. In addition, it is difficult to identify RGNTM in the lab because special identification tests are needed. In previous reports, after treatment for RGNTM prosthetic infections, knee prostheses could not be re-implanted in all cases but one, resulting in arthrodesis or resection arthroplasty; this was most likely due to the aggressiveness of these organisms. In the present report, two cases of prosthetic knee joint infection caused by RGNTM (Mycobacterium abscessus) are described that were successfully treated, and in which prosthetic joints were finally reimplanted in two-stage revision surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Orofacial Neuropathic Pain Leads to a Hyporesponsive Barrel Cortex with Enhanced Structural Synaptic Plasticity.

PubMed

Thibault, Karine; Rivière, Sébastien; Lenkei, Zsolt; Férézou, Isabelle; Pezet, Sophie

2016-01-01

Chronic pain is a long-lasting debilitating condition that is particularly difficult to treat due to the lack of identified underlying mechanisms. Although several key contributing processes have been described at the level of the spinal cord, very few studies have investigated the supraspinal mechanisms underlying chronic pain. Using a combination of approaches (cortical intrinsic imaging, immunohistochemical and behavioural analysis), our study aimed to decipher the nature of functional and structural changes in a mouse model of orofacial neuropathic pain, focusing on cortical areas involved in various pain components. Our results show that chronic neuropathic orofacial pain is associated with decreased haemodynamic responsiveness to whisker stimulation in the barrel field cortex. This reduced functional activation is likely due to the increased basal neuronal activity (measured indirectly using cFos and phospho-ERK immunoreactivity) observed in several cortical areas, including the contralateral barrel field, motor and cingulate cortices. In the same animals, immunohistochemical analysis of markers for active pre- or postsynaptic elements (Piccolo and phospho-Cofilin, respectively) revealed an increased immunofluorescence in deep cortical layers of the contralateral barrel field, motor and cingulate cortices. These results suggest that long-lasting orofacial neuropathic pain is associated with exacerbated neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity at the cortical level.

Environmental health aspects of drinking water-borne outbreak due to karst flooding: case study.

PubMed

Dura, Gyula; Pándics, Tamás; Kádár, Mihály; Krisztalovics, Katalin; Kiss, Zoltánné; Bodnár, Judit; Asztalos, Agnes; Papp, Erzsébet

2010-09-01

Climate change may increase the incidence of waterborne diseases due to extreme rainfall events, and consequent microbiological contamination of the water source and supply. As a result of the complexity of the pathways from the surface to the consumer, it is difficult to detect an association between rainfall and human disease. The water supply of a Hungarian city, Miskolc (174,000 inhabitant), is mainly based on karstic water, a vulnerable underground water body. A large amount of precipitation fell on the catchment area of the karstic water source, causing an unusually strong karstic water flow and flooding, and subsequent microbiological contamination. The presence of several potential sources of contamination in the protective zone of the karstic water source should be emphasized. The water supplier was unprepared to treat the risk of waterborne outbreak caused by an extreme weather event. Public health intervention and hygienic measures were taken in line with epidemiological actions, focusing on the protection of consumers by providing safe drinking water. The contamination was identified, and measures were taken for risk reduction and prevention. This case study underlines the increasing importance of preparedness for extreme water events in order to protect the karstic water sources and to avoid waterborne outbreaks.

Robotic weld overlay coatings for erosion control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The erosion of materials by the impact of solid particles has received increasing attention during the past twenty years. Recently, research has been initiated with the event of advanced coal conversion processes in which erosion plays an important role. The resulting damage, termed Solid Particle Erosion (SPE), is of concern primarily because of the significantly increased operating costs which result in material failures. Reduced power plant efficiency due to solid particle erosion of boiler tubes and waterfalls has led to various methods to combat SPE. One method is to apply coatings to the components subjected to erosive environments. Protective weld overlay coatings are particularly advantageous in terms of coating quality. The weld overlay coatings are essentially immune to spallation due to a strong metallurgical bond with the substrate material. By using powder mixtures, multiple alloys can be mixed in order to achieve the best performance in an erosive environment. However, a review of the literature revealed a lack of information on weld overlay coating performance in erosive environments which makes the selection of weld overlay alloys a difficult task. The objective of this project is to determine the effects of weld overlay coating composition and microstructure on erosion resistance. These results will lead to a better understanding of erosion mitigation in CFB's.

Status and distribution of the Kittlitz's murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris in Kenai Fjords, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Piatt, John F.; Romano, Marc D.; van Pelt, Thomas I.

2011-01-01

The Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris is a candidate species for listing under the US Endangered Species Act because of its apparent declines within core population areas of coastal Alaska. During the summers of 2006-2008, we conducted surveys in marine waters adjacent to Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, to estimate the current population size of Kittlitz's and Marbled murrelets B. marmoratus and examine seasonal variability in distribution within coastal fjords. We also evaluated historical data to estimate trend. Based on an average of point estimates, we find the recent population (95% CI) of Kittlitz's Murrelet to be 716 (353-1080) individuals, that of Marbled Murrelet to be 6690 (5427-7953) individuals, and all Brachyramphus murrelets combined to number 8186 (6978-9393) birds. Within-season density estimates showed Kittlitz's Murrelets generally increased between June and July, but dispersed rapidly by August, while Marbled Murrelets generally increased throughout the summer. Trends in Kittlitz's and Marbled murrelet populations were difficult to assess with confidence. Methods for counting or sampling murrelets varied in early decades of study, while in later years there is uncertainty due to highly variable counts among years, which may be due in part to timing of surveys relative to the spring bloom in coastal waters of the Gulf of Alaska.

Environmental effects of maritime traffic on the Istanbul Strait.

PubMed

Birpinar, Mehmet E; Talu, Gonca F; Gönençgil, Barbaros

2009-05-01

The Istanbul Strait, which separates the European and the Asian parts of Istanbul, is one of the narrowest straits in the world that is used for international shipping. The Strait has very special ecological conditions in terms of marine environment (atmospheric/oceanographic conditions, plant and animal diversity) and terrestrial environment. It also has roles as biological corridor and biological barrier between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea and form an acclimatization zone for migrating species. Due to being the only maritime access for the neighboring Black Sea states and the Central Asian Turki Republics, the Istanbul Strait has been exposed to dense marine traffic for centuries and substantial increase has occurred in size and tonnage of the ships passing through the Strait with hazardous cargo varieties and amounts they carry. Increase in the number of vessels that navigates on the Strait and being on the transportation way of hazardous and dangerous materials pose serious environmental and safety hazards for the Istanbul Strait, Marmara Sea and the surrounding residential areas. Geographic and oceanographic features of the Istanbul Strait makes the navigation on the Strait rather difficult and consequently the Strait has faced many casualties that caused severe environmental problems due to thousands tons of oil spill occurring in recent decades.

Kinetics and mechanism for the sonochemical degradation of a nonionic surfactant.

PubMed

Singla, Ritu; Grieser, Franz; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

2009-03-26

The sonolytic degradation of the nonionic surfactant, octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C(12)E(8)), has been studied at various initial concentrations below and above its critical micelle concentration (CMC). It has been observed that the degradation rate increases with an increase in the initial concentration of the surfactant until the CMC is reached. Above the CMC an almost constant degradation rate is observed, suggesting that the surfactant in its monomer form is involved in the degradation process. The degradation process of C(12)E(8) involves two distinct primary processes occurring at the bubble/solution interface: (a) hydroxylation/oxidation of the surfactant and (b) pyrolytic fragmentation of the surfactant. The oxidative cleavage of ethylene oxide units provides evidence for OH radical attack. Hydroxylation of the ethoxy chain gives rise to various short-chain carboxyalkyl-polyethylene glycol intermediates. The polyethylene glycol chain formed, due to the scission of the C(12)E(8) molecule, undergoes rapid hydroxylation/oxidation to yield simple compounds that have the potential to undergo further degradation. The detection of multiple intermediates indicates that several processes affect the complete degradation pathways of the surfactant molecule. TOC analysis, however, indicates that the sonolytic mineralization of the surfactant is difficult to achieve at reasonable rates due to the relatively low surface activity of the degradation products formed during sonolysis.

The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality

PubMed Central

Jóźków, Paweł; Rossato, Marco

2016-01-01

With expanding knowledge on the health benefits of exercise, there is an increasing demand for information on the andrological consequences of participating in sports. These consequences are especially important in the context of infertility problems worldwide. The so-called “male factor” is reported in up to 50% of couples having trouble with conception. The answer to the question, “Is physical activity good for male reproductive health?” is not straightforward. A number of studies have suggested that significant changes in semen parameters may occur due to sports training of certain types, intensities, and durations. The changes to these parameters vary in scope, direction, and magnitude. Findings in recreational athletes have also differed from those in professional athletes. This review of the current literature suggests that intense physical activity may affect the semen concentration, as well as the number of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa. Training at higher intensities and with increased loads seems to be associated with more profound changes in semen quality. In recreational athletes, exercise has either a positive or neutral effect on semen parameters. Due to many limitations (e.g., global sperm count trends, concerns about the quality control of sperm evaluations, and new standards for semen analysis), comparisons among historical data and their interpretation are difficult. PMID:27645515

Area Source Emission Measurements Using EPA OTM 10

EPA Science Inventory

Measurement of air pollutant emissions from area and non-point sources is an emerging environmental concern. Due to the spatial extent and non-homogenous nature of these sources, assessment of fugitive emissions using point sampling techniques can be difficult. To help address th...

CURRENT ISSUES IN HTE DETECTION OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO THE CYANOBACTERIA TOXINS, MICROCYSTINS

EPA Science Inventory

Introduction: Toxic cyanobacteria are contaminants of surface waters worldwide. Microcystins are some of the most commonly detected toxins. Biological evidence of human exposure has been difficult to obtain due to technical, temporal, and biological limitations. However, evide...

DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOCOLS TO STUDY TO IDENTIFY CRITICAL ECOSYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Healthy, functioning ecosystems are critical to the sustainability of human and natural communities, but the identification of areas of healthy ecosystems in an area as large as Region 5 is difficult due to time and information constraints. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) a...

CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT OF SMALL TREATMENT PLANTS USING INSTRUMENTS AND REMOTE ALARMS

EPA Science Inventory

The operation and maintenance of small treatment plants and associated lift stations pose unique and difficult problems to the authority responsible for their performance. Due to financial and manpower limitations, they must operate unattended the majority of the time. Undetected...

Material Voices: Intermediality and Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trimingham, Melissa; Shaughnessy, Nicola

2016-01-01

Autism continues to be regarded enigmatically; a community that is difficult to access due to perceived disruptions of interpersonal connectedness. Through detailed observations of two children participating in the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project "Imagining Autism: Drama, Performance and Intermediality as Interventions for…

n-Alcohol/Water Partition Coefficients for Decachlorobiphenyl (PCB 209)

EPA Science Inventory

Measurements of n-octanol/water partition coefficients (Kow) for highly hydrophobic chemicals are extremely difficult and are rarely made, in part due to the large volumes of water typically needed to quantify these compounds in the aqueous phase. An extrapolation approach using ...

DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE WATER SYSTEMS IN YORO, HONDURAS

EPA Science Inventory

Rural communities in developing countries often find it difficult to provide safe water to its residents due to costs, technical expertise, and economy of scale. In addition, the natural environment in such communities may be sensitive to traditional water supply solutions,...

Soil mixing design methods and construction techniques for use in high organic soils.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

Organic soils present a difficult challenge for roadway designers and construction due to the high : compressibility of the soil structure and the often associated high water table and moisture content. For : other soft or loose inorganic soils, stab...

B cells promote tumor progression in a mouse model of HPV-mediated cervical cancer.

PubMed

Tang, Alexandre; Dadaglio, Gilles; Oberkampf, Marine; Di Carlo, Selene; Peduto, Lucie; Laubreton, Daphné; Desrues, Belinda; Sun, Cheng-Ming; Montagutelli, Xavier; Leclerc, Claude

2016-09-15

Enhancing anti-tumor immunity and preventing tumor escape are efficient strategies to increase the efficacy of therapeutic cancer vaccines. However, the treatment of advanced tumors remains difficult, mainly due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells have been extensively studied, and their role in suppressing tumor immunity is now well established. In contrast, the role of B lymphocytes in tumor immunity remains unclear because B cells can promote tumor immunity or display regulatory functions to control excessive inflammation, mainly through IL-10 secretion. Here, in a mouse model of HPV-related cancer, we demonstrate that B cells accumulated in the draining lymph node of tumor-bearing mice, due to a prolonged survival, and showed a decreased expression of MHC class II and CD86 molecules and an increased expression of Ly6A/E, PD-L1 and CD39, suggesting potential immunoregulatory properties. However, B cells from tumor-bearing mice did not show an increased ability to secrete IL-10 and a deficiency in IL-10 production did not impair tumor growth. In contrast, in B cell-deficient μMT mice, tumor rejection occurred due to a strong T cell-dependent anti-tumor response. Genetic analysis based on single nucleotide polymorphisms identified genetic variants associated with tumor rejection in μMT mice, which could potentially affect reactive oxygen species production and NK cell activity. Our results demonstrate that B cells play a detrimental role in anti-tumor immunity and suggest that targeting B cells could enhance the anti-tumor response and improve the efficacy of therapeutic cancer vaccines. © 2016 UICC.

Cervical and facial infections - a real life threat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosu, S.; Fratila, M.

2014-03-01

Cervicofacial infections of dental origin are a difficult and complex issue of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Recognizing in due time the situations which are likely to develop a life-threatening condition and medical surgical prompt interventions significantly reduce the rate of the complications. Between January 2009 and March 2013, at the Clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes" Timisoara, 17 patients with severe cervicofacial infections were admitted in the emergency department as they needed a complex medical surgical treatment in accordance with protocol established together with the intensive-care department. Assessing the situations, we noticed a difficult, prolonged time of the recovery process which needed a hospitalization period of around 20 days. It recorded two deceased because of cervical necrotizing fasciitis and oral floor phlegmon, the most severe forms of the cervicofacial infections. The severity of the condition of the patients with cervicofacial infections must be figured and as quickly as possible an energetic therapeutic attitude must be adopted. The experience shows a frequent resistance to antibiotics like ampicillin, penicillin and oxacillin. The patients must be guided in due time to a clinic which has an intensive care department, where the surgical treatment must be administrated together with an intensive treatment for supporting the general condition. The reduction of the vital risk of the cervicofacial infections of dental origin will be done through an attentive assessment of the general and local condition (status) of the outpatients, before the dental extraction. The absence of a treatment adapted to the situation and to the clinic development, meaningfully increases the rate of the complications and the length of the hospitalization, the lethal evolution being not excluded.

High levels of IGF-1 predict difficult intubation of patients with acromegaly.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Guo, Xiaopeng; Pei, Lijian; Zhang, Zhuhua; Tan, Gang; Xing, Bing

2017-08-01

To investigate the characteristics of difficult intubation and identify novel efficient predictors in patients with acromegaly. Patients with either untreated acromegaly or non-functional pituitary adenomas were enrolled. Patients with acromegaly underwent hormone assays, upper airway computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations and preoperative overnight polysomnography. The modified Mallampati classification, mouth opening, neck circumference, and neck extension were assessed, and the Cormack-Lehane grades and the time of tracheal intubation were recorded. Patients with acromegaly had a higher incidence of difficult intubation (62.5%). The time of tracheal intubation was prolonged, the neck circumference was enlarged, and the neck extension was confined. In patients with acromegaly and difficult intubation, the insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and apnea/hypoxia index were significantly higher compared to patients without difficult intubation (1115.40 ± 253.73 vs. 791.67 ± 206.62 ng/ml, P = 0.020; 22.17 ± 23.25 vs. 2.47 ± 2.84, P = 0.026, respectively). The bilateral regression analysis revealed that high levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 were an independent risk factor for developing difficult intubation (p = 0.042, Exp B = 1.006). The modified Mallampati classification was positively correlated with apnea/hypoxia index and could be calculated using the following logarithmic equation: MMC = 0.2982 * ln (AHI) + 2.1836. In patients with acromegaly, neck movement is confined, the time of tracheal intubation is prolonged, and the neck circumference is enlarged, and these patients suffer from an increased incidence of difficult intubation (62.5%) during anesthesia induction. The apnea/hypoxia index and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels are both increased in acromegalic patients with difficult intubation, and elevated insulin-like growth factor 1 levels are an independent risk factor of difficult intubation in acromegalic patients.

The impact of age on the art of mammography and how to adapt accordingly.

PubMed

Lake, B; Cielecki, L; Williams, S; Worrall, C; Metelko, M

2017-11-01

Breast cancer is increasingly a disease of the elderly, and combined with the NHS Breast Screening Extension means that more elderly patients are having mammography. Increasing age can make mammography more technically difficult. This is a technical note detailing the results of a local audit which may be of interest due to potential service implications. A retrospective audit of the first year of screening extension of The Shropshire Breast Screening Programme. Aims to collect data on patient demographics and describe the technical adaptations developed in Shropshire. Breast screening extension has increased by 2.5 times the number of women aged 70-74 screened, and doubled the overall numbers of women over 70 screened. Significantly more older patients are being screened to present technical challenges to a screening programme. Data was obtained from a month of screening showed that 29% of patients over 70 needed extra time for positioning. Reasons included 22% difficulty in obtaining adequate positioning and 15% needed a relative to aid with consent. In the Shropshire screening programme different technical adaptations have been developed and are key to ensuring adequate images. These include double appointments, two radiographers, thorough assessment, steeper angles, seated examinations, from-below imaging and pre-planning for subsequent screen. Significantly more older women are having breast screening due to the increasing incidence of breast cancer and the Breast Screening Programme extension. Increasing age can significantly increase time taken for adequate imaging and present technical challenges. Development of technical adaptations to art of mammography is key to achieve adequate images. Copyright © 2017 The College of Radiographers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ischial Pain and Sitting Disability Due to Ischiogluteal Bursitis: Visual Vignette.

PubMed

Ekiz, Timur; Biçici, Vedat; Hatioglu, Cem; Yalçın, Süha; Cingöz, Kagan

2015-01-01

Ischial bursitis or ischiogluteal bursitis is the inflammation of the ischiogluteal bursa due to excessive or inappropriate physical exercise, prolonged sitting, running, repetitive jumping, and kicking. Since ischial bursitis is a rare, infrequently recognized pathology and is difficult to differentiate from the soft tissue disease and tumors (both malignant and benign), herein exemplified is a case with ischiogluteal bursitis whereby the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the prompt diagnosis has been highlighted.

Polymylagia rheumatica: common disease, elusive diagnosis.

PubMed

Mager, Diana R

2015-03-01

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a common inflammatory rheumatic disease with little known about its etiology or incidence. Frequently found in older adult women, this disease can be debilitating, painful, and dangerous. Diagnosing PMR can be elusive due to lack of specific laboratory tests, and treatment with use of long-term glucocorticoids can be difficult due to side effects. The following article describes the pathophysiology, diagnosis, signs and symptoms, and treatment of PMR, as well as implications for home healthcare.

[Neodymium magnet injury causing nasal fracture: a case report].

PubMed

Aykan, Andaç; Güzey, Serbülent; Avşar, Sedat; Öztürk, Serdar

2015-05-01

In parallel with technological developments, small size but strong magnets are commonly used in modern devices. In terms of foreign body injuries, magnet injuries are quite rare. However, due to their unique characteristics, there are some difficulties in their management. The magnetic field generated by the magnet affects the surgical instruments and make treatment difficult. In this case report, a nasal injury due to neodymium magnet and our alternative approach for its management was reported.

Student Discipline Data Tracker v.1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steel, Lawrence E.

2005-01-01

One of the most difficult tasks facing today's busy school administrative teams is tracking and managing student discipline. Administrators must balance the rights of students with cultivating classroom environments conducive to learning. Breakdowns in communication, procedure, and due process can lead to unpleasant situations, and ultimately, a…

Comparison of Passive Samplers for Monitoring Dissolved Organic Contaminants in Water Column Deployments

EPA Science Inventory

Nonionic organic contaminants (NOCs) are difficult to measure in the water column due to their inherent chemical properties resulting in low water solubility and high particle activity. Traditional sampling methods require large quantities of water to be extracted and interferen...

ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDE EXPOSURES - WHERE ARE THE HIGH RISK CHILDREN?

EPA Science Inventory

Methods to identify children at high-risk for organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure are difficult to develop because biological markers reflect only recent "snapshots" of exposure due to the short half-life of OP compounds (generally about 24 hours). We conducted a series of p...

Urban watershed modeling in Seattle, Washington using VELMA – a spatially explicit ecohydrological watershed model

EPA Science Inventory

Urban watersheds are notoriously difficult to model due to their complex, small-scale combinations of landscape and land use characteristics including impervious surfaces that ultimately affect the hydrologic system. We utilized EPA’s Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management A...

A SIMPLE COLORIMETRIC METHOD TO DETECT BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO MICROCYSTINS

EPA Science Inventory

Toxic cyanobacteria are contaminants of surface waters worldwide. Microcystins are some of the most commonly detected toxins. Biological evidence of human exposure may be difficult to obtain due to limitations associated with cost, laboratory capacity, analytic support, and exp...

Corrosion Performance of Mg-Ti Alloys Synthesized by Magnetron Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhenqing; Song, Guang-Ling; Haddad, Daad

Mg is difficult to alloy with Ti through a conventional metallurgical approach due to their insolubility in each other and big difference in melting point. However, Mg, if alloyed with Ti, may become corrosion resistant. This hypothesis is verified in this study.

A PIXEL COMPOSITION-BASED REFERENCE DATA SET FOR THEMATIC ACCURACY ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Developing reference data sets for accuracy assessment of land-cover classifications derived from coarse spatial resolution sensors such as MODIS can be difficult due to the large resolution differences between the image data and available reference data sources. Ideally, the spa...

Ethical dilemmas of recording and reviewing neonatal resuscitation.

PubMed

den Boer, Maria C; Houtlosser, Mirjam; van Zanten, Henriëtte Anje; Foglia, Elizabeth E; Engberts, Dirk P; Te Pas, Arjan B

2018-05-01

Neonatal resuscitation is provided to approximately 3% of neonates. Adequate ventilation is often the key to successful resuscitation, but this can be difficult to provide. There is increasing evidence that inappropriate respiratory support can have severe consequences. Several neonatal intensive care units have recorded and reviewed neonatal resuscitation procedures for quality assessment, education and research; however, ethical dilemmas sometimes make it difficult to implement this review process. We reviewed the literature on the development of recording and reviewing neonatal resuscitation and have summarised the ethical concerns involved. Recording and reviewing vital physiological parameters and video imaging of neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room is a valuable tool for quality assurance, education and research. Furthermore, it can improve the quality of neonatal resuscitation provided. We observed that ethical dilemmas arise as the review process is operating in several domains of healthcare that all have their specific moral framework with requirements and conditions on issues such as consent, privacy and data storage. These moral requirements and conditions vary due to local circumstances. Further research on the ethical aspects of recording and reviewing is desirable before wider implementation of this technique can be recommended. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Change-based threat detection in urban environments with a forward-looking camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, Kenneth, Jr.; Ratto, Christopher; Malof, Jordan; Gunter, Michael; Collins, Leslie; Torrione, Peter

2012-06-01

Roadside explosive threats continue to pose a significant risk to soldiers and civilians in conflict areas around the world. These objects are easy to manufacture and procure, but due to their ad hoc nature, they are difficult to reliably detect using standard sensing technologies. Although large roadside explosive hazards may be difficult to conceal in rural environments, urban settings provide a much more complicated background where seemingly innocuous objects (e.g., piles of trash, roadside debris) may be used to obscure threats. Since direct detection of all innocuous objects would flag too many objects to be of use, techniques must be employed to reduce the number of alarms generated and highlight only a limited subset of possibly threatening regions for the user. In this work, change detection techniques are used to reduce false alarm rates and increase detection capabilities for possible threat identification in urban environments. The proposed model leverages data from multiple video streams collected over the same regions by first applying video aligning and then using various distance metrics to detect changes based on image keypoints in the video streams. Data collected at an urban warfare simulation range at an Eastern US test site was used to evaluate the proposed approach, and significant reductions in false alarm rates compared to simpler techniques are illustrated.

Evaluation of a group intervention for convicted arsonists with mild and borderline intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Taylor, John L; Thorne, Ian; Robertson, Alison; Avery, Ginny

2002-01-01

The extent to which people with intellectual disabilities (ID) set fires is difficult to ascertain. However, services working with people with ID and offending or quasi-offending histories are increasing the amount of attention that they give to this difficult and perplexing issue. This is due to the real and perceived threat that it presents to society and the seriousness with which it viewed by the criminal justice system. Against this background there is very little available in the research literature concerning treatment interventions for fire-setting behaviour in this client group, and even less regarding their effectiveness. In the current study 14 men and women with mild and borderline ID, convictions for arson and detained in a hospital low secure service were offered and completed a broadly cognitive behavioural, approximately 40-session group-based intervention. The treatment was aimed primarily at reducing fire interest and attitudes associated with fire-setting behaviour. Participants were assessed pre- and post-treatment on a number of fire-specific, anger, self-esteem and depression measures. Following treatment, significant improvements were found in all areas assessed, excepting depression. Despite the limitations of the study design, the results provide encouragement and some guidance to practitioners who are required to develop interventions for this challenging, yet much neglected client group.

Recent advances in lipid separations and structural elucidation using mass spectrometry combined with ion mobility spectrometry, ion-molecule reactions and fragmentation approaches

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

Zheng, Xueyun; Smith, Richard D.; Baker, Erin S.

Lipids are a vital class of molecules that play important and varied roles in biological processes. Fully understanding lipid roles, however, is extremely difficult since the number and diversity of lipid species is immense, with cells expressing hundreds of enzymes that synthesize tens of thousands of different lipids. While recent advances in chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry have greatly progressed the understanding of lipid species and functions, effectively separating many lipids still remains problematic. Isomeric lipids have made lipid characterization especially difficult and occur due to subclasses having the same chemical composition, or species having multiple acyl chains connectivitiesmore » (sn-1, sn-2, or sn-3), double bond positions and orientations (cis or trans), and functional group stereochemistry (R versus S). Fully understanding the roles of lipids in biological processes therefore requires separating and evaluating how isomers change in biological and environmental samples. To address this challenge, ion mobility spectrometry separations, ion-molecule reactions and fragmentation techniques have increasingly been added to lipid analysis workflows to improve identifications. In this manuscript, we review the current state of these approaches and their capabilities for improving the identification of specific lipid species.« less

Computer tomography prototyping and virtual procedure simulation in difficult cases of hip replacement surgery.

PubMed

Parchi, Paolo Domenico; Ferrari, Vincenzo; Piolanti, Nicola; Andreani, Lorenzo; Condino, Sara; Evangelisti, Gisberto; Lisanti, Michele

2013-09-01

Each year approximately 1 million total hip replacements (THR) are performed worldwide. A percentage of failure due to surgical approach and imprecise implant placement still exists. These result in several serious complications. We propose an approach to plan, to simulate, and to assist prosthesis implantation for difficult cases of THR based on 3-D virtual models, generated by segmenting patients' CT images, 3-D solid models, obtained by rapid prototyping (RP), and virtual procedure simulation. We carried out 8 THR with the aid of 3-D reconstruction and RP. After each procedure a questionnaire was submitted to the surgeon to assess the perceived added value of the technology. In all cases, the surgeon evaluated the 3-D model as useful in order to perform the planning. The clinical results showed a mean increase in the Harris Hip Score of about 42.5 points. The mean time of prototyping was 7.3 hours, (min 3.5 hours, max 9.3 hours). The mean surgery time was 65 minutes (min 50 minutes, max 88 minutes). Our study suggests that meticulous preoperative planning is necessary in front of a great aberration of the joint and in absence of normal anatomical landmarks, CT scan is mandatory, and 3-D reconstruction with solid model is useful.

[Endoscopic full-thickness resection].

PubMed

Meier, B; Schmidt, A; Caca, K

2016-08-01

Conventional endoscopic resection techniques such as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) are powerful tools for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasms. However, those techniques are limited to the superficial layers of the GI wall (mucosa and submucosa). Lesions without lifting sign (usually arising from deeper layers) or lesions in difficult anatomic positions (appendix, diverticulum) are difficult - if not impossible - to resect using conventional techniques, due to the increased risk of complications. For larger lesions (>2 cm), ESD appears to be superior to the conventional techniques because of the en bloc resection, but the procedure is technically challenging, time consuming, and associated with complications even in experienced hands. Since the development of the over-the-scope clips (OTSC), complications like bleeding or perforation can be endoscopically better managed. In recent years, different endoscopic full-thickness resection techniques came to the focus of interventional endoscopy. Since September 2014, the full-thickness resection device (FTRD) has the CE marking in Europe for full-thickness resection in the lower GI tract. Technically the device is based on the OTSC system and combines OTSC application and snare polypectomy in one step. This study shows all full-thickness resection techniques currently available, but clearly focuses on the experience with the FTRD in the lower GI tract.

Microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems: A review of findings, methods, characteristics, effects, and management.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai; Shi, Huahong; Peng, Jinping; Wang, Yinghui; Xiong, Xiong; Wu, Chenxi; Lam, Paul K S

2018-07-15

The pollution of marine environments and inland waters by plastic debris has raised increasing concerns worldwide in recent years. China is the world's largest developing country and the largest plastic producer. In this review, we gather available information on microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems. The results show that microplastics are ubiquitous in the investigated inland water systems, and high microplastic abundances were observed in developed areas. Although similar sampling and analytical methods were used for microplastic research in inland water and marine systems, methods of investigation should be standardized in the future. The characteristics of the detected microplastics suggest secondary sources as their major sources. The biological and ecological effects of microplastics have been demonstrated, but their risks are difficult to determine at this stage due to the discrepancy between the field-collected microplastics and microplastics used in ecotoxicological studies. Although many laws and regulations have already been established to manage and control plastic waste in China, the implementation of these laws and regulations has been ineffective and sometimes difficult. Several research priorities are identified, and we suggest that the Chinese government should be more proactive in tackling plastic pollution problems to protect the environment and fulfill international responsibilities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Amperometric monitoring of quercetin permeation through skin membranes.

PubMed

Rembiesa, Jadwiga; Gari, Hala; Engblom, Johan; Ruzgas, Tautgirdas

2015-12-30

Transdermal delivery of quercetin (QR, 3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone), a natural flavonoid with a considerable antioxidant capacity, is important for medical treatment of, e.g., skin disorders. QR permeability through skin is low, which, at the same time, makes the monitoring of percutaneous QR penetration difficult. The objective of this study was to assess an electrochemical method for monitoring QR penetration through skin membranes. An electrode was covered with the membrane, exposed to QR solution, and electrode current was measured. The registered current was due to electro-oxidation of QR penetrating the membrane. Exploiting strict current-QR flux relationships diffusion coefficient, D, of QR in skin and dialysis membranes was calculated. The D values were strongly dependent on the theoretical model and parameters assumed in the processing of the amperometric data. The highest values of D were in the range of 1.6-6.1×10(-7)cm(2)/s. This was reached only for skin membranes pretreated with buffer-ethanol mixture for more than 24h. QR solutions containing penetration enhancers, ethanol and l-menthol, definitely increased D values. The results demonstrate that electrochemical setup gives a possibility to assess penetration characteristics as well as enables monitoring of penetration dynamics, which is more difficult by traditional methods using Franz cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low Prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae among wounded military personnel.

PubMed

Mende, Katrin; Beckius, Miriam L; Zera, Wendy C; Onmus-Leone, Fatma; Murray, Clinton K; Tribble, David R

2017-01-01

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are a global health problem that affect both civilian and military populations. Among wounded warriors, MDROs further complicate the care of trauma-related infections, resulting in extended duration of hospitalization, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae were frequently isolated from wounded warriors. The potential emergence of difficult-to-treat carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae represented a serious challenge for clinicians. We examined carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae prevalence among wounded military personnel over a 6-year period (2009-2015). Among 4090 Enterobacteriaceae isolates collected, 16 (0.4%) were carbapenem-resistant, of which the majority was Enterobacter aerogenes (44%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (37%), and Escherichia coli (19%). Five isolates (31%) collected from 2 patients were carbapenemase-producers with one associated with an infection. All 5 carbapenemase-producing isolates were resistant to all tested carbapenems and each carried one carbapenemase gene (4 with blaKPC-3 and 1 with blaNDM-1). Overall, although a large number of Enterobacteriaceae isolates were collected, only a small proportion was carbapenem-resistant and data indicate a lack of a cluster. Due to these limited numbers, it is difficult to make any conclusions regarding the association between carbapenem resistance, antibiotic exposure, and clinical outcomes.

Think Again: First Do No Harm: A Case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.

PubMed

Yalndağ-Öztürk, Nilüfer; Erkek, Nilgün; Şirinoğlu, Melis Bayram

2015-10-01

Apparent life-threatening events caused by Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSP) are rare but difficult to resolve medically. Failure to properly diagnose MSP can lead to further abuse by the caregiver and increase the risk of complications due to long hospital stays and invasive tests. In this paper, we describe our experiences with a baby who ended up being diagnosed with MSP, including our initial failure to find a pathology, delay of MSP diagnosis, our growing suspicion of MSP despite technical setbacks, our actions after we confirmed MSP as the cause of his hospitalizations. We also describe the difficulties of diagnosing MSP compared to more traditional problems and explain a series of precautions and guidelines to help detect it in a timely manner.

High-temperature deformation of stoichiometric /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/

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

Petrovic, J.J.; Land, C.C.

1980-03-01

The deformation behavior of stoichiometric /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ was examined at 800/sup 0/ to 1500/sup 0/C, using direct and diametral compression. Maximum ductility was observed at 1000/sup 0/C, but above this temperature both strength and ductility decreased and the fracture mode changed from transgranular to intergranular. The deformation activation energy measured at 1000/sup 0/C was 598 kJ/mol. Comparison to the deformation behavior of hypostoichiometric /sup 239/PuO/sub 2-x/ suggests that high-temperature dislocation motion becomes more difficult with increasing O/Pu ratio due to effects of stoichiometry on diffusion rates. Deformation mechanisms in /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ appear to be a combination of dislocationmore » motion and grain-boundary sliding.« less

Abrupt Change in Ecological Systems: Inference and Diagnosis.

PubMed

Ratajczak, Zak; Carpenter, Stephen R; Ives, Anthony R; Kucharik, Christopher J; Ramiadantsoa, Tanjona; Stegner, M Allison; Williams, John W; Zhang, Jien; Turner, Monica G

2018-05-18

Abrupt ecological changes are, by definition, those that occur over short periods of time relative to typical rates of change for a given ecosystem. The potential for such changes is growing due to anthropogenic pressures, which challenges the resilience of societies and ecosystems. Abrupt ecological changes are difficult to diagnose because they can arise from a variety of circumstances, including rapid changes in external drivers (e.g., climate, or resource extraction), nonlinear responses to gradual changes in drivers, and interactions among multiple drivers and disturbances. We synthesize strategies for identifying causes of abrupt ecological change and highlight instances where abrupt changes are likely. Diagnosing abrupt changes and inferring causation are increasingly important as society seek to adapt to rapid, multifaceted environmental changes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extreme hydronephrosis due to uretropelvic junction obstruction in infant (case report).

PubMed

Krzemień, Grażyna; Szmigielska, Agnieszka; Bombiński, Przemysław; Barczuk, Marzena; Biejat, Agnieszka; Warchoł, Stanisław; Dudek-Warchoł, Teresa

2016-01-01

Hydronephrosis is the one of the most common congenital abnormalities of urinary tract. The left kidney is more commonly affected than the right side and is more common in males. To determine the role of ultrasonography, renal dynamic scintigraphy and lowerdose computed tomography urography in preoperative diagnostic workup of infant with extreme hydronephrosis. We presented the boy with antenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis. In serial, postnatal ultrasonography, renal scintigraphy and computed tomography urography we observed slightly declining function in the dilated kidney and increasing pelvic dilatation. Pyeloplasty was performed at the age of four months with good result. Results of ultrasonography and renal dynamic scintigraphy in child with extreme hydronephrosis can be difficult to asses, therefore before the surgical procedure a lower-dose computed tomography urography should be performed.

Manufacturing PDMS micro lens array using spin coating under a multiphase system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Rongrong; Yang, Hanry; Rock, D. Mitchell; Danaei, Roozbeh; Panat, Rahul; Kessler, Michael R.; Li, Lei

2017-05-01

The development of micro lens arrays has garnered much interest due to increased demand of miniaturized systems. Traditional methods for manufacturing micro lens arrays have several shortcomings. For example, they require expensive facilities and long lead time, and traditional lens materials (i.e. glass) are typically heavy, costly and difficult to manufacture. In this paper, we explore a method for manufacturing a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micro lens array using a simple spin coating technique. The micro lens array, formed under an interfacial tension dominated system, and the influence of material properties and process parameters on the fabricated lens shape are examined. The lenses fabricated using this method show comparable optical properties—including surface finish and image quality—with a reduced cost and manufacturing lead time.

Diabetes insipidus and pregnancy.

PubMed

Chanson, Philippe; Salenave, Sylvie

2016-06-01

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare complication of pregnancy. It is usually transient, being due to increased placental production of vasopressinase that inactivates circulating vasopressin. Gestational, transient DI occurs late in pregnancy and disappears few days after delivery. Acquired central DI can also occur during pregnancy, for example in a patient with hypophysitis or neuroinfundibulitis during late pregnancy or postpartum. Finally, pre-existing central or nephrogenic DI may occasionally be unmasked by pregnancy. Treatment with dDAVP (desmopressin, Minirin(®)) is very effective on transient DI of pregnancy and also on pre-existing or acquired central DI. Contrary to vasopressin, dDAVP is not degraded by vasopressinase. Nephrogenic DI is insensitive to dDAVP and is therefore more difficult to treat during pregnancy if fluid intake needs to be restricted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Superconducting light generator for large offshore wind turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanz, S.; Arlaban, T.; Manzanas, R.; Tropeano, M.; Funke, R.; Kováč, P.; Yang, Y.; Neumann, H.; Mondesert, B.

2014-05-01

Offshore wind market demands higher power rate and reliable turbines in order to optimize capital and operational cost. These requests are difficult to overcome with conventional generator technologies due to a significant weight and cost increase with the scaling up. Thus superconducting materials appears as a prominent solution for wind generators, based on their capacity to held high current densities with very small losses, which permits to efficiently replace copper conductors mainly in the rotor field coils. However the state-of-the-art superconducting generator concepts still seem to be expensive and technically challenging for the marine environment. This paper describes a 10 MW class novel direct drive superconducting generator, based on MgB2 wires and a modular cryogen free cooling system, which has been specifically designed for the offshore wind industry needs.

What is the economic burden of sports injuries?

PubMed

Öztürk, Selcen; Kılıç, Dilek

2013-01-01

Despite the health benefits of sports activities, sports injury and fear of injury are important barriers to participation in sport. The incidence, prevalence and type of sports injuries vary among men and women as well as age groups. It is usually difficult to examine these different aspects of sports injuries due to insufficient data. This study argues that sport injuries can be considered as an important economic burden in terms of the direct and indirect costs it bears. As a result, strong and effective strategies are needed to prevent sports injuries. Sports medicine has also been attracted increasing attention in recent years, particularly. In this article, the importance of sports injuries and their economic costs as well as the role of sport medicine as a prevention method for sports injuries were discussed.

“Beyond saving lives”: Current perspectives of interventional radiology in trauma

PubMed Central

Singh, Anuradha; Kumar, Atin; Kumar, Pawan; Kumar, Subodh; Gamanagatti, Shivanand

2017-01-01

Interventional radiology (IR) has become an integral part in the management of traumatic injuries. There is an ever-increasing role of IR in traumatic injuries of solid abdominal organs, pelvic and peripheral arteries to control active bleeding by therapeutic embolization or vascular reconstruction using stent grafts. Traditionally, these endovascular treatments have been offered to hemodynamically stable patients. However, in recent times endovascular approach has become preferable to surgery even in hemodynamically unstable patients with injury of surgically difficult-to-access sites. With shifting trends towards non operative management coupled with availability of the current state-of-the-art equipments, hardware and technical expertise, IR has gained an impeccable role in trauma management. However, due to lack of awareness and widespread acceptance, IR continues to remain an ocean of unexplored potentialities. PMID:28529680

Got Graphs? An Assessment of Data Visualization Tools

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, C. M.; Foy, M.

2015-01-01

Graphs are powerful tools for simplifying complex data. They are useful for quickly assessing patterns and relationships among one or more variables from a dataset. As the amount of data increases, it becomes more difficult to visualize potential associations. Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) was charged with assessing its current visualization tools along with others on the market to determine whether new tools would be useful for supporting NASA's occupational surveillance effort. It was concluded by members of LSAH that the current tools hindered their ability to provide quick results to researchers working with the department. Due to the high volume of data requests and the many iterations of visualizations requested by researchers, software with a better ability to replicate graphs and edit quickly could improve LSAH's efficiency and lead to faster research results.

Online learning for professional development.

PubMed

Purkis, Nick; Gabb, Carol A

This article addresses how nurses in the UK can use online learning to meet the changing requirements of continuing professional development. Recent changes in post-registration nurse education are due to two main reasons: financial cutbacks and reduced use of agency staff make it difficult for nurse managers to release nurses for study time away from the ward; and healthcare becoming increasingly diverse and complex, so pre-registration education has changed. Since September 2013, only degree-level pre-registration nursing programmes have been available in the UK. Degree-level education is intended to sharpen critical thinking skills to improve future healthcare but it may also disadvantage nurses without degrees. One response to these challenges is to provide online learning, such as online personal learning programmes. portfolios (e-portfolios) or other onlinen

Pertussis Resurgence: School Nurses as a Safety Net for Children.

PubMed

Barnby, Elizabeth; Reynolds, Mark

2018-06-01

After a decade of decreases in the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, in the late 1980s the incidence began to increase. Four vaccine preventable diseases, including pertussis, caused major epidemics, and children were the most vulnerable during these outbreaks. Due to waning immunity, genomic changes, and inadequate herd immunity in adults, infants and children are at risk for contracting pertussis. Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease. Pertussis is difficult to diagnose early because the presentation is similar to common problems such as bronchitis or upper respiratory infections. School nurses should be able to identify signs and symptoms in the earliest stage possible to prevent transmission and refer for treatment early. The purpose of this article is to provide school nurses with information to understand the disease and identify individuals infected with pertussis.

Linking microbiota and respiratory disease.

PubMed

Hauptmann, Matthias; Schaible, Ulrich E

2016-11-01

An increasing body of evidence indicates the relevance of microbiota for pulmonary health and disease. Independent investigations recently demonstrated that the lung harbors a resident microbiota. Therefore, it is intriguing that a lung microbiota can shape pulmonary immunity and epithelial barrier functions. Here, we discuss the ways how the composition of the microbial community in the lung may influence pulmonary health and vice versa, factors that determine community composition. Prominent microbiota at other body sites such as the intestinal one may also contribute to pulmonary health and disease. However, it is difficult to discriminate between influences of lung vs. gut microbiota due to systemic mutuality between both communities. With focuses on asthma and respiratory infections, we discuss how microbiota of lung and gut can determine pulmonary immunity and barrier functions. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Implementation Of Quality Management System For Irradiation Processing Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lungu, Ion-Bogdan; Manea, Maria-Mihaela

2015-07-01

In today's market, due to an increasing competitiveness, quality management has set itself as an indispensable tool and a reference point for every business. It is ultimately focused on customer satisfaction which is a stringent factor for every business. Implementing and maintaining a QMS is a rather difficult, time consuming and expensive process which must be done with respect of many factors. The aim of this paper is to present a case study for implementing QMS ISO 9001 in a gamma irradiation treatment service provider. The research goals are the identification of key benefits, reasons, advantages, disadvantages, drawbacks etc for a successful QMS implementation and use. Finally, the expected results focus on creating a general framework for implementing an efficient QMS plan that can be easily adapted to other kind of services and markets.

A Review on the Effect of Drying on Antioxidant Potential of Fruits and Vegetables.

PubMed

Kamiloglu, Senem; Toydemir, Gamze; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Beekwilder, Jules; Hall, Robert D; Capanoglu, Esra

2016-07-29

The role of antioxidants in human nutrition has gained increased interest, especially due to their associated health beneficial effects for a number of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer. Fruits and vegetables are perishable and difficult to preserve as fresh products. Dried fruits and vegetables can be easily stored, transported at relatively low cost, have reduced packing costs, and their low water content delays microbial spoilage. Air-, freeze-, microwave- and sun-drying are among the most thoroughly studied drying methods. This review provides an overview of recent findings on the effects of different drying techniques on major antioxidants of fruits and vegetables. In particular, changes in ascorbic acid, carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity are discussed in detail.

Cysteine oxidation impairs systemic glucocorticoid responsiveness in children with difficult-to-treat asthma.

PubMed

Stephenson, Susan T; Brown, Lou Ann S; Helms, My N; Qu, Hongyan; Brown, Sheena D; Brown, Milton R; Fitzpatrick, Anne M

2015-08-01

The mechanisms underlying glucocorticoid responsiveness are largely unknown. Although redox regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) has been reported, it has not been studied in asthmatic patients. We characterized systemic cysteine oxidation and its association with inflammatory and clinical features in healthy children and children with difficult-to-treat asthma. We hypothesized that cysteine oxidation would be associated with increased markers of oxidative stress and inflammation, increased features of asthma severity, decreased clinically defined glucocorticoid responsiveness, and impaired GR function. PBMCs were collected from healthy children (n = 16) and children with asthma (n = 118) aged 6 to 17 years. Children with difficult-to-treat asthma underwent glucocorticoid responsiveness testing with intramuscular triamcinolone. Cysteine, cystine, and inflammatory chemokines and reactive oxygen species generation were quantified, and expression and activity of the GR were assessed. Cysteine oxidation was present in children with difficult-to-treat asthma and accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species generation and increased CCL3 and CXCL1 mRNA expression. Children with the greatest extent of cysteine oxidation had more features of asthma severity, including poorer symptom control, greater medication use, and less glucocorticoid responsiveness despite inhaled glucocorticoid therapy. Cysteine oxidation also modified the GR protein by decreasing available sulfhydryl groups and decreasing nuclear GR expression and activity. A highly oxidized cysteine redox state promotes a posttranslational modification of the GR that might inhibit its function. Given that cysteine oxidation is prevalent in children with difficult-to-treat asthma, the cysteine redox state might represent a potential therapeutic target for restoration of glucocorticoid responsiveness in this population. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Planning for climate change: the need for mechanistic systems-based approaches to study climate change impacts on diarrheal diseases

PubMed Central

Levy, Karen; Zimmerman, Julie; Elliott, Mark; Bartram, Jamie; Carlton, Elizabeth; Clasen, Thomas; Dillingham, Rebecca; Eisenberg, Joseph; Guerrant, Richard; Lantagne, Daniele; Mihelcic, James; Nelson, Kara

2016-01-01

Increased precipitation and temperature variability as well as extreme events related to climate change are predicted to affect the availability and quality of water globally. Already heavily burdened with diarrheal diseases due to poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, communities throughout the developing world lack the adaptive capacity to sufficiently respond to the additional adversity caused by climate change. Studies suggest that diarrhea rates are positively correlated with increased temperature, and show a complex relationship with precipitation. Although climate change will likely increase rates of diarrheal diseases on average, there is a poor mechanistic understanding of the underlying disease transmission processes and substantial uncertainty surrounding current estimates. This makes it difficult to recommend appropriate adaptation strategies. We review the relevant climate-related mechanisms behind transmission of diarrheal disease pathogens and argue that systems-based mechanistic approaches incorporating human, engineered and environmental components are urgently needed. We then review successful systems-based approaches used in other environmental health fields and detail one modeling framework to predict climate change impacts on diarrheal diseases and design adaptation strategies. PMID:26799810

Spin polarized semimagnetic exciton-polariton condensate in magnetic field.

PubMed

Król, Mateusz; Mirek, Rafał; Lekenta, Katarzyna; Rousset, Jean-Guy; Stephan, Daniel; Nawrocki, Michał; Matuszewski, Michał; Szczytko, Jacek; Pacuski, Wojciech; Piętka, Barbara

2018-04-27

Owing to their integer spin, exciton-polaritons in microcavities can be used for observation of non-equilibrium Bose-Einstein condensation in solid state. However, spin-related phenomena of such condensates are difficult to explore due to the relatively small Zeeman effect of standard semiconductor microcavity systems and the strong tendency to sustain an equal population of two spin components, which precludes the observation of condensates with a well defined spin projection along the axis of the system. The enhancement of the Zeeman splitting can be achieved by introducing magnetic ions to the quantum wells, and consequently forming semimagnetic polaritons. In this system, increasing magnetic field can induce polariton condensation at constant excitation power. Here we evidence the spin polarization of a semimagnetic polaritons condensate exhibiting a circularly polarized emission over 95% even in a moderate magnetic field of about 3 T. Furthermore, we show that unlike nonmagnetic polaritons, an increase on excitation power results in an increase of the semimagnetic polaritons condensate spin polarization. These properties open new possibilities for testing theoretically predicted phenomena of spin polarized condensate.

Media additives to promote spheroid circularity and compactness in hanging drop platform.

PubMed

Leung, Brendan M; Lesher-Perez, Sasha Cai; Matsuoka, Toshiki; Moraes, Christopher; Takayama, Shuichi

2015-02-01

Three-dimensional spheroid cultures have become increasingly popular as drug screening platforms, especially with the advent of different high throughput spheroid forming technologies. However, comparing drug efficacy across different cell types in spheroid culture can be difficult due to variations in spheroid morphologies and transport characteristics. Improving the reproducibility of compact, circular spheroids contributes to standardizing and increasing the fidelity of the desired gradient profiles in these drug screening three-dimensional tissue cultures. In this study we discuss the role that circularity and compaction has on spheroids, and demonstrate the impact methylcellulose (MethoCel) and collagen additives in the culture media can contribute to more compact and circular spheroid morphology. We demonstrate that improved spheroid formation is not a simple function of increased viscosity of the different macromolecule additives, suggesting that other macromolecular characteristics contribute to improved spheroid formation. Of the various macromolecular additives tested for hanging drop culture, MethoCel provided the most desirable spheroid formation. Additionally, the higher viscosity of MethoCel-containing media improved the ease of imaging of cellular spheroids within hanging drop cultures by reducing motion-induced image blur.

Self-assembly behaviour of colistin and its prodrug colistin methanesulfonate: implications for solution stability and solubilization

PubMed Central

Wallace, Stephanie J.; Li, Jian; Nation, Roger L.; Prankerd, Richard J.; Velkov, Tony; Boyd, Ben J.

2010-01-01

Colistin is an amphiphilic antibiotic that has re-emerged into clinical use due to the increasing prevalence of difficult-to-treat Gram-negative infections. The existence of self-assembling colloids in solutions of colistin and its derivative prodrug, colistin methanesulfonate (CMS) was investigated. Colistin and CMS reduced the air-water interfacial tension, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies showed the existence of 2.07 ± 0.3 nm aggregates above 1.5 mM for colistin, and of 1.98 ± 0.36 nm aggregates for CMS above 3.5 mM (mean ± SD). Above the respective critical micelle concentrations (CMC) the solubility of azithromycin, a hydrophobic antibiotic, increased approximately linearly with increasing surfactant concentration (5:1 mol ratio colistin:azithromycin), suggestive of hydrophobic domains within the micellar cores. Rapid conversion of CMS to colistin occurred below the CMC (60 % over 48 hr), while conversion above the CMC was less than 1 %. The formation of colistin and CMS micelles demonstrated in this study is the proposed mechanism for solubilization of azithromycin and the concentration-dependent stability of CMS. PMID:20302384

A malicious pattern detection engine for embedded security systems in the Internet of Things.

PubMed

Oh, Doohwan; Kim, Deokho; Ro, Won Woo

2014-12-16

With the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), a large number of physical objects in daily life have been aggressively connected to the Internet. As the number of objects connected to networks increases, the security systems face a critical challenge due to the global connectivity and accessibility of the IoT. However, it is difficult to adapt traditional security systems to the objects in the IoT, because of their limited computing power and memory size. In light of this, we present a lightweight security system that uses a novel malicious pattern-matching engine. We limit the memory usage of the proposed system in order to make it work on resource-constrained devices. To mitigate performance degradation due to limitations of computation power and memory, we propose two novel techniques, auxiliary shifting and early decision. Through both techniques, we can efficiently reduce the number of matching operations on resource-constrained systems. Experiments and performance analyses show that our proposed system achieves a maximum speedup of 2.14 with an IoT object and provides scalable performance for a large number of patterns.

Population growth and consumption.

PubMed

Chalkley, K

1997-04-01

The relationship between population growth, resource consumption, and environmental degradation is complex. The rise in "greenhouse gases" that will cause climatic change is clearly due to human activity, and pollutants are often concentrated in densely populated areas. However, even an area with a negative population growth, such as Russia, can experience severe environmental degradation due to poor management. Consumption patterns have the most effect on ozone depletion, while population growth threatens biodiversity of and within species through the destruction of ecosystems. Migration joins population growth and social factors, such as land inequality, as major causes of deforestation, and global demand for water is expected to increase faster than the rate of population growth. Coastal development and over-fishing threaten to deplete the oceans, while soil quality is threatened by inappropriate land use. Estimates of the earth's carrying capacity range from less than 3 billion to more than 44 billion people, indicating how difficult it is to assess this figure. Development efforts throughout the world may lead to human gains that will ultimately be negated by environmental losses. These factors have led to growing support for environmentally sustainable development.

Superconductivity drives magnetism in δ -doped La2CuO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suter, A.; Logvenov, G.; Boris, A. V.; Baiutti, F.; Wrobel, F.; Howald, L.; Stilp, E.; Salman, Z.; Prokscha, T.; Keimer, B.

2018-04-01

Understanding the interplay between different orders in a solid is a key challenge in highly correlated electronic systems. In real systems this is even more difficult since disorder can have strong influence on the subtle balance between these orders and thus can obscure the interpretation of the observed physical properties. Here we present a study on δ -doped La2CuO4 (δ -LCON ) superlattices. By means of molecular beam epitaxy whole LaO2 layers were periodically replaced by SrO2 layers, providing a charge reservoir yet reducing the level of disorder typically present in doped cuprates to an absolute minimum. The induced superconductivity and its interplay with the antiferromagnetic order is studied by means of low-energy muon spin rotation. We find a quasi-two-dimensional superconducting state which couples to the antiferromagnetic order in a nontrivial way. Below the superconducting transition temperature, the magnetic volume fraction increases strongly. The reason could be a charge redistribution of the free carriers due to the opening of the superconducting gap which is possible due to the close proximity and low disorder between the different ordered regions.

Study on the Strain Hardening Behaviors of TWIP/TRIP Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, T. T.; Dan, W. J.; Zhang, W. G.

2017-10-01

Due to the complex coupling of twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP), transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP), and dislocation glide in TWIP/TRIP steels, it is difficult as well as essential to build a comprehensive strain hardening model to describe the interactions between different deformation mechanisms ( i.e., deformation twinning, martensitic transformation, and dislocation glide) and the resulted strain hardening behaviors. To address this issue, a micromechanical model is established in this paper to predict the deformation process of TWIP/TRIP steels considering both TWIP and TRIP effects. In the proposed model, the generation of deformation twinning and martensitic transformation is controlled by the stacking fault energy (SFE) of the material. In the thermodynamic calculation of SFE, deformation temperature, chemical compositions, microstrain, and temperature rise during deformation are taken into account. Varied by experimental results, the developed model can predict the stress-strain response and strain hardening behaviors of TWIP/TRIP steels precisely. In addition, the improved strength and enhanced strain hardening in Fe-Mn-C TWIP/TRIP steels due to the increased carbon content is also analyzed, which consists with literature.

Content-Aware DataGuide with Incremental Index Update using Frequently Used Paths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, A. K.; Duhan, Neelam; Khattar, Priyanka

2010-11-01

Size of the WWW is increasing day by day. Due to the absence of structured data on the Web, it becomes very difficult for information retrieval tools to fully utilize the Web information. As a solution to this problem, XML pages come into play, which provide structural information to the users to some extent. Without efficient indexes, query processing can be quite inefficient due to an exhaustive traversal on XML data. In this paper an improved content-centric approach of Content-Aware DataGuide, which is an indexing technique for XML databases, is being proposed that uses frequently used paths from historical query logs to improve query performance. The index can be updated incrementally according to the changes in query workload and thus, the overhead of reconstruction can be minimized. Frequently used paths are extracted using any Sequential Pattern mining algorithm on subsequent queries in the query workload. After this, the data structures are incrementally updated. This indexing technique proves to be efficient as partial matching queries can be executed efficiently and users can now get the more relevant documents in results.

Automatic coronary artery segmentation based on multi-domains remapping and quantile regression in angiographies.

PubMed

Li, Zhixun; Zhang, Yingtao; Gong, Huiling; Li, Weimin; Tang, Xianglong

2016-12-01

Coronary artery disease has become the most dangerous diseases to human life. And coronary artery segmentation is the basis of computer aided diagnosis and analysis. Existing segmentation methods are difficult to handle the complex vascular texture due to the projective nature in conventional coronary angiography. Due to large amount of data and complex vascular shapes, any manual annotation has become increasingly unrealistic. A fully automatic segmentation method is necessary in clinic practice. In this work, we study a method based on reliable boundaries via multi-domains remapping and robust discrepancy correction via distance balance and quantile regression for automatic coronary artery segmentation of angiography images. The proposed method can not only segment overlapping vascular structures robustly, but also achieve good performance in low contrast regions. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated on a variety of coronary blood vessels compared with the existing methods. The overall segmentation performances si, fnvf, fvpf and tpvf were 95.135%, 3.733%, 6.113%, 96.268%, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Remote Health-Care System Based on Moving Robot Intended for the Elderly at Home

PubMed Central

Zhou, Bing; Wu, Kaige; Wang, Jing; Chen, Gang; Ji, Bo; Liu, Siying

2018-01-01

Nowadays, due to the growing need for remote care and the constantly increasing popularity of mobile devices, a large amount of mobile applications for remote care support has been developed. Although mobile phones are very suitable for young people, there are still many problems related to remote health care of the elderly. Due to hearing loss or limited movements, it is difficult for the elderly to contact their families or doctors via real-time video call. In this paper, we introduce a new remote health-care system based on moving robots intended for the elderly at home. Since the proposed system is an online system, the elderly can contact their families and doctors quickly anytime and anywhere. Besides call, our system involves the accurate indoor object detection algorithms and automatic health data collection, which are not included in existing remote care systems. Therefore, the proposed system solves some challenging problems related to the elderly care. The experiment has shown that the proposed care system achieves excellent performance and provides good user experience. PMID:29599949

Novel Stem Cell Therapies for Applications to Wound Healing and Tissue Repair.

PubMed

Grada, Ayman; Falanga, Vincent

2016-10-26

The number of individuals with chronic cutaneous wounds has been increasing worldwide due to an aging population, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. In the United States, almost seven million Americans have chronic skin ulcers. Many therapeutic approaches have been used. However, the treatment outcomes are not always ideal because of failure to achieve complete wound closure in around 60% of cases, scarring, and high rate of recurrence. Therefore, there is a need for more effective therapies. Stem cells offer promising possibilities. Pre-clinical studies have shown that bone- or adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a competitive advantage over other types of stem cells due to their better defined multipotent differentiating potential, paracrine effects, immunomodulatory properties, and safety. However, large controlled clinical trials are needed to examine the capabilities of MSCs in humans and to assess their safety profile. In this review, we highlight emerging treatments in tissue regeneration and repair and provide some perspectives on how to translate current knowledge about stem cells-both multipotent and pluripotent-into viable clinical approaches for treating patients with difficult to heal wounds.

Use of Stirred Suspension Bioreactors for Male Germ Cell Enrichment.

PubMed

Sakib, Sadman; Dores, Camila; Rancourt, Derrick; Dobrinski, Ina

2016-01-01

Spermatogenesis is a stem cell based system. Both therapeutic and biomedical research applications of spermatogonial stem cells require a large number of cells. However, there are only few germ line stem cells in the testis, contained in the fraction of undifferentiated spermatogonia. The lack of specific markers makes it difficult to isolate these cells. The long term maintenance and proliferation of nonrodent germ cells in culture has so far been met with limited success, partially due to the lack of highly enriched starting populations. Differential plating, which depends on the differential adhesion properties of testicular somatic and germ cells to tissue culture dishes, has been the method of choice for germ cell enrichment, especially for nonrodent germ cells. However, for large animals, this process becomes labor intensive and increases variability due to the need for extensive handling. Here, we describe the use of stirred suspension bioreactors, as a novel system for enriching undifferentiated germ cells from 1-week-old pigs. This method capitalizes on the adherent properties of somatic cells within a controlled environment, thus promoting the enrichment of progenitor cells with minimal handling and variability.

Mechanically Controlled Electron Transfer in a Single-Polypeptide Transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheu, Sheh-Yi; Yang, Dah-Yen

2017-01-01

Proteins are of interest in nano-bio electronic devices due to their versatile structures, exquisite functionality and specificity. However, quantum transport measurements produce conflicting results due to technical limitations whereby it is difficult to precisely determine molecular orientation, the nature of the moieties, the presence of the surroundings and the temperature; in such circumstances a better understanding of the protein electron transfer (ET) pathway and the mechanism remains a considerable challenge. Here, we report an approach to mechanically drive polypeptide flip-flop motion to achieve a logic gate with ON and OFF states during protein ET. We have calculated the transmission spectra of the peptide-based molecular junctions and observed the hallmarks of electrical current and conductance. The results indicate that peptide ET follows an NC asymmetric process and depends on the amino acid chirality and α-helical handedness. Electron transmission decreases as the number of water molecules increases, and the ET efficiency and its pathway depend on the type of water-bridged H-bonds. Our results provide a rational mechanism for peptide ET and new perspectives on polypeptides as potential candidates in logic nano devices.

Urban Climate Station Site Selection Through Combined Digital Surface Model and Sun Angle Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kidd, Chris; Chapman, Lee

2012-01-01

Meteorological measurements within urban areas are becoming increasingly important due to the accentuating effects of climate change upon the Urban Heat Island (UHI). However, ensuring that such measurements are representative of the local area is often difficult due to the diversity of the urban environment. The evaluation of sites is important for both new sites and for the relocation of established sites to ensure that long term changes in the meteorological and climatological conditions continue to be faithfully recorded. Site selection is traditionally carried out in the field using both local knowledge and visual inspection. This paper exploits and assesses the use of lidar-derived digital surface models (DSMs) to quantitatively aid the site selection process. This is acheived by combining the DSM with a solar model, first to generate spatial maps of sky view factors and sun-hour potential and second, to generate site-specific views of the horizon. The results show that such a technique is a useful first-step approach to identify key sites that may be further evaluated for the location of meteorological stations within urban areas.

Method to Determine the Stress-Strain Response of As-Formed Thin-Walled Tubular Structures Using a Flaring Apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurendic, S.; Anderson, D.

2017-09-01

Finite element simulations are used extensively to refine the forming steps of draw and wall iron (DWI) aluminum bottles; therefore, accurate material data is required Unfortunately, the material properties of the base sheet cannot presently be used for simulation of the later forming stages due to preceding significant deformation (ironing) and thermal treatments. Measuring the stress-strain response using traditional methods (e.g. tensile test) becomes increasingly difficult at later stages of the bottle forming process due to a significant diameter reduction of the bottle neck from successive die-necking stages. Moreover, failure during forming tends to occur in the final deformation stages when the bottle opening is rolled over, creating a brim roll, at which point brim roll splits may occur. Knowledge of the stress-strain response prior to the roll over may lead to improved product design, reduced waste, and an optimized product. Therefore, this work details a flaring apparatus and data analysis method to determine the stress-strain response in the die-necked region of thin-walled aluminum bottles fabricated from AA3104 sheet metal.

A closed-chamber method to measure greenhouse gas fluxes from dry aquatic sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesmeister, Lukas; Koschorreck, Matthias

2017-06-01

Recent research indicates that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dry aquatic sediments are a relevant process in the freshwater carbon cycle. However, fluxes are difficult to measure because of the often rocky substrate and the dynamic nature of the habitat. Here we tested the performance of different materials to seal a closed chamber to stony ground both in laboratory and field experiments. Using on-site material consistently resulted in elevated fluxes. The artefact was caused both by outgassing of the material and production of gas. The magnitude of the artefact was site dependent - the measured CO2 flux increased between 10 and 208 %. Errors due to incomplete sealing proved to be more severe than errors due to non-inert sealing material.Pottery clay as sealing material provided a tight seal between the chamber and the ground and no production of gases was detected. With this approach it is possible to get reliable gas fluxes from hard-substrate sites without using a permanent collar. Our test experiments confirmed that CO2 fluxes from dry aquatic sediments are similar to CO2 fluxes from terrestrial soils.

Bulk heterojunction morphology of polymer:fullerene blends revealed by ultrafast spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Serbenta, Almis; Kozlov, Oleg V.; Portale, Giuseppe; van Loosdrecht, Paul H. M.; Pshenichnikov, Maxim S.

2016-01-01

Morphology of organic photovoltaic bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) – a nanoscale texture of the donor and acceptor phases – is one of the key factors influencing efficiency of organic solar cells. Detailed knowledge of the morphology is hampered by the fact that it is notoriously difficult to investigate by microscopic methods. Here we all-optically track the exciton harvesting dynamics in the fullerene acceptor phase from which subdivision of the fullerene domain sizes into the mixed phase (2–15 nm) and large (>50 nm) domains is readily obtained via the Monte-Carlo simulations. These results were independently confirmed by a combination of X-ray scattering, electron and atomic-force microscopies, and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. In the large domains, the excitons are lost due to the high energy disorder while in the ordered materials the excitons are harvested with high efficiency even from the domains as large as 100 nm due to the absence of low-energy traps. Therefore, optimizing of blend nanomorphology together with increasing the material order are deemed as winning strategies in the exciton harvesting optimization. PMID:27824085

[Could malaria and dengue reappear in Spain?].

PubMed

Bueno Marí, Rubén; Jiménez Peydró, Ricardo

2010-01-01

The recent increase in immigration to Spain has facilitated the importation of many tropical diseases. Among these diseases, those of vectorial origin are among the most difficult to study. Some of the reasons for this difficulty are the complexity due to the variety of hosts involved in the transmission cycles and the need to know all the physiological, bioecological and biogeographic parameters related to the vector in order to infer the actual possibilities of the emergence or reemergence of these diseases. This article provides information on imported diseases of unquestionable epidemiological interest for the population in Spain due to the presence of several species of culicid mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) capable of transmitting these diseases in our country. Parasitic diseases such as malaria, which was highly endemic in Spain until 50 years ago, and other arboviral infections such as dengue and yellow fever, are analyzed in these terms. Various aspects related to the health system, as well as the different ways of tackling these issues, are also discussed. Copyright © 2009 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Message Passing and Shared Address Space Parallelism on an SMP Cluster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shan, Hongzhang; Singh, Jaswinder P.; Oliker, Leonid; Biswas, Rupak; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Currently, message passing (MP) and shared address space (SAS) are the two leading parallel programming paradigms. MP has been standardized with MPI, and is the more common and mature approach; however, code development can be extremely difficult, especially for irregularly structured computations. SAS offers substantial ease of programming, but may suffer from performance limitations due to poor spatial locality and high protocol overhead. In this paper, we compare the performance of and the programming effort required for six applications under both programming models on a 32-processor PC-SMP cluster, a platform that is becoming increasingly attractive for high-end scientific computing. Our application suite consists of codes that typically do not exhibit scalable performance under shared-memory programming due to their high communication-to-computation ratios and/or complex communication patterns. Results indicate that SAS can achieve about half the parallel efficiency of MPI for most of our applications, while being competitive for the others. A hybrid MPI+SAS strategy shows only a small performance advantage over pure MPI in some cases. Finally, improved implementations of two MPI collective operations on PC-SMP clusters are presented.

Measuring vigilance decrement using computer vision assisted eye tracking in dynamic naturalistic environments.

PubMed

Bodala, Indu P; Abbasi, Nida I; Yu Sun; Bezerianos, Anastasios; Al-Nashash, Hasan; Thakor, Nitish V

2017-07-01

Eye tracking offers a practical solution for monitoring cognitive performance in real world tasks. However, eye tracking in dynamic environments is difficult due to high spatial and temporal variation of stimuli, needing further and thorough investigation. In this paper, we study the possibility of developing a novel computer vision assisted eye tracking analysis by using fixations. Eye movement data is obtained from a long duration naturalistic driving experiment. Source invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm was implemented using VLFeat toolbox to identify multiple areas of interest (AOIs). A new measure called `fixation score' was defined to understand the dynamics of fixation position between the target AOI and the non target AOIs. Fixation score is maximum when the subjects focus on the target AOI and diminishes when they gaze at the non-target AOIs. Statistically significant negative correlation was found between fixation score and reaction time data (r =-0.2253 and p<;0.05). This implies that with vigilance decrement, the fixation score decreases due to visual attention shifting away from the target objects resulting in an increase in the reaction time.

Double needle technique: an alternative method for performing difficult sacroiliac joint injections.

PubMed

Gupta, Sanjeeva

2011-01-01

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is a common source of low back pain. The most appropriate method of confirming SIJ pain is to inject local anesthesia into the joint to find out if the pain decreases. Unfortunately, although the SIJ is a large joint, it can be difficult to enter due to the complex nature of the joint and variations in anatomy. In my experience a double needle technique for sacroiliac joint injection can increase the chances of accurate injection into the SIJ in difficult cases. After obtaining appropriate fluoroscopic images, the tip of the needle is advanced into the SIJ. Once the tip of the needle is correctly placed, its position is checked under continuous fluoroscopy while moving the C-arm in the right and left oblique directions (dynamic fluoroscopy). On dynamic fluoroscopy the tip of the needle should remain within the joint line and not appear to be on the bone. If the tip of the needle appears to be on the bone a new joint line will need to be identified (the most translucent area through the joint) by dynamic fluoroscopy and another needle advanced into the newly identified joint line. Dynamic fluoroscopy is repeated again to confirm that the tip of the second needle remains within the joint line. Once both needles are in place contrast dye is injected through the needle that is most likely to be in the SIJ. If the contrast dye spread is not satisfactory then it is injected through the other needle. I have used this technique in 10 patients and found it very helpful in accurately performing SIJ injection which can at times be challenging.

EVALUATING SURROGATES FOR CRYPTOSPORIDIUM REMOVAL IN POINT-OF-USE SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Cryptosporidium oocysts are resistant to chlorination and are particularly difficult to remove from drinking water by filtration due to their small size (4 µm to 6 µm). Filters with nominal pore sizes of 1 µm are recommended to assure effective removals. Properly designed and o...

Performance of Passive Samplers for Monitoring Estuarine Water Column Concentrations: 1. Contaminants of Concern

EPA Science Inventory

Contaminants enter marine and estuarine environments and can potentially pose risk to human and ecological health. Measuring contaminants of concern (COC) in these aqueous media can be difficult due to their relatively low solubilities and tendency to associate with environmenta...

Molybdenum Accumulation in Marine Sediments as an Indicator of Hypoxic Water Conditions (NACAETAC)

EPA Science Inventory

Direct monitoring of hypoxic water column conditions over large spatial and temporal extents is difficult due to the substantial logistical and financial investment required. Recent studies have indicated that concentrations of molybdenum (Mo) in marine sediments may serve as a u...

Macromolecular Response of Individual Algal Cells to Nutrient and Atrazine Mixtures within Biofilms

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pollutant effects on biofilm physiology are difficult to assess due to differential susceptibility of species and difficulty separating individual species for analysis. Also,measuring whole assemblage responses such as metabolism can mask species-specific responses, as some species may decrease and ...

Towards a Better Understanding of Complex Disease: Identifying Endotypes of Childhood Asthma

EPA Science Inventory

Complex disease, where the diagnostic criteria cannot distinguish among differing etiologies, is often difficult to diagnose, treat and study due to the inability to classify individuals into suitable subtypes of the disease. Here, we aim to use and compare a combination of met...

Car Stopping Distance on a Tabletop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haugland, Ole Anton

2013-01-01

Stopping distances in car braking can be an intriguing topic in physics teaching. It illustrates some basic principles of physics, and sheds valuable light on students' attitude towards aggressive driving. Due to safety considerations, it can be difficult to make experiments with actual car braking. (Contains 2 figures.)

Polyploidy and interspecific hybridization in Cynodon, Paspalum, Pennisetum, and Zoysia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There are many examples of agronomically or economically important characteristics in wild species, such as disease tolerance or quality, that are difficult to incorporate into related cultivated species due to differences in ploidy levels. Sterility, or at least reduced fertility, is common when w...

IODIDE AEROSOL SORBENTS FOR MERCURY CAPTURE IN COMBUSTION EXHAUSTS

EPA Science Inventory

Several sorbent processes are being studied for their feasibility for mercury capture. Mercury is different from the other heavy metals as it is not as chemically reactive (due to a filled outer electronic shell), thus making it difficult for sorbents to chemically trap it (a). ...

Simplified and low cost optical remote sensing technology for fenceline monitoring of fugitive releases

EPA Science Inventory

Reducing fugitive emissions of hazardous air pollutants from industrial facilities is an ongoing priority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Unlike stack emissions, fugitive releases are difficult to detect due to their spatial extent and inherent temporal variab...

What’s Upstream? GIS’s critical role in developing nutrient reference conditions for estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

Eutrophication due to excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can seriously impair ecological function in estuaries. Protective criteria for nutrients are difficult to establish because the source can vary spatially and seasonally, originate either from the watershed or the oce...

Magnesium enhances opioid-induced analgesia - What we have learnt in the past decades?

PubMed

Bujalska-Zadrożny, Magdalena; Tatarkiewicz, Jan; Kulik, Kamila; Filip, Małgorzata; Naruszewicz, Marek

2017-03-01

Opioids are increasingly used in alleviating pain, including cancer-related pain and postoperative pain. Unfortunately, the development of tolerance, the resistance of neuropathic pain on opioid analgesia or other undesirable effects may limit their utility. In order to reduce opioid doses, and thereby to avoid the risk of side effects and sudden deaths due to overdosing, attempts have been made to introduce co-analgesics. Due to an increasing amount of data concerning a potential enhance of opioid analgesia by the physiological antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, magnesium ions (Mg 2+ ), a concomitant use of such a combination seems to be interesting from a clinical point of view. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an analysis of existing preclinical and clinical studies in the context of the benefits of using this combination in clinical practice. A potential mechanism of magnesium - opioid interaction is also suggested. The potential influence of Mg on opioid adverse/side effects as well as conclusions on the safety of combined administration of magnesium and opioid drugs were also summarized. Data from animal studies indicate that magnesium increases opioid analgesia in chronic (e.g., neuropathic, inflammatory) as well as acute pain. In clinical trials, most authors confirmed that magnesium reduces opioid consumption and alleviates postoperative pain scores while not increasing the risk of side effects after opioids. However, more clinical studies are needed concerning an influence of Mg on opioid activity in other difficult to treat types of pain, especially neuropathic and inflammatory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing effects of a mining and municipal sewage effluent mixture on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction using a novel, field-based trophic-transfer artificial stream.

PubMed

Rickwood, Carrie J; Dubé, Monique G; Weber, Lynn P; Lux, Sarah; Janz, David M

2008-01-31

The Junction Creek watershed, located in Sudbury, ON, Canada receives effluent from three metal mine wastewater treatment plants, as well as a municipal wastewater (MWW) discharge. Effects on fish have been documented within the creek (decreased egg size and increased metal body burdens). It has been difficult to identify the cause of the effects observed due to the confounded nature of the creek. The objectives of this investigation were to assess the: (1) effects of a mine effluent and municipal wastewater (CCMWW) mixture on fathead minnow (FHM; Pimephales promelas) reproduction in an on-site artificial stream and (2) importance of food (Chironomus tentans) as a source of exposure using a trophic-transfer system. Exposures to CCMWW through the water significantly decreased egg production and spawning events. Exposure through food and water using the trophic-transfer system significantly increased egg production and spawning events. Embryos produced in the trophic-transfer system showed similar hatching success but increased incidence and severity of deformities after CCMWW exposure. We concluded that effects of CCMWW on FHM were more apparent when exposed through the water. Exposure through food and water may have reduced effluent toxicity, possibly due to increased nutrients and organic matter, which may have reduced metal bioavailability. More detailed examination of metal concentrations in the sediment, water column, prey (C. tentans) and FHM tissues is recommended to better understand the toxicokinetics of potential causative compounds within the different aquatic compartments when conducting exposures through different pathways.

Artificial intelligence-based computer modeling tools for controlling slag foaming in electric arc furnaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Eric Lee

Due to increased competition in a world economy, steel companies are currently interested in developing techniques that will allow for the improvement of the steelmaking process, either by increasing output efficiency or by improving the quality of their product, or both. Slag foaming is one practice that has been shown to contribute to both these goals. However, slag foaming is highly dynamic and difficult to model or control. This dissertation describes an effort to use artificial intelligence-based tools (genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic, and neural networks) to both model and control the slag foaming process. Specifically, a neural network is trained and tested on slag foaming data provided by a steel plant. This neural network model is then controlled by a fuzzy logic controller, which in turn is optimized by a genetic algorithm. This tuned controller is then installed at a steel plant and given control be a more efficient slag foaming controller than what was previously used by the steel plant.

The effect of pathophysiology on pharmacokinetics in the critically ill patient--concepts appraised by the example of antimicrobial agents.

PubMed

Blot, Stijn I; Pea, Federico; Lipman, Jeffrey

2014-11-20

Critically ill patients are at high risk for development of life-threatening infection leading to sepsis and multiple organ failure. Adequate antimicrobial therapy is pivotal for optimizing the chances of survival. However, efficient dosing is problematic because pathophysiological changes associated with critical illness impact on pharmacokinetics of mainly hydrophilic antimicrobials. Concentrations of hydrophilic antimicrobials may be increased because of decreased renal clearance due to acute kidney injury. Alternatively, antimicrobial concentrations may be decreased because of increased volume of distribution and augmented renal clearance provoked by systemic inflammatory response syndrome, capillary leak, decreased protein binding and administration of intravenous fluids and inotropes. Often multiple conditions that may influence pharmacokinetics are present at the same time thereby excessively complicating the prediction of adequate concentrations. In general, conditions leading to underdosing are predominant. Yet, since prediction of serum concentrations remains difficult, therapeutic drug monitoring for individual fine-tuning of antimicrobial therapy seems the way forward. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Shock compression of [001] single crystal silicon

DOE PAGES

Zhao, S.; Remington, B.; Hahn, E. N.; ...

2016-03-14

Silicon is ubiquitous in our advanced technological society, yet our current understanding of change to its mechanical response at extreme pressures and strain-rates is far from complete. This is due to its brittleness, making recovery experiments difficult. High-power, short-duration, laser-driven, shock compression and recovery experiments on [001] silicon (using impedance-matched momentum traps) unveiled remarkable structural changes observed by transmission electron microscopy. As laser energy increases, corresponding to an increase in peak shock pressure, the following plastic responses are are observed: surface cleavage along {111} planes, dislocations and stacking faults; bands of amorphized material initially forming on crystallographic orientations consistent withmore » dislocation slip; and coarse regions of amorphized material. Molecular dynamics simulations approach equivalent length and time scales to laser experiments and reveal the evolution of shock-induced partial dislocations and their crucial role in the preliminary stages of amorphization. Furthermore, application of coupled hydrostatic and shear stresses produce amorphization below the hydrostatically determined critical melting pressure under dynamic shock compression.« less

Variability in climate change simulations affects needed long-term riverine nutrient reductions for the Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Bring, Arvid; Rogberg, Peter; Destouni, Georgia

2015-06-01

Changes to runoff due to climate change may influence management of nutrient loading to the sea. Assuming unchanged river nutrient concentrations, we evaluate the effects of changing runoff on commitments to nutrient reductions under the Baltic Sea Action Plan. For several countries, climate projections point to large variability in load changes in relation to reduction targets. These changes either increase loads, making the target more difficult to reach, or decrease them, leading instead to a full achievement of the target. The impact of variability in climate projections varies with the size of the reduction target and is larger for countries with more limited commitments. In the end, a number of focused actions are needed to manage the effects of climate change on nutrient loads: reducing uncertainty in climate projections, deciding on frameworks to identify best performing models with respect to land surface hydrology, and increasing efforts at sustained monitoring of water flow changes.

Shock compression of [001] single crystal silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, S.; Hahn, E. N.; Kad, B.; Remington, B. A.; Bringa, E. M.; Meyers, M. A.

2016-05-01

Silicon is ubiquitous in our advanced technological society, yet our current understanding of change to its mechanical response at extreme pressures and strain-rates is far from complete. This is due to its brittleness, making recovery experiments difficult. High-power, short-duration, laser-driven, shock compression and recovery experiments on [001] silicon (using impedance-matched momentum traps) unveiled remarkable structural changes observed by transmission electron microscopy. As laser energy increases, corresponding to an increase in peak shock pressure, the following plastic responses are are observed: surface cleavage along {111} planes, dislocations and stacking faults; bands of amorphized material initially forming on crystallographic orientations consistent with dislocation slip; and coarse regions of amorphized material. Molecular dynamics simulations approach equivalent length and time scales to laser experiments and reveal the evolution of shock-induced partial dislocations and their crucial role in the preliminary stages of amorphization. Application of coupled hydrostatic and shear stresses produce amorphization below the hydrostatically determined critical melting pressure under dynamic shock compression.

Partitioning an object-oriented terminology schema.

PubMed

Gu, H; Perl, Y; Halper, M; Geller, J; Kuo, F; Cimino, J J

2001-07-01

Controlled medical terminologies are increasingly becoming strategic components of various healthcare enterprises. However, the typical medical terminology can be difficult to exploit due to its extensive size and high density. The schema of a medical terminology offered by an object-oriented representation is a valuable tool in providing an abstract view of the terminology, enhancing comprehensibility and making it more usable. However, schemas themselves can be large and unwieldy. We present a methodology for partitioning a medical terminology schema into manageably sized fragments that promote increased comprehension. Our methodology has a refinement process for the subclass hierarchy of the terminology schema. The methodology is carried out by a medical domain expert in conjunction with a computer. The expert is guided by a set of three modeling rules, which guarantee that the resulting partitioned schema consists of a forest of trees. This makes it easier to understand and consequently use the medical terminology. The application of our methodology to the schema of the Medical Entities Dictionary (MED) is presented.

Variability in climate change simulations affects needed long-term riverine nutrient reductions for the Baltic Sea

DOE PAGES

Bring, Arvid; Rogberg, Peter; Destouni, Georgia

2015-05-28

Changes to runoff due to climate change may influence management of nutrient loading to the sea. Assuming unchanged river nutrient concentrations, we evaluate the effects of changing runoff on commitments to nutrient reductions under the Baltic Sea Action Plan. For several countries, climate projections point to large variability in load changes in relation to reduction targets. These changes either increase loads, making the target more difficult to reach, or decrease them, leading instead to a full achievement of the target. The impact of variability in climate projections varies with the size of the reduction target and is larger for countriesmore » with more limited commitments. Finally, in the end, a number of focused actions are needed to manage the effects of climate change on nutrient loads: reducing uncertainty in climate projections, deciding on frameworks to identify best performing models with respect to land surface hydrology, and increasing efforts at sustained monitoring of water flow changes.« less

MODIS EVI-based net primary production in the Sahel 2000-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardö, Jonas; Tagesson, Torbern; Jamali, Sadegh; Khatir, Abdelrahman

2018-03-01

Africa is facing resource problems due to increasing demand combined with potential climate-induced changes in supply. Here we aim to quantify resources in terms of net primary production (NPP [g C m-2 yr-1]) of vegetation in the Sahel region for 2000-2014. Using time series of the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) from MODIS, NPP was estimated for the Sahel region with a 500 × 500 m spatial resolution and 8-day temporal resolution. The estimates were based on local eddy covariance flux measurements from six sites in the Sahel region and the carbon use efficiency originating from a dynamic vegetation model. No significant NPP change was found for the Sahel as a region but, for sub-regions, significant changes, both increasing and decreasing, were observed. Substantial uncertainties related to NPP estimates and the small availability of evaluation data makes verification difficult. The simplicity of the methodology used, dependent on earth observation only, is considered an advantage.

Endoscopy and antiplatelet agents. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline.

PubMed

Boustière, C; Veitch, A; Vanbiervliet, G; Bulois, P; Deprez, P; Laquiere, A; Laugier, R; Lesur, G; Mosler, P; Nalet, B; Napoleon, B; Rembacken, B; Ajzenberg, N; Collet, J P; Baron, T; Dumonceau, J-M

2011-05-01

With the increasing use of antiplatelet agents (APA), their management during the periendoscopic period has become a more common and more difficult problem. The increase in use is due to the availability of new drugs and the widespread use of drug-eluting coronary stents. Acute coronary syndromes can occur when APA therapy is withheld for noncardiovascular interventions. Guidelines about APA management during the periendoscopic period are traditionally based on assessments of the procedure-related risk of bleeding and the risk of thrombosis if APA are stopped. New data allow better assessment of these risks, of the necessary duration of APA discontinuation before endoscopy, of the use of alternative procedures (mostly for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography [ERCP]), and of endoscopic methods that can be used to prevent bleeding (following colonic polypectomy). This guideline makes graded, evidence-based, recommendations for the management of APA for all currently performed endoscopic procedures. A short summary and two tables are included for quick reference. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Isolation of Mycorrhizal Rhizoctonia as resistance inducer of Dendrobium macrophyllum to drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soelistijono, R.; Daryanti; Handayani, M. T.

2018-03-01

One of the obstacles encountered in the cultivation of orchids Dendrobium macrophyllum is difficult to cultivate in areas with high drought due to the slow absorption of nutrients. Based on previous research, the mycorrhizal binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) has the ability to increase the resistance of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) to drought, but it has never been tried on orchid Dendrobium macrophyllum. The objectives of this study was to isolate resistance inducer organisms by induced resistance techniques on orchids against drought. It is expected that the administration of mycorrhizal Rhizoctonia can increase the absorption of nutrients in D. macrophyllum which is exposed to high water stress. Each treatment consisted of 3 replications of 3 potted plants. The characterization of mycorrhizal Rhizoctonia isolate from D. macrophyllum root from Surakarta, Kopeng, Magelang, and Yogyakarta did not different morphologically. Character equations are in colony color, cell length and number of cores, while character differences are present in cell width and all isolates are capable of forming a peloton structure.

Thiazolidinedione derivatives as novel agents against Propionibacterium acnes biofilms.

PubMed

Brackman, G; Forier, K; Al Quntar, A A A; De Canck, E; Enk, C D; Srebnik, M; Braeckmans, K; Coenye, T

2014-03-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of two thiazolidinedione derivatives on Propionibacterium acnes biofilm formation in vitro and to assess their effect on the susceptibility of P. acnes biofilms towards antimicrobials. The compounds were shown to have a moderate to strong antibiofilm activity when used in subinhibitory concentrations. These compounds do not affect P. acnes attachment but lead to increased dispersal of biofilm cells. This dispersal results in an increased killing of the P. acnes biofilm cells by conventional antimicrobials. The antibiofilm effect and the effect on biofilm susceptibility of the thiazolidinedione-derived quorum sensing inhibitors were clearly demonstrated. Propionibacterium acnes infections are difficult to treat due to the presence of biofilms at the infection site and the associated resistance towards conventional antimicrobials. Our results indicate that these thiazolidinedione derivatives can be promising leads used for the treatment of P. acnes infections and as anti-acne drugs. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Secondary pigmentary glaucoma in patients with underlying primary pigment dispersion syndrome.

PubMed

Sivaraman, Kavitha R; Patel, Chirag G; Vajaranant, Thasarat S; Aref, Ahmad A

2013-01-01

Primary pigment dispersion syndrome (PPDS) is a bilateral condition that occurs in anatomically predisposed individuals. PPDS may evolve into pigmentary glaucoma, but it is difficult to predict which patients will progress. Secondary pigment dispersion is more often unilateral and acquired as a result of surgery, trauma, or intraocular tumor, but can likewise lead to pigmentary glaucoma. We report two cases of patients with bilateral PPDS who developed secondary pigment dispersion and pigmentary glaucoma in one eye. Patients with PPDS who acquire a secondary mechanism of pigment dispersion may be at an increased risk of progression to pigmentary glaucoma, presumably due to an increased burden of liberated pigment. In addition to regular surveillance for progression to glaucoma from PPDS, secondary causes of pigmentary dispersion in these eyes should be considered when patients present with grossly asymmetric findings. When secondary pigment dispersion is identified in eyes with PPDS, we recommend prompt intervention to alleviate the cause of secondary pigment dispersion and/or aggressive control of intraocular pressure to limit glaucomatous damage.

Secondary pigmentary glaucoma in patients with underlying primary pigment dispersion syndrome

PubMed Central

Sivaraman, Kavitha R; Patel, Chirag G; Vajaranant, Thasarat S; Aref, Ahmad A

2013-01-01

Primary pigment dispersion syndrome (PPDS) is a bilateral condition that occurs in anatomically predisposed individuals. PPDS may evolve into pigmentary glaucoma, but it is difficult to predict which patients will progress. Secondary pigment dispersion is more often unilateral and acquired as a result of surgery, trauma, or intraocular tumor, but can likewise lead to pigmentary glaucoma. We report two cases of patients with bilateral PPDS who developed secondary pigment dispersion and pigmentary glaucoma in one eye. Patients with PPDS who acquire a secondary mechanism of pigment dispersion may be at an increased risk of progression to pigmentary glaucoma, presumably due to an increased burden of liberated pigment. In addition to regular surveillance for progression to glaucoma from PPDS, secondary causes of pigmentary dispersion in these eyes should be considered when patients present with grossly asymmetric findings. When secondary pigment dispersion is identified in eyes with PPDS, we recommend prompt intervention to alleviate the cause of secondary pigment dispersion and/or aggressive control of intraocular pressure to limit glaucomatous damage. PMID:23569351

Effects of fertilizers used in agricultural fields on algal blooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Subhendu; Tiwari, P. K.; Sasmal, S. K.; Misra, A. K.; Chattopadhyay, Joydev

2017-06-01

The increasing occurrence of algal blooms and their negative ecological impacts have led to intensified monitoring activities. This needs the proper identification of the most responsible factor/factors for the bloom formation. However, in natural systems, algal blooms result from a combination of factors and from observation it is difficult to identify the most important one. In the present paper, using a mathematical model we compare the effects of three human induced factors (fertilizer input in agricultural field, eutrophication due to other sources than fertilizers, and overfishing) on the bloom dynamics and DO level. By applying a sophisticated sensitivity analysis technique, we found that the increasing use of fertilizers in agricultural field causes more rapid algal growth and decreases DO level much faster than eutrophication from other sources and overfishing. We also look at the mechanisms how fertilizer input rate affects the algal bloom dynamics and DO level. The model can be helpful for the policy makers in determining the influential factors responsible for the bloom formation.

How we manage iron overload in sickle cell patients.

PubMed

Coates, Thomas D; Wood, John C

2017-06-01

Blood transfusion plays a prominent role in the management of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), but causes significant iron overload. As transfusions are used to treat the severe complications of SCD, it remains difficult to distinguish whether organ damage is a consequence of iron overload or is due to the complications treated by transfusion. Better management has resulted in increased survival, but prolonged exposure to iron puts SCD patients at greater risk for iron-related complications that should be treated. The success of chelation therapy is dominated by patient adherence to prescribed treatment; thus, adjustment of drug regimens to increase adherence to treatment is critical. This review will discuss the current biology of iron homeostasis in patients with SCD and how this informs our clinical approach to treatment. We will present the clinical approach to treatment of iron overload at our centre using serial assessment of organ iron by magnetic resonance imaging. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thermal hydrolysis (TDH) as a pretreatment method for the digestion of organic waste.

PubMed

Schieder, D; Schneider, R; Bischof, F

2000-01-01

The recycling concept under consideration is based on the process of Thermal Hydrolysis (TDH) followed by an anaerobic digestion. By increasing pressure and temperature the organic part of the waste is split up in a first step into short-chain fragments that are biologically well suited for microorganisms. The following fermentation runs much faster and more complete than in conventional digestion processes and the biogas yield is increased. Left is just a small amount of a solid residue that can be easily dewatered and utilized as surrogate fuel for incineration or as compost additive. The thermal hydrolysis process allows a complete energy recovery from organic waste. During the total procedure more energy sources are produced than are needed for running the plant. The procedure is especially suited for wet organic waste and biosolids that are difficult to compost, such as food scraps, biological waste from compact residential areas and sewage sludge. As a complete disinfection is granted due to the process temperatures the procedure is also suited for carcasses.

Phenolic Modified Ceramic Coating on Biodegradable Mg Alloy: The Improved Corrosion Resistance and Osteoblast-Like Cell Activity.

PubMed

Lee, Hung-Pang; Lin, Da-Jun; Yeh, Ming-Long

2017-06-25

Magnesium alloys have great potential for developing orthopedic implants due to their biodegradability and mechanical properties, but the rapid corrosion rate of the currently-available alloys limits their clinical applications. To increase the corrosion resistance of the substrate, a protective ceramic coating is constructed by a micro-arc oxidation (MAO) process on ZK60 magnesium alloy. The porous ceramic coating is mainly composed of magnesium oxide and magnesium silicate, and the results from cell cultures show it can stimulate osteoblastic cell growth and proliferation. Moreover, gallic acid, a phenolic compound, was successfully introduced onto the MAO coating by grafting on hydrated oxide and chelating with magnesium ions. The gallic acid and rough surface of MAO altered the cell attachment behavior, making it difficult for fibroblasts to adhere to the MAO coating. The viability tests showed that gallic acid could suppress fibroblast growth and stimulate osteoblastic cell proliferation. Overall, the porous MAO coating combined with gallic acid offered a novel strategy for increasing osteocompatibility.

Experience with chemical system decontamination by the CORD process and electrochemical decontamination of pipe ends

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

Wille, H.; Bertholdt, H.O.; Operschall, H.

Efforts to reduce occupational radiation exposure during inspection and repair work in nuclear power plants turns steadily increasing attention to the decontamination of systems and components. Due to the advanced age of nuclear power plants resulting in increasing dose rates, the decontamination of components, or rather of complete systems, or loops to protect operating and inspection personnel becomes demanding. Besides, decontaminating complete primary loops is in many cases less difficult than cleaning large components. Based on experience gained in nuclear power plants, an outline of two different decontamination methods performed recently are given. For the decontamination of complete systems ormore » loops, Kraftwerk Union AG has developed CORD, a low-concentration process. For the decontamination performance of a subsystem, such as the steam generator (SG) channel heads of a pressurized water reactor or the recirculation loops of a boiling water reactor the automated mobile decontamination appliance is used. The electrochemical decontamination process is primarily applicable for the treatment of specially limited surface areas.« less

Variability in climate change simulations affects needed long-term riverine nutrient reductions for the Baltic Sea

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

Bring, Arvid; Rogberg, Peter; Destouni, Georgia

Changes to runoff due to climate change may influence management of nutrient loading to the sea. Assuming unchanged river nutrient concentrations, we evaluate the effects of changing runoff on commitments to nutrient reductions under the Baltic Sea Action Plan. For several countries, climate projections point to large variability in load changes in relation to reduction targets. These changes either increase loads, making the target more difficult to reach, or decrease them, leading instead to a full achievement of the target. The impact of variability in climate projections varies with the size of the reduction target and is larger for countriesmore » with more limited commitments. Finally, in the end, a number of focused actions are needed to manage the effects of climate change on nutrient loads: reducing uncertainty in climate projections, deciding on frameworks to identify best performing models with respect to land surface hydrology, and increasing efforts at sustained monitoring of water flow changes.« less

Development of porous ceramsite from construction and demolition waste.

PubMed

Wang, Chuan; Wu, Jian-Zhi; Zhang, Fu-Shen

2013-01-01

The disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) waste has become a serious problem in China due to the rapid increase of Chinese construction industry in recent years. In the present study, typical C&D waste was employed for ceramsite fabrication so as to find a new way for its effective recycling. A novel process was developed for manufacturing high-quality porous ceramsite according to the special chemical composition and properties of C&D waste. Most importantly, a unique bloating agent was developed for the porous structure formation since it was difficult to obtain a suitable porous structure using traditional bloating agents. The effects of processing parameters such as sintering temperature, heating rate and soaking time were investigated, and the bloating mechanism for ceramsite was discussed. The C&D waste ceramsite (CDWC), with high-intensity, low density and homogeneous mechanical properties, was much more suitable for application in the construction field. This study provides a practical process for efficient recycling of the rapidly increasing quantities of C&D waste.

Atomistic modeling of L10 FePt: path to HAMR 5Tb/in2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tianran; Benakli, Mourad; Rea, Chris

2015-03-01

Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is a promising approach for increasing the storage density of hard disk drives. To increase data density, information must be written in small grains, which requires materials with high anisotropy energy such as L10 FePt. On the other hand, high anisotropy implies high coercivity, making it difficult to write the data with existing recording heads. This issue can be overcome by the technique of HAMR, where a laser is used to heat the recording medium to reduce its coercivity while retaining good thermal stability at room temperature due to the large anisotropy energy. One of the keys to the success of HAMR is the precise control of writing process. In this talk, I will propose a Monte Carlo simulation, based on an atomistic model, that would allow us to study the magnetic properties of L10 FePt and dynamics of spin reversal for the writing process in HAMR.

Implications of Bt traits on mycotoxin contamination in maize: Overview and recent experimental results in southern United States.

PubMed

Abbas, Hamed K; Zablotowicz, Robert M; Weaver, Mark A; Shier, W Thomas; Bruns, H Arnold; Bellaloui, Nacer; Accinelli, Cesare; Abel, Craig A

2013-12-04

Mycotoxin contamination levels in maize kernels are controlled by a complex set of factors including insect pressure, fungal inoculum potential, and environmental conditions that are difficult to predict. Methods are becoming available to control mycotoxin-producing fungi in preharvest crops, including Bt expression, biocontrol, and host plant resistance. Initial reports in the United States and other countries have associated Bt expression with reduced fumonisin, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone contamination and, to a lesser extent, reduced aflatoxin contamination in harvested maize kernels. However, subsequent field results have been inconsistent, confirming that fumonisin contamination can be reduced by Bt expression, but the effect on aflatoxin is, at present, inconclusive. New maize hybrids have been introduced with increased spectra of insect control and higher levels of Bt expression that may provide important tools for mycotoxin reduction and increased yield due to reduced insect feeding, particularly if used together with biocontrol and host plant resistance.

Phenolic Modified Ceramic Coating on Biodegradable Mg Alloy: The Improved Corrosion Resistance and Osteoblast-Like Cell Activity

PubMed Central

Lee, Hung-Pang; Lin, Da-Jun; Yeh, Ming-Long

2017-01-01

Magnesium alloys have great potential for developing orthopedic implants due to their biodegradability and mechanical properties, but the rapid corrosion rate of the currently-available alloys limits their clinical applications. To increase the corrosion resistance of the substrate, a protective ceramic coating is constructed by a micro-arc oxidation (MAO) process on ZK60 magnesium alloy. The porous ceramic coating is mainly composed of magnesium oxide and magnesium silicate, and the results from cell cultures show it can stimulate osteoblastic cell growth and proliferation. Moreover, gallic acid, a phenolic compound, was successfully introduced onto the MAO coating by grafting on hydrated oxide and chelating with magnesium ions. The gallic acid and rough surface of MAO altered the cell attachment behavior, making it difficult for fibroblasts to adhere to the MAO coating. The viability tests showed that gallic acid could suppress fibroblast growth and stimulate osteoblastic cell proliferation. Overall, the porous MAO coating combined with gallic acid offered a novel strategy for increasing osteocompatibility. PMID:28773055

Josephson frequency meter for millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths

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

Anischenko, S.E.; Larkin, S.Y.; Chaikovsky, V.I.

1994-12-31

Frequency measurements of electromagnetic oscillations of millimeter and submillimeter wavebands with frequency growth due to a number of reasons become more and more difficult. First, these frequencies are considered to be cutoff for semiconductor converting devices and one has to use optical measurement methods instead of traditional ones with frequency transfer. Second, resonance measurement methods are characterized by using relatively narrow bands and optical ones are limited in frequency and time resolution due to the limited range and velocity of movement of their mechanical elements as well as the efficiency of these optical techniques decreases with the increase of wavelengthmore » due to diffraction losses. That requires the apriori information on the radiation frequency band of the source involved. Method of measuring frequency of harmonic microwave signals in millimeter and submillimeter wavebands based on the ac Josephson effect in superconducting contacts is devoid of all the above drawbacks. This approach offers a number of major advantages over the more traditional measurement methods, that is the one based on frequency conversion, resonance and interferrometric techniques. It can be characterized by high potential accuracy, wide range of frequencies measured, prompt measurement and the opportunity to obtain panoramic display of the results as well as full automation of the measuring process.« less

Skin Cancer Concerns in People of Color: Risk Factors and Prevention

PubMed Central

Gupta, Alpana K; Bharadwaj, Mausumi; Mehrotra, Ravi

2016-01-01

Background: Though people of color (POC) are less likely to become afflicted with skin cancer, they are much more likely to die from it due to delay in detection or presentation. Very often, skin cancer is diagnosed at a more advanced stage in POC, making treatment difficult. The purpose of this research was to improve awareness regarding skin cancers in people of color by providing recommendations to clinicians and the general public for early detection and photo protection preventive measures. Methods: Data on different types of skin cancers were presented to POC. Due to limited research, there are few resources providing insights for evaluating darkly pigmented lesions in POC. Diagnostic features for different types of skin cancers were recorded and various possible risk factors were considered. Results: This study provided directions for the prevention and early detection of skin cancer in POC based on a comprehensive review of available data. Conclusions: The increased morbidity and mortality rate associated with skin cancer in POC is due to lack of awareness, diagnosis at a more advanced stage and socioeconomic barriers hindering access to care. Raising public health concerns for skin cancer prevention strategies for all people, regardless of ethnic background and socioeconomic status, is the key to timely diagnosis and treatment. PMID:28125871

Hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Maji, D

2006-10-01

Hyperthyroidism is a clinical situation where there is excess thyroid hormones in the circulation due to increased synthesis of hormone from a hyperactive thyroid gland. Common causes are Graves' disease, toxic multinodular goitre and toxic solitary nodule. Excess thyroid hormones in the circulation are also found in thyroiditis (hormone leakage) and excess exogenous thyroxine intake. Thyrotoxicosis is the term applied when there is excess thyroid hormone in the circulation due to any cause. Thyrotoxicosis can be easily diagnosed by high serum level of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) and low serum level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Hyperthyroidism is confirmed by high isotope (I 131 or Tc99) uptake by the thyroid gland, while in thyroiditis it will be low. Treatment of hyperthyroidism depends on the underlying cause. Antithyroid drugs, 1131 therapy and surgery are the options of treatment of hyperthyroidism. Surgery is the preferred treatment for toxic adenoma and toxic multinodular goitre, while 1131 therapy may be suitable in some cases. Antithyroid drugs and 1131 therapy are mostly preferred for Graves' disease. Beta-adrenergic blockers are used for symptomatic relief in most patients of thyrotoxicosis due to any cause. Other rare causes of hyperthyroidism like, amiodarone induced thyrotoxicosis, choriocarcinoma, thyrotropin secreting pituitary tumour are difficult to diagnose as well as to treat.

Optical cross-talk and surface characterization of SERS nanoimaging bundle substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiser, John B.; Cullum, Brian M.

2010-04-01

Due to the narrow vibrational bandwidths and unique molecular fingerprints, Raman spectroscopy can be an information rich transduction technique for chemical imaging. Dynamic systems are often difficult to measure using spontaneous Raman due to the relatively weak scattering cross-sections. Using a Raman enhancement mechanism such as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), exposure times can be reduced to a reasonable level for dynamic imaging, due to the increased Raman signal intensity. This paper will discuss the development of a novel SERS substrate, fabricated on the tips of fiber-optic imaging bundles, which can be integrated into a multispectral imaging system for non-scanning chemical imaging. These substrates are fabricated by mechanically tapering a polished fiber optic imaging bundle consisting of 30,000 individual elements; producing 100-nm or smaller diameter core elements on the distal tip. Chemical etching with hydrofluoric acid creates uniform cladding spikes onto which a SERS active metal is vacuum deposited, forming the SERS active surface. By varying the size of the silver islands deposited on the cladding peaks active, surface plasmons can be tuned to various excitation frequencies. The surface of these tapered fiber optic probes will be evaluated by analysis of the SERS signal, location and shape of the active surface plasmons. The cross talk between the fiber elements will also be evaluated.

A balanced ATP driving force module for enhancing photosynthetic biosynthesis of 3-hydroxybutyrate from CO2.

PubMed

Ku, Jason T; Lan, Ethan I

2018-03-01

Using engineered photoautotrophic microorganisms for the direct chemical synthesis from CO 2 is an attractive direction for both sustainability and CO 2 mitigation. However, the behaviors of non-native metabolic pathways may be difficult to control due to the different intracellular contexts between natural and heterologous hosts. While most metabolic engineering efforts focus on strengthening driving forces in pathway design to favor biochemical production in these organisms, excessive driving force may be detrimental to product biosynthesis due to imbalanced cellular intermediate distribution. In this study, an ATP-hydrolysis based driving force module was engineered into cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 to produce 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), a valuable chemical feedstock for the synthesis of biodegradable plastics and antibiotics. However, while the ATP driving force module is effective for increasing product formation, uncontrolled accumulation of intermediate metabolites likely led to metabolic imbalance and thus to cell growth inhibition. Therefore, the ATP driving force module was reengineered by providing a reversible outlet for excessive carbon flux. Upon expression of this balanced ATP driving force module with 3HB biosynthesis, engineered strain produced 3HB with a cumulative titer of 1.2 g/L, a significant increase over the initial strain. This result highlighted the importance of pathway reversibility as an effective design strategy for balancing driving force and intermediate accumulation, thereby achieving a self-regulated control for increased net flux towards product biosynthesis. Copyright © 2018 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Increasing difficulties for scientific publication in Venezuela].

PubMed

Ryder, Elena

2014-03-01

A very important increase in the costs of the edition of scientific journals has taken place in Venezuela, due to difficulties in obtaining imported free acid paper and other materials used for handling documents. Like other journals, Investigaci6n Clinica has been considering switching completely to a digital publication format; however there are several reasons that prevent us to doing it at this time: the journal is distributed in printed form to many national institutions, which do not have immediate access to digital information. In addition, there exists a commitment of shipment of printed issues for some international indices and in exchange with other national and foreign journals, whose printed format we receive. Another important aspect is that our University maintains a weak technological platform that makes difficult the immediacy required for the interchange with authors and consulted referees of received papers; and there is a latent danger of limitations in the use of digital technologies, due to current national politic problems. Consequently, we need to continue with the printed format, but must reduce the amount of printed issues, so as not to limit the number of papers published in each edition. Nevertheless, there is an ever increasing number of contributions from foreign researches and Investigaci6n Clinica has been recently included in two new international indices, the SEIIC from Argentina and the Infobase Index from India, reasons that obligate us to maintain our levels of excellence and commitment to our authors and readers.

The need for ergonomics considerations for the design and development of agricultural machinery in Thailand.

PubMed

Mamansari, D U; Salokhe, V M

1995-06-01

Agriculture plays an important role in developing countries which are mainly located in tropical regions. Agriculture is an industry with tremendous opportunities for the application of ergonomics principles. Working conditions are extremely difficult due to severe environmental conditions, long working hours, strenuous work and the use of mobile equipment. The ignorance of the majority of ergonomics principles in the design of agricultural equipment make the conditions more difficult. Thailand is one of the important suppliers of agricultural products in the world. Mechanization has expanded tremendously during the last 10 years and the number of agricultural machinery has rapidly increased. This paper looks at ergonomics principles which must be considered in the design and development of agricultural machines and equipment used in Thailand. It was identified that the common farming system in Thailand is rice-based cultivation, mostly in swampy conditions with heavy clay soil. It was also found that the most energy-consuming task in agriculture was primary cultivation. The most widely used machine is a power tiller which is suitable for the farm sizes available and can be operated easily. Most of the power tillers and other equipment were found to be locally made, with less than 5% imported. Unfortunately, there was no standardization in power tiller manufacturing which led to increasing farmers' strain. There is still a need to collect more ergonomics data of Thai farmers such as anthropometry, strength and physical work capacity for the design and development of agricultural machines and equipment used in Thailand. Different ergonomic consideration for the design and development of agricultural machinery have been suggested.

Can sea level rise cause large submarine landslides on continental slopes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urlaub, Morelia

2014-05-01

Submarine landslides are one of the volumetrically most important sediment transport processes at continental margins. Moreover, these landslides are a major geohazard as they can cause damaging tsunamis and destroy seabed infrastructure. Due to their inaccessibility our understanding of what causes these landslides is limited and based on hypotheses that are difficult to test. Some of the largest submarine landslides, such as the Storegga Slide off Norway, occurred during times of eustatic sea level rise. It has been suggested that this global sea level rise was implicated in triggering of the landslides by causing an increase in excess pore pressure in the subseafloor. However, in a homogeneous slope a change in the thickness of the overlying water mass is not expected to affect its stability, as only the hydrostatic pressure component will change, whereas pore pressures in excess of hydrostatic will remain unaltered. Whether sufficiently rapid sea level rise, aided by rather impermeable sediment and complex layering, could cause excess pore pressures that may destabilise a continental slope is more difficult to answer and has not yet been tested. I use Finite Element Modelling to explore and quantify the direct effect of changes in the thickness of the overlying water mass on the stability of a generic sediment column with different stratigraphic conditions and hydro-mechanical properties. The results show that the direct effect of sea level rise on continental slope stability is minimal. Nevertheless, sea level rise may foster other processes, such as lithospheric stress changes resulting in increased seismicity, that could potentially cause large submarine landslides on continental slopes.

Green biotechnology, nanotechnology and bio-fortification: perspectives on novel environment-friendly crop improvement strategies.

PubMed

Yashveer, Shikha; Singh, Vikram; Kaswan, Vineet; Kaushik, Amit; Tokas, Jayanti

2014-10-01

Food insecurity and malnutrition are prominent issues for this century. As the world's population continues to increase, ensuring that the earth has enough food that is nutritious too will be a difficult task. Today one billion people of the world are undernourished and more than a third are malnourished. Moreover, the looming threat of climate change is exasperating the situation even further. At the same time, the total acreage of arable land that could support agricultural use is already near its limits, and may even decrease over the next few years due to salination and desertification patterns resulting from climate change. Clearly, changing the way we think about crop production must take place on multiple levels. New varieties of crops must be developed which can produce higher crop yields with less water and fewer agricultural inputs. Besides this, the crops themselves must have improved nutritional qualities or become biofortified in order to reduce the chances of 'hidden hunger' resulting from malnourishment. It is difficult to envision the optimum way to increase crop production using a single uniform strategy. Instead, a variety of approaches must be employed and tailored for any particular agricultural setting. New high-impact technologies such as green biotechnology, biofortification, and nanotechnology offer opportunities for boosting agricultural productivity and enhancing food quality and nutritional value with eco-friendly manner. These agricultural technologies currently under development will renovate our world to one that can comfortably address the new directions, our planet will take as a result of climate change.

Synergy and antagonism between iron chelators and antifungal drugs in Cryptococcus.

PubMed

Lai, Yu-Wen; Campbell, Leona T; Wilkins, Marc R; Pang, Chi Nam Ignatius; Chen, Sharon; Carter, Dee A

2016-10-01

Fungal infections remain very difficult to treat, and developing new antifungal drugs is difficult and expensive. Recent approaches therefore seek to augment existing antifungals with synergistic agents that can lower the therapeutic dose, increase efficacy and prevent resistance from developing. Iron limitation can inhibit microbial growth, and iron chelators have been employed to treat fungal infections. In this study, chequerboard testing was used to explore combinations of iron chelators with antifungal agents against pathogenic Cryptococcus spp. with the aim of determining how disruption to iron homeostasis affects antifungal susceptibility. The iron chelators ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), deferoxamine (DFO), deferiprone (DFP), deferasirox (DSX), ciclopirox olamine and lactoferrin (LF) were paired with the antifungal agents amphotericin B (AmB), fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole and caspofungin. All chelators except for DFO increased the efficacy of AmB, and significant synergy was seen between AmB and LF for all Cryptococcus strains. Addition of exogenous iron rescued cells from the antifungal effect of LF alone but could not prevent inhibition by AmB + LF, indicating that synergy was not due primarily to iron chelation but to other properties of LF that were potentiated in the presence of AmB. Significant synergy was not seen consistently for other antifungal-chelator combinations, and EDTA, DSX and DFP antagonised the activity of azole drugs in strains of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. This study highlights the range of interactions that can be induced by chelators and indicates that most antifungal drugs are not enhanced by iron limitation in Cryptococcus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

X-ray observations of limb flare loops and post-flare coronal arch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Svestka, Zdenek; Smith, Kermit L.; Strong, Keith T.

1992-01-01

Postflare arc observations have been obtained following a May 2, 1985 eruptive flare that was detected in X-ray lines above the western solar limb, constituting a rare opportunity for the isolation of pure spectra of the arch without the disturbing effect of X-ray emission from lower and more intense coronal regions. It remains difficult to decide which portion of the observed shift is due to real motion and which is due to cooling, which is faster at lower altitudes.

Spelling and the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varnhagen, Connie K.; McFall, G. Peggy; Figueredo, Lauren; Takach, Bonnie Sadler; Daniels, Jason; Cuthbertson, Heather

2008-01-01

Correct spelling is increasingly important in our technological world. We examined children's and adults' Web search behavior for easy and more difficult to spell target keywords. Grade 4 children and university students searched for the life cycle of the lemming (easy to spell target keyword) or the ptarmigan (difficult to spell target keyword).…

Word frequency and the attentional blink: the effects of target difficulty on retrieval and consolidation processes.

PubMed

Wierda, Stefan M; Taatgen, Niels A; van Rijn, Hedderik; Martens, Sander

2013-01-01

When a second target (T2) is presented in close succession of a first target (T1) within a stream of non-targets, people often fail to detect T2-a deficit known as the attentional blink (AB). Two types of theories can be distinguished that have tried to account for this phenomenon. Whereas attentional-control theories suggest that protection of consolidation processes induces the AB, limited-resource theories claim that the AB is caused by a lack of resources. According to the latter type of theories, increasing difficulty of one or both targets should increase the magnitude of the AB. Similarly, attentional-control theories predict that a difficult T1 increases the AB due to prolonged processing. However, the prediction for T2 is not as straightforward. Prolonged processing of T2 could cause conflicts and increase the AB. However, if consolidation of T2 is postponed without loss of identity, the AB might be attenuated. Participants performed an AB task that consisted of a stream of distractor non-words and two target words. Difficulty of T1 and T2 was manipulated by varying word-frequency. Overall performance for high-frequency words was better than for low-frequency words. When T1 was highly frequent, the AB was reduced. The opposite effect was found for T2. When T2 was highly frequent, performance during the AB period was relatively worse than for a low-frequency T2. A threaded-cognition model of the AB was presented that simulated the observed pattern of behavior by taking changes in the time-course of retrieval and consolidation processes into account. Our results were replicated in a subsequent ERP study. The finding that a difficult low-frequency T2 reduces the magnitude of the AB is at odds with limited-resource accounts of the AB. However, it was successfully accounted for by the threaded-cognition model, thus providing an explanation in terms of attentional control.

Is there a crisis in nursing retention in New South Wales?

PubMed Central

Doiron, Denise; Hall, Jane; Jones, Glenn

2008-01-01

Background There is a severe shortage of nurses in Australia. Policy makers and researchers are especially concerned that retention levels of nurses in the health workforce have worsened over the last decade. There are also concerns that rapidly growing private sector hospitals are attracting qualified nurses away from the public sector. To date no systematic analysis of trends in nursing retention rates over time has been conducted due to the lack of consistent panel data. Results A 1.4 percentage point improvement in retention has led to a 10% increase in the overall supply of nurses in NSW. There has also been a substantial aging of the workforce, due to greater retention and an increase in mature age entrants. The improvement in retention is found in all types of premises and is largest in nursing homes. There is a substantial amount of year to year movement in and out of the workforce and across premises. The shortage of nurses in public hospitals is due to a slowdown in entry rather than competition from the rapidly growing private sector hospitals. Policy Implications The finding of an improvement (rather than a worsening) in retention suggests that additional improvements may be difficult to achieve as further retention must involve individuals more and more dissatisfied with nursing relative to other opportunities. Hence policies targeting entry such as increased places in nursing programs and additional subsidies for training costs may be more effective in dealing with the workforce shortage. This is also the case for shortages in public sector hospitals as retention in nursing is found to be relatively high in this sector. However, the large amount of year to year movements across nursing jobs, especially among the younger nurses, also suggests that policies aimed at reducing job switches and increasing the number who return to nursing should also be pursued. More research is needed in understanding the relative importance of detailed working conditions and the problems associated with combining family responsibilities and nursing jobs. PMID:18681970

Engagement and Arousal: Optimism’s Effects During a Brief Stressor

PubMed Central

Nes, Lise Solberg; Segerstrom, Suzanne C.; Sephton, Sandra E.

2005-01-01

Optimism is usually associated with better psychological and physiological adjustment to stressors, but some contradictory findings exist. The purpose of this study was to investigate how optimism could result in negative immunological changes following difficult stressors. Because optimists are likely to see positive outcomes as attainable, they may invest greater effort to achieve their goals. It is proposed that such engagement would be more physiologically demanding when pursuing difficult goals. Participants (N = 54) worked on 11 difficult or insoluble anagrams. Optimism when combined with high self-awareness increased time spent working on the anagrams and skin conductance and salivary cortisol during the recovery period. The results support the notion that the increased engagement that arises from optimism may lead to short-term physiological costs. PMID:15574666

Sorbitol crystallization-induced aggregation in frozen mAb formulations.

PubMed

Piedmonte, Deirdre Murphy; Hair, Alison; Baker, Priti; Brych, Lejla; Nagapudi, Karthik; Lin, Hong; Cao, Wenjin; Hershenson, Susan; Ratnaswamy, Gayathri

2015-02-01

Sorbitol crystallization-induced aggregation of mAbs in the frozen state was evaluated. The effect of protein aggregation resulting from sorbitol crystallization was measured as a function of formulation variables such as protein concentration and pH. Long-term studies were performed on both IgG1 and IgG2 mAbs over the protein concentration range of 0.1-120 mg/mL. Protein aggregation was measured by size-exclusion HPLC (SE-HPLC) and further characterized by capillary-electrophoresis SDS. Sorbitol crystallization was monitored and characterized by subambient differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Aggregation due to sorbitol crystallization is inversely proportional to both protein concentration and formulation pH. At high protein concentrations, sorbitol crystallization was suppressed, and minimal aggregation by SE-HPLC resulted, presumably because of self-stabilization of the mAbs. The glass transition temperature (Tg ') and fragility index measurements were made to assess the influence of molecular mobility on the crystallization of sorbitol. Tg ' increased with increasing protein concentration for both mAbs. The fragility index decreased with increasing protein concentration, suggesting that it is increasingly difficult for sorbitol to crystallize at high protein concentrations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Vascular ageing and interventions: lessons and learnings

PubMed Central

Williams, Bryan

2016-01-01

This review discusses the relationship between elevated blood pressure, hypertension, arterial stiffness and hence vascular ageing. This is a complex process and the majority of treatments target the consequences of this, rather than the pathophysiology of ageing itself. This is because preventing vascular ageing from occurring is complex and would require very early intervention and lifelong treatment. The process of arteriosclerosis is known to result from reversible and irreversible functional components, and, together, these are responsible for the increased systolic and decreased diastolic blood pressure seen with advancing age. Indeed, hypertension develops as it becomes more difficult for the heart to drive blood flow around the body, as a result of poor ventricular coupling and increased arterial stiffness. Elevated blood pressure is therefore a clinical manifestation of ageing that continues to increase with advancing years, and is also linked with an increased risk of cardiac, cerebrovascular and chronic kidney disease. These manifestations arise due to changing haemodynamics associated with ageing, and therefore treatments that reduce the development of these conditions or delay their progression have the potential to improve patient outcomes. This may be possible with existing therapies as well as new treatments currently under investigation. PMID:27102114

Properties of a Laser Shock Wave in Al-Cu Alloy under Elevated Temperatures: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

PubMed Central

Meng, Xiankai; Zhou, Jianzhong; Huang, Shu; Su, Chun; Sheng, Jie

2017-01-01

The laser shock wave (LSW) generated by the interaction between a laser and a material has been widely used in laser manufacturing, such as laser shock peening and laser shock forming. However, due to the high strain rate, the propagation of LSW in materials, especially LSW at elevated temperatures, is difficult to study through experimental methods. A molecular dynamics simulation was used in this study to investigate the propagation of LSW in an Al-Cu alloy. The Hugoniot relations of LSW were obtained at different temperatures and the effects of elevated temperatures on shock velocity and shock pressure were analyzed. Then the elastic and plastic wave of the LSW was researched. Finally, the evolution of dislocations induced by LSW and its mechanism under elevated temperatures was explored. The results indicate that the shock velocity and shock pressure induced by LSW both decrease with the increasing temperatures. Moreover, the velocity of elastic wave and plastic wave both decrease with the increasing treatment temperature, while their difference decreases as the temperature increases. Moreover, the dislocation atoms increases with the increasing temperatures before 2 ps, while it decreases with the increasing temperatures after 2 ps. The reason for the results is related to the formation and evolution of extended dislocations. PMID:28772433

Properties of a Laser Shock Wave in Al-Cu Alloy under Elevated Temperatures: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

PubMed

Meng, Xiankai; Zhou, Jianzhong; Huang, Shu; Su, Chun; Sheng, Jie

2017-01-18

The laser shock wave (LSW) generated by the interaction between a laser and a material has been widely used in laser manufacturing, such as laser shock peening and laser shock forming. However, due to the high strain rate, the propagation of LSW in materials, especially LSW at elevated temperatures, is difficult to study through experimental methods. A molecular dynamics simulation was used in this study to investigate the propagation of LSW in an Al-Cu alloy. The Hugoniot relations of LSW were obtained at different temperatures and the effects of elevated temperatures on shock velocity and shock pressure were analyzed. Then the elastic and plastic wave of the LSW was researched. Finally, the evolution of dislocations induced by LSW and its mechanism under elevated temperatures was explored. The results indicate that the shock velocity and shock pressure induced by LSW both decrease with the increasing temperatures. Moreover, the velocity of elastic wave and plastic wave both decrease with the increasing treatment temperature, while their difference decreases as the temperature increases. Moreover, the dislocation atoms increases with the increasing temperatures before 2 ps, while it decreases with the increasing temperatures after 2 ps. The reason for the results is related to the formation and evolution of extended dislocations.

Forces Generated by Vastus Lateralis and Vastus Medialis Decrease with Increasing Stair Descent Speed.

PubMed

Caruthers, Elena J; Oxendale, Kassandra K; Lewis, Jacqueline M; Chaudhari, Ajit M W; Schmitt, Laura C; Best, Thomas M; Siston, Robert A

2018-04-01

Stair descent (SD) is a common, difficult task for populations who are elderly or have orthopaedic pathologies. Joint torques of young, healthy populations during SD increase at the hip and ankle with increasing speed but not at the knee, contrasting torque patterns during gait. To better understand the sources of the knee torque pattern, we used dynamic simulations to estimate knee muscle forces and how they modulate center of mass (COM) acceleration across SD speeds (slow, self-selected, and fast) in young, healthy adults. The vastus lateralis and vastus medialis forces decreased from slow to self-selected speeds as the individual lowered to the next step. Since the vasti are primary contributors to vertical support during SD, they produced lower forces at faster speeds due to the lower need for vertical COM support observed at faster speeds. In contrast, the semimembranosus and rectus femoris forces increased across successive speeds, allowing the semimembranosus to increase acceleration downward and forward and the rectus femoris to provide more vertical support and resistance to forward progression as SD speed increased. These results demonstrate the utility of dynamic simulations to extend beyond traditional inverse dynamics analyses to gain further insight into muscle mechanisms during tasks like SD.

Women's perceptions of iron deficiency and anemia prevention and control in eight developing countries.

PubMed

Galloway, Rae; Dusch, Erin; Elder, Leslie; Achadi, Endang; Grajeda, Ruben; Hurtado, Elena; Favin, Mike; Kanani, Shubhada; Marsaban, Julie; Meda, Nicolas; Moore, K Mona; Morison, Linda; Raina, Neena; Rajaratnam, Jolly; Rodriquez, Javier; Stephen, Chitra

2002-08-01

The World Health Organization estimates that 58% of pregnant women in developing countries are anemic. In spite of the fact that most ministries of health in developing countries have policies to provide pregnant women with iron in a supplement form, maternal anemia prevalence has not declined significantly where large-scale programs have been evaluated. During the period 1991-98, the MotherCare Project and its partners conducted qualitative research to determine the major barriers and facilitators of iron supplementation programs for pregnant women in eight developing countries. Research results were used to develop pilot program strategies and interventions to reduce maternal anemia. Across-region results were examined and some differences were found but the similarity in the way women view anemia and react to taking iron tablets was more striking than differences encountered by region, country or ethnic group. While women frequently recognize symptoms of anemia, they do not know the clinical term for anemia. Half of women in all countries consider these symptoms to be a priority health concern that requires action and half do not. Those women who visit prenatal health services are often familiar with iron supplements, but commonly do not know why they are prescribed. Contrary to the belief that women stop taking iron tablets mainly due to negative side effects, only about one-third of women reported that they experienced negative side effects in these studies. During iron supplementation trials in five of the countries, only about one-tenth of the women stopped taking the tablets due to side effects. The major barrier to effective supplementation programs is inadequate supply. Additional barriers include inadequate counseling and distribution of iron tablets, difficult access and poor utilization of prenatal health care services, beliefs against consuming medications during pregnancy, and in most countries, fears that taking too much iron may cause too much blood or a big baby, making delivery more difficult. Facilitators include women's recognition of improved physical well being with the alleviation of symptoms of anemia, particularly fatigue, a better appetite, increased appreciation of benefits for the fetus, and subsequent increased demand for prevention and treatment of iron deficiency and anemia.

Difficult Temperament Moderates Links between Maternal Responsiveness and Children’s Compliance and Behavior Problems in Low-Income Families

PubMed Central

Kochanska, Grazyna; Kim, Sanghag

2012-01-01

Background Research has shown that interactions between young children’s temperament and the quality of care they receive predict the emergence of positive and negative socioemotional developmental outcomes. This multi-method study addresses such interactions, using observed and mother-rated measures of difficult temperament, children’s committed, self-regulated compliance and externalizing problems, and mothers’ responsiveness in a low-income sample. Methods In 186 30-month-old children, difficult temperament was observed in the laboratory (as poor effortful control and high anger proneness), and rated by mothers. Mothers’ responsiveness was observed in lengthy naturalistic interactions at 30 and 33 months. At 40 months, children’s committed compliance and externalizing behavior problems were assessed using observations and several well-established maternal report instruments. Results Parallel significant interactions between child difficult temperament and maternal responsiveness were found across both observed and mother-rated measures of temperament. For difficult children, responsiveness had a significant effect such that those children were more compliant and had fewer externalizing problems when they received responsive care, but were less compliant and had more behavior problems when they received unresponsive care. For children with easy temperaments, maternal responsiveness and developmental outcomes were unrelated. All significant interactions reflected the diathesis-stress model. There was no evidence of differential susceptibility, perhaps due to the pervasive stress present in the ecology of the studied families. Conclusions Those findings add to the growing body of evidence that for temperamentally difficult children, unresponsive parenting exacerbates risks for behavior problems, but responsive parenting can effectively buffer risks conferred by temperament. PMID:23057713

A quantitative method for risk assessment of agriculture due to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhiqiang; Pan, Zhihua; An, Pingli; Zhang, Jingting; Zhang, Jun; Pan, Yuying; Huang, Lei; Zhao, Hui; Han, Guolin; Wu, Dong; Wang, Jialin; Fan, Dongliang; Gao, Lin; Pan, Xuebiao

2018-01-01

Climate change has greatly affected agriculture. Agriculture is facing increasing risks as its sensitivity and vulnerability to climate change. Scientific assessment of climate change-induced agricultural risks could help to actively deal with climate change and ensure food security. However, quantitative assessment of risk is a difficult issue. Here, based on the IPCC assessment reports, a quantitative method for risk assessment of agriculture due to climate change is proposed. Risk is described as the product of the degree of loss and its probability of occurrence. The degree of loss can be expressed by the yield change amplitude. The probability of occurrence can be calculated by the new concept of climate change effect-accumulated frequency (CCEAF). Specific steps of this assessment method are suggested. This method is determined feasible and practical by using the spring wheat in Wuchuan County of Inner Mongolia as a test example. The results show that the fluctuation of spring wheat yield increased with the warming and drying climatic trend in Wuchuan County. The maximum yield decrease and its probability were 3.5 and 64.6%, respectively, for the temperature maximum increase 88.3%, and its risk was 2.2%. The maximum yield decrease and its probability were 14.1 and 56.1%, respectively, for the precipitation maximum decrease 35.2%, and its risk was 7.9%. For the comprehensive impacts of temperature and precipitation, the maximum yield decrease and its probability were 17.6 and 53.4%, respectively, and its risk increased to 9.4%. If we do not adopt appropriate adaptation strategies, the degree of loss from the negative impacts of multiclimatic factors and its probability of occurrence will both increase accordingly, and the risk will also grow obviously.

Determinants of maternal immunization in developing countries.

PubMed

Pathirana, Jayani; Nkambule, Jerome; Black, Steven

2015-06-12

Maternal immunization is an effective intervention to protect newborns and young infants from infections when their immune response is immature. Tetanus toxoid vaccination of pregnant women is the most widely implemented maternal vaccine in developing countries where neonatal mortality is the highest. We identified barriers to maternal tetanus vaccination in developing African and Asian countries to identify means of improving maternal immunization platforms in these countries. We categorized barriers into health system, health care provider and patient barriers to maternal tetanus immunization and conducted a literature review on each category. Due to limited literature from Africa, we conducted a pilot survey of health care providers in Malawi on barriers they experience in immunizing pregnant women. The major barriers of the health system are due to inadequate financial and human resources which translate to inadequate vaccination services delivery and logistics management. Health care providers are limited by poor attendance of Antenatal Care and inadequate knowledge on vaccinating pregnant women. Patient barriers are due to lack of education and knowledge on pregnancy immunization and socioeconomic factors such as low income and high parity. There are several factors that affect maternal tetanus immunization. Increasing knowledge in health care providers and patients, increasing antenatal care attendance and outreach activities will aid the uptake of maternal immunization. Health system barriers are more difficult to address requiring an improvement of overall immunization services. Further analyses of maternal immunization specific barriers and the means of addressing them are required to strengthen the existing program and provide a more efficient delivery system for additional maternal vaccines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A method for aircraft concept exploration using multicriteria interactive genetic algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buonanno, Michael Alexander

2005-08-01

The problem of aircraft concept selection has become increasingly difficult in recent years due to changes in the primary evaluation criteria of concepts. In the past, performance was often the primary discriminator, whereas modern programs have placed increased emphasis on factors such as environmental impact, economics, supportability, aesthetics, and other metrics. The revolutionary nature of the vehicles required to simultaneously meet these conflicting requirements has prompted a shift from design using historical data regression techniques for metric prediction to the use of sophisticated physics-based analysis tools that are capable of analyzing designs outside of the historical database. The use of optimization methods with these physics-based tools, however, has proven difficult because of the tendency of optimizers to exploit assumptions present in the models and drive the design towards a solution which, while promising to the computer, may be infeasible due to factors not considered by the computer codes. In addition to this difficulty, the number of discrete options available at this stage may be unmanageable due to the combinatorial nature of the concept selection problem, leading the analyst to select a sub-optimum baseline vehicle. Some extremely important concept decisions, such as the type of control surface arrangement to use, are frequently made without sufficient understanding of their impact on the important system metrics due to a lack of historical guidance, computational resources, or analysis tools. This thesis discusses the difficulties associated with revolutionary system design, and introduces several new techniques designed to remedy them. First, an interactive design method has been developed that allows the designer to provide feedback to a numerical optimization algorithm during runtime, thereby preventing the optimizer from exploiting weaknesses in the analytical model. This method can be used to account for subjective criteria, or as a crude measure of un-modeled quantitative criteria. Other contributions of the work include a modified Structured Genetic Algorithm that enables the efficient search of large combinatorial design hierarchies and an improved multi-objective optimization procedure that can effectively optimize several objectives simultaneously. A new conceptual design method has been created by drawing upon each of these new capabilities and aspects of more traditional design methods. The ability of this new technique to assist in the design of revolutionary vehicles has been demonstrated using a problem of contemporary interest: the concept exploration of a supersonic business jet. This problem was found to be a good demonstration case because of its novelty and unique requirements, and the results of this proof of concept exercise indicate that the new method is effective at providing additional insight into the relationship between a vehicle's requirements and its favorable attributes.

Urban Latino children's physical activity levels and performance in interactive dance video games: effects of goal difficulty and goal specificity.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Podlog, Leslie

2012-10-01

To examine the effects of different levels of goal specificity and difficulty on Latino children's performance and physical activity (PA) levels in an after-school program incorporating an interactive dance program (Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]; Konami Corporation). Comparison study. Rose Park Elementary School, Salt Lake City, Utah. Ninety-eight Latino children in the first through sixth grades, aged 7 to 13 years. After the pretest, the participants were randomly assigned into 1 of the following 3 goal-setting conditions: (1) easy, (2) difficult, and (3) best effort (hereinafter referred to as do-your-best goal). Participants' PA levels were measured using piezoelectric pedometers, and steps per minute were used as the outcome variable. Participants' total points for their dance on television screens were retrieved as their performance scores. These outcome variables were assessed again 8 weeks later (posttest score). The multivariate analysis of covariance yielded a significant main effect for the goal-setting condition. Follow-up tests revealed that children who set specific (easy or difficult) goals had significantly greater increased PA levels (mean scores, 10.34 for easy and 22.45 for difficult) and DDR performance (0.011 for easy and 0.67 for difficult) than those in the do-your-best group (0.83 for PA and 0.17 for performance). In addition, children's increased PA levels in the difficult-goal group were significantly higher than those in the easy-goal group. The easy- and difficult-goal groups show a significant improvement on DDR performance. The difficult- goal group also displays the highest improvement on PA levels. Strategies to enhance children's DDR performance and PA levels are discussed in relation to the extant goal-setting literature.

Teaching Proportional Reasoning through Familiar Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burger, Lance

2010-01-01

Constructivism has constituted a predominant philosophical trend in mathematics education, but its implementation in the classroom has proven to be "far more difficult than the reform community acknowledges". This difficulty may be due in part to administrative cultures that might insist on more procedural types of instruction aimed at testing, in…

Masters of Weaving: The Complex Role of Special Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillel Lavian, Rivka

2015-01-01

Special education teachers work under more difficult, more intense, and more demanding conditions than mainstream teachers. Relations between teachers, pupils, and parents are more complex than in mainstream education due to the intensity, intimacy, vulnerability, and commitment involved. Teachers require special skills so they can practice…

The First Experience of International Travel: Contributing to Global Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Stoner, Marilyn; Gonzalez, Evelyn

2011-01-01

Providing experiences for international travel is an important aspect of higher education, and creating high-quality international exchanges can be a challenge. Developing appropriate experiences for nursing students may be especially difficult due to the complexity of regulatory and accreditation requirements. However, it is possible to find…

RHE: A JVM Courseware

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, S.; Tang, J.; Deng, C.; Li, X.-F.; Gaudiot, J.-L.

2011-01-01

Java Virtual Machine (JVM) education has become essential in training embedded software engineers as well as virtual machine researchers and practitioners. However, due to the lack of suitable instructional tools, it is difficult for students to obtain any kind of hands-on experience and to attain any deep understanding of JVM design. To address…

Regioselective Synthesis of Cellulose Ester Homopolymers

Treesearch

Daiqiang Xu; Kristen Voiges; Thomas Elder; Petra Mischnick; Kevin J. Edgar

2012-01-01

Regioselective synthesis of cellulose esters is extremely difficult due to the small reactivity differences between cellulose hydroxyl groups, small differences in steric demand between acyl moieties of interest, and the difficulty of attaching and detaching many protecting groups in the presence of cellulose ester moieties without removing the ester groups. Yet the...

NOVEL LIGNIN-BASED MAGNETITE NANOCOMPOSITES FOR REMOVAL OF PHOSPHATE FROM CONTAMINATED WATERS - PHASE II

EPA Science Inventory

Phosphorus (P) remediation is an extremely difficult and costly environmental problem and could cost $44.5 billion for treatment using conventional water treatment plants to meet EPA requirements. Phosphorus runoffs can lead to “dead zones” due to eutrophication and also ca...

Comparison of Passive Samplers for Monitoring Dissolved Organic Contaminants in Water Column Deployments NAC/SETAC 2012

EPA Science Inventory

Nonionic organic contaminants (NOCs) are difficult to measure in the water column due to their inherent chemical properties resulting in low water solubility and high particle activity. Traditional sampling methods require large quantities of water to be extracted and interferen...

Comparison of Passive Samplers for Monitoring Dissolved Organic Contaminants in Water Column Deployments (SETAC Europe 22nd Annual Meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

Nonionic organic contaminants (NOCs) are difficult to measure in the water column due to their inherent chemical properties resulting in low water solubility and high particle activity. Traditional sampling methods require large quantities of water to be extracted and interferen...

Market Orientation and Its Measurement in Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niculescu, Mihai; Xu, Bing; Hampton, Gerald M.; Peterson, Robin T.

2013-01-01

Historically, the measurement of market orientation has proved to be difficult, due to the low external validity of the concept. Existing scales exhibit acceptable properties in measuring market orientation in business organizations, but are less accurate in the context of higher education institutions. This paper compares the performance of three…

Resolving the Evolution of Extant and Extinct Ruminants With High-Throughput Phylogenomics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Pecorans (higher ruminants) are believed to have rapidly speciated in the Mid-Eocene, resulting in five distinct extant families; Antilocapridae, Giraffidae, Moschidae, Cervidae, and Bovidae. Due to the rapid radiation, the Pecoran phylogeny has proven difficult to resolve and eleven of the fift...

Identification and characterization of plasmids from Xylella fastidiosa using next generation sequencing analyses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Xylella fastidiosa causes diseases in many economically important crops, e.g. Pierce’s disease (PD) of grapevines and blueberry bacterial leaf scorch (BBLS) disease in the U.S. Biological research on X. fastidiosa has been difficult due to its nutritional fastidiousness. Genomic research provides a ...

Leveraging long sequencing reads to investigate R-gene clustering and variation in sugar beet

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Host-pathogen interactions are of prime importance to modern agriculture. Plants utilize various types of resistance genes to mitigate pathogen damage. Identification of the specific gene responsible for a specific resistance can be difficult due to duplication and clustering within R-gene families....

Developing and Piloting Interactive Physics Experiments for Secondary Schools in Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Msoka, Vidate C.; Mtebe, Joel S.; Kissaka, Mussa M.; Kalinga, Ellen C.

2015-01-01

Students in secondary schools in Tanzania have been facing difficulties in conducting laboratory experiments. This has been due to the acute shortage of laboratory facilities and poor teaching methodologies. Consequently, students perceive science subjects as unattractive, difficult and irrelevant to understanding the world around them. An…

Interactive Multimedia Module with Pedagogical Agents: Formative Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tien Tien; Osman, Kamisah

2012-01-01

Electrochemistry is found to be a difficult topic to learn due to its abstract concepts that involve three representation levels. Research showed that animation and simulation using Information and Communication Technology can help students to visualize and thus enhance students' understanding in learning abstract chemistry topics. As a result, an…

Visualizing estrogen receptor-a-expressing neurons using a new ERa-ZsGreen reporter mouse line

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A variety of biological functions of estrogens, including regulation of energy metabolism, are mediated by neurons expressingestrogen receptor-a (ERa) in the brain. However, complex intracellular processes in these ERa-expressing neurons are difficult to unravel, due to the lack of strategy to visua...

EFFECT OF CADMIUM AND OTHER METAL CATIONS ON IN VITRO LEYDIG CELL TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

In vivo assessment of toxicant action on Leydig cell function is subject to homeostatic mechanisms which make it difficult to determine whether any changes seen in serum testosterone (T) concentration are due to extragonadal endocrine alternations or to a direct effect on the Ley...

Profitability of integrated management of fusarium head blight in North Carolina winter wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most difficult small-grain diseases to manage, due to the partial effectiveness of management techniques and the narrow window of time within which to apply fungicides profitably. The most effective management approach is to integrate cultivar resistance wit...

A repellent against the coffee berry borer (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The coffee berry borer continues to pose a formidable challenge to coffee growers worldwide. Due to the cryptic life habit of the insect inside coffee berries, effective pest management strategies have been difficult to develop. A sesquiterpene, (E,E)-a-farnesene, produced by infested coffee berries...

SPATIO-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF TOTAL NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS USING DYNAMIC STATISTICAL MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

Atmospheric concentrations of total nitrate (TNO₃), defined here as gas-phase nitric acid plus particle-phase nitrate, are difficult to simulate in numerical air quality models due to the presence of a variety of formation pathways and loss mechanisms, some of which ar...

Understanding Unfamiliar Literary Aesthetics: White Preservice Teachers Examine Race through Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glenn, Wendy J.

2015-01-01

Reading and reflecting upon ethnically unfamiliar literature can provide opportunities for teacher candidates to critically examine assumptions of self and other relative to racial, cultural, and linguistic identities. However, ethnically unfamiliar literatures can be difficult for readers to understand and appreciate due to the aesthetics they…

Inflammatory Cytokines and White Blood Cell Counts Response to Environmental Levels of Diesel Exhaust and Ozone Inhalation Exposures

EPA Science Inventory

Epidemiological observations of urban inhalation exposures to diesel exhaust (DE) and ozone (O3) have shown pre-clinical cardiopulmonary responses in humans. Identifying the key biological mechanisms that initiate these health bioindicators is difficult due to variability in envi...

Bioherbicidal enhancement and host range expansion of a mycoherbicidal fungus via formulation approaches

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum; EBN), found throughout the eastern U.S., is difficult to control and a problematic weed, partly due to its tolerance or resistance to certain herbicides. Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of an invert (water - in -...

Topsoil thickness effects on phosphorus and potassium dynamics on claypan soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Due to variable depth to claypan (DTC) across landscapes, nutrient supply from subsoils, and crop removal, precise P and K fertilizer management on claypan soil fields can be difficult. Therefore, a study was performed to determine if DTC derived from soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) coul...

[Right-sided hemihepatectomy in echinococcosis of the liver in pregnancy].

PubMed

Blöchle, C; Lloyd, D M; Izbicki, J R; Schröder, S; Brölsch, C E

1993-07-01

The treatment of symptomatic echinococcal disease of the liver during pregnancy is a rare, but difficult problem. A 42 year old, pregnant woman with obstructive jaundice and acute cholangitis due to extensive echinococcus cysticus infection of the right hepatic lobe is presented. A formal, right hemihepatectomy was successfully performed.

GREAT LAKES BASIN LAND-COVER DATA: ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES

EPA Science Inventory

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a consistent land-cover (LC) data set for the entire 480,000 km2 Great Lakes Basin (GLB). The acquisition of consistent LC data has proven difficult both within the US and across GLB political boundaries due to disparate...

Physical Activity and Youth with Disabilities: Barriers and Supports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Block, Martin E.; Taliaferro, Andrea; Moran, Tom

2013-01-01

Physical activity and active use of leisure time is important for everyone but particularly important for youth with disabilities. Unfortunately, youth with disabilities often have a difficult time or are even excluded from participating in physical activity due to limited physical and cognitive skills, attitudinal barriers in the community, lack…

What’s Upstream? GIS’s critical role in developing nutrient reference conditions for estuaries - April 2, 2015

EPA Science Inventory

Eutrophication due to excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorus can seriously impair ecological function in estuaries. Protective criteria for nutrients are difficult to establish because the source can vary spatially and seasonally, originate either from the watershed or the oce...

Manure Application under Winter Conditions: Nutrient Runoff and Leaching Losses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Winter application of manure is commonly practiced and potential nutrient losses can be difficult to predict due to wide variations in weather within a year and between years. This study was conducted to determine nutrient losses via surface runoff and subsurface leachate from winter-applied manure ...

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome in Women with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Linda; Cunningham, Cliff

2009-01-01

Background: Prevalence of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) may be higher in women with Down syndrome due to syndrome specific characteristics in biochemistry, psychopathology and lifestyle. Recognition of PMS may be difficult for women with intellectual disabilities and their carers. Method: A daily diary, used to diagnose PMS with typical women, was…

Teaching Database Design with Constraint-Based Tutors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitrovic, Antonija; Suraweera, Pramuditha

2016-01-01

Design tasks are difficult to teach, due to large, unstructured solution spaces, underspecified problems, non-existent problem solving algorithms and stopping criteria. In this paper, we comment on our approach to develop KERMIT, a constraint-based tutor that taught database design. In later work, we re-implemented KERMIT as EER-Tutor, and…

Contextualizing Instruction for English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Rhonda D.

2016-01-01

English language learners (ELLs) with learning disabilities (LD) can find navigating the content areas quite difficult due to challenges involving limitations in English language proficiency, gaps in English academic vocabulary, difficulties with working memory and long-term memory, and limited background knowledge on content area topics. However,…

Human and bovine viruses in urban and rural streams: Hydrologic and season patterns of wastewater influence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Viruses are the cause of many waterborne diseases contracted from fecal-contaminated waters. Collection of samples that properly represent virus concentrations throughout relevant hydrologic periods has historically been difficult due to the large water volume collection and filtration required for ...

Mental and Behavioral Disorders among People with Congenital Deafblindness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dammeyer, Jesper

2011-01-01

The population of people with congenital deafblindness faces challenges concerning communication and mobility. Due to the significance of the sensory loss it is difficult to diagnose mental and behavioral disorders. This article investigates the prevalence of mental and behavioral disorders among 95 congenitally deafblind adults. Seventy-four…