The effects of supplemental online learning aids on student performance and student engagement in Medical Microbiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Kimberly

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of online learning aids on student performance and engagement. The thirty-five participants of the current study were students enrolled in two sections of a junior level Medical Microbiology laboratory. The experimental section was required to spend ten minutes each week on an online learning aid. The online program, StudyMate(TM), was used to present text and images in the form of flash cards, multiple choice questions, matching, and crossword puzzles. Both groups completed the Index of Learning Style survey, an initial engagement survey at the start of the course, and a final engagement survey at the end of the course. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the groups at the start of the course or after the course was completed for learning style, science grade point average, overall grade point average, initial engagement or final engagement. A moderate correlation was found between microbiology course and laboratory grades and a reflective learning style.

Singular dynamics of a q-difference Painlevé equation in its initial-value space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, N.; Lobb, S. B.

2016-01-01

We construct the initial-value space of a q-discrete first Painlevé equation explicitly and describe the behaviours of its solutions w(n) in this space as n\\to ∞ , with particular attention paid to neighbourhoods of exceptional lines and irreducible components of the anti-canonical divisor. These results show that trajectories starting in domains bounded away from the origin in initial value space are repelled away from such singular lines. However, the dynamical behaviours in neighbourhoods containing the origin are complicated by the merger of two simple base points at the origin in the limit. We show that these lead to a saddle-point-type behaviour in a punctured neighbourhood of the origin.

Descriptive Morphology Terms For MAMA software

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

Ruggiero, Christy E.; Porter, Reid B.

The table on the following pages lists a set of morphology terms for describing materials. We have organized these terms by categories. Software uses are welcome to suggest other terms that are needed to accurately describe materials. This list is intended as a initial starting point to generating a consensus terminology list.

Venture Philanthropy Straddles Two Worlds.

PubMed

Wolinsky, Howard

2017-06-01

Venture philanthropy and the move toward investment of not-for-profit dollars in for-profit companies started about 10 years ago. One expert argues that it's a little like calling someone an amateur-pro athlete. You can't be both. Proponents, however, point to some initially impressive results especially for niche diseases.

Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy in Early Asymptomatic HIV Infection.

PubMed

Lundgren, Jens D; Babiker, Abdel G; Gordin, Fred; Emery, Sean; Grund, Birgit; Sharma, Shweta; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Cooper, David A; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Llibre, Josep M; Molina, Jean-Michel; Munderi, Paula; Schechter, Mauro; Wood, Robin; Klingman, Karin L; Collins, Simon; Lane, H Clifford; Phillips, Andrew N; Neaton, James D

2015-08-27

Data from randomized trials are lacking on the benefits and risks of initiating antiretroviral therapy in patients with asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who have a CD4+ count of more than 350 cells per cubic millimeter. We randomly assigned HIV-positive adults who had a CD4+ count of more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter to start antiretroviral therapy immediately (immediate-initiation group) or to defer it until the CD4+ count decreased to 350 cells per cubic millimeter or until the development of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or another condition that dictated the use of antiretroviral therapy (deferred-initiation group). The primary composite end point was any serious AIDS-related event, serious non-AIDS-related event, or death from any cause. A total of 4685 patients were followed for a mean of 3.0 years. At study entry, the median HIV viral load was 12,759 copies per milliliter, and the median CD4+ count was 651 cells per cubic millimeter. On May 15, 2015, on the basis of an interim analysis, the data and safety monitoring board determined that the study question had been answered and recommended that patients in the deferred-initiation group be offered antiretroviral therapy. The primary end point occurred in 42 patients in the immediate-initiation group (1.8%; 0.60 events per 100 person-years), as compared with 96 patients in the deferred-initiation group (4.1%; 1.38 events per 100 person-years), for a hazard ratio of 0.43 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30 to 0.62; P<0.001). Hazard ratios for serious AIDS-related and serious non-AIDS-related events were 0.28 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.50; P<0.001) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.38 to 0.97; P=0.04), respectively. More than two thirds of the primary end points (68%) occurred in patients with a CD4+ count of more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter. The risks of a grade 4 event were similar in the two groups, as were the risks of unscheduled hospital admissions. The initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive adults with a CD4+ count of more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter provided net benefits over starting such therapy in patients after the CD4+ count had declined to 350 cells per cubic millimeter. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; START ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00867048.).

Demulsification; industrial applications

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

Lissant, K.J.

1983-01-01

For scientists involved in the problems of selecting or designing demulsification programs. The author shows clearly why no pat formula exists to help out but does point out initial information required to start work. Theory. Testing. Demulsification of oil-in-water emulsions. Demulsification of water-in-oil emulsions. Demulsification of petroleum emulsions. Additional methods and areas in demulsification.

Innovative Approaches for Urban Watershed Wet-Weather Flow Management and Control: State of Technology Review Report

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents initial efforts to identify innovative strategies for managing the effects of wet-weather flow in an urban setting. It served as a communication tool and a starting point for discussion with experts. As such, the document is a compilation of literature rev...

Use of a Numerical Strategy Framework in the Professional Development of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laxman, Kumar; Hughes, Peter

2015-01-01

Derived initially from a strategic analysis of children's methods of counting, the New Zealand Numeracy Projects used, as a starting point for the professional development of teachers, a strategy framework that traces children's development in number reasoning. A pilot study indicated the usefulness of professional development where teachers use…

Student Success in Higher Education Is Everybody's Business. Report 11-08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Stacy; Fuller, Ryan; Mykhaylichenko, Olena

2011-01-01

In this report the authors use key outcome measures to summarize student performance within each higher education system; describe the degree of progress derived from system-level initiatives; and offer recommendations to address impediments and reduce demographic disparities. This report is a starting point for determining how everyone can…

Differential games.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varaiya, P. P.

1972-01-01

General discussion of the theory of differential games with two players and zero sum. Games starting at a fixed initial state and ending at a fixed final time are analyzed. Strategies for the games are defined. The existence of saddle values and saddle points is considered. A stochastic version of a differential game is used to examine the synthesis problem.

Automated crystallographic system for high-throughput protein structure determination.

PubMed

Brunzelle, Joseph S; Shafaee, Padram; Yang, Xiaojing; Weigand, Steve; Ren, Zhong; Anderson, Wayne F

2003-07-01

High-throughput structural genomic efforts require software that is highly automated, distributive and requires minimal user intervention to determine protein structures. Preliminary experiments were set up to test whether automated scripts could utilize a minimum set of input parameters and produce a set of initial protein coordinates. From this starting point, a highly distributive system was developed that could determine macromolecular structures at a high throughput rate, warehouse and harvest the associated data. The system uses a web interface to obtain input data and display results. It utilizes a relational database to store the initial data needed to start the structure-determination process as well as generated data. A distributive program interface administers the crystallographic programs which determine protein structures. Using a test set of 19 protein targets, 79% were determined automatically.

Spontaneous Group Learning in Ambient Learning Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bick, Markus; Jughardt, Achim; Pawlowski, Jan M.; Veith, Patrick

Spontaneous Group Learning is a concept to form and facilitate face-to-face, ad-hoc learning groups in collaborative settings. We show how to use Ambient Intelligence to identify, support, and initiate group processes. Learners' positions are determined by widely used technologies, e.g., Bluetooth and WLAN. As a second step, learners' positions, tasks, and interests are visualized. Finally, a group process is initiated supported by relevant documents and services. Our solution is a starting point to develop new didactical solutions for collaborative processes.

Faculty Perceptions Related to Teaching Online: A Starting Point for Designing Faculty Development Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Shelly; Grover, Kenda S.; Turner, Ronna C.; Alexander, Jackson C.

2017-01-01

To design and deliver meaningful professional development programs for faculty who teach online, the unit responsible for these activities should have a clear idea of what content participants might find most beneficial to their practice, as well as what can improve instructor and student satisfaction. Using an online survey, this study explored…

Pinpointing Needles in Giant Haystacks: Use of Text Mining to Reduce Impractical Screening Workload in Extremely Large Scoping Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shemilt, Ian; Simon, Antonia; Hollands, Gareth J.; Marteau, Theresa M.; Ogilvie, David; O'Mara-Eves, Alison; Kelly, Michael P.; Thomas, James

2014-01-01

In scoping reviews, boundaries of relevant evidence may be initially fuzzy, with refined conceptual understanding of interventions and their proposed mechanisms of action an intended output of the scoping process rather than its starting point. Electronic searches are therefore sensitive, often retrieving very large record sets that are…

Teacher Perceptions of Head Start Preschool Programs in an Urban Public School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Salvador

2017-01-01

An initiative to coordinate early learning programs across a major city in the Midwestern United States was undertaken in 2013. The opinions of teachers regarding effects on instruction and children were not included in the development and implementation of the program. This omission is important because multiple scholars have pointed to the…

University Teachers' Conceptions of "Changemaker": A Starting Point for Embedding Social Innovation in Learning and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alden Rivers, Bethany; Nie, Ming; Armellini, Alejandro

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on a study aimed at understanding the different conceptions that University of Northampton teachers hold of "Changemaker", an institutional initiative to develop capacities for social innovation. Design/methodology/approach: The study took a phenomenographic approach to identify a small…

School Board Advocacy: Ready, Aim, Inspire!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowd, Karen

2010-01-01

It is said that "all politics are local," and the same can be said about advocacy and school boards. Advocacy is essential for retaining the progress that's been made in the past, and for building a foundation and network for the future. Advocating for preferred programs, curricula and initiatives has always been important. As a starting point,…

Problem-Based Test: Functional Analysis of Mutant 16S rRNAs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szeberenyi, Jozsef

2010-01-01

Terms to be familiar with before you start to solve the test: ribosome, ribosomal subunits, antibiotics, point mutation, 16S, 5S, and 23S rRNA, Shine-Dalgarno sequence, mRNA, tRNA, palindrome, hairpin, restriction endonuclease, fMet-tRNA, peptidyl transferase, initiation, elongation, termination of translation, expression plasmid, transformation,…

Ecological Literacy--Preparing Children for the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Brito Miranda, Ana Célia; Jófili, Zélia; dos Anjos Carneiro-Leão, Ana Maria

2017-01-01

How is it possible to form concepts in early childhood education? This question was the starting point of this study using recreational activities as a tool to support ecological literacy. The research was conducted with children aged 4-5 years in a Brazilian school. Initially, the meanings children attributed to the concept of a "food…

Transversal Fluctuations of the ASEP, Stochastic Six Vertex Model, and Hall-Littlewood Gibbsian Line Ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corwin, Ivan; Dimitrov, Evgeni

2018-05-01

We consider the ASEP and the stochastic six vertex model started with step initial data. After a long time, T, it is known that the one-point height function fluctuations for these systems are of order T 1/3. We prove the KPZ prediction of T 2/3 scaling in space. Namely, we prove tightness (and Brownian absolute continuity of all subsequential limits) as T goes to infinity of the height function with spatial coordinate scaled by T 2/3 and fluctuations scaled by T 1/3. The starting point for proving these results is a connection discovered recently by Borodin-Bufetov-Wheeler between the stochastic six vertex height function and the Hall-Littlewood process (a certain measure on plane partitions). Interpreting this process as a line ensemble with a Gibbsian resampling invariance, we show that the one-point tightness of the top curve can be propagated to the tightness of the entire curve.

Compressibility, Laws of Nature, Initial Conditions and Complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chibbaro, Sergio; Vulpiani, Angelo

2017-10-01

We critically analyse the point of view for which laws of nature are just a mean to compress data. Discussing some basic notions of dynamical systems and information theory, we show that the idea that the analysis of large amount of data by means of an algorithm of compression is equivalent to the knowledge one can have from scientific laws, is rather naive. In particular we discuss the subtle conceptual topic of the initial conditions of phenomena which are generally incompressible. Starting from this point, we argue that laws of nature represent more than a pure compression of data, and that the availability of large amount of data, in general, is not particularly useful to understand the behaviour of complex phenomena.

Pedestrian Pathfinding in Urban Environments: Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Pazos, G.; Balado, J.; Díaz-Vilariño, L.; Arias, P.; Scaioni, M.

2017-12-01

With the rise of urban population, many initiatives are focused upon the smart city concept, in which mobility of citizens arises as one of the main components. Updated and detailed spatial information of outdoor environments is needed to accurate path planning for pedestrians, especially for people with reduced mobility, in which physical barriers should be considered. This work presents a methodology to use point clouds to direct path planning. The starting point is a classified point cloud in which ground elements have been previously classified as roads, sidewalks, crosswalks, curbs and stairs. The remaining points compose the obstacle class. The methodology starts by individualizing ground elements and simplifying them into representative points, which are used as nodes in the graph creation. The region of influence of obstacles is used to refine the graph. Edges of the graph are weighted according to distance between nodes and according to their accessibility for wheelchairs. As a result, we obtain a very accurate graph representing the as-built environment. The methodology has been tested in a couple of real case studies and Dijkstra algorithm was used to pathfinding. The resulting paths represent the optimal according to motor skills and safety.

Comparison of international approaches to sustainable remediation.

PubMed

Rizzo, Erika; Bardos, Paul; Pizzol, Lisa; Critto, Andrea; Giubilato, Elisa; Marcomini, Antonio; Albano, Claudio; Darmendrail, Dominique; Döberl, Gernot; Harclerode, Melissa; Harries, Nicola; Nathanail, Paul; Pachon, Carlos; Rodriguez, Alfonso; Slenders, Hans; Smith, Garry

2016-12-15

Since mid-to-late 2000s growing interest for sustainable remediation has emerged in initiatives from several international and national organisations as well as other initiatives from networks and forums. This reflects a realisation that risk-management activities can about bring environmental, social, and economic impacts (positive or negative) in addition to achieving risk-based remediation goals. These ideas have begun to develop as a new discipline of "sustainable remediation". The various initiatives have now published a number of frameworks, standards, white papers, road maps and operative guidelines. The similarities and differences in the approaches by these outputs and general trends have been identified. The comparison is based on a set of criteria developed in discussion with members of these various initiatives, and identifies a range of similarities between their publications. Overall the comparison demonstrates a high level of consensus across definitions and principles, which leads to the conclusion that there is a shared understanding of what sustainable remediation is both across countries and stakeholder groups. Publications do differ in points of detail, in particular about the operational aspects of sustainable remediation assessment. These differences likely result from differences in context and legal framework. As this analysis was carried out its findings were debated with members of the various international initiatives, many of whom have been included as authors. Hence the outcomes described in this paper can be seen as the result of a sort of multi-level debate among international experts (authors) and so can offer a starting point to new sustainable remediation initiatives (for example in other countries) that aim to start developing their own documents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial values for the integration scheme to compute the eigenvalues for propagation in ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eversman, W.

1977-01-01

A scheme for the calculation of eigenvalues in the problem of acoustic propagation in a two-dimensional duct is described. The computation method involves changing the coupled transcendental nonlinear algebraic equations into an initial value problem involving a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. The simplest approach is to use as initial values the hardwall eigenvalues and to integrate away from these values as the admittance varies from zero to its actual value with a linear variation. The approach leads to a powerful root finding routine capable of computing the transverse and axial wave numbers for two-dimensional ducts for any frequency, lining, admittance and Mach number without requiring initial guesses or starting points.

APM for a Constellation Intersatellite Link - EM Qualification and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartel, Frank; Kozilek, Horst

2016-01-01

For an Intersatellite Link (ISL) of a future constellation program, a study phase was initiated by ESA to design a mechanism for Radio Frequency communication. Airbus DS Friedrichshafen (ADSF) proposed a design based on the Antenna Pointing Mechanism (APM) family with modifications that met the stated needs of the constellation. A qualification program was started beginning in September 2015 to verify the launch and thermal loads and the equipment performance (Radio Frequency, Pointing, Microvibration and Magnetic Moment). Technical challenges identified with the Engineering Model will be discussed within this paper.

Effects of point massage of liver and stomach channel combined with pith and trotter soup on postpartum lactation start time.

PubMed

Luo, Qiong; Hu, Yin; Zhang, Hui

2017-10-01

Delay in lactation initiation causes maternal anxiety and subsequent adverse impact on maternal exclusive breast feeding. It is important to explore a safe and convenient way to promote lactation initiation. The feasibility of point massage of liver and stomach channel combined with pith and trotter soup on prevention of delayed lactation initiation was investigated in the present study. 320 women were enrolled and randomly divided into four groups, control group (80 women), point massage group (80 women), pith and trotter soup group (80 women), and massage + soup group (80 women) to compare the lactation initiation time. We found that women in point massage group, pith and trotter soup group and massage + soup group had earlier initiation of lactation compared with control group. Women in massage + soup group had the earliest initiation time of lactation. There were significant differences between massage + soup group and pith and trotter soup group. But, there were no significant differences between massage + soup group and massage group. We conclude that point massage of the liver and stomach channel is easy to operate and has the preventive effect on delayed lactation initiation. Impact statement What is already known on this subject: Initiation of lactation is a critical period in postpartum milk secretion. Delays in lactation initiation lead to maternal anxiety and have an adverse impact on maternal exclusive breastfeeding. Sucking frequently by babies and mammary massage might be effective but insufficient for delayed lactation initiation. What the results of this study add: We found in the present study that lactation initiation is significantly earlier in women receiving routine nursing combined with point massage of liver and stomach channel, or pith trotters soup, or massage of liver and stomach channel with pith and trotters soup than in a control group receiving routine nursing. These three methods are all effective, while the most effective method is point massage combined with pith trotter soup. There was no maternal drug allergy, postpartum bleeding or other adverse reactions noted in all women. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: The present study suggested that the application of point massage in clinic might be useful for preventing lack of milk postpartum by delayed lactation initiation and improving the exclusive breastfeeding rate. Further research might explore that molecular mechanism of lactation promotion by point massage using blood samples or animal models.

Development and Validation of a Learning Progression for Change of Seasons, Solar and Lunar Eclipses, and Moon Phases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Testa, Italo; Galano, Silvia; Leccia, Silvio; Puddu, Emanuella

2015-01-01

In this paper, we report about the development and validation of a learning progression about the Celestial Motion big idea. Existing curricula, research studies on alternative conceptions about these phenomena, and students' answers to an open questionnaire were the starting point to develop initial learning progressions about change of seasons,…

Individual Differences and Learning Performance in Computer-based Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

student outcomes, and early job satisfaction and performance . This report is a selected literature review to provide a starting point from which to...job satisfaction and performance . Initial technical training pipelines will be chosen that vary in length, complexity, and instructional methods (e.g...as job satisfaction , evaluation of authority, citizenship behavior, withdrawal cognitions, and job performance (Colquitt, Conlon, Wesson, Porter

Lifting the Welfare Spending Shroud: The Ambiguity around Expenditures Lessens with First Release of Information. Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matakis, Brian

Noting that welfare reform offers new opportunities to apply dollars toward several initiatives beyond cash grants, this special report of the Voices for Illinois Children provides a detailed accounting of Illinois welfare expenditures for federal fiscal years (FFY) 1998 and 1999 and is intended to serve as a starting point toward greater clarity…

Asymmetries in the Acquisition of Word-Initial and Word-Final Consonant Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, Cecilia; Demuth, Katherine

2005-01-01

Effects of negative input for 13 categories of grammatical error were assessed in a longitudinal study of naturalistic adult-child discourse. Two-hour samples of conversational interaction were obtained at two points in time, separated by a lag of 12 weeks, for 12 children (mean age 2;0 at the start). The data were interpreted within the framework…

African American Young Adult Smoking Initiation: Identifying Intervention Points and Prevention Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheney, Marshall K.; Mansker, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

Background: African Americans have one of the lowest smoking rates as teens yet have one of the highest smoking rates as adults. Approximately 40% of African Americans who have ever smoked started smoking between the ages of 18 and 21. Purpose: This study aimed to identify why African American young adults began smoking in young adulthood and what…

One-loop transition amplitudes in the D1D5 CFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carson, Zaq; Hampton, Shaun; Mathur, Samir D.

2017-01-01

We consider the issue of thermalization in the D1D5 CFT. Thermalization is expected to correspond to the formation of a black hole in the dual gravity theory. We start from the orbifold point, where the theory is essentially free, and does not thermalize. In earlier work it was noted that there was no clear thermalization effect when the theory was deformed off the orbifold point to first order in the relevant twist perturbation. In this paper we consider the deformation to second order in the twist, where we do find effects that can cause thermalization of an initial perturbation. We consider a 1-loop process where two untwisted copies of the CFT are twisted to one copy and then again untwisted to two copies. We start with a single oscillator excitation on the initial CFT, and compute the effect of the two twists on this state. We find simple approximate expressions for the Bogoliubov coefficients and the behavior of the single oscillator excitation in the continuum limit, where the mode numbers involved are taken to be much larger than unity. We also prove a number of useful relationships valid for processes with an arbitrary number of twist insertions.

Incidence and persistence of classical swine fever in free-ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa).

PubMed

Rossi, S; Fromont, E; Pontier, D; Crucière, C; Hars, J; Barrat, J; Pacholek, X; Artois, M

2005-06-01

Although veterinary authorities aim to limit persistence of classical swine fever (CSF) in wild boar (Sus scrofa), to avoid potential transmission to pigs, factors influencing CSF transmission and persistence are not clearly understood. Here we analyse incidence and persistence in a CSF epidemic that occurred in the French Vosges Forest. Higher incidence was found in large forests compared to smaller isolated ones, being highest near the starting point of the epidemic, but poorly related to the local density. We hypothesize that the spatial and social structure of wild boar populations may be responsible for this variability of incidence over space. Persistence was highest near the starting point of the epidemic and where initial density was highest. We hypothesize that persistence was favoured by the abundance of young wild boar, itself encouraged by CSF. Our results allow us to propose management measures aimed at limiting CSF persistence.

Background compensation for a radiation level monitor

DOEpatents

Keefe, D.J.

1975-12-01

Background compensation in a device such as a hand and foot monitor is provided by digital means using a scaler. With no radiation level test initiated, a scaler is down-counted from zero according to the background measured. With a radiation level test initiated, the scaler is up-counted from the previous down-count position according to the radiation emitted from the monitored object and an alarm is generated if, with the scaler having crossed zero in the positive going direction, a particular number is exceeded in a specific time period after initiation of the test. If the test is initiated while the scale is down-counting, the background count from the previous down- count stored in a memory is used as the initial starting point for the up-count.

HFIR Fuel Casting Support

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

Imhoff, Seth D.; Gibbs, Paul Jacob; Solis, Eunice Martinez

Process exploration for fuel production for the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) using cast LEU-10wt.%Mo as an initial processing step has just begun. This project represents the first trials concerned with casting design and quality. The studies carried out over the course of this year and information contained in this report address the initial mold development to be used as a starting point for future operations. In broad terms, the final billet design is that of a solid rolling blank with an irregular octagonal cross section. The work covered here is a comprehensive view of the initial attempts to producemore » a sound casting. This report covers the efforts to simulate, predict, cast, inspect, and revise the initial mold design.« less

Early versus delayed initiation of antiretroviral therapy for Indian HIV-Infected individuals with tuberculosis on antituberculosis treatment.

PubMed

Sinha, Sanjeev; Shekhar, Rahul C; Singh, Gurjeet; Shah, Nipam; Ahmad, Hafiz; Kumar, Narendra; Sharma, Surendra K; Samantaray, J C; Ranjan, Sanjai; Ekka, Meera; Sreenivas, Vishnu; Mitsuyasu, Ronald T

2012-07-31

For antiretroviral therapy (ART) naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected adults suffering from tuberculosis (TB), there is uncertainty about the optimal time to initiate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after starting antituberculosis treatment (ATT), in order to minimize mortality, HIV disease progression, and adverse events. In a randomized, open label trial at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, eligible HIV positive individuals with a diagnosis of TB were randomly assigned to receive HAART after 2-4 or 8-12 weeks of starting ATT, and were followed for 12 months after HAART initiation. Participants received directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) for TB, and an antiretroviral regimen comprising stavudine or zidovudine, lamivudine, and efavirenz. Primary end points were death from any cause, and progression of HIV disease marked by failure of ART. A total of 150 patients with HIV and TB were initiated on HAART: 88 received it after 2-4 weeks (early ART) and 62 after 8-12 weeks (delayed ART) of starting ATT. There was no significant difference in mortality between the groups after the introduction of HAART. However, incidence of ART failure was 31% in delayed versus 16% in early ART arm (p = 0.045). Kaplan Meier disease progression free survival at 12 months was 79% for early versus 64% for the delayed ART arm (p = 0.05). Rates of adverse events were similar. Early initiation of HAART for patients with HIV and TB significantly decreases incidence of HIV disease progression and has good tolerability. CTRI/2011/12/002260.

Confirming the timing of phase-based costing in oncology studies: a case example in advanced melanoma.

PubMed

Atkins, Michael; Coutinho, Anna D; Nunna, Sasikiran; Gupte-Singh, Komal; Eaddy, Michael

2018-02-01

The utilization of healthcare services and costs among patients with cancer is often estimated by the phase of care: initial, interim, or terminal. Although their durations are often set arbitrarily, we sought to establish data-driven phases of care using joinpoint regression in an advanced melanoma population as a case example. A retrospective claims database study was conducted to assess the costs of advanced melanoma from distant metastasis diagnosis to death during January 2010-September 2014. Joinpoint regression analysis was applied to identify the best-fitting points, where statistically significant changes in the trend of average monthly costs occurred. To identify the initial phase, average monthly costs were modeled from metastasis diagnosis to death; and were modeled backward from death to metastasis diagnosis for the terminal phase. Points of monthly cost trend inflection denoted ending and starting points. The months between represented the interim phase. A total of 1,671 patients with advanced melanoma who died met the eligibility criteria. Initial phase was identified as the 5-month period starting with diagnosis of metastasis, after which there was a sharp, significant decline in monthly cost trend (monthly percent change [MPC] = -13.0%; 95% CI = -16.9% to -8.8%). Terminal phase was defined as the 5-month period before death (MPC = -14.0%; 95% CI = -17.6% to -10.2%). The claims-based algorithm may under-estimate patients due to misclassifications, and may over-estimate terminal phase costs because hospital and emergency visits were used as a death proxy. Also, recently approved therapies were not included, which may under-estimate advanced melanoma costs. In this advanced melanoma population, optimal duration of the initial and terminal phases of care was 5 months immediately after diagnosis of metastasis and before death, respectively. Joinpoint regression can be used to provide data-supported phase of cancer care durations, but should be combined with clinical judgement.

Light-cone velocities after a global quench in a noninteracting model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi, K.; Rajabpour, M. A.; Viti, J.

2018-05-01

We study the light-cone velocity for global quenches in the noninteracting XY chain starting from a class of initial states that are eigenstates of the local z component of the spin. We point out how translation invariance of the initial state can affect the maximal speed at which correlations spread. As a consequence the light-cone velocity can be state dependent also for noninteracting systems: a new effect of which we provide clear numerical evidence and analytic predictions. Analogous considerations, based on numerical results, are drawn for the evolution of the entanglement entropy.

Cloning and sequencing of the pheP gene, which encodes the phenylalanine-specific transport system of Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Pi, J; Wookey, P J; Pittard, A J

1991-01-01

The phenylalanine-specific permease gene (pheP) of Escherichia coli has been cloned and sequenced. The gene was isolated on a 6-kb Sau3AI fragment from a chromosomal library, and its presence was verified by complementation of a mutant lacking the functional phenylalanine-specific permease. Subcloning from this fragment localized the pheP gene on a 2.7-kb HindIII-HindII fragment. The nucleotide sequence of this 2.7-kb region was determined. An open reading frame was identified which extends from a putative start point of translation (GTG at position 636) to a termination signal (TAA at position 2010). The assignment of the GTG as the initiation codon was verified by site-directed mutagenesis of the initiation codon and by introducing a chain termination mutation into the pheP-lacZ fusion construct. A single initiation site of transcription 30 bp upstream of the start point of translation was identified by the primer extension analysis. The pheP structural gene consists of 1,374 nucleotides specifying a protein of 458 amino acid residues. The PheP protein is very hydrophobic (71% nonpolar residues). A topological model predicted from the sequence analysis defines 12 transmembrane segments. This protein is highly homologous with the AroP (general aromatic transport) system of E. coli (59.6% identity) and to a lesser extent with the yeast permeases CAN1 (arginine), PUT4 (proline), and HIP1 (histidine) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Images PMID:1711024

Splash singularity for water waves.

PubMed

Castro, Angel; Córdoba, Diego; Fefferman, Charles L; Gancedo, Francisco; Gómez-Serrano, Javier

2012-01-17

We exhibit smooth initial data for the two-dimensional (2D) water-wave equation for which we prove that smoothness of the interface breaks down in finite time. Moreover, we show a stability result together with numerical evidence that there exist solutions of the 2D water-wave equation that start from a graph, turn over, and collapse in a splash singularity (self-intersecting curve in one point) in finite time.

Splash singularity for water waves

PubMed Central

Castro, Angel; Córdoba, Diego; Fefferman, Charles L.; Gancedo, Francisco; Gómez-Serrano, Javier

2012-01-01

We exhibit smooth initial data for the two-dimensional (2D) water-wave equation for which we prove that smoothness of the interface breaks down in finite time. Moreover, we show a stability result together with numerical evidence that there exist solutions of the 2D water-wave equation that start from a graph, turn over, and collapse in a splash singularity (self-intersecting curve in one point) in finite time. PMID:22219372

Newtonian Analysis of a Folded Chain Drop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mungan, Carl E.

2018-01-01

Consider a chain of length L that hangs in a U shape with end A fixed to a rigid support and free end E released from rest starting from the same initial height (call it y = 0) as A. Figure 1 sketches the chain after end E has fallen a distance y. Points O and A are assumed to be close enough to each other and the chain flexible enough that the…

One-loop transition amplitudes in the D1D5 CFT

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

Carson, Zaq; Hampton, Shaun; Mathur, Samir D.

We consider the issue of thermalization in the D1D5 CFT. Thermalization is expected to correspond to the formation of a black hole in the dual gravity theory. We start from the orbifold point, where the theory is essentially free, and does not thermalize. In earlier work it was noted that there was no clear thermalization effect when the theory was deformed of the orbifold point to first order in the relevant twist perturbation. In this paper we consider the deformation to second order in the twist, where we do find effects that can cause thermalization of an initial perturbation. Wemore » consider a 1-loop process where two untwisted copies of the CFT are twisted to one copy and then again untwisted to two copies. We start with a single oscillator excitation on the initial CFT, and compute the effect of the two twists on this state. We find simple approximate expressions for the Bogoliubov coeffcients and the behavior of the single oscillator excitation in the continuum limit, where the mode numbers involved are taken to be much larger than unity. We also prove a number of useful relationships valid for processes with an arbitrary number of twist insertions.« less

One-loop transition amplitudes in the D1D5 CFT

DOE PAGES

Carson, Zaq; Hampton, Shaun; Mathur, Samir D.

2017-01-02

We consider the issue of thermalization in the D1D5 CFT. Thermalization is expected to correspond to the formation of a black hole in the dual gravity theory. We start from the orbifold point, where the theory is essentially free, and does not thermalize. In earlier work it was noted that there was no clear thermalization effect when the theory was deformed of the orbifold point to first order in the relevant twist perturbation. In this paper we consider the deformation to second order in the twist, where we do find effects that can cause thermalization of an initial perturbation. Wemore » consider a 1-loop process where two untwisted copies of the CFT are twisted to one copy and then again untwisted to two copies. We start with a single oscillator excitation on the initial CFT, and compute the effect of the two twists on this state. We find simple approximate expressions for the Bogoliubov coeffcients and the behavior of the single oscillator excitation in the continuum limit, where the mode numbers involved are taken to be much larger than unity. We also prove a number of useful relationships valid for processes with an arbitrary number of twist insertions.« less

The effects of practice on movement distance and final position reproduction: implications for the equilibrium-point control of movements.

PubMed

Jaric, S; Corcos, D M; Gottlieb, G L; Ilic, D B; Latash, M L

1994-01-01

Predictions of two views on single-joint motor control, namely programming of muscle force patterns and equilibrium-point control, were compared with the results of experiments with reproduction of movement distance and final location during fast unidirectional elbow flexions. Two groups of subjects were tested. The first group practiced movements over a fixed distance (36 degrees), starting from seven different initial positions (distance group, DG). The second group practiced movements from the same seven initial positions to a fixed final location (location group, LG). Later, all the subjects were tested at the practiced task with their eyes closed, and then, unexpectedly for the subjects, they were tested at the other, unpracticed task. In both groups, the task to reproduce final position had lower indices of final position variability than the task to reproduce movement distance. Analysis of the linear regression lines between initial position and final position (or movement distance) also demonstrated a better (more accurate) performance during final position reproduction than during distance reproduction. The data are in a good correspondence with the predictions of the equilibrium-point hypothesis, but not with the predictions of the force-pattern control approach.

Prediction and Stability of Mathematics Skill and Difficulty

PubMed Central

Martin, Rebecca B.; Cirino, Paul T.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2016-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievement criteria in the spring of Grade 3 or Grade 4. Students were reassessed 2 years later. For both measure types, a similar proportion of students changed whether assessed categorically or continuously. However, categorical change was heavily dependent on distance from the cut point and so more common for MD, who started closer to the cut point; reliable change index change was more similar across groups. There were few differences with regard to severity level of MD on continuous metrics or in terms of prediction. Final math performance on a broad computation measure was predicted by behavioral inattention and working memory while considering initial performance; for a specific fluency measure, working memory was not uniquely related, and behavioral inattention more variably related to final performance, again while considering initial performance. PMID:22392890

Prediction and stability of mathematics skill and difficulty.

PubMed

Martin, Rebecca B; Cirino, Paul T; Barnes, Marcia A; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S; Stuebing, Karla K; Fletcher, Jack M

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievement criteria in the spring of Grade 3 or Grade 4. Students were reassessed 2 years later. For both measure types, a similar proportion of students changed whether assessed categorically or continuously. However, categorical change was heavily dependent on distance from the cut point and so more common for MD, who started closer to the cut point; reliable change index change was more similar across groups. There were few differences with regard to severity level of MD on continuous metrics or in terms of prediction. Final math performance on a broad computation measure was predicted by behavioral inattention and working memory while considering initial performance; for a specific fluency measure, working memory was not uniquely related, and behavioral inattention more variably related to final performance, again while considering initial performance.

Regular Exercise, Quality of Life, and Mobility in Parkinson's Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis of National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative Data.

PubMed

Rafferty, Miriam R; Schmidt, Peter N; Luo, Sheng T; Li, Kan; Marras, Connie; Davis, Thomas L; Guttman, Mark; Cubillos, Fernando; Simuni, Tanya

2017-01-01

Research-based exercise interventions improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mobility in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). To examine whether exercise habits were associated with changes in HRQL and mobility over two years. We identified a cohort of National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative (NPF-QII) participants with three visits. HRQL and mobility were measured with the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and Timed Up and Go (TUG). We compared self-reported regular exercisers (≥2.5 hours/week) with people who did not exercise 2.5 hours/week. Then we quantified changes in HRQL and mobility associated with 30-minute increases in exercise, across PD severity, using mixed effects regression models. Participants with three observational study visits (n = 3408) were younger, with milder PD, than participants with fewer visits. After 2 years, consistent exercisers and people who started to exercise regularly after their baseline visit had smaller declines in HRQL and mobility than non-exercisers (p < 0.05). Non-exercisers worsened by 1.37 points on the PDQ-39 and a 0.47 seconds on the TUG per year. Increasing exercise by 30 minutes/week was associated with slower declines in HRQL (-0.16 points) and mobility (-0.04 sec). The benefit of exercise on HRQL was greater in advanced PD (-0.41 points) than mild PD (-0.14 points; p < 0.02). Consistently exercising and starting regular exercise after baseline were associated with small but significant positive effects on HRQL and mobility changes over two years. The greater association of exercise with HRQL in advanced PD supports improving encouragement and facilitation of exercise in advanced PD.

Regular Exercise, Quality of Life, and Mobility in Parkinson’s Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis of National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative Data

PubMed Central

Rafferty, Miriam R.; Schmidt, Peter N.; Luo, Sheng T.; Li, Kan; Marras, Connie; Davis, Thomas L.; Guttman, Mark; Cubillos, Fernando; Simuni, Tanya

2017-01-01

Background Research-based exercise interventions improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mobility in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective To examine whether exercise habits were associated with changes in HRQL and mobility over two years. Methods We identified a cohort of National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative (NPF-QII) participants with three visits. HRQL and mobility were measured with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and Timed Up and Go (TUG). We compared self-reported regular exercisers (≥2.5 hours/week) with people who did not exercise 2.5 hours/week. Then we quantified changes in HRQL and mobility associated with 30-minute increases in exercise, across PD severity, using mixed effects regression models. Results Participants with three observational study visits (n = 3408) were younger, with milder PD, than participants with fewer visits. After 2 years, consistent exercisers and people who started to exercise regularly after their baseline visit had smaller declines in HRQL and mobility than non-exercisers (p < 0.05). Non-exercisers worsened by 1.37 points on the PDQ-39 and a 0.47 seconds on the TUG per year. Increasing exercise by 30 minutes/week was associated with slower declines in HRQL (−0.16 points) and mobility (−0.04 sec). The benefit of exercise on HRQL was greater in advanced PD (−0.41 points) than mild PD (−0.14 points; p < 0.02). Conclusions Consistently exercising and starting regular exercise after baseline were associated with small but significant positive effects on HRQL and mobility changes over two years. The greater association of exercise with HRQL in advanced PD supports improving encouragement and facilitation of exercise in advanced PD. PMID:27858719

Elastic collisions of classical point particles on a finite frictionless linear track with perfectly reflecting endpoints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuca, R.

2006-03-01

Repeated elastic collisions of point particles on a finite frictionless linear track with perfectly reflecting endpoints are considered. The problem is analysed by means of an elementary linear algebra approach. It is found that, starting with a state consisting of a projectile particle in motion at constant velocity and a target particle at rest in a fixed known position, the points at which collisions occur on track, when plotted versus progressive numerals, corresponding to the collisions themselves, show periodic patterns for a rather large choice of values of the initial position x(0) and on the mass ratio r. For certain values of these parameters, however, only regular behaviour over a large number of collisions is detected.

Improving early detection initiatives: a qualitative study exploring perspectives of older people and professionals.

PubMed

Lette, Manon; Stoop, Annerieke; Lemmens, Lidwien C; Buist, Yvette; Baan, Caroline A; de Bruin, Simone R

2017-06-23

A wide range of initiatives on early detection and intervention have been developed to proactively identify problems related to health and wellbeing in (frail) older people, with the aim of supporting them to live independently for as long as possible. Nevertheless, it remains unclear what the best way is to design such initiatives and how older people's needs and preferences can be best addressed. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by exploring: 1) older people's perspectives on health and living environment in relation to living independently at home; 2) older people's needs and preferences in relation to initiating and receiving care and support; and 3) professionals' views on what would be necessary to enable the alignment of early detection initiatives with older people's own needs and preferences. In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 older people and 19 professionals in proactive elderly care. Data were analysed using the framework analysis method. From the interviews with older people important themes in relation to health and living environment emerged, such as maintaining independence, appropriate housing, social relationships, a supporting network and a sense of purpose and autonomy. Older people preferred to remain self-sufficient, and they would rather not ask for help for psychological or social problems. However, the interviews also highlighted that they were not always able or willing to anticipate future needs, which can hinder early detection or early intervention. At the same time, professionals indicated that older people tend to over-estimate their self-reliance and therefore advocated for early detection and intervention, including social and psychological issues. Older people have a broad range of needs in different domains of life. Discrepancies exist between older people and professionals with regard to their views on timing and scope of early detection initiatives. This study aimed to reveal starting-points for better alignment between initiatives and older people's needs and preferences. Such starting points may support policy makers and care professionals involved in early detection initiatives to make more informed decisions.

Starting Point: Pedagogic Resources for Teaching and Learning Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maier, Mark H.; McGoldrick, KimMarie; Simkins, Scott P.

2012-01-01

This article describes Starting Point: Teaching and Learning Economics, a Web-based portal that makes innovative pedagogic resources and effective teaching practices easily accessible to economists. Starting Point introduces economists to teaching innovations through 16 online modules, each containing a general description of a specific pedagogic…

Application of microdynamics and lattice mechanics to problems in plastic flow and fracture. Final report, 1 April 1973--31 March 1978

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

Bilello, J C; Liu, J M

Progress in an investigation of the application of microdynamics and lattice mechanics to the problems in plastic flow and fracture is described. The research program consisted of both theoretical formulations and experimental measurements of a number of intrinsic material parameters in bcc metals and alloys including surface energy, phonon-dispersion curves for dislocated solids, dislocation-point defect interaction energy, slip initiation and microplastic flow behavior. The study has resulted in an improved understanding in the relationship among the experimentally determined fracture surface energy, the intrinsic cohesive energy between atomic planes, and the plastic deformation associated with the initial stages of crack propagation.more » The values of intrinsic surface energy of tungsten, molybdenum, niobium and niobium-molybdenum alloys, deduced from the measurements, serve as a starting point from which fracture toughness of these materials in engineering service may be intelligently discussed.« less

The Presidential Nuclear Initiatives of 1991-1992

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

and/or warhead downloading ), and use START Treaty procedures to implement it. This was the first serious public proposal to emerge from a longstanding...discussion to relevant technolo- gies , rather than to venture into more sensitive areas of nuclear weapons practice and procedures.56 Gorbachev did not...States. The same basic points were made by 11 republic heads in the Alma- Ata Declaration on December 21.58 On December 25, Gorbachev submitted his

Investigations into Performance and Lifetime Enhancements of OPV Devices: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-08-263

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

Ginley, D.

2014-06-01

To evaluate Plextronics new additives and derivatives in lithium-ion Battery Applications, Plextronics will provide to NREL, a starting point, including materials and initial data for proof of concept. The central focus of this project is to acertain the nature of the efficacy of the Plextronics additives through physical and electrical characterization, including evaluations of new derivatives, system evaluations on batteries made with Plexcore and to study long term cycling performance differences. The initial focus is to establish Plexcore mode of action to support the commercialization of the first commercial evaluations of Plexcore in Sept. 2013.

Synchronous termination of replication of the two chromosomes is an evolutionary selected feature in Vibrionaceae

PubMed Central

Kemter, Franziska S.; Messerschmidt, Sonja J.; Schallopp, Nadine; Sobetzko, Patrick; Bunk, Boyke; Spröer, Cathrin; Teschler, Jennifer K.; Yildiz, Fitnat H.

2018-01-01

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the cholera disease, is commonly used as a model organism for the study of bacteria with multipartite genomes. Its two chromosomes of different sizes initiate their DNA replication at distinct time points in the cell cycle and terminate in synchrony. In this study, the time-delayed start of Chr2 was verified in a synchronized cell population. This replication pattern suggests two possible regulation mechanisms for other Vibrio species with different sized secondary chromosomes: Either all Chr2 start DNA replication with a fixed delay after Chr1 initiation, or the timepoint at which Chr2 initiates varies such that termination of chromosomal replication occurs in synchrony. We investigated these two models and revealed that the two chromosomes of various Vibrionaceae species terminate in synchrony while Chr2-initiation timing relative to Chr1 is variable. Moreover, the sequence and function of the Chr2-triggering crtS site recently discovered in V. cholerae were found to be conserved, explaining the observed timing mechanism. Our results suggest that it is beneficial for bacterial cells with multiple chromosomes to synchronize their replication termination, potentially to optimize chromosome related processes as dimer resolution or segregation. PMID:29505558

Quantum speed limit for arbitrary initial states

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ying-Jie; Han, Wei; Xia, Yun-Jie; Cao, Jun-Peng; Fan, Heng

2014-01-01

The minimal time a system needs to evolve from an initial state to its one orthogonal state is defined as the quantum speed limit time, which can be used to characterize the maximal speed of evolution of a quantum system. This is a fundamental question of quantum physics. We investigate the generic bound on the minimal evolution time of the open dynamical quantum system. This quantum speed limit time is applicable to both mixed and pure initial states. We then apply this result to the damped Jaynes-Cummings model and the Ohimc-like dephasing model starting from a general time-evolution state. The bound of this time-dependent state at any point in time can be found. For the damped Jaynes-Cummings model, when the system starts from the excited state, the corresponding bound first decreases and then increases in the Markovian dynamics. While in the non-Markovian regime, the speed limit time shows an interesting periodic oscillatory behavior. For the case of Ohimc-like dephasing model, this bound would be gradually trapped to a fixed value. In addition, the roles of the relativistic effects on the speed limit time for the observer in non-inertial frames are discussed. PMID:24809395

A Collection of Technical Studies Completed for the Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS) Program Fiscal Year 1988. Volume 3. CGM Registration

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

the array are used cyclically, that is when the end of the array is reached, the pattern starts over at the beginning. Dashed lines wrap around curves...the dash pattern relative to the start of the path. It is interpreted as a .distance into the dash pattern at which the pattern should be started ...cubic seldom Is drawn using the four points specified. The curve starts at the first point and ends at the fourth point; the second and third point are

Time-Dependent Simulations of Incompressible Flow in a Turbopump Using Overset Grid Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiris, Cetin; Kwak, Dochan

2001-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides information on mathematical modelling of the SSME (space shuttle main engine). The unsteady SSME-rig1 start-up procedure from the pump at rest has been initiated by using 34.3 million grid points. The computational model for the SSME-rig1 has been completed. Moving boundary capability is obtained by using DCF module in OVERFLOW-D. MPI (Message Passing Interface)/OpenMP hybrid parallel code has been benchmarked.

Atmospheric Ascent Guidance for Rocket-Powered Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dukeman, Greg A.

2002-01-01

An advanced ascent guidance algorithm for rocket- powered launch vehicles is developed. This algorithm cyclically solves the calculus-of-variations two-point boundary-value problem starting at vertical rise completion through main engine cutoff. This is different from traditional ascent guidance algorithms which operate in a simple open-loop mode until high dynamic pressure (including the critical max-Q) portion of the trajectory is over, at which time guidance operates under the assumption of negligible aerodynamic acceleration (i.e., vacuum dynamics). The initial costate guess is corrected based on errors in the terminal state constraints and the transversality conditions. Judicious approximations are made to reduce the order and complexity of the state/costate system. Results comparing guided launch vehicle trajectories with POST open-loop trajectories are given verifying the basic formulation of the algorithm. Multiple shooting is shown to be a very effective numerical technique for this application. In particular, just one intermediate shooting point, in addition to the initial shooting point, is sufficient to significantly reduce sensitivity to the guessed initial costates. Simulation results from a high-fidelity trajectory simulation are given for the case of launch to sub-orbital cutoff conditions as well as launch to orbit conditions. An abort to downrange landing site formulation of the algorithm is presented.

Effect of glomerular filtration rate at dialysis initiation on survival in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease: what is the effect of lead-time bias?

PubMed Central

Janmaat, Cynthia J; van Diepen, Merel; Krediet, Raymond T; Hemmelder, Marc H; Dekker, Friedo W

2017-01-01

Purpose Current clinical guidelines recommend to initiate dialysis in the presence of symptoms or signs attributable to kidney failure, often with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 5–10 mL/min/1.73 m2. Little evidence exists about the optimal kidney function to start dialysis. Thus far, most observational studies have been limited by lead-time bias. Only a few studies have accounted for lead-time bias, and showed contradictory results. We examined the effect of GFR at dialysis initiation on survival in chronic kidney disease patients, and the role of lead-time bias therein. We used both kidney function based on 24-hour urine collection (measured GFR [mGFR]) and estimated GFR (eGFR). Materials and methods A total of 1,143 patients with eGFR data at dialysis initiation and 852 patients with mGFR data were included from the NECOSAD cohort. Cox regression was used to adjust for potential confounders. To examine the effect of lead-time bias, survival was counted from the time of dialysis initiation or from a common starting point (GFR 20 mL/min/1.73 m2), using linear interpolation models. Results Without lead-time correction, no difference between early and late starters was present based on eGFR (hazard ratio [HR] 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81–1.3). However, after lead-time correction, early initiation showed a survival disadvantage (HR between 1.1 [95% CI 0.82–1.48] and 1.33 [95% CI 1.05–1.68]). Based on mGFR, the potential survival benefit for early starters without lead-time correction (HR 0.8, 95% CI 0.62–1.03) completely disappeared after lead-time correction (HR between 0.94 [95% CI 0.65–1.34] and 1.21 [95% CI 0.95–1.56]). Dialysis start time differed about a year between early and late initiation. Conclusion Lead-time bias is not only a methodological problem but also has clinical impact when assessing the optimal kidney function to start dialysis. Therefore, lead-time bias is extremely important to correct for. Taking account of lead-time bias, this controlled study showed that early dialysis initiation (eGFR >7.9, mGFR >6.6 mL/min/1.73 m2) was not associated with an improvement in survival. Based on kidney function, this study suggests that in some patients, dialysis could be started even later than an eGFR <5.7 and mGFR <4.3 mL/min/1.73 m2. PMID:28442934

Band-edge positions in G W : Effects of starting point and self-consistency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei; Pasquarello, Alfredo

2014-10-01

We study the effect of starting point and self-consistency within G W on the band-edge positions of semiconductors and insulators. Compared to calculations based on a semilocal starting point, the use of a hybrid-functional starting point shows a larger quasiparticle correction for both band-edge states. When the self-consistent treatment is employed, the band-gap opening is found to result mostly from a shift of the valence-band edge. Within the non-self-consistent methods, we analyse the performance of empirical and nonempirical schemes in which the starting point is optimally tuned. We further assess the accuracy of the band-edge positions through the calculation of ionization potentials of surfaces. The ionization potentials for most systems are reasonably well described by one-shot calculations. However, in the case of TiO2, we find that the use of self-consistency is critical to obtain a good agreement with experiment.

Missouri: Early Head Start Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

2012-01-01

Missouri's Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership Project expands access to Early Head Start (EHS) services for children birth to age 3 by developing partnerships between federal Head Start, EHS contractors, and child care providers. Head Start and EHS contractors that participate in the initiative provide services through community child care…

A multicenter randomized trial indicates initial prednisolone treatment for childhood nephrotic syndrome for two months is not inferior to six-month treatment.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Norishige; Nakanishi, Koichi; Sako, Mayumi; Oba, Mari S; Mori, Rintaro; Ota, Erika; Ishikura, Kenji; Hataya, Hiroshi; Honda, Masataka; Ito, Shuichi; Shima, Yuko; Kaito, Hiroshi; Nozu, Kandai; Nakamura, Hidefumi; Igarashi, Takashi; Ohashi, Yasuo; Iijima, Kazumoto

2015-01-01

In this multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial, we determined whether 2-month prednisolone therapy for steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome was inferior or not to 6-month therapy despite significantly less steroid exposure. The primary end point was time from start of initial treatment to start of frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome. The pre-specified non-inferiority margin was a hazard ratio of 1.3 with one-sided significance of 5%. We randomly assigned 255 children with an initial episode of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome to either 2 - or 6-month treatment of which 246 were eligible for final analysis. The total prednisolone exposure counted both initial and relapse prednisolone treatment administered over 24 months. Median follow-up in months was 36.7 in the 2-month and 38.2 in the 6-month treatment group. Time to frequent relaps was similar in both groups; however, the median was reached only in the 6-month group (799 days). The hazard ratio was 0.86 (90% confidence interval, 0.64-1.16) and met the non-inferior margin. Time to first relapse was also similar in both groups: median day 242 (2-month) and 243 (6-month). Frequency and severity of adverse events were similar in both groups. Most adverse events were transient and occurred during initial or relapse therapy. Thus, 2 months of initial prednisolone therapy for steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome, despite less prednisolone exposure, is not inferior to 6 months of initial therapy in terms of time to onset of frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome.

A New Method to Compare Statistical Tree Growth Curves: The PL-GMANOVA Model and Its Application with Dendrochronological Data

PubMed Central

Ricker, Martin; Peña Ramírez, Víctor M.; von Rosen, Dietrich

2014-01-01

Growth curves are monotonically increasing functions that measure repeatedly the same subjects over time. The classical growth curve model in the statistical literature is the Generalized Multivariate Analysis of Variance (GMANOVA) model. In order to model the tree trunk radius (r) over time (t) of trees on different sites, GMANOVA is combined here with the adapted PL regression model Q = A·T+E, where for and for , A =  initial relative growth to be estimated, , and E is an error term for each tree and time point. Furthermore, Ei[–b·r]  = , , with TPR being the turning point radius in a sigmoid curve, and at is an estimated calibrating time-radius point. Advantages of the approach are that growth rates can be compared among growth curves with different turning point radiuses and different starting points, hidden outliers are easily detectable, the method is statistically robust, and heteroscedasticity of the residuals among time points is allowed. The model was implemented with dendrochronological data of 235 Pinus montezumae trees on ten Mexican volcano sites to calculate comparison intervals for the estimated initial relative growth . One site (at the Popocatépetl volcano) stood out, with being 3.9 times the value of the site with the slowest-growing trees. Calculating variance components for the initial relative growth, 34% of the growth variation was found among sites, 31% among trees, and 35% over time. Without the Popocatépetl site, the numbers changed to 7%, 42%, and 51%. Further explanation of differences in growth would need to focus on factors that vary within sites and over time. PMID:25402427

Phase portraits analysis of a barothropic system: The initial value problem

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

Kuetche, Victor Kamgang, E-mail: vkuetche@yahoo.fr; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde; The Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014 Trieste

2014-05-15

In this paper, we investigate the phase portraits features of a barothropic relaxing medium under pressure perturbations. In the starting point, we show within a third-order of accuracy that the previous system is modeled by a “dissipative” cubic nonlinear evolution equation. Paying particular attention to high-frequency perturbations of the system, we solve the initial value problem of the system both analytically and numerically while unveiling the existence of localized multivalued waveguide channels. Accordingly, we find that the “dissipative” term with a “dissipative” parameter less than some limit value does not destroy the ambiguous solutions. We address some physical implications ofmore » the results obtained previously.« less

Commander’s Decision Aid for Predictive Battlespace Awareness (CDA4PBA)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

defining how PBA is used in the AOC. Defining user requirements via the WDAR ensured a solid starting point for PBA system specifications, e.g...there was a brief mention of a concept being concerned with a certain element of information or certain process, it was not automatically included in...maker’s work context; and • Gain a solid understanding of the actual work that is required to conduct and maintain the PBA process. Initial

NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Enhanced Melamine (ML) Foam Acoustic Test (NEMFAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McNelis, Anne M.; Hughes, William O.; McNelis, Mark E.

2014-01-01

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) funded a proposal to achieve initial basic acoustic characterization of ML (melamine) foam, which could serve as a starting point for a future, more comprehensive acoustic test program for ML foam. A project plan was developed and implemented to obtain acoustic test data for both normal and enhanced ML foam. This project became known as the NESC Enhanced Melamine Foam Acoustic Test (NEMFAT). This document contains the outcome of the NEMFAT project.

Nebraska: Early Head Start Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

2012-01-01

Since 1999, Nebraska's Early Head Start Infant/Toddler Quality Initiative has supported Early Head Start (EHS) and community child care partnerships to improve the quality and professionalism of infant and toddler care. EHS programs apply to receive funding to establish partnerships with center-based or home-based child care.The initiative has…

Investigating the 3-D Subduction Initiation Processes at Transform Faults and Passive Margins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, H.; Leng, W.

2017-12-01

Studying the processes of subduction initiation is a key for understanding the Wilson cycle and improving the theory of plate tectonics. Previous studies investigated subduction initiation with geological synthesis and geodynamic modeling methods, discovering that subduction intends to initiate at the transform faults close to oceanic arcs, and that its evolutionary processes and surface volcanic expressions are controlled by plate strength. However, these studies are mainly conducted with 2-D models, which cannot deal with lateral heterogeneities of crustal thickness and strength along the plate interfaces. Here we extend the 2-D model to a 3-D parallel subduction model with high computational efficiency. With the new model, we study the dynamic controlling factors, morphology evolutionary processes and surface expressions for subduction initiation with lateral heterogeneities of material properties along transform faults and passive margins. We find that lateral lithospheric heterogeneities control the starting point of the subduction initiation along the newly formed trenches and the propagation speed for the trench formation. New subduction tends to firstly initiate at the property changing point along the transform faults or passive margins. Such finds may be applied to explain the formation process of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) subduction zone in the western Pacific and the Scotia subduction zone at the south end of the South America. Our results enhance our understanding for the formation of new trenches and help to provide geodynamic modeling explanations for the observed remnant slabs in the upper mantle and the surface volcanic expressions.

Effects of different steps in gender reassignment therapy on psychopathology: a prospective study of persons with a gender identity disorder.

PubMed

Heylens, Gunter; Verroken, Charlotte; De Cock, Sanne; T'Sjoen, Guy; De Cuypere, Griet

2014-01-01

At the start of gender reassignment therapy, persons with a gender identity disorder (GID) may deal with various forms of psychopathology. Until now, a limited number of publications focus on the effect of the different phases of treatment on this comorbidity and other psychosocial factors. The aim of this study was to investigate how gender reassignment therapy affects psychopathology and other psychosocial factors. This is a prospective study that assessed 57 individuals with GID by using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) at three different points of time: at presentation, after the start of hormonal treatment, and after sex reassignment surgery (SRS). Questionnaires on psychosocial variables were used to evaluate the evolution between the presentation and the postoperative period. The data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS 19.0, with significance levels set at P < 0.05. The psychopathological parameters include overall psychoneurotic distress, anxiety, agoraphobia, depression, somatization, paranoid ideation/psychoticism, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and sleeping problems. The psychosocial parameters consist of relationship, living situation, employment, sexual contacts, social contacts, substance abuse, and suicide attempt. A difference in SCL-90 overall psychoneurotic distress was observed at the different points of assessments (P = 0.003), with the most prominent decrease occurring after the initiation of hormone therapy (P < 0.001). Significant decreases were found in the subscales such as anxiety, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, and hostility. Furthermore, the SCL-90 scores resembled those of a general population after hormone therapy was initiated. Analysis of the psychosocial variables showed no significant differences between pre- and postoperative assessments. A marked reduction in psychopathology occurs during the process of sex reassignment therapy, especially after the initiation of hormone therapy. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Automated de novo phasing and model building of coiled-coil proteins.

PubMed

Rämisch, Sebastian; Lizatović, Robert; André, Ingemar

2015-03-01

Models generated by de novo structure prediction can be very useful starting points for molecular replacement for systems where suitable structural homologues cannot be readily identified. Protein-protein complexes and de novo-designed proteins are examples of systems that can be challenging to phase. In this study, the potential of de novo models of protein complexes for use as starting points for molecular replacement is investigated. The approach is demonstrated using homomeric coiled-coil proteins, which are excellent model systems for oligomeric systems. Despite the stereotypical fold of coiled coils, initial phase estimation can be difficult and many structures have to be solved with experimental phasing. A method was developed for automatic structure determination of homomeric coiled coils from X-ray diffraction data. In a benchmark set of 24 coiled coils, ranging from dimers to pentamers with resolutions down to 2.5 Å, 22 systems were automatically solved, 11 of which had previously been solved by experimental phasing. The generated models contained 71-103% of the residues present in the deposited structures, had the correct sequence and had free R values that deviated on average by 0.01 from those of the respective reference structures. The electron-density maps were of sufficient quality that only minor manual editing was necessary to produce final structures. The method, named CCsolve, combines methods for de novo structure prediction, initial phase estimation and automated model building into one pipeline. CCsolve is robust against errors in the initial models and can readily be modified to make use of alternative crystallographic software. The results demonstrate the feasibility of de novo phasing of protein-protein complexes, an approach that could also be employed for other small systems beyond coiled coils.

Measurements of the initiation of post-wildfire runoff during rainstorms using in situ overland flow detectors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moody, John A.; Martin, Richard G.

2015-01-01

Overland flow detectors (OFDs) were deployed in 2012 on a hillslope burned by the 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder, Colorado, USA. These detectors were simple, electrical resistor-type instruments that output a voltage (0–2·5 V) and were designed to measure and record the time of runoff initiation, a signal proportional to water depth, and the runoff hydrograph during natural convective rainstorms.Initiation of runoff was found to be spatially complex and began at different times in different locations on the hillslope. Runoff started first at upstream detectors 56% of the time, at the mid-stream detectors 6%, and at the downstream detectors 38% of the time. Initiation of post-wildfire runoff depended on the time-to-ponding, travel time between points, and the time to fill surface depression storage. These times ranged from 0·5–54, 0·4–1·1, and 0·2–14 minutes, respectively, indicating the importance of the ponding process in controlling the initiation of runoff at this site. Time-to-ponding was modeled as a function of the rainfall acceleration (i.e. the rate of change of rainfall intensity) and either the cumulative rainfall at the start of runoff or the soil–water deficit.Measurements made by the OFDs provided physical insight into the spatial and temporal initiation of post-wildfire runoff during unsteady flow in response to time varying natural rainfall. They also provided data that can be telemetered and used to determine critical input parameters for hydrologic rainfall–runoff models.

Dynamics starting at a conical intersection: Application to the photochemistry of pyrrole

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

Sellner, Bernhard; Barbatti, Mario; Lischka, Hans

The photochemical ring opening process in pyrrole has been investigated by performing classical on-the-fly dynamics using the multiconfiguration self-consistent field method for the computation of energies and energy gradients. As starting point for the dynamics the conical intersection corresponding to the ring-puckered ring-opened structure, determined previously [Barbatti et al., J. Chem. Phys. 125, 164323 (2006)], has been chosen. Two sets of initial conditions for the nuclear velocities were constructed: (i) nuclear velocities in the branching (g,h) plane of the conical intersection and (ii) statistical distribution for all atoms. Both sets of initial conditions show very similar results. Reactive trajectories aremore » only found in a very limited sector in the (g,h) plane and reaction products are very similar. Within the simulation time of 1 ps, ring opening of pyrrole to the biradical NH=CH-CH-CH=CH chain followed by ring closure to a substituted cyclopropene structure (NH=CH-C{sub 3}H{sub 3}) is observed. The computed structural data correlate well with the experimentally observed dissociation products.« less

Implementing a self-structuring data learning algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, James; Carson, Daniel; Ternovskiy, Igor

2016-05-01

In this paper, we elaborate on what we did to implement our self-structuring data learning algorithm. To recap, we are working to develop a data learning algorithm that will eventually be capable of goal driven pattern learning and extrapolation of more complex patterns from less complex ones. At this point we have developed a conceptual framework for the algorithm, but have yet to discuss our actual implementation and the consideration and shortcuts we needed to take to create said implementation. We will elaborate on our initial setup of the algorithm and the scenarios we used to test our early stage algorithm. While we want this to be a general algorithm, it is necessary to start with a simple scenario or two to provide a viable development and testing environment. To that end, our discussion will be geared toward what we include in our initial implementation and why, as well as what concerns we may have. In the future, we expect to be able to apply our algorithm to a more general approach, but to do so within a reasonable time, we needed to pick a place to start.

Early age at start of antiretroviral therapy associated with better virologic control after initial suppression in HIV-infected infants.

PubMed

Shiau, Stephanie; Strehlau, Renate; Technau, Karl-Günter; Patel, Faeezah; Arpadi, Stephen M; Coovadia, Ashraf; Abrams, Elaine J; Kuhn, Louise

2017-01-28

The report of the 'Mississippi baby' who was initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) within 30 h of birth and maintained viral suppression off ART for 27 months has increased interest in the timing of ART initiation early in life. We examined associations between age at ART initiation and virologic outcomes in five cohorts of HIV-infected infants and young children who initiated ART before 2 years of age in Johannesburg, South Africa. We compared those who initiated ART early (<6 months of age) and those who started ART late (6-24 months of age). Two primary outcomes were examined: initial response to ART in three cohorts and later sustained virologic control after achieving suppression on ART in two cohorts. We did not observe consistent differences in initial viral suppression rates by age at ART initiation. Overall, initial viral suppression rates were low. Only 31, 40.1, and 26.5% of early-treated infants (<6 months of age) in the three cohorts, respectively, were suppressed less than 50 copies/ml of HIV RNA 6 months after starting ART. We did observe better sustained virologic control after achieving suppression on ART among infants starting ART early compared with late. Children who started ART early were less likely to experience viral rebound (>50 copies/ml or >1000 copies/ml) than children who started late in both cohorts. These findings provide additional support for early initiation of ART in HIV-infected infants.

Cost-effectiveness of initiating antiretroviral therapy at different points in TB treatment in HIV-TB co-infected ambulatory patients in South Africa

PubMed Central

Naidoo, Kogieleum; Grobler, Anneke C; Deghaye, Nicola; Reddy, Tarylee; Gengiah, Santhanalakshmi; Gray, Andrew; Karim, Salim Abdool

2015-01-01

Objective Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during tuberculosis (TB) treatment improves survival in TB-HIV co-infected patients. In patients with CD4+ counts <50cells/mm3, there is a substantial clinical and survival benefit of early ART initiation. The purpose of this study was to assess the costs and cost effectiveness of starting ART at various time points during TB treatment in patients with CD4+ counts ≥50cells/mm3. Methods In the SAPiT trial, 642 HIV-TB co-infected patients were randomized to three arms, either receiving ART within 4 weeks of starting TB treatment (early treatment arm; Arm-1), after the intensive phase of TB treatment (late treatment arm; Arm-2), or after completing TB treatment (sequential arm; Arm-3). Direct healthcare costs were measured from a provider perspective using a micro-costing approach. The incremental cost per death averted was calculated using the trial outcomes. Results For patients with CD4+ count≥50cells/mm3, median monthly variable costs per patient were $116, $113 and $102 in Arms-1, -2 and -3, respectively. There were 12 deaths in 177 patients in Arm-1, 8 deaths in 180 patients in the Arm-2 and 19 deaths in 172 patients in Arm-3. While the costs were lower in Arm-3, it had a substantially higher mortality rate. The incremental cost per death averted associated with moving from Arm-3 to Arm-2 was $4199. There was no difference in mortality between Arm-1 and Arm-2, but Arm-1 was slightly more expensive. Conclusions Initiation of ART after the completion of the intensive phase of TB treatment is cost effective for patients with CD4+ counts≥50cells/mm3. PMID:26167618

Cost-Effectiveness of Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy at Different Points in TB Treatment in HIV-TB Coinfected Ambulatory Patients in South Africa.

PubMed

Naidoo, Kogieleum; Grobler, Anneke C; Deghaye, Nicola; Reddy, Tarylee; Gengiah, Santhanalakshmi; Gray, Andrew; Abdool Karim, Salim

2015-08-15

Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during tuberculosis (TB) treatment improves survival in TB-HIV coinfected patients. In patients with CD4 counts <50 cells per cubic millimeter, there is a substantial clinical and survival benefit of early ART initiation. The purpose of this study was to assess the costs and cost-effectiveness of starting ART at various time points during TB treatment in patients with CD4 counts ≥50 cells per cubic millimeter. In the SAPiT trial, 642 HIV-TB coinfected patients were randomized to 3 arms: receiving ART within 4 weeks of starting TB treatment (early treatment arm; Arm-1), after the intensive phase of TB treatment (late treatment arm; Arm-2), or after completing TB treatment (sequential arm; Arm-3). Direct health care costs were measured from a provider perspective using a micro-costing approach. The incremental cost per death averted was calculated using the trial outcomes. For patients with CD4 count ≥50 cells per cubic millimeter, median monthly variable costs per patient were US $116, US $113, and US $102 in Arm-1, Arm-2 and Arm-3, respectively. There were 12 deaths in 177 patients in Arm-1, 8 deaths in 180 patients in the Arm-2, and 19 deaths in 172 patients in Arm-3. Although the costs were lower in Arm-3, it had a substantially higher mortality rate. The incremental cost per death averted associated with moving from Arm-3 to Arm-2 was US $4199. There was no difference in mortality between Arm-1 and Arm-2, but Arm-1 was slightly more expensive. Initiation of ART after the completion of the intensive phase of TB treatment is cost-effective for patients with CD4 counts ≥50 cells per cubic millimeter.

Inertial Manifold and Large Deviations Approach to Reduced PDE Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardin, Franco; Favretti, Marco; Lovison, Alberto

2017-09-01

In this paper a certain type of reaction-diffusion equation—similar to the Allen-Cahn equation—is the starting point for setting up a genuine thermodynamic reduction i.e. involving a finite number of parameters or collective variables of the initial system. We firstly operate a finite Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction of the cited reaction-diffusion equation when reformulated as a variational problem. In this way we gain a finite-dimensional ODE description of the initial system which preserves the gradient structure of the original one and that is exact for the static case and only approximate for the dynamic case. Our main concern is how to deal with this approximate reduced description of the initial PDE. To start with, we note that our approximate reduced ODE is similar to the approximate inertial manifold introduced by Temam and coworkers for Navier-Stokes equations. As a second approach, we take into account the uncertainty (loss of information) introduced with the above mentioned approximate reduction by considering the stochastic version of the ODE. We study this reduced stochastic system using classical tools from large deviations, viscosity solutions and weak KAM Hamilton-Jacobi theory. In the last part we suggest a possible use of a result of our approach in the comprehensive treatment non equilibrium thermodynamics given by Macroscopic Fluctuation Theory.

An Exploration Of Fuel Optimal Two-impulse Transfers To Cyclers in the Earth-Moon System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseinisianaki, Saghar

2011-12-01

This research explores the optimum two-impulse transfers between a low Earth orbit and cycler orbits in the Earth-Moon circular restricted three-body framework, emphasizing the optimization strategy. Cyclers are those types of periodic orbits that meet both the Earth and the Moon periodically. A spacecraft on such trajectories are under the influence of both the Earth and the Moon gravitational fields. Cyclers have gained recent interest as baseline orbits for several Earth-Moon mission concepts, notably in relation to human exploration. In this thesis it is shown that a direct optimization starting from the classic lambert initial guess may not be adequate for these problems and propose a three-step optimization solver to improve the domain of convergence toward an optimal solution. The first step consists of finding feasible trajectories with a given transfer time. I employ Lambert's problem to provide initial guess to optimize the error in arrival position. This includes the analysis of the liability of Lambert's solution as an initial guess. Once a feasible trajectory is found, the velocity impulse is only a function of transfer time, departure, and arrival points' phases. The second step consists of the optimization of impulse over transfer time which results in the minimum impulse transfer for fixed end points. Finally, the third step is mapping the optimal solutions as the end points are varied.

An Exploration Of Fuel Optimal Two-impulse Transfers To Cyclers in the Earth-Moon System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseinisianaki, Saghar

This research explores the optimum two-impulse transfers between a low Earth orbit and cycler orbits in the Earth-Moon circular restricted three-body framework, emphasizing the optimization strategy. Cyclers are those types of periodic orbits that meet both the Earth and the Moon periodically. A spacecraft on such trajectories are under the influence of both the Earth and the Moon gravitational fields. Cyclers have gained recent interest as baseline orbits for several Earth-Moon mission concepts, notably in relation to human exploration. In this thesis it is shown that a direct optimization starting from the classic lambert initial guess may not be adequate for these problems and propose a three-step optimization solver to improve the domain of convergence toward an optimal solution. The first step consists of finding feasible trajectories with a given transfer time. I employ Lambert's problem to provide initial guess to optimize the error in arrival position. This includes the analysis of the liability of Lambert's solution as an initial guess. Once a feasible trajectory is found, the velocity impulse is only a function of transfer time, departure, and arrival points' phases. The second step consists of the optimization of impulse over transfer time which results in the minimum impulse transfer for fixed end points. Finally, the third step is mapping the optimal solutions as the end points are varied.

Regulation of iron assimilation: nucleotide sequence analysis of an iron-regulated promoter from a fluorescent pseudomonad.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, D J; O'Gara, F

1991-08-01

An iron-regulated promoter was cloned on a 2.1 kb Bg/II fragment from Pseudomonas sp. strain M114 and fused to the lacZ reporter gene. Iron-regulated lacZ expression from the resulting construct (pSP1) in strain M114 was mediated via the Fur-like repressor which also regulates siderophore production in this strain. A 390 bp StuI-PstI internal fragment contained the necessary information for iron-regulated promoter expression. This fragment was sequenced and the initiation point for transcription was determined by primer extension analysis. The region directly upstream of the transcription start point contained no significant homology to known promoter consensus sequences. However the -16 to -25 bp region contained homology to four other iron-regulated pseudomonad promoters. Deletion of bases downstream from the transcriptional start did not affect the iron-regulated expression of the promoter. The -37 and -43 bp regions exhibited some homology to the 19 bp Escherichia coli Fur-binding consensus sequence. When expressed in E. coli (via a cloned transacting factor from strain M114) lacZ expression from pSP1 was found to be regulated by iron. A region of greater than 77 bases but less than 131 upstream from the transcriptional start was found to be necessary for promoter activity, further suggesting that a transcriptional activator may be required for expression.

An Invitation to Open Innovation in Malaria Drug Discovery: 47 Quality Starting Points from the TCAMS.

PubMed

Calderón, Félix; Barros, David; Bueno, José María; Coterón, José Miguel; Fernández, Esther; Gamo, Francisco Javier; Lavandera, José Luís; León, María Luisa; Macdonald, Simon J F; Mallo, Araceli; Manzano, Pilar; Porras, Esther; Fiandor, José María; Castro, Julia

2011-10-13

In 2010, GlaxoSmithKline published the structures of 13533 chemical starting points for antimalarial lead identification. By using an agglomerative structural clustering technique followed by computational filters such as antimalarial activity, physicochemical properties, and dissimilarity to known antimalarial structures, we have identified 47 starting points for lead optimization. Their structures are provided. We invite potential collaborators to work with us to discover new clinical candidates.

Promoting Prenatal Health and Positive Birth Outcomes: A Snapshot of State Efforts. OPRE Report 2017-65

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparr, Mariel; Joraanstad, Alexandra; Atukpawu-Tipton, Grace; Miller, Nicole; Leis, Julie; Filene, Jill

2017-01-01

To promote prenatal health and improve birth outcomes, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) developed the Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative. The Strong Start initiative is assessing several enhanced prenatal care approaches, including home visiting. As part of the Strong Start initiative, CMS, in partnership with the…

Maine: Early Head Start Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

2012-01-01

Maine has two initiatives that build on Early Head Start (EHS). The first initiative, Fund for a Healthy Maine, has since 2001 provided tobacco settlement money to existing Head Start and EHS programs to expand the number of children who receive full-day, full-year services. Local programs have the option of using these funds for EHS, depending on…

Analytic Evolution of Singular Distribution Amplitudes in QCD

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

Tandogan Kunkel, Asli

2014-08-01

Distribution amplitudes (DAs) are the basic functions that contain information about the quark momentum. DAs are necessary to describe hard exclusive processes in quantum chromodynamics. We describe a method of analytic evolution of DAs that have singularities such as nonzero values at the end points of the support region, jumps at some points inside the support region and cusps. We illustrate the method by applying it to the evolution of a at (constant) DA, antisymmetric at DA, and then use the method for evolution of the two-photon generalized distribution amplitude. Our approach to DA evolution has advantages over the standardmore » method of expansion in Gegenbauer polynomials [1, 2] and over a straightforward iteration of an initial distribution with evolution kernel. Expansion in Gegenbauer polynomials requires an infinite number of terms in order to accurately reproduce functions in the vicinity of singular points. Straightforward iteration of an initial distribution produces logarithmically divergent terms at each iteration. In our method the logarithmic singularities are summed from the start, which immediately produces a continuous curve. Afterwards, in order to get precise results, only one or two iterations are needed.« less

Large angle magnetic suspension test fixture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britcher, Colin P.

1993-01-01

Progress made under the subject grant in the period from 1 Nov. 1992 to 31 May 1993 is presented. The research involves the continued development of the Large Angle Magnetic Suspension Test Fixture (LAMSTF) and also the recommissioning of an additional piece of exisiting hardware. During the period in question, the initial configuration of LAMSTF was completed and made routinely and reliably operational. A digital phase advance controller was completed and documented. The goal of a controlled 360 deg rotation was achieved. Work started on the recommissioning of the Annular Suspension and Pointing System (ASPS). Work completed during the report period included: modeling; position sensing; controller; support of the Second International Symposium on Magnetic Suspension Technology; and recommissioning of the Annular Suspension and Pointing System.

Physics of Tokamak Plasma Start-up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Dennis

2012-10-01

This tutorial describes and reviews the state-of-art in tokamak plasma start-up and its importance to next step devices such as ITER, a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility and a Tokamak/ST demo. Tokamak plasma start-up includes breakdown of the initial gas, ramp-up of the plasma current to its final value and the control of plasma parameters during those phases. Tokamaks rely on an inductive component, typically a central solenoid, which has enabled attainment of high performance levels that has enabled the construction of the ITER device. Optimizing the inductive start-up phase continues to be an area of active research, especially in regards to achieving ITER scenarios. A new generation of superconducting tokamaks, EAST and KSTAR, experiments on DIII-D and operation with JET's ITER-like wall are contributing towards this effort. Inductive start-up relies on transformer action to generate a toroidal loop voltage and successful start-up is determined by gas breakdown, avalanche physics and plasma-wall interaction. The goal of achieving steady-sate tokamak operation has motivated interest in other methods for start-up that do not rely on the central solenoid. These include Coaxial Helicity Injection, outer poloidal field coil start-up, and point source helicity injection, which have achieved 200, 150 and 100 kA respectively of toroidal current on closed flux surfaces. Other methods including merging reconnection startup and Electron Bernstein Wave (EBW) plasma start-up are being studied on various devices. EBW start-up generates a directed electron channel due to wave particle interaction physics while the other methods mentioned rely on magnetic helicity injection and magnetic reconnection which are being modeled and understood using NIMROD code simulations.

Promoting physical activity, healthy eating and gross motor skills development among preschoolers attending childcare centers: Process evaluation of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention using the RE-AIM framework.

PubMed

Ward, Stéphanie; Chow, Amanda Froehlich; Humbert, M Louise; Bélanger, Mathieu; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Vatanparast, Hassan; Leis, Anne

2018-06-01

The Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention was developed to promote physical activity, gross motor skills and healthy eating among preschoolers attending childcare centers. This process evaluation aimed to report the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention. The RE-AIM framework was used to guide this process evaluation. Data were collected across 140 childcare centers who received the Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention in the provinces of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, Canada. Quantitative data were collected through director questionnaires at 10 months and 2 years after the initial training and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were collected throughout the intervention. The intervention was successful in reaching a large number of childcare centres and engaging both rural and urban communities across Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Centres reported increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating, which were generally low-cost, easy and quick to implement. However, these changes were rarely transformed into formal written policies. A total of 87% of centers reported using the physical activity resource and 68% using the nutrition resource on a weekly basis. Implementation fidelity of the initial training was high. Of those centers who received the initial training, 75% participated in the mid-point booster session training. Two year post-implementation questionnaires indicated that 47% of centers were still using the Active Play Equipment kit, while 42% were still using the physical activity resource and 37% were still using the nutrition resource. Key challenges to implementation and sustainability identified during the evaluation were consistent among all of the REAIM elements. These challenges included lack of time, lack of support from childcare staff and low parental engagement. Findings from this study suggest the implementation of Healthy Start-Départ Santé may be improved further by addressing resistance to change and varied levels of engagement among childcare staff. In addition, further work is needed to provide parents with opportunities to engage in HSDS with their children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tetrahymena thermophila acidic ribosomal protein L37 contains an archaebacterial type of C-terminus.

PubMed

Hansen, T S; Andreasen, P H; Dreisig, H; Højrup, P; Nielsen, H; Engberg, J; Kristiansen, K

1991-09-15

We have cloned and characterized a Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear gene (L37) encoding the acidic ribosomal protein (A-protein) L37. The gene contains a single intron located in the 3'-part of the coding region. Two major and three minor transcription start points (tsp) were mapped 39 to 63 nucleotides upstream from the translational start codon. The uppermost tsp mapped to the first T in a putative T. thermophila RNA polymerase II initiator element, TATAA. The coding region of L37 predicts a protein of 109 amino acid (aa) residues. A substantial part of the deduced aa sequence was verified by protein sequencing. The T. thermophila L37 clearly belongs to the P1-type family of eukaryotic A-proteins, but the C-terminal region has the hallmarks of archaebacterial A-proteins.

Impacts of visuomotor sequence learning methods on speed and accuracy: Starting over from the beginning or from the point of error.

PubMed

Tanaka, Kanji; Watanabe, Katsumi

2016-02-01

The present study examined whether sequence learning led to more accurate and shorter performance time if people who are learning a sequence start over from the beginning when they make an error (i.e., practice the whole sequence) or only from the point of error (i.e., practice a part of the sequence). We used a visuomotor sequence learning paradigm with a trial-and-error procedure. In Experiment 1, we found fewer errors, and shorter performance time for those who restarted their performance from the beginning of the sequence as compared to those who restarted from the point at which an error occurred, indicating better learning of spatial and motor representations of the sequence. This might be because the learned elements were repeated when the next performance started over from the beginning. In subsequent experiments, we increased the occasions for the repetitions of learned elements by modulating the number of fresh start points in the sequence after errors. The results showed that fewer fresh start points were likely to lead to fewer errors and shorter performance time, indicating that the repetitions of learned elements enabled participants to develop stronger spatial and motor representations of the sequence. Thus, a single or two fresh start points in the sequence (i.e., starting over only from the beginning or from the beginning or midpoint of the sequence after errors) is likely to lead to more accurate and faster performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Initial antihyperglycemic drug therapy among 241 327 adults with newly identified diabetes from 2005 through 2010: a surveillance, prevention, and management of diabetes mellitus (SUPREME-DM) study.

PubMed

Raebel, Marsha A; Xu, Stanley; Goodrich, Glenn K; Schroeder, Emily B; Schmittdiel, Julie A; Segal, Jodi B; O'Connor, Patrick J; Nichols, Gregory A; Lawrence, Jean M; Kirchner, H Lester; Elston Lafata, Jennifer; Butler, Melissa; Newton, Katherine M; Steiner, John F

2013-10-01

Among adults with incident diabetes, data are lacking about first antihyperglycemic initiation and whether medication choice aligns with recommendations. To identify predictors of initiating any antihyperglycemic, and specifically sulfonylurea versus metformin. This retrospective cohort study included 241 327 patients from 11 US health systems, 2005 through 2010. Assessments included antihyperglycemic initiation within 6 months of diabetes identification, first medication initiated, and initiation predictors. Only 40.3% (n = 97 350) started any antihyperglycemic; 75.2% (n = 73 221) started metformin. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) predicted initiating any antihyperglycemic (HbA1c >9%, relative risk [RR] = 3.94, 95% CI = 3.82, 4.07, vs HbA1c >6.5%-7%). Age modified the HbA1c effect: at higher HbA1c, likelihood of starting antihyperglycemics differed little across ages; at lower HbA1c, older patients were less likely to start antihyperglycemics (P < .001). Individuals with elevated serum creatinine (SCr) were more likely to started on sulfonylurea (SCr = 1.4-2, RR = 2.21 [2.05, 2.39]; SCr >2, RR = 2.75 [2.30, 3.29] vs normal SCr), particularly as HbA1c increased: patients with HbA1c 8%-9% and SCr >2 were 5.59 times (2.94, 10.65) more likely to start sulfonylurea versus those with HbA1c >6.5%-7% and normal SCr. Age predicted sulfonylurea initiation (20-39 years, RR = 0.87 [0.79, 0.95]; ≥ 80 years, RR = 2.41 [2.20, 2.65] vs 50-59 years). Among adults with incident diabetes, metformin was generally the first antihyperglycemic initiated. However, 59.7% did not start any antihyperglycemic at diabetes identification. HbA1c and age predict antihyperglycemic initiation; SCr and age predict sulfonylurea initiation.

Implementing Innovation: The Creation of an iUnit and the Role of Nursing.

PubMed

Tiase, Victoria L; Ventura, Rosemary; Sorbello, Daniel; Robinson, Kenya

2016-01-01

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital took on the challenge of thinking about innovation differently with the implementation of an innovation unit or iUnit to create the patient care unit of the future. Goals were to understand more about the innovation process and to test new service models, technology platforms, devices, and deployment models. Key findings from the focus groups included the need for additional training and technical support. In general, the initiative was felt to improve overall communication and represents a starting point for further innovation programs.

Tension and compression fatigue response of unnotched 3D braided composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Portanova, M. A.

1992-01-01

The unnotched compression and tension fatigue response of a 3-D braided composite was measured. Both gross compressive stress and tensile stress were plotted against cycles to failure to evaluate the fatigue life of these materials. Damage initiation and growth was monitored visually and by tracking compliance change during cycle loading. The intent was to establish by what means the strength of a 3-D architecture will start to degrade, at what point will it degrade beyond an acceptable level, and how this material will typically fail.

High Voltage K sub a -Band Gyrotron Experiment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-20

3.8-cm-diam disk-shaped carbon cathode in a foilless diode configuration. Initially, as pointed out by Voronkov et al. (7], the tranverse velocity is...Xmn is the nth zero of dJm(x)/dx, R is the electron orbit guiding center radius, R.w is the cavity wall radius, and kmn=Xmn/Rw is the tranverse wave...possible competing mode. StartingC currents for the TE 6 ,2, TE1 0 ,1 and TE_3 ,3 modes for the experimentally observed e-beam radius of 1.16 cm are

Development of working hypotheses linking management of the Missouri River to population dynamics of Scaphirhynchus albus (pallid sturgeon)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, Robert B.; Parsley, Michael J.; Annis, Mandy L.; Colvin, Michael E.; Welker, Timothy L.; James, Daniel A.

2016-01-20

The initial set of candidate hypotheses provides a useful starting point for quantitative modeling and adaptive management of the river and species. We anticipate that hypotheses will change from the set of working management hypotheses as adaptive management progresses. More importantly, hypotheses that have been filtered out of our multistep process are still being considered. These filtered hypotheses are archived and if existing hypotheses are determined to be inadequate to explain observed population dynamics, new hypotheses can be created or filtered hypotheses can be reinstated.

[Philosophy within the context of neurosciences].

PubMed

Estany, Anna

2013-03-16

Based on the interrelation between science and philosophy, this article addresses the impact of neurosciences on the philosophical issues posed by today's society, especially those related with epistemology and the philosophy of science. To do so, the different approaches in the cognitive sciences are taken into account, with special attention paid to those that have to do with social, embodied and situated cognition versus a more individual, rational and abstract cognition. This initial framework is taken as the starting point with which to analyse the ways of representing knowledge and the characteristics of the cognoscente agent.

PreTIS: A Tool to Predict Non-canonical 5’ UTR Translational Initiation Sites in Human and Mouse

PubMed Central

Reuter, Kerstin; Helms, Volkhard

2016-01-01

Translation of mRNA sequences into proteins typically starts at an AUG triplet. In rare cases, translation may also start at alternative non–AUG codons located in the annotated 5’ UTR which leads to an increased regulatory complexity. Since ribosome profiling detects translational start sites at the nucleotide level, the properties of these start sites can then be used for the statistical evaluation of functional open reading frames. We developed a linear regression approach to predict in–frame and out–of–frame translational start sites within the 5’ UTR from mRNA sequence information together with their translation initiation confidence. Predicted start codons comprise AUG as well as near–cognate codons. The underlying datasets are based on published translational start sites for human HEK293 and mouse embryonic stem cells that were derived by the original authors from ribosome profiling data. The average prediction accuracy of true vs. false start sites for HEK293 cells was 80%. When applied to mouse mRNA sequences, the same model predicted translation initiation sites observed in mouse ES cells with an accuracy of 76%. Moreover, we illustrate the effect of in silico mutations in the flanking sequence context of a start site on the predicted initiation confidence. Our new webservice PreTIS visualizes alternative start sites and their respective ORFs and predicts their ability to initiate translation. Solely, the mRNA sequence is required as input. PreTIS is accessible at http://service.bioinformatik.uni-saarland.de/pretis. PMID:27768687

On the effective Stefan-Boltzmann law and the thermodynamic origin of the initial radiation density in warm inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gim, Yongwan; Kim, Wontae

2018-01-01

In this presentation, we are going to explain the thermodynamic origin of warm inflation scenarios by using the effetive Stefan-Boltzmann law. In the warm inflation scenarios, radiation always exists to avoid the graceful exit problem, for which the radiation energy density should be assumed to be finite at the starting point of the warm inflation. To find out the origin of the non-vanishing initial radiation energy density, we derive an effective Stefan-Boltzmann law by considering the non-vanishing trace of the total energy-momentum tensors. The effective Stefan-Boltzmann law successfully shows where the initial radiation energy density is thermodynamically originated from. And by using the above effective Stefan-Boltzmann law, we also study the cosmological scalar perturbation, and obtain the sufficient radiation energy density in order for GUT baryogenesis at the end of inflation. This proceeding is based on Ref. [1

Effect of Patiromer on Serum Potassium Level in Patients With Hyperkalemia and Diabetic Kidney Disease: The AMETHYST-DN Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Bakris, George L; Pitt, Bertram; Weir, Matthew R; Freeman, Mason W; Mayo, Martha R; Garza, Dahlia; Stasiv, Yuri; Zawadzki, Rezi; Berman, Lance; Bushinsky, David A

2015-07-14

Hyperkalemia is a potentially life-threatening condition predominantly seen in patients treated with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors with stage 3 or greater chronic kidney disease (CKD) who may also have diabetes, heart failure, or both. To select starting doses for a phase 3 study and to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of a potassium-binding polymer, patiromer, in outpatients with hyperkalemia. Phase 2, multicenter, open-label, dose-ranging, randomized clinical trial (AMETHYST-DN), conducted at 48 sites in Europe from June 2011 to June 2013 evaluating patiromer in 306 outpatients with type 2 diabetes (estimated glomerular filtration rate, 15 to <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and serum potassium level >5.0 mEq/L). All patients received RAAS inhibitors prior to and during study treatment. Patients were stratified by baseline serum potassium level into mild or moderate hyperkalemia groups and received 1 of 3 randomized starting doses of patiromer (4.2 g [n = 74], 8.4 g [n = 74], or 12.6 g [n = 74] twice daily [mild hyperkalemia] or 8.4 g [n = 26], 12.6 g [n = 28], or 16.8 g [n = 30] twice daily [moderate hyperkalemia]). Patiromer was titrated to achieve and maintain serum potassium level 5.0 mEq/L or lower. The primary efficacy end point was mean change in serum potassium level from baseline to week 4 or prior to initiation of dose titration. The primary safety end point was adverse events through 52 weeks. Secondary efficacy end points included mean change in serum potassium level through 52 weeks. A total of 306 patients were randomized. The least squares mean reduction from baseline in serum potassium level at week 4 or time of first dose titration in patients with mild hyperkalemia was 0.35 (95% CI, 0.22-0.48) mEq/L for the 4.2 g twice daily starting-dose group, 0.51 (95% CI, 0.38-0.64) mEq/L for the 8.4 g twice daily starting-dose group, and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.42-0.68) mEq/L for the 12.6 g twice daily starting-dose group. In those with moderate hyperkalemia, the reduction was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.60-1.14) mEq/L for the 8.4 g twice daily starting-dose group, 0.97 (95% CI, 0.70-1.23) mEq/L for the 12.6 g twice daily starting-dose group, and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.67-1.17) mEq/L for the 16.8 g twice daily starting-dose group (P < .001 for all changes vs baseline by hyperkalemia starting-dose groups within strata). From week 4 through week 52, statistically significant mean decreases in serum potassium levels were observed at each monthly point in patients with mild and moderate hyperkalemia. Over the 52 weeks, hypomagnesemia (7.2%) was the most common treatment-related adverse event, mild to moderate constipation (6.3%) was the most common gastrointestinal adverse event, and hypokalemia (<3.5 mEq/L) occurred in 5.6% of patients. Among patients with hyperkalemia and diabetic kidney disease, patiromer starting doses of 4.2 to 16.8 g twice daily resulted in statistically significant decreases in serum potassium level after 4 weeks of treatment, lasting through 52 weeks. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01371747.

Automated search method for AFM and profilers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Michael; Martin, Yves C.

2001-08-01

A new automation software creates a search model as an initial setup and searches for a user-defined target in atomic force microscopes or stylus profilometers used in semiconductor manufacturing. The need for such automation has become critical in manufacturing lines. The new method starts with a survey map of a small area of a chip obtained from a chip-design database or an image of the area. The user interface requires a user to point to and define a precise location to be measured, and to select a macro function for an application such as line width or contact hole. The search algorithm automatically constructs a range of possible scan sequences within the survey, and provides increased speed and functionality compared to the methods used in instruments to date. Each sequence consists in a starting point relative to the target, a scan direction, and a scan length. The search algorithm stops when the location of a target is found and criteria for certainty in positioning is met. With today's capability in high speed processing and signal control, the tool can simultaneously scan and search for a target in a robotic and continuous manner. Examples are given that illustrate the key concepts.

Lyman alpha initiated winds in late-type stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haisch, B. M.; Linsky, J. L.; Vanderhucht, K. A.

1979-01-01

The IUE survey of late-type stars revealed a sharp division in the HR diagram between stars with solar type spectra (chromosphere and transition region lines) and those with non-solar type spectra (only chromosphere lines). Models of both hot coronae and cool wind flows were calculated using stellar model chromospheres as starting points for stellar wind calculations in order to investigate the possibility of having a supersonic transition locus in the HR diagram dividing hot coronae from cool winds. From these models, it is concluded that the Lyman alpha flux may play an important role in determining the location of a stellar wind critical point. The interaction of Lyman alpha radiation pressure with Alfven waves in producing strong, low temperature stellar winds in the star Arcturus is examined.

Chemically Reacting One-Dimensional Gas-Particle Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tevepaugh, J. A.; Penny, M. M.

1975-01-01

The governing equations for the one-dimensional flow of a gas-particle system are discussed. Gas-particle effects are coupled via the system momentum and energy equations with the gas assumed to be chemically frozen or in chemical equilibrium. A computer code for calculating the one-dimensional flow of a gas-particle system is discussed and a user's input guide presented. The computer code provides for the expansion of the gas-particle system from a specified starting velocity and nozzle inlet geometry. Though general in nature, the final output of the code is a startline for initiating the solution of a supersonic gas-particle system in rocket nozzles. The startline includes gasdynamic data defining gaseous startline points from the nozzle centerline to the nozzle wall and particle properties at points along the gaseous startline.

A new method to compare statistical tree growth curves: the PL-GMANOVA model and its application with dendrochronological data.

PubMed

Ricker, Martin; Peña Ramírez, Víctor M; von Rosen, Dietrich

2014-01-01

Growth curves are monotonically increasing functions that measure repeatedly the same subjects over time. The classical growth curve model in the statistical literature is the Generalized Multivariate Analysis of Variance (GMANOVA) model. In order to model the tree trunk radius (r) over time (t) of trees on different sites, GMANOVA is combined here with the adapted PL regression model Q = A · T+E, where for b ≠ 0 : Q = Ei[-b · r]-Ei[-b · r1] and for b = 0 : Q  = Ln[r/r1], A =  initial relative growth to be estimated, T = t-t1, and E is an error term for each tree and time point. Furthermore, Ei[-b · r]  = ∫(Exp[-b · r]/r)dr, b = -1/TPR, with TPR being the turning point radius in a sigmoid curve, and r1 at t1 is an estimated calibrating time-radius point. Advantages of the approach are that growth rates can be compared among growth curves with different turning point radiuses and different starting points, hidden outliers are easily detectable, the method is statistically robust, and heteroscedasticity of the residuals among time points is allowed. The model was implemented with dendrochronological data of 235 Pinus montezumae trees on ten Mexican volcano sites to calculate comparison intervals for the estimated initial relative growth A. One site (at the Popocatépetl volcano) stood out, with A being 3.9 times the value of the site with the slowest-growing trees. Calculating variance components for the initial relative growth, 34% of the growth variation was found among sites, 31% among trees, and 35% over time. Without the Popocatépetl site, the numbers changed to 7%, 42%, and 51%. Further explanation of differences in growth would need to focus on factors that vary within sites and over time.

The Underrepresentation of African Americans in Army Combat Arms Branches

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-04

a starting point for the Army to determine true causality. This monograph is simply reviewing data and identifying correlation, and based on...correlation, assigning causality based on historical information and scholarly literature. These potential causes are not fact, and provide a starting ...1988 is the starting point for the commissioning statistics. Subject matter experts hypothesized that the number African American officers

Intimate partner violence and initiation of smoking and drinking: A population-based study of women in Yokohama, Japan.

PubMed

Yoshihama, Mieko; Horrocks, Julie; Bybee, Deborah

2010-09-01

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is prevalent in the lives of women across the globe and has been found to be associated with substance use among women. As part of the World Health Organization's (WHO) cross-national research effort, this study examined the relationship between the experience of IPV and use of alcohol and tobacco among a probability sample of women aged 18-49 in Yokohama, Japan. Using retrospective data for 2000-2001, we employed methods of survival analysis that allowed an examination of the probability of initiating smoking and drinking subsequent to the experience of IPV. Experiencing IPV was associated with current smoking as well as initiation of smoking and current patterns of drinking. Women who had experienced IPV were more likely to be smoking at the time of the interview and tended to initiate smoking at earlier ages compared to those who had not experienced IPV. At any time point, the risk of starting to smoke was more than twice as high for women who had previously experienced IPV than for women who had not. In addition, women who had experienced IPV were more likely to drink heavily. The present study's findings clearly point to the need to enhance coordination between IPV prevention and substance abuse programs in order to improve the safety and wellbeing of women who have experienced IPV. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preventing Delays in First-Case Starts on the Neurosurgery Service: A Resident-Led Initiative at an Academic Institution.

PubMed

Han, Seunggu J; Rolston, John D; Zygourakis, Corinna C; Sun, Matthew Z; McDermott, Michael W; Lau, Catherine Y; Aghi, Manish K

2016-01-01

On-time starts for the first case of the day are critical to maintaining efficiency in operating rooms (ORs). We studied whether a resident-led initiative to ensure on-time site marking and documentation of surgical consent could lead to improved first-case start time. In a resident-led initiative at a large 600-bed academic hospital with 25 ORs, we aimed to complete site marking and surgical consents half an hour before the scheduled start time for all first-case neurosurgical patients. We monitored the occurrence of delayed first starts and the length of delay during our initiative, and compared these cases to neurosurgical cases 3 months before the implementation of the initiative and to first-start nonneurosurgical cases. In the year of the initiative, both site marking and surgical consents were completed 30 minutes before the case start in 97% of neurosurgical cases. The average delay across all first-case starts was reduced to 7.17 minutes (N = 1271), compared with 9.67 minutes before the intervention (N = 345). During the study period, non-neurosurgical cases were delayed on average 10.3 minutes (N = 3592). There was a significant difference in latencies between the study period and the period before the initiative (p < 0.001), and also between neurosurgical cases and nonneurosurgical cases (p < 0.001). There was no reduction in delay times seen on the non-neurosurgical services in the study period when compared to the case 3 months before. Considering its effect across 1271 cases, this initiative over 1 year resulted in a total reduction of 52 hours and 57 minutes in delays. Through a resident-led quality improvement program, neurosurgical trainees successfully reduced delays in first-case starts on a surgical service. Engaging physician trainees in quality improvement and enhancing OR efficiency can be successfully achieved and can have a significant clinical and financial effect. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

49 CFR 40.375 - How does the initiating official start a PIE proceeding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How does the initiating official start a PIE... factual basis for the initiating official's belief that you are not providing drug and/or alcohol testing... belief that your noncompliance has not been or cannot be corrected; (4) The initiating official's...

49 CFR 40.375 - How does the initiating official start a PIE proceeding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false How does the initiating official start a PIE... factual basis for the initiating official's belief that you are not providing drug and/or alcohol testing... belief that your noncompliance has not been or cannot be corrected; (4) The initiating official's...

49 CFR 40.375 - How does the initiating official start a PIE proceeding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false How does the initiating official start a PIE... factual basis for the initiating official's belief that you are not providing drug and/or alcohol testing... belief that your noncompliance has not been or cannot be corrected; (4) The initiating official's...

49 CFR 40.375 - How does the initiating official start a PIE proceeding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false How does the initiating official start a PIE... factual basis for the initiating official's belief that you are not providing drug and/or alcohol testing... belief that your noncompliance has not been or cannot be corrected; (4) The initiating official's...

49 CFR 40.375 - How does the initiating official start a PIE proceeding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false How does the initiating official start a PIE... factual basis for the initiating official's belief that you are not providing drug and/or alcohol testing... belief that your noncompliance has not been or cannot be corrected; (4) The initiating official's...

Charge-density analysis of a protein structure at subatomic resolution: the human aldose reductase case.

PubMed

Guillot, Benoît; Jelsch, Christian; Podjarny, Alberto; Lecomte, Claude

2008-05-01

The valence electron density of the protein human aldose reductase was analyzed at 0.66 angstroms resolution. The methodological developments in the software MoPro to adapt standard charge-density techniques from small molecules to macromolecular structures are described. The deformation electron density visible in initial residual Fourier difference maps was significantly enhanced after high-order refinement. The protein structure was refined after transfer of the experimental library multipolar atom model (ELMAM). The effects on the crystallographic statistics, on the atomic thermal displacement parameters and on the structure stereochemistry are analyzed. Constrained refinements of the transferred valence populations Pval and multipoles Plm were performed against the X-ray diffraction data on a selected substructure of the protein with low thermal motion. The resulting charge densities are of good quality, especially for chemical groups with many copies present in the polypeptide chain. To check the effect of the starting point on the result of the constrained multipolar refinement, the same charge-density refinement strategy was applied but using an initial neutral spherical atom model, i.e. without transfer from the ELMAM library. The best starting point for a protein multipolar refinement is the structure with the electron density transferred from the database. This can be assessed by the crystallographic statistical indices, including Rfree, and the quality of the static deformation electron-density maps, notably on the oxygen electron lone pairs. The analysis of the main-chain bond lengths suggests that stereochemical dictionaries would benefit from a revision based on recently determined unrestrained atomic resolution protein structures.

Chess Revision: Acquiring the Rules of Chess Variants through FOL Theory Revision from Examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muggleton, Stephen; Paes, Aline; Santos Costa, Vítor; Zaverucha, Gerson

The game of chess has been a major testbed for research in artificial intelligence, since it requires focus on intelligent reasoning. Particularly, several challenges arise to machine learning systems when inducing a model describing legal moves of the chess, including the collection of the examples, the learning of a model correctly representing the official rules of the game, covering all the branches and restrictions of the correct moves, and the comprehensibility of such a model. Besides, the game of chess has inspired the creation of numerous variants, ranging from faster to more challenging or to regional versions of the game. The question arises if it is possible to take advantage of an initial classifier of chess as a starting point to obtain classifiers for the different variants. We approach this problem as an instance of theory revision from examples. The initial classifier of chess is inspired by a FOL theory approved by a chess expert and the examples are defined as sequences of moves within a game. Starting from a standard revision system, we argue that abduction and negation are also required to best address this problem. Experimental results show the effectiveness of our approach.

Economic Evaluation of Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis Versus Urgent-Start Hemodialysis in the United States

PubMed Central

Liu, Frank Xiaoqing; Ghaffari, Arshia; Dhatt, Harman; Kumar, Vijay; Balsera, Cristina; Wallace, Eric; Khairullah, Quresh; Lesher, Beth; Gao, Xin; Henderson, Heather; LaFleur, Paula; Delgado, Edna M.; Alvarez, Melissa M.; Hartley, Janett; McClernon, Marilyn; Walton, Surrey; Guest, Steven

2014-01-01

Abstract Patients presenting late in the course of kidney disease who require urgent initiation of dialysis have traditionally received temporary vascular catheters followed by hemodialysis. Recent changes in Medicare payment policy for dialysis in the USA incentivized the use of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Consequently, the use of more expeditious PD for late-presenting patients (urgent-start PD) has received new attention. Urgent-start PD has been shown to be safe and effective, and offers a mechanism for increasing PD utilization. However, there has been no assessment of the dialysis-related costs over the first 90 days of care. The objective of this study was to characterize the costs associated with urgent-start PD, urgent-start hemodialysis (HD), or a dual approach (urgent-start HD followed by urgent-start PD) over the first 90 days of treatment from a provider perspective. A survey of practitioners from 5 clinics known to use urgent-start PD was conducted to provide inputs for a cost model representing typical patients. Model inputs were obtained from the survey, literature review, and available cost data. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted. The estimated per patient cost over the first 90 days for urgent-start PD was $16,398. Dialysis access represented 15% of total costs, dialysis services 48%, and initial hospitalization 37%. For urgent-start HD, total per patient costs were $19,352, and dialysis access accounted for 27%, dialysis services 42%, and initial hospitalization 31%. The estimated cost for dual patients was $19,400. Urgent-start PD may offer a cost saving approach for the initiation of dialysis in eligible patients requiring an urgent-start to dialysis. PMID:25526471

Collisions of unequal mass black holes and the point particle limit

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

Sperhake, Ulrich; CENTRA, Departamento de Fisica, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa - UTL, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049 Lisboa; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125

Numerical relativity has seen incredible progress in the last years, and is being applied with success to a variety of physical phenomena, from gravitational wave research and relativistic astrophysics to cosmology and high-energy physics. Here we probe the limits of current numerical setups, by studying collisions of unequal mass, nonrotating black holes of mass ratios up to 1 ratio 100 and making contact with a classical calculation in general relativity: the infall of a pointlike particle into a massive black hole. Our results agree well with the predictions coming from linearized calculations of the infall of pointlike particles into nonrotatingmore » black holes. In particular, in the limit that one hole is much smaller than the other, and the infall starts from an infinite initial separation, we recover the point-particle limit. Thus, numerical relativity is able to bridge the gap between fully nonlinear dynamics and linearized approximations, which may have important applications. Finally, we also comment on the 'spurious' radiation content in the initial data and the linearized predictions.« less

Experimental investigation on no-vent fill process using tetrafluoromethane (CF4)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Youngcheol; Lee, Cheonkyu; Park, Jiho; Seo, Mansu; Jeong, Sangkwon

2016-03-01

This paper investigates the transfer of liquid cryogens using a no-vent fill (NVF) process experimentally to identify the dominant NVF parameters. The experimental apparatus has been fabricated with extensive instrumentations to precisely study the effects of each NVF parameter. Liquid tetrafluoromethane (CF4) is selected as the working fluid due to its similar molecular structures and similar normal boiling point and triple point with liquid methane which has been considered as an attractive future cryogenic propellant. The experimental results show that the initial receiver tank wall temperature and the incoming liquid temperature are the primary factors that characterize the (non-equilibrium) thermodynamic state at the start of a NVF transfer. The supply pressure is also critical as it indicates the ability to condense vapor in the receiver tank. A non-dimensional map based on energy balance is proposed to find acceptable initial conditions of the filling volume at the desired final tank pressure. The non-dimensional map shows good agreement with the NVF data not only in this paper but also in the previous research.

Weakly and strongly coupled Belousov-Zhabotinsky patterns.

PubMed

Weiss, Stephan; Deegan, Robert D

2017-02-01

We investigate experimentally and numerically the synchronization of two-dimensional spiral wave patterns in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction due to point-to-point coupling of two separate domains. Different synchronization modalities appear depending on the coupling strength and the initial patterns in each domain. The behavior as a function of the coupling strength falls into two qualitatively different regimes. The weakly coupled regime is characterized by inter-domain interactions that distorted but do not break wave fronts. Under weak coupling, spiral cores are pushed around by wave fronts in the other domain, resulting in an effective interaction between cores in opposite domains. In the case where each domain initially contains a single spiral, the cores form a bound pair and orbit each other at quantized distances. When the starting patterns consist of multiple randomly positioned spiral cores, the number of cores decreases with time until all that remains are a few cores that are synchronized with a partner in the other domain. The strongly coupled regime is characterized by interdomain interactions that break wave fronts. As a result, the wave patterns in both domains become identical.

Weakly and strongly coupled Belousov-Zhabotinsky patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Stephan; Deegan, Robert D.

2017-02-01

We investigate experimentally and numerically the synchronization of two-dimensional spiral wave patterns in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction due to point-to-point coupling of two separate domains. Different synchronization modalities appear depending on the coupling strength and the initial patterns in each domain. The behavior as a function of the coupling strength falls into two qualitatively different regimes. The weakly coupled regime is characterized by inter-domain interactions that distorted but do not break wave fronts. Under weak coupling, spiral cores are pushed around by wave fronts in the other domain, resulting in an effective interaction between cores in opposite domains. In the case where each domain initially contains a single spiral, the cores form a bound pair and orbit each other at quantized distances. When the starting patterns consist of multiple randomly positioned spiral cores, the number of cores decreases with time until all that remains are a few cores that are synchronized with a partner in the other domain. The strongly coupled regime is characterized by interdomain interactions that break wave fronts. As a result, the wave patterns in both domains become identical.

Animal carcinogenicity studies on radiofrequency fields related to mobile phones and base stations.

PubMed

Dasenbrock, Clemens

2005-09-01

Since a report in 1997 on an increased lymphoma incidence in mice chronically exposed to a mobile phone radiofrequency signal, none of the subsequent long-term studies in rodents have confirmed these results. On the other hand, several of the follow-up co- and carcinogenicity studies are still underway or are presently being initiated. Most of the published long-term studies used 1 exposure level only and suffer from a poor dosimetry which does not consider the animal's growth. Additional points of criticism are a limited, in some cases, questionable histopathology and inadequate group sizes. Overall, if dealing with new chemicals or drugs, these studies would not be acceptable for registration with the responsible authorities. The major critical points are taken into consideration within the European co- and carcinogenicity projects (CEMFEC and PERFORM-A), which are in their final stages and in the US long-term studies in mice and rats which are about to be initiated. Nevertheless, the WHO evaluation for health risk assessment of long-term telephone use and base station exposure will start in late 2005.

Prediction of postural risk of fall initiation based on a two-variable description of body dynamics: position and velocity of center of mass.

PubMed

Honarvar, Mohammad Hadi; Nakashima, Motomu

2013-10-01

This research addresses the question: what is the risk of fall initiation at a certain human posture? There are postures from which no one is able to keep their balance and a fall will surely initiate (risk=1), and others from which everyone may regain their stability (risk=0). In other postures, only a portion of people can control their stability. One may interpret risk to chance of a fall to be initiated, and based on the portion of fallers assign a risk value to a given human posture (postural risk). Human posture can be mapped to a point in a 2-dimensional space: the x-v plane, the axes of which are horizontal components of the position and velocity of the center of mass of the body. For every pair of (x, v), the outcome of the balance recovery problem defines whether a person with a given strength level is able to regain their stability when released from a posture corresponding to that point. Using strength distribution data, we estimated the portion of the population who will initiate a fall if starting at a certain posture. A fast calculation approach is also introduced to replace the time-consuming method of solving the recovery problem many times. Postural risk of fall initiation for situations expressed by (x, v) pairs for the entire x-v plane is calculated and shown in a color-map. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Expert system for generating initial layouts of zoom systems with multiple moving lens groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Xuemin; Wang, Yongtian; Hao, Qun; Sasián, José M.

2005-01-01

An expert system is developed for the automatic generation of initial layouts for the design of zoom systems with multiple moving lens groups. The Gaussian parameters of the zoom system are optimized using the damped-least-squares method to achieve smooth zoom cam curves, with the f-number of each lens group in the zoom system constrained to a rational value. Then each lens group is selected automatically from a database according to its range of f-number, field of view, and magnification ratio as it is used in the zoom system. The lens group database is established from the results of analyzing thousands of zoom lens patents. Design examples are given, which show that the scheme is a practical approach to generate starting points for zoom lens design.

Brainstorming Themes that Connect Art and Ideas across the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walling, Donovan R.

2006-01-01

Ideas are starting points-for thought, discussion, reading, viewing, writing, and making. The two "brainstorms on paper" presented in this article illustrate how taking an idea and examining it from an artistic point of view can generate thematic starting points to help teachers and students connect the visual arts to ideas that ripple across the…

Combined bending and thermal fatigue of high-temperature metal-matrix composites - Computational simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gotsis, Pascal K.; Chamis, Christos C.

1992-01-01

The nonlinear behavior of a high-temperature metal-matrix composite (HT-MMC) was simulated by using the metal matrix composite analyzer (METCAN) computer code. The simulation started with the fabrication process, proceeded to thermomechanical cyclic loading, and ended with the application of a monotonic load. Classical laminate theory and composite micromechanics and macromechanics are used in METCAN, along with a multifactor interaction model for the constituents behavior. The simulation of the stress-strain behavior from the macromechanical and the micromechanical points of view, as well as the initiation and final failure of the constituents and the plies in the composite, were examined in detail. It was shown that, when the fibers and the matrix were perfectly bonded, the fracture started in the matrix and then propagated with increasing load to the fibers. After the fibers fractured, the composite lost its capacity to carry additional load and fractured.

Combined thermal and bending fatigue of high-temperature metal-matrix composites: Computational simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gotsis, Pascal K.

1991-01-01

The nonlinear behavior of a high-temperature metal-matrix composite (HT-MMC) was simulated by using the metal matrix composite analyzer (METCAN) computer code. The simulation started with the fabrication process, proceeded to thermomechanical cyclic loading, and ended with the application of a monotonic load. Classical laminate theory and composite micromechanics and macromechanics are used in METCAN, along with a multifactor interaction model for the constituents behavior. The simulation of the stress-strain behavior from the macromechanical and the micromechanical points of view, as well as the initiation and final failure of the constituents and the plies in the composite, were examined in detail. It was shown that, when the fibers and the matrix were perfectly bonded, the fracture started in the matrix and then propagated with increasing load to the fibers. After the fibers fractured, the composite lost its capacity to carry additional load and fractured.

New Phenomena in High Temperature Nanofriction on Nonmelting Surfaces: NaCl(100)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zykova-Timan, Tatyana; Ceresoli, Davide; Tosatti, Erio

2006-03-01

High temperature nanofriction is a difficult and so far unexplored area whwere we made an initial attack by means of simulation. Alkali halide (100) surfaces were chosen as they would not automatically liquefy under a sliding tip, even at temperatures very close to the melting point. We conducted sliding friction molecular dynamics simulations of hard tips on NaCl(100),both in the heavy ploughing, wear-dominated regime, and in the light grazing, wearless regime. Ploughing friction shows for increasing temperature a strong frictional drop near the melting point. Here the tip can be characterized as ``skating'' over the hot solid, its apex surrounded by a local liquid halo, which moves along with the tip as it ploughs on. At the opposite extreme, we find that grazing friction of a lightly pressed flat-ended tip behaves just the other way around. Starting with an initially very weak low temperature frictional force, there is a surge of friction just near the melting point, where the surface is still solid, but not too far from a vibrational instability. This frictional rise can be envisaged as an analog of the celebrated ``peak effect'' found close to Hc2 in the mixed state critical current of type II superconductors.

Study of nanosecond discharges in H2-air mixtures at atmospheric pressure for plasma assisted combustion applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Sumire; Bonaventura, Zdeněk; Tholin, Fabien; Popov, Nikolay A.; Bourdon, Anne

2017-07-01

This paper presents 2D simulations of nanosecond discharges between two point electrodes for four different H2-air mixtures defined by their equivalence ratios ϕ (i.e. φ =0, air, φ =0.3, lean mixture, φ =1, stoichiometric mixture and φ =1.5, rich mixture) at atmospheric pressure and at an initial temperature of 1000 K. In a first step, we have shown that the mixture composition has only a very small influence on the discharge dynamics and structure during the streamer phase and up to the formation of the plasma channel between the two point electrodes in H2-air mixtures with φ \\in [0,1.5]. However, as the plasma channel is formed slightly earlier as the equivalence ratio increases, for a given voltage pulse, the duration of the nanosecond spark phase increases as the equivalence ratio increases. As expected, we have shown that excited states of N2 (and in particular N2(A)) and radicals (and in particular O(D), O(P), H and OH) are very efficiently produced during the voltage pulse after the start of the spark phase. After the voltage pulse, and up to 100 ns, the densities of excited states of N2 and of O(D) decrease. Conversely, most of the O(P), H and OH radicals are produced after the voltage pulse due to the dissociative quenching of electronically excited N2. As for radicals, the gas temperature starts increasing after the start of the spark phase. For all studied mixtures, the density of O(P) atoms and the gas temperature reach their maxima after the end of the voltage pulse and the densities of O(P), H and OH radicals and the maximal gas temperature increase as the equivalence ratio increases. We have shown that the production of radicals is the highest on the discharge axis and the distribution of species after the voltage pulse and up to 100 ns has a larger diameter between the electrodes than close to both electrode tips. As for species, the temperature distribution presents two hot spots close to the point electrode tips. The non-uniform distributions of radical densities and gas temperature obtained after the nanosecond voltage pulse provide accurate initial conditions for 2D reactive flow codes to study the combustion ignition on longer timescales and compare with experiments.

76 FR 7226 - Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Characterization Activities; Atlantic Outer Continental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-09

... Interior's (DOI) ``Smart from the Start'' wind energy initiative, to identify areas for wind energy leasing... November 23, 2010, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the ``Smart from the Start'' renewable... the ``Smart from the Start'' initiative can be found at http://www.boemre.gov/offshore/RenewableEnergy...

Influence of surface emission processes on a fast-pulsed dielectric barrier discharge in air at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pechereau, François; Bonaventura, Zdeněk; Bourdon, Anne

2016-08-01

This paper presents simulations of an atmospheric pressure air discharge in a point-to-plane geometry with a dielectric layer parallel to the cathode plane. Experimentally, a discharge reignition in the air gap below the dielectrics has been observed. With a 2D fluid model, it is shown that due to the fast rise of the high voltage applied and the sharp point used, a first positive spherical discharge forms around the point. Then this discharge propagates axially and impacts the dielectrics. As the first discharge starts spreading on the upper dielectric surface, in the second air gap with a low preionization density of {{10}4}~\\text{c}{{\\text{m}}-3} , the 2D fluid model predicts a rapid reignition of a positive discharge. As in experiments, the discharge reignition is much slower, a discussion on physical processes to be considered in the model to increase the reignition delay is presented. The limit case with no initial seed charges in the second air gap has been studied. First, we have calculated the time to release an electron from the cathode surface by thermionic and field emission processes for a work function φ \\in ≤ft[3,4\\right] eV and an amplification factor β \\in ≤ft[100,220\\right] . Then a 3D Monte Carlo model has been used to follow the dynamics of formation of an avalanche starting from a single electron emitted at the cathode. Due to the high electric field in the second air gap, we have shown that in a few nanoseconds, a Gaussian cloud of seed charges is formed at a small distance from the cathode plane. This Gaussian cloud has been used as the initial condition of the 2D fluid model in the second air gap. In this case, the propagation of a double headed discharge in the second air gap has been observed and the reignition delay is in rather good agreement with experiments.

Effect of a localized minimum in equatorial field strength on resistive tearing instability in the geomagnetotail

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

Hau, L.N.; Wolf, R.A.

A two-dimensional, resistive-MHD computer code is used to investigate the spontaneous reconnection of magnetotaillike configurations. The initial conditions adopted in the simulations are of two types: (1) in which the equatorial normal magnetic field component B{sub ze} declines monotonically down the tail, and (2) in which B{sub ze} exhibits a deep minimum in the near-earth plasma sheet. Configurations of the second type have been suggested by Erickson (1984, 1985) to be the inevitable result of adiabatic, earthward convection of the plasma sheet. To represent the case where the earthward convection stops before the X line forms, i.e., the case wheremore » the interplanetary magnetic field turns northward after a period of southward orientation, the authors impose zero-flow boundary conditions at the edges of the computational box. The initial configurations are in equilibrium and stable within ideal MHD. The dynamic evolution of the system starts after the resistivity is turned on. The main results of the simulations basically support the neutral-line model of substorms and confirm Birn's (1980) computer studies. Specifically, they find spontaneous formation of an X-type neutral point and a single O-type plasmoid with strong tailward flow on the tailward side of the X point. in addition, the results show that the formation of the X point for the configurations of type 2 is clearly associated with the assumed initial B{sub z} minimum. Furthermore, the time interval from trablurning on of the resistivity to the formation of a plasmoid is much shorter in the case where there is an initial deep minimum.« less

Same day ART initiation versus clinic-based pre-ART assessment and counselling for individuals newly tested HIV-positive during community-based HIV testing in rural Lesotho - a randomized controlled trial (CASCADE trial).

PubMed

Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel; Ringera, Isaac; Lejone, Thabo Ishmael; Masethothi, Phofu; Thaanyane, T'sepang; Kamele, Mashaete; Gupta, Ravi Shankar; Thin, Kyaw; Cerutti, Bernard; Klimkait, Thomas; Fritz, Christiane; Glass, Tracy Renée

2016-04-14

Achievement of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets in Sub-Sahara Africa is challenged by a weak care-cascade with poor linkage to care and retention in care. Community-based HIV testing and counselling (HTC) is widely used in African countries. However, rates of linkage to care and initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in individuals who tested HIV-positive are often very low. A frequently cited reason for non-linkage to care is the time-consuming pre-ART assessment often requiring several clinic visits before ART-initiation. This two-armed open-label randomized controlled trial compares in individuals tested HIV-positive during community-based HTC the proposition of same-day community-based ART-initiation to the standard of care pre-ART assessment at the clinic. Home-based HTC campaigns will be conducted in catchment areas of six clinics in rural Lesotho. Households where at least one individual tested HIV positive will be randomized. In the standard of care group individuals receive post-test counselling and referral to the nearest clinic for pre-ART assessment and counselling. Once they have started ART the follow-up schedule foresees monthly clinic visits. Individuals randomized to the intervention group receive on the spot point-of-care pre-ART assessment and adherence counselling with the proposition to start ART that same day. Once they have started ART, follow-up clinic visits will be less frequent. First primary outcome is linkage to care (individual presents at the clinic at least once within 3 months after the HIV test). The second primary outcome is viral suppression 12 months after enrolment in the study. We plan to enrol a minimum of 260 households with 1:1 allocation and parallel assignment into both arms. This trial will show if in individuals tested HIV-positive during community-based HTC campaigns the proposition of same-day ART initiation in the community, combined with less frequent follow-up visits at the clinic could be a pragmatic approach to improve the care cascade in similar settings. NCT02692027 , registered February 21, 2016.

Non-AUG translation: a new start for protein synthesis in eukaryotes

PubMed Central

Kearse, Michael G.; Wilusz, Jeremy E.

2017-01-01

Although it was long thought that eukaryotic translation almost always initiates at an AUG start codon, recent advancements in ribosome footprint mapping have revealed that non-AUG start codons are used at an astonishing frequency. These non-AUG initiation events are not simply errors but instead are used to generate or regulate proteins with key cellular functions; for example, during development or stress. Misregulation of non-AUG initiation events contributes to multiple human diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration, and modulation of non-AUG usage may represent a novel therapeutic strategy. It is thus becoming increasingly clear that start codon selection is regulated by many trans-acting initiation factors as well as sequence/structural elements within messenger RNAs and that non-AUG translation has a profound impact on cellular states. PMID:28982758

Antibiotics in 16-day-old broilers temporarily affect microbial and immune parameters in the gut.

PubMed

Wisselink, H J; Cornelissen, J B W J; Mevius, D J; Smits, M A; Smidt, H; Rebel, J M J

2017-09-01

Animal health benefits from a stable intestinal homeostasis, for which proper development and functioning of the intestinal microbiota and immune system are essential. It has been established that changes in microbial colonization in early life (the first 2 wk post hatch) impacts the functioning of the adult gut and the associated crosstalk between microbiota and intestinal mucosal cells. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of the administration of antibiotics later in life (d 15 to 20 post hatch) on microbiota and immune parameters. For this purpose, chickens received from 15 d post hatch during 5 d amoxicillin or enrofloxacin through their drinking water. Before and at 6, 16, and 27 d after start of the administration of antibiotics, the composition of the microbiota in the jejunum was determined using a 16S ribosomal RNA gene-targeted DNA microarray, the CHICKChip. At 6 d after the start of the administration of the antibiotics, the composition and diversity of the microbiota were affected significantly (P < 0.05), but this change was small and observed only temporarily since differences disappeared at 16 d after initiating treatment with amoxillin and at 27 d after starting treatment with enrofloxacin. Intestinal morphology and development were not visibly affected since there were no differences between villus/crypt ratios and numbers of PAS+ and PCNA+ cells in the duodenum and jejunum at any time point. At 16 d after the start of antibiotic administration, the number of CD4+ T-cells and CD8+ T-cells in the duodenum was lower compared to the control animals; however, this difference was not significant. At some time points, significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed among the groups to locally expressed IL-8, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-4 mRNA. However, this effect was not long lasting, as differences that were observed at 16 d after starting the treatment had disappeared at 27 d after treatment was started. The results of this study indicate that later in the broiler's life, antibiotics only temporarily affect intestinal microbial and immune parameters. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Early changes in inflammatory and pro-thrombotic biomarkers in patients initiating antiretroviral therapy with abacavir or tenofovir

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Abacavir has been associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction, but the pathogenic mechanisms remain unknown. We evaluated longitudinal changes in pro-atherosclerotic biomarkers in patients initiating abacavir or tenofovir. Methods Consecutive patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) with abacavir/lamivudine or tenofovir/emtricitabine were included. Plasma levels of high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured at baseline and at different time points throughout 48 weeks. Comparisons were adjusted for age, sex, ART status at inclusion, viral load, lipodystrophy, Framingham score and hepatitis C virus co-infection status. Results 50 patients were analyzed, 28 initiating abacavir and 22 tenofovir. The endothelial biomarker sVCAM-1 declined significantly in both treatment groups. hsCRP tended to increase soon after starting therapy with abacavir, a trend that was not seen in those initiating tenofovir. IL-6 significantly increased only at week 24 from baseline in patients on abacavir (+225%, p < 0.01) although the differences were not significant between groups. The procoagulant biomarker PAI-1 plasma levels increased from baseline at week 12 (+57%; p = 0.017), week 24 (+72%; p = 0.008), and week 48 (+149%; p < 0.001) in patients on tenofovir, but differences between groups were not statistically significant. Conclusion Changes in biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation, and endothelial function are not different in viremic patients starting ART with abacavir/lamivudine or tenofovir/emtricitabine. These changes occur in the early phases of treatment and include anti- and pro-atherosclerotic effects with both drugs. PMID:21294867

Early changes in inflammatory and pro-thrombotic biomarkers in patients initiating antiretroviral therapy with abacavir or tenofovir.

PubMed

Padilla, Sergio; Masiá, Mar; García, Natalia; Jarrin, Inmaculada; Tormo, Consuelo; Gutiérrez, Félix

2011-02-04

Abacavir has been associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction, but the pathogenic mechanisms remain unknown. We evaluated longitudinal changes in pro-atherosclerotic biomarkers in patients initiating abacavir or tenofovir. Consecutive patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) with abacavir/lamivudine or tenofovir/emtricitabine were included. Plasma levels of high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured at baseline and at different time points throughout 48 weeks. Comparisons were adjusted for age, sex, ART status at inclusion, viral load, lipodystrophy, Framingham score and hepatitis C virus co-infection status. 50 patients were analyzed, 28 initiating abacavir and 22 tenofovir. The endothelial biomarker sVCAM-1 declined significantly in both treatment groups. hsCRP tended to increase soon after starting therapy with abacavir, a trend that was not seen in those initiating tenofovir. IL-6 significantly increased only at week 24 from baseline in patients on abacavir (+225%, p < 0.01) although the differences were not significant between groups. The procoagulant biomarker PAI-1 plasma levels increased from baseline at week 12 (+57%; p = 0.017), week 24 (+72%; p = 0.008), and week 48 (+149%; p < 0.001) in patients on tenofovir, but differences between groups were not statistically significant. Changes in biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation, and endothelial function are not different in viremic patients starting ART with abacavir/lamivudine or tenofovir/emtricitabine. These changes occur in the early phases of treatment and include anti- and pro-atherosclerotic effects with both drugs.

[Gender, equality, and health services access: an empirical approximation].

PubMed

Gómez Gómez, Elsa

2002-01-01

This piece describes the conceptual framework and the objectives that guided a research initiative in the Region of the Americas that was called "Gender, Equity, and Access to Health Services" and that was sponsored in 2001 by the Pan American Health Organization. The piece does not summarize the results of the six projects that were carried under the initiative, whose analyses have not all been completed. Instead, the piece discusses some of the foundations of the initiative and provides a general introduction to the country studies that were done. The six studies were done in Barbados/Jamaica, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The primary objective of the initiative was to stimulate the use of existing quantitative information in the countries, with the goal of starting a process of systematically documenting two things: 1) the unfair, unnecessary, and avoidable inequalities between men and women in their access to health care and 2) the linkages between those inequalities and other socioeconomic factors. The concept of gender equity that guided this examination of health care was not the usual one calling for the equal distribution of resources. Rather, it was the notion that resources should be allocated differentially, according to the particular needs of men and of women, and that persons should pay for health services according to their economic ability rather than their risk level. The starting point for the initiative was the premise that gender inequities in utilizing and paying for health care result from gender differences in the macroeconomic and microeconomic distribution of resources. The piece concludes that achieving equity in health care access will require a better understanding of the gender needs and gender barriers that are linked to social structures and health systems.

Effects of transcriptional start site sequence and position on nucleotide-sensitive selection of alternative start sites at the pyrC promoter in Escherichia coli.

PubMed Central

Liu, J; Turnbough, C L

1994-01-01

In Escherichia coli, expression of the pyrC gene is regulated primarily by a translational control mechanism based on nucleotide-sensitive selection of transcriptional start sites at the pyrC promoter. When intracellular levels of CTP are high, pyrC transcripts are initiated predominantly with CTP at a site 7 bases downstream of the Pribnow box. These transcripts form a stable hairpin at their 5' ends that blocks ribosome binding. When the CTP level is low and the GTP level is high, conditions found in pyrimidine-limited cells, transcripts are initiated primarily with GTP at a site 9 bases downstream of the Pribnow box. These shorter transcripts are unable to form a hairpin at their 5' ends and are readily translated. In this study, we examined the effects of nucleotide sequence and position on the selection of transcriptional start sites at the pyrC promoter. We characterized promoter mutations that systematically alter the sequence at position 7 or 9 downstream of the Pribnow box or vary the spacing between the Pribnow box and wild-type transcriptional initiation region. The results reveal preferences for particular initiating nucleotides (ATP > or = GTP > UTP >> CTP) and for starting positions downstream of the Pribnow box (7 >> 6 and 8 > 9 > 10). The results indicate that optimal nucleotide-sensitive start site switching at the wild-type pyrC promoter is the result of competition between the preferred start site (position 7) that uses the poorest initiating nucleotide (CTP) and a weak start site (position 9) that uses a good initiating nucleotide (GTP). The sequence of the pyrC promoter also minimizes the synthesis of untranslatable transcripts and provides for maximum stability of the regulatory transcript hairpin. In addition, the results show that the effects of the mutations on pyrC expression and regulation are consistent with the current model for translational control. Possible effects of preferences for initiating nucleotides and start sites on the expression and regulation of other genes are discussed. Images PMID:7910603

Road traffic sign detection and classification from mobile LiDAR point clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Shengxia; Li, Jonathan; Chen, Yiping; Wang, Cheng

2016-03-01

Traffic signs are important roadway assets that provide valuable information of the road for drivers to make safer and easier driving behaviors. Due to the development of mobile mapping systems that can efficiently acquire dense point clouds along the road, automated detection and recognition of road assets has been an important research issue. This paper deals with the detection and classification of traffic signs in outdoor environments using mobile light detection and ranging (Li- DAR) and inertial navigation technologies. The proposed method contains two main steps. It starts with an initial detection of traffic signs based on the intensity attributes of point clouds, as the traffic signs are always painted with highly reflective materials. Then, the classification of traffic signs is achieved based on the geometric shape and the pairwise 3D shape context. Some results and performance analyses are provided to show the effectiveness and limits of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method in detecting and classifying traffic signs from mobile LiDAR point clouds.

Modeling of transmission line exposure to direct lightning strokes

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

Rizk, F.A.M.

1990-10-01

The paper introduces a new model for assessing the exposure of free-standing structures and horizontal conductors above flat ground to direct lightning strokes. The starting point of this work is a recently developed criterion for positive leader inception, modified to account for positive leaders initiated under the influence of a negative descending lightning stroke. Subsequent propagation of the positive leader is analyzed to define the point of encounter of the two leaders which determines the attractive radius of a structure or the attractive lateral distance of a conductor. These parameters are investigated for a wide range of heights and return-strokemore » currents. A method for analyzing shielding failure and determining the critical shielding angle is also described. The predictions of the model are compared with field observations and previously developed models.« less

Exploring Gendered Notions: Gender, Job Hunting and Web Searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martey, R. M.

Based on analysis of a series of interviews, this chapter suggests that in looking for jobs online, women confront gendered notions of the Internet as well as gendered notions of the jobs themselves. It argues that the social and cultural contexts of both the search tools and the search tasks should be considered in exploring how Web-based technologies serve women in a job search. For these women, the opportunities and limitations of online job-search tools were intimately related to their personal and social needs, especially needs for part-time work, maternity benefits, and career advancement. Although job-seeking services such as Monster.com were used frequently by most of these women, search services did not completely fulfill all their informational needs, and became an — often frustrating — initial starting point for a job search rather than an end-point.

Comparative effectiveness of senna to prevent problematic constipation in pediatric oncology patients receiving opioids: a multicenter study of clinically detailed administrative data.

PubMed

Feudtner, Chris; Freedman, Jason; Kang, Tammy; Womer, James W; Dai, Dingwei; Faerber, Jennifer

2014-08-01

Pediatric oncology patients often receive prolonged courses of opioids, which can result in constipation. Comparing patients who received senna matched with similar patients who received other oral bowel medications, determine the subsequent risk of "problematic constipation," assessed as the occurrence of the surrogate markers of receiving an enema, escalation of oral bowel medications, and abdominal radiographic imaging. This was a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized pediatric oncology patients less than 21 years of age in 78 children's and adult hospitals between 2006 and 2011 who were started on seven consecutive days or more of opioid therapy and were started on an oral bowel medication within the first two days of opioid therapy. Clinically detailed administrative data were used from the Pediatric Health Information System and the Premier Perspective Database. After performing propensity score matching of similar patients who started senna and who started a different oral bowel medication, Cox regression modeling was used to compare the subsequent hazard of the surrogate markers. The final matched sample of 586 patients averaged 11.5 years of age (range 0-20 years); 41.8% (n = 245) had blood cancer, 50.3% (n = 295) had solid tumor cancer, and 7.9% (n = 46) had brain cancer. Initiating senna therapy within two days of starting the prolonged opioid course, compared with initiating another oral bowel medication, was significantly associated with a lower hazard during the ensuing five days for receipt of an enema (hazard ratio [HR], 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11-0.91) or undergoing abdominal radiographic imaging (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.55-0.98), was marginally associated with a lower hazard of oral bowel medicine escalation (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.59-1.03), and overall was significantly associated with a lower hazard of the composite end point of problematic constipation (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56-0.88). Initiating senna therapy, compared with other oral bowel medications, diminishes the subsequent risk of surrogate markers of problematic constipation in this population. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A quantitative dynamic systems model of health-related quality of life among older adults

PubMed Central

Roppolo, Mattia; Kunnen, E Saskia; van Geert, Paul L; Mulasso, Anna; Rabaglietti, Emanuela

2015-01-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a person-centered concept. The analysis of HRQOL is highly relevant in the aged population, which is generally suffering from health decline. Starting from a conceptual dynamic systems model that describes the development of HRQOL in individuals over time, this study aims to develop and test a quantitative dynamic systems model, in order to reveal the possible dynamic trends of HRQOL among older adults. The model is tested in different ways: first, with a calibration procedure to test whether the model produces theoretically plausible results, and second, with a preliminary validation procedure using empirical data of 194 older adults. This first validation tested the prediction that given a particular starting point (first empirical data point), the model will generate dynamic trajectories that lead to the observed endpoint (second empirical data point). The analyses reveal that the quantitative model produces theoretically plausible trajectories, thus providing support for the calibration procedure. Furthermore, the analyses of validation show a good fit between empirical and simulated data. In fact, no differences were found in the comparison between empirical and simulated final data for the same subgroup of participants, whereas the comparison between different subgroups of people resulted in significant differences. These data provide an initial basis of evidence for the dynamic nature of HRQOL during the aging process. Therefore, these data may give new theoretical and applied insights into the study of HRQOL and its development with time in the aging population. PMID:26604722

42 CFR 137.302 - Are Federal funds available to cover start-up costs associated with initial Tribal assumption of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... associated with initial Tribal assumption of environmental responsibilities? 137.302 Section 137.302 Public... OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Construction Nepa Process § 137.302 Are Federal funds available to cover start-up costs associated with initial Tribal assumption of environmental...

42 CFR 137.302 - Are Federal funds available to cover start-up costs associated with initial Tribal assumption of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... associated with initial Tribal assumption of environmental responsibilities? 137.302 Section 137.302 Public... OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Construction Nepa Process § 137.302 Are Federal funds available to cover start-up costs associated with initial Tribal assumption of environmental...

Relaxation of vacuum energy in q-theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinkhamer, F. R.; Savelainen, M.; Volovik, G. E.

2017-08-01

The q-theory formalism aims to describe the thermodynamics and dynamics of the deep quantum vacuum. The thermodynamics leads to an exact cancellation of the quantum-field zero-point-energies in equilibrium, which partly solves the main cosmological constant problem. But, with reversible dynamics, the spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe asymptotically approaches the Minkowski vacuum only if the Big Bang already started out in an initial equilibrium state. Here, we extend q-theory by introducing dissipation from irreversible processes. Neglecting the possible instability of a de-Sitter vacuum, we obtain different scenarios with either a de-Sitter asymptote or collapse to a final singularity. The Minkowski asymptote still requires fine-tuning of the initial conditions. This suggests that, within the q-theory approach, the decay of the de-Sitter vacuum is a necessary condition for the dynamical solution of the cosmological constant problem.

Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics: Charge migration and charge transfer initiated near a conical intersection

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

Mendive-Tapia, David; Vacher, Morgane; Bearpark, Michael J.

Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics, implemented using the Ehrenfest method, has been used to study charge migration with fixed nuclei, together with charge transfer when nuclei are allowed to move. Simulations were initiated at reference geometries of neutral benzene and 2-phenylethylamine (PEA), and at geometries close to potential energy surface crossings in the cations. Cationic eigenstates, and the so-called sudden approximation, involving removal of an electron from a correlated ground-state wavefunction for the neutral species, were used as initial conditions. Charge migration without coupled nuclear motion could be observed if the Ehrenfest simulation, using the sudden approximation, was started near a conicalmore » intersection where the states were both strongly coupled and quasi-degenerate. Further, the main features associated with charge migration were still recognizable when the nuclear motion was allowed to couple. In the benzene radical cation, starting from the reference neutral geometry with the sudden approximation, one could observe sub-femtosecond charge migration with a small amplitude, which results from weak interaction with higher electronic states. However, we were able to engineer large amplitude charge migration, with a period between 10 and 100 fs, corresponding to oscillation of the electronic structure between the quinoid and anti-quinoid cationic electronic configurations, by distorting the geometry along the derivative coupling vector from the D{sub 6h} Jahn-Teller crossing to lower symmetry where the states are not degenerate. When the nuclear motion becomes coupled, the period changes only slightly. In PEA, in an Ehrenfest trajectory starting from the D{sub 2} eigenstate and reference geometry, a partial charge transfer occurs after about 12 fs near the first crossing between D{sub 1}, D{sub 2} (N{sup +}-Phenyl, N-Phenyl{sup +}). If the Ehrenfest propagation is started near this point, using the sudden approximation without coupled nuclear motion, one observes an oscillation of the spin density – charge migration – between the N atom and the phenyl ring with a period of 4 fs. When the nuclear motion becomes coupled, this oscillation persists in a damped form, followed by an effective charge transfer after 30 fs.« less

Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics: Charge migration and charge transfer initiated near a conical intersection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendive-Tapia, David; Vacher, Morgane; Bearpark, Michael J.; Robb, Michael A.

2013-07-01

Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics, implemented using the Ehrenfest method, has been used to study charge migration with fixed nuclei, together with charge transfer when nuclei are allowed to move. Simulations were initiated at reference geometries of neutral benzene and 2-phenylethylamine (PEA), and at geometries close to potential energy surface crossings in the cations. Cationic eigenstates, and the so-called sudden approximation, involving removal of an electron from a correlated ground-state wavefunction for the neutral species, were used as initial conditions. Charge migration without coupled nuclear motion could be observed if the Ehrenfest simulation, using the sudden approximation, was started near a conical intersection where the states were both strongly coupled and quasi-degenerate. Further, the main features associated with charge migration were still recognizable when the nuclear motion was allowed to couple. In the benzene radical cation, starting from the reference neutral geometry with the sudden approximation, one could observe sub-femtosecond charge migration with a small amplitude, which results from weak interaction with higher electronic states. However, we were able to engineer large amplitude charge migration, with a period between 10 and 100 fs, corresponding to oscillation of the electronic structure between the quinoid and anti-quinoid cationic electronic configurations, by distorting the geometry along the derivative coupling vector from the D6h Jahn-Teller crossing to lower symmetry where the states are not degenerate. When the nuclear motion becomes coupled, the period changes only slightly. In PEA, in an Ehrenfest trajectory starting from the D2 eigenstate and reference geometry, a partial charge transfer occurs after about 12 fs near the first crossing between D1, D2 (N+-Phenyl, N-Phenyl+). If the Ehrenfest propagation is started near this point, using the sudden approximation without coupled nuclear motion, one observes an oscillation of the spin density - charge migration - between the N atom and the phenyl ring with a period of 4 fs. When the nuclear motion becomes coupled, this oscillation persists in a damped form, followed by an effective charge transfer after 30 fs.

Early initiation of low-dose hydrocortisone treatment for septic shock in adults: A randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Lv, Qing-Quan; Gu, Xiao-Hua; Chen, Qi-Hong; Yu, Jiang-Quan; Zheng, Rui-Qiang

2017-12-01

Physiologic dose hydrocortisone is part of the suggested adjuvant therapies for patients with septic shock. However, the association between the corticosteroid therapy and mortality in patients with septic shock is still not clear. Some authors considered that the mortality is related to the time frame between development of septic shock and start of low dose hydrocortisone. Thus we designed a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to assess the importance of early initiation of low dose hydrocortisone for the final outcome. A total of 118 patients with septic shock were recruited in the study. All eligible patients were randomized to receive hydrocortisone (n=58) or normal saline (n=60). The study medication (hydrocortisone and normal saline) was initiated simultaneously with vasopressors. The primary end-point was 28-day mortality. The secondary end-points were the reversal of shock, in-hospital mortality and the duration of ICU and hospital stay. The proportion of patients with reversal of shock was similar in the two groups (P=0.602); There were no significant differences in 28-day or hospital all-cause mortality; length of stay in the ICU or hospital between patients treated with hydrocortisone or normal saline. The early initiation of low-dose of hydrocortisone did not decrease the risk of mortality, and the length of stay in the ICU or hospital in adults with septic shock. www.clinicaltrials.govNCT02580240. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

34 CFR 200.16 - Starting points.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Using data from the 2001-2002 school year, each State must establish starting points in reading/language... of proficient students in the school that represents 20 percent of the State's total enrollment among all schools ranked by the percentage of students at the proficient level. The State must determine...

Starting geometry creation and design method for freeform optics.

PubMed

Bauer, Aaron; Schiesser, Eric M; Rolland, Jannick P

2018-05-01

We describe a method for designing freeform optics based on the aberration theory of freeform surfaces that guides the development of a taxonomy of starting-point geometries with an emphasis on manufacturability. An unconventional approach to the optimization of these starting designs wherein the rotationally invariant 3rd-order aberrations are left uncorrected prior to unobscuring the system is shown to be effective. The optimal starting-point geometry is created for an F/3, 200 mm aperture-class three-mirror imager and is fully optimized using a novel step-by-step method over a 4 × 4 degree field-of-view to exemplify the design method. We then optimize an alternative starting-point geometry that is common in the literature but was quantified here as a sub-optimal candidate for optimization with freeform surfaces. A comparison of the optimized geometries shows the performance of the optimal geometry is at least 16× better, which underscores the importance of the geometry when designing freeform optics.

Cascade of Refusal-What Does It Mean for the Future of Treatment as Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa?

PubMed

Katz, Ingrid T; Bangsberg, David R

2016-04-01

Recent recommendations by the World Health Organization support treatment for all people living with HIV (PLWH) globally to be initiated at the point of testing. While there has been marked success in efforts to identify and expand treatment for PLWH throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the goal of universal treatment may prove challenging to achieve. The pre-ART phase of the care cascade from HIV testing to HIV treatment initiation includes several social and structural barriers. One such barrier is antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment refusal, a phenomenon in which HIV-infected individuals choose not to start treatment upon learning their ART eligibility. Our goal is to provide further understanding of why treatment-eligible adults may choose to present for HIV testing but not initiate ART when indicated. In this article, we will discuss factors driving pre-ART loss and present a framework for understanding the impact of decision-making on early losses in the care cascade, with a focus on ART refusal.

G4 motifs affect origin positioning and efficiency in two vertebrate replicators

PubMed Central

Valton, Anne-Laure; Hassan-Zadeh, Vahideh; Lema, Ingrid; Boggetto, Nicole; Alberti, Patrizia; Saintomé, Carole; Riou, Jean-François; Prioleau, Marie-Noëlle

2014-01-01

DNA replication ensures the accurate duplication of the genome at each cell cycle. It begins at specific sites called replication origins. Genome-wide studies in vertebrates have recently identified a consensus G-rich motif potentially able to form G-quadruplexes (G4) in most replication origins. However, there is no experimental evidence to demonstrate that G4 are actually required for replication initiation. We show here, with two model origins, that G4 motifs are required for replication initiation. Two G4 motifs cooperate in one of our model origins. The other contains only one critical G4, and its orientation determines the precise position of the replication start site. Point mutations affecting the stability of this G4 in vitro also impair origin function. Finally, this G4 is not sufficient for origin activity and must cooperate with a 200-bp cis-regulatory element. In conclusion, our study strongly supports the predicted essential role of G4 in replication initiation. PMID:24521668

A comparative analysis of simulated and observed landslide locations triggered by Hurricane Camille in Nelson County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrissey, M.M.; Wieczorek, G.F.; Morgan, B.A.

2008-01-01

In 1969, Nelson County, Virginia received up to 71 cm of rain within 12 h starting at 7 p.m. on August 19. The total rainfall from the storm exceeded the 1000-year return period in the region. Several thousands of landslides were induced by rainfall associated with Hurricane Camille causing fatalities and destroying infrastructure. We apply a distributed transient response model for regional slope stability analysis to shallow landslides. Initiation points of over 3000 debris flows and effects of flooding from this storm are applied to the model. Geotechnical data used in the calculations are published data from samples of colluvium. Results from these calculations are compared with field observations such as landslide trigger location and timing of debris flows to assess how well the model predicts the spatial and temporal distribution. of landslide initiation locations. The model predicts many of the initiation locations in areas where debris flows are observed. Copyright ?? 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analysis of motion of the body of a motor car hit on its side by another passenger car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gidlewski, M.; Prochowski, L.

2016-09-01

Based on an analysis of the course of a few experimental crash tests, a physical model and afterwards a mathematical model were prepared to describe the motion of bodies of the vehicles involved during the phase of impact. The motion was analysed in a global coordinate system attached to the road surface. Local coordinate systems were also adopted with their origins being placed at the centres of mass of the vehicles. Equations of motion of the model were derived. The calculation results enabled defining the influence of the location of the point of impact against the vehicle side on e.g. the following: - time history of the impact force exerted by the impacting car (A) on the impacted car (B) as well as characteristic values of this force and of the impulse of the impact force; - time histories showing changes in the velocity of the centre of vehicle mass and in the angle of deviation of the velocity vector from the direction of motion of the impacted vehicle before the collision; - trajectory of the centre of mass and angle of rotation of the body of the impacted vehicle. The calculations were focused on the initial period of motion of the body of the impacted vehicle, up to the instant of 200 ms from the start of the collision process. After this time, the vehicles separate from each other and move independently. The results obtained from the calculations covering this initial period make it possible to determine the starting-point values of the parameters to be taken for further calculations of the free post-impact motion of the cars.

One-loop topological expansion for spin glasses in the large connectivity limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiara Angelini, Maria; Parisi, Giorgio; Ricci-Tersenghi, Federico

2018-01-01

We apply for the first time a new one-loop topological expansion around the Bethe solution to the spin-glass model with a field in the high connectivity limit, following the methodological scheme proposed in a recent work. The results are completely equivalent to the well-known ones, found by standard field-theoretical expansion around the fully connected model (Bray and Roberts 1980, and following works). However this method has the advantage that the starting point is the original Hamiltonian of the model, with no need to define an associated field theory, nor to know the initial values of the couplings, and the computations have a clear and simple physical meaning. Moreover this new method can also be applied in the case of zero temperature, when the Bethe model has a transition in field, contrary to the fully connected model that is always in the spin-glass phase. Sharing with finite-dimensional model the finite connectivity properties, the Bethe lattice is clearly a better starting point for an expansion with respect to the fully connected model. The present work is a first step towards the generalization of this new expansion to more difficult and interesting cases as the zero-temperature limit, where the expansion could lead to different results with respect to the standard one.

The impact of tobacco promotion at the point of sale: a systematic review.

PubMed

Paynter, Janine; Edwards, Richard

2009-01-01

Tobacco promotion increases the likelihood that adolescents will start smoking. Much of the tobacco industry's promotional budget is spent on point of sale (PoS) promotion in many jurisdictions. Consequently, tobacco is an eye-catching feature at the PoS in many places. We reviewed the evidence that PoS tobacco promotion influences key smoking-related behaviors and beliefs, increases susceptibility to smoking in youth, undermines smokers' quit attempts, and promotes relapse among ex-smokers. We found 12 peer-reviewed studies, 10 of which were focused on children. Seven of 8 observational studies found statistically significant associations between exposure to tobacco promotion at the PoS and smoking initiation or susceptibility to smoking. Two experimental studies of children found statistically significant associations between exposure to PoS tobacco promotions and beliefs about ease of getting tobacco and smoking prevalence among their peers. An experimental study with adults found that a picture of collected tobacco pack elicited cravings for cigarettes among smokers. A cross-sectional study found that 25% of adult smokers reported impulse purchasing and a third of recent ex-smokers reported urges to start smoking after seeing tobacco displayed. More prospective studies are needed to clarify the temporal relationship between exposure to PoS tobacco and outcome. However, given the addictiveness of tobacco, the severity of the health hazards posed by smoking, the evidence that tobacco promotion encourages children to start smoking, and the consistency of the evidence that PoS promotion influences children's smoking, we believe that ample justification exists for banning PoS advertising and displays of smoked tobacco products.

40 CFR 63.9535 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...(b)(2), if you start up your affected source before October 18, 2002, you must submit your initial... start up your new affected source on or after October 18, 2002, you must submit your initial... status before the close of business on the 30th calendar day following the completion of the initial...

Applicability of low-melting-point microcrystalline wax to develop temperature-sensitive formulations.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Kohei; Kimura, Shin-Ichiro; Iwao, Yasunori; Itai, Shigeru

2017-10-30

Low-melting-point substances are widely used to develop temperature-sensitive formulations. In this study, we focused on microcrystalline wax (MCW) as a low-melting-point substance. We evaluated the drug release behavior of wax matrix (WM) particles using various MCW under various temperature conditions. WM particles containing acetaminophen were prepared using a spray congealing technique. In the dissolution test at 37°C, WM particles containing low-melting-point MCWs whose melting was starting at approx. 40°C (Hi-Mic-1045 or 1070) released the drug initially followed by the release of only a small amount. On the other hand, in the dissolution test at 20 and 25°C for WM particles containing Hi-Mic-1045 and at 20, 25, and 30°C for that containing Hi-Mic-1070, both WM particles showed faster drug release than at 37°C. The characteristic drug release suppression of WM particles containing low-melting-point MCWs at 37°C was thought attributable to MCW melting, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry analysis and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Taken together, low-melting-point MCWs may be applicable to develop implantable temperature-sensitive formulations that drug release is accelerated by cooling at administered site. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time to and factors associated with insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Machado-Alba, Jorge Enrique; Machado-Duque, Manuel Enrique; Moreno-Gutierrez, Paula Andrea

2015-03-01

Determine the time between the start of oral antidiabetic therapy (OAD) and the initiation of insulin therapy and to establish factors associated with insulin prescription among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Colombia. Cohort, retrospective, population-based study. We identify patients with T2DM who started OAD therapy between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2008, and a 5-year follow-up was performed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for time to start insulin therapy was generated and factors associated with insulin initiation were determined using logistic regression. A total of 1042 patients (52.4% women), mean age 63.4 years at the start of pharmacological treatment. After 5 years, 272 patients (26.1%) initiated insulin therapy. Using combination therapy of metformin and glibenclamide was associated with greater risk of insulin initiation (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.12-2.40, p=0.010), while being a male over 45 years of age (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37-0.96, p=0.034) and initiating OAD therapy with metformin (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.20-0.46, p<0.001) reduced the risk of insulin use. After 5 years of OAD treatment, 26.1% of people with T2DM started insulin therapy. Age, sex and type of initial OAD affected the probability of switching to insulin in these patients in Colombia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an improved technique for lumen path definition and lumen segmentation of atherosclerotic vessels in CT angiography.

PubMed

van Velsen, Evert F S; Niessen, Wiro J; de Weert, Thomas T; de Monyé, Cécile; van der Lugt, Aad; Meijering, Erik; Stokking, Rik

2007-07-01

Vessel image analysis is crucial when considering therapeutical options for (cardio-) vascular diseases. Our method, VAMPIRE (Vascular Analysis using Multiscale Paths Inferred from Ridges and Edges), involves two parts: a user defines a start- and endpoint upon which a lumen path is automatically defined, and which is used for initialization; the automatic segmentation of the vessel lumen on computed tomographic angiography (CTA) images. Both parts are based on the detection of vessel-like structures by analyzing intensity, edge, and ridge information. A multi-observer evaluation study was performed to compare VAMPIRE with a conventional method on the CTA data of 15 patients with carotid artery stenosis. In addition to the start- and endpoint, the two radiologists required on average 2.5 (SD: 1.9) additional points to define a lumen path when using the conventional method, and 0.1 (SD: 0.3) when using VAMPIRE. The segmentation results were quantitatively evaluated using Similarity Indices, which were slightly lower between VAMPIRE and the two radiologists (respectively 0.90 and 0.88) compared with the Similarity Index between the radiologists (0.92). The evaluation shows that the improved definition of a lumen path requires minimal user interaction, and that using this path as initialization leads to good automatic lumen segmentation results.

Improving quality of care for depression: the German Action Programme for the implementation of evidence-based guidelines.

PubMed

Härter, Martin; Bermejo, Isaac; Ollenschläger, Günter; Schneider, Frank; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Hegerl, Ulrich; Niebling, Wilhelm; Berger, Mathias

2006-04-01

Depressive disorders are of great medical and political significance. The potential inherent in achieving better guideline orientation and a better collaboration between different types of care is clear. Throughout the 1990s, educational initiatives were started for implementing guidelines. Evidence-based guidelines on depression have been formulated in many countries. This article presents an action programme for structural, educational, and research-related measures to implement evidence-based care of depressive disorders in the German health system. The starting points of the programme are the 'Guidelines Critical Appraisal Reports' of the 'Guideline Clearing House' and measures from the 'Competence Network on Depression and Suicidality' (CNDS) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The article gives an overview of the steps achieved as recommended by the Guidelines Critical Appraisal Reports and the ongoing transfer process into the German health care system. The action programme shows that comprehensive interventions to develop and introduce evidence-based guidelines for depression can achieve benefits in the care of depression, e.g. in recognition, management, and clinical outcome. It was possible to implement the German Action Programme in selected care settings, and initial evaluation results suggest some improvements. The action programme provides preliminary work, materials, and results for developing a future 'Disease Management Programme' (DMP) for depression.

Setting the scene for SWOT: global maps of river reach hydrodynamic variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schumann, Guy J.-P.; Durand, Michael; Pavelsky, Tamlin; Lion, Christine; Allen, George

2017-04-01

Credible and reliable characterization of discharge from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission using the Manning-based algorithms needs a prior estimate constraining reach-scale channel roughness, base flow and river bathymetry. For some places, any one of those variables may exist locally or even regionally as a measurement, which is often only at a station, or sometimes as a basin-wide model estimate. However, to date none of those exist at the scale required for SWOT and thus need to be mapped at a continental scale. The prior estimates will be employed for producing initial discharge estimates, which will be used as starting-guesses for the various Manning-based algorithms, to be refined using the SWOT measurements themselves. A multitude of reach-scale variables were derived, including Landsat-based width, SRTM slope and accumulation area. As a possible starting point for building the prior database of low flow, river bathymetry and channel roughness estimates, we employed a variety of sources, including data from all GRDC records, simulations from the long-time runs of the global water balance model (WBM), and reach-based calculations from hydraulic geometry relationships as well as Manning's equation. Here, we present the first global maps of this prior database with some initial validation, caveats and prospective uses.

Ground surface deformation patterns, magma supply, and magma storage at Okmok volcano, Alaska, from InSAR analysis: 1. Intereruption deformation, 1997–2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, Zhong; Dzurisin, Daniel; Biggs, Juliet; Wicks, Charles; McNutt, Steve

2010-01-01

Starting soon after the 1997 eruption at Okmok volcano and continuing until the start of the 2008 eruption, magma accumulated in a storage zone centered ~3.5 km beneath the caldera floor at a rate that varied with time. A Mogi-type point pressure source or finite sphere with a radius of 1 km provides an adequate fit to the deformation field portrayed in time-sequential interferometric synthetic aperture radar images. From the end of the 1997 eruption through summer 2004, magma storage increased by 3.2–4.5 × 107 m3, which corresponds to 75–85% of the magma volume erupted in 1997. Thereafter, the average magma supply rate decreased such that by 10 July 2008, 2 days before the start of the 2008 eruption, magma storage had increased by 3.7–5.2 × 107 m3 or 85–100% of the 1997 eruption volume. We propose that the supply rate decreased in response to the diminishing pressure gradient between the shallow storage zone and a deeper magma source region. Eventually the effects of continuing magma supply and vesiculation of stored magma caused a critical pressure threshold to be exceeded, triggering the 2008 eruption. A similar pattern of initially rapid inflation followed by oscillatory but generally slowing inflation was observed prior to the 1997 eruption. In both cases, withdrawal of magma during the eruptions depressurized the shallow storage zone, causing significant volcano-wide subsidence and initiating a new intereruption deformation cycle.

Effect of sample initial magnetic field on the metal magnetic memory NDT result

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moonesan, Mahdi; Kashefi, Mehrdad

2018-08-01

One of the major concerns regarding the use of Metal Magnetic Memory (MMM) technique is the complexity of residual magnetization effect on output signals. The present study investigates the influence of residual magnetic field on stress induced magnetization. To this end, various initial magnetic fields were induced on a low carbon steel sample, and for each level of residual magnetic field, the sample was subjected to a set of 4-point bending tests and, their corresponding MMM signals were collected from the surface of the bended sample using a tailored metal magnetic memory scanning device. Results showed a strong correlation between sample residual magnetic field and its corresponding level of stress induced magnetic field. It was observed that the sample magnetic field increases with applying the bending stress as long as the initial residual magnet field is low (i.e. <117 mG), but starts decreasing with higher levels of initial residual magnetic fields. Besides, effect of bending stress on the MMM output of a notched sample was investigated. The result, again, showed that MMM signals exhibit a drop at stress concentration zone when sample has high level of initial residual magnetic field.

Influence of Femoral Component Design on Retrograde Femoral Nail Starting Point.

PubMed

Service, Benjamin C; Kang, William; Turnbull, Nathan; Langford, Joshua; Haidukewych, George; Koval, Kenneth J

2015-10-01

Our experience with retrograde femoral nailing after periprosthetic distal femur fractures was that femoral components with deep trochlear grooves posteriorly displace the nail entry point resulting in recurvatum deformity. This study evaluated the influence of distal femoral prosthetic design on the starting point. One hundred lateral knee images were examined. The distal edge of Blumensaat's line was used to create a ratio of its location compared with the maximum anteroposterior condylar width called the starting point ratio (SPR). Femoral trials from 6 manufacturers were analyzed to determine the location of simulated nail position in the sagittal plane compared with the maximum anteroposterior prosthetic width. These measurements were used to create a ratio, the femoral component ratio (FCR). The FCR was compared with the SPR to determine if a femoral component would be at risk for retrograde nail starting point posterior to the Blumensaat's line. The mean SPR was 0.392 ± 0.03, and the mean FCR was 0.416 ± 0.05, which was significantly greater (P = 0.003). The mean FCR was 0.444 ± 0.06 for the cruciate retaining (CR) trials and was 0.393 ± 0.04 for the posterior stabilized trials; this difference was significant (P < 0.001). The FCR for the femoral trials studied was significantly greater than the SPR for native knees and was significantly greater for CR femoral components compared with posterior stabilized components. These findings demonstrate that many total knee prostheses, particularly CR designs, are at risk for a starting point posterior to Blumensaat's line.

COREnet: The Fusion of Social Network Analysis and Target Audience Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

misunderstanding of MISO (PSYOP) not only in doctrine, but also in practice, is easily understood. MISO has a long history of name changes starting ...TAA does not strictly adhere to any particular theory; studying dynamics is a valid starting point for analysis, and is naturally congruent with the...provides a starting point for further analysis. The PO is a pre-approved objective by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) (JP 3–53, 2003, V-1

Selection of Thermal Worst-Case Orbits via Modified Efficient Global Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moeller, Timothy M.; Wilhite, Alan W.; Liles, Kaitlin A.

2014-01-01

Efficient Global Optimization (EGO) was used to select orbits with worst-case hot and cold thermal environments for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III. The SAGE III system thermal model changed substantially since the previous selection of worst-case orbits (which did not use the EGO method), so the selections were revised to ensure the worst cases are being captured. The EGO method consists of first conducting an initial set of parametric runs, generated with a space-filling Design of Experiments (DoE) method, then fitting a surrogate model to the data and searching for points of maximum Expected Improvement (EI) to conduct additional runs. The general EGO method was modified by using a multi-start optimizer to identify multiple new test points at each iteration. This modification facilitates parallel computing and decreases the burden of user interaction when the optimizer code is not integrated with the model. Thermal worst-case orbits for SAGE III were successfully identified and shown by direct comparison to be more severe than those identified in the previous selection. The EGO method is a useful tool for this application and can result in computational savings if the initial Design of Experiments (DoE) is selected appropriately.

Adaptive rood pattern search for fast block-matching motion estimation.

PubMed

Nie, Yao; Ma, Kai-Kuang

2002-01-01

In this paper, we propose a novel and simple fast block-matching algorithm (BMA), called adaptive rood pattern search (ARPS), which consists of two sequential search stages: 1) initial search and 2) refined local search. For each macroblock (MB), the initial search is performed only once at the beginning in order to find a good starting point for the follow-up refined local search. By doing so, unnecessary intermediate search and the risk of being trapped into local minimum matching error points could be greatly reduced in long search case. For the initial search stage, an adaptive rood pattern (ARP) is proposed, and the ARP's size is dynamically determined for each MB, based on the available motion vectors (MVs) of the neighboring MBs. In the refined local search stage, a unit-size rood pattern (URP) is exploited repeatedly, and unrestrictedly, until the final MV is found. To further speed up the search, zero-motion prejudgment (ZMP) is incorporated in our method, which is particularly beneficial to those video sequences containing small motion contents. Extensive experiments conducted based on the MPEG-4 Verification Model (VM) encoding platform show that the search speed of our proposed ARPS-ZMP is about two to three times faster than that of the diamond search (DS), and our method even achieves higher peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) particularly for those video sequences containing large and/or complex motion contents.

Saying goodbye to the hero: Jung, Liber Novus and conversion from addiction.

PubMed

Addenbrooke, Mary

2015-06-01

Two chapters in Liber Novus throw fresh light on Jung's epistemology of addiction. Taking these as a starting point, the nature of the challenges that patients confront in leaving addiction behind are explored. It is suggested that an archetypal process of separation is constellated at the point of quitting as the precursor to a life without the object of the addiction. A short account is given of Jung's part in the inception of Alcoholics Anonymous and the potential role of a 'conversion experience' as an initiation into psychological reorientation away from the negative individuation experienced by the hero. The case of a patient addicted to heroin illustrates the contribution of an analytic approach in an NHS setting, along with other workers in a rehabilitation centre. Certain challenges of working with addicted people are outlined, including arousal of the psychotherapist's rescue fantasies. © 2015, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Puberty and the Education of Girls*

PubMed Central

CAVANAGH, SHANNON E.; RIEGLE-CRUMB, CATHERINE; CROSNOE, ROBERT

2010-01-01

This study extends previous research on the social psychological implications of pubertal timing to education by applying a life course framework to data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study. Early pubertal timing, which has previously been associated with major social psychological changes in girls' lives during middle school, predicted girls' grade point average and probability of course failure at the start of high school. Because of this initial failure during the high school transition, it also predicted their probability of dropping out of high school, and, among those who graduated, their grade point average at the end of high school. Such research demonstrates one way in which the immediate social psychological risk of early pubertal timing, measured as the age at menarche, translates into long-term disadvantage for girls, thereby opening up new avenues of research for social psychologists interested in youth development, health, and education. PMID:20216926

An Alternative Starting Point for Fraction Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortina, José Luis; Višnovská, Jana; Zúñiga, Claudia

2015-01-01

We analyze the results of a study conducted for the purpose of assessing the viability of an alternative starting point for teaching fractions. The alternative is based on Freudenthal's insights about fraction as comparison. It involves portraying the entities that unit fractions quantify as always being apart from the reference unit, instead of…

33 CFR 165.915 - Security zones; Captain of the Port Detroit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the starting point at 41°58.4′ N, 083°15.4′ W (NAD 83). (2) Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station. All... to the starting point 41°36.1′ N, 083°04.7′ W (NAD 83). (b) Regulations. (1) In accordance with § 165...

Length, Area, and Volume--or, Just Geometry Really

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Derek

2012-01-01

Many delegates at "conference" relish the opportunity, and the space, to "do some mathematics". Opportunity and space help to make the experience memorable, but how often is the quality of the starting point, or question acknowledged? Here is a set of starting points or problems that invite the reader to "do some mathematics". Deliberately, no…

Metabolism of tetralin (1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene) in Corynebacterium sp. strain C125

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

Sikkema, J.; Bont, J.A.M. de

1993-02-01

Tetralin, widely used as a solvent in the petrochemical industry and in paints and waxes, degrades slowly in mixed cultures of microorganisms or in the presence of cosubstrates. This study reports on the metabolism of tetralin in the o-xylene-isolated Corynebacterium sp. strain C125. The researchers found that this organism attacks tetralin by an initial oxidation of the aromatic nucleus at positions C-5 and C-6 and they propose a four step inducible degradation pathway for tetralin starting at that point. The presence of the pathway makes this bacteria an excellent catalyst for the specific production of special cis-dihydro diols.

Two approaches to the rapid screening of crystallization conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcpherson, Alexander

1992-01-01

A screening procedure is described for estimating conditions under which crystallization will proceed, thus providing a starting point for more careful experiments. The initial procedure uses the experimental setup of McPherson (1982) which supports 24 individual hanging drop experiments for screening variables such as the precipitant type, the pH, the temperature, and the effects of certain additives and which uses about 1 mg of protein. A second approach is proposed (which is rather hypothetical at this stage and needs a larger sample), based on the isoelectric focusing of protein samples on concentration gradients of common precipitating agents. Using this approach, crystals of concanavalin B and canavalin were obtained.

Twelve tips for postgraduate or undergraduate medics building a basic microsurgery simulation training course.

PubMed

Mason, Katrina A; Theodorakopoulou, Evgenia; Pafitanis, Georgios; Ghanem, Ali M; Myers, Simon R

2016-09-01

Microsurgery is used in a variety of surgical specialties, including Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial Surgery, Ophthalmic Surgery, Otolaryngology and Neurosurgery. It is considered one of the most technically challenging fields of surgery. Microsurgical skills demand fine, precise and controlled movements, and microsurgical skill acquisition has a steep initial learning curve. Microsurgical simulation provides a safe environment for skill acquisition before operating clinically. The traditional starting point for anyone wanting to pursue microsurgery is a basic simulation training course. We present twelve tips for postgraduate and undergraduate medics on how to set up and run a basic ex-vivo microsurgery simulation training course suitable for their peers.

The EVOTION Decision Support System: Utilizing It for Public Health Policy-Making in Hearing Loss.

PubMed

Katrakazas, Panagiotis; Trenkova, Lyubov; Milas, Josip; Brdaric, Dario; Koutsouris, Dimitris

2017-01-01

As Decision Support Systems start to play a significant role in decision making, especially in the field of public-health policy making, we present an initial attempt to formulate such a system in the concept of public health policy making for hearing loss related problems. Justification for the system's conceptual architecture and its key functionalities are presented. The introduction of the EVOTION DSS sets a key innovation and a basis for paradigm shift in policymaking, by incorporating relevant models, big data analytics and generic demographic data. Expected outcomes for this joint effort are discussed from a public-health point of view.

Dissipative preparation of entanglement in optical cavities.

PubMed

Kastoryano, M J; Reiter, F; Sørensen, A S

2011-03-04

We propose a novel scheme for the preparation of a maximally entangled state of two atoms in an optical cavity. Starting from an arbitrary initial state, a singlet state is prepared as the unique fixed point of a dissipative quantum dynamical process. In our scheme, cavity decay is no longer undesirable, but plays an integral part in the dynamics. As a result, we get a qualitative improvement in the scaling of the fidelity with the cavity parameters. Our analysis indicates that dissipative state preparation is more than just a new conceptual approach, but can allow for significant improvement as compared to preparation protocols based on coherent unitary dynamics.

Implementing security in a distributed web-based EHCR.

PubMed

Sucurovic, Snezana

2007-01-01

In many countries there are initiatives for building an integrated patient-centric electronic health record. There are also initiatives for transnational integrations. These growing demands for integration result from the fact that it can provide improving healthcare treatments and reducing the cost of healthcare services. While in European highly developed countries computerisation in healthcare sector began in the 1970s and reached a high level, some developing countries, and Serbia among them, have started computerisation recently. This is why MEDIS (MEDical Information System) is aimed at integration itself from the very beginning instead of integration of heterogeneous information systems on a middle layer or using HL7 protocol. The implementation of a national healthcare information system requires using standards as integrated and widely accepted solutions. Therefore, we have started building MEDIS to meet the requirements of CEN ENV 13606 and CEN ENV 13729 standards. The prototype version has a distributed component-based architecture with modern security solutions applied. MEDIS has been implemented as a federated system where the central server hosts basic EHCR information about a patient, and clinical servers contain their own part of patients' EHCR. At present, there is an initial version of prototype planned to be deployed at first in a small community. In particular, open source API for X.509 authentication and authorisation has been developed. Our project meets the requirements for education in health informatics, including appropriate knowledge and skills on EHCR. The points included in this article have been presented on several national conferences and widely discussed. MEDIS has explored a federated, component-based EHCR architecture and related security aspects. In its initial version it shows acceptable performances and administrative simplicity. It emphasizes the importance of using standards in building EHCR in our country, in order to prepare it for future integrations.

Healthy start program participation: the consumers' perspective.

PubMed

Ley, Christine E; Copeland, Valire Carr; Flint, Cheryl Squire

2011-01-01

In 1991, the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau developed the Healthy Start Initiative as a comprehensive community-based program to eliminate the high rates of poor pregnancy outcomes among women of color. To date, few studies of the programmatic outcomes of this Initiative have examined the views of Healthy Start consumers. To understand the benefits of Healthy Start from their consumers' perspective, the Pittsburgh Allegheny County Healthy Start project conducted a survey of 202 of their Healthy Start participants in 2003. The participants completing the survey reported benefits of participating in the program including stress reduction, receiving resources and referrals, and consistent social support of program staff. According to the project's annual statistics, Healthy Start has improved pregnancy outcomes among African American women participants in the Pittsburgh community. However, and according to these participants, the quality of staff and consumer connectedness, availability and consistency of material resources, and social support are as critical as more traditional health interventions to their satisfaction, motivation to participate, and willingness to refer others to the program. Women of color will often forego health services perceived as intimidating and/or culturally insensitive, but programs such as the Healthy Start Initiative offer a critical link that encourages participation and, as a result, improves maternal and child health status.

The influence of plan modulation on the interplay effect in VMAT liver SBRT treatments.

PubMed

Hubley, Emily; Pierce, Greg

2017-08-01

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) uses multileaf collimator (MLC) leaves, gantry speed, and dose rate to modulate beam fluence, producing the highly conformal doses required for liver radiotherapy. When targets that move with respiration are treated with a dynamic fluence, there exists the possibility for interplay between the target and leaf motions. This study employs a novel motion simulation technique to determine if VMAT liver SBRT plans with an increase in MLC leaf modulation are more susceptible to dosimetric differences in the GTV due to interplay effects. For ten liver SBRT patients, two VMAT plans with different amounts of MLC leaf modulation were created. Motion was simulated using a random starting point in the respiratory cycle for each fraction. To isolate the interplay effect, motion was also simulated using four specific starting points in the respiratory cycle. The dosimetric differences caused by different starting points were examined by subtracting resultant dose distributions from each other. When motion was simulated using random starting points for each fraction, or with specific starting points, there were significantly more dose differences in the GTV (maximum 100cGy) for more highly modulated plans, but the overall plan quality was not adversely affected. Plans with more MLC leaf modulation are more susceptible to interplay effects, but dose differences in the GTV are clinically negligible in magnitude. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Minnesota: Early Head Start Initiatiive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

2012-01-01

Minnesota provides supplemental state funding to existing federal Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) grantees to increase their capacity to serve additional infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. The initiative was started in 1997 when the state legislature earmarked $1 million of the general state Head Start supplemental funds for children…

33 CFR 165.911 - Security Zones; Captain of the Port Buffalo Zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...′ N, 076°23.2′ W; and then following the shoreline back to the point of origin (NAD 83). (2) Ginna... 43°16.7′ N, 077°18.3′ W; then following the shoreline back to starting point (NAD 83). (3) Moses... northwest to 45°00.36′ N, 074°48.16′ W; then northeast back to the starting point (NAD 83). (4) Long Sault...

Paleolakes and life on early Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, M. A.; Wharton, Robert A., Jr.; Mckay, C. P.

1991-01-01

Two distinct directions have begun to elucidate key parameters in the search for extinct life on Mars. Carbonate sediments, deposited about 10,000 years ago in association with biological activity, have been sampled from the paleolake beds of Lake Vanda and Meirs in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica. These samples are being analyzed for simple biological signatures that remain in cold and dry paleolake sediments, namely microfossils, percent carbonate, and total organic carbon. Our second initiative is the study of Colour Lake, in the Canadian Arctic, that periodically maintains a perennial ice cover. Physical measurements started this year will be used to determine one end point for ice covered lake environments and will be compared to continuous measurements from Antarctic lakes started in November 1985. Interestingly, Colour Lake also supports benthic mat communities, but the low pH precludes carbonate deposition. This research will broaden our knowledge base for what conditions are necessary for ice covered lake formation and what biological signatures will remain in paleolake deposits.

A lunar construction shack vehicle: Final design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

A lunar construction shack vehicle is a critical component in most of the plans proposed for the construction of a permanent base on the moon. The Selene Engineering Company (SEC) has developed a concept for this vehicle which is both innovative and practical. The design makes use of the most advanced technology available to meet the goals for a safe, versatile and durable habitat that will serve as a starting point for the initial phase of the construction of a permanent lunar base. This document outlines SEC's proposed design for a lander vehicle which will be fully self-sufficient and will provide for all necessary life support, including consumables and radiation protection, needed by the construction crew until they can complete the assembly of a more permanent habitat. Since it is highly likely that it will take more than one crew to complete the construction of a permanent lunar base, the design emphasis is on systems which can be easily maintained and resupplied and which will take a minimum of start up preparation by succeeding crews.

New Universal Rules of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Fidelity

PubMed Central

Zur, Hadas; Tuller, Tamir

2013-01-01

The accepted model of eukaryotic translation initiation begins with the scanning of the transcript by the pre-initiation complex from the 5′end until an ATG codon with a specific nucleotide (nt) context surrounding it is recognized (Kozak rule). According to this model, ATG codons upstream to the beginning of the ORF should affect translation. We perform for the first time, a genome-wide statistical analysis, uncovering a new, more comprehensive and quantitative, set of initiation rules for improving the cost of translation and its efficiency. Analyzing dozens of eukaryotic genomes, we find that in all frames there is a universal trend of selection for low numbers of ATG codons; specifically, 16–27 codons upstream, but also 5–11 codons downstream of the START ATG, include less ATG codons than expected. We further suggest that there is selection for anti optimal ATG contexts in the vicinity of the START ATG. Thus, the efficiency and fidelity of translation initiation is encoded in the 5′UTR as required by the scanning model, but also at the beginning of the ORF. The observed nt patterns suggest that in all the analyzed organisms the pre-initiation complex often misses the START ATG of the ORF, and may start translation from an alternative initiation start-site. Thus, to prevent the translation of undesired proteins, there is selection for nucleotide sequences with low affinity to the pre-initiation complex near the beginning of the ORF. With the new suggested rules we were able to obtain a twice higher correlation with ribosomal density and protein levels in comparison to the Kozak rule alone (e.g. for protein levels r = 0.7 vs. r = 0.31; p<10−12). PMID:23874179

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996: What Welfare Reform Means for Head Start.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuell, Julie; Hanna, Jeff; Oterlei, Jannell; Kariger, Patricia

This National Head Start Association booklet outlines the main provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act and describes how it may affect local Head Start Programs. The document is intended to serve as a starting point for local programs, parents, administrators and policy workers to discuss and plan how Head Start will…

Entangled scalar and tensor fluctuations during inflation

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

Collins, Hael; Vardanyan, Tereza

2016-11-29

We show how the choice of an inflationary state that entangles scalar and tensor fluctuations affects the angular two-point correlation functions of the T, E, and B modes of the cosmic microwave background. The propagators for a state starting with some general quadratic entanglement are solved exactly, leading to predictions for the primordial scalar-scalar, tensor-tensor, and scalar-tensor power spectra. These power spectra are expressed in terms of general functions that describe the entangling structure of the initial state relative to the standard Bunch-Davies vacuum. We illustrate how such a state would modify the angular correlations in the CMB with amore » simple example where the initial state is a small perturbation away from the Bunch-Davies state. Because the state breaks some of the rotational symmetries, the angular power spectra no longer need be strictly diagonal.« less

Aerosol Modeling for the Global Model Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisenstein, Debra K.; Ko, Malcolm K. W.

2001-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop an aerosol module to be used within the framework of the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI). The model development work will be preformed jointly by the University of Michigan and AER, using existing aerosol models at the two institutions as starting points. The GMI aerosol model will be tested, evaluated against observations, and then applied to assessment of the effects of aircraft sulfur emissions as needed by the NASA Subsonic Assessment in 2001. The work includes the following tasks: 1. Implementation of the sulfur cycle within GMI, including sources, sinks, and aqueous conversion of sulfur. Aerosol modules will be added as they are developed and the GMI schedule permits. 2. Addition of aerosol types other than sulfate particles, including dust, soot, organic carbon, and black carbon. 3. Development of new and more efficient parameterizations for treating sulfate aerosol nucleation, condensation, and coagulation among different particle sizes and types.

Dynamical patterns and regime shifts in the nonlinear model of soil microorganisms growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaitseva, Maria; Vladimirov, Artem; Winter, Anna-Marie; Vasilyeva, Nadezda

2017-04-01

Dynamical model of soil microorganisms growth and turnover is formulated as a system of nonlinear partial differential equations of reaction-diffusion type. We consider spatial distributions of concentrations of several substrates and microorganisms. Biochemical reactions are modelled by chemical kinetic equations. Transport is modelled by simple linear diffusion for all chemical substances, while for microorganisms we use different transport functions, e.g. some of them can actively move along gradient of substrate concentration, while others cannot move. We solve our model in two dimensions, starting from uniform state with small initial perturbations for various parameters and find parameter range, where small initial perturbations grow and evolve. We search for bifurcation points and critical regime shifts in our model and analyze time-space profile and phase portraits of these solutions approaching critical regime shifts in the system, exploring possibility to detect such shifts in advance. This work is supported by NordForsk, project #81513.

Climate change alters diffusion of forest pest: A model study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Woo Seong; Kim, Hwang-Yong; Kim, Beom Jun

2017-01-01

Population dynamics with spatial information is applied to understand the spread of pests. We introduce a model describing how pests spread in discrete space. The number of pest descendants at each site is controlled by local information such as temperature, precipitation, and the density of pine trees. Our simulation leads to a pest spreading pattern comparable to the real data for pine needle gall midge in the past. We also simulate the model in two different climate conditions based on two different representative concentration pathways scenarios for the future. We observe that after an initial stage of a slow spread of pests, a sudden change in the spreading speed occurs, which is soon followed by a large-scale outbreak. We found that a future climate change causes the outbreak point to occur earlier and that the detailed spatio-temporal pattern of the spread depends on the source position from which the initial pest infection starts.

Direct markers of organ perfusion to guide fluid therapy: when to start, when to stop.

PubMed

Veenstra, G; Ince, C; Boerma, E C

2014-09-01

Up until now, the discussion in the literature as to the choice of fluids is almost completely restricted to the composition, with little to no attention paid to the importance of hemodynamic end points to achieve a desired optimal volume. The determination of fluid volume is left to the discretion of the attending physician with only surrogate markers as guidance the initiation and cessation of fluid therapy. In this article, we aim to discuss the available literature on existing clinical and experimental criteria for the initiation and cessation of fluid therapy. Furthermore, we present recent data that have become available after the introduction of direct in vivo microscopy of the microcirculation at the bedside, and discuss its potential influence on the existing paradigms and controversies in fluid therapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Under Voltage Lock-Out Design Rules for Proper Start-Up of Energy Autonomous Systems Powered by Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boitier, V.; Durand Estèbe, P.; Monthéard, R.; Bafleur, M.; Dilhac, J. M.

2013-12-01

This paper deals with the issue of the initial start-up of an autonomous and battery-free system powered by an energy harvester associated with a storage subsystem based on supercapacitors initially discharged. A review of different low power Under Voltage Lock-Out (UVLO) solutions used to delay the load start-up and to avoid a useless discharge of supercapacitors is presented and discussed.

Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

attack than is possible with actuator -driven aerodynamic control surfaces alone. The Patriot system is deployed world-wide in defense of U.S. and...Start Complete Low Rate Initial Production .. Low Rate Initial Production .. Low Rate Production First D ... First Unit EQuipped IOT &E Start...MAR 2002 SEP 2001 IOT &E Start JAN 2002 JAN 2002 JUL 2002 JAN 2002 Complete SEP 2002 SEP 2002 MAR 2003 SEP 2002 Block 2002 Production Decision OCT

On a Wing and a Prayer: A Holistic Vision for Airpower in Small Wars

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-25

Clausewitz, 156. 7 The MPU Model first and foremost starts with the political nature of war, appropriately defining its character and shape... starts with the beginning of the Cold War and the fight against Communism following World War II, with initial strategic guidance from President...defeat and withdrawal in 1954, a period of gradually increasing US involvement and violence began in and around Vietnam, initially starting with the

Towards 3D Matching of Point Clouds Derived from Oblique and Nadir Airborne Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ming

Because of the low-expense high-efficient image collection process and the rich 3D and texture information presented in the images, a combined use of 2D airborne nadir and oblique images to reconstruct 3D geometric scene has a promising market for future commercial usage like urban planning or first responders. The methodology introduced in this thesis provides a feasible way towards fully automated 3D city modeling from oblique and nadir airborne imagery. In this thesis, the difficulty of matching 2D images with large disparity is avoided by grouping the images first and applying the 3D registration afterward. The procedure starts with the extraction of point clouds using a modified version of the RIT 3D Extraction Workflow. Then the point clouds are refined by noise removal and surface smoothing processes. Since the point clouds extracted from different image groups use independent coordinate systems, there are translation, rotation and scale differences existing. To figure out these differences, 3D keypoints and their features are extracted. For each pair of point clouds, an initial alignment and a more accurate registration are applied in succession. The final transform matrix presents the parameters describing the translation, rotation and scale requirements. The methodology presented in the thesis has been shown to behave well for test data. The robustness of this method is discussed by adding artificial noise to the test data. For Pictometry oblique aerial imagery, the initial alignment provides a rough alignment result, which contains a larger offset compared to that of test data because of the low quality of the point clouds themselves, but it can be further refined through the final optimization. The accuracy of the final registration result is evaluated by comparing it to the result obtained from manual selection of matched points. Using the method introduced, point clouds extracted from different image groups could be combined with each other to build a more complete point cloud, or be used as a complement to existing point clouds extracted from other sources. This research will both improve the state of the art of 3D city modeling and inspire new ideas in related fields.

An Examination of the Starting Point Approach to Design and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Keith; Jarvinen, Esa-Matti

2007-01-01

This study examines the Starting Point Approach (SPA) to design and technology, which is intended to maximize creativity while being manageable for the teacher. The purpose of the study was to examine whether the children could do what the approach requires and in particular whether it promoted their innovative thinking. Data were collected during…

The Use of Mixed Methods in Randomized Control Trials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Howard

2013-01-01

Evaluations should be issues driven, not methods driven. The starting point should be priority programs to be evaluated or policies to be tested. From this starting point, a list of evaluation questions is identified. For each evaluation question, the task is to identify the best available method for answering that question. Hence it is likely…

In the Heart of Teaching: A Two-Dimensional Conception of Teachers' Relational Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aspelin, Jonas

2017-01-01

Research reveals that teachers' relational competence is crucial for successful education. However, the field is still small and largely unexplored, and arguably needs a better and more precise theoretical starting point. This article seeks to help establish such a starting point, aiming to outline a relational framework based on the philosophies…

Computers Don't Byte. A Starting Point for Teachers Using Computers. A Resource Booklet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieberman, Michael; And Others

Designed to provide a starting point for the teacher without computer experience, this booklet deals with both the "how" and the "when" of computers in education. Educational applications described include classroom uses with the student as a passive or an active user and programs for the handicapped; the purpose of computers…

Grammar-Supported 3d Indoor Reconstruction from Point Clouds for As-Built Bim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, S.; Peter, M.; Fritsch, D.

2015-03-01

The paper presents a grammar-based approach for the robust automatic reconstruction of 3D interiors from raw point clouds. The core of the approach is a 3D indoor grammar which is an extension of our previously published grammar concept for the modeling of 2D floor plans. The grammar allows for the modeling of buildings whose horizontal, continuous floors are traversed by hallways providing access to the rooms as it is the case for most office buildings or public buildings like schools, hospitals or hotels. The grammar is designed in such way that it can be embedded in an iterative automatic learning process providing a seamless transition from LOD3 to LOD4 building models. Starting from an initial low-level grammar, automatically derived from the window representations of an available LOD3 building model, hypotheses about indoor geometries can be generated. The hypothesized indoor geometries are checked against observation data - here 3D point clouds - collected in the interior of the building. The verified and accepted geometries form the basis for an automatic update of the initial grammar. By this, the knowledge content of the initial grammar is enriched, leading to a grammar with increased quality. This higher-level grammar can then be applied to predict realistic geometries to building parts where only sparse observation data are available. Thus, our approach allows for the robust generation of complete 3D indoor models whose quality can be improved continuously as soon as new observation data are fed into the grammar-based reconstruction process. The feasibility of our approach is demonstrated based on a real-world example.

Discrete Event Simulation Model of the Polaris 2.1 Gamma Ray Imaging Radiation Detection Device

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

out China, Pakistan, and India as having a minimalist point of view with regards to nuclear weapons. For those in favor of this approach, he does...Referee event graph The referee listens to the start and stops of the mover and determines whether or not the Polaris has entered or exited the...are highlighted in Figure 17: • Polaris start point • Polaris end point • Polaris original waypoints • Polaris ad hoc waypoints • Number of

Newtonian Analysis of a Folded Chain Drop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mungan, Carl E.

2018-05-01

Consider a chain of length L that hangs in a U shape with end A fixed to a rigid support and free end E released from rest starting from the same initial height (call it y = 0) as A. Figure 1 sketches the chain after end E has fallen a distance y. Points O and A are assumed to be close enough to each other and the chain flexible enough that the radius of curvature r at the bottom point C can be taken to be negligibly small (compared to the length of the chain). The problem is to compare the speed of descent v(y) = dy/dt of the free end E of the chain to the speed vfree(y )=√{2 g y } of a free-falling point mass that has descended the same distance y. If v(y) > vfree (y) for all y > 0, then, in a race to fall any arbitrary distance Y (where 0 < Y < L), the chain end E will always beat a simultaneously released point mass, because the fall time t for E will be shorter than tfree for the point mass, t = ∫0 Y d/y v (y )

Annular wave packets at Dirac points in graphene and their probability-density oscillation.

PubMed

Luo, Ji; Valencia, Daniel; Lu, Junqiang

2011-12-14

Wave packets in graphene whose central wave vector is at Dirac points are investigated by numerical calculations. Starting from an initial Gaussian function, these wave packets form into annular peaks that propagate to all directions like ripple-rings on water surface. At the beginning, electronic probability alternates between the central peak and the ripple-rings and transient oscillation occurs at the center. As time increases, the ripple-rings propagate at the fixed Fermi speed, and their widths remain unchanged. The axial symmetry of the energy dispersion leads to the circular symmetry of the wave packets. The fixed speed and widths, however, are attributed to the linearity of the energy dispersion. Interference between states that, respectively, belong to two branches of the energy dispersion leads to multiple ripple-rings and the probability-density oscillation. In a magnetic field, annular wave packets become confined and no longer propagate to infinity. If the initial Gaussian width differs greatly from the magnetic length, expanding and shrinking ripple-rings form and disappear alternatively in a limited spread, and the wave packet resumes the Gaussian form frequently. The probability thus oscillates persistently between the central peak and the ripple-rings. If the initial Gaussian width is close to the magnetic length, the wave packet retains the Gaussian form and its height and width oscillate with a period determined by the first Landau energy. The wave-packet evolution is determined jointly by the initial state and the magnetic field, through the electronic structure of graphene in a magnetic field. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Instruments and Methodologies for the Underwater Tridimensional Digitization and Data Musealization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Repola, L.; Memmolo, R.; Signoretti, D.

2015-04-01

In the research started within the SINAPSIS project of the Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa an underwater stereoscopic scanning aimed at surveying of submerged archaeological sites, integrable to standard systems for geomorphological detection of the coast, has been developed. The project involves the construction of hardware consisting of an aluminum frame supporting a pair of GoPro Hero Black Edition cameras and software for the production of point clouds and the initial processing of data. The software has features for stereoscopic vision system calibration, reduction of noise and the of distortion of underwater captured images, searching for corresponding points of stereoscopic images using stereo-matching algorithms (dense and sparse), for points cloud generating and filtering. Only after various calibration and survey tests carried out during the excavations envisaged in the project, the mastery of methods for an efficient acquisition of data has been achieved. The current development of the system has allowed generation of portions of digital models of real submerged scenes. A semi-automatic procedure for global registration of partial models is under development as a useful aid for the study and musealization of sites.

An online handwriting recognition system for Turkish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vural, Esra; Erdogan, Hakan; Oflazer, Kemal; Yanikoglu, Berrin A.

2004-12-01

Despite recent developments in Tablet PC technology, there has not been any applications for recognizing handwritings in Turkish. In this paper, we present an online handwritten text recognition system for Turkish, developed using the Tablet PC interface. However, even though the system is developed for Turkish, the addressed issues are common to online handwriting recognition systems in general. Several dynamic features are extracted from the handwriting data for each recorded point and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) are used to train letter and word models. We experimented with using various features and HMM model topologies, and report on the effects of these experiments. We started with first and second derivatives of the x and y coordinates and relative change in the pen pressure as initial features. We found that using two more additional features, that is, number of neighboring points and relative heights of each point with respect to the base-line improve the recognition rate. In addition, extracting features within strokes and using a skipping state topology improve the system performance as well. The improved system performance is 94% in recognizing handwritten words from a 1000-word lexicon.

An online handwriting recognition system for Turkish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vural, Esra; Erdogan, Hakan; Oflazer, Kemal; Yanikoglu, Berrin A.

2005-01-01

Despite recent developments in Tablet PC technology, there has not been any applications for recognizing handwritings in Turkish. In this paper, we present an online handwritten text recognition system for Turkish, developed using the Tablet PC interface. However, even though the system is developed for Turkish, the addressed issues are common to online handwriting recognition systems in general. Several dynamic features are extracted from the handwriting data for each recorded point and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) are used to train letter and word models. We experimented with using various features and HMM model topologies, and report on the effects of these experiments. We started with first and second derivatives of the x and y coordinates and relative change in the pen pressure as initial features. We found that using two more additional features, that is, number of neighboring points and relative heights of each point with respect to the base-line improve the recognition rate. In addition, extracting features within strokes and using a skipping state topology improve the system performance as well. The improved system performance is 94% in recognizing handwritten words from a 1000-word lexicon.

Directional learning, but no spatial mapping by rats performing a navigational task in an inverted orientation

PubMed Central

Valerio, Stephane; Clark, Benjamin J.; Chan, Jeremy H. M.; Frost, Carlton P.; Harris, Mark J.; Taube, Jeffrey S.

2010-01-01

Previous studies have identified neurons throughout the rat limbic system that fire as a function of the animal's head direction (HD). This HD signal is particularly robust when rats locomote in the horizontal and vertical planes, but is severely attenuated when locomoting upside-down (Calton & Taube, 2005). Given the hypothesis that the HD signal represents an animal's sense of its directional heading, we evaluated whether rats could accurately navigate in an inverted (upside-down) orientation. The task required the animals to find an escape hole while locomoting inverted on a circular platform suspended from the ceiling. In experiment 1, Long-Evans rats were trained to navigate to the escape hole by locomoting from either one or four start points. Interestingly, no animals from the 4-start point group reached criterion, even after 30 days of training. Animals in the 1-start point group reached criterion after about 6 training sessions. In Experiment 2, probe tests revealed that animals navigating from either 1- or 2-start points utilized distal visual landmarks for accurate orientation. However, subsequent probe tests revealed that their performance was markedly attenuated when required to navigate to the escape hole from a novel starting point. This absence of flexibility while navigating upside-down was confirmed in experiment 3 where we show that the rats do not learn to reach a place, but instead learn separate trajectories to the target hole(s). Based on these results we argue that inverted navigation primarily involves a simple directional strategy based on visual landmarks. PMID:20109566

An Investigation of Starting Point Preferences in Human Performance on Traveling Salesman Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGregor, James N.

2014-01-01

Previous studies have shown that people start traveling sales problem tours significantly more often from boundary than from interior nodes. There are a number of possible reasons for such a tendency: first, it may arise as a direct result of the processes involved in tour construction; second, boundary points may be perceptually more salient than…

40 CFR 86.1336-84 - Engine starting, restarting, and shutdown.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... (4) If a failure to start occurs during the hot start portion of the test and is caused by engine... stalling. (1) If the engine stalls during the initial idle period of either the cold or hot start test, the engine shall be restarted immediately using the appropriate cold or hot starting procedure and the test...

40 CFR 86.1336-84 - Engine starting, restarting, and shutdown.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... (4) If a failure to start occurs during the hot start portion of the test and is caused by engine... stalling. (1) If the engine stalls during the initial idle period of either the cold or hot start test, the engine shall be restarted immediately using the appropriate cold or hot starting procedure and the test...

40 CFR 86.1336-84 - Engine starting, restarting, and shutdown.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (4) If a failure to start occurs during the hot start portion of the test and is caused by engine... stalling. (1) If the engine stalls during the initial idle period of either the cold or hot start test, the engine shall be restarted immediately using the appropriate cold or hot starting procedure and the test...

Screening the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box across Multiple Pathogens Reclassifies Starting Points for Open-Source Drug Discovery

PubMed Central

Sykes, Melissa L.; Jones, Amy J.; Shelper, Todd B.; Simpson, Moana; Lang, Rebecca; Poulsen, Sally-Ann; Sleebs, Brad E.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Open-access drug discovery provides a substantial resource for diseases primarily affecting the poor and disadvantaged. The open-access Pathogen Box collection is comprised of compounds with demonstrated biological activity against specific pathogenic organisms. The supply of this resource by the Medicines for Malaria Venture has the potential to provide new chemical starting points for a number of tropical and neglected diseases, through repurposing of these compounds for use in drug discovery campaigns for these additional pathogens. We tested the Pathogen Box against kinetoplastid parasites and malaria life cycle stages in vitro. Consequently, chemical starting points for malaria, human African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis drug discovery efforts have been identified. Inclusive of this in vitro biological evaluation, outcomes from extensive literature reviews and database searches are provided. This information encompasses commercial availability, literature reference citations, other aliases and ChEMBL number with associated biological activity, where available. The release of this new data for the Pathogen Box collection into the public domain will aid the open-source model of drug discovery. Importantly, this will provide novel chemical starting points for drug discovery and target identification in tropical disease research. PMID:28674055

Screening the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box across Multiple Pathogens Reclassifies Starting Points for Open-Source Drug Discovery.

PubMed

Duffy, Sandra; Sykes, Melissa L; Jones, Amy J; Shelper, Todd B; Simpson, Moana; Lang, Rebecca; Poulsen, Sally-Ann; Sleebs, Brad E; Avery, Vicky M

2017-09-01

Open-access drug discovery provides a substantial resource for diseases primarily affecting the poor and disadvantaged. The open-access Pathogen Box collection is comprised of compounds with demonstrated biological activity against specific pathogenic organisms. The supply of this resource by the Medicines for Malaria Venture has the potential to provide new chemical starting points for a number of tropical and neglected diseases, through repurposing of these compounds for use in drug discovery campaigns for these additional pathogens. We tested the Pathogen Box against kinetoplastid parasites and malaria life cycle stages in vitro Consequently, chemical starting points for malaria, human African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis drug discovery efforts have been identified. Inclusive of this in vitro biological evaluation, outcomes from extensive literature reviews and database searches are provided. This information encompasses commercial availability, literature reference citations, other aliases and ChEMBL number with associated biological activity, where available. The release of this new data for the Pathogen Box collection into the public domain will aid the open-source model of drug discovery. Importantly, this will provide novel chemical starting points for drug discovery and target identification in tropical disease research. Copyright © 2017 Duffy et al.

System Sensitivity Analysis Applied to the Conceptual Design of a Dual-Fuel Rocket SSTO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olds, John R.

1994-01-01

This paper reports the results of initial efforts to apply the System Sensitivity Analysis (SSA) optimization method to the conceptual design of a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) launch vehicle. SSA is an efficient, calculus-based MDO technique for generating sensitivity derivatives in a highly multidisciplinary design environment. The method has been successfully applied to conceptual aircraft design and has been proven to have advantages over traditional direct optimization methods. The method is applied to the optimization of an advanced, piloted SSTO design similar to vehicles currently being analyzed by NASA as possible replacements for the Space Shuttle. Powered by a derivative of the Russian RD-701 rocket engine, the vehicle employs a combination of hydrocarbon, hydrogen, and oxygen propellants. Three primary disciplines are included in the design - propulsion, performance, and weights & sizing. A complete, converged vehicle analysis depends on the use of three standalone conceptual analysis computer codes. Efforts to minimize vehicle dry (empty) weight are reported in this paper. The problem consists of six system-level design variables and one system-level constraint. Using SSA in a 'manual' fashion to generate gradient information, six system-level iterations were performed from each of two different starting points. The results showed a good pattern of convergence for both starting points. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the method, possible areas of improvement, and future work is included.

JumpStart III Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Arthur M.; Brawer, Florence B.; Kozeracki, Carol A.

This final report for the JumpStart III program presents a summary of the entrepreneurship training programs developed by each of the four JumpStart III partners selected in March 1997. Grants for the colleges totaled $354,546 over 2 years. The Jumpstart funding has been only a starting point for these and the other 12 Jumpstart partners in…

Healthcare costs of the progression of chronic kidney disease and different dialysis techniques estimated through administrative database analysis.

PubMed

Roggeri, Alessandro; Roggeri, Daniela Paola; Zocchetti, Carlo; Bersani, Maurizio; Conte, Ferruccio

2017-04-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression is associated with significant comorbidities and costs. In Italy, limited evidence of healthcare resource consumption and costs is available. We therefore aimed to investigate the direct healthcare costs in charge to the Lombardy Regional Health Service (RHS) for the treatment of CKD patients in the first year after starting hemodialysis and in the 2 years prior to dialysis. Citizens resident in the Lombardy Region (Italy) who initiated dialysis in the year 2011 (Jan 1 to Dec 31) were selected and data were extracted from Lombardy Regional databases on their direct healthcare costs in the first year after starting dialysis and in the 2 years prior to it was analyzed. Drugs, hospitalizations, diagnostic procedures and outpatient costs covered by RHS were estimated. Patients treated for acute kidney injury, or who died or stopped dialysis during the observational period were excluded. From the regional population (>9,700,000 inhabitants), 1067 patients (34.3 % females) initiating dialysis were identified, of whom 82 % underwent only hemodialysis (HD), 13 % only peritoneal dialysis (PD) and the remaining 5 % both treatments. Direct healthcare costs/patient were € 5239, € 12,303 and € 38,821 (€ 40,132 for HD vs. € 30,444 for PD patients) for the periods 24-12 months pre-dialysis, 12-0 months pre-dialysis, and in the first year of dialysis, respectively. This study highlights a significant economic burden related to CKD and an increase in direct healthcare costs associated with the start of dialysis, pointing to the importance of prevention programs and early diagnosis.

Reactivity of Deoxy- and Oxyferrous Dehaloperoxidase B from Amphitrite ornata: Identification of Compound II and its Ferrous-Hydroperoxide Precursor†

PubMed Central

D’Antonio, Jennifer; Ghiladi, Reza A.

2011-01-01

Dehaloperoxidase (DHP) from the terebellid polychaete Amphitrite ornata is a bifunctional enzyme that possesses both hemoglobin and peroxidase activities. The bifunctional nature of DHP as a globin-peroxidase appears to be at odds with the traditional starting oxidation state for each individual activity. Namely, reversible oxygen-binding is only mediated via a ferrous heme in globins, and peroxidase activity is initiated from ferric centers and to the exclusion of the oxyferrous oxidation state from the peroxidase cycle. Thus, to address what appears to be a paradox, herein we report the details of our investigations into the DHP catalytic cycle when initiated from the deoxy- and oxyferrous states using biochemical assays, stopped-flow UV-visible and rapid-freeze-quench electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies, and anaerobic methods. We demonstrate the formation of Compound II directly from deoxyferrous DHP B upon its reaction with hydrogen peroxide, and show that this occurs both in the presence and absence of trihalophenol. Prior to Compound II formation, we have identified a new species which we have preliminarily attributed to a ferrous-hydroperoxide precursor that undergoes heterolysis to generate the aforementioned ferryl intermediate. Taken together, the results demonstrate that the oxyferrous state in DHP is a peroxidase competent starting species, and an updated catalytic cycle for DHP is proposed in which the ferric oxidation state is not an obligatory starting point for the peroxidase catalytic cycle of dehaloperoxidase. The data presented herein provide a link between the peroxidase and oxygen transport activities which furthers our understanding of how this bifunctional enzyme is able to unite its two inherent functions in one system. PMID:21619067

Infrastructure Requirements for an Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis Program

PubMed Central

Ghaffari, Arshia; Kumar, Vijay; Guest, Steven

2013-01-01

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease nearing dialysis but without pre-established access almost uniformly initiate dialysis with a temporary central venous catheter. These catheters are associated with high rates of infection and flow disturbances, requiring removal and subsequent replacement. Many of these patients might be candidates for peritoneal dialysis (PD), but because of the absence of prior catheter placement, the default initial modality is hemodialysis. Recent reports, however, have demonstrated the feasibility of initiating PD urgently despite the late referral for access placement. Urgent-start PD clinical pathways require a unique infrastructure and treatment approach. This article reviews the salient features required to establish an urgent-start PD program. PMID:24335123

Hydrodynamic interaction of two particles in confined linear shear flow at finite Reynolds number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yiguang; Morris, Jeffrey F.; Koplik, Joel

2007-11-01

We discuss the hydrodynamic interactions of two solid bodies placed in linear shear flow between parallel plane walls in a periodic geometry at finite Reynolds number. The computations are based on the lattice Boltzmann method for particulate flow, validated here by comparison to previous results for a single particle. Most of our results pertain to cylinders in two dimensions but some examples are given for spheres in three dimensions. Either one mobile and one fixed particle or else two mobile particles are studied. The motion of a mobile particle is qualitatively similar in both cases at early times, exhibiting either trajectory reversal or bypass, depending upon the initial vector separation of the pair. At longer times, if a mobile particle does not approach a periodic image of the second, its trajectory tends to a stable limit point on the symmetry axis. The effect of interactions with periodic images is to produce nonconstant asymptotic long-time trajectories. For one free particle interacting with a fixed second particle within the unit cell, the free particle may either move to a fixed point or take up a limit cycle. Pairs of mobile particles starting from symmetric initial conditions are shown to asymptotically reach either fixed points, or mirror image limit cycles within the unit cell, or to bypass one another (and periodic images) indefinitely on a streamwise periodic trajectory. The limit cycle possibility requires finite Reynolds number and arises as a consequence of streamwise periodicity when the system length is sufficiently short.

Power-Efficient Beacon Recognition Method Based on Periodic Wake-Up for Industrial Wireless Devices.

PubMed

Song, Soonyong; Lee, Donghun; Jang, Ingook; Choi, Jinchul; Son, Youngsung

2018-04-17

Energy harvester-integrated wireless devices are attractive for generating semi-permanent power from wasted energy in industrial environments. The energy-harvesting wireless devices may have difficulty in their communication with access points due to insufficient power supply for beacon recognition during network initialization. In this manuscript, we propose a novel method of beacon recognition based on wake-up control to reduce instantaneous power consumption in the initialization procedure. The proposed method applies a moving window for the periodic wake-up of the wireless devices. For unsynchronized wireless devices, beacons are always located in the same positions within each beacon interval even though the starting offsets are unknown. Using these characteristics, the moving window checks the existence of the beacon associated withspecified resources in a beacon interval, checks again for neighboring resources at the next beacon interval, and so on. This method can reduce instantaneous power and generates a surplus of charging time. Thus, the proposed method alleviates the problems of power insufficiency in the network initialization. The feasibility of the proposed method is evaluated using computer simulations of power shortage in various energy-harvesting conditions.

Effects of Nonlinear Inhomogeneity on the Cosmic Expansion with Numerical Relativity.

PubMed

Bentivegna, Eloisa; Bruni, Marco

2016-06-24

We construct a three-dimensional, fully relativistic numerical model of a universe filled with an inhomogeneous pressureless fluid, starting from initial data that represent a perturbation of the Einstein-de Sitter model. We then measure the departure of the average expansion rate with respect to this homogeneous and isotropic reference model, comparing local quantities to the predictions of linear perturbation theory. We find that collapsing perturbations reach the turnaround point much earlier than expected from the reference spherical top-hat collapse model and that the local deviation of the expansion rate from the homogeneous one can be as high as 28% at an underdensity, for an initial density contrast of 10^{-2}. We then study, for the first time, the exact behavior of the backreaction term Q_{D}. We find that, for small values of the initial perturbations, this term exhibits a 1/a scaling, and that it is negative with a linearly growing absolute value for larger perturbation amplitudes, thereby contributing to an overall deceleration of the expansion. Its magnitude, on the other hand, remains very small even for relatively large perturbations.

Polyelectrolyte brushes grafted from cellulose nanocrystals using Cu-mediated surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization.

PubMed

Majoinen, Johanna; Walther, Andreas; McKee, Jason R; Kontturi, Eero; Aseyev, Vladimir; Malho, Jani Markus; Ruokolainen, Janne; Ikkala, Olli

2011-08-08

Herein we report the synthesis of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) chains of different lengths using Cu-mediated surface initiated-controlled radical polymerization (SI-CRP). First, poly(tert-butylacrylate) (PtBA) brushes were synthesized; then, subsequent acid hydrolysis was used to furnish PAA brushes tethered onto the CNC surfaces. The CNCs were chemically modified to create initiator moieties on the CNC surfaces using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and continued in solvent phase in DMF. A density of initiator groups of 4.6 bromine ester groups/nm(2) on the CNC surface was reached, suggesting a dense functionalization and a promising starting point for the controlled/living radical polymerization. The SI-CRP of tert-butylacrylate proceeded in a well-controlled manner with the aid of added sacrificial initiator, yielding polymer brushes with polydispersity values typically well below 1.12. We calculated the polymer brush grafting density to almost 0.3 chains/nm(2), corresponding to high grafting densities and dense polymer brush formation on the nanocrystals. Successful rapid acid hydrolysis to remove the tert-butyl groups yielded pH-responsive PAA-polyelectrolyte brushes bound to the CNC surface. Individually dispersed rod-like nanoparticles with brushes of PtBA or PAA were clearly visualized by AFM and TEM imaging.

Idiopathic constipation: A challenging but manageable problem.

PubMed

Bischoff, Andrea; Brisighelli, Giulia; Dickie, Belinda; Frischer, Jason; Levitt, Marc A; Peña, Alberto

2017-10-10

A protocol to treat idiopathic constipation is presented. A contrast enema is performed in every patient and, when indicated, patients are initially submitted to a "clean out" protocol. All patients are started on a Senna-based laxative. The initial dosage is empirically determined and adjusted daily, during a one week period, based on history and abdominal radiographs, until the amount of Senna that empties the colon is reached. The management is considered successful when patients empty their colon daily and stop soiling. If the laxatives dose provokes abdominal cramping, distension, and vomiting, without producing bowel movements, patients are considered nonmanageable. From 2005 to 2012, 215 patients were treated. 121 (56%) were males. The average age was 8.2years (range: 1-20). 160 patients (74%) presented encopresis. 67 patients (32%) needed a clean out. After one week, 181 patients (84%) achieved successful management, with an average Senna dose of 67mg (range: 5-175mg). In 34 patients (16%) the treatment was unsuccessful: 19 were nonmanageable, 3 noncompliant, and 12 continued soiling. At a later follow-up (median: 329days) the success rate for 174 patients was 81%. We designed a successful protocol to manage idiopathic constipation. The key points are clean out before starting laxatives, individual adjustments of laxative, and radiological monitoring of colonic emptying. Level IV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compensatable muon collider calorimeter with manageable backgrounds

DOEpatents

Raja, Rajendran

2015-02-17

A method and system for reducing background noise in a particle collider, comprises identifying an interaction point among a plurality of particles within a particle collider associated with a detector element, defining a trigger start time for each of the pixels as the time taken for light to travel from the interaction point to the pixel and a trigger stop time as a selected time after the trigger start time, and collecting only detections that occur between the start trigger time and the stop trigger time in order to thereafter compensate the result from the particle collider to reduce unwanted background detection.

Viscous remanent magnetization model for the Broken Ridge satellite magnetic anomaly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, B. D.

1985-01-01

An equivalent source model solution of the satellite magnetic field over Australia obtained by Mayhew et al. (1980) showed that the satellite anomalies could be related to geological features in Australia. When the processing and selection of the Magsat data over the Australian region had progressed to the point where interpretation procedures could be initiated, it was decided to start by attempting to model the Broken Ridge satellite anomaly, which represents one of the very few relatively isolated anomalies in the Magsat maps, with an unambiguous source region. Attention is given to details concerning the Broken Ridge satellite magnetic anomaly, the modeling method used, the Broken Ridge models, modeling results, and characteristics of magnetization.

MAGNETIC MEASUREMENT OF THE PLASTIC STRESS-STRAIN CURVE OF MULTICRYSTALLINE NICKEL (in German)

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

Schwink, Ch.; Zankl, G.

1962-01-01

Ballistic measurements of the coercive force H/sub c/ and the initial permeability mu /sub alpha / were made on nlckel wires, and their dependence on plastic tensile deformation was followed. The results are shown graphically. H/ sub c/ and 1/ mu /sub alpha / start to increase at a given tensile stress with the introduction of plastic expansion and increases almost linearly with the tensile stress applied. At a tensile stress of 7.2 plus or minus 0.5 kp/mm/sup 2/ both curves have noticable bends. The bend point is related by a special process to the plastic deformation of the multicrystallinemore » material. (J.S.R.)« less

La socialisation des jeunes dans les villes du Tiers-Monde — le cas de l'Afrique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ly, Boubakar

1985-12-01

Third-World cities constitute quasi-laboratories for the study of change and learning. The present article takes the African situation of merging traditional and modern elements as its starting point and analyzes young people's socialization processes in this context. As a consequence of the activities of migrant organizations, the more general circumstances leading to migration and the fact that people are faced with a new `lifestyle' in a complex and often merciless environment, an atmosphere is created where learning for life and vocational training abound with initiative and innovation. This `learning for life' is borne by the informal fabric of new social interactions and the influence of the mass media.

[GEITDAH consensus on conduct disorders in children and adolescents].

PubMed

Sasot-Llevadot, Jordi; Ibáñez-Bordas, Rosa M; Soto-López, Antonio; Montañés-Rada, Francisco; Gastaminza-Pérez, Xavier; Alda-Díez, José A; Cantó-Díez, Tomás; Catalá, Miguel A; Ferrin-Erdozáin, Maite; García-Giral, Marta; Graell-Bernal, Montserrat; Granada-Jiménez, Olvido; Herreros-Rodríguez, Óscar; Mardomingo-Sanz, María J; Mojarro-Práxedes, Dolores; Morey-Canyelles, Jaume; Ortiz-Guerra, Juan; Pàmies-Massana, Montserrat; Rey-Sánchez, Francisco; Romera-Torrens, María; Rubio-Morell, Belén; Ruiz-Lázaro, Pedro M; Ruiz-Sanz, Francisco

2015-08-16

In this paper, the Special Interest Group on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (GEITDAH, from its name in Spanish) presents a consensus reached by experts from all over Spain on conduct disorders in children and adolescents. Following the initial work by the team at the Pedopsychiatry Unit at the Quiron-Teknon Hospital in Barcelona, agreements have been reached on a number of basic aspects that could be the starting point for future consensuses. A top priority aim of the work was also to update the criteria in the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition, for conduct disorders in children and adolescents, together with their comorbidity with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Climbing the Academy Ladder in Brazil: Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotta, Mônica Alonso; Caldas, Marília J.; Barbosa, Marcia C.

2009-04-01

In the last few years, the main Brazilian funding agencies, CNPq and CAPES, have introduced gender awareness projects. This initiative is a starting point for changing the percentage of women at all career levels in physics, but particularly at the top. The change in the percentage of female researchers at the different levels so far has been quite mild; the most likely reason is that the decision committees consist mostly of male researchers. We show that prejudice is still present in the evaluation process. The average number of publications of the female researchers is 72% higher than for the male researchers at the entrance level, indicating that it is harder for women to enter into the research system.

The simulators: truth and power in the psychiatry of José Ingenieros.

PubMed

Caponi, Sandra

2016-01-01

Using Michel Foucault's lectures on "Psychiatric power" as its starting point, this article analyzes the book Simulación de la locura (The simulation of madness), published in 1903 by the Argentine psychiatrist José Ingenieros. Foucault argues that the problem of simulation permeates the entire history of modern psychiatry. After initial analysis of José Ingenieros's references to the question of simulation in the struggle for existence, the issue of simulation in pathological states in general is examined, and lastly the simulation of madness and the problem of degeneration. Ingenieros participates in the epistemological and political struggle that took place between experts-psychiatrists and simulators over the question of truth.

Station blackout calculations for Browns Ferry

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

Ott, L.J.; Weber, C.F.; Hyman, C.R.

1985-01-01

This paper presents the results of calculations performed with the ORNL SASA code suite for the Station Blackout Severe Accident Sequence at Browns Ferry. The accident is initiated by a loss of offsite power combined with failure of all onsite emergency diesel generators to start and load. The Station Blackout is assumed to persist beyond the point of battery exhaustion (at six hours) and without DC power, cooling water could no longer be injected into the reactor vessel. Calculations are continued through the period of core degradation and melting, reactor vessel failure, and the subsequent containment failure. An estimate ofmore » the magnitude and timing of the concomitant fission product releases is also provided.« less

Head Start/EPSDT Collaboration Evaluation. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boone, Young and Associates, Inc., New York, NY.

This is the final report on the first year evaluation of the Head Start/Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Collaborative Effort, a demonstration program that was initiated by the Office of Child Development OCD/HEW in 1974. In initiating the program, OCD/HEW set forth the following objectives: (1) to assess the…

Head Start/Child Care Partnerships: Program Characteristics and Classroom Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schilder, Diane; Smith Leavell, Ashley

2015-01-01

As part of President Obama's Early Education Plan, Congress authorized $500 million in the 2014 Omnibus Act to support states and communities in expanding high-quality early learning through the creation of a new Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership initiative. This initiative has placed renewed interest on research regarding the nature and…

Initiating "The Methodology of Jacques Ranciere": How Does It All Start?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercieca, Duncan P.

2012-01-01

Educationalists are currently engaging with Jacques Ranciere's thought on emancipation and equality. The focus of this paper is on what initiates the process that starts emancipation. With reference to teachers the question is: how do teachers become emancipated? This paper discusses how the teacher's life is made "sensible" and how sense is…

The GlueX Start Counter and Beam Asymmetry$$\\Sigma$$ in Single $$\\pi^{0}$$ Photoproduction

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

Pooser, Eric

The GlueX experiment aims to study meson photoproduction while utilizing the coherent bremsstrahlung technique to produce a 9 GeV linearly polarized photon beam incident on a liquid H 2 target. A Start Counter detector was fabricated to properly identify the accelerator electron beam buckets and to provide accurate timing information. The Start Counter detector was designed to operate at photon intensities of up to 10 8 γ/s in the coherent peak and provides a timing resolution ~300 ps so as to provide successful identification of the electron beam buckets to within 99% accuracy. Furthermore, the Start Counter detector provides excellent solid angle coverage, ~ 90% of 4π hermeticity, and a high degree of segmentation for background rejection. It consists of a cylindrical array of 30 scintillators with pointed ends that bend towards the beam at the downstream end. Magnetic field insensitive silicon photomultiplier detectors were selected as the readout system. An initial measurement of the beam asymmetry Sigma in the exclusive reaction γmore » $$\\vec{p}$$→ π 0p, where π 0 → γ has been carried out utilizing the GlueX spectrometer during the Spring 2015 commissioning run. The tagged photon energies ranged from 2.5≤ Eγ ≤ 3.0 GeV in the coherent peak. These measurements were then compared to the world data set and show remarkable agreement with only two hours of physics production running.« less

Knowledge Translation Interventions to Improve the Timing of Dialysis Initiation: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Chau, Elaine M T; Manns, Braden J; Garg, Amit X; Sood, Manish M; Kim, S Joseph; Naimark, David; Nesrallah, Gihad E; Soroka, Steven D; Beaulieu, Monica; Dixon, Stephanie; Alam, Ahsan; Tangri, Navdeep

2016-01-01

Early initiation of chronic dialysis (starting dialysis with higher vs lower kidney function) has risen rapidly in the past 2 decades in Canada and internationally, despite absence of established health benefits and higher costs. In 2014, a Canadian guideline on the timing of dialysis initiation, recommending an intent-to-defer approach, was published. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a knowledge translation intervention to promote the intent-to-defer approach in clinical practice. This study is a multicenter, 2-arm parallel, cluster randomized trial. The study involves 55 advanced chronic kidney disease clinics across Canada. Patients older than 18 years who are managed by nephrologists for more than 3 months, and initiate dialysis in the follow-up period are included in the study. Outcomes will be measured at the patient-level and enumerated within a cluster. Data on characteristics of each dialysis start will be determined by linkages with the Canadian Organ Replacement Register. Primary outcomes include the proportion of patients who start dialysis early with an estimated glomerular filtration rate greater than 10.5 mL/min/1.73 m 2 and start dialysis in hospital as inpatients or in an emergency room setting. Secondary outcomes include the rate of change in early dialysis starts; rates of hospitalizations, deaths, and cost of predialysis care (wherever available); quarterly proportion of new starts; and acceptability of the knowledge translation materials. We randomized 55 multidisciplinary chronic disease clinics (clusters) in Canada to receive either an active knowledge translation intervention or no intervention for the uptake of the guideline on the timing of dialysis initiation. The active knowledge translation intervention consists of audit and feedback as well as patient- and provider-directed educational tools delivered at a comprehensive in-person medical detailing visit. Control clinics are only exposed to guideline release without active dissemination. We hypothesize that the clinics randomized to the intervention group will have a lower proportion of early dialysis starts. Limitations include passive dissemination of the guideline through publication, and lead-time and survivor bias, which favors delayed dialysis initiation. If successful, this active knowledge translation intervention will reduce early dialysis starts, lead to health and economic benefits, and provide a successful framework for evaluating and disseminating future guidelines. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02183987.

Vibration activity evaluation of double-span rotor at rundown caused by its initial curvature and residual unbalance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostyuk, A. G.; Volokhovskaya, O. A.

2017-01-01

The work is dedicated to the study of vibration activity of double-span rotor of turbine unit (TU) consisting of a high-pressure rotor and a rotor of medium-low pressure rotor combined with it (HPR—MLPR system) at the lowest critical rotational frequencies at rundown. When using the design model of the system, it was assumed that the rotors were installed on anisotropic elastic-damper supports, tied among themselves by a rigid clutch, and having the initial curvature (nonremovable initial deflection) and the residual unbalances in both spans. Two types of bearings were considered-elliptical and six-shoe segmental bearings. It was believed that the initial deflection during operation or as a result of noncompliance of start-up conditions initially gets only HPR and the axis shape of unloaded HPR is known and it is a flat curve. The resultant curve of nonremovable deflection of the HPR-MLPR system occurring after installing the shafting into the bearings was also considered flat and located in the same plane as the initial deflection of HPR. The cases of additional presence with the rotors of concentrated residual unbalances in the middle of each span are considered. The case of availability with both rotors of the shafting antisymmetric point unbalances on each of the spans was not considered in this work. The values of each of the factors of vibration activity (of the initial deflection of HPR and residual unbalances of both rotors) were chosen to be equal to the maximum permissible established by the active in the practice of TU operation limitations on the maximum values of the initial deflection of thermally unstable rotor and its residual unbalances. The influence of location of residual unbalances in relation to the initial deflection curve of HPR-MLPR system on the total amplitudes of transient vibrations caused by both excitation factors in the reference points of the system at TU rundown was investigated. It was established that, at the unfavorable relations between directions of curvature of the rotors of HPR-MLPR system and their residual unbalances with segmental bearings, touching in the diaphragm seals in the middle of HPR span is possible.

Re-starting smoking in the postpartum period after receiving a smoking cessation intervention: a systematic review.

PubMed

Jones, Matthew; Lewis, Sarah; Parrott, Steve; Wormall, Stephen; Coleman, Tim

2016-06-01

In pregnant smoking cessation trial participants, to estimate (1) among women abstinent at the end of pregnancy, the proportion who re-start smoking at time-points afterwards (primary analysis) and (2) among all trial participants, the proportion smoking at the end of pregnancy and at selected time-points during the postpartum period (secondary analysis). Trials identified from two Cochrane reviews plus searches of Medline and EMBASE. Twenty-seven trials were included. The included trials were randomized or quasi-randomized trials of within-pregnancy cessation interventions given to smokers who reported abstinence both at end of pregnancy and at one or more defined time-points after birth. Outcomes were validated biochemically and self-reported continuous abstinence from smoking and 7-day point prevalence abstinence. The primary random-effects meta-analysis used longitudinal data to estimate mean pooled proportions of re-starting smoking; a secondary analysis used cross-sectional data to estimate the mean proportions smoking at different postpartum time-points. Subgroup analyses were performed on biochemically validated abstinence. The pooled mean proportion re-starting at 6 months postpartum was 43% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 16-72%, I(2)  = 96.7%] (11 trials, 571 abstinent women). The pooled mean proportion smoking at the end of pregnancy was 87% (95% CI = 84-90%, I(2)  = 93.2%) and 94% (95% CI = 92-96%, I(2)  = 88%) at 6 months postpartum (23 trials, 9262 trial participants). Findings were similar when using biochemically validated abstinence. In clinical trials of smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy only 13% are abstinent at term. Of these, 43% re-start by 6 months postpartum. © 2016 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Optimal Analysis of Left Atrial Strain by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography: P-wave versus R-wave Trigger.

PubMed

Hayashi, Shuji; Yamada, Hirotsugu; Bando, Mika; Saijo, Yoshihito; Nishio, Susumu; Hirata, Yukina; Klein, Allan L; Sata, Masataka

2015-08-01

Left atrial (LA) strain analysis using speckle tracking echocardiography is useful for assessing LA function. However, there is no established procedure for this method. Most investigators have determined the electrocardiographic R-wave peak as the starting point for LA strain analysis. To test our hypothesis that P-wave onset should be used as the starting point, we measured LA strain using 2 different starting points and compared the strain values with the corresponding LA volume indices obtained by three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography. We enrolled 78 subjects (61 ± 17 years, 25 males) with and without various cardiac diseases in this study and assessed global longitudinal LA strain by two-dimensional speckle tracking strain echocardiography using EchoPac software. We used either R-wave peak or P-wave onset as the starting point for determining LA strains during the reservoir (Rres, Pres), conduit (Rcon, Pcon), and booster pump (Rpump, Ppump) phases. We determined the maximum, minimum, and preatrial contraction LA volumes, and calculated the LA total, passive, and active emptying fractions using 3D echocardiography. The correlation between Pres and LA total emptying fraction was better than the correlation between Rres and LA total emptying fraction (r = 0.458 vs. 0.308, P = 0.026). Pcon and Ppump exhibited better correlation with the corresponding 3D echocardiographic parameters than Rcon (r = 0.560 vs. 0.479, P = 0.133) and Rpump (r = 0.577 vs. 0.345, P = 0.003), respectively. LA strain in any phase should be analyzed using P-wave onset as the starting point rather than R-wave peak. © 2014, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

North Carolina's Smart Start Initiative: 1994-95 Annual Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina Univ., Chapel Hill. Frank Porter Graham Center.

Smart Start is North Carolina's partnership between state government and local leaders, service providers, and families to better serve children under six years and their families to ensure that all children start school healthy and prepared to succeed. Local Smart Start partnerships spent much of their first year formulating long-term plans,…

Maryland Early Head Start Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

2012-01-01

Since 2000, Maryland has provided state supplemental funds to Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) programs to improve access. Local EHS programs may use funds, through child care partnerships, to extend the EHS day or year. Maryland's approach to building on EHS includes: (1) Increase the capacity of existing Head Start and EHS programs to…

Application of GIS-based models for delineating the UAV flight region to support Search and Rescue activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurecka, Miroslawa; Niedzielski, Tomasz

2017-04-01

The objective of the approach presented in this paper is to demonstrate a potential of using the combination of two GIS-based models - mobility model and ring model - for delineating a region above which an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) should fly to support the Search and Rescue (SAR) activities. The procedure is based on two concepts, both describing a possible distance/path that lost person could travel from the initial planning point (being either the point last seen, or point last known). The first approach (the ring model) takes into account the crow's flight distance traveled by a lost person and its probability distribution. The second concept (the mobility model) is based on the estimated travel speed and the associated features of the geographical environment of the search area. In contrast to the ring model covering global (hence more general) SAR perspective, the mobility model represents regional viewpoint by taking into consideration local impedance. Both models working together can serve well as a starting point for the UAV flight planning to strengthen the SAR procedures. We present the method of combining the two above-mentioned models in order to delineate UAVs flight region and increase the Probability of Success for future SAR missions. The procedure is a part of a larger Search and Rescue (SAR) system which is being developed at the University of Wrocław, Poland (research project no. IP2014 032773 financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland). The mobility and ring models have been applied to the Polish territory, and they act in concert to provide the UAV operator with the optimal search region. This is attained in real time so that the UAV-based SAR mission can be initiated quickly.

Investigating NWP initialization sensitivities in heavy precipitation events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frediani, M. E. B.; Anagnostou, E. N.; Papadopoulos, A.

2010-09-01

This study aims to investigate the effect of different types of model initialization applied to extreme storms simulations. Storms with extreme precipitation can usually produce flash floods that cause several damages to the society. Lives and property are destroyed from the landslides when they could be speared if forecasted a few hours in advance. The forecasts depend on several factors; among them the initialization fields play an important role. These fields are the starting point for the simulation and therefore it controls the quality of the forecast. This study evaluates the sensitivities of WRF to the initialization from two perspectives, (1) resolution and (2) initial atmospheric fields. Two storms that lead to flash flood are simulated. The first one happened in Northeast Italy in 04/09/2009 (NI), and the second in Germany, in 02/06/2008 (GE). These storms present contrasting characteristics, NI was a maritime originated storm enhanced by local orography while GE was a typical summer convection. Three different sources of atmospheric fields defining the initial conditions are applied: (a) ECMWF operational analysis at resolution of 0.25 deg, (b) GFS operational analysis at 0.5deg and (c) LAPS analysis at ~15km, produced operationally at HCMR. The rainfall forecasted is compared against in situ ground radar and surface rain gauges observations through a set of quantitative precipitation forecast scores.

The Impact of Personal Gender-Typicality and Partner Gender-Traditionality on Taking Sexual Initiative: Investigating a Social Tuning Hypothesis.

PubMed

Emmerink, Peggy M J; Van Den Eijnden, Regina J J M; Ter Bogt, Tom F M; Vanwesenbeeck, Ine

2017-01-01

Sexual assertiveness is an issue of interest in the context of gender equality and sexual health. This study investigated the social tuning hypothesis that encountering a gender-traditional partner would lead to stronger gender-typical behavior, i.e., respectively, higher and lower levels of taking sexual initiative among men and women. Participants ( N = 271) read a vignette describing a romantic partner, who was either presented as gender-traditional or not, followed by a sexual scenario. Subsequently, participants were asked about their expectations toward their own sexual initiative taking. Results showed a significant 'target gender-traditionality × participant gender × participant gender-typicality (masculinity/femininity)' interaction meaning that less gender-typical men were more likely to initiate sexual contact in the experimental, compared to the control condition. Men low in masculine characteristics showed higher initiative taking in response to a gender-traditional target female. We conclude that less gender-typical men seem to employ more social tuning toward their sexual partner, whereas more gender-typical men seem to adhere to their gender-typical behavior regardless of perceived partner characteristics. These results were not seen among the women in the sample. These findings are a starting point for the further development of experimental investigations regarding the gendered nature of both sexual initiative taking and sexual assertiveness in general.

The Impact of Personal Gender-Typicality and Partner Gender-Traditionality on Taking Sexual Initiative: Investigating a Social Tuning Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Emmerink, Peggy M. J.; Van Den Eijnden, Regina J. J. M.; Ter Bogt, Tom F. M.; Vanwesenbeeck, Ine

2017-01-01

Sexual assertiveness is an issue of interest in the context of gender equality and sexual health. This study investigated the social tuning hypothesis that encountering a gender-traditional partner would lead to stronger gender-typical behavior, i.e., respectively, higher and lower levels of taking sexual initiative among men and women. Participants (N = 271) read a vignette describing a romantic partner, who was either presented as gender-traditional or not, followed by a sexual scenario. Subsequently, participants were asked about their expectations toward their own sexual initiative taking. Results showed a significant ‘target gender-traditionality × participant gender × participant gender-typicality (masculinity/femininity)’ interaction meaning that less gender-typical men were more likely to initiate sexual contact in the experimental, compared to the control condition. Men low in masculine characteristics showed higher initiative taking in response to a gender-traditional target female. We conclude that less gender-typical men seem to employ more social tuning toward their sexual partner, whereas more gender-typical men seem to adhere to their gender-typical behavior regardless of perceived partner characteristics. These results were not seen among the women in the sample. These findings are a starting point for the further development of experimental investigations regarding the gendered nature of both sexual initiative taking and sexual assertiveness in general. PMID:28203216

A new equilibrium torus solution and GRMHD initial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penna, Robert F.; Kulkarni, Akshay; Narayan, Ramesh

2013-11-01

Context. General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations are providing influential models for black hole spin measurements, gamma ray bursts, and supermassive black hole feedback. Many of these simulations use the same initial condition: a rotating torus of fluid in hydrostatic equilibrium. A persistent concern is that simulation results sometimes depend on arbitrary features of the initial torus. For example, the Bernoulli parameter (which is related to outflows), appears to be controlled by the Bernoulli parameter of the initial torus. Aims: In this paper, we give a new equilibrium torus solution and describe two applications for the future. First, it can be used as a more physical initial condition for GRMHD simulations than earlier torus solutions. Second, it can be used in conjunction with earlier torus solutions to isolate the simulation results that depend on initial conditions. Methods: We assume axisymmetry, an ideal gas equation of state, constant entropy, and ignore self-gravity. We fix an angular momentum distribution and solve the relativistic Euler equations in the Kerr metric. Results: The Bernoulli parameter, rotation rate, and geometrical thickness of the torus can be adjusted independently. Our torus tends to be more bound and have a larger radial extent than earlier torus solutions. Conclusions: While this paper was in preparation, several GRMHD simulations appeared based on our equilibrium torus. We believe it will continue to provide a more realistic starting point for future simulations.

When to Start Antiretroviral Therapy in Children Aged 2–5 Years: A Collaborative Causal Modelling Analysis of Cohort Studies from Southern Africa

PubMed Central

Schomaker, Michael; Egger, Matthias; Ndirangu, James; Phiri, Sam; Moultrie, Harry; Technau, Karl; Cox, Vivian; Giddy, Janet; Chimbetete, Cleophas; Wood, Robin; Gsponer, Thomas; Bolton Moore, Carolyn; Rabie, Helena; Eley, Brian; Muhe, Lulu; Penazzato, Martina; Essajee, Shaffiq; Keiser, Olivia; Davies, Mary-Ann

2013-01-01

Background There is limited evidence on the optimal timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in children 2–5 y of age. We conducted a causal modelling analysis using the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS–Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA) collaborative dataset to determine the difference in mortality when starting ART in children aged 2–5 y immediately (irrespective of CD4 criteria), as recommended in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 guidelines, compared to deferring to lower CD4 thresholds, for example, the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm3 or CD4 percentage (CD4%) <25%. Methods and Findings ART-naïve children enrolling in HIV care at IeDEA-SA sites who were between 24 and 59 mo of age at first visit and with ≥1 visit prior to ART initiation and ≥1 follow-up visit were included. We estimated mortality for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds for up to 3 y using g-computation, adjusting for measured time-dependent confounding of CD4 percent, CD4 count, and weight-for-age z-score. Confidence intervals were constructed using bootstrapping. The median (first; third quartile) age at first visit of 2,934 children (51% male) included in the analysis was 3.3 y (2.6; 4.1), with a median (first; third quartile) CD4 count of 592 cells/mm3 (356; 895) and median (first; third quartile) CD4% of 16% (10%; 23%). The estimated cumulative mortality after 3 y for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds ranged from 3.4% (95% CI: 2.1–6.5) (no ART) to 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%–3.5%) (ART irrespective of CD4 value). Estimated mortality was overall higher when initiating ART at lower CD4 values or not at all. There was no mortality difference between starting ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 value, and ART initiation at the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm3 or CD4% <25%, with mortality estimates of 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%–3.5%) and 2.2% (95% CI: 1.4%–3.5%) after 3 y, respectively. The analysis was limited by loss to follow-up and the unavailability of WHO staging data. Conclusions The results indicate no mortality difference for up to 3 y between ART initiation irrespective of CD4 value and ART initiation at a threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm3 or CD4% <25%, but there are overall higher point estimates for mortality when ART is initiated at lower CD4 values. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:24260029

Poor guideline adherence in the initiation of antidepressant treatment in children and adolescents in the Netherlands: choice of antidepressant and dose.

PubMed

de Vries, Ymkje Anna; de Jonge, Peter; Kalverdijk, Luuk; Bos, Jens H J; Schuiling-Veninga, Catharina C M; Hak, Eelko

2016-11-01

The Dutch guideline for the treatment of depression in young people recommends initiating antidepressant treatment with fluoxetine, as the evidence for its efficacy is strongest and the risk of suicidality may be lower than with other antidepressants. Furthermore, low starting doses are recommended. We aimed to determine whether antidepressant prescriptions are in accord with guidelines. A cohort of young people aged between 6 and 17 at the time of antidepressant initiation was selected from IABD, a Dutch pharmacy prescription database. The percentage of prescriptions for each antidepressant was determined. Starting and maintenance doses were determined and compared with recommendations for citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and sertraline. During the study period, 2942 patients initiated antidepressant treatment. The proportion of these young people who were prescribed fluoxetine increased from 10.1 % in 1994-2003 to 19.7 % in 2010-2014. However, the most commonly prescribed antidepressants were paroxetine in 1994-2003 and citalopram in 2004-2014. The median starting and maintenance doses were ≤0.5 DDD/day for tricyclic antidepressants and 0.5-1 DDD/day for SSRIs and other antidepressants. Starting doses were guideline-concordant 58 % of the time for children, 31 % for preteens, and 16 % for teens. Sixty percent of teens were prescribed an adult starting dose. In conclusion, guideline adherence was poor. Physicians preferred citalopram over fluoxetine, in contrast to the recommendations. Furthermore, although children were prescribed a low starting dose relatively frequently, teens were often prescribed an adult starting dose. These results suggest that dedicated effort may be necessary to improve guideline adherence.

Contact angle of unset elastomeric impression materials.

PubMed

Menees, Timothy S; Radhakrishnan, Rashmi; Ramp, Lance C; Burgess, John O; Lawson, Nathaniel C

2015-10-01

Some elastomeric impression materials are hydrophobic, and it is often necessary to take definitive impressions of teeth coated with some saliva. New hydrophilic materials have been developed. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare contact angles of water and saliva on 7 unset elastomeric impression materials at 5 time points from the start of mixing. Two traditional polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) (Aquasil, Take 1), 2 modified PVS (Imprint 4, Panasil), a polyether (Impregum), and 2 hybrid (Identium, EXA'lence) materials were compared. Each material was flattened to 2 mm and a 5 μL drop of distilled water or saliva was dropped on the surface at 25 seconds (t0) after the start of mix. Contact angle measurements were made with a digital microscope at initial contact (t0), t1=2 seconds, t2=5 seconds, t3=50% working time, and t4=95% working time. Data were analyzed with a generalized linear mixed model analysis, and individual 1-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc tests (α=.05). For water, materials grouped into 3 categories at all time-points: the modified PVS and one hybrid material (Identium) produced the lowest contact angles, the polyether material was intermediate, and the traditional PVS materials and the other hybrid (EXA'lence) produced the highest contact angles. For saliva, Identium, Impregum, and Imprint 4 were in the group with the lowest contact angle at most time points. Modified PVS materials and one of the hybrid materials are more hydrophilic than traditional PVS materials when measured with water. Saliva behaves differently than water in contact angle measurement on unset impression material and produces a lower contact angle on polyether based materials. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 63.7750 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... you start up your iron and steel foundry before April 22, 2004, you must submit your initial notification no later than August 20, 2004. (c) If you start up your new iron and steel foundry on or after... business on the 30th calendar day following completion of the initial compliance demonstration. (2) For...

33 CFR 165.704 - Safety Zone; Tampa Bay, Florida.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... safety zone starts at Tampa Bay Cut “F” Channel from Lighted Buoys “3F” and “4F” and proceeds north ending at Gadsden Point Cut Lighted Buoys “3” and “4”. The safety zone starts again at Gadsden Point Cut Lighted Buoys “7” and “8” and proceeds north through Hillsborough Cut “C”, Port Sutton Entrance Channel...

[Disputes and history of fetal heart monitoring].

PubMed

Dueñas-García, Omar Felipe; Díaz-Sotomayor, Maricela

2011-01-01

The concept of fetal heart monitoring to determine the fetal wellbeing state has been employed for almost 300 years, but in the last 50 years it has observed drastic changes due to the incorporation of the electronic devices that has started controversy since the moment of its description and point of start. The purpose of this article is to mention the key points and controversial moments in the history of the cardiotocography

Starting Points and Destinations: Negotiating Factual and Fictional Pathways: A Response to Gilbourne, Jones and Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wellard, Ian

2014-01-01

This paper provides a response to questions which emerged when reading Gilbourne et al's paper, questions it is suggested which compel us to go back to the very heart of what critical social science is (or can be) about. Central to this debate is the extent to which a perceived starting point in any investigation has implications upon the…

Breakout Reconnection Observed by the TESIS EUV Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reva, A. A.; Ulyanov, A. S.; Shestov, S. V.; Kuzin, S. V.

2016-01-01

We present experimental evidence of the coronal mass ejection (CME) breakout reconnection, observed by the TESIS EUV telescope. The telescope could observe solar corona up to 2 R⊙ from the Sun center in the Fe 171 Å line. Starting from 2009 April 8, TESIS observed an active region (AR) that had a quadrupolar structure with an X-point 0.5 R⊙ above photosphere. A magnetic field reconstructed from the Michelson Doppler Imager data also has a multipolar structure with an X-point above the AR. At 21:45 UT on April 9, the loops near the X-point started to move away from each other with a velocity of ≈7 km s-1. At 01:15 UT on April 10, a bright stripe appeared between the loops, and the flux in the GOES 0.5-4 Å channel increased. We interpret the loops’ sideways motion and the bright stripe as evidence of the breakout reconnection. At 01:45 UT, the loops below the X-point started to slowly move up. At 15:10 UT, the CME started to accelerate impulsively, while at the same time a flare arcade formed below the CME. After 15:50 UT, the CME moved with constant velocity. The CME evolution precisely followed the breakout model scenario.

PowerPoint Workshop for Teachers[TM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caughlin, Janet

This guide for teachers to the Microsoft PowerPoint multimedia presentation program begins with a section that introduces what PowerPoint is and why teachers should use it, Windows 95/98 basics, Macintosh basics, getting started, PowerPoint toolbars, and presentation tips. The next section discusses learning PowerPoint, including creating a…

Effects on Anthropometry and Appetite of Vitamins and Minerals Given in Lipid Nutritional Supplements for Malnourished HIV-Infected Adults Referred for Antiretroviral Therapy: Results From the NUSTART Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Rehman, Andrea M.; Woodd, Susannah; PrayGod, George; Chisenga, Molly; Siame, Joshua; Koethe, John R.; Heimburger, Douglas C.; Kelly, Paul; Friis, Henrik

2015-01-01

Background: The evidence base for effects of nutritional interventions for malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is limited and inconclusive. Objective: We hypothesized that both vitamin and mineral deficiencies and poor appetite limit weight gain in malnourished patients starting ART and that vitamin and mineral supplementation would improve appetite and permit nutritional recovery. Design: The randomized controlled Nutritional Support for Africans Starting Antiretroviral Therapy trial was conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania, and Lusaka, Zambia. ART-naive adults referred for ART and with body mass index <18.5 kg/m2 received lipid-based nutritional supplements either without (LNS) or with added vitamins and minerals (LNS-VM), beginning before ART initiation. Participants were given 30 g/d LNS from recruitment until 2 weeks after starting ART and 250 g/d from weeks 2 to 6 of ART. Results: Of 1815 patients recruited, 365 (20%) died during the study and 813 (45%) provided data at 12 weeks. Controlling for baseline values, anthropometric measures were consistently higher at 12-week ART in the LNS-VM than in the LNS group but statistically significant only for calf and mid-upper arm circumferences and triceps skinfold. Appetite did not differ between groups. Using piecewise mixed-effects quadratic models including all patients and time points, the main effects of LNS-VM were seen after starting ART and were significant for weight, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference. Conclusions: Provision of high levels of vitamins and minerals to patients referred for ART, delivered with substantial macronutrients, increased nutritional recovery but did not seem to act through treatment group differences in appetite. PMID:25501607

Effects on anthropometry and appetite of vitamins and minerals given in lipid nutritional supplements for malnourished HIV-infected adults referred for antiretroviral therapy: results from the NUSTART randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Rehman, Andrea M; Woodd, Susannah; PrayGod, George; Chisenga, Molly; Siame, Joshua; Koethe, John R; Heimburger, Douglas C; Kelly, Paul; Friis, Henrik; Filteau, Suzanne

2015-04-01

The evidence base for effects of nutritional interventions for malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is limited and inconclusive. We hypothesized that both vitamin and mineral deficiencies and poor appetite limit weight gain in malnourished patients starting ART and that vitamin and mineral supplementation would improve appetite and permit nutritional recovery. The randomized controlled Nutritional Support for Africans Starting Antiretroviral Therapy trial was conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania, and Lusaka, Zambia. ART-naive adults referred for ART and with body mass index <18.5 kg/m received lipid-based nutritional supplements either without (LNS) or with added vitamins and minerals (LNS-VM), beginning before ART initiation. Participants were given 30 g/d LNS from recruitment until 2 weeks after starting ART and 250 g/d from weeks 2 to 6 of ART. Of 1815 patients recruited, 365 (20%) died during the study and 813 (45%) provided data at 12 weeks. Controlling for baseline values, anthropometric measures were consistently higher at 12-week ART in the LNS-VM than in the LNS group but statistically significant only for calf and mid-upper arm circumferences and triceps skinfold. Appetite did not differ between groups. Using piecewise mixed-effects quadratic models including all patients and time points, the main effects of LNS-VM were seen after starting ART and were significant for weight, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference. Provision of high levels of vitamins and minerals to patients referred for ART, delivered with substantial macronutrients, increased nutritional recovery but did not seem to act through treatment group differences in appetite.

Influencing Factors of the Initiation Point in the Parachute-Bomb Dynamic Detonation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qizhong, Li; Ye, Wang; Zhongqi, Wang; Chunhua, Bai

2017-12-01

The parachute system has been widely applied in modern armament design, especially for the fuel-air explosives. Because detonation of fuel-air explosives occurs during flight, it is necessary to investigate the influences of the initiation point to ensure successful dynamic detonation. In fact, the initiating position exist the falling area in the fuels, due to the error of influencing factors. In this paper, the major influencing factors of initiation point were explored with airdrop and the regularity between initiation point area and factors were obtained. Based on the regularity, the volume equation of initiation point area was established to predict the range of initiation point in the fuel. The analysis results showed that the initiation point appeared area, scattered on account of the error of attitude angle, secondary initiation charge velocity, and delay time. The attitude angle was the major influencing factors on a horizontal axis. On the contrary, secondary initiation charge velocity and delay time were the major influencing factors on a horizontal axis. Overall, the geometries of initiation point area were sector coupled with the errors of the attitude angle, secondary initiation charge velocity, and delay time.

The frontotemporal syndrome of ALS is associated with poor survival.

PubMed

Govaarts, Rosanne; Beeldman, Emma; Kampelmacher, Mike J; van Tol, Marie-Jose; van den Berg, Leonard H; van der Kooi, Anneke J; Wijkstra, Peter J; Zijnen-Suyker, Marianne; Cobben, Nicolle A M; Schmand, Ben A; de Haan, Rob J; de Visser, Marianne; Raaphorst, Joost

2016-12-01

Thirty percent of ALS patients have a frontotemporal syndrome (FS), defined as behavioral changes or cognitive impairment. Despite previous studies, there are no firm conclusions on the effect of the FS on survival and the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in ALS. We examined the effect of the FS on survival and the start and duration of NIV in ALS. Behavioral changes were defined as >22 points on the ALS-Frontotemporal-Dementia-Questionnaire or ≥3 points on ≥2 items of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Cognitive impairment was defined as below the fifth percentile on ≥2 tests of executive function, memory or language. Classic ALS was defined as ALS without the frontotemporal syndrome. We performed survival analyses from symptom onset and time from NIV initiation, respectively, to death. The impact of the explanatory variables on survival and NIV initiation were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. We included 110 ALS patients (76 men) with a mean age of 62 years. Median survival time was 4.3 years (95 % CI 3.53-5.13). Forty-seven patients (43 %) had an FS. Factors associated with shorter survival were FS, bulbar onset, older age at onset, short time to diagnosis and a C9orf72 repeat expansion. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the FS was 2.29 (95 % CI 1.44-3.65, p < 0.001) in a multivariate model. Patients with an FS had a shorter survival after NIV initiation (adjusted HR 2.70, 95 % CI 1.04-4.67, p = 0.04). In conclusion, there is an association between the frontotemporal syndrome and poor survival in ALS, which remains present after initiation of NIV.

Parenting Gains in Head Start as a Function of Initial Parenting Skill

PubMed Central

Ansari, Arya; Purtell, Kelly; Gershoff, Elizabeth T.

2016-01-01

Using data from the Head Start Impact Study (n = 3,696), this article examines whether one year of Head Start differentially benefited parents as a function of their initial parenting behaviors. Four outcomes are examined, namely parents’ rates of engaging in cognitive stimulation, reading to their child, and spanking, as well as their depressive symptoms. In general, most parents demonstrated improvements in their reading practices and cognitive stimulation, regardless of their parenting behaviors at baseline. However, depressive symptoms and spanking behavior showed improvements only among parents who began the Head Start program with the most depressive symptoms and the most frequent spanking, respectively. These findings suggest that treatment-induced changes in parenting can vary by parents’ incoming attributes and that heterogeneity of effects should be considered. Implications for Head Start and other parenting interventions are discussed. PMID:27818529

Parenting Gains in Head Start as a Function of Initial Parenting Skill.

PubMed

Ansari, Arya; Purtell, Kelly; Gershoff, Elizabeth T

2016-10-01

Using data from the Head Start Impact Study ( n = 3,696), this article examines whether one year of Head Start differentially benefited parents as a function of their initial parenting behaviors. Four outcomes are examined, namely parents' rates of engaging in cognitive stimulation, reading to their child, and spanking, as well as their depressive symptoms. In general, most parents demonstrated improvements in their reading practices and cognitive stimulation, regardless of their parenting behaviors at baseline. However, depressive symptoms and spanking behavior showed improvements only among parents who began the Head Start program with the most depressive symptoms and the most frequent spanking, respectively. These findings suggest that treatment-induced changes in parenting can vary by parents' incoming attributes and that heterogeneity of effects should be considered. Implications for Head Start and other parenting interventions are discussed.

The early effects of Medicare's mandatory hospital pay-for-performance program.

PubMed

Ryan, Andrew M; Burgess, James F; Pesko, Michael F; Borden, William B; Dimick, Justin B

2015-02-01

To evaluate the impact of hospital value-based purchasing (HVBP) on clinical quality and patient experience during its initial implementation period (July 2011-March 2012). Hospital-level clinical quality and patient experience data from Hospital Compare from up to 5 years before and three quarters after HVBP was initiated. Acute care hospitals were exposed to HVBP by mandate while critical access hospitals and hospitals located in Maryland were not exposed. We performed a difference-in-differences analysis, comparing performance on 12 incentivized clinical process and 8 incentivized patient experience measures between hospitals exposed to the program and a matched comparison group of nonexposed hospitals. We also evaluated whether hospitals that were ultimately exposed to HVBP may have anticipated the program by improving quality in advance of its introduction. Difference-in-differences estimates indicated that hospitals that were exposed to HVBP did not show greater improvement for either the clinical process or patient experience measures during the program's first implementation period. Estimates from our preferred specification showed that HVBP was associated with a 0.51 percentage point reduction in composite quality for the clinical process measures (p > .10, 95 percent CI: -1.37, 0.34) and a 0.30 percentage point reduction in composite quality for the patient experience measures (p > .10, 95 percent CI: -0.79, 0.19). We found some evidence that hospitals improved performance on clinical process measures prior to the start of HVBP, but no evidence of this phenomenon for the patient experience measures. The timing of the financial incentives in HVBP was not associated with improved quality of care. It is unclear whether improvement for the clinical process measures prior to the start of HVBP was driven by the expectation of the program or was the result of other factors. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

A new design approach to innovative spectrometers. Case study: TROPOLITE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volatier, Jean-Baptiste; Baümer, Stefan; Kruizinga, Bob; Vink, Rob

2014-05-01

Designing a novel optical system is a nested iterative process. The optimization loop, from a starting point to final system is already mostly automated. However this loop is part of a wider loop which is not. This wider loop starts with an optical specification and ends with a manufacturability assessment. When designing a new spectrometer with emphasis on weight and cost, numerous iterations between the optical- and mechanical designer are inevitable. The optical designer must then be able to reliably produce optical designs based on new input gained from multidisciplinary studies. This paper presents a procedure that can automatically generate new starting points based on any kind of input or new constraint that might arise. These starting points can then be handed over to a generic optimization routine to make the design tasks extremely efficient. The optical designer job is then not to design optical systems, but to meta-design a procedure that produces optical systems paving the way for system level optimization. We present here this procedure and its application to the design of TROPOLITE a lightweight push broom imaging spectrometer.

When Learning Disturbs Memory – Temporal Profile of Retroactive Interference of Learning on Memory Formation

PubMed Central

Sosic-Vasic, Zrinka; Hille, Katrin; Kröner, Julia; Spitzer, Manfred; Kornmeier, Jürgen

2018-01-01

Introduction: Consolidation is defined as the time necessary for memory stabilization after learning. In the present study we focused on effects of interference during the first 12 consolidation minutes after learning. Participants had to learn a set of German – Japanese word pairs in an initial learning task and a different set of German – Japanese word pairs in a subsequent interference task. The interference task started in different experimental conditions at different time points (0, 3, 6, and 9 min) after the learning task and was followed by subsequent cued recall tests. In a control experiment the interference periods were replaced by rest periods without any interference. Results: The interference task decreased memory performance by up to 20%, with negative effects at all interference time points and large variability between participants concerning both the time point and the size of maximal interference. Further, fast learners seem to be more affected by interference than slow learners. Discussion: Our results indicate that the first 12 min after learning are highly important for memory consolidation, without a general pattern concerning the precise time point of maximal interference across individuals. This finding raises doubts about the generalized learning recipes and calls for individuality of learning schedules. PMID:29503621

Automated generation of radical species in crystalline carbohydrate using ab initio MD simulations.

PubMed

Aalbergsjø, Siv G; Pauwels, Ewald; Van Yperen-De Deyne, Andy; Van Speybroeck, Veronique; Sagstuen, Einar

2014-08-28

As the chemical structures of radiation damaged molecules may differ greatly from their undamaged counterparts, investigation and description of radiation damaged structures is commonly biased by the researcher. Radical formation from ionizing radiation in crystalline α-l-rhamnose monohydrate has been investigated using a new method where the selection of radical structures is unbiased by the researcher. The method is based on using ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) studies to investigate how ionization damage can form, change and move. Diversity in the radical production is gained by using different points on the potential energy surface of the intact crystal as starting points for the ionizations and letting the initial velocities of the nuclei after ionization be generated randomly. 160 ab initio MD runs produced 12 unique radical structures for investigation. Out of these, 7 of the potential products have never previously been discussed, and 3 products are found to match with radicals previously observed by electron magnetic resonance experiments.

Defect-selective dry etching for quick and easy probing of hexagonal boron nitride domains.

PubMed

Wu, Qinke; Lee, Joohyun; Park, Sangwoo; Woo, Hwi Je; Lee, Sungjoo; Song, Young Jae

2018-03-23

In this study, we demonstrate a new method to selectively etch the point defects or the boundaries of as-grown hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) films and flakes in situ on copper substrates using hydrogen and argon gases. The initial quality of the chemical vapor deposition-grown hBN films and flakes was confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Different gas flow ratios of Ar/H 2 were then employed to etch the same quality of samples and it was found that etching with hydrogen starts from the point defects and grows epitaxially, which helps in confirming crystalline orientations. However, etching with argon is sensitive to line defects (boundaries) and helps in visualizing the domain size. Finally, based on this defect-selective dry etching technique, it could be visualized that the domains of a polycrystalline hBN monolayer merged together with many parts, even with those that grew from a single nucleation seed.

Defect-selective dry etching for quick and easy probing of hexagonal boron nitride domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qinke; Lee, Joohyun; Park, Sangwoo; Woo, Hwi Je; Lee, Sungjoo; Song, Young Jae

2018-03-01

In this study, we demonstrate a new method to selectively etch the point defects or the boundaries of as-grown hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) films and flakes in situ on copper substrates using hydrogen and argon gases. The initial quality of the chemical vapor deposition-grown hBN films and flakes was confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Different gas flow ratios of Ar/H2 were then employed to etch the same quality of samples and it was found that etching with hydrogen starts from the point defects and grows epitaxially, which helps in confirming crystalline orientations. However, etching with argon is sensitive to line defects (boundaries) and helps in visualizing the domain size. Finally, based on this defect-selective dry etching technique, it could be visualized that the domains of a polycrystalline hBN monolayer merged together with many parts, even with those that grew from a single nucleation seed.

Molecular dynamics simulations of polyelectrolyte brushes under poor solvent conditions: origins of bundle formation.

PubMed

He, Gui-Li; Merlitz, Holger; Sommer, Jens-Uwe

2014-03-14

Molecular dynamics simulations are applied to investigate salt-free planar polyelectrolyte brushes under poor solvent conditions. Starting above the Θ-point with a homogeneous brush and then gradually reducing the temperature, the polymers initially display a lateral structure formation, forming vertical bundles of chains. A further reduction of the temperature (or solvent quality) leads to a vertical collapse of the brush. By varying the size and selectivity of the counterions, we show that lateral structure formation persists and therefore demonstrate that the entropy of counterions being the dominant factor for the formation of the bundle phase. By applying an external compression force on the brush we calculate the minimal work done on the polymer phase only and prove that the entropy gain of counterions in the bundle state, as compared to the homogeneously collapsed state at the same temperature, is responsible for the lateral microphase segregation. As a consequence, the observed lateral structure formation has to be regarded universal for osmotic polymer brushes below the Θ-point.

Oral desensitization to milk: how to choose the starting dose!

PubMed Central

Mori, Francesca; Pucci, Neri; Rossi, Maria Elisabetta; de Martino, Maurizio; Azzari, Chiara; Novembre, Elio

2010-01-01

Mori F, Pucci N, Rossi ME, de Martino M, Azzari C, Novembre E. Oral desensitization to milk: how to choose the starting dose! Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: e450–e453. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S A renewed interest in oral desensitization as treatment for food allergy has been observed in the last few years. We studied a novel method based on the end point skin prick test procedure to establish the starting dose for oral desensitization in a group of 30 children higly allergic to milk. The results (in terms of reactions to the first dose administered) were compared with a group of 20 children allergic to milk as well. Such control group started to swallow the same dose of 0.015 mg/ml of milk. None reacted to the first dose when administered according to the end point skin prick test. On the other side, ten out of 20 children (50%) from the control group showed mild allergic reactions to the first dose of milk. In conclusion the end point skin prick test procedure results safe and easy to be performed in each single child in order to find out the starting dose for oral desensitization to milk, also by taking into account the individual variability. PMID:19624618

Robust 3D-2D image registration: application to spine interventions and vertebral labeling in the presence of anatomical deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otake, Yoshito; Wang, Adam S.; Webster Stayman, J.; Uneri, Ali; Kleinszig, Gerhard; Vogt, Sebastian; Khanna, A. Jay; Gokaslan, Ziya L.; Siewerdsen, Jeffrey H.

2013-12-01

We present a framework for robustly estimating registration between a 3D volume image and a 2D projection image and evaluate its precision and robustness in spine interventions for vertebral localization in the presence of anatomical deformation. The framework employs a normalized gradient information similarity metric and multi-start covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy optimization with local-restarts, which provided improved robustness against deformation and content mismatch. The parallelized implementation allowed orders-of-magnitude acceleration in computation time and improved the robustness of registration via multi-start global optimization. Experiments involved a cadaver specimen and two CT datasets (supine and prone) and 36 C-arm fluoroscopy images acquired with the specimen in four positions (supine, prone, supine with lordosis, prone with kyphosis), three regions (thoracic, abdominal, and lumbar), and three levels of geometric magnification (1.7, 2.0, 2.4). Registration accuracy was evaluated in terms of projection distance error (PDE) between the estimated and true target points in the projection image, including 14 400 random trials (200 trials on the 72 registration scenarios) with initialization error up to ±200 mm and ±10°. The resulting median PDE was better than 0.1 mm in all cases, depending somewhat on the resolution of input CT and fluoroscopy images. The cadaver experiments illustrated the tradeoff between robustness and computation time, yielding a success rate of 99.993% in vertebral labeling (with ‘success’ defined as PDE <5 mm) using 1,718 664 ± 96 582 function evaluations computed in 54.0 ± 3.5 s on a mid-range GPU (nVidia, GeForce GTX690). Parameters yielding a faster search (e.g., fewer multi-starts) reduced robustness under conditions of large deformation and poor initialization (99.535% success for the same data registered in 13.1 s), but given good initialization (e.g., ±5 mm, assuming a robust initial run) the same registration could be solved with 99.993% success in 6.3 s. The ability to register CT to fluoroscopy in a manner robust to patient deformation could be valuable in applications such as radiation therapy, interventional radiology, and an assistant to target localization (e.g., vertebral labeling) in image-guided spine surgery.

45 CFR 1304.41 - Community partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... and other educational and cultural institutions, such as libraries and museums, for both children and... Head Start; (ii) Outreach to encourage communication between Early Head Start or Head Start staff and... workers and health staff to facilitate continuity of programming; (iii) Initiating meetings involving Head...

45 CFR 1304.41 - Community partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... and other educational and cultural institutions, such as libraries and museums, for both children and... Head Start; (ii) Outreach to encourage communication between Early Head Start or Head Start staff and... workers and health staff to facilitate continuity of programming; (iii) Initiating meetings involving Head...

45 CFR 1304.41 - Community partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... and other educational and cultural institutions, such as libraries and museums, for both children and... Head Start; (ii) Outreach to encourage communication between Early Head Start or Head Start staff and... workers and health staff to facilitate continuity of programming; (iii) Initiating meetings involving Head...

45 CFR 1304.41 - Community partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and other educational and cultural institutions, such as libraries and museums, for both children and... Head Start; (ii) Outreach to encourage communication between Early Head Start or Head Start staff and... workers and health staff to facilitate continuity of programming; (iii) Initiating meetings involving Head...

45 CFR 1304.41 - Community partnerships.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... and other educational and cultural institutions, such as libraries and museums, for both children and... Head Start; (ii) Outreach to encourage communication between Early Head Start or Head Start staff and... workers and health staff to facilitate continuity of programming; (iii) Initiating meetings involving Head...

Current reversals and metastable states in the infinite Bose-Hubbard chain with local particle loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiefer-Emmanouilidis, M.; Sirker, J.

2017-12-01

We present an algorithm which combines the quantum trajectory approach to open quantum systems with a density-matrix renormalization-group scheme for infinite one-dimensional lattice systems. We apply this method to investigate the long-time dynamics in the Bose-Hubbard model with local particle loss starting from a Mott-insulating initial state with one boson per site. While the short-time dynamics can be described even quantitatively by an equation of motion (EOM) approach at the mean-field level, many-body interactions lead to unexpected effects at intermediate and long times: local particle currents far away from the dissipative site start to reverse direction ultimately leading to a metastable state with a total particle current pointing away from the lossy site. An alternative EOM approach based on an effective fermion model shows that the reversal of currents can be understood qualitatively by the creation of holon-doublon pairs at the edge of the region of reduced particle density. The doublons are then able to escape while the holes move towards the dissipative site, a process reminiscent—in a loose sense—of Hawking radiation.

Family Socioeconomic Status, Peers, and The Path to College

PubMed Central

Crosnoe, Robert; Muller, Chandra

2014-01-01

Drawing on the primary/secondary effects perspective of educational inequality, this mixed methods study investigated connections between high school students’ trajectories through college preparatory coursework and their relationships with parents and peers as a channel in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic inequality. Growth curve and multilevel analyses of national survey and transcript data revealed that having college-educated parents differentiated students’ enrollment in advanced coursework at the start of high school and that this initial disparity was stably maintained over subsequent years. During this starting period of high school, exposure to school-based peer groups characterized by higher levels of parent education appeared to amplify these coursework disparities between students with and without college-educated parents. Ethnographic data from a single high school pointed to possible mechanisms for these patterns, including the tendency for students with college-educated parents to have more information about the relative weight of grades, core courses, and electives in college-going and for academically-relevant information from school peers with college-educated parents to matter most to students’ coursework when it matched what was coming from their own parents. PMID:25544782

Cascades in model steels: The effect of cementite (Fe3C) and Cr23C6 particles on short-term crystal damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriksson, K. O. E.

2015-06-01

Ferritic stainless steel can be modeled as an iron matrix containing precipitates of cementite (Fe3C) and Cr23C6. When used in nuclear power production the steels in the vicinity of the core start to accumulate damage due to neutrons. The role of the afore-mentioned carbides in this process is not well understood. In order to clarify the situation bulk cascades created by primary recoils in model steels have been carried out in the present work. Investigated configurations consisted of bulk ferrite containing spherical particles (diameter of 4 nm) of either (1) Fe3C or (2) Cr23C6. Primary recoils were initiated at different distances from the inclusions, with recoil energies varying between 100 eV and 1 keV. Results for the number of point defects such as vacancies and antisites are presented. These findings indicate that defects are also remaining when cascades are started outside the carbide inclusions. The work uses a recently developed Abell-Brenner-Tersoff potential for the Fe-Cr-C system.

40 CFR 86.535-90 - Dynamometer procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... run consists of two tests, a “cold” start test and a “hot” start test following the “cold” start by 10... Administrator. (d) Practice runs over the prescribed driving schedule may be performed at test points, provided... the proper speed-time relationship, or to permit sampling system adjustments. (e) The drive wheel...

Self-Efficacy and Short-Term Adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment in Children.

PubMed

Xanthopoulos, Melissa S; Kim, Ji Young; Blechner, Michael; Chang, Ming-Yu; Menello, Mary Kate; Brown, Christina; Matthews, Edward; Weaver, Terri E; Shults, Justine; Marcus, Carole L

2017-07-01

Infants, children, and adolescents are increasingly being prescribed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), yet adherence is often poor. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver and patient-reported health cognitions about CPAP prior to starting CPAP and CPAP adherence at 1 month. We hypothesized that greater caregiver-reported self-efficacy would be positively associated with CPAP adherence in children. We also evaluated patient-reported self-efficacy and caregiver- and patient-reported risk perception and outcome expectations as they related to adherence, as well as how demographic factors influenced these relationships. A pediatric modification of the Self-Efficacy Measure for Sleep Apnea Questionnaire was administered to children and adolescents with OSAS-prescribed CPAP and their caregivers during the clinical CPAP-initiation visit. The primary outcome variable for adherence was the average total minutes of CPAP usage across all days from the date that CPAP was initiated to 31 days later. Unadjusted ordinary least-square regression showed a significant association between caregiver-reported self-efficacy and adherence (p = .007), indicating that mean daily CPAP usage increased by 48.4 minutes when caregiver-reported self-efficacy increased by one point (95% confidence interval 13.4-83.4 minutes). No other caregiver- or patient-reported cognitive health variables were related to CPAP use. This study indicates that caregiver CPAP-specific self-efficacy is an important factor to consider when starting youth on CPAP therapy for OSAS. Employing strategies to improve caregiver self-efficacy, beginning at CPAP initiation, may promote CPAP adherence. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

The use of a prospective audit proforma to improve door-to-mask times for acute exacerbations chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring non-invasive ventilation (NIV).

PubMed

Mandal, S; Howes, T Q; Parker, M; Roberts, C M

2014-12-01

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is an evidence based management of acidotic, hypercapnic exacerbations of COPD. Previous national and international audits of clinical practice have shown variation against guideline standards with significant delays in initiating NIV. We aimed to map the clinical pathway to better understand delays and reduce the door-to-NIV time to less than 3 hours for all patients with acidotic, hypercapnic exacerbations of COPD requiring this intervention, by mandating the use of a guideline based educational management proforma.The proforma was introduced at 7 acute hospitals in North London and Essex and initiated at admission of the patient. It was used to record the clinical pathway and patient outcomes until the point of discharge or death. Data for 138 patients were collected. 48% of patients commenced NIV within 3 hours with no reduction in door-to-mask time during the study period. Delays in starting NIV were due to: time taken for review by the medical team (101 minutes) and time taken for NIV to be started once a decision had been made (49 minutes). There were significant differences in door-to-NIV decision and mask times between differing respiratory on-call systems, p < 0.05). The introduction of the proforma had no effect on door-to-mask times over the study period. Main reasons for delay were related to timely access to medical staff and to NIV equipment; however, a marked variation in practice within these hospitals was been noted, with a 9-5 respiratory on-call system associated with shorter NIV initiation times.

State Initiatives To Promote Early Learning: Next Steps in Coordinating Subsidized Child Care, Head Start, and State Prekindergarten. Full Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Rachel; Greenberg, Mark; Lombardi, Joan

While current early education and care funding still reaches only a fraction of preschool children, some states now have considerable experience in coordinating subsidized child care, Head Start, and state prekindergarten initiatives to enhance early education and learning opportunities for young children. Drawing on the experiences of Georgia,…

Mapping the transcription start points of the Staphylococcus aureus eap, emp, and vwb promoters reveals a conserved octanucleotide sequence that is essential for expression of these genes.

PubMed

Harraghy, Niamh; Homerova, Dagmar; Herrmann, Mathias; Kormanec, Jan

2008-01-01

Mapping the transcription start points of the eap, emp, and vwb promoters revealed a conserved octanucleotide sequence (COS). Deleting this sequence abolished the expression of eap, emp, and vwb. However, electrophoretic mobility shift assays gave no evidence that this sequence was a binding site for SarA or SaeR, known regulators of eap and emp.

Investigations of magnesium, histamine and immunoglobulins dynamics in acute urticaria.

PubMed

Mureşan, D; Oană, A; Nicolae, I; Alecu, M; Moşescu, L; Benea, V; Flueraş, M

1990-01-01

In 42 urticaria patients, magnesium, histamine and IgE were dosed. Magnesium, IgE and histamine variations were followed in urticaria evolution, during acute phase and clinical remission. We noticed magnesium, histamine, IgE values variations depending on disease evolution and applied therapeutic scheme. Therefore: At disease starting point, histamine presented 3.5 times higher values than the normal ones. The value decreases following a curve which tends to reach normal values during clinical remission. At disease starting point, magnesium presented values under the inferior limit of the normal, 0.5 m mol/L respectively, as a mean. The value increases towards the normal limit during clinical remission. Immunoglobulins E follow a similar curve to histamine one, presenting 1,250 U/L values at the starting point, that, under medication, influence decrease between normal limits (800 U/L), during clinical remission. Analyzing the variations of biochemical parameters, the authors emphasize magnesium substitution treatment in urticaria.

Influence of Translation Initiation on Organellar Protein Targeting in Arabidopsis

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

Sally A. Mackenzie

2011-04-18

A primary focus of the Mackenzie laboratory is the elucidation of processes and machinery for mitochondrial genome maintenance and transmission in higher plants. We have found that numerous organellar DNA maintenance components in plants appear to be dual targeted to mitochondria and plastids. Of particular interest was the observation that some twin (tandemly arrayed) dual targeting presequences appeared to utilize non-AUG alternative translation initiation, allowing for multiple translation starts at a single gene. Two aspects of this phenomenon were of particular interest: (1) Alternative translation initiation might provide a mechanism to regulate protein targeting temporally and spatially, a possibility thatmore » had not been demonstrated previously, and (2) alternative translation initiation might occur in genes involved in nuclear-controlled mitochondrial genome recombination, thought to be exclusively mitochondrial in their function. During the course of this research, we pursued three aims, with an emphasis on two specific genes of interest: POLgamma2, an organellar DNA polymerase, and MSH1, a MutS homolog thought to participate in mitochondrial, but not plastid, genome recombination surveillance. Our aims were to (1) Identify additional genes within Arabidopsis and other genomes that employ non-AUG alternative translation initiation, (2) Locate sequences upstream to the annotated AUG that confer alternative non-AUG translation initiation activity, and (3) Identify cis and trans factors that influence start site selection in genes with non-AUG starts. Toward these ends, we have shown that non-AUG initiation occurs in a number of genes, likely influencing targeting behavior of the protein. We have also shown that start site selection is strongly influenced by Kozak consensus sequence environment, indicating that alternative translation initiation in plants occurs by relaxation of ribosome scanning.« less

Starting Dose of Sorafenib for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective, Multi-Institutional Study.

PubMed

Reiss, Kim A; Yu, Shun; Mamtani, Ronac; Mehta, Rajni; D'Addeo, Kathryn; Wileyto, E Paul; Taddei, Tamar H; Kaplan, David E

2017-11-01

Purpose Sorafenib is currently the only Food and Drug Administration-approved first-line therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. There are few data examining how sorafenib starting dose may influence patient outcomes and costs. Patients and Methods We retrospectively evaluated 4,903 patients from 128 Veterans Health Administration hospitals who were prescribed sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma between January 2006 and April 2015. After 1:1 propensity score matching to account for potential treatment bias, hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox regression and were tested against a noninferiority margin of HR = 1.1. A matched multivariate logistic regression was performed to adjust for potential confounders. The primary end point was overall survival (OS) of patients who were prescribed standard starting dosage sorafenib (800 mg/d per os) versus that of patients who were prescribed reduced starting dose sorafenib (< 800 mg/d per os). Results There were 3,094 standard dose sorafenib patients (63%) and 1,809 reduced starting dose sorafenib patients (37%). Reduced starting dose sorafenib patients had more Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage D ( P < .001), higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Sodium scores ( P < .001), higher Child-Turcotte-Pugh scores ( P < .001), and higher Cirrhosis Comorbidity Index scores ( P = .01). Consequently, reduced starting dose sorafenib patients had lower OS (median, 200 v 233 days, HR = 1.10). After propensity score matching and adjusting for potential confounders, there was no longer a significant OS difference (adjusted hazard ratio [HR adj ], 0.92; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.01), and this fell significantly below the noninferiority margin ( P < .001). Reduced starting dose sorafenib patients experienced significantly lower total cumulative sorafenib cost and were less likely to discontinue sorafenib because of gastrointestinal adverse effects (8.7% v 10.8%; P = .047). Conclusion The initiation of sorafenib therapy at reduced dosages was associated with reduced pill burden, reduced treatment costs, and a trend toward a decreased rate of discontinuing sorafenib because of adverse events. Reduced dosing was not associated with inferior OS relative to standard dosing.

Significance of the model considering mixed grain-size for inverse analysis of turbidites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakao, K.; Naruse, H.; Tokuhashi, S., Sr.

2016-12-01

A method for inverse analysis of turbidity currents is proposed for application to field observations. Estimation of initial condition of the catastrophic events from field observations has been important for sedimentological researches. For instance, there are various inverse analyses to estimate hydraulic conditions from topography observations of pyroclastic flows (Rossano et al., 1996), real-time monitored debris-flow events (Fraccarollo and Papa, 2000), tsunami deposits (Jaffe and Gelfenbaum, 2007) and ancient turbidites (Falcini et al., 2009). These inverse analyses need forward models and the most turbidity current models employ uniform grain-size particles. The turbidity currents, however, are the best characterized by variation of grain-size distribution. Though there are numerical models of mixed grain-sized particles, the models have difficulty in feasibility of application to natural examples because of calculating costs (Lesshaft et al., 2011). Here we expand the turbidity current model based on the non-steady 1D shallow-water equation at low calculation costs for mixed grain-size particles and applied the model to the inverse analysis. In this study, we compared two forward models considering uniform and mixed grain-size particles respectively. We adopted inverse analysis based on the Simplex method that optimizes the initial conditions (thickness, depth-averaged velocity and depth-averaged volumetric concentration of a turbidity current) with multi-point start and employed the result of the forward model [h: 2.0 m, U: 5.0 m/s, C: 0.01%] as reference data. The result shows that inverse analysis using the mixed grain-size model found the known initial condition of reference data even if the condition where the optimization started is deviated from the true solution, whereas the inverse analysis using the uniform grain-size model requires the condition in which the starting parameters for optimization must be in quite narrow range near the solution. The uniform grain-size model often reaches to local optimum condition that is significantly different from true solution. In conclusion, we propose a method of optimization based on the model considering mixed grain-size particles, and show its application to examples of turbidites in the Kiyosumi Formation, Boso Peninsula, Japan.

[The effectiveness of smoking cessation program in a workplace with high risk].

PubMed

Coşkun Beyan, Ayşe; Varol, Yelda

2016-06-01

Initiatives for smoking cessation (SC) at workplace have become more prominent due to both health and safety risks associated with smoking. We aimed to determine 6-month successful SC rates of a group of employees who participated in a SC program as they worked in a workplace that exhibited high risk of fire and explosion. Having delivered a compulsory smoking training to the paint manufacturing department with 276 employees, we invited 147 smoker employees to participate in a SC initiative (SCI) program. The SCI program was implemented by the occupational health and safety (OHS) staff. Employees were administered a self-reported questionnaire including the age at starting smoking, number of cigarettes smoked (pack years), family members' attitudes towards smoking, reasons for smoking and harms of smoking. Nicotine addiction levels were assessed with Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FNDT). 276 employees (270 male and 6 female) had an average age of 36.8 ± 8.4 years. 144 active smokers presented an average age of 38.4 ± 6.9 and smoked on average 18.5 ± 12.8 pack/year. Active smokers started smoking at the age of 19.8 ± 4.9 on average. Their average score in FNDT was 6.6 ± 1.9 points. Fifty-one (35.4%) employees participated in the SCIs. The participants in the SCP training exhibited statistically significant differences with respect to the following parameters: chronic disease (p= 0.03), pack/year (p< 0.001), age at starting smoking (p= 0.001), attempted methods to SC (p= 0.002), average score in self-reported harms of smoking (p< 0.001), average FNDT score (p< 0.001), average score of self-reported smoking addiction (p= 0.001), and whether the smoker considers smoking a means of socialization (p≤ 0.001). After six months, we observed that 12 (23%) of the participants, and 4 (4%) of the non-participants employees quitted smoking (p< 0.001). In our study, participants in the SCI exhibited higher SC rates compared to the non-participants. Further studies are required to standardize such initiatives, which improve occupational health.

A method to stabilize linear systems using eigenvalue gradient information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieseman, C. D.

1985-01-01

Formal optimization methods and eigenvalue gradient information are used to develop a stabilizing control law for a closed loop linear system that is initially unstable. The method was originally formulated by using direct, constrained optimization methods with the constraints being the real parts of the eigenvalues. However, because of problems in trying to achieve stabilizing control laws, the problem was reformulated to be solved differently. The method described uses the Davidon-Fletcher-Powell minimization technique to solve an indirect, constrained minimization problem in which the performance index is the Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser function of the real parts of all the eigenvalues. The method is applied successfully to solve two different problems: the determination of a fourth-order control law stabilizes a single-input single-output active flutter suppression system and the determination of a second-order control law for a multi-input multi-output lateral-directional flight control system. Various sets of design variables and initial starting points were chosen to show the robustness of the method.

Wind-influenced projectile motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardo, Reginald Christian; Perico Esguerra, Jose; Day Vallejos, Jazmine; Jerard Canda, Jeff

2015-03-01

We solved the wind-influenced projectile motion problem with the same initial and final heights and obtained exact analytical expressions for the shape of the trajectory, range, maximum height, time of flight, time of ascent, and time of descent with the help of the Lambert W function. It turns out that the range and maximum horizontal displacement are not always equal. When launched at a critical angle, the projectile will return to its starting position. It turns out that a launch angle of 90° maximizes the time of flight, time of ascent, time of descent, and maximum height and that the launch angle corresponding to maximum range can be obtained by solving a transcendental equation. Finally, we expressed in a parametric equation the locus of points corresponding to maximum heights for projectiles launched from the ground with the same initial speed in all directions. We used the results to estimate how much a moderate wind can modify a golf ball’s range and suggested other possible applications.

Before the long journey: Development of Soviet space biology and medicine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazenko, O. G.

1978-01-01

Academician O. Gazenko, Chief of the Institute of Biomedical Problems, USSR Ministry of Public Health, reviewed the short but intense history of Soviet research in space biology and medicine. The solid academic approach of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in giving a good start at the very beginning of the space age is stressed and key people and institutions who initiated these studies are named. The basic feature of the first period of space biology is seen as the search for answers to a few fundamental questions of survival in space. It is pointed out that the initiated investigations were replaced by refined, in-depth studies of the biological, biophysical, and biochemical processes in human organism in the space environment and the search for methods which should enable cosmonaut crews to live in space for several years during interplanetary journeys. Discussing the typical problems of this effort, Gazenko each time showed how they benefit medical science and practice in general.

Factors influencing utilization of postpartum CD4 count testing by HIV-positive women not yet eligible for antiretroviral treatment.

PubMed

Gilles, Kate P; Zimba, Chifundo; Mofolo, Innocent; Bobrow, Emily; Hamela, Gloria; Martinson, Francis; Hoffman, Irving; Hosseinipour, Mina

2011-03-01

Delayed antiretroviral initiation is associated with increased mortality, but individuals frequently delay seeking treatment. To increase early antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrollment of HIV-positive women, antenatal clinics are implementing regular, postpartum CD4 count testing. We examined factors influencing women's utilization of extended CD4 count testing. About 53 in-depth interviews were conducted with nurses, patients, social support persons, and government health officials at three antenatal clinics in Lilongwe, Malawi. Counseling and positive interactions with staff emerged as facilitating factors. Women wanted to know their CD4 count, but didn't understand the importance of early ART initiation. Support from husbands facilitated women's return to the clinic. Reminders were perceived as helpful but ineffectively employed. Staff identified lack of communication, difficulty in tracking, and referring women as barriers. Counseling messages should emphasize the importance of starting ART early. Clinics should focus on male partner involvement, case management, staff communication, and appointment reminders. Follow-up should be offered at multiple service points.

On the need of mode interpolation for data-driven Galerkin models of a transient flow around a sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stankiewicz, Witold; Morzyński, Marek; Kotecki, Krzysztof; Noack, Bernd R.

2017-04-01

We present a low-dimensional Galerkin model with state-dependent modes capturing linear and nonlinear dynamics. Departure point is a direct numerical simulation of the three-dimensional incompressible flow around a sphere at Reynolds numbers 400. This solution starts near the unstable steady Navier-Stokes solution and converges to a periodic limit cycle. The investigated Galerkin models are based on the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) and derive the dynamical system from first principles, the Navier-Stokes equations. A DMD model with training data from the initial linear transient fails to predict the limit cycle. Conversely, a model from limit-cycle data underpredicts the initial growth rate roughly by a factor 5. Key enablers for uniform accuracy throughout the transient are a continuous mode interpolation between both oscillatory fluctuations and the addition of a shift mode. This interpolated model is shown to capture both the transient growth of the oscillation and the limit cycle.

Do we need a Unique Scientist ID for publications in biomedicine?

PubMed

Bohne-Lang, Andreas; Lang, Elke

2005-03-22

BACKGROUND: The PubMed database contains nearly 15 million references from more than 4,800 biomedical journals. In general, authors of scientific articles are addressed by their last name and forename initial. DISCUSSION: In general, names can be too common and not unique enough to be search criteria. Today, Ph.D. students, other researchers and women publish scientific work. A person may not only have one name but several names and publish under each name. A Unique Scientist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. As a starting point, perhaps PubMed could generate and manage such a scientist ID. SUMMARY: A Unique Scientist ID would improve knowledge management in science. Unfortunately in some of the publications, and then within the online databases, only one letter abbreviates the author's forename. A common name with only one initial could retrieve pertinent citations, but include many false drops (retrieval matching searched criteria but indisputably irrelevant).

A survey on barcode RFID and NFC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thanapal, P.; Prabhu, J.; Jakhar, Mridula

2017-11-01

Over the recent years, many industries have started implementing new technologies for tracing and tracking their products. These technologies are a kind of blessing to their management system. The technology and management system has to work in parallel to avoid loopholes in the system. We can see so many technologies around us and the most difficult and important part is to choose best out of all these new technologies. The important point which we need to take care while choosing a technology for the system is to make sure the technology can integrate properly with the other parameters in the management system. The industry management system consists of many levels such as initial level, intermediate level, final level and tracking. Nowadays tracking a product from its initial stage is becoming a trend. To cope up with this upcoming trend and also with the company demand, integrating the product with Barcode, RFID tags, NFC tag or any other traceable technology. Many supply chain Management system are also adopting this techniques.

Initial Results from the Majorana Demonstrator

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

Elliott, S. R.; Abgrall, N.; Arnquist, I. J.

The Majorana Collaboration has assembled an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge with the goal of establishing the required background and scalability of a Ge-based next-generation tonne-scale experiment. The Majorana Demonstrator consists of 44 kg of high-purity Ge (HPGe) detectors (30 kg enriched in 76Ge) with a low-noise p-type point contact (PPC) geometry. The detectors are split between two modules which are contained in a single lead and high-purity copper shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Following a commissioning run that started in June 2015, the fullmore » detector array has been acquiring data since August 2016. We will discuss the status of the Majorana Demonstrator and initial results from the first physics run; including current background estimates, exotic low-energy physics searches, projections on the physics reach of the Demonstrator, and implications for a tonne-scale Ge based Neutrinoless double-beta decay search.« less

The maxillary molar endodontic access opening: A microscope-based approach

PubMed Central

Mamoun, John Sami

2016-01-01

This article reviews the basic clinical techniques of performing a maxillary molar endodontic access opening, starting from the initial access opening into the pulp chamber, to the point where a size #10 file has been advanced to the apices of all three or four (or more) canals. The article explains how the use of the dental surgical operating microscope or microscope-level loupes magnification of ×6–8 or greater, combined with head-mounted or coaxial illumination, improve the ability of a dentist to identify microscopic root canal orifices, which facilitates the efficient creation of conservative access openings with adequate straight-line access in maxillary molars. Magnified photos illustrate various microscopic anatomical structures or landmarks of the initial access opening. Techniques are explored for implementing an access opening for teeth with vital versus necrotic pulpal tissues. The article also explores the use of piezoelectric or ultrasonic instruments for revealing root canal orifices and for removing pulp stones or calcified pulpal tissue inside the pulp chamber. PMID:27403069

Public support for river restoration funding in relation to local river ecomorphology, population density, and mean income

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

SchläPfer, Felix; Witzig, Pieter-Jan

2006-12-01

In 1997, about 140,000 citizens in 388 voting districts in the Swiss canton of Bern passed a ballot initiative to allocate about 3 million Swiss Francs annually to a canton-wide river restoration program. Using the municipal voting returns and a detailed georeferenced data set on the ecomorphological status of the rivers, we estimate models of voter support in relation to local river ecomorphology, population density, mean income, cultural background, and recent flood damage. Support of the initiative increased with increasing population density and tended to increase with increasing mean income, in spite of progressive taxation. Furthermore, we found evidence that public support increased with decreasing "naturalness" of local rivers. The model estimates may be cautiously used to predict the public acceptance of similar restoration programs in comparable regions. Moreover, the voting-based insights into the distribution of river restoration benefits provide a useful starting point for debates about appropriate financing schemes.

Guidelines for the standardization of preanalytic variables for blood-based biomarker studies in Alzheimer’s disease research

PubMed Central

Gupta, Veer; Henriksen, Kim; Edwards, Melissa; Jeromin, Andreas; Lista, Simone; Bazenet, Chantal; Soares, Holly; Lovestone, Simon; Hampel, Harald; Montine, Thomas; Blennow, Kaj; Foroud, Tatiana; Carrillo, Maria; Graff-Radford, Neill; Laske, Christoph; Breteler, Monique; Shaw, Leslie; Trojanowski, John Q.; Schupf, Nicole; Rissman, Robert A.; Fagan, Anne M.; Oberoi, Pankaj; Umek, Robert; Weiner, Michael W.; Grammas, Paula; Posner, Holly; Martins, Ralph

2015-01-01

The lack of readily available biomarkers is a significant hindrance towards progressing to effective therapeutic and preventative strategies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Blood-based biomarkers have potential to overcome access and cost barriers and greatly facilitate advanced neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker approaches. Despite the fact that preanalytical processing is the largest source of variability in laboratory testing, there are no currently available standardized preanalytical guidelines. The current international working group provides the initial starting point for such guidelines for standardized operating procedures (SOPs). It is anticipated that these guidelines will be updated as additional research findings become available. The statement provides (1) a synopsis of selected preanalytical methods utilized in many international AD cohort studies, (2) initial draft guidelines/SOPs for preanalytical methods, and (3) a list of required methodological information and protocols to be made available for publications in the field in order to foster cross-validation across cohorts and laboratories. PMID:25282381

Precise assignment of the heavy-strand promoter of mouse mitochondrial DNA: cognate start sites are not required for transcriptional initiation.

PubMed Central

Chang, D D; Clayton, D A

1986-01-01

Transcription of the heavy strand of mouse mitochondrial DNA starts from two closely spaced, distinct sites located in the displacement loop region of the genome. We report here an analysis of regulatory sequences required for faithful transcription from these two sites. Data obtained from in vitro assays demonstrated that a 51-base-pair region, encompassing nucleotides -40 to +11 of the downstream start site, contains sufficient information for accurate transcription from both start sites. Deletion of the 3' flanking sequences, including one or both start sites to -17, resulted in the initiation of transcription by the mitochondrial RNA polymerase from alternative sites within vector DNA sequences. This feature places the mouse heavy-strand promoter uniquely among other known mitochondrial promoters, all of which absolutely require cognate start sites for transcription. Comparison of the heavy-strand promoter with those of other vertebrate mitochondrial DNAs revealed a remarkably high rate of sequence divergence among species. Images PMID:3785226

Non-isolated 30 kW class arcjet PCU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, See-Pok; Britt, Edward J.

1994-03-01

A 30 kW class arcjet Power Conditioning Unit, PCU, was built and tested during this Phase 2 SBIR contract. The PCU is an improved version of two previously developed PCU's. All of these units are 3-phase, 20 kHz buck regulators with current mode feed back to modulate the duty cycle to control the arcjet current at any selected operating point. The steady state control can assure arcjet stability despite the negative dynamic resistance of the arc discharge. The system also has a circuit to produce a high voltage start pulse to breakdown the gas and initiate the arc. The start pulse is formed by temporarily switching a short current path across the output terminals with a special solid state switching array. The switches then open rapidly, and the energy stored in the output inductors of the buck regulator produces a pulse of approximately 2500 V for approximately 500 nsec. The system was tested and modified until the transition to steady operation occurred after start up with a very small surge current overshoot. The system also can withstand a direct short circuit across the output without damage. The automatic feed back control simply reduces the duty cycle to hold the current at the set point. When the short is removed the full power output is immediately restored. This latest version arcjet PCU is conduction cooled to remove waste heat by conduction to the base plate. This unit is closer to flight a type of design than the previous functional bread boards. Waste heat is small because the PCU has a very high efficiency, 296 percent. The PCU was extensively tested with resistor loads to simulate operation with an arcjet. The unit was tested with ammonia arcjets at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Approximately 400 hours of testing were completed, with several starts. Many hours were also demonstrated with resistive loads.

Non-isolated 30 kW class arcjet PCU

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, See-Pok; Britt, Edward J.

1994-01-01

A 30 kW class arcjet Power Conditioning Unit, PCU, was built and tested during this Phase 2 SBIR contract. The PCU is an improved version of two previously developed PCU's. All of these units are 3-phase, 20 kHz buck regulators with current mode feed back to modulate the duty cycle to control the arcjet current at any selected operating point. The steady state control can assure arcjet stability despite the negative dynamic resistance of the arc discharge. The system also has a circuit to produce a high voltage start pulse to breakdown the gas and initiate the arc. The start pulse is formed by temporarily switching a short current path across the output terminals with a special solid state switching array. The switches then open rapidly, and the energy stored in the output inductors of the buck regulator produces a pulse of approximately 2500 V for approximately 500 nsec. The system was tested and modified until the transition to steady operation occurred after start up with a very small surge current overshoot. The system also can withstand a direct short circuit across the output without damage. The automatic feed back control simply reduces the duty cycle to hold the current at the set point. When the short is removed the full power output is immediately restored. This latest version arcjet PCU is conduction cooled to remove waste heat by conduction to the base plate. This unit is closer to flight a type of design than the previous functional bread boards. Waste heat is small because the PCU has a very high efficiency, 296 percent. The PCU was extensively tested with resistor loads to simulate operation with an arcjet. The unit was tested with ammonia arcjets at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Approximately 400 hours of testing were completed, with several starts. Many hours were also demonstrated with resistive loads. Some testing with hydrogen arcjets was also carried out at NASA LeRC. This system concept is now the design base for the ATTD program.

Translation of vph mRNA in Streptomyces lividans and Escherichia coli after removal of the 5' untranslated leader.

PubMed

Wu, C J; Janssen, G R

1996-10-01

The Streptomyces vinaceus viomycin phosphotransferase (vph) mRNA contains an untranslated leader with a conventional Shine-Dalgarno homology. The vph leader was removed by ligation of the vph coding sequence to the transcriptional start site of a Streptomyces or an Escherichia coli promoter, such that transcription would initiate at the first position of the vph start codon. Analysis of mRNA demonstrated that transcription initiated primarily at the A of the vph AUG translational start codon in both Streptomyces lividans and E. coli; cells expressing the unleadered vph mRNA were resistant to viomycin indicating that the Shine-Dalgarno sequence, or other features contained within the leader, was not necessary for vph translation. Addition of four nucleotides (5'-AUGC-3') onto the 5' end of the unleadered vph mRNA resulted in translation initiation from the vph start codon and the AUG triplet contained within the added sequence. Translational fusions of vph sequence to a Tn5 neo reporter gene indicated that the first 16 codons of vph coding sequence were sufficient to specify the translational start site and reading frame for expression of neomycin resistance in both E. coli and S. lividans.

Local Dynamics of Chemical Kinetics at Different Phases of Nitriding Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, İ. Bedii; Akar, Firat

2015-08-01

The local dynamics of chemical kinetics at different phases of the nitriding process have been studied. The calculations are performed under the conditions where the temperature and composition data are provided experimentally from an in-service furnace. Results are presented in temporal variations of gas concentrations and the nitrogen coverage on the surface. It is shown that if it is available in the furnace, the adsorption of the N2 gas can seemingly start at temperatures as low as 200 °C. However, at such low temperatures, as the diffusion into the material is very unlikely, this results in the surface poisoning. It becomes clear that, contrary to common knowledge, the nitriding heat treatment with ammonia as a nitrogen-providing medium is possible at temperatures like 400 °C. Under these conditions, however, the presence of excess amounts of product gas N2 in the furnace atmosphere suppresses the forward kinetics in the nitriding process. It seems that the best operating point in the nitriding heat treatment is achieved with a mixture of 6% N2. When the major nitriding species NH3 is substituted by N2 and the N2 fraction increases above 30%, the rate of the forward reaction decreases drastically, so that there is no point to continue the furnace operation any further. Hence, during the initial heating phase, the N2 gas must be purged from the furnace to keep its fraction less than 30% before the furnace reaches the temperature where the reaction starts.

Effects of musicality and motivational orientation on auditory category learning: a test of a regulatory-fit hypothesis.

PubMed

McAuley, J Devin; Henry, Molly J; Wedd, Alan; Pleskac, Timothy J; Cesario, Joseph

2012-02-01

Two experiments investigated the effects of musicality and motivational orientation on auditory category learning. In both experiments, participants learned to classify tone stimuli that varied in frequency and duration according to an initially unknown disjunctive rule; feedback involved gaining points for correct responses (a gains reward structure) or losing points for incorrect responses (a losses reward structure). For Experiment 1, participants were told at the start that musicians typically outperform nonmusicians on the task, and then they were asked to identify themselves as either a "musician" or a "nonmusician." For Experiment 2, participants were given either a promotion focus prime (a performance-based opportunity to gain entry into a raffle) or a prevention focus prime (a performance-based criterion that needed to be maintained to avoid losing an entry into a raffle) at the start of the experiment. Consistent with a regulatory-fit hypothesis, self-identified musicians and promotion-primed participants given a gains reward structure made more correct tone classifications and were more likely to discover the optimal disjunctive rule than were musicians and promotion-primed participants experiencing losses. Reward structure (gains vs. losses) had inconsistent effects on the performance of nonmusicians, and a weaker regulatory-fit effect was found for the prevention focus prime. Overall, the findings from this study demonstrate a regulatory-fit effect in the domain of auditory category learning and show that motivational orientation may contribute to musician performance advantages in auditory perception.

Prioritising lexical patterns to increase axiomatisation in biomedical ontologies. The role of localisation and modularity.

PubMed

Quesada-Martínez, M; Fernández-Breis, J T; Stevens, R; Mikroyannidi, E

2015-01-01

This article is part of the Focus Theme of METHODS of Information in Medicine on "Managing Interoperability and Complexity in Health Systems". In previous work, we have defined methods for the extraction of lexical patterns from labels as an initial step towards semi-automatic ontology enrichment methods. Our previous findings revealed that many biomedical ontologies could benefit from enrichment methods using lexical patterns as a starting point.Here, we aim to identify which lexical patterns are appropriate for ontology enrichment, driving its analysis by metrics to prioritised the patterns. We propose metrics for suggesting which lexical regularities should be the starting point to enrich complex ontologies. Our method determines the relevance of a lexical pattern by measuring its locality in the ontology, that is, the distance between the classes associated with the pattern, and the distribution of the pattern in a certain module of the ontology. The methods have been applied to four significant biomedical ontologies including the Gene Ontology and SNOMED CT. The metrics provide information about the engineering of the ontologies and the relevance of the patterns. Our method enables the suggestion of links between classes that are not made explicit in the ontology. We propose a prioritisation of the lexical patterns found in the analysed ontologies. The locality and distribution of lexical patterns offer insights into the further engineering of the ontology. Developers can use this information to improve the axiomatisation of their ontologies.

Motor starting a Brayton cycle power conversion system using a static inverter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curreri, J. S.; Edkin, R. A.; Kruchowy, R.

1973-01-01

The power conversion module of a 2- to 15-kWe Brayton engine was motor started using a three-phase, 400-hertz static inverter as the power source. Motor-static tests were conducted for initial gas loop pressures of 10, 14, and 17 N/sq cm (15, 20, and 25 psia) over a range of initial turbine inlet temperatures from 366 to 550 K (200 to 530 F). The data are presented to show the effects of temperature and pressure on the motor-start characteristics of the rotating unit. Electrical characteristics during motoring are also discussed.

Consequences of germline variation disrupting the constitutional translational initiation codon start sites of MLH1 and BRCA2: use of potential alternative start sites and implications for predicting variant pathogenicity

PubMed Central

Parsons, Michael T.; Whiley, Phillip J.; Beesley, Jonathan; Drost, Mark; de Wind, Niels; Thompson, Bryony A.; Marquart, Louise; Hopper, John L.; Jenkins, Mark A.; Brown, Melissa A.; Tucker, Kathy; Warwick, Linda; Buchanan, Daniel D.; Spurdle, Amanda B.

2014-01-01

Variants that disrupt the translation initiation sequences in cancer predisposition genes are generally assumed to be deleterious. However few studies have validated these assumptions with functional and clinical data. Two cancer syndrome gene variants likely to affect native translation initiation were identified by clinical genetic testing: MLH1:c.1A>G p.(Met1?) and BRCA2:c.67+3A>G. In vitro GFP-reporter assays were conducted to assess the consequences of translation initiation disruption on alternative downstream initiation codon usage. Analysis of MLH1:c.1A>G p.(Met1?) showed that translation was mostly initiated at an in-frame position 103 nucleotides downstream, but also at two ATG sequences downstream. The protein product encoded by the in-frame transcript initiating from position c.103 showed loss of in vitro mismatch repair activity comparable to known pathogenic mutations. BRCA2:c.67+3A>G was shown by mRNA analysis to result in an aberrantly spliced transcript deleting exon 2 and the consensus ATG site. In the absence of exon 2, translation initiated mostly at an out-of-frame ATG 323 nucleotides downstream, and to a lesser extent at an in-frame ATG 370 nucleotides downstream. Initiation from any of the downstream alternative sites tested in both genes would lead to loss of protein function, but further clinical data is required to confirm if these variants are associated with a high cancer risk. Importantly, our results highlight the need for caution in interpreting the functional and clinical consequences of variation that leads to disruption of the initiation codon, since translation may not necessarily occur from the first downstream alternative start site, or from a single alternative start site. PMID:24302565

Motor adaptation to Coriolis force perturbations of reaching movements: endpoint but not trajectory adaptation transfers to the nonexposed arm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dizio, P.; Lackner, J. R.

1995-01-01

1. Reaching movements made in a rotating room generate Coriolis forces that are directly proportional to the cross product of the room's angular velocity and the arm's linear velocity. Such Coriolis forces are inertial forces not involving mechanical contact with the arm. 2. We measured the trajectories of arm movements made in darkness to a visual target that was extinguished at the onset of each reach. Prerotation subjects pointed with both the right and left arms in alternating sets of eight movements. During rotation at 10 rpm, the subjects reached only with the right arm. Postrotation, the subjects pointed with the left and right arms, starting with the left, in alternating sets of eight movements. 3. The initial perrotary reaching movements of the right arm were highly deviated both in movement path and endpoint relative to the prerotation reaches of the right arm. With additional movements, subjects rapidly regained straight movement paths and accurate endpoints despite the absence of visual or tactile feedback about reaching accuracy. The initial postrotation reaches of the left arm followed straight paths to the wrong endpoint. The initial postrotation reaches of the right arm had paths with mirror image curvature to the initial perrotation reaches of the right arm but went to the correct endpoint. 4. These observations are inconsistent with current equilibrium point models of movement control. Such theories predict accurate reaches under our experimental conditions. Our observations further show independent implementation of movement and posture, as evidenced by transfer of endpoint adaptation to the nonexposed arm without transfer of path adaptation. Endpoint control may occur at a relatively central stage that represents general constraints such as gravitoinertial force background or egocentric direction relative to both arms, and control of path may occur at a more peripheral stage that represents moments of inertia and muscle dynamics unique to each limb. 5. Endpoint and path adaptation occur despite the absence both of mechanical contact cues about the perturbing force and visual or tactile cues about movement accuracy. These findings point to the importance of muscle spindle signals, monitoring of motor commands, and possibly joint and tendon receptors in a detailed trajectory monitoring process. Muscle spindle primary and secondary afferent signals may differentially influence adaptation of movement shape and endpoint, respectively.

Digital Smile Design concept delineates the final potential result of crown lengthening and porcelain veneers to correct a gummy smile.

PubMed

Trushkowsky, Richard; Arias, David Montalvo; David, Steven

Prior to initiating any treatment, it is necessary to visualize the desired outcomes. It then becomes possible to formulate the steps required to achieve this result. Digital Smile Design (DSD) utilizes patient input and information gathered through diagnostic procedures to create an esthetic treatment scheme. In the case presented here, the NYUCD Esthetic Evaluation Form, intraoral and extraoral photographs, mounted diagnostic casts, physical examination, and radiographs were the diagnostic modalities. The gathered information served as a starting point for a wax-up and intraoral mock-up. This case report demonstrates how the DSD served as a template for crown lengthening procedures and design of the final porcelain veneer restorations.

Computing and Representing Sea Ice Trends: Toward a Community Consensus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wohlleben, T.; Tivy, A.; Stroeve, J.; Meier, Walter N.; Fetterer, F.; Wang, J.; Assel, R.

2013-01-01

Estimates of the recent decline in Arctic Ocean summer sea ice extent can vary due to differences in sea ice data sources, in the number of years used to compute the trend, and in the start and end years used in the trend computation. Compounding such differences, estimates of the relative decline in sea ice cover (given in percent change per decade) can further vary due to the choice of reference value (the initial point of the trend line, a climatological baseline, etc.). Further adding to the confusion, very often when relative trends are reported in research papers, the reference values used are not specified or made clear. This can lead to confusion when trend studies are cited in the press and public reports.

On the Convenience of Using the Complete Linearization Method in Modelling the BLR of AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patriarchi, P.; Perinotto, M.

The Complete Linearization Method (Mihalas, 1978) consists in the determination of the radiation field (at a set of frequency points), atomic level populations, temperature, electron density etc., by resolving the system of radiative transfer, thermal equilibrium, statistical equilibrium equations simultaneously and self-consistently. Since the system is not linear, it must be solved by iteration after linearization, using a perturbative method, starting from an initial guess solution. Of course the Complete Linearization Method is more time consuming than the previous one. But how great can this disadvantage be in the age of supercomputers? It is possible to approximately evaluate the CPU time needed to run a model by computing the number of multiplications necessary to solve the system.

Optimization of the NIF ignition point design hohlraum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, D. A.; Hinkel, D. E.; Berger, R. L.; Divol, L.; Dixit, S. N.; Edwards, M. J.; Haan, S. W.; Jones, O. S.; Lindl, J. D.; Meezan, N. B.; Michel, P. A.; Pollaine, S. M.; Suter, L. J.; Town, R. P. J.; Bradley, P. A.

2008-05-01

In preparation for the start of NIF ignition experiments, we have designed a porfolio of targets that span the temperature range that is consistent with initial NIF operations: 300 eV, 285 eV, and 270 eV. Because these targets are quite complicated, we have developed a plan for choosing the optimum hohlraum for the first ignition attempt that is based on this portfolio of designs coupled with early NIF experiements using 96 beams. These early experiments will measure the laser plasma instabilities of the candidate designs and will demonstrate our ability to tune symmetry in these designs. These experimental results, coupled with the theory and simulations that went into the designs, will allow us to choose the optimal hohlraum for the first NIF ignition attempt.

Computer Plotting Data Points in the Engine Research Building

NASA Image and Video Library

1956-09-21

A female computer plotting compressor data in the Engine Research Building at the NACA’s Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The Computing Section was introduced during World War II to relieve short-handed research engineers of some of the tedious data-taking work. The computers made the initial computations and plotted the data graphically. The researcher then analyzed the data and either summarized the findings in a report or made modifications or ran the test again. With the introduction of mechanical computer systems in the 1950s the female computers learned how to encode the punch cards. As the data processing capabilities increased, fewer female computers were needed. Many left on their own to start families, while others earned mathematical degrees and moved into advanced positions.

Antenna Controller Replacement Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Roger Y.; Morgan, Scott C.; Strain, Martha M.; Rockwell, Stephen T.; Shimizu, Kenneth J.; Tehrani, Barzia J.; Kwok, Jaclyn H.; Tuazon-Wong, Michelle; Valtier, Henry; Nalbandi, Reza;

The Descriptive Study of the Head Start Early Learning Mentor Coach Initiative, Volume 1: Final Report. OPRE Report 2014-05a

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Eboni C.; Rankin, Victoria E.; Fishman, Mike; Hawkinson, Laura E.; McGroder, Sharon M.; Helsel, Fiona K.; Farber, Jonathan; Tuchman, Ariana; Wille, Jessica

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the coaching that occurred at Head Start (HS) grantees as a result of the Early Learning Mentor Coach (ELMC) initiative. This provided a unique opportunity to describe the different dimensions of coaching within HS settings from the perspective of multiple stakeholders--administrators, coaches, and staff.…

The Healthy Start Initiative: A Community-Driven Approach to Infant Mortality Reduction. Volume V: Collaboration with Managed Care Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joffe, Mark S.; Back, Kelli

The Healthy Start Initiative is a national 5-year demonstration program that uses a broad range of community-driven, system development approaches to reduce infant mortality and improve the health and well-being of women, infants, children, and families. This volume, fifth in the series, deals with the topic of collaborating with managed care…

The Military Assistance Command-Vietnam Studies and Observations Group-A Case Study in Special Operations Campaigning

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

viewed as the panacea for all military problems. Politicians view SOF as a low risk minimalist investment that produces results; even for problems...of published work that has been dedicated to discussing special operations theory as an element of military strategy. A good starting point to...utility. Doctrine As a starting point for framing understanding of special operations, Joint Publication (JP) 3-05 Special Operations, provides the basis

Indoor Modelling from Slam-Based Laser Scanner: Door Detection to Envelope Reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Vilariño, L.; Verbree, E.; Zlatanova, S.; Diakité, A.

2017-09-01

Updated and detailed indoor models are being increasingly demanded for various applications such as emergency management or navigational assistance. The consolidation of new portable and mobile acquisition systems has led to a higher availability of 3D point cloud data from indoors. In this work, we explore the combined use of point clouds and trajectories from SLAM-based laser scanner to automate the reconstruction of building indoors. The methodology starts by door detection, since doors represent transitions from one indoor space to other, which constitutes an initial approach about the global configuration of the point cloud into building rooms. For this purpose, the trajectory is used to create a vertical point cloud profile in which doors are detected as local minimum of vertical distances. As point cloud and trajectory are related by time stamp, this feature is used to subdivide the point cloud into subspaces according to the location of the doors. The correspondence between subspaces and building rooms is not unambiguous. One subspace always corresponds to one room, but one room is not necessarily depicted by just one subspace, for example, in case of a room containing several doors and in which the acquisition is performed in a discontinue way. The labelling problem is formulated as combinatorial approach solved as a minimum energy optimization. Once the point cloud is subdivided into building rooms, envelop (conformed by walls, ceilings and floors) is reconstructed for each space. The connectivity between spaces is included by adding the previously detected doors to the reconstructed model. The methodology is tested in a real case study.

Global-to-local, shape-based, real and virtual landmarks for shape modeling by recursive boundary subdivision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rueda, Sylvia; Udupa, Jayaram K.

2011-03-01

Landmark based statistical object modeling techniques, such as Active Shape Model (ASM), have proven useful in medical image analysis. Identification of the same homologous set of points in a training set of object shapes is the most crucial step in ASM, which has encountered challenges such as (C1) defining and characterizing landmarks; (C2) ensuring homology; (C3) generalizing to n > 2 dimensions; (C4) achieving practical computations. In this paper, we propose a novel global-to-local strategy that attempts to address C3 and C4 directly and works in Rn. The 2D version starts from two initial corresponding points determined in all training shapes via a method α, and subsequently by subdividing the shapes into connected boundary segments by a line determined by these points. A shape analysis method β is applied on each segment to determine a landmark on the segment. This point introduces more pairs of points, the lines defined by which are used to further subdivide the boundary segments. This recursive boundary subdivision (RBS) process continues simultaneously on all training shapes, maintaining synchrony of the level of recursion, and thereby keeping correspondence among generated points automatically by the correspondence of the homologous shape segments in all training shapes. The process terminates when no subdividing lines are left to be considered that indicate (as per method β) that a point can be selected on the associated segment. Examples of α and β are presented based on (a) distance; (b) Principal Component Analysis (PCA); and (c) the novel concept of virtual landmarks.

Contextual Exploration of a New Family Caregiver Support Concept for Geriatric Settings Using a Participatory Health Research Strategy.

PubMed

Dorant, Elisabeth; Krieger, Theresia

2017-11-28

Family caregivers are the backbone of the long-term care support system within the home environment. Comprehensive caregiver support programs require collaboration and coordination within the system. A new public health concept, Vade Mecum, aims to harmonize and professionalize family caregiver support initiatives in geriatric care settings in the Euregion Maas-Rhine. Exploration of the new concept recently started in Germany to gain in-depth insight into current support and the needs of the geriatric care team and family caregivers. Within the context of an exploratory qualitative study, a participatory health research (PHR) strategy was applied to make optimal use of experience and knowledge from the system. Care professionals, engaged as co-researchers, were responsible for decisions about the research question, data collection methods and procedures of engaging family caregivers. A research team representing all professions within the geriatric department was formed. Research objectives were formulated and an appropriate mix of qualitative data collection methods consisting of interviews, focus groups and story-telling was chosen. Needs and expectations of the new concept, and practical solutions for involving family caregivers were discussed. A PHR strategy resulted in initiating a qualitative study in a geriatric care setting carried out by care professionals from the department. Knowledge was generated in a co-creative manner, and co-researchers were empowered. A comprehensive understanding of the system serves as a starting point for advancement of the new family caregiver concept.

Success of Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis in a Large Canadian Renal Program

PubMed Central

Alkatheeri, Ali M.A.; Blake, Peter G.; Gray, Daryl; Jain, Arsh K.

2016-01-01

♦ Background: Many patients start renal replacement therapy urgently on in-center hemodialysis via a central venous catheter, which is considered suboptimal. An alternative approach to manage these patients is to start them on peritoneal dialysis (PD). In this report, we describe the first reported Canadian experience with an urgent-start PD program. Additionally we reviewed the literature in this area. ♦ Methods: In this prospective observational study, we report on our experience in a single academic center. This program started in July 2010. We included patients who initiated PD urgently, that is within 2 weeks of catheter insertion. We followed all incident PD patients until October 2013 for mechanical and infectious complications. Peritoneal dialysis catheters were inserted either percutaneously or laparoscopically and dialysis was initiated in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. ♦ Results: Thirty patients were started on urgent PD during our study period. Follow-up ranged from 28 to 1,050 days. Twenty insertions (66.7 %) were done percutaneously and 10 (33.3%) were laparoscopic. Dialysis was initiated within 2 weeks (range: 0 – 13 days, median = 6 days). Twenty-four patients (80%) started PD in an outpatient setting and 6 patients (20%) required immediate inpatient PD start. Three patients (10%) developed a minor peri-catheter leak during the first week of training that was managed conservatively. There were no episodes of peritonitis or exit-site/tunnel infection during the first 4 weeks post-insertion. Four patients (13.3 %) from the percutaneous insertion group and 2 patients (6.7%) from laparoscopic insertions developed catheter dysfunction due to migration, which was managed by repositioning, without need for catheter replacement or modality switch. ♦ Conclusions: Our results are consistent with other studies in this area and demonstrate that urgent-start PD is an acceptable and safe alternative to hemodialysis in patients who need to start dialysis urgently without established dialysis access. PMID:26374834

Start Position Strongly Influences Fixation Patterns during Face Processing: Difficulties with Eye Movements as a Measure of Information Use

PubMed Central

Arizpe, Joseph; Kravitz, Dwight J.; Yovel, Galit; Baker, Chris I.

2012-01-01

Fixation patterns are thought to reflect cognitive processing and, thus, index the most informative stimulus features for task performance. During face recognition, initial fixations to the center of the nose have been taken to indicate this location is optimal for information extraction. However, the use of fixations as a marker for information use rests on the assumption that fixation patterns are predominantly determined by stimulus and task, despite the fact that fixations are also influenced by visuo-motor factors. Here, we tested the effect of starting position on fixation patterns during a face recognition task with upright and inverted faces. While we observed differences in fixations between upright and inverted faces, likely reflecting differences in cognitive processing, there was also a strong effect of start position. Over the first five saccades, fixation patterns across start positions were only coarsely similar, with most fixations around the eyes. Importantly, however, the precise fixation pattern was highly dependent on start position with a strong tendency toward facial features furthest from the start position. For example, the often-reported tendency toward the left over right eye was reversed for the left starting position. Further, delayed initial saccades for central versus peripheral start positions suggest greater information processing prior to the initial saccade, highlighting the experimental bias introduced by the commonly used center start position. Finally, the precise effect of face inversion on fixation patterns was also dependent on start position. These results demonstrate the importance of a non-stimulus, non-task factor in determining fixation patterns. The patterns observed likely reflect a complex combination of visuo-motor effects and simple sampling strategies as well as cognitive factors. These different factors are very difficult to tease apart and therefore great caution must be applied when interpreting absolute fixation locations as indicative of information use, particularly at a fine spatial scale. PMID:22319606

Success of Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis in a Large Canadian Renal Program.

PubMed

Alkatheeri, Ali M A; Blake, Peter G; Gray, Daryl; Jain, Arsh K

2016-01-01

♦ Many patients start renal replacement therapy urgently on in-center hemodialysis via a central venous catheter, which is considered suboptimal. An alternative approach to manage these patients is to start them on peritoneal dialysis (PD). In this report, we describe the first reported Canadian experience with an urgent-start PD program. Additionally we reviewed the literature in this area. ♦ In this prospective observational study, we report on our experience in a single academic center. This program started in July 2010. We included patients who initiated PD urgently, that is within 2 weeks of catheter insertion. We followed all incident PD patients until October 2013 for mechanical and infectious complications. Peritoneal dialysis catheters were inserted either percutaneously or laparoscopically and dialysis was initiated in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. ♦ Thirty patients were started on urgent PD during our study period. Follow-up ranged from 28 to 1,050 days. Twenty insertions (66.7%) were done percutaneously and 10 (33.3%) were laparoscopic. Dialysis was initiated within 2 weeks (range: 0-13 days, median = 6 days). Twenty-four patients (80%) started PD in an outpatient setting and 6 patients (20%) required immediate inpatient PD start. Three patients (10%) developed a minor peri-catheter leak during the first week of training that was managed conservatively. There were no episodes of peritonitis or exit-site/tunnel infection during the first 4 weeks post-insertion. Four patients (13.3%) from the percutaneous insertion group and 2 patients (6.7%) from laparoscopic insertions developed catheter dysfunction due to migration, which was managed by repositioning, without need for catheter replacement or modality switch. ♦ Our results are consistent with other studies in this area and demonstrate that urgent-start PD is an acceptable and safe alternative to hemodialysis in patients who need to start dialysis urgently without established dialysis access. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

Families & the North Carolina Smart Start Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowman, Betsy; Bryant, Donna; Zolotor, Adam

Smart Start is North Carolina's partnership between state government and local leaders, service providers, and families to better serve children under 6 years and their families. This study examined characteristics of families participating in Smart Start, their child care arrangements and family activities, and their need for and use of community…

40 CFR 86.536-78 - Engine starting and restarting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES Emission... initial 20 second idle period shall begin when the engine starts. (2) Choke operation. (i) Vehicles... transmission shall be placed in gear 15 seconds after the engine is started. If necessary, braking may be...

43 CFR 3137.40 - What initial development obligations must I define in a unit agreement?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... assess the reservoir adequately; (b) A primary target for each well; (c) A schedule for starting and completing drilling operations for each well; and (d) The time between starting operations on a well to the start of operations on the next well. ...

The "Natural Start Alliance": Building Collective Impact for Early Childhood Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrick, Christy

2014-01-01

Last year, the North American Association for Environmental Education launched the "Natural Start Alliance," a new initiative to advance environmental education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Natural Start provides an opportunity for key players to convene, share ideas and resources, and move together toward shared goals. This…

Kansas: Early Head Start Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2012

2012-01-01

Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS) provides comprehensive services following federal Head Start Program Performance Standards for pregnant women and eligible families with children from birth to age 4. KEHS was implemented in 1998 using Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) quality set-aside dollars augmented by a transfer of federal…

Increased prevalence of pregnancy and comparative risk of program attrition among individuals starting HIV treatment in East Africa.

PubMed

Holmes, Charles B; Yiannoutsos, Constantin T; Elul, Batya; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Ssali, John; Kambugu, Andrew; Musick, Beverly S; Cohen, Craig; Williams, Carolyn; Diero, Lameck; Padian, Nancy; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara K

2018-01-01

The World Health Organization now recommends initiating all pregnant women on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART), yet there is limited information about the characteristics and program outcomes of pregnant women already on ART in Africa. Our hypothesis was that pregnant women comprised an increasing proportion of those starting ART, and that sub-groups of these women were at higher risk for program attrition. We used the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS- East Africa (IeDEA-EA) to conduct a retrospective cohort study including HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The cohort consecutively included HIV-infected individuals 13 years or older starting ART 2004-2014. We examined trends over time in the proportion pregnant, their characteristics and program attrition rates compared to others initiating and already receiving ART. 156,474 HIV-infected individuals (67.0% women) started ART. The proportion of individuals starting ART who were pregnant women rose from 5.3% in 2004 to 12.2% in 2014. Mean CD4 cell counts at ART initiation, weighted for annual program size, increased from 2004 to 2014, led by non-pregnant women (annual increase 20 cells/mm3) and men (17 cells/mm3 annually), with lower rates of change in pregnant women (10 cells/mm3 per year) (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of program attrition at 6 months among pregnant women starting ART and non-pregnant women. However, healthy pregnant women starting ART (WHO stage 1/2) had a higher rate of attrition rate (9.6%), compared with healthy non-pregnant women (6.5%); in contrast among women with WHO stage 3/4 disease, pregnant women had lower attrition (8.4%) than non-pregnant women (14.4%). Among women who initiated ART when healthy and remained in care for six months, subsequent six-month attrition was slightly higher among pregnant women at ART start (3.5%) compared to those who were not pregnant (2.4%), (absolute difference 1.1%, 95% CI 0.7%-1.5%). Pregnant women comprise an increasing proportion of those initiating ART in Africa, and pregnant women starting ART while healthy are at higher risk for program attrition than non-pregnant women. As ART programs further expand access to healthier pregnant women, further studies are needed to better understand the drivers of loss among this high risk group of women to optimize retention.

The Enterococcus faecalis EbpA Pilus Protein: Attenuation of Expression, Biofilm Formation, and Adherence to Fibrinogen Start with the Rare Initiation Codon ATT

PubMed Central

Montealegre, Maria Camila; La Rosa, Sabina Leanti; Roh, Jung Hyeob; Harvey, Barrett R.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The endocarditis and biofilm-associated pili (Ebp) are important in Enterococcus faecalis pathogenesis, and the pilus tip, EbpA, has been shown to play a major role in pilus biogenesis, biofilm formation, and experimental infections. Based on in silico analyses, we previously predicted that ATT is the EbpA translational start codon, not the ATG codon, 120 bp downstream of ATT, which is annotated as the translational start. ATT is rarely used to initiate protein synthesis, leading to our hypothesis that this codon participates in translational regulation of Ebp production. To investigate this possibility, site-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce consecutive stop codons in place of two lysines at positions 5 and 6 from the ATT, to replace the ATT codon in situ with ATG, and then to revert this ATG to ATT; translational fusions of ebpA to lacZ were also constructed to investigate the effect of these start codons on translation. Our results showed that the annotated ATG does not start translation of EbpA, implicating ATT as the start codon; moreover, the presence of ATT, compared to the engineered ATG, resulted in significantly decreased EbpA surface display, attenuated biofilm, and reduced adherence to fibrinogen. Corroborating these findings, the translational fusion with the native ATT as the initiation codon showed significantly decreased expression of β-galactosidase compared to the construct with ATG in place of ATT. Thus, these results demonstrate that the rare initiation codon of EbpA negatively regulates EbpA surface display and negatively affects Ebp-associated functions, including biofilm and adherence to fibrinogen. PMID:26015496

Power-Efficient Beacon Recognition Method Based on Periodic Wake-Up for Industrial Wireless Devices

PubMed Central

Lee, Donghun; Jang, Ingook; Choi, Jinchul; Son, Youngsung

2018-01-01

Energy harvester-integrated wireless devices are attractive for generating semi-permanent power from wasted energy in industrial environments. The energy-harvesting wireless devices may have difficulty in their communication with access points due to insufficient power supply for beacon recognition during network initialization. In this manuscript, we propose a novel method of beacon recognition based on wake-up control to reduce instantaneous power consumption in the initialization procedure. The proposed method applies a moving window for the periodic wake-up of the wireless devices. For unsynchronized wireless devices, beacons are always located in the same positions within each beacon interval even though the starting offsets are unknown. Using these characteristics, the moving window checks the existence of the beacon associated withspecified resources in a beacon interval, checks again for neighboring resources at the next beacon interval, and so on. This method can reduce instantaneous power and generates a surplus of charging time. Thus, the proposed method alleviates the problems of power insufficiency in the network initialization. The feasibility of the proposed method is evaluated using computer simulations of power shortage in various energy-harvesting conditions. PMID:29673206

Full particle-in-cell simulations of kinetic equilibria and the role of the initial current sheet on steady asymmetric magnetic reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dargent, J.; Aunai, N.; Belmont, G.; Dorville, N.; Lavraud, B.; Hesse, M.

2016-06-01

> Tangential current sheets are ubiquitous in space plasmas and yet hard to describe with a kinetic equilibrium. In this paper, we use a semi-analytical model, the BAS model, which provides a steady ion distribution function for a tangential asymmetric current sheet and we prove that an ion kinetic equilibrium produced by this model remains steady in a fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulation even if the electron distribution function does not satisfy the time independent Vlasov equation. We then apply this equilibrium to look at the dependence of magnetic reconnection simulations on their initial conditions. We show that, as the current sheet evolves from a symmetric to an asymmetric upstream plasma, the reconnection rate is impacted and the X line and the electron flow stagnation point separate from one another and start to drift. For the simulated systems, we investigate the overall evolution of the reconnection process via the classical signatures discussed in the literature and searched in the Magnetospheric MultiScale data. We show that they seem robust and do not depend on the specific details of the internal structure of the initial current sheet.

Selecting indicators for patient safety at the health system level in OECD countries.

PubMed

McLoughlin, Vivienne; Millar, John; Mattke, Soeren; Franca, Margarida; Jonsson, Pia Maria; Somekh, David; Bates, David

2006-09-01

Concerns about patient safety have arisen with growing documentation of the extent and nature of harm. Yet there are no robust and meaningful data that can be used internationally to assess the extent of the problem and considerable methodological difficulties. This article describes a project undertaken as part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Quality Indicator Project, which aimed at developing an initial set of patient safety indicators. Patient safety indicators from OECD countries were identified and then rated against three principal criteria: importance to patient safety, scientific soundness, and potential feasibility. Although some countries are developing multi-source monitoring systems, these are not yet mature enough for international exchange. This project reviewed routine data collections as a starting point. Of an initial set of 59 candidate indicators identified, 21 were selected which cover known areas of harm to patients. This project is an important initial step towards defining a usable set of patient safety indicators that will allow comparisons to be made internationally and will support mutual learning and quality improvement in health care. Measures of harm should be complemented over time with measures of effective improvement factors.

The Internationalisation of Tobacco Control, 1950–2010

PubMed Central

Reubi, David; Berridge, Virginia

2016-01-01

This article explores the internationalisation of tobacco control as a case study in the history of international health regulation. Contrary to the existing literature on the topic, it argues that the history of international anti-smoking efforts is longer and richer than the making of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the early twenty-first century. It thereby echoes the point made by other scholars about the importance of history when making sense of contemporary global health. Specifically, the article shows how the internationalisation of tobacco control started in the 1950s through informal contacts between scientists working on cancer research and how these initial interactions were followed by a growing number of more formal initiatives, from the World Conferences on Tobacco or Health to the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Rather than arranging these efforts in a linear narrative of progress culminating with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we take anthropological claims about global health’s uneven terrain seriously and portray a history of international tobacco control marked by ruptures and discontinuities. Specifically, we identify three successive periods, with each of them characterised by specific understandings of international action, tobacco control expertise, advocacy networks and funding strategies. PMID:27628857

Investigation of the influence of sampling schemes on quantitative dynamic fluorescence imaging

PubMed Central

Dai, Yunpeng; Chen, Xueli; Yin, Jipeng; Wang, Guodong; Wang, Bo; Zhan, Yonghua; Nie, Yongzhan; Wu, Kaichun; Liang, Jimin

2018-01-01

Dynamic optical data from a series of sampling intervals can be used for quantitative analysis to obtain meaningful kinetic parameters of probe in vivo. The sampling schemes may affect the quantification results of dynamic fluorescence imaging. Here, we investigate the influence of different sampling schemes on the quantification of binding potential (BP) with theoretically simulated and experimentally measured data. Three groups of sampling schemes are investigated including the sampling starting point, sampling sparsity, and sampling uniformity. In the investigation of the influence of the sampling starting point, we further summarize two cases by considering the missing timing sequence between the probe injection and sampling starting time. Results show that the mean value of BP exhibits an obvious growth trend with an increase in the delay of the sampling starting point, and has a strong correlation with the sampling sparsity. The growth trend is much more obvious if throwing the missing timing sequence. The standard deviation of BP is inversely related to the sampling sparsity, and independent of the sampling uniformity and the delay of sampling starting time. Moreover, the mean value of BP obtained by uniform sampling is significantly higher than that by using the non-uniform sampling. Our results collectively suggest that a suitable sampling scheme can help compartmental modeling of dynamic fluorescence imaging provide more accurate results and simpler operations. PMID:29675325

Drafting guidelines for occupational exposure to chemicals: the Dutch experience with the assessment of reproductive risks.

PubMed

Stijkel, A; van Eijndhoven, J C; Bal, R

1996-12-01

The Dutch procedure for standard setting for occupational exposure to chemicals, just like the European Union (EU) procedure, is characterized by an organizational separation between considerations of health on the one side, and of technology, economics, and policy on the other side. Health considerations form the basis for numerical guidelines. These guidelines are next combined with technical-economical considerations. Standards are then proposed, and are finally set by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. An analysis of this procedure might be of relevance to the US, where other procedures are used and criticized. In this article we focus on the first stage of the standard-setting procedure. In this stage, the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Standards (DECOS) drafts a criteria document in which a health-based guideline is proposed. The drafting is based on a set of starting points for assessing toxicity. We raise the questions, "Does DECOS limit itself only to health considerations? And if not, what are the consequences of such a situation?" We discuss DECOS' starting points and analyze the relationships between those starting points, and then explore eight criteria documents where DECOS was considering reproductive risks as a possible critical effect. For various reasons, it will be concluded that the starting points leave much interpretative space, and that this space is widened further by the manner in which DECOS utilizes it. This is especially true in situations involving sex-specific risks and uncertainties in knowledge. Consequently, even at the first stage, where health considerations alone are intended to play a role, there is much room for other than health-related factors to influence decision making, although it is unavoidable that some interpretative space will remain. We argue that separating the various types of consideration should not be abandoned. Rather, through adjustments in the starting points and aspects of the procedure, clarity should be guaranteed about the way the interpretative space is being employed.

Competing contact processes in the Watts-Strogatz network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybak, Marcin; Malarz, Krzysztof; Kułakowski, Krzysztof

2016-06-01

We investigate two competing contact processes on a set of Watts-Strogatz networks with the clustering coefficient tuned by rewiring. The base for network construction is one-dimensional chain of N sites, where each site i is directly linked to nodes labelled as i ± 1 and i ± 2. So initially, each node has the same degree k i = 4. The periodic boundary conditions are assumed as well. For each node i the links to sites i + 1 and i + 2 are rewired to two randomly selected nodes so far not-connected to node i. An increase of the rewiring probability q influences the nodes degree distribution and the network clusterization coefficient 𝓒. For given values of rewiring probability q the set 𝓝(q)={𝓝1,𝓝2,...,𝓝 M } of M networks is generated. The network's nodes are decorated with spin-like variables s i ∈ { S,D }. During simulation each S node having a D-site in its neighbourhood converts this neighbour from D to S state. Conversely, a node in D state having at least one neighbour also in state D-state converts all nearest-neighbours of this pair into D-state. The latter is realized with probability p. We plot the dependence of the nodes S final density n S T on initial nodes S fraction n S 0. Then, we construct the surface of the unstable fixed points in (𝓒, p, n S 0) space. The system evolves more often toward n S T for (𝓒, p, n S 0) points situated above this surface while starting simulation with (𝓒, p, n S 0) parameters situated below this surface leads system to n S T =0. The points on this surface correspond to such value of initial fraction n S * of S nodes (for fixed values 𝓒 and p) for which their final density is n S T=1/2.

The Recovery of TOMS-EP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Brent; Sabelhaus, Phil; Mendenhall, Todd; Fesq, Lorraine

1998-01-01

On December 13th 1998, the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer - Earth Probe (TOMS-EP) spacecraft experienced a Single Event Upset which caused the system to reconfigure and enter a Safe Mode. This incident occurred two and a half years after the launch of the spacecraft which was designed for a two year life. A combination of factors, including changes in component behavior due to age and extended use, very unfortunate initial conditions and the safe mode processing logic prevented the spacecraft from entering its nominal long term storage mode. The spacecraft remained in a high fuel consumption mode designed for temporary use. By the time the onboard fuel was exhausted, the spacecraft was Sun pointing in a high rate flat spin. Although the uncontrolled spacecraft was initially in a power and thermal safe orientation, it would not stay in this state indefinitely due to a slow precession of its momentum vector. A recovery team was immediately assembled to determine if there was time to develop a method of despinning the vehicle and return it to normal science data collection. A three stage plan was developed that used the onboard magnetic torque rods as actuators. The first stage was designed to reduce the high spin rate to within the linear range of the gyros. The second stage transitioned the spacecraft from sun pointing to orbit reference pointing. The final stage returned the spacecraft to normal science operation. The entire recovery scenario was simulated with a wide range of initial conditions to establish the expected behavior. The recovery sequence was started on December 28th 1998 and completed by December 31st. TOMS-EP was successfully returned to science operations by the beginning of 1999. This paper describes the TOMS-EP Safe Mode design and the factors which led to the spacecraft anomaly and loss of fuel. The recovery and simulation efforts are described. Flight data are presented which show the performance of the spacecraft during its return to science. Finally, lessons learned are presented.

Remote sensing optical instrumentation for enhanced space weather monitoring from the L1 and L5 Lagrange points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraft, S.; Puschmann, K. G.; Luntama, J. P.

2017-09-01

As part of the Space Situational Awareness Programme (SSA), ESA has initiated the assessment of two missions currently foreseen to be implemented to enable enhanced space weather monitoring. These missions utilize the positioning of satellites at the Lagrangian L1 and L5 points. These Phase 0 or Pre-Phase A mission studies are about to be completed and will thereby have soon passed the Mission Definition Review. Phase A studies are planned to start in 2017. The space weather monitoring system currently considers four remote sensing optical instruments and several in-situ instruments to analyse the Sun and the solar wind conditions, in order to provide early warnings of increased solar activity and to identify and mitigate potential threats to society and ground, airborne and space based infrastructure. The suggested optical instruments take heritage from ESA and NASA science missions like SOHO, STEREO and Solar Orbiter, but the instruments are foreseen to be optimized for operational space weather monitoring purposes with high reliability and robustness demands. The instruments are required to provide high quality measurements particularly during severe space weather events. The program intends to utilize the results of the on-going ESA instrument prototyping and technology development activities, and to initiate pre-developments of the operational space weather instruments to ensure the required maturity before the mission implementation.

High-resolution absolute position detection using a multiple grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilling, Ulrich; Drabarek, Pawel; Kuehnle, Goetz; Tiziani, Hans J.

1996-08-01

To control electro-mechanical engines, high-resolution linear and rotary encoders are needed. Interferometric methods (grating interferometers) promise a resolution of a few nanometers, but have an ambiguity range of some microns. Incremental encoders increase the absolute measurement range by counting the signal periods starting from a defined initial point. In many applications, however, it is not possible to move to this initial point, so that absolute encoders have to be used. Absolute encoders generally have a scale with two or more tracks placed next to each other. Therefore, they use a two-dimensional grating structure to measure a one-dimensional position. We present a new method, which uses a one-dimensional structure to determine the position in one dimension. It is based on a grating with a large grating period up to some millimeters, having the same diffraction efficiency in several predefined diffraction orders (multiple grating). By combining the phase signals of the different diffraction orders, it is possible to establish the position in an absolute range of the grating period with a resolution like incremental grating interferometers. The principal functionality was demonstrated by applying the multiple grating in a heterodyne grating interferometer. The heterodyne frequency was generated by a frequency modulated laser in an unbalanced interferometer. In experimental measurements an absolute range of 8 mm was obtained while achieving a resolution of 10 nm.

Fault Network Reconstruction using Agglomerative Clustering: Applications to South Californian Seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamer, Yavor; Ouillon, Guy; Sornette, Didier; Wössner, Jochen

2014-05-01

We present applications of a new clustering method for fault network reconstruction based on the spatial distribution of seismicity. Unlike common approaches that start from the simplest large scale and gradually increase the complexity trying to explain the small scales, our method uses a bottom-up approach, by an initial sampling of the small scales and then reducing the complexity. The new approach also exploits the location uncertainty associated with each event in order to obtain a more accurate representation of the spatial probability distribution of the seismicity. For a given dataset, we first construct an agglomerative hierarchical cluster (AHC) tree based on Ward's minimum variance linkage. Such a tree starts out with one cluster and progressively branches out into an increasing number of clusters. To atomize the structure into its constitutive protoclusters, we initialize a Gaussian Mixture Modeling (GMM) at a given level of the hierarchical clustering tree. We then let the GMM converge using an Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm. The kernels that become ill defined (less than 4 points) at the end of the EM are discarded. By incrementing the number of initialization clusters (by atomizing at increasingly populated levels of the AHC tree) and repeating the procedure above, we are able to determine the maximum number of Gaussian kernels the structure can hold. The kernels in this configuration constitute our protoclusters. In this setting, merging of any pair will lessen the likelihood (calculated over the pdf of the kernels) but in turn will reduce the model's complexity. The information loss/gain of any possible merging can thus be quantified based on the Minimum Description Length (MDL) principle. Similar to an inter-distance matrix, where the matrix element di,j gives the distance between points i and j, we can construct a MDL gain/loss matrix where mi,j gives the information gain/loss resulting from the merging of kernels i and j. Based on this matrix, merging events resulting in MDL gain are performed in descending order until no gainful merging is possible anymore. We envision that the results of this study could lead to a better understanding of the complex interactions within the Californian fault system and hopefully use the acquired insights for earthquake forecasting.

Applicability of the 5S management method for quality improvement in health-care facilities: a review.

PubMed

Kanamori, Shogo; Shibanuma, Akira; Jimba, Masamine

2016-01-01

The 5S management method (where 5S stands for sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain) was originally implemented by manufacturing enterprises in Japan. It was then introduced to the manufacturing sector in the West and eventually applied to the health sector for organizing and standardizing the workplace. 5S has recently received attention as a potential solution for improving government health-care services in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a narrative literature review to explore its applicability to health-care facilities globally, with a focus on three aspects: (a) the context of its application, (b) its impacts, and (c) its adoption as part of government initiatives. To identify relevant research articles, we researched public health databases in English, including CINAHL, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. We found 15 of the 114 articles obtained from the search results to be relevant for full-text analysis of the context and impacts of the 5S application. To identify additional information particularly on its adoption as part of government initiatives, we also examined other types of resources including reference books, reports, didactic materials, government documents, and websites. The 15 empirical studies highlighted its application in primary health-care facilities and a wide range of hospital areas in Brazil, India, Jordan, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the UK, and the USA. The review also found that 5S was considered to be the starting point for health-care quality improvement. Ten studies presented its impacts on quality improvements; the changes resulting from the 5S application were classified into the three dimensions of safety, efficiency, and patient-centeredness. Furthermore, 5S was adopted as part of government quality improvement strategies in India, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. 5S could be applied to health-care facilities regardless of locations. It could be not only a tool for health workers and facility managers but also a strategic option for policymakers. They could consider 5S as the starting point of a government-led quality improvement initiative for improving safety, efficiency, or patient-centeredness aspects particularly in low- and middle-income countries. However, the evidence base, particularly in resource-poor settings, must be expanded.

Advanced Cooling for High Power Electric Actuators

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

heat and heat transfer rates. At point B, the fluid temperature reaches the melting temperature of the PCM and it starts to melt , storing energy in the...working fluid through the duty cycle represented by the square wave in the upper half of the figure. Starting at point A, the actuator goes to peak load...form of latent heat. As the solid material melts , the coolant temperature continues to rise, but at a much lower rate, as the heat conducts through the

The role of the optimization process in illumination design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauvin, Michael A.; Jacobsen, David; Byrne, David J.

2015-07-01

This paper examines the role of the optimization process in illumination design. We will discuss why the starting point of the optimization process is crucial to a better design and why it is also important that the user understands the basic design problem and implements the correct merit function. Both a brute force method and the Downhill Simplex method will be used to demonstrate optimization methods with focus on using interactive design tools to create better starting points to streamline the optimization process.

A Hierarchical Relationship Between the Fluence Spectra and CME Kinematics in Large Solar Energetic Particle Events: A Radio Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Makela, P.; Yashiro, S.; Thakur, N.; Akiyama, S.; Xie, H.

2017-01-01

We report on further evidence that solar energetic particles are organized by the kinematic properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In particular, we focus on the starting frequency of type II bursts, which is related to the distance from the Sun where the radio emission starts. We find that the three groups of solar energetic particle (SEP) events known to have distinct values of CME initial acceleration, also have distinct average starting frequencies of the associated type II bursts. SEP events with ground level enhancement (GLE) have the highest starting frequency (107 MHz), while those associated with filament eruption (FE) in quiescent regions have the lowest starting frequency (22 MHz); regular SEP events have intermediate starting frequency (81 MHz). Taking the onset time of type II bursts as the time of shock formation, we determine the shock formation heights measured from the Sun center. We find that the shocks form on average closest to the Sun (1.51 Rs) in GLE events, farthest from the Sun in FE SEP events (5.38 Rs), and at intermediate distances in regular SEP events (1.72 Rs). Finally, we present the results of a case study of a CME with high initial acceleration (approx. 3 km s-2) and a type II radio burst with high starting frequency (200 MHz) but associated with a minor SEP event. We find that the relation between the fluence spectral index and CME initial acceleration continues to hold even for this minor SEP event.

A Hierarchical Relationship Between the Fluence Spectra and CME Kinematics in Large Solar Energetic Particle Events: A Radio Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Makela, P.; Yashiro, S.; Thakur, N.; Akiyama, S.; Xie, H.

2017-01-01

We report on further evidence that solar energetic particles are organized by the kinematic properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In particular, we focus on the starting frequency of type II bursts, which is related to the distance from the Sun where the radio emission starts. We find that the three groups of solar energetic particle (SEP) events known to have distinct values of CME initial acceleration, also have distinct average starting frequencies of the associated type II bursts. SEP events with ground level enhancement (GLE) have the highest starting frequency (107 MHz), while those associated with filament eruption (FE) in quiescent regions have the lowest starting frequency (22 MHz); regular SEP events have intermediate starting frequency (81 MHz). Taking the onset time of type II bursts as the time of shock formation, we determine the shock formation heights measured from the Sun center. We find that the shocks form on average closest to the Sun (1.51 Rs) in GLE events, farthest from the Sun in FE SEP events (5.38 Rs), and at intermediate distances in regular SEP events (1.72 Rs). Finally, we present the results of a case study of a CME with high initial acceleration (approx.3 km s-2) and a type II radio burst with high starting frequency (approx. 200 MHz) but associated with a minor SEP event. We find that the relation between the fluence spectral index and CME initial acceleration continues to hold even for this minor SEP event.

Contribution of stimulus attributes to errors in duration and distance judgments--a developmental study.

PubMed

Matsuda, F; Lan, W C; Tanimura, R

1999-02-01

In Matsuda's 1996 study, 4- to 11-yr.-old children (N = 133) watched two cars running on two parallel tracks on a CRT display and judged whether their durations and distances were equal and, if not, which was larger. In the present paper, the relative contributions of the four critical stimulus attributes (whether temporal starting points, temporal stopping points, spatial starting points, and spatial stopping points were the same or different between two cars) to the production of errors were quantitatively estimated based on the data for rates of errors obtained by Matsuda. The present analyses made it possible not only to understand numerically the findings about qualitative characteristics of the critical attributes described by Matsuda, but also to add more detailed findings about them.

Malaria and global change: Insights, uncertainties and possible surprises

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

Martin, P.H.; Steel, A.

Malaria may change with global change. Indeed, global change may affect malaria risk and malaria epidemiology. Malaria risk may change in response to a greenhouse warming; malaria epidemiology, in response to the social, economic, and political developments which a greenhouse warming may trigger. To date, malaria receptivity and epidemiology futures have been explored within the context of equilibrium studies. Equilibrium studies of climate change postulate an equilibrium present climate (the starting point) and a doubled-carbon dioxide climate (the end point), simulate conditions in both instances, and compare the two. What happens while climate changes, i.e., between the starting point andmore » the end point, is ignored. The present paper focuses on malaria receptivity and addresses what equilibrium studies miss, namely transient malaria dynamics.« less

Model for assessment of the velocity and force at the start of sprint race.

PubMed

Janjić, Nataša J; Kapor, Darko V; Doder, Dragan V; Petrović, Aleksandar; Jarić, Slobodan

2017-02-01

A mathematical model was developed for the assessment of the starting velocity and initial velocity and force of a 100-m sprint, based on a non-homogeneous differential equation with the air resistance proportional to the velocity, and the initial conditions for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]The use of this model requires the measurement of reaction time and segmental velocities over the course of the race. The model was validated by comparison with the data obtained from 100-m sprints of men: Carl Lewis (1988), Maurice Green (2001) and Usain Bolt (2009), and women: Florence Griffith-Joyner, Evelyn Ashford and Drechsler Heike (1988) showing a high level of agreement. Combined with the previous work of the authors, the present model allows for the assessment of important physical abilities, such as the exertion of a high starting force, development of high starting velocity and, later on, maximisation of the peak running velocity. These data could be of importance for practitioners to identify possible weaknesses and refine training methods for sprinters and other athletes whose performance depend on rapid movement initiations.

Supporting Early Childhood Environmental Education through the Natural Start Alliance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrick, Christy; Braus, Judy

2013-01-01

The Natural Start Alliance is a new initiative of the North American Association for Environmental Education. Natural Start was created to support and expand early childhood environmental education (ECEE) by creating a network of organizations, educators, parents, and others who care about using environmental education to support young children's…

Achieving cooperative success

Treesearch

Kimberly Zeuli

2006-01-01

Success of a cooperative depends on the foundation built during its organization. Successful businesses are not started overnight. Careful and deliberate planning must be started long before the co-op opens its doors. This chapter begins with an outline of six fundamental steps that should be followed when organizing any cooperative. From initial concept to the start...

Retrospective analysis of bendamustine and rituximab use in indolent and mantle cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma based on initial starting dose.

PubMed

Bond, David A; Huang, Ying; Ruppert, Amy S; Walker, Alison R; Dotson, Emily K; Roddy, Julianna; Blum, Kristie A; Christian, Beth A

2017-07-01

The initial dose of bendamustine, an alkylating agent used in treating indolent lymphoma (iNHL) and mantle cell lymphoma, is variable in clinical practice. 134 patients treated with bendamustine and rituximab were evaluated for starting dosage, patient characteristics, toxicities, and clinical outcome. The starting dosage ranged from 50 to 90 mg/m 2 . Lower starting dosage (<90 mg/m 2 ) was associated with relapsed disease, increased age and worse performance status (PS), histologic subtype other than follicular lymphoma, baseline renal impairment, and cytopenias. No significant difference was observed in toxicities between patients treated with 90 mg/m 2 compared with lower doses. The starting dose of 90 mg/m 2 was associated with a higher complete response rate (56% vs. 29%) and longer progression free survival (PFS) (39.5 months vs. 19.7 months). However, in a multivariable model, the higher starting dose was not associated with longer PFS in those with similar age, histology, PS, and number of prior therapies.

The Effect of an Alternate Start Codon on Heterologous Expression of a PhoA Fusion Protein in Mycoplasma gallisepticum

PubMed Central

Panicker, Indu S.; Browning, Glenn F.; Markham, Philip F.

2015-01-01

While the genomes of many Mycoplasma species have been sequenced, there are no collated data on translational start codon usage, and the effects of alternate start codons on gene expression have not been studied. Analysis of the annotated genomes found that ATG was the most prevalent translational start codon among Mycoplasma spp. However in Mycoplasma gallisepticum a GTG start codon is commonly used in the vlhA multigene family, which encodes a highly abundant, phase variable lipoprotein adhesin. Therefore, the effect of this alternate start codon on expression of a reporter PhoA lipoprotein was examined in M. gallisepticum. Mutation of the start codon from ATG to GTG resulted in a 2.5 fold reduction in the level of transcription of the phoA reporter, but the level of PhoA activity in the transformants containing phoA with a GTG start codon was only 63% of that of the transformants with a phoA with an ATG start codon, suggesting that GTG was a more efficient translational initiation codon. The effect of swapping the translational start codon in phoA reporter gene expression was less in M. gallisepticum than has been seen previously in Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis, suggesting the process of translational initiation in mycoplasmas may have some significant differences from those used in other bacteria. This is the first study of translational start codon usage in mycoplasmas and the impact of the use of an alternate start codon on expression in these bacteria. PMID:26010086

Nearby Search Indekos Based Android Using A Star (A*) Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siregar, B.; Nababan, EB; Rumahorbo, JA; Andayani, U.; Fahmi, F.

2018-03-01

Indekos or rented room is a temporary residence for months or years. Society of academicians who come from out of town need a temporary residence, such as Indekos or rented room during their education, teaching, or duties. They are often found difficulty in finding a Indekos because lack of information about the Indekos. Besides, new society of academicians don’t recognize the areas around the campus and desire the shortest path from Indekos to get to the campus. The problem can be solved by implementing A Star (A*) algorithm. This algorithm is one of the shortest path algorithm to a finding shortest path from campus to the Indekos application, where the faculties in the campus as the starting point of the finding. Determination of the starting point used in this study aims to allow students to determine the starting point in finding the Indekos. The mobile based application facilitates the finding anytime and anywhere. Based on the experimental results, A* algorithm can find the shortest path with 86,67% accuracy.

Incremental Multi-view 3D Reconstruction Starting from Two Images Taken by a Stereo Pair of Cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El hazzat, Soulaiman; Saaidi, Abderrahim; Karam, Antoine; Satori, Khalid

2015-03-01

In this paper, we present a new method for multi-view 3D reconstruction based on the use of a binocular stereo vision system constituted of two unattached cameras to initialize the reconstruction process. Afterwards , the second camera of stereo vision system (characterized by varying parameters) moves to capture more images at different times which are used to obtain an almost complete 3D reconstruction. The first two projection matrices are estimated by using a 3D pattern with known properties. After that, 3D scene points are recovered by triangulation of the matched interest points between these two images. The proposed approach is incremental. At each insertion of a new image, the camera projection matrix is estimated using the 3D information already calculated and new 3D points are recovered by triangulation from the result of the matching of interest points between the inserted image and the previous image. For the refinement of the new projection matrix and the new 3D points, a local bundle adjustment is performed. At first, all projection matrices are estimated, the matches between consecutive images are detected and Euclidean sparse 3D reconstruction is obtained. So, to increase the number of matches and have a more dense reconstruction, the Match propagation algorithm, more suitable for interesting movement of the camera, was applied on the pairs of consecutive images. The experimental results show the power and robustness of the proposed approach.

Association of Proteinuria with Central Venous Catheter Use at Initial Hemodialysis

PubMed Central

Park, Ken J; Johnson, Eric S; Smith, Ning; Mosen, David M; Thorp, Micah L

2018-01-01

Context Central venous catheter (CVC) use is associated with increased mortality and complications in hemodialysis recipients. Although prevalent CVC use has decreased, incident use remains high. Objective To examine characteristics associated with CVC use at initial dialysis, specifically looking at proteinuria as a predictor of interest. Design Retrospective cohort of 918 hemodialysis recipients from Kaiser Permanente Northwest who started hemodialysis from January 1, 2004, to January 1, 2014. Main Outcome Measures Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine an association of proteinuria with the primary outcome of CVC use. Results More than one-third (36%) of patients in our cohort started hemodialysis with an arteriovenous fistula, and 64% started with a CVC. Proteinuria was associated with starting hemodialysis with a CVC (likelihood ratio test, p < 0.001) after adjustment for age, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, sex, race, and length of predialysis care. However, on pairwise comparison, only patients with midgrade proteinuria (0.5–3.5 g) had lower odds of starting hemodialysis with a CVC (odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.24–0.65). Conclusion Proteinuria was associated with use of CVC at initial hemodialysis. However, a graded association did not exist, and only patients with midgrade proteinuria had significantly lower odds of CVC use. Our findings suggest that proteinuria is an explanatory finding for CVC use but may not have pragmatic value for decision making. Patients with lower levels of proteinuria may have a higher risk of starting dialysis with a CVC. PMID:29236655

Association of Proteinuria with Central Venous Catheter Use at Initial Hemodialysis.

PubMed

Park, Ken J; Johnson, Eric S; Smith, Ning; Mosen, David M; Thorp, Micah L

2017-01-01

Central venous catheter (CVC) use is associated with increased mortality and complications in hemodialysis recipients. Although prevalent CVC use has decreased, incident use remains high. To examine characteristics associated with CVC use at initial dialysis, specifically looking at proteinuria as a predictor of interest. Retrospective cohort of 918 hemodialysis recipients from Kaiser Permanente Northwest who started hemodialysis from January 1, 2004, to January 1, 2014. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine an association of proteinuria with the primary outcome of CVC use. More than one-third (36%) of patients in our cohort started hemodialysis with an arteriovenous fistula, and 64% started with a CVC. Proteinuria was associated with starting hemodialysis with a CVC (likelihood ratio test, p < 0.001) after adjustment for age, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, sex, race, and length of predialysis care. However, on pairwise comparison, only patients with midgrade proteinuria (0.5-3.5 g) had lower odds of starting hemodialysis with a CVC (odds ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.24-0.65). Proteinuria was associated with use of CVC at initial hemodialysis. However, a graded association did not exist, and only patients with midgrade proteinuria had significantly lower odds of CVC use. Our findings suggest that proteinuria is an explanatory finding for CVC use but may not have pragmatic value for decision making. Patients with lower levels of proteinuria may have a higher risk of starting dialysis with a CVC.

Likelihood of Starting Dialysis after Incident Fistula Creation

PubMed Central

Quinn, Robert R.; Garg, Amit X.; Kim, S. Joseph; Wald, Ron; Paterson, J. Michael

2012-01-01

Summary Background and objectives Guidelines promote early fistula creation to avoid central venous catheter use. This practice may lead to fistula creations in patients who never receive dialysis. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of fistula nonuse with long-term follow-up. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Administrative health data identified 1929 predialysis adults who had their first fistula creation between April of 2002 and March of 2006. Patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years or until they began dialysis, received a kidney transplant, or died. Results The median follow-up times in patients who started dialysis, died without receiving dialysis, and remained in predialysis were 6.1, 11.5, and 38.7 months, respectively. Eighty-one percent of patients initiated dialysis; 9% of patients died without receiving dialysis, and 10% of patients remained predialysis. Forty percent of patients had their first fistula creation 3–12 months before initiating dialysis (the recommended window). Thirty percent were created within 90 days of starting dialysis; 30% were created more than 1 year before starting dialysis, and 10% were created more than 2 years before starting dialysis. Older patients, females, and patients with less comorbidity were not as likely to initiate dialysis after incident fistula creation. Conclusions Most patients who underwent fistula creation before starting dialysis eventually received dialysis with extended follow-up, but the risk was significantly modified by age, sex, and comorbidity. Many patients had fistula creations earlier or later than recommended. PMID:22344512

Evaluation of the Start Strong initiative: preventing teen dating violence and promoting healthy relationships among middle school students.

PubMed

Miller, Shari; Williams, Jason; Cutbush, Stacey; Gibbs, Deborah; Clinton-Sherrod, Monique; Jones, Sarah

2015-02-01

This study reports on an independent evaluation of Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships, a multicomponent initiative targeting 11- to 14-year-olds. "Start Strong" was designed to focus on the developmental needs of middle school students and to enhance skills and attitudes consistent with promotion of healthy relationships and reduction of teen dating violence (TDV). The quasi-experimental evaluation design included data collection from four Start Strong schools and four comparison schools. Student surveys were collected at four waves of data at the beginning and the end of grades 7 and 8. Multilevel models used repeated observations nested within students who were, in turn, nested within schools to determine whether participation in Start Strong enhanced healthy skills and relationships and decreased TDV-related attitudes and behaviors. Short-term effects from waves 1 to 2 were statistically significant for increased parent-child communication and boy/girlfriend relationship satisfaction and support and decreased gender stereotypes and attitudes supporting TDV. Findings for acceptance of TDV and gender stereotypes persisted longitudinally. Results are promising and illustrate that a multicomponent, community-based initiative reduced risk factors predictive of TDV. Start Strong is innovative in its focus on early adolescence, which is a critical period in the transition to dating. The results inform future intervention efforts and underscore the need for further study of middle school students. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Starting Trees from Cuttings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, David C.

1983-01-01

Describes a procedure for starting tree cuttings from woody plants, explaining "lag time," recommending materials, and giving step-by-step instructions for rooting and planting. Points out species which are likely candidates for cuttings and provides tips for teachers for developing a unit. (JM)

Transition and mixing in axisymmetric jets and vortex rings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, G. A., Jr.; Cantwell, B. J.

1986-01-01

A class of impulsively started, axisymmetric, laminar jets produced by a time dependent joint source of momentum are considered. These jets are different flows, each initially at rest in an unbounded fluid. The study is conducted at three levels of detail. First, a generalized set of analytic creeping flow solutions are derived with a method of flow classification. Second, from this set, three specific creeping flow solutions are studied in detail: the vortex ring, the round jet, and the ramp jet. This study involves derivation of vorticity, stream function, entrainment diagrams, and evolution of time lines through computer animation. From entrainment diagrams, critical points are derived and analyzed. The flow geometry is dictated by the properties and location of critical points which undergo bifurcation and topological transformation (a form of transition) with changing Reynolds number. Transition Reynolds numbers were calculated. A state space trajectory was derived describing the topological behavior of these critical points. This state space derivation yielded three states of motion which are universal for all axisymmetric jets. Third, the axisymmetric round jet is solved numerically using the unsteady laminar Navier Stokes equations. These equations were shown to be self similar for the round jet. Numerical calculations were performed up to a Reynolds number of 30 for a 60x60 point mesh. Animations generated from numerical solution showed each of the three states of motion for the round jet, including the Re = 30 case.

A catalog of rules, variables, and definitions applied to accelerometer data in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2006.

PubMed

Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Camhi, Sarah M; Troiano, Richard P

2012-01-01

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) included accelerometry in the 2003-2006 data collection cycles. Researchers have used these data since their release in 2007, but the data have not been consistently treated, examined, or reported. The objective of this study was to aggregate data from studies using NHANES accelerometry data and to catalogue study decision rules, derived variables, and cut point definitions to facilitate a more uniform approach to these data. We conducted a PubMed search of English-language articles published (or indicated as forthcoming) from January 2007 through December 2011. Our initial search yielded 74 articles, plus 1 article that was not indexed in PubMed. After excluding 21 articles, we extracted and tabulated details on 54 studies to permit comparison among studies. The 54 articles represented various descriptive, methodological, and inferential analyses. Although some decision rules for treating data (eg, criteria for minimal wear-time) were consistently applied, cut point definitions used for accelerometer-derived variables (eg, time spent in various intensities of physical activity) were especially diverse. Unique research questions may require equally unique analytical approaches; some inconsistency in approaches must be tolerated if scientific discovery is to be encouraged. This catalog provides a starting point for researchers to consider relevant and/or comparable accelerometer decision rules, derived variables, and cut point definitions for their own research questions.

Robotics virtual rail system and method

DOEpatents

Bruemmer, David J [Idaho Falls, ID; Few, Douglas A [Idaho Falls, ID; Walton, Miles C [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-07-05

A virtual track or rail system and method is described for execution by a robot. A user, through a user interface, generates a desired path comprised of at least one segment representative of the virtual track for the robot. Start and end points are assigned to the desired path and velocities are also associated with each of the at least one segment of the desired path. A waypoint file is generated including positions along the virtual track representing the desired path with the positions beginning from the start point to the end point including the velocities of each of the at least one segment. The waypoint file is sent to the robot for traversing along the virtual track.

Contract for Manpower and Personnel Research and Studies II (COMPRS-II) Annual Report - Year Four

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-10-01

Wonderlic and the Prueba de Aptitud Academica (PAA) will be evaluated in the pilot "Foreign Language Recruiting Initiative" project. Starting in October...Spanish Wonderlic and the Prueba de Aptitud Academica (PAA) will be evaluated in the pilot "Foreign Language Recruiting Initiative" project. Starting...implemented by linear programming software , which optimizes the Army’s enlisted personnel classification system, while accounting for realistic

Diminishing availability of publicly funded slots for antiretroviral initiation among HIV-infected ART-eligible patients in Uganda.

PubMed

Geng, Elvin H; Bwana, Mwebesa B; Kabakyenga, Jerome; Muyindike, Winnie; Emenyonu, Nneka I; Musinguzi, Nicholas; Mugyenyi, Peter; Martin, Jeffrey N; Bangsberg, David R

2010-11-24

The impact of flat-line funding in the global scale up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected patients in Africa has not yet been well described. We evaluated ART-eligible patients and patients starting ART at a prototypical scale up ART clinic in Mbarara, Uganda between April 1, 2009 and May 14, 2010 where four stakeholders sponsor treatment - two PEPFAR implementing organizations, the Ugandan Ministry of Health - Global Fund (MOH-GF) and a private foundation named the Family Treatment Fund (FTF). We assessed temporal trends in the number of eligible patients, the number starting ART and tabulated the distribution of the stakeholders supporting ART initiation by month and quartile of time during this interval. We used survival analyses to assess changes in the rate of ART initiation over calendar time. A total of 1309 patients who were eligible for ART made visits over the 14 month period of the study and of these 819 started ART. The median number of ART eligible patients each month was 88 (IQR: 74 to 115). By quartile of calendar time, PEPFAR and MOH sponsored 290, 192, 180, and 49 ART initiations whereas the FTF started 1, 2, 1 and 104 patients respectively. By May of 2010 (the last calendar month of observation) FTF sponsored 88% of all ART initiations. Becoming eligible for ART in the 3(rd) (HR = 0.58, 95% 0.45-0.74) and 4(th) quartiles (HR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.36-0.65) was associated with delay in ART initiation compared to the first quartile in multivariable analyses. During a period of flat line funding from multinational donors for ART programs, reductions in the number of ART initiations by public programs (i.e., PEPFAR and MOH-GF) and delays in ART initiation became apparent at the a large prototypical scale-up ART clinic in Uganda.

75 FR 81498 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-28

... period will be addressed in July 2011, prior to the start of the 2011 Winter II fishery. Per the quota... inappropriate years of very low harvest as the foundation of the constant catch starting point. The commenters... summer flounder quota at the start of the fishing year that begins January 1, 2011, is required by the...

The Effects of Smart Start on Young Children with Disabilities & Their Families. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Patricia; Munn, Duncan; Buysse, Virginia; Tyndall, Sabrina

Smart Start, North Carolina's early childhood initiative, seeks to improve early childhood programs and ensure that all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to learn. This study evaluated outcomes related to Smart Start program inclusion of young children with disabilities: (1) access to inclusive programming; (2) quality of…

The Effects of Head Start Health Services: Report of the Head Start Health Evaluation. Volume I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fosburg, Linda B.; And Others

In 1977, a longitudinal study was initiated to assess the effectiveness of health services provided by Head Start. The study provided for 10 domains: pediatric health examinations, health history recordings, dental evaluation, anthropometric assessment, diet and nutrition assessment, and hematology evaluations, as well as for developmental,…

Pushed or Pulled? Exploring the Factors Underpinning Graduate Start-Ups and Non-Start-Ups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nabi, G.; Walmsley, A.; Holden, R.

2015-01-01

The study explores the nature and mixture of push--pull factors in the journey from higher education into graduate entrepreneurship. Using longitudinal data from 15 graduates of a British university, it compares graduates who started their own business with graduates that did not. Importantly, both groups had initially indicated a strong desire to…

Characteristics of Young Children Exposed to Violence: The Safe Start Demonstration Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Joy S.; Ortega, Sandra; Schewe, Paul A.; Kracke, Kristen

2011-01-01

The Safe Start demonstration projects, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) under the first phase of the Safe Start initiative, are primarily designed to influence change at the systems or macrolevels to reduce the incidence of and impact of exposure to violence for children aged birth to 6 years; direct…

Manual of Considerations and Techniques for Start-Up of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rader, R. D.; And Others

This manual provides guidance for putting into initial operation a new municipal wastewater treatment plant, a new addition to an existing treatment plant, or a change in the mode of a treatment plant's operation. Information is provided on preparing for actual treatment plant start-up. Preparation for start-up includes: staffing the plant,…

Head Start Turns to Tribal Colleges for Professional Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambler, Marjane

2000-01-01

Relates Congress's demand that by the year 2003, more than half of the teachers in the Head Start programs must have at least an associate degree in Early Childhood Education. Summarizes the funding initiatives provided by the American Indian Program Branch to tribal colleges to begin educating Head Start personnel in their areas in response to…

Domain wall and isocurvature perturbation problems in a supersymmetric axion model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawasaki, Masahiro; Sonomoto, Eisuke

2018-04-01

The axion causes two serious cosmological problems, domain wall and isocurvature perturbation problems. Linde pointed out that the isocurvature perturbations are suppressed when the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) scalar field takes a large value ˜Mpl (Planck scale) during inflation. In this case, however, the PQ field with large amplitude starts to oscillate after inflation, and large fluctuations of the PQ field are produced through parametric resonance, which leads to the formation of domain walls. We consider a supersymmetric axion model and examine whether domain walls are formed by using lattice simulation. It is found that the domain wall problem does not appear in the SUSY axion model when the initial value of the PQ field is less than 1 03×v , where v is the PQ symmetry breaking scale.

One-loop effective actions and higher spins. Part II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonora, L.; Cvitan, M.; Prester, P. Dominis; Giaccari, S.; Štemberga, T.

2018-01-01

In this paper we continue and improve the analysis of the effective actions obtained by integrating out a scalar and a fermion field coupled to external symmetric sources, started in the previous paper. The first subject we study is the geometrization of the results obtained there, that is we express them in terms of covariant Jacobi tensors. The second subject concerns the treatment of tadpoles and seagull terms in order to implement off-shell covariance in the initial model. The last and by far largest part of the paper is a repository of results concerning all two point correlators (including mixed ones) of symmetric currents of any spin up to 5 and in any dimensions between 3 and 6. In the massless case we also provide formulas for any spin in any dimension.

The primary cosmic ray electron spectrum from 10 GeV to about 200 GeV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverberg, R. F.; Ormes, J. F.; Balasubrahmanyan, V. K.; Ryan, M. J.

1971-01-01

An ionization spectrometer consisting of 10.8 radiation lengths of tungsten and 35 radiation lengths of iron has been used to determine the energy spectrum of cosmic ray electrons above 10 GeV. The spectrometer was calibrated with electrons from 5.4 to 18 GeV and then flown at an altitude of 6 gm-cm/2 for 16 hours. Separation of electron initiated events from proton events was achieved by utilizing starting point distributions, the shower development in tungsten, and the energy deposited in the large thickness of iron absorber. The exponent of the differential energy spectrum of the electrons is -3.1 + or - 0.2 while the exponent of the background is consistent with the proton exponent of -2.7 + or -0.2.

An explicit solution to the exoatmospheric powered flight guidance and trajectory optimization problem for rocket propelled vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaggers, R. F.

1977-01-01

A derivation of an explicit solution to the two point boundary-value problem of exoatmospheric guidance and trajectory optimization is presented. Fixed initial conditions and continuous burn, multistage thrusting are assumed. Any number of end conditions from one to six (throttling is required in the case of six) can be satisfied in an explicit and practically optimal manner. The explicit equations converge for off nominal conditions such as engine failure, abort, target switch, etc. The self starting, predictor/corrector solution involves no Newton-Rhapson iterations, numerical integration, or first guess values, and converges rapidly if physically possible. A form of this algorithm has been chosen for onboard guidance, as well as real time and preflight ground targeting and trajectory shaping for the NASA Space Shuttle Program.

Hit and lead criteria in drug discovery for infectious diseases of the developing world.

PubMed

Katsuno, Kei; Burrows, Jeremy N; Duncan, Ken; Hooft van Huijsduijnen, Rob; Kaneko, Takushi; Kita, Kiyoshi; Mowbray, Charles E; Schmatz, Dennis; Warner, Peter; Slingsby, B T

2015-11-01

Reducing the burden of infectious diseases that affect people in the developing world requires sustained collaborative drug discovery efforts. The quality of the chemical starting points for such projects is a key factor in improving the likelihood of clinical success, and so it is important to set clear go/no-go criteria for the progression of hit and lead compounds. With this in mind, the Japanese Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund convened with experts from the Medicines for Malaria Venture, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative and the TB Alliance, together with representatives from the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, to set disease-specific criteria for hits and leads for malaria, tuberculosis, visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. Here, we present the agreed criteria and discuss the underlying rationale.

Solving the flatness problem with an anisotropic instanton in Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bramberger, Sebastian F.; Coates, Andrew; Magueijo, João; Mukohyama, Shinji; Namba, Ryo; Watanabe, Yota

2018-02-01

In Hořava-Lifshitz gravity a scaling isotropic in space but anisotropic in spacetime, often called "anisotropic scaling," with the dynamical critical exponent z =3 , lies at the base of its renormalizability. This scaling also leads to a novel mechanism of generating scale-invariant cosmological perturbations, solving the horizon problem without inflation. In this paper we propose a possible solution to the flatness problem, in which we assume that the initial condition of the Universe is set by a small instanton respecting the same scaling. We argue that the mechanism may be more general than the concrete model presented here. We rely simply on the deformed dispersion relations of the theory, and on equipartition of the various forms of energy at the starting point.

A Navier-Stokes solution of the three-dimensional viscous compressible flow in a centrifugal compressor impeller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harp, J. L., Jr.

1977-01-01

A two-dimensional time-dependent computer code was utilized to calculate the three-dimensional steady flow within the impeller blading. The numerical method is an explicit time marching scheme in two spatial dimensions. Initially, an inviscid solution is generated on the hub blade-to-blade surface by the method of Katsanis and McNally (1973). Starting with the known inviscid solution, the viscous effects are calculated through iteration. The approach makes it possible to take into account principal impeller fluid-mechanical effects. It is pointed out that the second iterate provides a complete solution to the three-dimensional, compressible, Navier-Stokes equations for flow in a centrifugal impeller. The problems investigated are related to the study of a radial impeller and a backswept impeller.

Development of an integrated data base for land use and water quality planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J.; Vanschayk, C.; Istvan, L. B.

1977-01-01

To help understand the role played by different land resources in water quality management a computer based data system was created. The Land Resource Information System (LRIS) allows data to be readily retrieved or statistically analyzed for a variety of purposes. It is specifically formatted to perform coordination of water quality data with logy, etc. New understanding of the region gained through the use of LRIS has gone well beyond the initial purpose of assessing water quality conditions. The land use and natural features information has provided a well defined starting point for a systematic evaluation of proposed land uses, transportation, housing, and other public investments. It has laid the foundation for a comprehensive and integrated approach to many different planning and investment programs presently underway.

The Economic and Social Value of an Image Exchange Network: A Case for the Cloud.

PubMed

Mayo, Ray Cody; Pearson, Kathryn L; Avrin, David E; Leung, Jessica W T

2017-01-01

As the health care environment continually changes, radiologists look to the ACR's Imaging 3.0 ® initiative to guide the search for value. By leveraging new technology, a cloud-based image exchange network could provide secure universal access to prior images, which were previously siloed, to facilitate accurate interpretation, improved outcomes, and reduced costs. The breast imaging department represents a viable starting point given the robust data supporting the benefit of access to prior imaging studies, existing infrastructure for image sharing, and the current workflow reliance on prior images. This concept is scalable not only to the remainder of the radiology department but also to the broader medical record. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three dimensional investigation of the shock train structure in a convergent-divergent nozzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousavi, Seyed Mahmood; Roohi, Ehsan

2014-12-01

Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analyses have been employed to study the compressible and turbulent flow of the shock train in a convergent-divergent nozzle. The primary goal is to determine the behavior, location, and number of shocks. In this context, full multi-grid initialization, Reynolds stress turbulence model (RSM), and the grid adaption techniques in the Fluent software are utilized under the 3D investigation. The results showed that RSM solution matches with the experimental data suitably. The effects of applying heat generation sources and changing inlet flow total temperature have been investigated. Our simulations showed that changes in the heat generation rate and total temperature of the intake flow influence on the starting point of shock, shock strength, minimum pressure, as well as the maximum flow Mach number.

Long-Term Persistence with Injectable Therapy in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: An 18-Year Observational Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Zhornitsky, Simon; Greenfield, Jamie; Koch, Marcus W.; Patten, Scott B.; Harris, Colleen; Wall, Winona; Alikhani, Katayoun; Burton, Jodie; Busche, Kevin; Costello, Fiona; Davenport, Jeptha W.; Jarvis, Scott E.; Lavarato, Dina; Parpal, Helene; Patry, David G.; Yeung, Michael; Metz, Luanne M.

2015-01-01

Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) reduce the frequency of relapses and accumulation of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Long-term persistence with treatment is important to optimize treatment benefit. This long-term, cohort study was conducted at the Calgary MS Clinic. All consenting adults with relapsing-remitting MS who started either glatiramer acetate (GA) or interferon-β 1a/1b (IFN-β) between January 1st, 1996 and July 1st, 2011 were included. Follow-up continued to February 1st, 2014. Time-to-discontinuation of the initial and subsequently-prescribed DMTs (switches) was analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Group differences were compared using log-rank tests and multivariable Cox regression models. Analysis included 1471 participants; 906 were initially prescribed GA and 565 were initially prescribed IFN-β. Follow-up information was available for 87%; 29 (2%) were lost to follow-up and 160 (11%) moved from Southern Alberta while still using DMT. Median time-to-discontinuation of all injectable DMTs was 11.1 years. Participants with greater disability at treatment initiation, those who started treatment before age 30, and those who started between 2006 and 2011 were more likely to discontinue use of all injectable DMTs. Median time-to-discontinuation of the initial DMT was 8.6 years. Those initially prescribed GA remained on treatment longer. Of 610 participants who discontinued injectable DMT, 331 (54%) started an oral DMT, or a second-line DMT, or resumed injectable DMT after 90 days. Persistence with injectable DMTs was high in this long-term population-based study. Most participants who discontinued injectable DMT did not remain untreated. Further research is required to understand treatment outcomes and outcomes after stopping DMT. PMID:25867095

Observation of the seismic nucleation phase in the Ridgecrest, California, earthquake sequence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellsworth, W.L.; Beroza, G.C.

1998-01-01

Near-source observations of five M 3.8-5.2 earthquakes near Ridgecrest, California are consistent with the presence of a seismic nucleation phase. These earthquakes start abruptly, but then slow or stop before rapidly growing again toward their maximum rate of moment release. Deconvolution of instrument and path effects by empirical Green's functions demonstrates that the initial complexity at the start of the earthquake is a source effect. The rapid growth of the P-wave arrival at the start of the seismic nucleation phase supports the conclusion of Mori and Kanamori [1996] that these earthquakes begin without a magnitude-scaled slow initial phase of the type observed by Iio [1992, 1995].

Effect of the nucleotides surrounding the start codon on the translation of foot-and-mouth disease virus RNA.

PubMed

Ma, X X; Feng, Y P; Gu, Y X; Zhou, J H; Ma, Z R

2016-06-01

As for the alternative AUGs in foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), nucleotide bias of the context flanking the AUG(2nd) could be used as a strong signal to initiate translation. To determine the role of the specific nucleotide context, dicistronic reporter constructs were engineered to contain different versions of nucleotide context linking between internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and downstream gene. The results indicate that under FMDV IRES-dependent mechanism, the nucleotide contexts flanking start codon can influence the translation initiation efficiencies. The most optimal sequences for both start codons have proved to be UUU AUG(1st) AAC and AAG AUG(2nd) GAA.

The military health system: a community of solutions for medical education, health care delivery, and public health.

PubMed

Lennon, Robert P; Saguil, Aaron; Seehusen, Dean A; Reamy, Brian V; Stephens, Mark B

2013-01-01

Multiple strategies have been proposed to improve health care in the United States. These include the development of communities of solution (COSs), implementation of patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), and lengthening family medicine residency training. There is scant literature on how to build and integrate these ideal models of care, and no literature about how to build a model of care integrating all 3 strategies is available. The Military Health System has adopted the PCMH model and will offer some 4-year family medicine residency positions starting in 2013. Lengthening residency training to 4 years represents an unprecedented opportunity to weave experiential COS instruction throughout a family physician's graduate medical education, providing future family physicians the skills needed to foster a COS in their future practice. This article describes our COS effort to synergize 3 aspects of modern military medicine: self-defined community populations, the transition to the PCMH model, and the initiation of the 4-year length of training pilot program in family medicine residency training. In this way we provide a starting point and general how-to guide that can be used to create a COS integrated with other current concepts in medicine.

Predictive Relation between Early Numerical Competencies and Mathematics Achievement in First Grade Portuguese Children.

PubMed

Marcelino, Lilia; de Sousa, Óscar; Lopes, António

2017-01-01

Early numerical competencies (ENC) (counting, number relations, and basic arithmetic operations) have a central position in the initial learning of mathematics, and their assessment is useful for predicting later mathematics achievement. Using a regression model, this study aims to analyze the correlational and predictive evidence between ENC and mathematics achievement in first grade Portuguese children ( n = 123). The children's ENC were examined at the point of school entry. Three criterion groups (low, moderate, and high ENC) were formed based on the results of the early numerical brief screener and mathematics achievement measured at the end of first grade. The following hypotheses were tested: children who started first grade with low numerical competencies remained low mathematics achievement at the end of first grade; and children who started with high numerical competencies, finished the first grade with high mathematics achievement. The results showed that ENC contributed to a significant amount of explained variance in mathematics achievement at the end of the first grade. Children with low numerical competencies performed lower than children with moderate and high numerical competencies. Findings suggest that ENC are meaningful for predicting first-grade mathematics difficulties.

Three-dimensionality development inside standard parallelepipedic lid-driven cavities at /Re=1000

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migeon, C.; Pineau, G.; Texier, A.

2003-04-01

This paper considers the problem of the time-dependent laminar incompressible flow motion within parallelepipedic cavities in which one wall moves with uniform velocity after an impulsive start using a particle-streak and a dye-emission techniques. Of particular concern is the examination of the spanwise structures of the flow in view to point out how three-dimensionality arises and develops with time for a Reynolds number of 1000. For this purpose, attention is focused on the spanwise currents, the end-wall corner vortices and the structures resulting from the centrifugal instability. Among others, the study clearly shows the scenario of propagation of the spanwise currents by giving quantitative information on their velocity and on the time from which a given cross-plane becomes affected by such a 3-D perturbation. Furthermore, the numerous visualizations reveal the existence of only one corner-vortex on each end-wall; this vortex is quasi-toroidal shaped. Finally, concerning flow instability, the present results show that no well-formed counter-rotating vortices emerge for /Re=1000 during the start-up phase contrary to what was asserted so far. However, two successive initial phases of this instability development are revealed for the first time.

Predictive Relation between Early Numerical Competencies and Mathematics Achievement in First Grade Portuguese Children

PubMed Central

Marcelino, Lilia; de Sousa, Óscar; Lopes, António

2017-01-01

Early numerical competencies (ENC) (counting, number relations, and basic arithmetic operations) have a central position in the initial learning of mathematics, and their assessment is useful for predicting later mathematics achievement. Using a regression model, this study aims to analyze the correlational and predictive evidence between ENC and mathematics achievement in first grade Portuguese children (n = 123). The children’s ENC were examined at the point of school entry. Three criterion groups (low, moderate, and high ENC) were formed based on the results of the early numerical brief screener and mathematics achievement measured at the end of first grade. The following hypotheses were tested: children who started first grade with low numerical competencies remained low mathematics achievement at the end of first grade; and children who started with high numerical competencies, finished the first grade with high mathematics achievement. The results showed that ENC contributed to a significant amount of explained variance in mathematics achievement at the end of the first grade. Children with low numerical competencies performed lower than children with moderate and high numerical competencies. Findings suggest that ENC are meaningful for predicting first-grade mathematics difficulties. PMID:28713308

Self-consistent analysis of radiation and relativistic electron beam dynamics in a helical wiggler using Lienard-Wiechert fields

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

Tecimer, M.; Elias, L.R.

1995-12-31

Lienard-Wiechert (LW) fields, which are exact solutions of the Wave Equation for a point charge in free space, are employed to formulate a self-consistent treatment of the electron beam dynamics and the evolution of the generated radiation in long undulators. In a relativistic electron beam the internal forces leading to the interaction of the electrons with each other can be computed by means of retarded LW fields. The resulting electron beam dynamics enables us to obtain three dimensional radiation fields starting from an initial incoherent spontaneous emission, without introducing a seed wave at start-up. Based on the formalism employed here,more » both the evolution of the multi-bucket electron phase space dynamics in the beam body as well as edges and the relative slippage of the radiation with respect to the electrons in the considered short bunch are naturally embedded into the simulation model. In this paper, we present electromagnetic radiation studies, including multi-bucket electron phase dynamics and angular distribution of radiation in the time and frequency domain produced by a relativistic short electron beam bunch interacting with a circularly polarized magnetic undulator.« less

A Simple Algorithm for the Metric Traveling Salesman Problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grimm, M. J.

1984-01-01

An algorithm was designed for a wire list net sort problem. A branch and bound algorithm for the metric traveling salesman problem is presented for this. The algorithm is a best bound first recursive descent where the bound is based on the triangle inequality. The bounded subsets are defined by the relative order of the first K of the N cities (i.e., a K city subtour). When K equals N, the bound is the length of the tour. The algorithm is implemented as a one page subroutine written in the C programming language for the VAX 11/750. Average execution times for randomly selected planar points using the Euclidean metric are 0.01, 0.05, 0.42, and 3.13 seconds for ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five cities, respectively. Maximum execution times for a hundred cases are less than eleven times the averages. The speed of the algorithms is due to an initial ordering algorithm that is a N squared operation. The algorithm also solves the related problem where the tour does not return to the starting city and the starting and/or ending cities may be specified. It is possible to extend the algorithm to solve a nonsymmetric problem satisfying the triangle inequality.

Macro, mini, micro and nano (M(sup 3)N) technologies for the future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedrich, Craig R.; Warrington, Robert O.; Gao, Robert X.; Lin, Gang

1993-01-01

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), micro systems technologies (MST), and micromanufacturing are relatively recent phrases or acronyms that have become synonymous with the design, development, and manufacture of 'micro' devices and systems. Micromanufacturing encompasses MEMS or MST and, in addition, includes all of the processes involved in the production of micro things. Integration of mechanical and electrical components, including built-in computers, can be formed into systems which must be connected to the macroworld. Macro, mini, micro, and nano technologies are all a part of MEMS or micromanufacturing. At this point in the development of the technology, it is becoming apparent that mini systems, with micro components, could very well be the economic drivers of the technology for the foreseeable future. Initial research in the fabrication of microdevices using IC processing technology took place over thirty years ago. Anisotropic etching of silicon was used to produce piezoresistive diaphragms. Since the early 60's, there has been gradual progress in MEMS until the early 1980's when worldwide interest in the technology really started to develop. During this time high aspect ratio micromachining using x rays was started in Germany. In 1987 the concept of a 'silicon micromechanics foundry' was proposed. Since then the interest in the U.S., Germany, and Japan has increased to the point where hundreds of millions of dollars of research monies are being funneled into the technology (at least in Germany and Japan) and the technology has been classified as critical or as a technology or national importance by the U.S. government.

The effect of giving global coronary risk information to adults: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sheridan, Stacey L; Viera, Anthony J; Krantz, Mori J; Ice, Christa L; Steinman, Lesley E; Peters, Karen E; Kopin, Laurie A; Lungelow, Danielle

2010-02-08

Global coronary heart disease (CHD) risk estimation (ie, a quantitative estimate of a patient's chances of CHD calculated by combining risk factors in an empirical equation) is recommended as a starting point for primary prevention efforts in all US adults. Whether it improves outcomes is currently unknown. To assess the effect of providing global CHD risk information to adults, we performed a systematic evidence review. We searched MEDLINE for the years 1980 to 2008, Psych Info, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Database and included English-language articles that met prespecified inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently reviewed titles, abstracts, and articles for inclusion and assessed study quality. We identified 20 articles, reporting on 18 unique fair or good quality studies (including 14 randomized controlled studies). These showed that global CHD risk information alone or with accompanying education increased the accuracy of perceived risk and probably increased intent to start therapy. Studies with repeated risk information or risk information and repeated doses of counseling showed small significant reductions in predicted CHD risk (absolute differences, -0.2% to -2% over 10 years in studies using risk estimates derived from Framingham equations). Studies providing global risk information at only 1 point in time seemed ineffective. Global CHD risk information seems to improve the accuracy of risk perception and may increase intent to initiate CHD prevention among individuals at moderate to high risk. The effect of global risk presentation on more distal outcomes is less clear and seems to be related to the intensity of accompanying interventions.

Camera pose estimation to improve accuracy and reliability of joint angles assessed with attitude and heading reference systems.

PubMed

Lebel, Karina; Hamel, Mathieu; Duval, Christian; Nguyen, Hung; Boissy, Patrick

2018-01-01

Joint kinematics can be assessed using orientation estimates from Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS). However, magnetically-perturbed environments affect the accuracy of the estimated orientations. This study investigates, both in controlled and human mobility conditions, a trial calibration technic based on a 2D photograph with a pose estimation algorithm to correct initial difference in AHRS Inertial reference frames and improve joint angle accuracy. In controlled conditions, two AHRS were solidly affixed onto a wooden stick and a series of static and dynamic trials were performed in varying environments. Mean accuracy of relative orientation between the two AHRS was improved from 24.4° to 2.9° using the proposed correction method. In human conditions, AHRS were placed on the shank and the foot of a participant who performed repeated trials of straight walking and walking while turning, varying the level of magnetic perturbation in the starting environment and the walking speed. Mean joint orientation accuracy went from 6.7° to 2.8° using the correction algorithm. The impact of starting environment was also greatly reduced, up to a point where one could consider it as non-significant from a clinical point of view (maximum mean difference went from 8° to 0.6°). The results obtained demonstrate that the proposed method improves significantly the mean accuracy of AHRS joint orientation estimations in magnetically-perturbed environments and can be implemented in post processing of AHRS data collected during biomechanical evaluation of motion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temporal Trends in the Characteristics of Children at Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in Southern Africa: The IeDEA-SA Collaboration

PubMed Central

Davies, Mary-Ann; Phiri, Sam; Wood, Robin; Wellington, Maureen; Cox, Vivian; Bolton-Moore, Carolyn; Timmerman, Venessa; Moultrie, Harry; Ndirangu, James; Rabie, Helena; Technau, Karl; Giddy, Janet; Maxwell, Nicola; Boulle, Andrew; Keiser, Olivia; Egger, Matthias; Eley, Brian

2013-01-01

Background Since 2005, increasing numbers of children have started antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa and, in recent years, WHO and country treatment guidelines have recommended ART initiation for all infants and very young children, and at higher CD4 thresholds for older children. We examined temporal changes in patient and regimen characteristics at ART start using data from 12 cohorts in 4 countries participating in the IeDEA-SA collaboration. Methodology/Principal Findings Data from 30,300 ART-naïve children aged <16 years at ART initiation who started therapy between 2005 and 2010 were analysed. We examined changes in median values for continuous variables using the Cuzick's test for trend over time. We also examined changes in the proportions of patients with particular disease severity characteristics (expressed as a binary variable e.g. WHO Stage III/IV vs I/II) using logistic regression. Between 2005 and 2010 the number of children starting ART each year increased and median age declined from 63 months (2006) to 56 months (2010). Both the proportion of children <1 year and ≥10 years of age increased from 12 to 19% and 18 to 22% respectively. Children had less severe disease at ART initiation in later years with significant declines in the percentage with severe immunosuppression (81 to 63%), WHO Stage III/IV disease (75 to 62%), severe anemia (12 to 7%) and weight-for-age z-score<−3 (31 to 28%). Similar results were seen when restricting to infants with significant declines in the proportion with severe immunodeficiency (98 to 82%) and Stage III/IV disease (81 to 63%). First-line regimen use followed country guidelines. Conclusions/Significance Between 2005 and 2010 increasing numbers of children have initiated ART with a decline in disease severity at start of therapy. However, even in 2010, a substantial number of infants and children started ART with advanced disease. These results highlight the importance of efforts to improve access to HIV diagnostic testing and ART in children. PMID:24363808

An early shoulder repositioning program in birth-related brachial plexus injury: a pilot study of the Sup-ER protocol.

PubMed

Verchere, Cynthia; Durlacher, Kim; Bellows, Doria; Pike, Jeffrey; Bucevska, Marija

2014-06-01

Birth-related brachial plexus injury (BRBPI) occurs in 1.2/1,000 births in British Columbia. Even in children with "good" recovery, external rotation (ER) and supination (Sup) are often weaker, and permanent skeletal imbalance ensues. A preventive early infant shoulder passive repositioning program was created using primarily a novel custom splint holding the affected arm in full ER and Sup: the Sup-ER splint. The details of the splint and the shoulder repositioning program evolved with experience over several years. This study reviews the first 4 years. A retrospective review of BCCH patients managed with the Sup-ER protocol from 2008 to 2011 compared their recovery scores to matched historical controls selected from our database by two independent reviewers. The protocol was initiated in 18 children during the study period. Six were excluded due to the following: insufficient data points, non-compliance, late splint initiation, and loss to follow-up. Of the 12 matches, the Sup-ER group final score at 2 years was better than controls by 1.18 active movement scale (AMS) points (p = 0.036) in Sup and 0.96 AMS points in ER (but not statistically significant (p = 0.13)). Unexpectedly, but importantly, during the study period, zero subjects were assessed to have the active functional criteria to indicate brachial plexus reconstruction, where previously we operated on 13 %. Early application of passive shoulder repositioning into Sup and ER may improve outcomes in function of the arm in infants with BRBPI. A North American multi-site randomized control trial has been approved and has started recruitment.

3D Solar Null Point Reconnection MHD Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, G.; Galsgaard, K.; Nordlund, Å.

2013-06-01

Numerical MHD simulations of 3D reconnection events in the solar corona have improved enormously over the last few years, not only in resolution, but also in their complexity, enabling more and more realistic modeling. Various ways to obtain the initial magnetic field, different forms of solar atmospheric models as well as diverse driving speeds and patterns have been employed. This study considers differences between simulations with stratified and non-stratified solar atmospheres, addresses the influence of the driving speed on the plasma flow and energetics, and provides quantitative formulas for mapping electric fields and dissipation levels obtained in numerical simulations to the corresponding solar quantities. The simulations start out from a potential magnetic field containing a null-point, obtained from a Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) magnetogram magnetogram extrapolation approximately 8 hours before a C-class flare was observed. The magnetic field is stressed with a boundary motion pattern similar to - although simpler than - horizontal motions observed by SOHO during the period preceding the flare. The general behavior is nearly independent of the driving speed, and is also very similar in stratified and non-stratified models, provided only that the boundary motions are slow enough. The boundary motions cause a build-up of current sheets, mainly in the fan-plane of the magnetic null-point, but do not result in a flare-like energy release. The additional free energy required for the flare could have been partly present in non-potential form at the initial state, with subsequent additions from magnetic flux emergence or from components of the boundary motion that were not represented by the idealized driving pattern.

Inception of a national multidisciplinary registry for stereotactic radiosurgery.

PubMed

Sheehan, Jason P; Kavanagh, Brian D; Asher, Anthony; Harbaugh, Robert E

2016-01-01

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) represents a multidisciplinary approach to the delivery of ionizing high-dose radiation to treat a wide variety of disorders. Much of the radiosurgical literature is based upon retrospective single-center studies along with a few randomized controlled clinical trials. More timely and effective evidence is needed to enhance the consistency and quality of and clinical outcomes achieved with SRS. The authors summarize the creation and implementation of a national SRS registry. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) through NeuroPoint Alliance, Inc., started a successful registry effort with its lumbar spine initiative. Following a similar approach, the AANS and NeuroPoint Alliance collaborated with corporate partners and the American Society for Radiation Oncology to devise a data dictionary for an SRS registry. Through administrative and financial support from professional societies and corporate partners, a framework for implementation of the registry was created. Initial plans were devised for a 3-year effort encompassing 30 high-volume SRS centers across the country. Device-specific web-based data-extraction platforms were built by the corporate partners. Data uploaders were then used to port the data to a common repository managed by Quintiles, a national and international health care trials company. Audits of the data for completeness and veracity will be undertaken by Quintiles to ensure data fidelity. Data governance and analysis are overseen by an SRS board comprising equal numbers of representatives from the AANS and NeuroPoint Alliance. Over time, quality outcome assessments and post hoc research can be performed to advance the field of SRS. Stereotactic radiosurgery offers a high-technology approach to treating complex intracranial disorders. Improvements in the consistency and quality of care delivered to patients who undergo SRS should be afforded by the national registry effort that is underway.

Cooking frozen Turkey: duration, yield and stuffing alterations with solid-state starting temperature.

PubMed

Moran, E T; Bauermeister, L

2015-08-01

Frozen pre-stuffed turkeys from 12 week females were conductively cooked at 163°C to an 85°C internal breast end-point. Bread cubes having 50% added water filled crop and body cavity to 20% of weight the turkeys were then frozen. Each of 4 treatments employed 7 carcasses: one was thawed to +5°C with repetitions at -5, -15, and -25°C enabling a regression analysis. Time to attain breast end-point was 44 min when the starting temperature was +5°C, which increased to 63 min at -5°C, and 69 min at -25°C (P < 0.001, Q: quadratic). Thigh temperatures averaged 77°C. Crop stuffing was 80°C when cooking was initiated at +5°C and increased to 84°C as the starting temperatures fell to -25°C (P < 0.01, Q). Body cavity stuffing reached 65°C when the carcass had been thawed prior to cooking, thereafter decreasing to 59 and 60°C when at -5 and -15°C, respectively, before returning to 65°C for the -25°C case (P < 0.01, C: cubic). Total carcass loss was 18.8% when cooking was initiated at +5°C. This increased to 22.6% at -25°C (P < 0.01, Q). Total drip after cooking averaged 23.7% however, the percentage of fat in the drip increased from 51.1% when using +5°C, to 57.2% with carcasses at -25°C (P < 0.05, Q). The stuffing gained in weight, which could be attributed to associated water when thawed, as opposed to frozen (147 vs. 102g, P < 0.05, Q). Stuffing moisture was less when the carcasses had been frozen than if cooked after thawing, particularly for crop (59.4% using +5°C vs. 55.8% frozen, P < 0.05, Q). Fat dominated the DM: increase, which was similar among treatments and both locations (22.6%). Stuffing CP: increased with +5°C carcasses on thawing compared to frozen carcasses, particularly for crop (15.1 vs. 13.2% DM, P < 0.05, Q from +5 to -5°C, respectively). Changes in part yield and meat composition were minor. Heat for ice to change to liquid was the primary basis for alterations when cooking from the frozen state, while cavity stuffing consistently failed to attain a safe temperature. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Parametric changes in response equilibrium during an intra-cranial self stimulation (ICSS) task: can reward value be assessed independently of absolute threshold?

PubMed

Easterling, K W; Holtzman, S G

1997-01-01

Traditional ICSS methodologies have attempted to evaluate changes in the rewarding value of brain stimulation by assessing the lowest value of the stimulation that will support responding. However, orderly changes in suprathreshold indicants of hedonic magnitude such as titration point have been shown. In the present experiments, rats were trained to respond on two ICSS autotitration schedules in which every response on one lever produced stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle, and every Xth response decreased either the stimulation current or the stimulation frequency. At any time, a response on a second "reset" lever restored the stimulation current or frequency available on the stimulation lever to its starting level and operationally defined changes in "reward value". In order to study this titration point measure, two response requirements (responses/stepdown; step size) and two stimulation parameters (initial stimulation level; train duration) were systematically varied. Under both current and frequency titration schedules, data indicated that response rate and titration point remained stable over repeated trials and multiple testing days--parameters being constant. Across all conditions, compared to the frequency titration schedule, subjects responding under the current titration schedule showed significantly higher titration points and lower rates of responding. Indicating the independence of rate and titration point data, parametric manipulations did not affect titration point and rate data concurrently. Results support the conclusion that titration point is a relative measure of "reward value" that is generally independent of response rate, but that is affected by manipulations that alter the amount of stimulation available between "resets". Additional work is needed in order to determine the relationship between the magnitude of stimulation needed to maintain minimal responding and that needed to maintain response equilibrium in an autotitration task.

Surface sampling techniques for 3D object inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Chihhsiong S.; Gerhardt, Lester A.

1995-03-01

While the uniform sampling method is quite popular for pointwise measurement of manufactured parts, this paper proposes three novel sampling strategies which emphasize 3D non-uniform inspection capability. They are: (a) the adaptive sampling, (b) the local adjustment sampling, and (c) the finite element centroid sampling techniques. The adaptive sampling strategy is based on a recursive surface subdivision process. Two different approaches are described for this adaptive sampling strategy. One uses triangle patches while the other uses rectangle patches. Several real world objects were tested using these two algorithms. Preliminary results show that sample points are distributed more closely around edges, corners, and vertices as desired for many classes of objects. Adaptive sampling using triangle patches is shown to generally perform better than both uniform and adaptive sampling using rectangle patches. The local adjustment sampling strategy uses a set of predefined starting points and then finds the local optimum position of each nodal point. This method approximates the object by moving the points toward object edges and corners. In a hybrid approach, uniform points sets and non-uniform points sets, first preprocessed by the adaptive sampling algorithm on a real world object were then tested using the local adjustment sampling method. The results show that the initial point sets when preprocessed by adaptive sampling using triangle patches, are moved the least amount of distance by the subsequently applied local adjustment method, again showing the superiority of this method. The finite element sampling technique samples the centroids of the surface triangle meshes produced from the finite element method. The performance of this algorithm was compared to that of the adaptive sampling using triangular patches. The adaptive sampling with triangular patches was once again shown to be better on different classes of objects.

The Pepsi Challenge: Building a Leader-Driven Organization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tichy, Noel M.; DeRose, Christopher

1996-01-01

PepsiCo's change-leadership model starts with a teachable point of view, showing trainees how to think in different terms, develop a point of view, test it, crystallize the vision, and implement it. The human resources department plays an important role in articulating the point of view. (SK)

Travelling Randomly on the Poincaré Half-Plane with a Pythagorean Compass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cammarota, V.; Orsingher, E.

2008-02-01

A random motion on the Poincaré half-plane is studied. A particle runs on the geodesic lines changing direction at Poisson-paced times. The hyperbolic distance is analyzed, also in the case where returns to the starting point are admitted. The main results concern the mean hyperbolic distance (and also the conditional mean distance) in all versions of the motion envisaged. Also an analogous motion on orthogonal circles of the sphere is examined and the evolution of the mean distance from the starting point is investigated.

Physical mechanism of initial breakdown pulses and narrow bipolar events in lightning discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Caitano L.; Pasko, Victor P.

2015-05-01

To date the true nature of initial breakdown pulses (IBPs) and narrow bipolar events (NBEs) in lightning discharges remains a mystery. Recent experimental evidence has correlated IBPs to the initial development of lightning leaders inside the thundercloud. NBE wideband waveforms resemble classic IBPs in both amplitude and duration. Most NBEs are quite peculiar in the sense that very frequently they occur in isolation from other lightning processes. The remaining fraction, 16% of positive polarity NBEs, according to Wu et al. (2014), happens as the first event in an otherwise regular intracloud lightning discharge. These authors point out that the initiator type of NBEs has no difference with other NBEs that did not start lightning, except for the fact that they occur deeper inside the thunderstorm (i.e., at lower altitudes). In this paper, we propose a new physical mechanism to explain the source of both IBPs and NBEs. We propose that IBPs and NBEs are the electromagnetic transients associated with the sudden (i.e., stepwise) elongation of the initial negative leader extremity in the thunderstorm electric field. To demonstrate our hypothesis a novel computational/numerical model of the bidirectional lightning leader tree is developed, consisting of a generalization of electrostatic and transmission line approximations found in the literature. Finally, we show how the IBP and NBE waveform characteristics directly reflect the properties of the bidirectional lightning leader (such as step length, for example) and amplitude of the thunderstorm electric field.

Automated Reconstruction of Neural Trees Using Front Re-initialization

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Amit; Stepanyants, Armen

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a greedy algorithm for automated reconstruction of neural arbors from light microscopy stacks of images. The algorithm is based on the minimum cost path method. While the minimum cost path, obtained using the Fast Marching Method, results in a trace with the least cumulative cost between the start and the end points, it is not sufficient for the reconstruction of neural trees. This is because sections of the minimum cost path can erroneously travel through the image background with undetectable detriment to the cumulative cost. To circumvent this problem we propose an algorithm that grows a neural tree from a specified root by iteratively re-initializing the Fast Marching fronts. The speed image used in the Fast Marching Method is generated by computing the average outward flux of the gradient vector flow field. Each iteration of the algorithm produces a candidate extension by allowing the front to travel a specified distance and then tracking from the farthest point of the front back to the tree. Robust likelihood ratio test is used to evaluate the quality of the candidate extension by comparing voxel intensities along the extension to those in the foreground and the background. The qualified extensions are appended to the current tree, the front is re-initialized, and Fast Marching is continued until the stopping criterion is met. To evaluate the performance of the algorithm we reconstructed 6 stacks of two-photon microscopy images and compared the results to the ground truth reconstructions by using the DIADEM metric. The average comparison score was 0.82 out of 1.0, which is on par with the performance achieved by expert manual tracers. PMID:24386539

The path of a click stimulus from ear canal to umbo.

PubMed

Milazzo, Mario; Fallah, Elika; Carapezza, Michael; Kumar, Nina S; Lei, Jason H; Olson, Elizabeth S

2017-03-01

The tympanic membrane (TM) has a key role in transmitting sounds to the inner ear, but a concise description of how the TM performs this function remains elusive. This paper probes TM operation by applying a free field click stimulus to the gerbil ear and exploring the consequent motions of the TM and umbo. Motions of the TM were measured both on radial tracks starting close to the umbo and on a grid distal and adjacent to the umbo. The experimental results confirmed the high fidelity of sound transmission from the ear canal to the umbo. A delay of 5-15 μs was seen in the onset of TM motion between points just adjacent to the umbo and mid-radial points. The TM responded with a ringing motion, with different locations possessing different primary ringing frequencies. A simple analytic model from the literature, treating the TM as a string, was used to explore the experimental results. The click-based experiments and analysis led to the following description of TM operation: A transient sound pressure on the TM causes a transient initial TM motion that is maximal ∼ at the TM's radial midpoints. Mechanical forces generated by this initial prominent TM distortion then pull the umbo inward, leading to a delayed umbo response. The initial TM deformation also gives rise to prolonged mechanical ringing on the TM that does not result in significant umbo motion, likely due to destructive interference from the range of ringing frequencies. Thus, the umbo's response is a high-fidelity representation of the transient stimulus. Because any sound can be considered as a consecutive series of clicks, this description is applicable to any sound stimulus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The path of a click stimulus from earcanal to umbo

PubMed Central

Milazzo, Mario; Fallah, Elika; Carapezza, Michael; Kumar, Nina S.; Lei, Jason H.; Olson, Elizabeth S.

2017-01-01

The tympanic membrane (TM) has a key role in transmitting sounds to the inner ear, but a concise description of how the TM performs this function remains elusive. This paper probes TM operation by applying a free field click stimulus to the gerbil ear and exploring the consequent motions of the TM and umbo. Motions of the TM were measured both on radial tracks starting close to the umbo and on a grid distal and adjacent to the umbo. The experimental results confirmed the high fidelity of sound transmission from the ear canal to the umbo. A delay of 5 – 15 μs was seen in the onset of TM motion between points just adjacent to the umbo and mid-radial points. The TM responded with a ringing motion, with different locations possessing different primary ringing frequencies. A simple analytic model from the literature, treating the TM as a string, was used to explore the experimental results. The click-based experiments and analysis led to the following description of TM operation: A transient sound pressure on the TM causes a transient initial TM motion that is maximal ~ at the TM’s radial midpoints. Mechanical forces generated by this initial prominent TM distortion then pull the umbo inward, leading to a delayed umbo response. The initial TM deformation also gives rise to prolonged mechanical ringing on the TM that does not result in significant umbo motion, likely due to destructive interference from the range of ringing frequencies. Thus, the umbo’s response is a high-fidelity representation of the transient stimulus. Because any sound can be considered as a consecutive series of clicks, this description is applicable to any sound stimulus. PMID:28087416

Loop Heat Pipe Startup Behaviors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung

2014-01-01

A loop heat pipe must start successfully before it can commence its service. The start-up transient represents one of the most complex phenomena in the loop heat pipe operation. This paper discusses various aspects of loop heat pipe start-up behaviors. Topics include the four start-up scenarios, the initial fluid distribution between the evaporator and reservoir that determines the start-up scenario, factors that affect the fluid distribution between the evaporator and reservoir, difficulties encountered during the low power start-up, and methods to enhance the start-up success. Also addressed are the thermodynamic constraint between the evaporator and reservoir in the loop heat pipe operation, the superheat requirement for nucleate boiling, pressure spike and pressure surge during the start-up transient, and repeated cycles of loop start-up andshutdown under certain conditions.

Solenoid-free plasma start-up in spherical tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raman, R.; Shevchenko, V. F.

2014-10-01

The central solenoid is an intrinsic part of all present-day tokamaks and most spherical tokamaks. The spherical torus (ST) confinement concept is projected to operate at high toroidal beta and at a high fraction of the non-inductive bootstrap current as required for an efficient reactor system. The use of a conventional solenoid in a ST-based fusion nuclear facility is generally believed to not be a possibility. Solenoid-free plasma start-up is therefore an area of extensive worldwide research activity. Solenoid-free plasma start-up is also relevant to steady-state tokamak operation, as the central transformer coil of a conventional aspect ratio tokamak reactor would be located in a high radiation environment but would be needed only during the initial discharge initiation and current ramp-up phases. Solenoid-free operation also provides greater flexibility in the selection of the aspect ratio and simplifies the reactor design. Plasma start-up methods based on induction from external poloidal field coils, helicity injection and radio frequency current drive have all made substantial progress towards meeting this important need for the ST. Some of these systems will now undergo the final stages of test in a new generation of large STs, which are scheduled to begin operations during the next two years. This paper reviews research to date on methods for inducing the initial start-up current in STs without reliance on the conventional central solenoid.

Efficient ECH-assisted plasma start-up using trapped particle configuration in the versatile experiment spherical torus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, YoungHwa; Lee, Jeongwon; Jo, JongGab; Jung, Bong-Ki; Lee, HyunYeong; Chung, Kyoung-Jae; Na, Yong-Su; Hahm, T. S.; Hwang, Y. S.

2017-01-01

An efficient and robust ECH (electron cyclotron heating)-assisted plasma start-up scheme with a low loop voltage and low volt-second consumption utilizing the trapped particle configuration (TPC) has been developed in the versatile experiment spherical torus (VEST). The TPC is a mirror-like magnetic field configuration providing a vertical magnetic field in the same direction as the equilibrium field. It significantly enhances ECH pre-ionization with enhanced particle confinement due to its mirror effect, and intrinsically provides an equilibrium field with a stable decay index enabling prompt plasma current initiation. Consequently, the formation of TPC before the onset of the loop voltage allows the plasma to start up with a lower loop voltage and lower volt-second consumption as well as a wider operation range in terms of ECH pre-ionization power and H2 filling pressure. The TPC can improve the widely-used field null configuration significantly for more efficient start-up when ECH pre-ionization is used. This can then be utilized in superconducting tokamaks requiring a low loop voltage start-up, such as ITER, or in spherical tori with limited volt-seconds. The TPC can be particularly useful in superconducting tokamaks with a limited current slew-rate of superconducting PF coils, as it can save volt-second consumption before plasma current initiation by providing prompt initiation with an intrinsic stable equilibrium field.

77 FR 65815 - Special Local Regulations; Marine Events in the Seventh Coast Guard District

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

... imaginary line connecting the following points: Starting at Point 1 in position 24[deg]32'08'' N, 81[deg]50'19'' W; thence east to Point 2 in position 24[deg]32'23'' N, 81[deg]48'58'' W; thence northeast to Point 3 in position 24[deg]33'14'' N, 81[deg]48'47'' W; thence northeast to Point 4 in position 24[deg...

CwicStart - a proof-of-concept client for the CEOSWGISS Integrated Catalog (CWIC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, D. J.; Mitchell, A. E.

2012-12-01

Keywords - Earth Science, data discovery, agile development, ruby on rails, catalog, OGC Audience - Earth Science application developers What is CwicStart CwicStart is a prototypical earth science data discovery web application designed, developed and hosted by NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Clearinghouse (ECHO). CwicStart searches the CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalog (CWIC) to provide users with dataset and granule level metadata from sources as diverse as NASA, NOAA, INPE and AOE. CwicStart demonstrates the ease of which it is possible to stand up a functioning client against the CWIC. From start to finish, CwicStart was designed, developed and deployed in one month. Built from OGC getCapabilities document of CWIC The CwicStart application takes the OGC getCapabilities (http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/is) document describing CWIC, as it's starting point for providing a user interface suitable for interrogating CWIC. Consequently, it can allow the user to constrain their search by the following criteria, - Generic search terms - Spatial bounding box - Start date/time and end date/time - ISO-queryable key-value pairs User Interface inspired by Reverb ECHO's state-of-the-art earth science discovery tool, Reverb (http://reverb.echo.nasa.gov) was used as a guideline for the user interface components of CwicStart. It incorporates OpenLayers to provide point-and-click spatial constraint specification and calendar input for temporal constraints. Discovery involves two phases: dataset discovery and granule discovery with full pagination support for large results sets. CwicStart supports 'graceful degradation' of support for multiple browsers and accessibility requirements. Implemented in Ruby on Rails for Agile Development CwicStart is implemented in Ruby on Rails, a dynamic, rapid development language and environment that facilitates Agile development and is resilient to changing requirements. Using an Agile development methodology ECHO was able to stand up the first iteration of CwicStart in an iteration lasting only one week. Three subsequent week-long iterations delivered the current functionality. CwicStart can be found at the following location, https://testbed.echo.nasa.gov/cwic-start/ About CWIC The WGISS team provides an application, the CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalog (CWIC) with the following capabilities. - Provide an access point for major CEOS agency catalog systems. - Interface to user interface clients by using the GEO standards. - Send directory/collection searches to the International Directory Network. - Distribute inventory/product searches to the CEOS agency inventory systems using the agency systems native protocol. - Offered as the CEOS community catalog as part of the GEO common infrastructure. CWIC Partners - Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) - International Directory Network (IDN) - U.S. National Aeronautics and Space (NASA) - Earth Observing System (EOS) Clearinghouse (ECHO) - U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Comprehensive Large Array Data Stewardship System (CLASS) - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - Landsat Catalog System - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - LSI Portal - National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil - Academy of Opto-Electronics (AOE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Serious Non-AIDS Conditions in HIV: Benefit of Early ART.

PubMed

Lundgren, Jens D; Borges, Alvaro H; Neaton, James D

2018-04-01

Optimal control of HIV can be achieved by early diagnosis followed by the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Two large randomised trials (TEMPRANO and START) have recently been published documenting the clinical benefits to HIV-positive adults of early ART initiation. Main findings are reviewed with a focus on serious non-AIDS (SNA) conditions. Data from the two trials demonstrated that initiating ART early in the course of HIV infection resulted in marked reductions in the risk of opportunistic diseases and invasive bacterial infections. This indicates that HIV causes immune impairment in early infection that is remedied by controlling viral replication. Intriguingly, in START, a marked reduction in risk of cancers, both infection-related and unrelated types of cancers, was observed. Like the findings for opportunistic infections, this anti-cancer effect of early ART shows how the immune system influences important pro-oncogenic processes. In START, there was also some evidence suggesting that early ART initiation preserved kidney function, although the clinical consequence of this remains unclear. Conversely, while no adverse effects were evident, the trials did not demonstrate a clear effect on metabolic-related disease outcomes, pulmonary disease, or neurocognitive function. HIV causes immune impairment soon after acquisition of infection. ART reverses this harm at least partially. The biological nature of the immune impairment needs further elucidation, as well as mechanisms and clinical impact of innate immune activation. Based on the findings from TEMPRANO and START, and because ART lowers the risk of onward transmission, ART initiation should be offered to all persons following their diagnosis of HIV.

Qualification of CASMO5 / SIMULATE-3K against the SPERT-III E-core cold start-up experiments

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

Grandi, G.; Moberg, L.

SIMULATE-3K is a three-dimensional kinetic code applicable to LWR Reactivity Initiated Accidents. S3K has been used to calculate several international recognized benchmarks. However, the feedback models in the benchmark exercises are different from the feedback models that SIMULATE-3K uses for LWR reactors. For this reason, it is worth comparing the SIMULATE-3K capabilities for Reactivity Initiated Accidents against kinetic experiments. The Special Power Excursion Reactor Test III was a pressurized-water, nuclear-research facility constructed to analyze the reactor kinetic behavior under initial conditions similar to those of commercial LWRs. The SPERT III E-core resembles a PWR in terms of fuel type, moderator,more » coolant flow rate, and system pressure. The initial test conditions (power, core flow, system pressure, core inlet temperature) are representative of cold start-up, hot start-up, hot standby, and hot full power. The qualification of S3K against the SPERT III E-core measurements is an ongoing work at Studsvik. In this paper, the results for the 30 cold start-up tests are presented. The results show good agreement with the experiments for the reactivity initiated accident main parameters: peak power, energy release and compensated reactivity. Predicted and measured peak powers differ at most by 13%. Measured and predicted reactivity compensations at the time of the peak power differ less than 0.01 $. Predicted and measured energy release differ at most by 13%. All differences are within the experimental uncertainty. (authors)« less

Dynein-ADP as a force-generating intermediate revealed by a rapid reactivation of flagellar axoneme.

PubMed Central

Tani, T; Kamimura, S

1999-01-01

Fragmented flagellar axonemes of sand dollar spermatozoa were reactivated by rapid photolysis of caged ATP. After a time lag of 10 ms, axonemes treated with protease started sliding disintegration. Axonemes without protease digestion started nanometer-scale high-frequency oscillation after a similar time lag. Force development in the sliding disintegration was measured with a flexible glass needle and its time course was corresponded well to that of the dynein-ADP intermediate production estimated using kinetic rates previously reported. However, with a high concentration ( approximately 80 microM) of vanadate, which binds to the dynein-ADP intermediate and forms a stable complex of dynein-ADP-vanadate, the time course of force development in sliding disintegration was not affected at all. In the case of high frequency oscillation, the time lag to start the oscillation, the initial amplitude, and the initial frequency were not affected by vanadate, though the oscillation once started was damped more quickly at higher concentrations of vanadate. These results suggest that during the initial turnover of ATP hydrolysis, force generation of dynein is not blocked by vanadate. A vanadate-insensitive dynein-ADP is postulated as a force-generating intermediate. PMID:10465762

NADA Ear Acupuncture: An Adjunctive Therapy to Improve and Maintain Positive Outcomes in Substance Abuse Treatment

PubMed Central

Carter, Kenneth; Olshan-Perlmutter, Michelle; Marx, Jonathan; Martini, Janet F.; Cairns, Simon B.

2017-01-01

The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol (NADA) is an adjunctive therapy using 1 to 5 invariant ear acupuncture/acupressure points. This is a randomized prospective study to determine if NADA plus traditional treatment enhance outcomes: quality of life, depression, anxiety and abstinence from substance abuse. There were 100 patients enrolled in the Keystone Substance Abuse Services-Winthrop University Department of Sociology and Anthropology NADA study. All patients completed Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES) prior to starting the program and at program completion. Patients self-reported alcohol, tobacco, and drug use prior to starting the program at program completion and at 3 and 6 month follow- up. Patient characteristics are predictive of completion versus non-completion when race, criminal history and initial drug test is considered. Those identified as nonwhite, (p < 0.05) and patients with positive initial drug test, (p < 0.01) were more likely to complete treatment in the NADA group. Also, among patients with criminal history a higher percentage failed to complete the program in the control group (p < 0.05). Participation in NADA positively associated with Q-LES score (p < 0.05), feeling better about oneself and improved energy (p < 0.05), likelihood of employment upon discharge (p < 0.05), and decreased alcohol use at 3 month follow up (p < 0.05) and 6-month follow-up (p < 0.01). NADA group reported less tobacco use at 6 months (p < 0.05). PMID:28621706

Starting With Lucy: Focusing on Human Similarities Rather Than Differences to Address Health Care Disparities.

PubMed

Clementz, Laura; McNamara, Megan; Burt, Nicole M; Sparks, Matthew; Singh, Mamta K

2017-09-01

Multicultural or cultural competence education to address health care disparities using the traditional categorical approach can lead to inadvertent adverse consequences. Nontraditional approaches that address these drawbacks while promoting humanistic care are needed. In September 2014, the Cleveland VA Medical Center's Center of Excellence in Primary Care Education Transforming Outpatient Care (CoEPCE-TOPC) collaborated with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) to develop the Original Identity program, which uses a biocultural anthropologic framework to help learners recognize and address unconscious bias and starts with a discussion of humans' shared origins. The program comprises a two-hour initial learning session at the CMNH (consisting of an educational tour in a museum exhibit, a didactic and discussion section, and patient case studies) and a one-hour wrap-up session at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. The authors delivered the complete Original Identity program four times between March and November 2015, with 30 CoEPCE-TOPC learners participating. Learners' mean ratings (n = 29; response rate: 97%) for the three initial learning session questions were consistently high (4.2-4.6) using a five-point scale. Comments to an open-ended question and during the audio-recorded wrap-up sessions also addressed the program objectives and key elements (e.g., bias, assumptions, stereotyping). The authors are completing additional qualitative analysis on the wrap-up session transcriptions to clarify factors that make the program successful, details of learners' experience, and any interprofessional differences in interpreting content. The authors believe this innovative addition to health care education warrants further research.

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

Menikoff, Ralph

SURFplus is a reactive burn model for high explosives aimed at modelling shock initiation and propagation of detonation waves. It utilizes the SURF model for the fast hot-spot reaction plus a slow reaction for the energy released by carbon clustering. A feature of the SURF model is that there is a partially decoupling between burn rate parameters and detonation wave properties. Previously, parameters for PBX 9502 that control shock ini- tiation had been calibrated to Pop plot data (distance-of-run to detonation as a function of shock pressure initiating the detonation). Here burn rate parameters for the high pres- sure regimemore » are adjusted to t the failure diameter and the limiting detonation speed just above the failure diameter. Simulated results are shown for an uncon ned rate stick when the 9502 diameter is slightly above and slightly below the failure diameter. Just above the failure diameter, in the rest frame of the detonation wave, the front is sonic at the PBX/air interface. As a consequence, the lead shock in the neighborhood of the interface is supported by the detonation pressure in the interior of the explosive rather than the reaction immediately behind the front. In the interior, the sonic point occurs near the end of the fast hot-spot reaction. Consequently, the slow carbon clustering reaction can not a ect the failure diameter. Below the failure diameter, the radial extent of the detonation front decreases starting from the PBX/air interface. That is, the failure starts at the PBX boundary and propagates inward to the axis of the rate stick.« less

Middle Start Schools Striving for Excellence: Steadily Improving High-Poverty Schools in the Mid South Delta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Lea Williams

2006-01-01

As part of a national Middle Start initiative led by the Academy for Educational Development (AED), Mid South Middle Start is committed to working with high-poverty schools in the Mid South Delta region to build their capacity to foster students' academic excellence, support the development of young adolescents, and achieve social equity in…

Building Social Competence in Preschool: The Effects of a Social Skills Intervention Targeting Children Enrolled in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanton-Chapman, Tina L.; Walker, Virginia; Jamison, Kristen R.

2014-01-01

The current study evaluated the peer-to-peer interactions of at-risk children enrolled in Head Start who participated in a social pragmatic intervention targeting skills such as initiations, responses, name use, proximity, and turn-taking skills. Eight Head Start classroom teams received two workshops and two coaching sessions and were taught to…

Head Start: Helping Families Move from Welfare to Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlay, Belva; Blank, Helen; Poersch, Nicole Oxendine

This report describes some of the ways in which Head Start agencies are helping to set parents on the path to self-sufficiency. The report is intended to illustrate the variety of initiatives that are underway and to highlight the important work all Head Start agencies are doing to support parents as they move from welfare to work. The…

Propagation speed of a starting wave in a queue of pedestrians.

PubMed

Tomoeda, Akiyasu; Yanagisawa, Daichi; Imamura, Takashi; Nishinari, Katsuhiro

2012-09-01

The propagation speed of a starting wave, which is a wave of people's successive reactions in the relaxation process of a queue, has an essential role for pedestrians and vehicles to achieve smooth movement. For example, a queue of vehicles with appropriate headway (or density) alleviates traffic jams since the delay of reaction to start is minimized. In this paper, we have investigated the fundamental relation between the propagation speed of a starting wave and the initial density by both our mathematical model built on the stochastic cellular automata and experimental measurements. Analysis of our mathematical model implies that the relation is characterized by the power law αρ-β (β≠1), and the experimental results verify this feature. Moreover, when the starting wave is characterized by the power law (β>1), we have revealed the existence of optimal density, where the required time, i.e., the sum of the waiting time until the starting wave reaches the last pedestrian in a queue and his/her travel time to pass the head position of the initial queue, is minimized. This optimal density inevitably plays a significant role in achieving a smooth movement of crowds and vehicles in a queue.

Disturbed subsurface microbial communities follow equivalent trajectories despite different structural starting points

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

Handley, Kim M.; Wrighton, Kelly C.; Miller, Christopher S.

2015-03-01

We explored the impact of the starting community composition and structure on ecosystem response to perturbations using organic carbon amendment experiments. Subsurface sediment was partitioned into flow-through columns, and the microbial communities were initially stimulated in situ by addition of acetate as a carbon and electron donor source. This drove community richness and evenness down, and pushed the system into a new biogeochemical state characterized by iron reduction. Reconstructed near-full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated a concomitant enrichment of Desulfuromonadales, Comamonadaceae and Bacteroidetes lineages. After 10 to 12 days, acetate was exchange for lactate in a subset of columns.more » Following the clear onset of sulfate reduction (35 days after acetate-amendment), acetate was substituted for lactate in additional columns. Acetatestimulated communities differed markedly during each biogeochemical regime and at each lactate-switch. Regardless, however, of when communities were switched to lactate, they followed comparable trajectories with respect to composition and structure, with convergence evident one week after each switch, and marked after one month of lactate amendment. During sulfate reduction all treatments were enriched in Firmicutes and a number of species likely involved in sulfate reduction (notably Desulfobulbus, Desulfosporosinus, Desulfitobacterium and Desulfotomaculum). Lactate treatments were distinguished by substantially lower relative abundances of Desulfotomaculum and Bacteroidetes, and enrichments of Psychrosinus and Clostridiales species. Results imply that the structure of the starting community was not significant in controlling organism selection in community succession.« less

Ground Motion Simulation for a Large Active Fault System using Empirical Green's Function Method and the Strong Motion Prediction Recipe - a Case Study of the Noubi Fault Zone -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuriyama, M.; Kumamoto, T.; Fujita, M.

2005-12-01

The 1995 Hyogo-ken Nambu Earthquake (1995) near Kobe, Japan, spurred research on strong motion prediction. To mitigate damage caused by large earthquakes, a highly precise method of predicting future strong motion waveforms is required. In this study, we applied empirical Green's function method to forward modeling in order to simulate strong ground motion in the Noubi Fault zone and examine issues related to strong motion prediction for large faults. Source models for the scenario earthquakes were constructed using the recipe of strong motion prediction (Irikura and Miyake, 2001; Irikura et al., 2003). To calculate the asperity area ratio of a large fault zone, the results of a scaling model, a scaling model with 22% asperity by area, and a cascade model were compared, and several rupture points and segmentation parameters were examined for certain cases. A small earthquake (Mw: 4.6) that occurred in northern Fukui Prefecture in 2004 were examined as empirical Green's function, and the source spectrum of this small event was found to agree with the omega-square scaling law. The Nukumi, Neodani, and Umehara segments of the 1891 Noubi Earthquake were targeted in the present study. The positions of the asperity area and rupture starting points were based on the horizontal displacement distributions reported by Matsuda (1974) and the fault branching pattern and rupture direction model proposed by Nakata and Goto (1998). Asymmetry in the damage maps for the Noubi Earthquake was then examined. We compared the maximum horizontal velocities for each case that had a different rupture starting point. In the case, rupture started at the center of the Nukumi Fault, while in another case, rupture started on the southeastern edge of the Umehara Fault; the scaling model showed an approximately 2.1-fold difference between these cases at observation point FKI005 of K-Net. This difference is considered to relate to the directivity effect associated with the direction of rupture propagation. Moreover, it was clarified that the horizontal velocities by assuming the cascade model was underestimated more than one standard deviation of empirical relation by Si and Midorikawa (1999). The scaling and cascade models showed an approximately 6.4-fold difference for the case, in which the rupture started along the southeastern edge of the Umehara Fault at observation point GIF020. This difference is significantly large in comparison with the effect of different rupture starting points, and shows that it is important to base scenario earthquake assumptions on active fault datasets before establishing the source characterization model. The distribution map of seismic intensity for the 1891 Noubi Earthquake also suggests that the synthetic waveforms in the southeastern Noubi Fault zone may be underestimated. Our results indicate that outer fault parameters (e.g., earthquake moment) related to the construction of scenario earthquakes influence strong motion prediction, rather than inner fault parameters such as the rupture starting point. Based on these methods, we will predict strong motion for approximately 140 to 150 km of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line.

Timing of start of dialysis in diabetes mellitus patients: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Nacak, Hakan; Bolignano, Davide; Van Diepen, Merel; Dekker, Friedo; Van Biesen, Wim

2016-02-01

Diabetes mellitus is a frequent cause of the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Historically, RRT was started earlier in patients with diabetes, in an attempt to prevent complications of uraemia and diabetes. We did a systematic review to find support for this earlier start of dialysis in patients with versus without diabetes. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases were searched for articles about the timing of dialysis initiation in (subgroups of) patients with diabetes and CKD Stage 5. A total of 340 papers were screened and 11 papers were selected to be reviewed. Only three studies showed data of at least one subgroup of patients with diabetes. Two observational studies concluded that start of dialysis with a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is beneficial with regard to survival, one did not find a difference and six observational studies concluded that start of dialysis with a lower eGFR is associated with better survival in patients with diabetes. The effect of timing of initiation of dialysis did not differ between patients with versus without diabetes. Lastly, one randomized controlled trial (two papers) reported that there was no difference in survival between start at higher versus lower eGFR overall and a P-value for the interaction with diabetes of P = 0.63, indicating no difference between patients with versus without diabetes with regard to the timing of start of dialysis and subsequent mortality on dialysis. There is no difference between early (eGFR) and late (lower eGFR) start of RRT with regard to mortality in patients with versus without diabetes. RRT should thus be initiated based on the same criteria in all patients, irrespective of the presence or absence of diabetes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Planning of Ballistic Movement following Stroke: Insights from the Startle Reflex

PubMed Central

Honeycutt, Claire Fletcher; Perreault, Eric Jon

2012-01-01

Following stroke, reaching movements are slow, segmented, and variable. It is unclear if these deficits result from a poorly constructed movement plan or an inability to voluntarily execute an appropriate plan. The acoustic startle reflex provides a means to initiate a motor plan involuntarily. In the presence of a movement plan, startling acoustic stimulus triggers non-voluntary early execution of planned movement, a phenomenon known as the startReact response. In unimpaired individuals, the startReact response is identical to a voluntarily initiated movement, except that it is elicited 30–40 ms. As the startReact response is thought to be mediated by brainstem pathways, we hypothesized that the startReact response is intact in stroke subjects. If startReact is intact, it may be possible to elicit more task-appropriate patterns of muscle activation than can be elicited voluntarily. We found that startReact responses were intact following stroke. Responses were initiated as rapidly as those in unimpaired subjects, and with muscle coordination patterns resembling those seen during unimpaired volitional movements. Results were striking for elbow flexion movements, which demonstrated no significant differences between the startReact responses elicited in our stroke and unimpaired subject groups. The results during planned extension movements were less straightforward for stroke subjects, since the startReact response exhibited task inappropriate activity in the flexors. This inappropriate activity diminished over time. This adaptation suggests that the inappropriate activity was transient in nature and not related to the underlying movement plan. We hypothesize that the task-inappropriate flexor activity during extension results from an inability to suppress the classic startle reflex, which primarily influences flexor muscles and adapts rapidly with successive stimuli. These results indicate that stroke subjects are capable of planning ballistic elbow movements, and that when these planned movements are involuntarily executed they can be as rapid and appropriate as those in unimpaired individuals. PMID:22952634

The Shortlist Method for fast computation of the Earth Mover's Distance and finding optimal solutions to transportation problems.

PubMed

Gottschlich, Carsten; Schuhmacher, Dominic

2014-01-01

Finding solutions to the classical transportation problem is of great importance, since this optimization problem arises in many engineering and computer science applications. Especially the Earth Mover's Distance is used in a plethora of applications ranging from content-based image retrieval, shape matching, fingerprint recognition, object tracking and phishing web page detection to computing color differences in linguistics and biology. Our starting point is the well-known revised simplex algorithm, which iteratively improves a feasible solution to optimality. The Shortlist Method that we propose substantially reduces the number of candidates inspected for improving the solution, while at the same time balancing the number of pivots required. Tests on simulated benchmarks demonstrate a considerable reduction in computation time for the new method as compared to the usual revised simplex algorithm implemented with state-of-the-art initialization and pivot strategies. As a consequence, the Shortlist Method facilitates the computation of large scale transportation problems in viable time. In addition we describe a novel method for finding an initial feasible solution which we coin Modified Russell's Method.

The Shortlist Method for Fast Computation of the Earth Mover's Distance and Finding Optimal Solutions to Transportation Problems

PubMed Central

Gottschlich, Carsten; Schuhmacher, Dominic

2014-01-01

Finding solutions to the classical transportation problem is of great importance, since this optimization problem arises in many engineering and computer science applications. Especially the Earth Mover's Distance is used in a plethora of applications ranging from content-based image retrieval, shape matching, fingerprint recognition, object tracking and phishing web page detection to computing color differences in linguistics and biology. Our starting point is the well-known revised simplex algorithm, which iteratively improves a feasible solution to optimality. The Shortlist Method that we propose substantially reduces the number of candidates inspected for improving the solution, while at the same time balancing the number of pivots required. Tests on simulated benchmarks demonstrate a considerable reduction in computation time for the new method as compared to the usual revised simplex algorithm implemented with state-of-the-art initialization and pivot strategies. As a consequence, the Shortlist Method facilitates the computation of large scale transportation problems in viable time. In addition we describe a novel method for finding an initial feasible solution which we coin Modified Russell's Method. PMID:25310106

Measuring the quality of renal care: things to keep in mind when selecting and using quality indicators.

PubMed

van der Veer, Sabine N; van Biesen, Wim; Couchoud, Cécile; Tomson, Charles R V; Jager, Kitty J

2014-08-01

This educational paper discusses a variety of indicators that can be used to measure the quality of care in renal medicine. Based on what aspect of care they reflect, indicators can be grouped into four main categories: structure, process, surrogate outcome and outcome indicators. Each category has its own advantages and disadvantages, and we give some pointers on how to balance these pros and cons while taking into account the aim of the measurement initiative. Especially within initiatives that link payment or reputation to indicator measurement, this balancing should be done with utmost care to avoid potential, unintended consequences. Furthermore, we suggest consideration of (i) a causal chain-i.e. subsequent aspects of care connected by evidence-based links-as a starting point for composing a performance indicator set and (ii) adequate case-mix adjustment, not only of (surrogate) outcomes, but also of process indicators in order to obtain fair comparisons between facilities and within facilities over time. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

The AlpArray Seismic Network: status and operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetényi, György; Molinari, Irene; Clinton, John; Kissling, Edi

2017-04-01

The AlpArray initiative (http://www.alparray.ethz.ch) is a large-scale European collaboration to study the entire Alpine orogen at high resolution and in 3D with a large variety of geoscientific methods. The core element of the initiative is an extensive and dense broadband seismological network, the AlpArray Seismic Network (AASN). Over 300 temporary stations complement the permanent seismological stations to ensure homogeneous coverage of the greater Alpine area. The AASN has officially started operation in January 2016 and is now complete on land. It is operated in a joint effort by a number of institutions from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Switzerland. In the Ligurian Sea, a 32-station OBS campaign is planned from June 2017 until March 2018. This will complete the coverage of the greater Alpine area at an unprecedented resolution. In this poster we present the actual status of the deployment, the effort undertaken by the contributing groups, station performance, best practices, data management as well as often encountered challenges, and provide a meeting and discussion point during the conference.

A learning progression based teaching module on the causes of seasons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galano, S.

2016-03-01

In this paper, we report about designing and validating a teaching learning module based on a learning progression and focused on the causes of seasons. An initial learning progression about the Celestial Motion big idea -causes of seasons, lunar and solar eclipse and Moon phases- was developed and validated. Existing curricula, research studies on alternative conceptions about these phenomena, and students' answers to an open questionnaire were the starting point to develop initial learning progressions; then, a two-tier multiple-choice questionnaire was designed to validate and improve it. The questionnaire was submitted to about 300 secondary-school students whose answers were used to revise the hypothesized learning progressions. This improved version of the learning progression was used to design a module focused on the causes of seasons in which students were engaged in quantitative measurements with a photovoltaic panel to explain changes of the Sun rays' flow on the Earth's surface over the year. The efficacy of our module in improving students' understanding of the phenomenon of the seasons was tested using our questionnaire as pre- and post-test.

Enhancing the sustainability and climate resiliency of health care facilities: a comparison of initiatives and toolkits.

PubMed

Balbus, John; Berry, Peter; Brettle, Meagan; Jagnarine-Azan, Shalini; Soares, Agnes; Ugarte, Ciro; Varangu, Linda; Prats, Elena Villalobos

2016-09-01

Extreme weather events have revealed the vulnerability of health care facilities and the extent of devastation to the community when they fail. With climate change anticipated to increase extreme weather and its impacts worldwide-severe droughts, floods, heat waves, and related vector-borne diseases-health care officials need to understand and address the vulnerabilities of their health care systems and take action to improve resiliency in ways that also meet sustainability goals. Generally, the health sector is among a country's largest consumers of energy and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Now it has the opportunity lead climate mitigation, while reducing energy, water, and other costs. This Special Report summarizes several initiatives and compares three toolkits for implementing sustainability and resiliency measures for health care facilities: the Canadian Health Care Facility Climate Change Resiliency Toolkit, the U.S. Sustainable and Climate Resilient Health Care Facilities Toolkit, and the PAHO SMART Hospitals Toolkit of the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization. These tools and the lessons learned can provide a critical starting point for any health system in the Americas.

A comparison between simplified and intensive dose-titration algorithms using AIR inhaled insulin for insulin-naive patients with type 2 diabetes in a randomized noninferiority trial.

PubMed

Mathieu, C; Cuddihy, R; Arakaki, R F; Belin, R M; Planquois, J-M; Lyons, J N; Heilmann, C R

2009-09-01

Insulin initiation and optimization is a challenge for patients with type 2 diabetes. Our objective was to determine whether safety and efficacy of AIR inhaled insulin (Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, IN) (AIR is a registered trademark of Alkermes, Inc., Cambridge, MA) using a simplified regimen was noninferior to an intensive regimen. This was an open-label, randomized study in insulin-naive adults not optimally controlled by oral antihyperglycemic medications. Simplified titration included a 6 U per meal AIR insulin starting dose. Individual doses were adjusted at mealtime in 2-U increments from the previous day's four-point self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) (total < or =6 U). Starting Air insulin doses for intensive titration were based on fasting blood glucose, gender, height, and weight. Patients conducted four-point SMBG daily for the study duration. Insulin doses were titrated based on the previous 3 days' mean SMBG (total < or =8 U). End point hemoglobin A1C (A1C) was 7.07 +/- 0.09% and 6.87 +/- 0.09% for simplified (n = 178) and intensive (n = 180) algorithms, respectively. Noninferiority between algorithms was not established. The fasting blood glucose (least squares mean +/- standard error) values for the simplified (137.27 +/- 3.42 mg/dL) and intensive (133.13 +/- 3.42 mg/dL) algorithms were comparable. Safety profiles were comparable. The hypoglycemic rate at 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks was higher in patients receiving intensive titration (all P < .0001). The nocturnal hypoglycemic rate for patients receiving intensive titration was higher than for those receiving simplified titration at 8 (P < 0.015) and 12 weeks (P < 0.001). Noninferiority between the algorithms, as measured by A1C, was not demonstrated. This finding re-emphasizes the difficulty of identifying optimal, simplified insulin regimens for patients.

Retention in care under universal antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding women ('Option B+') in Malawi.

PubMed

Tenthani, Lyson; Haas, Andreas D; Tweya, Hannock; Jahn, Andreas; van Oosterhout, Joep J; Chimbwandira, Frank; Chirwa, Zengani; Ng'ambi, Wingston; Bakali, Alan; Phiri, Sam; Myer, Landon; Valeri, Fabio; Zwahlen, Marcel; Wandeler, Gilles; Keiser, Olivia

2014-02-20

To explore the levels and determinants of loss to follow-up (LTF) under universal lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for pregnant and breastfeeding women ('Option B+') in Malawi. We examined retention in care, from the date of ART initiation up to 6 months, for women in the Option B+ program. We analysed nationwide facility-level data on women who started ART at 540 facilities (n = 21,939), as well as individual-level data on patients who started ART at 19 large facilities (n = 11,534). Of the women who started ART under Option B+ (n = 21,939), 17% appeared to be lost to follow-up 6 months after ART initiation. Most losses occurred in the first 3 months of therapy. Option B+ patients who started therapy during pregnancy were five times more likely than women who started ART in WHO stage 3/4 or with a CD4 cell count 350 cells/μl or less, to never return after their initial clinic visit [odds ratio (OR) 5.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2-6.1]. Option B+ patients who started therapy while breastfeeding were twice as likely to miss their first follow-up visit (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.8-2.8). LTF was highest in pregnant Option B+ patients who began ART at large clinics on the day they were diagnosed with HIV. LTF varied considerably between facilities, ranging from 0 to 58%. Decreasing LTF will improve the effectiveness of the Option B+ approach. Tailored interventions, like community or family-based models of care could improve its effectiveness.

The effect of acupressure on the initiation of labor: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Torkzahrani, Shahnaz; Mahmoudikohani, Fatemeh; Saatchi, Kiarash; Sefidkar, Reyhaneh; Banaei, Mojdeh

2017-02-01

Induction of labor is a common obstetric procedure. Acupressure is a natural method that is used for inducing uterine contractions. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the impact of acupressure on the induction of labor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupressure on the initiation of labor. In this randomized clinical trial, 162 nulliparous pregnant women were admitted to the hospital. They were categorized into 3 groups; acupressure, sham acupressure and control. Acupressure points SP6, BL 60 and BL 32 were pressured bilaterally. The intervention was done by the researcher every other day between 9 am and 11 am. The intervention was carried out on women in the afternoon and the following day. Subjects were examined to determine the initiation of labor symptoms48 and 96h after the start of intervention and at the time of hospitalization. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests (p<0.05). There was no significant difference among the groups for spontaneous initiation of labor within 48h (P=0.464), and 49-96h after beginning the intervention (P=0.111) and 97h after beginning the intervention to the time of hospitalization for the spontaneous initiation of labor (P=0.897). There were no significant differences in the secondary outcomes between the groups. According to the finding of this study, it seems that acupressure treatment was not effective in initiating labor as compared with the sham acupressure and the routine care groups. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human ribosomal RNA gene: nucleotide sequence of the transcription initiation region and comparison of three mammalian genes.

PubMed Central

Financsek, I; Mizumoto, K; Mishima, Y; Muramatsu, M

1982-01-01

The transcription initiation site of the human ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) was located by using the single-strand specific nuclease protection method and by determining the first nucleotide of the in vitro capped 45S preribosomal RNA. The sequence of 1,211 nucleotides surrounding the initiation site was determined. The sequenced region was found to consist of 75% G and C and to contain a number of short direct and inverted repeats and palindromes. By comparison of the corresponding initiation regions of three mammalian species, several conserved sequences were found upstream and downstream from the transcription starting point. Two short A + T-rich sequences are present on human, mouse, and rat ribosomal RNA genes between the initiation site and 40 nucleotides upstream, and a C + T cluster is located at a position around -60. At and downstream from the initiation site, a common sequence, T-AG-C-T-G-A-C-A-C-G-C-T-G-T-C-C-T-CT-T, was found in the three genes from position -1 through +18. The strong conservation of these sequences suggests their functional significance in rDNA. The S1 nuclease protection experiments with cloned rDNA fragments indicated the presence in human 45S RNA of molecules several hundred nucleotides shorter than the supposed primary transcript. The first 19 nucleotides of these molecules appear identical--except for one mismatch--to the nucleotide sequence of the 5' end of a supposed early processing product of the mouse 45S RNA. Images PMID:6954460

Avalanche of entanglement and correlations at quantum phase transitions.

PubMed

Krutitsky, Konstantin V; Osterloh, Andreas; Schützhold, Ralf

2017-06-16

We study the ground-state entanglement in the quantum Ising model with nearest neighbor ferromagnetic coupling J and find a sequential increase of entanglement depth d with growing J. This entanglement avalanche starts with two-point entanglement, as measured by the concurrence, and continues via the three-tangle and four-tangle, until finally, deep in the ferromagnetic phase for J = ∞, arriving at a pure L-partite (GHZ type) entanglement of all L spins. Comparison with the two, three, and four-point correlations reveals a similar sequence and shows strong ties to the above entanglement measures for small J. However, we also find a partial inversion of the hierarchy, where the four-point correlation exceeds the three- and two-point correlations, well before the critical point is reached. Qualitatively similar behavior is also found for the Bose-Hubbard model, suggesting that this is a general feature of a quantum phase transition. This should be taken into account in the approximations starting from a mean-field limit.

Timing of dialysis initiation in transplant-naive and failed transplant patients

PubMed Central

Molnar, Miklos Z.; Ojo, Akinlolu O.; Bunnapradist, Suphamai; Kovesdy, Csaba P.; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar

2017-01-01

Over the past two decades, most guidelines have advocated early dialysis initiation on the basis of studies showing improved survival in patients starting dialysis early. These recommendations led to an increase in the proportion of patients initiating dialysis with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >10 ml/min/1.73 m2, from 20% in 1996 to 52% in 2008. During this period, patients starting dialysis with an eGFR ≥15 ml/min/1.73 m2 increased from 4% to 17%. However, recent studies have failed to substantiate a benefit of early dialysis initiation and some data have suggested worse outcomes in patients starting dialysis with a higher eGFR. Several reasons for this seemingly paradoxical observation have been suggested, including the fact that patients requiring early dialysis are likely to have more severe symptoms and comorbidities, leading to confounding by indication, as well as biological mechanisms that causally relate early dialysis therapy to adverse outcomes. Dialysis reinitiation in patients with a failing renal allograft encounters similar problems. However, unique factors associated with a failed allograft means that the optimal timing of dialysis initiation in failed transplant patients might differ from that in transplant-naive patients. In this Review, we will discuss studies of dialysis initiation and compare risks and benefits of early versus late dialysis therapy. PMID:22371250

Understanding the Budget Battle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hritz, Townley

1996-01-01

Describes Head Start's financial uncertainty for the future due to the government's budget battle. Presents information on the key points in the budget process, how that process got off track in fiscal year 1996, the resulting government shutdowns, and how Head Start can prepare for the 1997 budget debates. (MOK)

A burner for plasma-coal starting of a boiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peregudov, V. S.

2008-04-01

Advanced schemes of a plasma-coal burner with single-and two-stage chambers for thermochemical preparation of fuel are described. The factors causing it becoming contaminated with slag during oil-free starting of a boiler are considered, and methods for preventing this phenomenon are pointed out.

A systematic approach to sound decision making starts with financial reporting.

PubMed

Taylor, R B

1989-11-01

Managers and supervisors need information to measure departmental performance. Designing a reporting system requires managers to obtain needed information without being flooded by extraneous data. A reporting framework designed to examine five control points is a necessary tool, and a good place to start.

Patient perspectives on informed decision-making surrounding dialysis initiation

PubMed Central

Song, Mi-Kyung; Lin, Feng-Chang; Gilet, Constance A.; Arnold, Robert M.; Bridgman, Jessica C.; Ward, Sandra E.

2013-01-01

Background Careful patient–clinician shared decision-making about dialysis initiation has been promoted, but few studies have addressed patient perspectives on the extent of information provided and how decisions to start dialysis are made. Methods Ninety-nine maintenance dialysis patients recruited from 15 outpatient dialysis centers in North Carolina completed semistructured interviews on information provision and communication about the initiation of dialysis. These data were examined with content analysis. In addition, informed decision-making (IDM) scores were created by summing patient responses (yes/no) to 10 questions about the decision-making. Results The mean IDM score was 4.4 (of 10; SD = 2.0); 67% scored 5 or lower. Age at the time of decision-making (r = −0.27, P = 0.006), years of education (r = 0.24, P = 0.02) and presence of a warning about progressing to end-stage kidney disease (t = 2.9, P = 0.005) were significantly associated with IDM scores. Nearly 70% said that the risks and burdens of dialysis were not mentioned at all, and only one patient recalled that the doctor offered the option of not starting dialysis. While a majority (67%) said that they felt they had no choice about starting dialysis (because the alternative would be death) or about dialysis modality, only 21.2% said that they had felt rushed to make a decision. About one-third of the patients perceived that the decision to start dialysis and modality was already made by the doctor. Conclusions A majority of patients felt unprepared and ill-informed about the initiation of dialysis. Improving the extent of IDM about dialysis may optimize patient preparation prior to starting treatment and their perceptions about the decision-making process. PMID:23901048

Effectiveness of proactive telephone counselling for smoking cessation in parents: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Smoking is the world's fourth most common risk factor for disease, the leading preventable cause of death, and it is associated with tremendous social costs. In the Netherlands, the smoking prevalence rate is high. A total of 27.7% of the population over age 15 years smokes. In addition to the direct advantages of smoking cessation for the smoker, parents who quit smoking may also decrease their children's risk of smoking initiation. Methods/Design A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of proactive telephone counselling to increase smoking cessation rates among smoking parents. A total of 512 smoking parents will be proactively recruited through their children's primary schools and randomly assigned to either proactive telephone counselling or a control condition. Proactive telephone counselling will consist of up to seven counsellor-initiated telephone calls (based on cognitive-behavioural skill building and Motivational Interviewing), distributed over a period of three months. Three supplementary brochures will also be provided. In the control condition, parents will receive a standard brochure to aid smoking cessation. Assessments will take place at baseline, three months after start of the intervention (post-measurement), and twelve months after start of the intervention (follow-up measurement). Primary outcome measures will include sustained abstinence between post-measurement and follow-up measurement and 7-day point prevalence abstinence and 24-hours point prevalence abstinence at both post- and follow-up measurement. Several secondary outcome measures will also be included (e.g., smoking intensity, smoking policies at home). In addition, we will evaluate smoking-related cognitions (e.g., attitudes towards smoking, social norms, self-efficacy, intention to smoke) in 9-12 year old children of smoking parents. Discussion This study protocol describes the design of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of proactive telephone counselling in smoking cessation. It is expected that, in the telephone counseling condition, parental smoking cessation rates will be higher and children's cognitions will be less favorable about smoking compared to the control condition. Trial registration The protocol for this study is registered with the Netherlands Trial Register NTR2707. PMID:21943207

Disadvantaged Children and Their First School Experiences. ETS-Head Start Longitudinal Study: Preliminary Description of the Initial Sample Prior to School Enrollment. A Report in Two Volumes: Volume 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ.

This preliminary report is the fourth in a series describing the progress of a 6-year longitudinal study by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The present report specifically describes initial differences between children who go on to Head Start, and those who do not, based on results of 16 of the 33 measures administered in Year 1 (1969) in…

Active versus Passive Proprioceptive Straight-Ahead Pointing in Normal Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chokron, Sylvie; Colliot, Pascale; Atzeni, Thierry; Bartolomeo, Paolo; Ohlmann, Theophile

2004-01-01

Eighty blindfolded healthy female subjects participated in an active and a passive straight-ahead pointing task to study the estimation of the subjective sagittal middle in the presence or absence of an active haptic exploration. Subjects were to point straight-ahead with their left or right index finger starting from different right- or…

Time required to initiate outbreak and pandemic observational research.

PubMed

Rishu, Asgar H; Marinoff, Nicole; Julien, Lisa; Dumitrascu, Mariana; Marten, Nicole; Eggertson, Shauna; Willems, Su; Ruddell, Stacy; Lane, Dan; Light, Bruce; Stelfox, Henry T; Jouvet, Philippe; Hall, Richard; Reynolds, Steven; Daneman, Nick; Fowler, Robert A

2017-08-01

Observational research focused upon emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and Zika virus has been challenging to quickly initiate. We aimed to determine the duration of start-up procedures and barriers encountered for an observational study focused upon such infectious outbreaks. At 1 pediatric and 5 adult intensive care units, we measured durations from protocol receipt to a variety of outbreak research milestones, including research ethics board (REB) approval, data sharing agreement (DSA) execution, and patient study screening initiation. The median (interquartile range) time from site receipt of the protocol to REB submission was 73 (30-126) days; to REB approval, 158 (42-188) days; to DSA completion, 276 (186-312) days; and to study screening initiation, 293 (269-391) days. The median time from REB submission to REB approval was 43 (13-85) days. The median time for all start-up procedures was 335 (188-335) days. There is a lengthy start-up period required for outbreak-focused research. Completing DSAs was the most time-consuming step. A reactive approach to newly emerging threats such as Ebola virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome, and Zika virus will likely not allow sufficient time to initiate research before most outbreaks are advanced. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategy and Grand Strategy: What Students and Practitioners Need to Know

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

available, acceptable, and well-suited to the purpose for which they will be used. These questions, though crucial, are only a starting place... starting point (rarely an ideal one) and then constantly reassessing the situation in light of changing conditions. This requires an ongoing...him.87 In the end, Britain and France reluctantly decided that they had to stand up to Hitler’s challenge to the international system. At the start

Virtual war, military revolutions, and networks: a guide through the concepts from an Australian perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowley, Dean K.; Gaertner, Paul S.

2003-07-01

In this paper the argument is made that the offensive fire support organisation and doctrine, born of the "indirect fire revolution" of the first world war, is the start point for distributed sensors, shooters and deciders that may be transferred to a joint force; that the culture of directive control and mission orders developed by the German Army in 1918 and then adopted by most western armies is the start point for the culture required to achieve "self synchronisation" and that the network developed for the air defence of carrier battle groups is the start point for developing a networked ground manoeuvre force. We discuss the strategic expectations of network centric warfare, a "virtual war" scenario and the inherent vulnerabilities. The current level of understanding and implementation in specific areas is analysed and lessons for general application are developed and the potential payoff identified. Three broad operational domains are investigated, networked platform versus platform warfare between states, guerrilla/counter-insurfence operations and the emerging domain of "netwars" (terror organisations and criminal gangs).

A hierarchical wavefront reconstruction algorithm for gradient sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharmal, Nazim; Bitenc, Urban; Basden, Alastair; Myers, Richard

2013-12-01

ELT-scale extreme adaptive optics systems will require new approaches tocompute the wavefront suitably quickly, when the computational burden ofapplying a MVM is no longer practical. An approach is demonstrated here whichis hierarchical in transforming wavefront slopes from a WFS into a wavefront,and then to actuator values. First, simple integration in 1D is used to create1D-wavefront estimates with unknown starting points at the edges of independentspatial domains. Second, these starting points are estimated globally. By thesestarting points are a sub-set of the overall grid where wavefront values are tobe estimated, sparse representations are produced and numerical complexity canbe chosen by the spacing of the starting point grid relative to the overallgrid. Using a combination of algebraic expressions, sparse representation, anda conjugate gradient solver, the number of non-parallelized operations forreconstruction on a 100x100 sub-aperture sized problem is ~600,000 or O(N^3/2),which is approximately the same as for each thread of a MVM solutionparallelized over 100 threads. To reduce the effects of noise propagationwithin each domain, a noise reduction algorithm can be applied which ensuresthe continuity of the wavefront. To apply this additional step has a cost of~1,200,000 operations. We conclude by briefly discussing how the final step ofconverting from wavefront to actuator values can be achieved.

Effects of placement point of background music on shopping website.

PubMed

Lai, Chien-Jung; Chiang, Chia-Chi

2012-01-01

Consumer on-line behaviors are more important than ever due to highly growth of on-line shopping. The purposes of this study were to design placement methods of background music for shopping website and examine the effect on browsers' emotional and cognitive response. Three placement points of background music during the browsing, i.e. 2 min., 4 min., and 6 min. from the start of browsing were considered for entry points. Both browsing without music (no music) and browsing with constant music volume (full music) were treated as control groups. Participants' emotional state, approach-avoidance behavior intention, and action to adjust music volume were collected. Results showed that participants had a higher level of pleasure, arousal and approach behavior intention for the three placement points than for no music and full music. Most of the participants for full music (5/6) adjusted the background music. Only 16.7% (3/18) participants for other levels turn off the background music. The results indicate that playing background music after the start of browsing is benefit for on-line shopping atmosphere. It is inappropriate to place background music at the start of browsing shopping website. The marketer must manipulated placement methods of background music for a web store carefully.

Initiation of Coronal Mass Ejections by Tether-Cutting Reconnection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Falconer, David A.; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We present and interpret examples of the eruptive motion and flare brightening observed in the onset of magnetic explosions that produce coronal mass ejections. The observations are photospheric magnetograms and sequences of coronal and/or chromospheric images. In our examples, the explosion is apparently driven by the ejective eruption of a sigmoidal sheared-field flux rope from the core of an initially closed bipole. This eruption is initiated (triggered and unleashed) by reconnection located either (1) internally, low in the sheared core field, or (2) externally, at a magnetic null above the closed bipole. The internal reconnection is commonly called 'tether-cutting" reconnection, and the external reconnection is commonly called "break-out' reconnection. We point out that break-out reconnection amounts to external tether cutting. In one example, the eruptive motion of the sheared core field starts several minutes prior to any detectable brightening in the coronal images. We suggest that in this case the eruption is triggered by internal tether-cutting reconnection that at first is too slow and/or too localized to produce detectable heating in the coronal images. This work is supported by NASA's Office of Space Science through its Solar & Heliospheric Physics Supporting Research & Technology program and its Sun-Earth Connection Guest Investigator program.

78 FR 18475 - Special Local Regulations; Stuart Sailfish Regatta, Indian River; Stuart, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-27

... Cove that are encompassed within an imaginary line connecting the following points: Starting at Point 1 in position 27[deg]12'46'' N, 80[deg]11'10'' W; thence southeast to Point 2 in position 27[deg]12'41'' N, 80[deg]11'09'' W; thence southwest to Point 3 in position 27[deg]12'37'' N, 80[deg]11'11'' W...

78 FR 1792 - Special Local Regulations, Stuart Sailfish Regatta, Indian River; Stuart, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-09

... that are encompassed within an imaginary line connecting the following points: starting at Point 1 in position 27[deg]12'46'' N, 80[deg]11'09'' W; thence southeast to Point 2 in position 27[deg]12'41'' N, 80[deg]11'08'' W; thence southwest to Point 3 in position 27[deg]12'37'' N, 80[deg]11'11'' W; thence...

Spacecraft formation keeping near the libration points of the Sun-Earth/Moon system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchand, Belinda G.

Multi-spacecraft formations, evolving near the vicinity of the libration points of the Sun-Earth/Moon system, have drawn increased interest for a variety of applications. This is particularly true for space based interferometry missions such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and the Micro Arcsecond X-Ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM). Recent studies in formation flight have focused, primarily, on the control of formations that evolve in the immediate vicinity of the Earth. However, the unique dynamical structure near the libration points requires that the effectiveness and feasibility of these methods be re-examined. The present study is divided into two main topics. First, a dynamical systems approach is employed to develop a better understanding of the natural uncontrolled formation dynamics in this region of space. The focus is formations that evolve near halo orbits and Lissajous trajectories, near the L1 and L2 libration points of the Sun-Earth/Moon system. This leads to the development of a Floquet controller designed to simplify the process of identifying naturally existing formations as well as the associated stable manifolds for deployment. The initial analysis is presented in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem, but the results are later transitioned into the more complete Ephemeris model. The next subject of interest in this investigation is non-natural formations. That is, formations that are not consistent with the natural dynamical flow near the libration points. Mathematically, precise formation keeping of a given nominal configuration requires continuous control. Hence, a detailed analysis is presented to contrast the effectiveness and issues associated with linear optimal control and feedback linearization methods. Of course, continuous operation of the thrusters, may not represent a feasible option for a particular mission. If discrete formation keeping is implemented, however, the formation keeping goal will be subject to increased tracking errors relative to the nominal path. With this in mind, the final phase of the analysis presented here is centered on discrete formation keeping. The initial analysis is devoted to both linear state and radial targeters. The results from these two methodologies are later employed as a starting solution for an optimal impulsive control algorithm.

The new leader's guide to diagnosing the business.

PubMed

Gottfredson, Mark; Schaubert, Steve; Saenz, Hernan

2008-02-01

Incoming CEOs and general managers don't have much time to show what they can do to improve a business's performance. (In 2006, for instance, about 40% of CEOs who left their jobs had lasted an average of just 1.8 years--and many of them were ushered out the door.) Within a few years at most, leaders must find ways to boost profitability, increase market share, overtake a competitor--whatever the key tasks may be. But they can't map out specific objectives and initiatives until they have accurately assessed their companies' distinctive strengths and weaknesses and the particular threats and opportunities they face. In this article, Bain consultants Gottfredson, Schaubert, and Saenz provide a diagnostic template to help organizations figure all that out so they can decide which goals are reasonable and where to focus performance-improvement efforts. The template is built on four widely accepted principles. First, costs and prices almost always decline; second, your competitive position determines your options; third, customers and profit pools don't stand still; and fourth, simplicity gets results. Along with each principle, the authors offer diagnostic questions and analytic tools. Of course, each manager will emphasize certain elements of the template and de-emphasize others, based on his or her business situation. This process will show incoming CEOs and general managers where they are starting from (their point of departure) and help them establish their performance objectives (their point of arrival) as well as the change initiatives that will take them where they want to go.

Making Sense of Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boohan, Richard

2014-01-01

This article describes an approach to teaching about the energy concept that aims to be accessible to students starting in early secondary school, while being scientifically rigorous and forming the foundation for later work. It discusses how exploring thermal processes is a good starting point for a more general consideration of the ways that…

40 CFR 86.135-90 - Dynamometer procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... startup and operation over the first 505 seconds of the driving schedule complete the hot start test. The... 505 seconds of the driving schedule complete the hot start test. The exhaust emissions are diluted... over the prescribed driving schedule may be performed at test point, provided an emission sample is not...

40 CFR 86.135-90 - Dynamometer procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... startup and operation over the first 505 seconds of the driving schedule complete the hot start test. The... 505 seconds of the driving schedule complete the hot start test. The exhaust emissions are diluted... over the prescribed driving schedule may be performed at test point, provided an emission sample is not...

Getting started with package sampSurf

Treesearch

Jeffrey H. Gove

2014-01-01

The sampSurf package is designed to facilitate the comparison of new and existing areal sampling methods through simulation. The package is thoroughly documented in several vignettes as mentioned below. This document is meant to point you in the right direction in finding the needed information to get started using sampSurf.

Starting in School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albertine, Susan

2012-01-01

Through its signature initiative, Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP), the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is promoting a vision for learning that begins in school: Starting in School . . . Rigorous and rich curriculum focused on the essential learning outcomes; comprehensive, individualized, and…

77 FR 75171 - Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-19

... Title: Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation--Strong Start: Data collection. Description.... Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched an evaluation called the Mother and Infant Home... Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative, which is informing the federal government about the...

40 CFR 63.6645 - What notifications must I submit and when?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... standards. (b) As specified in § 63.9(b)(2), if you start up your stationary RICE with a site rating of more..., you must submit an Initial Notification not later than December 13, 2004. (c) If you start up your new... than 120 days after you become subject to this subpart. (d) As specified in § 63.9(b)(2), if you start...

Perturbation-Induced False Starts as a Test of the Jirsa–Kelso Excitator Model

PubMed Central

Fink, Philip W.; Kelso, J. A. Scott; Jirsa, Viktor K.

2009-01-01

One difference between the excitator model and other theoretical models of coordination is the mechanism of discrete movement initiation. In addition to an imperative signal common to all discrete movement initiation, the excitator model proposes that movements are initiated when a threshold element in state space, the so-called separatrix, is crossed as a consequence of stimulation or random fluctuations. The existence of a separatrix predicts that false starts will be caused by mechanical perturbations and that they depend on the perturbation's direction. The authors tested this prediction in a reaction-time task to an auditory stimulus. Participants applied perturbations in the direction of motion (i.e., index finger flexion) or opposed to the motion prior to the stimulus on 1/4 of the trials. The authors found false starts in 34% and 9% of trials following flexion perturbations and extension perturbations, respectively, as compared with only 2% of trials without perturbations, confirming a unique prediction of the excitator model. PMID:19201685

The inverse-square law and quantum gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nieto, Michael Martin; Goldman, T.; Hughes, Richard J.

1989-01-01

A program is described which measures the gravitational acceleration of antiprotons. This idea was approached from a particle physics point of view. That point of view is examined starting with some history of physics over the last 200 years.

41 CFR 301-11.9 - When does per diem or actual expense entitlement start/stop?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Federal Travel Regulation System TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES ALLOWABLE TRAVEL EXPENSES 11-PER... authorized point and ends on the day you return to your home, office or other authorized point. ...

Variable impact on mortality of AIDS-defining events diagnosed during combination antiretroviral therapy: not all AIDS-defining conditions are created equal.

PubMed

Mocroft, Amanda; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Egger, Matthias; May, Margaret; Grabar, Sophie; Furrer, Hansjakob; Sabin, Caroline; Fatkenheuer, Gerd; Justice, Amy; Reiss, Peter; d'Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Gill, John; Hogg, Robert; Bonnet, Fabrice; Kitahata, Mari; Staszewski, Schlomo; Casabona, Jordi; Harris, Ross; Saag, Michael

2009-04-15

The extent to which mortality differs following individual acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining events (ADEs) has not been assessed among patients initiating combination antiretroviral therapy. We analyzed data from 31,620 patients with no prior ADEs who started combination antiretroviral therapy. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate mortality hazard ratios for each ADE that occurred in >50 patients, after stratification by cohort and adjustment for sex, HIV transmission group, number of antiretroviral drugs initiated, regimen, age, date of starting combination antiretroviral therapy, and CD4+ cell count and HIV RNA load at initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy. ADEs that occurred in <50 patients were grouped together to form a "rare ADEs" category. During a median follow-up period of 43 months (interquartile range, 19-70 months), 2880 ADEs were diagnosed in 2262 patients; 1146 patients died. The most common ADEs were esophageal candidiasis (in 360 patients), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (320 patients), and Kaposi sarcoma (308 patients). The greatest mortality hazard ratio was associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (hazard ratio, 17.59; 95% confidence interval, 13.84-22.35) and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (hazard ratio, 10.0; 95% confidence interval, 6.70-14.92). Three groups of ADEs were identified on the basis of the ranked hazard ratios with bootstrapped confidence intervals: severe (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy [hazard ratio, 7.26; 95% confidence interval, 5.55-9.48]), moderate (cryptococcosis, cerebral toxoplasmosis, AIDS dementia complex, disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex, and rare ADEs [hazard ratio, 2.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.76-3.13]), and mild (all other ADEs [hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.00]). In the combination antiretroviral therapy era, mortality rates subsequent to an ADE depend on the specific diagnosis. The proposed classification of ADEs may be useful in clinical end point trials, prognostic studies, and patient management.

Timescales of isotropic and anisotropic cluster collapse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartelmann, M.; Ehlers, J.; Schneider, P.

1993-12-01

From a simple estimate for the formation time of galaxy clusters, Richstone et al. have recently concluded that the evidence for non-virialized structures in a large fraction of observed clusters points towards a high value for the cosmological density parameter Omega0. This conclusion was based on a study of the spherical collapse of density perturbations, assumed to follow a Gaussian probability distribution. In this paper, we extend their treatment in several respects: first, we argue that the collapse does not start from a comoving motion of the perturbation, but that the continuity equation requires an initial velocity perturbation directly related to the density perturbation. This requirement modifies the initial condition for the evolution equation and has the effect that the collapse proceeds faster than in the case where the initial velocity perturbation is set to zero; the timescale is reduced by a factor of up to approximately equal 0.5. Our results thus strengthens the conclusion of Richstone et al. for a high Omega0. In addition, we study the collapse of density fluctuations in the frame of the Zel'dovich approximation, using as starting condition the analytically known probability distribution of the eigenvalues of the deformation tensor, which depends only on the (Gaussian) width of the perturbation spectrum. Finally, we consider the anisotropic collapse of density perturbations dynamically, again with initial conditions drawn from the probability distribution of the deformation tensor. We find that in both cases of anisotropic collapse, in the Zel'dovich approximation and in the dynamical calculations, the resulting distribution of collapse times agrees remarkably well with the results from spherical collapse. We discuss this agreement and conclude that it is mainly due to the properties of the probability distribution for the eigenvalues of the Zel'dovich deformation tensor. Hence, the conclusions of Richstone et al. on the value of Omega0 can be verified and strengthened, even if a more general approach to the collapse of density perturbations is employed. A simple analytic formula for the cluster redshift distribution in an Einstein-deSitter universe is derived.

Black start research of the wind and storage system based on the dual master-slave control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Xue; Shen, Li; Hu, Tian; Liu, Li

2018-02-01

Black start is the key to solving the problem of large-scale power failure, while the introduction of new renewable clean energy as a black start power supply was a new hotspot. Based on the dual master-slave control strategy, the wind and storage system was taken as the black start reliable power, energy storage and wind combined to ensure the stability of the micorgrid systems, to realize the black start. In order to obtain the capacity ratio of the storage in the small system based on the dual master-slave control strategy, and the black start constraint condition of the wind and storage combined system, obtain the key points of black start of wind storage combined system, but also provide reference and guidance for the subsequent large-scale wind and storage combined system in black start projects.

ROBIL - Robot Israel

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-31

pedals and releasing the hand brake ), the ROS ’actionlib’ is started. Atlas starts driving to the received way points until it reaches the last gate...grip at angle 0………………………………………………………………… ..31 FIGURE 3.5.6: MATLAB ’Steering wheel angle ’ output membership function schematic……………...……31...repeatability of the motion sequence. We added an optional motion to press the gas pedal at the end of the sequence in order to secure additional points

Comparative study on power generation of dual-cathode microbial fuel cell according to polarization methods.

PubMed

Lee, Kang-yu; Ryu, Wyan-seuk; Cho, Sung-il; Lim, Kyeong-ho

2015-11-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) exist in various forms depending on the type of pollutant to be removed and the expected performance. Dual-cathode MFCs, with their simple structure, are capable of removing both organic matter and nitrogen. Moreover, various methods are available for the collection of polarization data, which can be used to calculate the maximum power density, an important factor of MFCs. Many researchers prefer the method of varying the external resistance in a single-cycle due to the short measurement time and high accuracy. This study compared power densities of dual-cathode MFCs in a single-cycle with values calculated over multi-cycles to determine the optimal polarization method. External resistance was varied from high to low and vice versa in the single-cycle, to calculate power density. External resistance was organized in descending order with initial start-up at open circuit voltage (OCV), and then it was organized in descending order again after the initial start-up at 1000 Ω. As a result, power density was underestimated at the anoxic cathode when the external resistance was varied from low to high, and overestimated at the aerobic cathode and anoxic cathode when external resistance at OCV was reduced following initial start-up. In calculating the power densities of dual-cathode MFCs, this paper recommends the method of gradually reducing the external resistance after initial start-up with high external resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing personal initiative among vocational training students: development and validation of a new measure.

PubMed

Balluerka, Nekane; Gorostiaga, Arantxa; Ulacia, Imanol

2014-11-14

Personal initiative characterizes people who are proactive, persistent and self-starting when facing the difficulties that arise in achieving goals. Despite its importance in the educational field there is a scarcity of measures to assess students' personal initiative. Thus, the aim of the present study was to develop a questionnaire to assess this variable in the academic environment and to validate it for adolescents and young adults. The sample comprised 244 vocational training students. The questionnaire showed a factor structure including three factors (Proactivity-Prosocial behavior, Persistence and Self-Starting) with acceptable indices of internal consistency (ranging between α = .57 and α =.73) and good convergent validity with respect to the Self-Reported Initiative scale. Evidence of external validity was also obtained based on the relationships between personal initiative and variables such as self-efficacy, enterprising attitude, responsibility and control aspirations, conscientiousness, and academic achievement. The results indicate that this new measure is very useful for assessing personal initiative among vocational training students.

Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes

PubMed Central

Parker, Matthew W.; Botchan, Michael R.; Berger, James M.

2017-01-01

Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a given cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation – from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation – and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms. PMID:28094588

Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes.

PubMed

Parker, Matthew W; Botchan, Michael R; Berger, James M

2017-04-01

Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a typical cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by its incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation - from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation - and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms.

Method and system for controlling start of a permanent magnet machine

DOEpatents

Walters, James E.; Krefta, Ronald John

2003-10-28

Method and system for controlling a permanent magnet machine are provided. The method provides a sensor assembly for sensing rotor sector position relative to a plurality of angular sectors. The method further provides a sensor for sensing angular increments in rotor position. The method allows starting the machine in a brushless direct current mode of operation using a calculated initial rotor position based on an initial angular sector position information from the sensor assembly. Upon determining a transition from the initial angular sector to the next angular sector, the method allows switching to a sinusoidal mode of operation using rotor position based on rotor position information from the incremental sensor.

Maternal employment and breast-feeding initiation: findings from the Millennium Cohort Study.

PubMed

Hawkins, Summer S; Griffiths, Lucy J; Dezateux, Carol; Law, Catherine

2007-05-01

Maternal employment rates have increased rapidly in recent years and little is known about how this influences whether women start breast feeding. We examined data from the Millennium Cohort Study to determine whether a mother's employment status (full-time, part-time, self-employed, on leave, not employed/student) and employment characteristics are related to breast-feeding initiation. This analysis comprised 14 830 white mothers from Britain and Ireland (6917 employed) with singleton babies, born from 2000 to 2002. Information was obtained on infant feeding history and mother's employment when the cohort child was 9 months old. We found that women employed full-time were less likely to initiate breast feeding than mothers who were not employed/students, after adjustment for confounding factors [adjusted rate ratio (aRR) = 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89, 0.96]; however, there were no differences in breast-feeding initiation between mothers employed part-time, self-employed, or on leave and mothers who were not employed/students. Among employed mothers, those who returned to work within 4 months postpartum were less likely to start breast feeding than women who returned at 5 or 6 months [aRR = 0.95; 95% CI 0.92, 0.99], and women who returned within the first 6 weeks were much less likely to start breast feeding [aRR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.77, 0.94]. Mothers returning for financial reasons were also less likely to initiate breast feeding [aRR = 0.96; 95% CI 0.93, 0.99] than those who returned for other reasons. Policies to increase breast feeding should address how both the time and circumstances of a mother's return to employment postpartum influence whether she decides to start breast feeding.

Associative memory in an analog iterated-map neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcus, C. M.; Waugh, F. R.; Westervelt, R. M.

1990-03-01

The behavior of an analog neural network with parallel dynamics is studied analytically and numerically for two associative-memory learning algorithms, the Hebb rule and the pseudoinverse rule. Phase diagrams in the parameter space of analog gain β and storage ratio α are presented. For both learning rules, the networks have large ``recall'' phases in which retrieval states exist and convergence to a fixed point is guaranteed by a global stability criterion. We also demonstrate numerically that using a reduced analog gain increases the probability of recall starting from a random initial state. This phenomenon is comparable to thermal annealing used to escape local minima but has the advantage of being deterministic, and therefore easily implemented in electronic hardware. Similarities and differences between analog neural networks and networks with two-state neurons at finite temperature are also discussed.

Foamed emulsion drainage: flow and trapping of drops.

PubMed

Schneider, Maxime; Zou, Ziqiang; Langevin, Dominique; Salonen, Anniina

2017-06-07

Foamed emulsions are ubiquitous in our daily life but the ageing of such systems is still poorly understood. In this study we investigate foam drainage and measure the evolution of the gas, liquid and oil volume fractions inside the foam. We evidence three regimes of ageing. During an initial period of fast drainage, both bubbles and drops are very mobile. As the foam stabilises drainage proceeds leading to a gradual decrease of the liquid fraction and slowing down of drainage. Clusters of oil drops are less sheared, their dynamic viscosity increases and drainage slows down even further, until the drops become blocked. At this point the oil fraction starts to increase in the continuous phase. The foam ageing leads to an increase of the capillary pressure until the oil acts as an antifoaming agent and the foam collapses.

Computational methods for efficient structural reliability and reliability sensitivity analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Y.-T.

1993-01-01

This paper presents recent developments in efficient structural reliability analysis methods. The paper proposes an efficient, adaptive importance sampling (AIS) method that can be used to compute reliability and reliability sensitivities. The AIS approach uses a sampling density that is proportional to the joint PDF of the random variables. Starting from an initial approximate failure domain, sampling proceeds adaptively and incrementally with the goal of reaching a sampling domain that is slightly greater than the failure domain to minimize over-sampling in the safe region. Several reliability sensitivity coefficients are proposed that can be computed directly and easily from the above AIS-based failure points. These probability sensitivities can be used for identifying key random variables and for adjusting design to achieve reliability-based objectives. The proposed AIS methodology is demonstrated using a turbine blade reliability analysis problem.