A comparative study of metal artifacts from common metal orthodontic brackets in magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Dalili Kajan, Zahra; Khademi, Jalil; Alizadeh, Ahmad; Babaei Hemmaty, Yasamin; Atrkar Roushan, Zahra

2015-09-01

This study was performed to compare the metal artifacts from common metal orthodontic brackets in magnetic resonance imaging. A dry mandible with 12 intact premolars was prepared, and was scanned ten times with various types of brackets: American, 3M, Dentaurum, and Masel orthodontic brackets were used, together with either stainless steel (SS) or nickel titanium (NiTi) wires. Subsequently, three different sequences of coronal and axial images were obtained: spin-echo T1 -weighted images, fast spin-echo T2 -weighted images, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images. In each sequence, the two sequential axial and coronal images with the largest signal-void area were selected. The largest diameters of the signal voids in the direction of the X-, Y-, and Z-axes were then measured twice. Finally, the mean linear values associated with different orthodontic brackets were analyzed using one-way analysis of variation, and the results were compared using the independent t-test to assess whether the use of SS or NiTi wires had a significant effect on the images. Statistically significant differences were only observed along the Z-axis among the four different brands of orthodontic brackets with SS wires. A statistically significant difference was observed along all axes among the brackets with NiTi wires. A statistically significant difference was found only along the Z-axis between nickel-free and nickel-containing brackets. With respect to all axes, the 3M bracket was associated with smaller signal-void areas. Overall, the 3M and Dentaurum brackets with NiTi wires induced smaller artifacts along all axes than those with SS wires.

A comparative study of metal artifacts from common metal orthodontic brackets in magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Khademi, Jalil; Alizadeh, Ahmad; Babaei Hemmaty, Yasamin; Atrkar Roushan, Zahra

2015-01-01

Purpose This study was performed to compare the metal artifacts from common metal orthodontic brackets in magnetic resonance imaging. Materials and Methods A dry mandible with 12 intact premolars was prepared, and was scanned ten times with various types of brackets: American, 3M, Dentaurum, and Masel orthodontic brackets were used, together with either stainless steel (SS) or nickel titanium (NiTi) wires. Subsequently, three different sequences of coronal and axial images were obtained: spin-echo T1-weighted images, fast spin-echo T2-weighted images, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images. In each sequence, the two sequential axial and coronal images with the largest signal-void area were selected. The largest diameters of the signal voids in the direction of the X-, Y-, and Z-axes were then measured twice. Finally, the mean linear values associated with different orthodontic brackets were analyzed using one-way analysis of variation, and the results were compared using the independent t-test to assess whether the use of SS or NiTi wires had a significant effect on the images. Results Statistically significant differences were only observed along the Z-axis among the four different brands of orthodontic brackets with SS wires. A statistically significant difference was observed along all axes among the brackets with NiTi wires. A statistically significant difference was found only along the Z-axis between nickel-free and nickel-containing brackets. Conclusion With respect to all axes, the 3M bracket was associated with smaller signal-void areas. Overall, the 3M and Dentaurum brackets with NiTi wires induced smaller artifacts along all axes than those with SS wires. PMID:26389058

Multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the subduction zone parameters favoring the occurrence of giant megathrust earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brizzi, S.; Sandri, L.; Funiciello, F.; Corbi, F.; Piromallo, C.; Heuret, A.

2018-03-01

The observed maximum magnitude of subduction megathrust earthquakes is highly variable worldwide. One key question is which conditions, if any, favor the occurrence of giant earthquakes (Mw ≥ 8.5). Here we carry out a multivariate statistical study in order to investigate the factors affecting the maximum magnitude of subduction megathrust earthquakes. We find that the trench-parallel extent of subduction zones and the thickness of trench sediments provide the largest discriminating capability between subduction zones that have experienced giant earthquakes and those having significantly lower maximum magnitude. Monte Carlo simulations show that the observed spatial distribution of giant earthquakes cannot be explained by pure chance to a statistically significant level. We suggest that the combination of a long subduction zone with thick trench sediments likely promotes a great lateral rupture propagation, characteristic of almost all giant earthquakes.

Largest-Crown- Width Prediction Models for 53 Species in the Western United States

Treesearch

William A. Bechtold

2004-01-01

The mean crown diameters of stand-grown trees 5.0-in. dbh and larger were modeled as a function of stem diameter, live-crown ratio, stand-level basal area, latitude, longitude, elevation, and Hopkins bioclimatic index for 53 tree species in the western United States. Stem diameter was statistically significant in all models, and a quadratic term for stem diameter was...

Ion microprobe survey of the grain-scale oxygen isotope geochemistry of minerals in metamorphic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferry, John M.; Kitajima, Kouki; Strickland, Ariel; Valley, John W.

2014-11-01

The oxygen isotope compositions of calcite, diopside, dolomite, forsterite, garnet, K-feldspar, kyanite, plagioclase, quartz, and wollastonite were analyzed in suites of contact and regional metamorphic rocks using an ion microprobe. Spatial resolution was ∼10 μm. Precision, measured as the standard deviation of working standards averaged over the entire project, was 0.13-0.18‰ for three carbonate standards and 0.11-0.12‰ for two silicate standards. A total of 1176 analyses (excluding standards) were made of 73 minerals in 23 samples. Both intercrystalline and intracrystalline variability in δ18O is greater in contact than in regional metamorphic rocks. Of 27 minerals analyzed in contact metamorphosed rocks, 70% exhibit statistically significant grain-to-grain variability in δ18O over areas ⩽1.41 cm2 with the largest range in silicates and carbonates in a single sample of 7.4‰ (forsterite) and 10.6‰ (dolomite). Of 88 grains analyzed in two or more places in contact metamorphosed rocks, 32% exhibit statistically significant intracrystalline variability in δ18O with the largest range in a single silicate and carbonate grain of 3.1‰ (forsterite) and 10.1‰ (dolomite). In contrast, 44% of 45 minerals in regional metamorphic rocks exhibit significant grain-to-grain variability in δ18O over areas ⩽1.17 cm2 with the largest range in silicates and carbonates in a single sample of only 1.1‰ (plagioclase) and 0.9‰ (calcite). Only 6% of 144 grains analyzed in two or more places in regional metamorphic rocks exhibit significant intracrystalline variability in δ18O with the largest range in a single silicate and carbonate grain of only 1.5‰ (diopside) and 0.7‰ (calcite). The difference in intercrystalline and intracrystalline variability in δ18O between contact and region metamorphic rocks is explained by the longer duration and slower reaction rates of regional metamorphism rather than to differences in temperature. There is no significant difference in intercrystalline and intracrystalline variability in δ18O in regional metamorphic rocks among samples from the biotite, garnet, and kyanite zones. Calcite inclusions in forsterite, and calcite and quartz inclusions in garnet either have δ18O that is statistically indistinguishable from δ18O of the same mineral occurring as nearby matrix grains or have statistically significant lower δ18O. No reversed isotope fractionations were measured between coexisting mineral pairs. Minerals in individual samples, however, exhibit a wide range in the degree to which they attained and preserve oxygen isotope fractionations consistent with metamorphic temperatures recorded by mineral equilibria. Processes that account for grain-scale departures from isotope exchange equilibrium include: (a) overstepping of prograde mineral reactions, (b) growth zoning in low-diffusivity minerals, (c) interaction of rocks with fluids at the peak of metamorphism and/or during cooling, (d) retrograde mineral reactions, and (e) closed-system isotope exchange between coexisting minerals during cooling. This study provides new information about (1) the degree to which a variety of textural changes experienced by rocks during metamorphism are associated with changes in δ18O, (2) oxygen isotope homogenization at the outcrop scale among contrasting lithologies, (3) changes in δ18O with increasing grade of regional metamorphism, and (4) time scales of metamorphic process.

The associations between ambient air pollution and adult respiratory mortality in 32 major Chinese cities, 2006-2010.

PubMed

Zhou, Maigeng; He, Guojun; Liu, Yunning; Yin, Peng; Li, Yichong; Kan, Haidong; Fan, Maorong; Xue, An; Fan, Maoyong

2015-02-01

China has experienced increasingly severe levels of air pollution in the past decades, yet studies on the health effects of air pollution in China at a national study level, remain limited. This study assess the sub-chronic effect of ambient air pollution on respiratory mortality in the 32 largest Chinese cities. We employ two-way fixed effects panel data analysis and monthly air pollution and mortality panel data. We estimate associations between monthly respiratory mortality and air pollution; pollution is defined as particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <10μm. We adjust for city characteristics, seasonality (monthly effects), and weather conditions (precipitation and temperature). We examine the associations between monthly injury mortality and air pollution to check for robustness. The results show positive and statistically significant associations of air pollution with respiratory mortality. During the study period (2006-2010) a 10μg/m(3) increase in monthly PM10 concentration is associated with a 1.05% (95% CI, 0.08-2.04%) increase in adult respiratory mortality rate. The air pollution effect is the most salient in northern cities (with central heating system) during the cold season (October-April); a 10μg/m(3) increase in monthly PM10 concentrations is associated with a 1.62% (95% CI, 0.22-3.46%) increase in the elderly respiratory mortality rate. There is no statistically significant association between the young adult respiratory mortality and air pollution. The elderly respiratory mortality rate in China is positively and statistically significantly associated with air pollution. The effect is largest in northern cities during cold months when coal is burned for heating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Landscapes of thermal inequity: disproportionate exposure to urban heat in the three largest US cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Bruce C.; Chakraborty, Jayajit

2015-11-01

Heat waves are the most significant cause of mortality in the US compared to other natural hazards. Prior studies have found increased heat exposure for individuals of lower socioeconomic status in several US cities, but few comparative analyses of the social distribution of urban heat have been conducted. To address this gap, our paper examines and compares the environmental justice consequences of urban heat risk in the three largest US cities: New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Risk to urban heat is estimated on the basis of three characteristics of the urban thermal landscape: land surface temperature, vegetation abundance, and structural density of the built urban environment. These variables are combined to develop an urban heat risk index, which is then statistically compared with social vulnerability indicators representing socioeconomic status, age, disability, race/ethnicity, and linguistic isolation. The results indicate a consistent and significant statistical association between lower socioeconomic and minority status and greater urban heat risk, in all three cities. Our findings support a growing body of environmental justice literature that indicates the presence of a landscape of thermal inequity in US cities and underscores the need to conduct comparative analyses of social inequities in exposure to urban heat.

Statistical Mining of Predictability of Seasonal Precipitation over the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Shen, S. P.

2001-01-01

Results from a new ensemble canonical correlation (ECC) prediction model yield a remarkable (10-20%) increases in baseline prediction skills for seasonal precipitation over the US for all seasons, compared to traditional statistical predictions. While the tropical Pacific, i.e., El Nino, contributes to the largest share of potential predictability in the southern tier States during boreal winter, the North Pacific and the North Atlantic are responsible for enhanced predictability in the northern Great Plains, Midwest and the southwest US during boreal summer. Most importantly, ECC significantly reduces the spring predictability barrier over the conterminous US, thereby raising the skill bar for dynamical predictions.

Brazil Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2015-01-01

In 2014, Brazil was the eighth-largest energy consumer in the world and the third-largest in the Americas, behind the United States and Canada, according to BP statistics. Total primary energy consumption in Brazil has nearly doubled in the past decade1 because of sustained economic growth. The largest share of Brazil's total energy consumption is oil and other liquid fuels, followed by hydroelectricity and natural gas

Comparison between medial rectus pulley fixation and augmented recession in children with convergence excess and variable-angle infantile esotropia.

PubMed

Fouad, Heba M; Abdelhakim, Mohamad A; Awadein, Ahmed; Elhilali, Hala

2016-10-01

To compare the outcomes of medial rectus (MR) muscle pulley fixation and augmented recession in children with convergence excess esotropia and variable-angle infantile esotropia. This was a prospective randomized interventional study in which children with convergence excess esotropia or variable-angle infantile esotropia were randomly allocated to either augmented MR muscle recession (augmented group) or MR muscle pulley posterior fixation (pulley group). In convergence excess, the MR recession was based on the average of distance and near angles of deviation with distance correction in the augmented group, and on the distance angle of deviation in the pulley group. In variable-angle infantile esotropia, the MR recession was based on the average of the largest and smallest angles in the augmented group and on the smallest angle in the pulley group. Pre- and postoperative ductions, versions, pattern strabismus, smallest and largest angles of deviation, and angle disparity were analyzed. Surgery was performed on 60 patients: 30 underwent bilateral augmented MR recession, and 30 underwent bilateral MR recession with pulley fixation. The success rate was statistically significantly higher (P = 0.037) in the pulley group (70%) than in the augmented group (40%). The postoperative smallest and largest angles and the angle disparity were statistically significantly lower in the pulley group than the augmented group (P < 0.01). Medial rectus muscle pulley fixation is a useful surgical step for addressing marked variability of the angle in variable angle esotropia and convergence excess esotropia. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Statistics Online Computational Resource for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinov, Ivo D.; Christou, Nicolas

2009-01-01

The Statistics Online Computational Resource (http://www.SOCR.ucla.edu) provides one of the largest collections of free Internet-based resources for probability and statistics education. SOCR develops, validates and disseminates two core types of materials--instructional resources and computational libraries. (Contains 2 figures.)

Induced earthquake magnitudes are as large as (statistically) expected

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Der Elst, Nicholas; Page, Morgan T.; Weiser, Deborah A.; Goebel, Thomas; Hosseini, S. Mehran

2016-01-01

A major question for the hazard posed by injection-induced seismicity is how large induced earthquakes can be. Are their maximum magnitudes determined by injection parameters or by tectonics? Deterministic limits on induced earthquake magnitudes have been proposed based on the size of the reservoir or the volume of fluid injected. However, if induced earthquakes occur on tectonic faults oriented favorably with respect to the tectonic stress field, then they may be limited only by the regional tectonics and connectivity of the fault network. In this study, we show that the largest magnitudes observed at fluid injection sites are consistent with the sampling statistics of the Gutenberg-Richter distribution for tectonic earthquakes, assuming no upper magnitude bound. The data pass three specific tests: (1) the largest observed earthquake at each site scales with the log of the total number of induced earthquakes, (2) the order of occurrence of the largest event is random within the induced sequence, and (3) the injected volume controls the total number of earthquakes rather than the total seismic moment. All three tests point to an injection control on earthquake nucleation but a tectonic control on earthquake magnitude. Given that the largest observed earthquakes are exactly as large as expected from the sampling statistics, we should not conclude that these are the largest earthquakes possible. Instead, the results imply that induced earthquake magnitudes should be treated with the same maximum magnitude bound that is currently used to treat seismic hazard from tectonic earthquakes.

Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2005-06. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2008-339

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garofano, Anthony; Sable, Jennifer

2008-01-01

This report describes the characteristics of the 100 largest public elementary and secondary school districts in the United States and its jurisdictions. These districts are defined as the 100 largest according to the size of their student population. The information in this report was provided by state education agency officials to the National…

Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2008-09. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2011-301

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sable, Jennifer; Plotts, Chris; Mitchell, Lindsey

2010-01-01

This report describes the characteristics of the 100 largest public elementary and secondary school districts in the United States and its jurisdictions. These districts are defined as the 100 largest according to the size of their student population. The information in this report was provided by state education agency officials to the National…

Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2007-08. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2010-349

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plotts, Chris; Sable, Jennifer

2010-01-01

This report describes the characteristics of the 100 largest public elementary and secondary school districts in the United States and its jurisdictions. These districts are defined as the 100 largest according to the size of their student population. The information in this report was provided by state education agency officials to the National…

Confidence intervals for effect sizes: compliance and clinical significance in the Journal of Consulting and clinical Psychology.

PubMed

Odgaard, Eric C; Fowler, Robert L

2010-06-01

In 2005, the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JCCP) became the first American Psychological Association (APA) journal to require statistical measures of clinical significance, plus effect sizes (ESs) and associated confidence intervals (CIs), for primary outcomes (La Greca, 2005). As this represents the single largest editorial effort to improve statistical reporting practices in any APA journal in at least a decade, in this article we investigate the efficacy of that change. All intervention studies published in JCCP in 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008 were reviewed. Each article was coded for method of clinical significance, type of ES, and type of associated CI, broken down by statistical test (F, t, chi-square, r/R(2), and multivariate modeling). By 2008, clinical significance compliance was 75% (up from 31%), with 94% of studies reporting some measure of ES (reporting improved for individual statistical tests ranging from eta(2) = .05 to .17, with reasonable CIs). Reporting of CIs for ESs also improved, although only to 40%. Also, the vast majority of reported CIs used approximations, which become progressively less accurate for smaller sample sizes and larger ESs (cf. Algina & Kessleman, 2003). Changes are near asymptote for ESs and clinical significance, but CIs lag behind. As CIs for ESs are required for primary outcomes, we show how to compute CIs for the vast majority of ESs reported in JCCP, with an example of how to use CIs for ESs as a method to assess clinical significance.

Trinidad and Tobago Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

As the largest oil and natural gas producer in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago's hydrocarbon sector moved from an oil-dominant to a mostly natural gas-based sector in the early 1990s. In 2014, Trinidad and Tobago was the world's sixth-largest LNG exporter, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2015. The country was also the largest LNG exporter to the United States, accounting for nearly 71% of U.S. LNG imports in 2014.

Germany Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

Germany was the largest energy consumer in Europe and the seventh-largest energy consumer in the world in 2015, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy. It was also the fourth-largest economy in the world by nominal gross domestic product (GDP) after the United States, China, and Japan in 2015. Its size and location give it considerable influence over the European Union’s energy sector. However, Germany must rely on imports to meet the majority of its energy demand.

Evaluating regional trends in ground-water nitrate concentrations of the Columbia Basin ground water management area, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frans, Lonna M.; Helsel, Dennis R.

2005-01-01

Trends in nitrate concentrations in water from 474 wells in 17 subregions in the Columbia Basin Ground Water Management Area (GWMA) in three counties in eastern Washington were evaluated using a variety of statistical techniques, including the Friedman test and the Kendall test. The Kendall test was modified from its typical 'seasonal' version into a 'regional' version by using well locations in place of seasons. No statistically significant trends in nitrate concentrations were identified in samples from wells in the GWMA, the three counties, or the 17 subregions from 1998 to 2002 when all data were included in the analysis. For wells in which nitrate concentrations were greater than 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L), however, a significant downward trend of -0.4 mg/L per year was observed between 1998 and 2002 for the GWMA as a whole, as well as for Adams County (-0.35 mg/L per year) and for Franklin County (-0.46 mg/L per year). Trend analysis for a smaller but longer-term 51-well dataset in Franklin County found a statistically significant upward trend in nitrate concentrations of 0.1 mg/L per year between 1986 and 2003. The largest increase of nitrate concentrations occurred between 1986 and 1991. No statistically significant differences were observed in this dataset between 1998 and 2003 indicating that the increase in nitrate concentrations has leveled off.

Optical parameters of leaves of seven weed species

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gausman, H. W.; Menges, R. M.; Richardson, A. J.; Walter, H.; Rodriguez, R. R.; Tamez, S. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Absorption coefficient (k), infinite reflectance (R inf.) and scattering coefficient (s) were tabulated for five wavelengths and analyzed for statistical differences for seven weed species. The wavelengths were: 0.55, 0.65, 0.85, 1.65, and 2.20 microns. The R inf. of common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L. Pers.), and annual sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.) leaves at the 0.85 micron wavelength were significantly (p = 0.05) higher than for sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), ragweed parthenium (parthenium hysterophorus L.), or London rocket (Sisymbrium irio L.). Annual sowthistle had the largest k value, and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) had the smallest k value at the 0.65 micron chlorophyll absorption wavelength. In general, johnsongrass, ragweed parthenium, and London rocket had the largest s values among the five wavelengths, whereas annual sowthistle and Palmer amaranth were usually lowest.

Modelling average maximum daily temperature using r largest order statistics: An application to South African data

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Natural hazards (events that may cause actual disasters) are established in the literature as major causes of various massive and destructive problems worldwide. The occurrences of earthquakes, floods and heat waves affect millions of people through several impacts. These include cases of hospitalisation, loss of lives and economic challenges. The focus of this study was on the risk reduction of the disasters that occur because of extremely high temperatures and heat waves. Modelling average maximum daily temperature (AMDT) guards against the disaster risk and may also help countries towards preparing for extreme heat. This study discusses the use of the r largest order statistics approach of extreme value theory towards modelling AMDT over the period of 11 years, that is, 2000–2010. A generalised extreme value distribution for r largest order statistics is fitted to the annual maxima. This is performed in an effort to study the behaviour of the r largest order statistics. The method of maximum likelihood is used in estimating the target parameters and the frequency of occurrences of the hottest days is assessed. The study presents a case study of South Africa in which the data for the non-winter season (September–April of each year) are used. The meteorological data used are the AMDT that are collected by the South African Weather Service and provided by Eskom. The estimation of the shape parameter reveals evidence of a Weibull class as an appropriate distribution for modelling AMDT in South Africa. The extreme quantiles for specified return periods are estimated using the quantile function and the best model is chosen through the use of the deviance statistic with the support of the graphical diagnostic tools. The Entropy Difference Test (EDT) is used as a specification test for diagnosing the fit of the models to the data.

Using basic statistics on the individual patient's own numeric data.

PubMed

Hart, John

2012-12-01

This theoretical report gives an example for how coefficient of variation (CV) and quartile analysis (QA) to assess outliers might be able to be used to analyze numeric data in practice for an individual patient. A patient was examined for 8 visits using infrared instrumentation for measurement of mastoid fossa temperature differential (MFTD) readings. The CV and QA were applied to the readings. The participant also completed the Short Form-12 health perception survey on each visit, and these findings were correlated with CV to determine if CV had outcomes support (clinical significance). An outlier MFTD reading was observed on the eighth visit according to QA that coincided with the largest CV value for the MFTDs. Correlations between the Short Form-12 and CV were low to negligible, positive, and statistically nonsignificant. This case provides an example of how basic statistical analyses could possibly be applied to numerical data in chiropractic practice for an individual patient. This might add objectivity to analyzing an individual patient's data in practice, particularly if clinical significance of a clinical numerical finding is unknown.

Statistical trend analysis and extreme distribution of significant wave height from 1958 to 1999 - an application to the Italian Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martucci, G.; Carniel, S.; Chiggiato, J.; Sclavo, M.; Lionello, P.; Galati, M. B.

2009-09-01

The study is a statistical analysis of sea states timeseries derived using the wave model WAM forced by the ERA-40 dataset in selected areas near the Italian coasts. For the period 1 January 1958 to 31 December 1999 the analysis yields: (i) the existence of a negative trend in the annual- and winter-averaged sea state heights; (ii) the existence of a turning-point in late 70's in the annual-averaged trend of sea state heights at a site in the Northern Adriatic Sea; (iii) the overall absence of a significant trend in the annual-averaged mean durations of sea states over thresholds; (iv) the assessment of the extreme values on a time-scale of thousand years. The analysis uses two methods to obtain samples of extremes from the independent sea states: the r-largest annual maxima and the peak-over-threshold. The two methods show statistical differences in retrieving the return values and more generally in describing the significant wave field. The study shows the existence of decadal negative trends in the significant wave heights and by this it conveys useful information on the wave climatology of the Italian seas during the second half of the 20th century.

Saudi Arabia Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

Saudi Arabia is the world's largest holder of crude oil proved reserves and was the largest exporter of total petroleum liquids in 2013. In 2013, Saudi Arabia was the world's second-largest petroleum liquids producer behind the United States and was the world's second-largest crude oil producer behind Russia. Saudi Arabia's economy remains heavily dependent on petroleum. Petroleum exports accounted for 85% of total Saudi export revenues in 2013, according to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)'s Annual Statistical Bulletin 2014. With the largest oil projects nearing completion, Saudi Arabia is expanding its natural gas, refining, petrochemicals, and electric power industries. Saudi Arabia's oil and natural gas operations are dominated by Saudi Aramco, the national oil and gas company and the world's largest oil company in terms of production. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Supreme Council for Petroleum and Minerals have oversight of the oil and natural gas sector and Saudi Aramco.

Common errors in textbook descriptions of muscle fiber size in nontrained humans.

PubMed

Chalmers, Gordon R; Row, Brandi S

2011-09-01

Exercise science and human anatomy and physiology textbooks commonly report that type IIB muscle fibers have the largest cross-sectional area of the three fiber types. These descriptions of muscle fiber sizes do not match with the research literature examining muscle fibers in young adult nontrained humans. For men, most commonly type IIA fibers were significantly larger than other fiber types (six out of 10 cases across six different muscles). For women, either type I, or both I and IIA muscle fibers were usually significantly the largest (five out of six cases across four different muscles). In none of these reports were type IIB fibers significantly larger than both other fiber types. In 27 studies that did not include statistical comparisons of mean fiber sizes across fiber types, in no cases were type IIB or fast glycolytic fibers larger than both type I and IIA, or slow oxidative and fast oxidative glycolytic fibers. The likely reason for mistakes in textbook descriptions of human muscle fiber sizes is that animal data were presented without being labeled as such, and without any warning that there are interspecies differences in muscle fiber properties. Correct knowledge of muscle fiber sizes may facilitate interpreting training and aging adaptations.

Trends and interannual variability of mass and steric sea level in the Tropical Asian Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinherenbrink, Marcel; Riva, Riccardo; Frederikse, Thomas; Merrifield, Mark; Wada, Yoshihide

2017-08-01

The mass and steric components of sea level changes have been separated in the Tropical Asian Seas (TAS) using a statistically optimal combination of Jason satellite altimetry, GRACE satellite gravimetry, and ocean reanalyses. Using observational uncertainties, statistically optimally weighted time series for both components have been obtained in four regions within the TAS over the period January 2005 to December 2012. The mass and steric sea level variability is regressed with the first two principal components (PC1&2) of Pacific equatorial wind stress and the Dipole Mode Index (DMI). Sea level in the South China Sea is not affected by any of the indices. Steric variability in the TAS is largest in the deep Banda and Celebes seas and is affected by both PCs and the DMI. Mass variability is largest on the continental shelves, which is primarily controlled by PC1. We argue that a water flux from the Western Tropical Pacific Ocean is the cause for mass variability in the TAS. The steric trends are about 2 mm yr-1 larger than the mass trends in the TAS. A significant part of the mass trend can be explained by the aforementioned indices and the nodal cycle. Trends obtained from fingerprints of mass redistribution are statistically equal to mass trends after subtracting the nodal cycle and the indices. Ultimately, the effect of omitting the TAS in global sea level budgets is estimated to be 0.3 mm yr-1.

Intergenerational preferences for radio loudness during automobile driving.

PubMed

Hanser, Frederick Howard Bateman; Adjei Boakye, Eric; Mikulec, Anthony Alan

2017-07-01

The comparative contribution to human noise exposure from the vehicular radio is unknown, as are the radio volume preferences of different generations when driving an automobile. A single vehicle was used to measure radio listening level in decibels of three generations (age 16-17 years, age 32-50 years, and age 51-73 years) in various conditions, ranging from engine off with windows closed to 60 miles per hour (mph) with windows open. No differences in radio loudness based on the sex of the driver were found. Statistically significant differences were identified in preferred signal to noise ratio among multiple vehicular paradigms, with the youngest generation preferring the largest signal to noise ratio in conditions with low background noise. The youngest generation favored the largest signal to noise ratio (radio level above background noise), a preference which waned with increasing background noise. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical parameters of leaves of seven weed species

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gausman, H. W.; Menges, R. M.; Richardson, A. J.; Walter, H.; Rodriguez, R. R.; Tamez, S. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

The absorption coefficient (k), infinite reflectance (R), and scattering coefficient (s) were tabulated for five wavelengths and analyzed for statistical differences for seven weed species. The wavelengths were: 0.55-micrometer, 0.65-micrometers, 0.85-micrometer, 1.65-micrometers, and 2.20-micrometer. The R of common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.), and annual sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.) leaves at the 0.85-micrometer wavelength were significantly (p=0.05) higher than for sunflower (Heliantus annus L.), ragweed parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.), or London rocket (Sisymbrium irio L.). Annual sowthistle had the largest k value, and Plamer amaranth (Amaranthus palmer S. Wats.) had the smallest k value at the 0.65 approximately chlorophyll absorption wavelength. In general, john-songress, ragweed parthenium, or London rocket had the largest s values among the five wavelengths, wereas annual sowthistle and plamar amaranth were usually lowest.

Statistical analysis of the magnetization signatures of impact basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabasova, L. R.; Wieczorek, M. A.

2017-09-01

We quantify the magnetic signatures of the largest lunar impact basins using recent mission data and robust statistical bounds, and obtain an early activity timeline for the lunar core dynamo which appears to peak earlier than indicated by Apollo paleointensity measurements.

Accuracy of a Computer-Aided Surgical Simulation (CASS) Protocol for Orthognathic Surgery: A Prospective Multicenter Study

PubMed Central

Hsu, Sam Sheng-Pin; Gateno, Jaime; Bell, R. Bryan; Hirsch, David L.; Markiewicz, Michael R.; Teichgraeber, John F.; Zhou, Xiaobo; Xia, James J.

2012-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this prospective multicenter study was to assess the accuracy of a computer-aided surgical simulation (CASS) protocol for orthognathic surgery. Materials and Methods The accuracy of the CASS protocol was assessed by comparing planned and postoperative outcomes of 65 consecutive patients enrolled from 3 centers. Computer-generated surgical splints were used for all patients. For the genioplasty, one center utilized computer-generated chin templates to reposition the chin segment only for patients with asymmetry. Standard intraoperative measurements were utilized without the chin templates for the remaining patients. The primary outcome measurements were linear and angular differences for the maxilla, mandible and chin when the planned and postoperative models were registered at the cranium. The secondary outcome measurements were: maxillary dental midline difference between the planned and postoperative positions; and linear and angular differences of the chin segment between the groups with and without the use of the template. The latter was measured when the planned and postoperative models were registered at mandibular body. Statistical analyses were performed, and the accuracy was reported using root mean square deviation (RMSD) and Bland and Altman's method for assessing measurement agreement. Results In the primary outcome measurements, there was no statistically significant difference among the 3 centers for the maxilla and mandible. The largest RMSD was 1.0mm and 1.5° for the maxilla, and 1.1mm and 1.8° for the mandible. For the chin, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups with and without the use of the chin template. The chin template group showed excellent accuracy with largest positional RMSD of 1.0mm and the largest orientational RSMD of 2.2°. However, larger variances were observed in the group not using the chin template. This was significant in anteroposterior and superoinferior directions, as in pitch and yaw orientations. In the secondary outcome measurements, the RMSD of maxillary dental midline positions was 0.9mm. When registered at the body of the mandible, the linear and angular differences of the chin segment between the groups with and without the use of the chin template were consistent with the results found in the primary outcome measurements. Conclusion Using the CASS protocol, the computerized plan can be accurately and consistently transferred to the patient to position the maxilla and mandible at the time of surgery. The computer-generated chin template provides more accuracy in repositioning the chin segment than the intraoperative measurements. PMID:22695016

Arctic Sea Ice Variability and Trends, 1979-2006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parkinson, Claire L.; Cavalieri, Donald J.

2008-01-01

Analysis of Arctic sea ice extents derived from satellite passive-microwave data for the 28 years, 1979-2006 yields an overall negative trend of -45,100 +/- 4,600 km2/yr (-3.7 +/- 0.4%/decade) in the yearly averages, with negative ice-extent trends also occurring for each of the four seasons and each of the 12 months. For the yearly averages the largest decreases occur in the Kara and Barents Seas and the Arctic Ocean, with linear least squares slopes of -10,600 +/- 2,800 km2/yr (-7.4 +/- 2.0%/decade) and -10,100 +/- 2,200 km2/yr (-1.5 +/- 0.3%/decade), respectively, followed by Baffin Bay/Labrador Sea, with a slope of -8,000 +/- 2,000 km2/yr) -9.0 +/- 2.3%/decade), the Greenland Sea, with a slope of -7,000 +/- 1,400 km2/yr (-9.3 +/- 1.9%/decade), and Hudson Bay, with a slope of -4,500 +/- 900 km2/yr (-5.3 +/- 1.1%/decade). These are all statistically significant decreases at a 99% confidence level. The Seas of Okhotsk and Japan also have a statistically significant ice decrease, although at a 95% confidence level, and the three remaining regions, the Bering Sea, Canadian Archipelago, and Gulf of St. Lawrence, have negative slopes that are not statistically significant. The 28-year trends in ice areas for the Northern Hemisphere total are also statistically significant and negative in each season, each month, and for the yearly averages.

Gene expression markers of age-related inflammation in two human cohorts.

PubMed

Pilling, Luke C; Joehanes, Roby; Melzer, David; Harries, Lorna W; Henley, William; Dupuis, Josée; Lin, Honghuang; Mitchell, Marcus; Hernandez, Dena; Ying, Sai-Xia; Lunetta, Kathryn L; Benjamin, Emelia J; Singleton, Andrew; Levy, Daniel; Munson, Peter; Murabito, Joanne M; Ferrucci, Luigi

2015-10-01

Chronically elevated circulating inflammatory markers are common in older persons but mechanisms are unclear. Many blood transcripts (>800 genes) are associated with interleukin-6 protein levels (IL6) independent of age. We aimed to identify gene transcripts statistically mediating, as drivers or responders, the increasing levels of IL6 protein in blood at older ages. Blood derived in-vivo RNA from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS, n=2422, ages 40-92 yrs) and InCHIANTI study (n=694, ages 30-104 yrs), with Affymetrix and Illumina expression arrays respectively (>17,000 genes tested), were tested for statistical mediation of the age-IL6 association using resampling techniques, adjusted for confounders and multiple testing. In FHS, IL6 expression was not associated with IL6 protein levels in blood. 102 genes (0.6% of 17,324 expressed) statistically mediated the age-IL6 association of which 25 replicated in InCHIANTI (including 5 of the 10 largest effect genes). The largest effect gene (SLC4A10, coding for NCBE, a sodium bicarbonate transporter) mediated 19% (adjusted CI 8.9 to 34.1%) and replicated by PCR in InCHIANTI (n=194, 35.6% mediated, p=0.01). Other replicated mediators included PRF1 (perforin, a cytolytic protein in cytotoxic T lymphocytes and NK cells) and IL1B (Interleukin 1 beta): few other cytokines were significant mediators. This transcriptome-wide study on human blood identified a small distinct set of genes that statistically mediate the age-IL6 association. Findings are robust across two cohorts and different expression technologies. Raised IL6 levels may not derive from circulating white cells in age related inflammation. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Testing earthquake prediction algorithms: Statistically significant advance prediction of the largest earthquakes in the Circum-Pacific, 1992-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kossobokov, V.G.; Romashkova, L.L.; Keilis-Borok, V. I.; Healy, J.H.

1999-01-01

Algorithms M8 and MSc (i.e., the Mendocino Scenario) were used in a real-time intermediate-term research prediction of the strongest earthquakes in the Circum-Pacific seismic belt. Predictions are made by M8 first. Then, the areas of alarm are reduced by MSc at the cost that some earthquakes are missed in the second approximation of prediction. In 1992-1997, five earthquakes of magnitude 8 and above occurred in the test area: all of them were predicted by M8 and MSc identified correctly the locations of four of them. The space-time volume of the alarms is 36% and 18%, correspondingly, when estimated with a normalized product measure of empirical distribution of epicenters and uniform time. The statistical significance of the achieved results is beyond 99% both for M8 and MSc. For magnitude 7.5 + , 10 out of 19 earthquakes were predicted by M8 in 40% and five were predicted by M8-MSc in 13% of the total volume considered. This implies a significance level of 81% for M8 and 92% for M8-MSc. The lower significance levels might result from a global change in seismic regime in 1993-1996, when the rate of the largest events has doubled and all of them become exclusively normal or reversed faults. The predictions are fully reproducible; the algorithms M8 and MSc in complete formal definitions were published before we started our experiment [Keilis-Borok, V.I., Kossobokov, V.G., 1990. Premonitory activation of seismic flow: Algorithm M8, Phys. Earth and Planet. Inter. 61, 73-83; Kossobokov, V.G., Keilis-Borok, V.I., Smith, S.W., 1990. Localization of intermediate-term earthquake prediction, J. Geophys. Res., 95, 19763-19772; Healy, J.H., Kossobokov, V.G., Dewey, J.W., 1992. A test to evaluate the earthquake prediction algorithm, M8. U.S. Geol. Surv. OFR 92-401]. M8 is available from the IASPEI Software Library [Healy, J.H., Keilis-Borok, V.I., Lee, W.H.K. (Eds.), 1997. Algorithms for Earthquake Statistics and Prediction, Vol. 6. IASPEI Software Library]. ?? 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

CD4+ Cell Count and HIV Load as Predictors of Size of Anal Warts Over Time in HIV-Infected Women

PubMed Central

Luu, Hung N.; Amirian, E. Susan; Chan, Wenyaw; Beasley, R. Palmer; Piller, Linda B.

2012-01-01

Background. Little is known about the associations between CD4+ cell counts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load, and human papillomavirus “low-risk” types in noncancerous clinical outcomes. This study examined whether CD4+ count and HIV load predict the size of the largest anal warts in 976 HIV-infected women in an ongoing cohort. Methods. A linear mixed model was used to determine the association between size of anal wart and CD4+ count and HIV load. Results. The incidence of anal warts was 4.15 cases per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.83–4.77) and 1.30 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI, 1.00–1.58) in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women, respectively. There appeared to be an inverse association between size of the largest anal warts and CD4+ count at baseline; however, this was not statistically significant. There was no association between size of the largest anal warts and CD4+ count or HIV load over time. Conclusions. There was no evidence for an association between size of the largest anal warts and CD4+ count or HIV load over time. Further exploration on the role of immune response on the development of anal warts is warranted in a larger study. PMID:22246682

Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2000-01. Statistical Analysis Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Beth Aronstamm

This publication provides basic descriptive information about the 100 largest school districts (ranked by student membership) in the United States and jurisdictions (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Defense Schools, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands). Almost one in every four public-school…

Identification of racial disparities in breast cancer mortality: does scale matter?

PubMed

Tian, Nancy; Goovaerts, Pierre; Zhan, F Benjamin; Wilson, Jeff G

2010-07-05

This paper investigates the impact of geographic scale (census tract, zip code, and county) on the detection of disparities in breast cancer mortality among three ethnic groups in Texas (period 1995-2005). Racial disparities were quantified using both relative (RR) and absolute (RD) statistics that account for the population size and correct for unreliable rates typically observed for minority groups and smaller geographic units. Results were then correlated with socio-economic status measured by the percentage of habitants living below the poverty level. African-American and Hispanic women generally experience higher mortality than White non-Hispanics, and these differences are especially significant in the southeast metropolitan areas and southwest border of Texas. The proportion and location of significant racial disparities however changed depending on the type of statistic (RR versus RD) and the geographic level. The largest proportion of significant results was observed for the RD statistic and census tract data. Geographic regions with significant racial disparities for African-Americans and Hispanics frequently had a poverty rate above 10.00%. This study investigates both relative and absolute racial disparities in breast cancer mortality between White non-Hispanic and African-American/Hispanic women at the census tract, zip code and county levels. Analysis at the census tract level generally led to a larger proportion of geographical units experiencing significantly higher mortality rates for minority groups, although results varied depending on the use of the relative versus absolute statistics. Additional research is needed before general conclusions can be formulated regarding the choice of optimal geographic regions for the detection of racial disparities.

Identification of racial disparities in breast cancer mortality: does scale matter?

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background This paper investigates the impact of geographic scale (census tract, zip code, and county) on the detection of disparities in breast cancer mortality among three ethnic groups in Texas (period 1995-2005). Racial disparities were quantified using both relative (RR) and absolute (RD) statistics that account for the population size and correct for unreliable rates typically observed for minority groups and smaller geographic units. Results were then correlated with socio-economic status measured by the percentage of habitants living below the poverty level. Results African-American and Hispanic women generally experience higher mortality than White non-Hispanics, and these differences are especially significant in the southeast metropolitan areas and southwest border of Texas. The proportion and location of significant racial disparities however changed depending on the type of statistic (RR versus RD) and the geographic level. The largest proportion of significant results was observed for the RD statistic and census tract data. Geographic regions with significant racial disparities for African-Americans and Hispanics frequently had a poverty rate above 10.00%. Conclusions This study investigates both relative and absolute racial disparities in breast cancer mortality between White non-Hispanic and African-American/Hispanic women at the census tract, zip code and county levels. Analysis at the census tract level generally led to a larger proportion of geographical units experiencing significantly higher mortality rates for minority groups, although results varied depending on the use of the relative versus absolute statistics. Additional research is needed before general conclusions can be formulated regarding the choice of optimal geographic regions for the detection of racial disparities. PMID:20602784

Correlations between community size and student perceptions of value.

PubMed

Anderson, Susan M; Simanton, Edward

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if medical students' feeling of being valued was correlated to community size. The study, conducted in several communities in South Dakota, examined students' feeling of value relating to attending physicians, healthcare teams and patients. Student value items were added to student satisfaction surveys sent out to students at the end of their primary clinical year and data collected from two graduating classes of students (n=114). Student responses were grouped by clinical campus and mean responses by community size were calculated. Additionally, student encounter logs were reviewed for study participants to gauge participation levels during clinical encounters. The degree to which students felt valued by their physician attending, the healthcare team and the patients decreased consistently as community size increased. Differences were statistically significant between students in the smallest and largest communities. Additionally, students in the community of 15 000 felt significantly more valued than students in the community of 170 000. Furthermore, there also appears to be a relationship between the percentage of participation in patient care by students and community size. Students in the smaller, rural communities participated at a higher percentage rather than observing. There appears to be a relationship between community size and the extent to which students feel value. The degree to which students felt valued decreased consistently as community size increased. Differences were statistically significant between students in the smallest communities and the two largest communities. Students in the smaller, rural communities participated at a higher percentage. Additional studies are needed to address whether students participate more as a result of feeling valued, or whether participation leads to an enhanced perception of value by students.

Inside Rural Pennsylvania: A Statistical Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Harrisburg.

Graphs, data tables, maps, and written descriptions give a statistical overview of rural Pennsylvania. A section on rural demographics covers population changes, racial and ethnic makeup, age cohorts, and families and income. Pennsylvania's rural population, the nation's largest, has increased more than its urban population since 1950, with the…

Intermittency in generalized NLS equation with focusing six-wave interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agafontsev, D. S.; Zakharov, V. E.

2015-10-01

We study numerically the statistics of waves for generalized one-dimensional Nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation that takes into account focusing six-wave interactions, dumping and pumping terms. We demonstrate the universal behavior of this system for the region of parameters when six-wave interactions term affects significantly only the largest waves. In particular, in the statistically steady state of this system the probability density function (PDF) of wave amplitudes turns out to be strongly non-Rayleigh one for large waves, with characteristic "fat tail" decaying with amplitude | Ψ | close to ∝ exp ⁡ (- γ | Ψ |), where γ > 0 is constant. The corresponding non-Rayleigh addition to the PDF indicates strong intermittency, vanishes in the absence of six-wave interactions, and increases with six-wave coupling coefficient.

Diagnostic accuracy of the clinical and CT findings for differentiating Kikuchi's disease and tuberculous lymphadenitis presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy.

PubMed

Baek, Hye Jin; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Lim, Hyun Kyung; Lee, Ha Young; Baek, Jung Hwan

2014-11-01

To determine the optimal clinical and CT findings for differentiating Kikuchi's disease (KD) and tuberculous lymphadenitis (TB) in patients presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy. From 2006 to 2010, 87 consecutive patients who were finally diagnosed with KD or TB were enrolled. Two radiologists performed independent analysis of contrast-enhanced neck CT images with regard to the involvement pattern, nodal or perinodal changes, and evidence of the previous infection. Significant clinical and CT findings of KD were determined by statistical analyses. Of the 87 patients, 27 (31%) were classified as having KD and 60 (69%) as having TB. Statistically significant findings of KD patients were younger age, presence of fever, involvement of ≥5 nodal levels or the bilateral neck, no or minimal nodal necrosis, marked perinodal infiltration, and no evidence of upper lung lesion or mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The presence of four or more statistically significant clinical and CT findings of KD had the largest area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (A z = 0.861; 95% confidence intervals 0.801, 0.909), with a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 83%. CT can be a helpful tool for differentiating KD from TB, especially when it is combined with the clinical findings.

Coating dental implant abutment screws with diamondlike carbon doped with diamond nanoparticles: the effect on maintaining torque after mechanical cycling.

PubMed

Lepesqueur, Laura Soares; de Figueiredo, Viviane Maria Gonçalves; Ferreira, Leandro Lameirão; Sobrinho, Argemiro Soares da Silva; Massi, Marcos; Bottino, Marco Antônio; Nogueira Junior, Lafayette

2015-01-01

To determine the effect of maintaining torque after mechanical cycling of abutment screws that are coated with diamondlike carbon and coated with diamondlike carbon doped with diamond nanoparticles, with external and internal hex connections. Sixty implants were divided into six groups according to the type of connection (external or internal hex) and the type of abutment screw (uncoated, coated with diamondlike carbon, and coated with diamondlike carbon doped with diamond nanoparticles). The implants were inserted into polyurethane resin and crowns of nickel chrome were cemented on the implants. The crowns had a hole for access to the screw. The initial torque and the torque after mechanical cycling were measured. The torque values maintained (in percentages) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test, with a significance level of 5%. The largest torque value was maintained in uncoated screws with external hex connections, a finding that was statistically significant (P = .0001). No statistically significant differences were seen between the groups with and without coating in maintaining torque for screws with internal hex connections (P = .5476). After mechanical cycling, the diamondlike carbon with and without diamond doping on the abutment screws showed no improvement in maintaining torque in external and internal hex connections.

Biomechanical demands on posterior fusion instrumentation during lordosis restoration procedures.

PubMed

Kuo, Calvin C; Martin, Audrey; Telles, Connor; Leasure, Jeremi; Iezza, Alex; Ames, Christopher; Kondrashov, Dimitriy

2016-09-01

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to investigate the forces placed on posterior fusion instrumentation by 3 commonly used intraoperative techniques to restore lumbar lordosis: 1) cantilever bending; 2) in situ bending; and 3) compression and/or distraction of screws along posterior fusion rods. METHODS Five cadaveric torsos were instrumented with pedicle screws at the L1-5 levels. Specimens underwent each of the 3 lordosis restoration procedures. The pedicle screw pullout force was monitored in real time via strain gauges that were mounted unilaterally at each level. The degree of correction was noted through fluoroscopic imaging. The peak loads experienced on the screws during surgery, total demand on instrumentation, and resting loads after corrective maneuvers were measured. RESULTS A mean overall lordotic correction of 10.9 ± 4.7° was achieved. No statistically significant difference in lordotic correction was observed between restoration procedures. In situ bending imparted the largest loads intraoperatively with an average of 1060 ± 599.9 N, followed by compression/distraction (971 ± 534.1 N) and cantilever bending (705 ± 413.0 N). In situ bending produced the largest total demand and postoperative loads at L-1 (1879 ± 1064.1 and 487 ± 118.8 N, respectively), which were statistically higher than cantilever bending and compression/distraction (786 ± 272.1 and 138 ± 99.2 N, respectively). CONCLUSIONS In situ bending resulted in the highest mechanical demand on posterior lumbar instrumentation, as well as the largest postoperative loads at L-1. These results suggest that the forces generated with in situ bending indicate a greater chance of intraoperative instrumentation failure and postoperative proximal pedicle screw pullout when compared with cantilever bending and/or compression/distraction options. The results are aimed at optimizing correction and fusion strategies in lordosis restoration cases.

Min and Max Exponential Extreme Interval Values and Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jance, Marsha; Thomopoulos, Nick

2009-01-01

The extreme interval values and statistics (expected value, median, mode, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation) for the smallest (min) and largest (max) values of exponentially distributed variables with parameter ? = 1 are examined for different observation (sample) sizes. An extreme interval value g[subscript a] is defined as a…

Photodynamic diagnosis in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review.

PubMed

Osman, Elsawi; Alnaib, Ziad; Kumar, Nitya

2017-06-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy and safety of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUTUC). A systematic literature search was conducted. Included studies were assessed for the risks of bias and quality using appropriate tools. Dedicated data extraction forms were used. Diagnostic accuracy in terms of sensitivity and specificity were quoted whenever provided by individual studies. A combined toxicity profile of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA) was given after reviewing individual studies. In all, 17 studies were identified. After screening seven studies were included involving a total of 194 patients. None of the studies were randomised. All the available studies were of low-to-moderate quality. The largest available study, with 106 patients, reported a sensitivity of 95.8% and 53.5% for PDD and white-light (WL) ureterorenoscopy (URS) respectively, with a statistically significant difference. The specificity was 96.6% for PDD and 95.2% for WL-URS with no statistical significance. PDD showed better ability in detecting carcinoma in situ and dysplasia. One study compared PDD to computed tomography urogram (CTU) and found PDD to have better sensitivity and statistically significantly better specificity. 5ALA-associated toxicity was minor in nature and hypotension was the most common adverse event. PDD in UUTUC appears to be more accurate than WL-URS and CTU, with no significant toxicity. Larger scale randomised trials are needed.

Carpal tunnel volume changes of the wrist under distraction.

PubMed

Cho, M S; Means, K R; Shrout, J A; Segalman, K A

2008-10-01

This study attempts to determine changes in carpal canal volume with distraction across the wrist. Uniform longitudinal distraction was maintained with two external fixators on the radial and ulnar aspects of the forearm axis of five cadaver specimens. After CT scanning, volume determinations were made at 5 mm increments beginning at the lunocapitate joint to a point 1.5 cm distal to the middle finger carpometacarpal joint. There was a statistically significant decrease of the mean total carpal canal volume from 0 to 4.54 kg of distraction, with no statistically significant decrease from 0 to 2.27 kg or 2.27 to 4.54 kg. The largest decrease occurred at 15 and 20 mm distal to the proximal edge of the transverse carpal ligament corresponding to the level of the hamate hook. Reduction in mean carpal canal volume was 10.2% and 7.5% at these distances, respectively, from 0 to 4.54 kg of distraction. Progressive distraction across the wrist causes a decrease in total carpal canal volume.

Clinical measurement of the height of the interproximal contact area in maxillary anterior teeth.

PubMed

Sghaireen, Mohd G; Al-Zarea, Bader K; Al-Shorman, Hisham M; Al-Omiri, Mahmoud K

2013-11-01

To clinically quantify the apicoincisal height of interproximal areas directly in patients' mouths. Thirty participants (11 females and 9 males, mean age=26±1.5 years) were recruited into this study. Measurement of interproximal contact areas was carried out directly in patients' mouths using digital caliper (TERENSA, USA) with measuring accuracy of 0.01 mm. The interproximal contact areas that were measured are: central incisor to central incisor, central incisor to lateral incisor, lateral incisor to canine, and canine to first premolar on both sides of the jaw. Statistical significance was based on probability values less than 0.05 (p<0.05). The largest contact point was the one present between central incisors and it ranged from 2.9 to 6.5 mm. On the other hand, the contact point between canine and first premolar was the smallest on both sides of the arch and ranged from 0.6 to 2.5 mm. The dimensions of the contact points declined as we move from anterior area backwards. Statistical analysis using t-test showed that there were significant differences between the measurements of interproximal points of each tooth (P<0.05). the apicogingival dimension of the contact point decreased as we moved from anterior to posterior teeth. The contact area between the central incisors was largest and the one between canine and premolar was the smallest. This study is the first to report direct intra-oral clinical measurement of contact points. Clinical evaluation of contact point dimensions using digital caliber is a viable, quick and accurate method to use.

A retrospective analysis of eye conditions among children attending St. John Eye Hospital, Hebron, Palestine.

PubMed

Banayot, Riyad G

2016-04-05

Eye diseases are important causes of medical consultations, with the spectrum varying in different regions. This hospital-based descriptive study aimed to determine the profile of childhood eye conditions at St. John tertiary Eye hospital serving in Hebron, Palestine. Files of all new patients less than 16 years old who presented to St. John Eye Hospital-Hebron, Palestine between January 2013 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Age at presentation, sex, and clinical diagnosis were extracted from medical records. Data were stored and analyzed using Wizard data analysis version 1.6.0 by Evan Miller. The Chi square test was used to compare variables and a p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. We evaluated the records of 1102 patients, with a female: male ratio of 1:1.1. Patients aged 0-5 years old were the largest group (40.2%). Refractive errors were the most common ocular disorders seen (31.6%), followed by conjunctival diseases (23.7%) and strabismus and amblyopia (13.8%). Refractive errors were recorded more frequently and statistically significant (p < 0.001) among (11-15) age group. Within the conjunctival diseases category, conjunctivitis and dry eyes was more prominent and statistically significant (p < 0.001) among the 6-10 year old age group. Within the strabismus and amblyopia category, convergent strabismus was more common and statistically significant among the youngest age group (0-5 years old). The most common causes of ocular morbidity are largely treatable or preventable. These results suggest the need for awareness campaigns and early intervention programs.

SU-G-206-03: CTDI Per KV at Phantom Center and Periphery: Comparison Between Major CT Manufacturers

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

Al-Senan, R; Demirkaya, O

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to: 1) compare scanners output by measuring normalized CTDIw (mGy/100mAs) in different CT makes and models and at different kV’s, and 2) quantify the relationship between kV and CTDI and compare this relationship between the different manufacturers. Methods: Study included forty scanners of major CT manufacturers and of various models. Exposure was measured at center and 12 o’clock holes of head and body CTDI phantoms, at all available kV’s, and with the largest or second largest available collimation in each scanner. Average measured CTDI’s from each CT manufacturer were also plotted against kVmore » and the fitting equation: CTDIw (normalized) = a.kVb was calculated. The power (b) value may be considered as an indicator of spectral filtration, which affects the degree of beam hardening. Also, HVLs were measured at several scanners. Results: Results showed GE scanners, on average, had higher normalized CTDIw than those of Siemens and Philips, in both phantom sizes and at all kV’s. ANOVA statistic indicated the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Comparison between Philips and Siemens, however, was not statistically significant. Curve fitting showed b values ranged from 2.4 to 2.9 (for Head periphery and center, respectively); and was about 2.8 for Body phantom periphery, and 3.2 at the center of Body phantom. Fitting equations (kV vs. CTDI) will be presented and discussed. GE’s CTDIw vs. HVL showed very strong correlation (r > 0.99). Conclusion: Partial characterization of scanners output was performed which may be helpful in dose estimation to internal organs. The relatively higher output from GE scanners may be attributed to lower filtration. Work is still in progress to obtain CTDI values from other scanners as well as to measure their HVLs.« less

Clear-Sky UV-B trends over Northern Midlatitudes derived from TOMS Low-Reflectivity Footprint Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziemke, Jerry; Chandra, Sushil; Varotsos, C.

1998-01-01

This study investigates the distribution of clear-sky ultraviolet-B (UV-B, wavelengths 290-320 nm) trends in northern midlatitudes using 1979-1991 Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) version 7 low-reflectivity (R<0.2) total ozone footprint measurements. The incorporation of essentially cloud-free ozone data from TOMS provides a direct method for separating transient cloud effects from anthropogenic and other dynamical factors present in UV-B. This study has also included both National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) microwave sounding unit channel 4 (MSU4) and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) 500 hPa temperature (T500) fields in our trend models to improve UV-Index (UVI) trend statistics and to investigate the effects of interannual changes in UVI caused by synoptic-scale (horizontal wavelengths 4000-8000 km) and planetary-scale (horizontal wavelengths greater than 8000 km) dynamical events. Clear-sky UVI trends in the northern midlatitudes show large increases (exceeding 10 % per decade) and distinct regional variability especially during winter-spring months which can be attributed to topography and dynamical forcing effects. In the UV-important summer-autumn months, these trends are more uniformly distributed and still statistically significant, although smaller at around +2 to +3 % per decade. Specifically, during April largest increases in midlatitude UVI are seen to extend from near the dateline eastward across North America. In June months largest UVI increases occur over the east Asian continent with values around +5 to +6 % per decade. These increases in UVI over both the Pacific and Asian continent regions persist through summer into Autumn. In the the European sector, statistically significant increases in clear-sky UVI are found over central Europe with values around +2 to +3 % per decade and +8 to +9 % per decade during summer and winter-spring months, respectively. Over the nearby Mediterranean region these seasonal trends are around +2 to +3 and +5 to +6 % per decade.

The Hanford Thyroid Disease Study: an alternative view of the findings.

PubMed

Hoffman, F Owen; Ruttenber, A James; Apostoaei, A Iulian; Carroll, Raymond J; Greenland, Sander

2007-02-01

The Hanford Thyroid Disease Study (HTDS) is one of the largest and most complex epidemiologic studies of the relation between environmental exposures to I and thyroid disease. The study detected no dose-response relation using a 0.05 level for statistical significance. The results for thyroid cancer appear inconsistent with those from other studies of populations with similar exposures, and either reflect inadequate statistical power, bias, or unique relations between exposure and disease risk. In this paper, we explore these possibilities, and present evidence that the HTDS statistical power was inadequate due to complex uncertainties associated with the mathematical models and assumptions used to reconstruct individual doses. We conclude that, at the very least, the confidence intervals reported by the HTDS for thyroid cancer and other thyroid diseases are too narrow because they fail to reflect key uncertainties in the measurement-error structure. We recommend that the HTDS results be interpreted as inconclusive rather than as evidence for little or no disease risk from Hanford exposures.

Diabetes self-management education for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review of the effect on glycemic control.

PubMed

Chrvala, Carole A; Sherr, Dawn; Lipman, Ruth D

2016-06-01

Assess effect of diabetes self-management education and support methods, providers, duration, and contact time on glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, and PsycINFO to December 2013 for interventions which included elements to improve participants' knowledge, skills, and ability to perform self-management activities as well as informed decision-making around goal setting. This review included 118 unique interventions, with 61.9% reporting significant changes in A1C. Overall mean reduction in A1C was 0.74 and 0.17 for intervention and control groups; an average absolute reduction in A1C of 0.57. A combination of group and individual engagement results in the largest decreases in A1C (0.88). Contact hours ≥10 were associated with a greater proportion of interventions with significant reduction in A1C (70.3%). In patients with persistently elevated glycemic values (A1C>9), a greater proportion of studies reported statistically significant reduction in A1C (83.9%). This systematic review found robust data demonstrating that engagement in diabetes self-management education results in a statistically significant decrease in A1C levels. The data suggest mode of delivery, hours of engagement, and baseline A1C can affect the likelihood of achieving statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in A1C. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Tuberculosis among Veterans, Military Personnel and their Families in East Azerbaijan Province Violators of the last 15 Years.

PubMed

Azad Aminjan, Maboud; Moaddab, Seyyed Reza; Hosseini Ravandi, Mohammad; Kazemi Haki, Behzad

2015-10-01

Nowadays in the world, tuberculosis is the second largest killer of adults after HIV. Due to the location of presidios that is mostly located in hazardous zones soldiers and army personnel are considered high risk, therefore we decided to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis status in this group of people. This was a cross-sectional descriptive research that studied the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in soldiers and military personnel in the last 15 years in tuberculosis and lung disease research center at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The statistical population consisted of all the soldiers and military personnel. The detection method in this study was based on microscopic examination following Ziehl-Neelsen Stain and in Leuven Stein Johnson culturing. Descriptive statistics was used for statistical analysis and statistical values less than 0.05 were considered significant. By review information in this center since the 1988-2013 with 72 military personnel suffering from tuberculosis, it was revealed that among them 30 women, 42 men, 14 soldiers, 29 family members, and 29 military personnel are pointed. A significant correlation was found between TB rates among military personnel and their families. Although in recent years, the national statistics indicate a decline of tuberculosis, but the results of our study showed that TB is still a serious disease that must comply with the first symptoms of tuberculosis in military personnel and their families that should be diagnosed as soon as possible.

Air Quality Over the Canadian Oil Sands: A First Assessment Using Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McLinden, C. A.; Fioletov, V.; Boersma, K. F.; Krotkov, N.; Sioris, C. E.; Veefkind, J. P.; Yang, K.

2012-01-01

Results from the first assessment of air quality over the Canadian oil sands -- one ofthe largest industrial undertakings in human history -- using satellite remote sensing observations of two pollutants, nitrogen dioxide (N0O) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), are presented. High-resolution maps were created that revealed distinct enhancements in both species over an area (roughly 30 km x 50 km) of intensive surface mining at scales of a few kilometers. The magnitude of these enhancements, quantified in terms of total mass, are comparable to the largest seen in Canada from individual sources. The rate of increase in NO2 between 2005 and 2010 was assessed at 10.4 +/- 3.5%/year and resulted from increases both in local values as well as the spatial extent of the enhancement. This is broadly consistent with both surface-measurement trends and increases in annual bitumen production. An increase in SO2 was also found, but given larger uncertainties, it is not statistically significant.

Quantitative structure-activity relationships by neural networks and inductive logic programming. II. The inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase by triazines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirst, Jonathan D.; King, Ross D.; Sternberg, Michael J. E.

1994-08-01

One of the largest available data sets for developing a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) — the inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) by 2,4-diamino-6,6-dimethyl-5-phenyl-dihydrotriazine derivatives — has been used for a sixfold cross-validation trial of neural networks, inductive logic programming (ILP) and linear regression. No statistically significant difference was found between the predictive capabilities of the methods. However, the representation of molecules by attributes, which is integral to the ILP approach, provides understandable rules about drug-receptor interactions.

Accuracy of a computer-aided surgical simulation protocol for orthognathic surgery: a prospective multicenter study.

PubMed

Hsu, Sam Sheng-Pin; Gateno, Jaime; Bell, R Bryan; Hirsch, David L; Markiewicz, Michael R; Teichgraeber, John F; Zhou, Xiaobo; Xia, James J

2013-01-01

The purpose of this prospective multicenter study was to assess the accuracy of a computer-aided surgical simulation (CASS) protocol for orthognathic surgery. The accuracy of the CASS protocol was assessed by comparing planned outcomes with postoperative outcomes of 65 consecutive patients enrolled from 3 centers. Computer-generated surgical splints were used for all patients. For the genioplasty, 1 center used computer-generated chin templates to reposition the chin segment only for patients with asymmetry. Standard intraoperative measurements were used without the chin templates for the remaining patients. The primary outcome measurements were the linear and angular differences for the maxilla, mandible, and chin when the planned and postoperative models were registered at the cranium. The secondary outcome measurements were the maxillary dental midline difference between the planned and postoperative positions and the linear and angular differences of the chin segment between the groups with and without the use of the template. The latter were measured when the planned and postoperative models were registered at the mandibular body. Statistical analyses were performed, and the accuracy was reported using root mean square deviation (RMSD) and the Bland-Altman method for assessing measurement agreement. In the primary outcome measurements, there was no statistically significant difference among the 3 centers for the maxilla and mandible. The largest RMSDs were 1.0 mm and 1.5° for the maxilla and 1.1 mm and 1.8° for the mandible. For the chin, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups with and without the use of the chin template. The chin template group showed excellent accuracy, with the largest positional RMSD of 1.0 mm and the largest orientation RMSD of 2.2°. However, larger variances were observed in the group not using the chin template. This was significant in the anteroposterior and superoinferior directions and the in pitch and yaw orientations. In the secondary outcome measurements, the RMSD of the maxillary dental midline positions was 0.9 mm. When registered at the body of the mandible, the linear and angular differences of the chin segment between the groups with and without the use of the chin template were consistent with the results found in the primary outcome measurements. Using this computer-aided surgical simulation protocol, the computerized plan can be transferred accurately and consistently to the patient to position the maxilla and mandible at the time of surgery. The computer-generated chin template provides greater accuracy in repositioning the chin segment than the intraoperative measurements. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linking giant earthquakes with the subduction of oceanic fracture zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landgrebe, T. C.; Müller, R. D.; EathByte Group

2011-12-01

Giant subduction earthquakes are known to occur in areas not previously identified as prone to high seismic risk. This highlights the need to better identify subduction zone segments potentially dominated by relatively long (up to 1000 years and more) recurrence times of giant earthquakes. Global digital data sets represent a promising source of information for a multi-dimensional earthquake hazard analysis. We combine the NGDC global Significant Earthquakes database with a global strain rate map, gridded ages of the ocean floor, and a recently produced digital data set for oceanic fracture zones, major aseismic ridges and volcanic chains to investigate the association of earthquakes as a function of magnitude with age of the downgoing slab and convergence rates. We use a so-called Top-N recommendation method, a technology originally developed to search, sort, classify, and filter very large and often statistically skewed data sets on the internet, to analyse the association of subduction earthquakes sorted by magnitude with key parameters. The Top-N analysis is used to progressively assess how strongly particular "tectonic niche" locations (e.g. locations along subduction zones intersected with aseismic ridges or volcanic chains) are associated with sets of earthquakes in sorted order in a given magnitude range. As the total number N of sorted earthquakes is increased, by progressively including smaller-magnitude events, the so-called recall is computed, defined as the number of Top-N earthquakes associated with particular target areas divided by N. The resultant statistical measure represents an intuitive description of the effectiveness of a given set of parameters to account for the location of significant earthquakes on record. We use this method to show that the occurrence of great (magnitude ≥ 8) earthquakes on overriding plate segments is strongly biased towards intersections of oceanic fracture zones with subduction zones. These intersection regions are linked with 8 of the largest 10, 18 of the largest 25, about half of the largest 100 subduction earthquakes, as well as with the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. Subduction zone intersections with volcanic chains are not found to be associated with a significantly elevated risk for great earthquakes globally. This difference likely arises from subducting fracture zone ridges leading to stronger seismic coupling than subducting volcanic chains.

Characteristics of the 100 Largest Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts in the United States: 2003-04. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2006-329

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalton, Ben; Sable, Jennifer; Hoffman, Lee

2006-01-01

The purpose of this publication is to provide basic descriptive information about the 100 largest school districts (ranked by student membership, that is, the number of students enrolled at the beginning of the school year) for the 2003-04 school year in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the…

Trends in Surface-Water Nitrate-N Concentrations and Loads from Predominantly-Forested Watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eshleman, K. N.

2011-12-01

Water quality monitoring data from streams and rivers provide the "gold standard" by which progress toward achieving real reductions in nutrient loadings to Chesapeake Bay must ultimately be assessed. The most recent trend results posted at the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) website reveal that a substantial percentage of tributaries are now showing long-term declines in flow-adjusted concentrations of nutrients and sediments: 22 sites showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) downward trends (1985-2010) in flow-adjusted concentrations, two sites showed upward trends, and eight sites showed no trend. Based on the data, the CBP has drawn the following conclusion: "At many monitored locations, long-term trends indicate that management actions, such as pollution controls for improved wastewater treatment plants and practices to reduce nutrients on farms and suburban lands, have reduced concentrations of nitrogen." But could this conclusion be pre-mature? I recently undertook a comparable analysis of long-term nitrate-N trends for a different group of watersheds (all located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed with long data records); this group includes nine watersheds that are predominantly (i.e., >75%) forested, plus five other Potomac River subwatersheds added for comparison. Based on comparable data and analytical methods to those used by CBP partners and USGS, 13 of the 14 sites-including both Potomac River stations (Chain Bridge at Washington DC and Hancock, Maryland)-showed statistically significant decreasing linear trends in annual flow-weighted nitrate-N concentration. Only one station-the heavily agricultural Upper Monocacy River-did not show a statistically significant (p < 0.05) trend. Five of the predominantly-forested watersheds also showed statistically significant decreasing trends in annual nitrate-N loads, and none of the stations showed a trend in annual runoff presumably due to high inter-annual hydroclimatological variability. While the largest absolute changes in nitrate-N concentration corresponded to the least forested watersheds, the largest percentage changes in nitrate-N concentration were actually observed for those watersheds with the greatest percentages of forestland. This result suggests that the natural dynamics of forests may be playing a very important (and under-appreciated) role in improving water quality throughout the Bay watershed. A second interesting finding was that the statistically significant reductions in annual nitrate-N concentration at the Potomac River RIM station could be entirely explained by commensurate improvements at the upstream (Hancock) station; in fact, no trend in nitrate-N concentration associated with the eastern portion of the basin was found (after subtracting out the influence of the upstream portion). Additional research is needed to understand why nitrogen retention by forested lands may be increasing and thus helping restore water quality throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The results also have obvious implications for meeting local water quality goals as well as the basin-wide goal of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL for nitrogen.

Order statistics applied to the most massive and most distant galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waizmann, J.-C.; Ettori, S.; Bartelmann, M.

2013-06-01

In this work, we present an analytic framework for calculating the individual and joint distributions of the nth most massive or nth highest redshift galaxy cluster for a given survey characteristic allowing us to formulate Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) exclusion criteria. We show that the cumulative distribution functions steepen with increasing order, giving them a higher constraining power with respect to the extreme value statistics. Additionally, we find that the order statistics in mass (being dominated by clusters at lower redshifts) is sensitive to the matter density and the normalization of the matter fluctuations, whereas the order statistics in redshift is particularly sensitive to the geometric evolution of the Universe. For a fixed cosmology, both order statistics are efficient probes of the functional shape of the mass function at the high-mass end. To allow a quick assessment of both order statistics, we provide fits as a function of the survey area that allow percentile estimation with an accuracy better than 2 per cent. Furthermore, we discuss the joint distributions in the two-dimensional case and find that for the combination of the largest and the second largest observation, it is most likely to find them to be realized with similar values with a broadly peaked distribution. When combining the largest observation with higher orders, it is more likely to find a larger gap between the observations and when combining higher orders in general, the joint probability density function peaks more strongly. Having introduced the theory, we apply the order statistical analysis to the Southpole Telescope (SPT) massive cluster sample and metacatalogue of X-ray detected clusters of galaxies catalogue and find that the 10 most massive clusters in the sample are consistent with ΛCDM and the Tinker mass function. For the order statistics in redshift, we find a discrepancy between the data and the theoretical distributions, which could in principle indicate a deviation from the standard cosmology. However, we attribute this deviation to the uncertainty in the modelling of the SPT survey selection function. In turn, by assuming the ΛCDM reference cosmology, order statistics can also be utilized for consistency checks of the completeness of the observed sample and of the modelling of the survey selection function.

[Diffusion weighted imaging and perfusion weighted imaging in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant renal masses on 3.0 T MRI].

PubMed

Xu, Xiaowen; Wang, Peijun; Ma, Liang; Shao, Zhihong; Zhang, Min

2015-01-20

To explore the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) in identifying benign and malignant renal masses and differentiating the histological types of renal masses. Fifteen healthy volunteers and 46 patients with renal masses proven by pathology, including clear cell carcinomas (n = 18), papillary carcinomas (n = 8), chromophobe carcinomas (n = 7) and angiomyolipomas (n = 13), were examined with DWI and PWI scan at 3.0 T MRI. ANOVA was employed to compare the values of transfer constant (K(trans)), rate constant of backflux (Kep) and extra-vascular extra-cellular space fractional volume (Ve) proceeded by PWI and the value of ADC resulted from DWI between normal kidney and different histological types of renal masses. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to analyze and compare the diagnostic value of the methods of PWI and DWI in differentiating benign and malignant renal masses. The ADC value of normal renal parenchyma was (2.10 ± 0.24) × 10⁻³ mm²/s, which was statistically higher than benign and malignant renal masses (P < 0.05). The ADC value of benign masses was statistically higher than that of all histological types of malignant masses (P < 0.05). Among three histological types of malignancies, clear cell carcinoma showed the statistically highest ADC value (P < 0.05). But the difference between papillary carcinoma and chromophobe carcinoma had no statistical significance (P > 0.05).Values of K(trans), Kep and Ve between normal renal parenchyma and different histological types of renal masses had statistical differences.Values of K(trans) and Ve in three histological types of malignant renal masses were statistically higher than those of benign renal masses.Kep value of clear cell carcinoma was significantly higher than that of benign renal masses (P < 0.05).However, other histological types of malignant masses had no significant difference with benign masses.For three malignant masses, K(trans) of clear cell carcinoma, papillary carcinoma and chromophobe carcinoma were (0.85 ± 0.27), (0.51 ± 0.04) and (0.39 ± 0.05)/min respectively. All values gradually reduced. And the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The Ve value of renal clear cell carcinoma was statistically higher than that of papillary carcinoma (P < 0.05). ROC curve was used to analyze and compare the diagnostic value of PWI versus DWI in differentiating benign and malignant renal masses. The K(trans) of benign and malignant renal masses had the largest AUC (AUC = 0.937) at a threshold of 0.38/min. And there were a sensitivity of 87.9% and a specificity of 85.7%. The AUC of ADC was 0.823, sensitivity 72.7% and specificity 92.9%. The ADC threshold for differentiating benign from malignant masses was 1.40 × 10⁻³ mm²/s; AUC of Ve 0.803, sensitivity 78.8% and specificity 71.4%, a threshold of 0.29/min; Kep showed lower diagnostic value. 3.0 T MRI DWI and PWI can effectively differentiate benign and different histological types of malignant renal masses. And PWI is superior to DWI in differentiating benign and malignant renal masses.K(trans) with the largest AUC showed the highest diagnostic value. And ADC is also irreplaceable in providing the information of cellular structural features and the movement of water diffusion.

Identifying Gaps in the Performance of Pediatric Trainees Who Receive Marginal/Unsatisfactory Ratings.

PubMed

Li, Su-Ting T; Tancredi, Daniel J; Schwartz, Alan; Guillot, Ann; Burke, Ann; Trimm, R Franklin; Guralnick, Susan; Mahan, John D; Gifford, Kimberly A

2018-01-01

To perform a derivation study to determine in which subcompetencies marginal/unsatisfactory pediatric residents had the greatest deficits compared with their satisfactorily performing peers and which subcompetencies best discriminated between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactorily performing residents. Multi-institutional cohort study of all 21 milestones (rated on four or five levels) reported to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and global marginal/unsatisfactory versus satisfactory performance reported to the American Board of Pediatrics. Data were gathered in 2013-2014. For each level of training (postgraduate year [PGY] 1, 2, and 3), mean differences between milestone levels of residents with marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory performance adjusted for clustering by program and C-statistics (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) were calculated. A Bonferroni-corrected significance threshold of .0007963 was used to account for multiple comparisons. Milestone and overall performance evaluations for 1,704 pediatric residents in 41 programs were obtained. For PGY1s, two subcompetencies had almost a one-point difference in milestone levels between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory trainees and outstanding discrimination (≥ 0.90): organize/prioritize (0.93; C-statistic: 0.91) and transfer of care (0.97; C-statistic: 0.90). The largest difference between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory PGY2s was trustworthiness (0.78). The largest differences between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory PGY3s were ethical behavior (1.17), incorporating feedback (1.03), and professionalization (0.96). For PGY2s and PGY3s, no subcompetencies had outstanding discrimination. Marginal/unsatisfactory pediatric residents had different subcompetency gaps at different training levels. While PGY1s may have global deficits, senior residents may have different performance deficiencies requiring individualized counseling and targeted performance improvement plans.

Neuron density is decreased in the prefrontal cortex in Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Lew, Caroline Horton; Brown, Chelsea; Bellugi, Ursula; Semendeferi, Katerina

2017-01-01

Williams Syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder associated with a hemideletion in chromosome 7, which manifests a distinct behavioral phenotype characterized by a hyperaffiliative social drive, in striking contrast to the social avoidance behaviors that are common in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). MRI studies have observed structural and functional abnormalities in WS cortex, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region implicated in social cognition. This study utilizes the Bellugi Williams Syndrome Brain Collection, a unique resource that comprises the largest WS postmortem brain collection in existence, and is the first to quantitatively examine WS PFC cytoarchitecture. We measured neuron density in layers II/III and V/VI of five cortical areas: PFC areas BA 10 and BA 11, primary motor BA 4, primary somatosensory BA 3, and visual area BA 18 in six matched pairs of WS and typically developing (TD) controls. Neuron density in PFC was lower in WS relative to TD, with layers V/VI demonstrating the largest decrease in density, reaching statistical significance in BA 10. In contrast, BA 3 and BA 18 demonstrated a higher density in WS compared to TD, although this difference was not statistically significant. Neuron density in BA 4 was similar in WS and TD. While other cortical areas were altered in WS, prefrontal areas appeared to be most affected. Neuron density is also altered in the PFC of individuals with ASD. Together these findings suggest that the PFC is targeted in neurodevelopmental disorders associated with sociobehavioral alterations. Autism Res 2017, 10: 99-112. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

77 FR 74740 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-17

... burden, to (1) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention... improve worldwide balance of payments statistics. Respondents are primarily the largest banks, securities...

Widespread Pressure Pain Hyperalgesia in Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain with Neuropathic Features: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Lopez-de-Uralde-Villanueva, Ibai; Beltran-Alacreu, Hector; Fernandez-Carnero, Josue; Kindelan-Calvo, Paula; La Touche, Roy

2016-02-01

Neck pain has an elevated prevalence worldwide. Most people with neck pain are diagnosed as nonspecific neck pain patients. Poor recovery in neck disorders, as well as high levels of pain and disability, are associated with widespread sensory hypersensitivity. Nevertheless, there is controversy regarding the presence of widespread hyperalgesia in chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNSNP); this lack of agreement could be due to the presence of different pathophysiological mechanisms in CNSNP. To determinate differences in pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) over extracervical and cervical regions, and differences in cervical range of motion (ROM) between patients with CNSNP with and without neuropathic features (NF and No-NF, respectively). In addition, this study expected to observe correlations in these 2 types of CNSNP of psychosocial factors with PPTs and with cervical ROM separately. Descriptive, cross-sectional study. A hospital physiotherapy outpatient department. This research involved 53 patients with CNSNP that had obtained a Self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs pain scale (S-LANSS) score = 12 (pain with NF, NF group); 54 that had obtained a S-LANSS score < 12 (pain with No-NF, No-NF group), and 53 healthy controls (control group, CG). Measures included: PPTs (suboccipital muscle, upper fibers trapezius muscle, lateral epicondyle, and anterior tibial muscle), cervical ROM (flexion, extension, rotation, and latero-flexion), pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale [VAS]), neck disability index (NDI), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-11 [TSK-11]), and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). A statistically significant effect was observed for the group factor in all assessed measures (P < 0.01). Both CNSNP groups showed statistically significant differences compared to the CG for PPTs in the cervical region (suboccipital and upper fibers trapezius muscles), but only the NF group demonstrated statistically significant differences for PPTs in the lateral epincondyle and anterior tibial muscle when compared to the CG or No-NF group. The largest statistically significant correlation found in the NF group was between PPT in the anterior tibial muscle and TSK-11 (r = -0.372; P < 0.01), while in the No-NF group it was between PPT in the suboccipital muscle and NDI (r = -0.288; P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the 2 CNSNP groups and CG in all cervical ROMs, but not between both CNSNP groups. The largest statistically significant correlation observed in the NF group was between cervical total rotation and TSK-11 (r = -0.473; P < 0.01), while in the No-NF group it was between cervical total latero-flexion and PCS (r = -0.532; P < 0.01). Although the S-LANSS scale has been validated as a screening tool for pain with NF, currently there is no "gold standard," so these findings should be interpreted with caution. Widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia was detected in patients with CNSNP with NF, but not in patients with CNSNP with No-NF. Patients with CNSNP presented bilateral pressure pain hyperalgesia over the cervical region and a decreased cervical ROM compared to healthy controls. However, no differences were found between the 2 CNSNP groups. These findings suggest differences in the mechanism of pain processing between patients with CNSNP with NF and No-NF.

Condylar positional changes in rapid maxillary expansion assessed with cone-beam computer tomography.

PubMed

McLeod, Lauren; Hernández, Ivonne A; Heo, Giseon; Lagravère, Manuel O

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of condylar spatial changes in patients having rapid maxillary expansion treatments compared to a control group. Thirty-seven patients with maxillary transverse deficiency (11-17 years old) were randomly allocated into two groups (one treatment group - tooth borne expander [hyrax] - and one control group). Cone-beam computer tomographies (CBCT) were obtained from each patient at two time points (initial T1 and at removal of appliance at 6 months T2). CBCTs were analyzed using AVIZO software and landmarks were placed on the upper first molars and premolars, cranial base, condyles and glenoid fossa. Descriptive statistics, intraclass correlation coefficients and one-way Anova analysis were used to determine if there was a change in condyle position with respect to the glenoid fossa and cranial base and if there was a statistically significant difference between groups. Descriptive statistics show that changes in the condyle position with respect to the glenoid fossa were minor in both groups (<1.9mm average for both groups). The largest difference in both groups was found when measuring the distance between the left and right condyle heads. When comparing changes between both groups, no statistically significant difference was found between changes in the condyles (P<0.05). Rapid maxillary expansion treatments present mild effects/changes on the condylar position. Nevertheless, these changes do not present a significant difference with controls, thus not constituting a limitation for applying this treatment. Copyright © 2016 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowell, Lisa H.; Ludtke, Amy S.; Mueller, David K.; Scott, Jonathon C.

2011-01-01

Considering all the information evaluated in this report, there were significant differences between pre-landfall and post-landfall samples for PAH concentrations in sediment. Pre-landfall and post-landfall samples did not differ significantly in concentrations or benchmark exceedances for most organics in water or trace elements in sediment. For trace elements in water, aquatic-life benchmarks were exceeded in almost 50 percent of samples, but the high and variable analytical reporting levels precluded statistical comparison of benchmark exceedances between sampling periods. Concentrations of several PAH compounds in sediment were significantly higher in post-landfall samples than pre-landfall samples, and five of seven sites with the largest differences in PAH concentrations also had diagnostic geochemical evidence of Deepwater Horizon Macondo-1 oil from Rosenbauer and others (2010).

Reconsidering barriers to wind power projects: community engagement, developer transparency and place

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

Firestone, Jeremy; Hoen, Ben; Rand, Joseph

In 2016, we undertook a nationally representative wind power perceptions survey of individuals living within 8 km of over 600 projects in the United States, generating 1705 telephone, web, and mail responses. We sought information on a variety of topics, including procedural fairness and its relationship to project attitude, the foci of the present analysis. Here, we present a series of descriptive statistics and regression results, emphasizing those residents who were aware of their local project prior to construction. Sample weighting is employed to account for stratification and non-response. We find that a developer being open and transparent, a communitymore » being able to influence the outcome, and having a say in the planning process are all statistically significant predictors of a process perceived as being ‘fair,’ with an open and transparent developer having the largest effect. We also find developer transparency and ability to influence outcomes to have statistically significant relationships to a more positive attitude, with those findings holding when aesthetics, landscape, and wind turbine sound considerations are controlled for. The results indicate that jurisdictions might consider developing procedures, which ensure citizens are consulted and heard, and benchmarks or best practices for developer interaction with communities and citizens.« less

Reconsidering barriers to wind power projects: community engagement, developer transparency and place

DOE PAGES

Firestone, Jeremy; Hoen, Ben; Rand, Joseph; ...

2017-12-21

In 2016, we undertook a nationally representative wind power perceptions survey of individuals living within 8 km of over 600 projects in the United States, generating 1705 telephone, web, and mail responses. We sought information on a variety of topics, including procedural fairness and its relationship to project attitude, the foci of the present analysis. Here, we present a series of descriptive statistics and regression results, emphasizing those residents who were aware of their local project prior to construction. Sample weighting is employed to account for stratification and non-response. We find that a developer being open and transparent, a communitymore » being able to influence the outcome, and having a say in the planning process are all statistically significant predictors of a process perceived as being ‘fair,’ with an open and transparent developer having the largest effect. We also find developer transparency and ability to influence outcomes to have statistically significant relationships to a more positive attitude, with those findings holding when aesthetics, landscape, and wind turbine sound considerations are controlled for. The results indicate that jurisdictions might consider developing procedures, which ensure citizens are consulted and heard, and benchmarks or best practices for developer interaction with communities and citizens.« less

Informal Care and Inter-vivos Transfers: Results from the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women

PubMed Central

Norton, Edward C.; Nicholas, Lauren H.; Huang, Sean Sheng-Hsiu

2013-01-01

Informal care is the largest source of long-term care for elderly, surpassing home health care and nursing home care. By definition, informal care is unpaid. It remains a puzzle why so many adult children give freely of their time. Transfers of time to the older generation may be balanced by financial transfers going to the younger generation. This leads to the question of whether informal care and inter-vivos transfers are causally related. We analyze data from the 1999 and 2003 waves of National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women. We examine whether the elderly parents give more inter-vivos monetary transfers to adult children who provide informal care, by examining both the extensive and intensive margins of financial transfers and of informal care. We find statistically significant results that a child who provides informal care is more likely to receive inter-vivos transfers than a sibling who does not. If a child does provide care, there is no statistically significant effect on the amount of the transfer. PMID:25285181

Climate change and the detection of trends in annual runoff

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCabe, G.J.; Wolock, D.M.

1997-01-01

This study examines the statistical likelihood of detecting a trend in annual runoff given an assumed change in mean annual runoff, the underlying year-to-year variability in runoff, and serial correlation of annual runoff. Means, standard deviations, and lag-1 serial correlations of annual runoff were computed for 585 stream gages in the conterminous United States, and these statistics were used to compute the probability of detecting a prescribed trend in annual runoff. Assuming a linear 20% change in mean annual runoff over a 100 yr period and a significance level of 95%, the average probability of detecting a significant trend was 28% among the 585 stream gages. The largest probability of detecting a trend was in the northwestern U.S., the Great Lakes region, the northeastern U.S., the Appalachian Mountains, and parts of the northern Rocky Mountains. The smallest probability of trend detection was in the central and southwestern U.S., and in Florida. Low probabilities of trend detection were associated with low ratios of mean annual runoff to the standard deviation of annual runoff and with high lag-1 serial correlation in the data.

Observations relating extreme multi-basin river flows to very severe gales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillier, John; De Luca, Paolo; Wilby, Rob; Quinn, Nevil; Harrigan, Shaun

2017-04-01

Fluvial foods are typically investigated as 'events' at the single basin scale. However, applying a recently developed methodology to identify the largest multi-basin peak flow events allows a statistically significant relationship between them and episodes of very severe gales (VSG) to be identified; such a systematic link has previously only very tentatively been proposed for extra-tropical cyclone seasons, where damaging wind and rain are commonly non-synchronous. Annual maximum river peak flow (AMAX) data during 1975-2014 for 261 non-nested catchments (i.e. with no other sites upstream) in Great Britain are used, and a 13-day window is selected. A simple correlation between metrics that are proxies for damaging wind and flooding is statistically significant (r = 0.41, p = 0.0088). Also, taking the most severe 50% and 30% of years for wind and flow respectively, co-occurrence is expected 6.6 times in 40 years whilst 10 are observed (p = 0.021; simulation with n = 10,000), making co-occurrence of the extremes 52% more likely than expected by chance. This has implications for emergency response and financial planning (e.g. insurance).

Ranking Bias in Association Studies

PubMed Central

Jeffries, Neal O.

2009-01-01

Background It is widely appreciated that genomewide association studies often yield overestimates of the association of a marker with disease when attention focuses upon the marker showing the strongest relationship. For example, in a case-control setting the largest (in absolute value) estimated odds ratio has been found to typically overstate the association as measured in a second, independent set of data. The most common reason given for this observation is that the choice of the most extreme test statistic is often conditional upon first observing a significant p value associated with the marker. A second, less appreciated reason is described here. Under common circumstances it is the multiple testing of many markers and subsequent focus upon those with most extreme test statistics (i.e. highly ranked results) that leads to bias in the estimated effect sizes. Conclusions This bias, termed ranking bias, is separate from that arising from conditioning on a significant p value and may often be a more important factor in generating bias. An analytic description of this bias, simulations demonstrating its extent, and identification of some factors leading to its exacerbation are presented. PMID:19172085

Critical behavior in earthquake energy dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanliss, James; Muñoz, Víctor; Pastén, Denisse; Toledo, Benjamín; Valdivia, Juan Alejandro

2017-09-01

We explore bursty multiscale energy dissipation from earthquakes flanked by latitudes 29° S and 35.5° S, and longitudes 69.501° W and 73.944° W (in the Chilean central zone). Our work compares the predictions of a theory of nonequilibrium phase transitions with nonstandard statistical signatures of earthquake complex scaling behaviors. For temporal scales less than 84 hours, time development of earthquake radiated energy activity follows an algebraic arrangement consistent with estimates from the theory of nonequilibrium phase transitions. There are no characteristic scales for probability distributions of sizes and lifetimes of the activity bursts in the scaling region. The power-law exponents describing the probability distributions suggest that the main energy dissipation takes place due to largest bursts of activity, such as major earthquakes, as opposed to smaller activations which contribute less significantly though they have greater relative occurrence. The results obtained provide statistical evidence that earthquake energy dissipation mechanisms are essentially "scale-free", displaying statistical and dynamical self-similarity. Our results provide some evidence that earthquake radiated energy and directed percolation belong to a similar universality class.

THE RADIO/GAMMA-RAY CONNECTION IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN THE ERA OF THE FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE

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

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.

We present a detailed statistical analysis of the correlation between radio and gamma-ray emission of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) detected by Fermi during its first year of operation, with the largest data sets ever used for this purpose. We use both archival interferometric 8.4 GHz data (from the Very Large Array and ATCA, for the full sample of 599 sources) and concurrent single-dish 15 GHz measurements from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO, for a sub sample of 199 objects). Our unprecedentedly large sample permits us to assess with high accuracy the statistical significance of the correlation, using amore » surrogate data method designed to simultaneously account for common-distance bias and the effect of a limited dynamical range in the observed quantities. We find that the statistical significance of a positive correlation between the centimeter radio and the broadband (E > 100 MeV) gamma-ray energy flux is very high for the whole AGN sample, with a probability of <10{sup -7} for the correlation appearing by chance. Using the OVRO data, we find that concurrent data improve the significance of the correlation from 1.6 x 10{sup -6} to 9.0 x 10{sup -8}. Our large sample size allows us to study the dependence of correlation strength and significance on specific source types and gamma-ray energy band. We find that the correlation is very significant (chance probability < 10{sup -7}) for both flat spectrum radio quasars and BL Lac objects separately; a dependence of the correlation strength on the considered gamma-ray energy band is also present, but additional data will be necessary to constrain its significance.« less

The radio/gamma-ray connection in active galactic nuclei in the era of the Fermi Large Area Telescope

DOE PAGES

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.; ...

2011-10-12

We present a detailed statistical analysis of the correlation between radio and gamma-ray emission of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) detected by Fermi during its first year of operation, with the largest data sets ever used for this purpose. We use both archival interferometric 8.4 GHz data (from the Very Large Array and ATCA, for the full sample of 599 sources) and concurrent single-dish 15 GHz measurements from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO, for a sub sample of 199 objects). Our unprecedentedly large sample permits us to assess with high accuracy the statistical significance of the correlation, using amore » surrogate data method designed to simultaneously account for common-distance bias and the effect of a limited dynamical range in the observed quantities. We find that the statistical significance of a positive correlation between the centimeter radio and the broadband (E > 100 MeV) gamma-ray energy flux is very high for the whole AGN sample, with a probability of <10 –7 for the correlation appearing by chance. Using the OVRO data, we find that concurrent data improve the significance of the correlation from 1.6 × 10 –6 to 9.0 × 10 –8. Our large sample size allows us to study the dependence of correlation strength and significance on specific source types and gamma-ray energy band. As a result, we find that the correlation is very significant (chance probability < 10 –7) for both flat spectrum radio quasars and BL Lac objects separately; a dependence of the correlation strength on the considered gamma-ray energy band is also present, but additional data will be necessary to constrain its significance.« less

The Radio/Gamma-Ray Connection in Active Galactic Nuclei in the Era of the Fermi Large Area Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.; Angelakis, E.; Axelsson, M.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bellazzini, R.;

Heritability estimates of dental arch parameters in Lithuanian twins.

PubMed

Švalkauskienė, Vilma; Šmigelskas, Kastytis; Šalomskienė, Loreta; Andriuškevičiūtė, Irena; Šalomskienė, Aurelija; Vasiliauskas, Arūnas; Šidlauskas, Antanas

2015-01-01

The genetic influence on dental arch morphology may be country-specific, thus it is reasonable to check the estimates of genetics across different populations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the heredity of dental arch morphology in the sample of Lithuanian twins with accurate zygosity determination. The study sample consisted of digital dental models of 40 monozygotic (MZ) and 32 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. The estimates of heritability (h(2)) for dental arch breadth and length were calculated. All dental arch breadths and lengths were statistically significantly larger in men than in women. Arch length differences between genders were less expressed than largest breadth differences. In the upper jaw the largest genetic effect was found on the arch breadth between lateral incisors. The heritability of dental arch length demonstrated similar differences between upper and lower jaw with mandible dental arch length being more genetically determined. The largest genetic impact was found on the upper dental arch breadth between lateral incisors. Similar, but lower heritability is inherent for canines and first premolars of the upper jaw and first premolars of the lower jaw. It also can be noted, that arch breadths between posterior teeth show lower heritability estimates than between anterior teeth on both jaws. The dental arch in the upper jaw has more expressed genetic component than in the lower jaw.

Detection of asymmetric blotches (asymmetric structureless areas) in dermoscopy images of malignant melanoma using relative color

PubMed Central

Stoecker, William V.; Gupta, Kapil; Stanley, R. Joe; Moss, Randy H.; Shrestha, Bijaya

2011-01-01

Background Dermoscopy, also known as dermatoscopy or epiluminescence microscopy (ELM), is a non-invasive, in vivo technique, which permits visualization of features of pigmented melanocytic neoplasms that are not discernable by examination with the naked eye. One prominent feature useful for melanoma detection in dermoscopy images is the asymmetric blotch (asymmetric structureless area). Method Using both relative and absolute colors, blotches are detected in this research automatically by using thresholds in the red and green color planes. Several blotch indices are computed, including the scaled distance between the largest blotch centroid and the lesion centroid, ratio of total blotch areas to lesion area, ratio of largest blotch area to lesion area, total number of blotches, size of largest blotch, and irregularity of largest blotch. Results The effectiveness of the absolute and relative color blotch features was examined for melanoma/benign lesion discrimination over a dermoscopy image set containing 165 melanomas (151 invasive melanomas and 14 melanomas in situ) and 347 benign lesions (124 nevocellular nevi without dysplasia and 223 dysplastic nevi) using a leave-one-out neural network approach. Receiver operating characteristic curve results are shown, highlighting the sensitivity and specificity of melanoma detection. Statistical analysis of the blotch features are also presented. Conclusion Neural network and statistical analysis showed that the blotch detection method was somewhat more effective using relative color than using absolute color. The relative-color blotch detection method gave a diagnostic accuracy of about 77%. PMID:15998328

Effects of nutrient management on nitrate levels in ground water near Ephrata Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, David W.

1992-01-01

Effects of the implementation of nutrient management practices on ground-water quality were studied at a 55-acre farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from 1985-90. After nutrient management practices were implemented at the site in October 1986, statistically significant decreases (Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test) in median nitrate concentrations in ground-water samples occurred at four of the five wells monitored. The largest decreases in nitrate concentration occurred in samples collected at the wells that had the largest nitrate concentrations prior to nutrient management. The decreases in median nitrate concentrations in ground-water samples ranged from 8 to 32 percent of the median concentrations prior to nutrient management and corresponded to nitrogen application decreases of 39 to 67 percent in contributing areas that were defined upgradient of these wells. Changes in nitrogen applications to the contributing areas of five water wells were correlated (Spearman rank-sum test) with nitrate concentrations of the well water. Changes in ground-water nitrate concentrations lagged behind the changes in applied-nitrogen fertilizers (primarily manure) by approximately 4 to 19 months.

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and male facial attractiveness: new data and a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Hönekopp, Johannes

2013-10-01

Digit ratio (2D:4D) appears to correlate negatively with prenatal testosterone (T) effects in humans. As T probably increases facial masculinity, which in turn might be positively related to male facial attractiveness, a number of studies have looked into the relationship between 2D:4D and male facial attractiveness, showing equivocal results. Here, I present the largest and third largest samples so far, which investigate the relationship between 2D:4D and male facial attractiveness in adolescents (n = 115) and young men (n = 80). I then present random-effects meta-analyses of the available data (seven to eight samples, overall n = 362 to 469). These showed small (r ≈ -.09), statistically non-significant relationships between 2D:4D measures and male facial attractiveness. Thus, 2D:4D studies offer no convincing evidence at present that prenatal T has a positive effect on male facial attractiveness. However, a consideration of confidence intervals shows that, at present, a theoretically meaningful relationship between 2D:4D and male facial attractiveness cannot be ruled out either.

Morphological statistics of the cosmic web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shandarin, Sergei F.

2004-07-01

We report the first systematic study of the supercluster-void network in the ΛCDM concordance cosmology treating voids and superclusters on an equal footing. We study the dark matter density field in real space smoothed with the Ls = 5 h[minus sign]1Mpc Gaussian window. Superclusters and voids are defined as individual members of over-dense and under-dense excursion sets respectively. We determine the morphological properties of the cosmic web at a large number of dark matter density levels by computing Minkowski functionals for every supercluster and void. At the adopted smoothing scale individual superclusters totally occupy no more than about 5% of the total volume and contain no more than 20% of mass if the largest supercluster is excluded. Likewise, individual voids totally occupy no more than 14% of volume and contain no more than 4% of mass if the largest void is excluded. The genus of individual superclusters can be ˜ 5 while the genus of individual voids reaches ˜ 55, implying significant amount of substructure in superclusters and especially in voids. Large voids are typically distinctly non-spherical.

Exact intervals and tests for median when one sample value possibly an outliner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, G. J.; Walsh, J. E.

1973-01-01

Available are independent observations (continuous data) that are believed to be a random sample. Desired are distribution-free confidence intervals and significance tests for the population median. However, there is the possibility that either the smallest or the largest observation is an outlier. Then, use of a procedure for rejection of an outlying observation might seem appropriate. Such a procedure would consider that two alternative situations are possible and would select one of them. Either (1) the n observations are truly a random sample, or (2) an outlier exists and its removal leaves a random sample of size n-1. For either situation, confidence intervals and tests are desired for the median of the population yielding the random sample. Unfortunately, satisfactory rejection procedures of a distribution-free nature do not seem to be available. Moreover, all rejection procedures impose undesirable conditional effects on the observations, and also, can select the wrong one of the two above situations. It is found that two-sided intervals and tests based on two symmetrically located order statistics (not the largest and smallest) of the n observations have this property.

Evaluation of Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes of Induction in Borderline Oligohydramnios at Term.

PubMed

Rathod, Setu; Samal, Sunil Kumar

2017-09-01

Oligohydramnios is described as decreased amniotic fluid volume relative to gestational age. Semiquantitatively it is described using the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) which is calculated by adding the depth in centimetres of the largest vertical pocket in each of four equal uterine quadrants. AFI less than or equal to 5 cm is defined as oligohydramnios. A Borderline Oligohydramnios (BO) is defined as AFI 5.1-8 cm. To assess the maternal and perinatal outcome of induction in borderline oligohydramnios cases at term. This is a retrospective observational study done from December 2015 to November 2016 in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India. Fifty cases of BO with AFI 5.1 cm - 8 cm taken as case and another 50 cases of Normal Liquor (NL) with AFI 8.1 cm - 18 cm taken as control. Data was collected and analysed by SPSS software version 20.0 For qualitative data, the χ 2 -test or Fisher's-exact test were used and for continuous variables, the t-test was used. Cases and controls were matched in baseline parameters. More number of cases were found with meconium stained liquor during labour which is statistically significant (p<0.05). Otherwise there were no statistical significant difference between cases and controls in maternal and perinatal outcome. Induction of labour in cases with BO cases compared to those with NL at term did not show very statistically significant difference in terms of induction to delivery interval and neonatal outcome.

Analyzing the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises of a national technology innovation research and development program.

PubMed

Park, Sungmin

2014-01-01

This study analyzes the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of a national technology innovation research and development (R&D) program. In particular, an empirical analysis is presented that aims to answer the following question: "Is there a difference in the efficiency between R&D collaboration types and between government R&D subsidy sizes?" Methodologically, the efficiency of a government-sponsored R&D project (i.e., GSP) is measured by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and a nonparametric analysis of variance method, the Kruskal-Wallis (KW) test is adopted to see if the efficiency differences between R&D collaboration types and between government R&D subsidy sizes are statistically significant. This study's major findings are as follows. First, contrary to our hypothesis, when we controlled the influence of government R&D subsidy size, there was no statistically significant difference in the efficiency between R&D collaboration types. However, the R&D collaboration type, "SME-University-Laboratory" Joint-Venture was superior to the others, achieving the largest median and the smallest interquartile range of DEA efficiency scores. Second, the differences in the efficiency were statistically significant between government R&D subsidy sizes, and the phenomenon of diseconomies of scale was identified on the whole. As the government R&D subsidy size increases, the central measures of DEA efficiency scores were reduced, but the dispersion measures rather tended to get larger.

Mineral Trioxide Aggregate and Portland Cement for Direct Pulp Capping in Dog: A Histopathological Evaluation

PubMed Central

Bidar, Maryam; Naghavi, Neda; Mohtasham, Nooshin; Sheik-Nezami, Mahshid; Fallahrastegar, Amir; Afkhami, Farzaneh; Attaran Mashhadi, Negin; Nargesi, Iman

2014-01-01

Background and aims. Mineral trioxide aggregate and calcium hydroxide are considered the gold standard pulp-capping materials. Recently, Portland cement has been introduced with properties similar to those of mineral trioxide aggregate. Histopathological effects of direct pulp capping using mineral trioxide aggregate and Portland cements on dog dental pulp tissue were evaluated in the present study. Materials and methods. This histopatological study was carried out on 64 dog premolars. First, the pulp was exposed with a sterile bur. Then, the exposed pulp was capped with white or gray mineral trioxide aggregates and white or gray Portland cements in each quadrant and sealed with glass-ionomer. The specimens were evaluated under a light microscope after 6 months. Statistical analysis was carried out using Kruskal-Wallis test. Statistical significance was defined at α=5%. Results. There was no acute inflammation in any of the specimens. Chronic inflammation in white and gray mineral trioxide aggregates and white and gray Portland cements was reported to be 45.5%, 27.3%, 57.1% and 34.1%, respectively. Although the differences were not statistically significant, severe inflammation was observed mostly adjacent to white mineral trioxide aggregate. The largest extent of increased vascularization (45%) and the least increase in fibrous tissue were observed adjacent to white mineral trioxide aggregate, with no significant differences. In addition, the least calcified tissue formed adjacent to white mineral trioxide aggregate, although the difference was not significant. Conclusion. The materials used in this study were equally effective as pulp protection materials following direct pulp capping in dog teeth. PMID:25346831

Comparative study of the radical and standard lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the ampula of Vater.

PubMed

Albagli, Rafael Oliveira; Carvalho, Gustavo Santos Stoduto de; Mali Junior, Jorge; Eulálio, José Marcos Raso; de Melo, Eduardo Linhares Rielo

2010-12-01

To evaluate the morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing surgical pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in standard and radical lymphadenectomy for adenocarcinoma of papilla, analyzing the prognostic factors related to overall and disease-free survival. Were analyzed retrospectively from 1999 to 2007, in the Department of Abdominal and Pelvic Surgery (INCa-RJ), 50 cases of PD for adenocarcinoma of the duodenal papilla divided into two groups according to lymphadenectomy (group A: standard lymphadenectomy and group B: radical lymphadenectomy). The median age was similar in both groups, as well as the distribution between the sex. In the comparison between the lymphadenectomies, only the number of lymph nodes resected (group A: 12.3 and group B: 26.5) and operative time (group A: 421 and group B: 474) were significantly different. There were no statistically significant differences in the two groups with respect to morbidity and mortality rate and length of hospitalization. The disease-free survival (group A: 35 months and group B: 51 months) and overall survival (group A: 38 months and group B: 53 months) was higher in the group of radical lymphadenectomy, but were not statistically significant. In this study there were no cases of metastatic lymph nodes to other groups without nodal involvement of the pancreatic-duodenal lymph node chains (13, 17), suggesting a pattern of lymph node spread. Despite the radical lymphadenectomy present rates of disease-free survival and overall survival largest such data were not statistically significant. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the real role of radical lymphadenectomy in adenocarcinoma of the duodenal papilla.

Exhibition of stochastic resonance in vestibular tilt motion perception.

PubMed

Galvan-Garza, R C; Clark, T K; Mulavara, A P; Oman, C M

2018-04-03

Stochastic Resonance (SR) is a phenomenon broadly described as "noise benefit". The application of subsensory electrical Stochastic Vestibular Stimulation (SVS) via electrodes behind each ear has been used to improve human balance and gait, but its effect on motion perception thresholds has not been examined. This study investigated the capability of subsensory SVS to reduce vestibular motion perception thresholds in a manner consistent with a characteristic bell-shaped SR curve. We measured upright, head-centered, roll tilt Direction Recognition (DR) thresholds in the dark in 12 human subjects with the application of wideband 0-30 Hz SVS ranging from ±0-700 μA. To conservatively assess if SR was exhibited, we compared the proportions of both subjective and statistical SR exhibition in our experimental data to proportions of SR exhibition in multiple simulation cases with varying underlying SR behavior. Analysis included individual and group statistics. As there is not an established mathematical definition, three humans subjectively judged that SR was exhibited in 78% of subjects. "Statistically significant SR exhibition", which additionally required that a subject's DR threshold with SVS be significantly lower than baseline (no SVS), was present in 50% of subjects. Both percentages were higher than simulations suggested could occur simply by chance. For SR exhibitors, defined by subjective or statistically significant criteria, the mean DR threshold improved by -30% and -39%, respectively. The largest individual improvement was -47%. At least half of the subjects were better able to perceive passive body motion with the application of subsensory SVS. This study presents the first conclusive demonstration of SR in vestibular motion perception. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AN INDEPENDENT MEASUREMENT OF THE INCIDENCE OF Mg II ABSORBERS ALONG GAMMA-RAY BURST SIGHT LINES: THE END OF THE MYSTERY?

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

Cucchiara, A.; Prochaska, J. X.; Zhu, G.

2013-08-20

In 2006, Prochter et al. reported a statistically significant enhancement of very strong Mg II absorption systems intervening the sight lines to gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) relative to the incidence of such absorption along quasar sight lines. This counterintuitive result has inspired a diverse set of astrophysical explanations (e.g., dust, gravitational lensing) but none of these has obviously resolved the puzzle. Using the largest set of GRB afterglow spectra available, we reexamine the purported enhancement. In an independent sample of GRB spectra with a survey path three times larger than Prochter et al., we measure the incidence per unit redshift ofmore » {>=}1 A rest-frame equivalent width Mg II absorbers at z Almost-Equal-To 1 to be l(z) = 0.18 {+-} 0.06. This is fully consistent with current estimates for the incidence of such absorbers along quasar sight lines. Therefore, we do not confirm the original enhancement and suggest those results suffered from a statistical fluke. Signatures of the original result do remain in our full sample (l(z) shows an Almost-Equal-To 1.5 enhancement over l(z){sub QSO}), but the statistical significance now lies at Almost-Equal-To 90% c.l. Restricting our analysis to the subset of high-resolution spectra of GRB afterglows (which overlaps substantially with Prochter et al.), we still reproduce a statistically significant enhancement of Mg II absorption. The reason for this excess, if real, is still unclear since there is no connection between the rapid afterglow follow-up process with echelle (or echellette) spectrographs and the detectability of strong Mg II doublets. Only a larger sample of such high-resolution data will shed some light on this matter.« less

Intraoral versus extraoral measurement of the height of the interproximal contact area in maxillary anterior teeth.

PubMed

Sghaireen, Mohd G; Albhiran, Heyam Mobark; Alzoubi, Ibrahim A; Lynch, Edward; Al-Omiri, Mahmoud K

2015-01-01

This study aimed to clinically quantify the apicoincisal height of the upper interproximal areas directly in patients' mouths compared to measurements on stone models. One hundred and fifty participants (75 females and 75 males, age range 20-45 years) were recruited for this study. A digital caliper was used to measure the anterior maxillary interproximal contact areas directly in patients' mouths and on stone models. The digital caliper accuracy was up to 0.01. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS, version 19.0, Chicago, Ill., USA) was used for statistical analysis. Statistical significance was based on probability values <0.05. The intraoral measurement of proximal contacts as well as the measurement on stone models showed that the dimensions of interproximal contacts on both sides of each tooth were significantly different (p < 0.001) and that the dimension of the mesial contact point was larger than that of the distal contact point of each tooth. The largest contact point was the one between the central incisors (direct intraoral measurement = 2.9-6.49 mm; model measurement = 3.31-6.91 mm). On the other hand, the contact point between the canine and first premolar was the smallest on both sides of the arch (0.63-2.52 mm intraorally, 0.98-2.88 mm on models). The intraoral measurement of contact points was more accurate than model measurements, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The clinical evaluation of contact point dimensions using a digital caliper was more precise than measuring contact points on stone models; hence, it is a viable, quick and adequate method to be used routinely. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Methods for estimating annual exceedance-probability discharges and largest recorded floods for unregulated streams in rural Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Southard, Rodney E.; Veilleux, Andrea G.

2014-01-01

Regression analysis techniques were used to develop a set of equations for rural ungaged stream sites for estimating discharges with 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities, which are equivalent to annual flood-frequency recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 years, respectively. Basin and climatic characteristics were computed using geographic information software and digital geospatial data. A total of 35 characteristics were computed for use in preliminary statewide and regional regression analyses. Annual exceedance-probability discharge estimates were computed for 278 streamgages by using the expected moments algorithm to fit a log-Pearson Type III distribution to the logarithms of annual peak discharges for each streamgage using annual peak-discharge data from water year 1844 to 2012. Low-outlier and historic information were incorporated into the annual exceedance-probability analyses, and a generalized multiple Grubbs-Beck test was used to detect potentially influential low floods. Annual peak flows less than a minimum recordable discharge at a streamgage were incorporated into the at-site station analyses. An updated regional skew coefficient was determined for the State of Missouri using Bayesian weighted least-squares/generalized least squares regression analyses. At-site skew estimates for 108 long-term streamgages with 30 or more years of record and the 35 basin characteristics defined for this study were used to estimate the regional variability in skew. However, a constant generalized-skew value of -0.30 and a mean square error of 0.14 were determined in this study. Previous flood studies indicated that the distinct physical features of the three physiographic provinces have a pronounced effect on the magnitude of flood peaks. Trends in the magnitudes of the residuals from preliminary statewide regression analyses from previous studies confirmed that regional analyses in this study were similar and related to three primary physiographic provinces. The final regional regression analyses resulted in three sets of equations. For Regions 1 and 2, the basin characteristics of drainage area and basin shape factor were statistically significant. For Region 3, because of the small amount of data from streamgages, only drainage area was statistically significant. Average standard errors of prediction ranged from 28.7 to 38.4 percent for flood region 1, 24.1 to 43.5 percent for flood region 2, and 25.8 to 30.5 percent for region 3. The regional regression equations are only applicable to stream sites in Missouri with flows not significantly affected by regulation, channelization, backwater, diversion, or urbanization. Basins with about 5 percent or less impervious area were considered to be rural. Applicability of the equations are limited to the basin characteristic values that range from 0.11 to 8,212.38 square miles (mi2) and basin shape from 2.25 to 26.59 for Region 1, 0.17 to 4,008.92 mi2 and basin shape 2.04 to 26.89 for Region 2, and 2.12 to 2,177.58 mi2 for Region 3. Annual peak data from streamgages were used to qualitatively assess the largest floods recorded at streamgages in Missouri since the 1915 water year. Based on existing streamgage data, the 1983 flood event was the largest flood event on record since 1915. The next five largest flood events, in descending order, took place in 1993, 1973, 2008, 1994 and 1915. Since 1915, five of six of the largest floods on record occurred from 1973 to 2012.

Structured Walking and Chronic Institutionalized Schizophrenia Inmates: A pilot RCT Study on Quality of Life.

PubMed

Loh, Siew Yim; Abdullah, Amalina; Abu Bakar, Abdul Kadir; Thambu, Maniam; Nik Jaafar, Nik Ruzyanei

2015-05-21

Lifestyle moderate-intensity physical activity can lower the risk of over twenty chronic health conditions, whilst inactivity reduces daily functioning and physical health of individuals living with schizophrenia. This study conducted in 2014 examines the effect of structured walking participation on QOL, psychosocial functioning and symptoms in Hospital Permai, one of the largest psychiatry institution in Asia Chronic patients with schizophrenia (n=104) who met inclusion criteria were randomised to either a 3-month structured walking intervention or a treatment-as-usual arm. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), global functioning (PSP) and QOL (SF-36) were measured at baseline and after the 3-month interval. At 3 month follow-up, there were significant within group differences in QOL (SF-36), psychiatric symptoms (PANSS), and personal and social performance (PSP). There were statistically significant increase in the median SF-36 scores, with increases shown in physical functioning (p<.001), physical role limitations (p<.05), social functioning (p<.01) in the intervention group compared to treatment-as-usual group. Statistically significant reduction of median PANSS score of the intervention group were noted in positive (p<0.001) and negative (p<0.01) symptom, and general psychopathology (p<0.01) scales. Statistically significant increase in the median PSP score (p<0.01) was found in the intervention group compared with the treatment-as-usual group. Between-group differences at post intervention (favouring Intervention) were significant for PANSS positive and SF36 Physical In long stayed chronic inmates, a simple but consistent, organized walking intervention has the potential to bring improvement in functioning, reduction in psychiatric symptoms and quality of Life. The emphasis of rehabilitation should target at lifestyle redesign intervention.

Industry is Largest Employer of Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1977

1977-01-01

Cites statistics of a National Science Foundation report on scientists and engineers in 1974. Reports that chemists are better educated, older, have a better chance of being employed, and do more work for industry, than other scientific personnel. (MLH)

Urban Data Book : Volume 1. Urban Data - Atlanta-Miami

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

A quick reference compilation of certain population, socio-economic, employment, and modal split characteristics of the 35 largest Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA) in the United States is presented. The three basic groups or urban data ...

Percolation technique for galaxy clustering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klypin, Anatoly; Shandarin, Sergei F.

1993-01-01

We study percolation in mass and galaxy distributions obtained in 3D simulations of the CDM, C + HDM, and the power law (n = -1) models in the Omega = 1 universe. Percolation statistics is used here as a quantitative measure of the degree to which a mass or galaxy distribution is of a filamentary or cellular type. The very fast code used calculates the statistics of clusters along with the direct detection of percolation. We found that the two parameters mu(infinity), characterizing the size of the largest cluster, and mu-squared, characterizing the weighted mean size of all clusters excluding the largest one, are extremely useful for evaluating the percolation threshold. An advantage of using these parameters is their low sensitivity to boundary effects. We show that both the CDM and the C + HDM models are extremely filamentary both in mass and galaxy distribution. The percolation thresholds for the mass distributions are determined.

Vorticity and divergence in the solar photosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, YI; Noyes, Robert W.; Tarbell, Theodore D.; Title, Alan M.

1995-01-01

We have studied an outstanding sequence of continuum images of the solar granulation from Pic du Midi Observatory. We have calculated the horizontal vector flow field using a correlation tracking algorithm, and from this determined three scalar field: the vertical component of the curl; the horizontal divergence; and the horizontal flow speed. The divergence field has substantially longer coherence time and more power than does the curl field. Statistically, curl is better correlated with regions of negative divergence - that is, the vertical vorticity is higher in downflow regions, suggesting excess vorticity in intergranular lanes. The average value of the divergence is largest (i.e., outflow is largest) where the horizontal speed is large; we associate these regions with exploding granules. A numerical simulation of general convection also shows similar statistical differences between curl and divergence. Some individual small bright points in the granulation pattern show large local vorticities.

Association of monthly frequencies of diverse diseases in the calls to the public emergency service of the city of Buenos Aires during 1999-2004 with meteorological variables and seasons.

PubMed

Alexander, P

2013-01-01

This work aims to study associations between monthly averages of meteorological variables and monthly frequencies of diverse diseases in the calls to the public ambulance emergency service of the city of Buenos Aires during the years 1999-2004. Throughout this time period no changes were made in the classification codes of the illnesses. Heart disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, cardiopulmonary arrest, angina pectoris, psychiatric diseases, stroke, transient ischemic attack, syncope and the total number of calls were analyzed against 11 weather variables and the four seasons. All illnesses exhibited some seasonal behavior, except cardiorespiratory arrest and angina pectoris. The largest frequencies of illnesses that exhibited some association with the meteorological variables used to occur in winter, except the psychiatric cases. Heart failure, stroke, psychiatric diseases and the total number of calls showed significant correlations with the 11 meteorological variables considered, and the largest indices (absolute values above 0.6) were found for the former two pathologies. On the other side, cardiorespiratory arrest and angina pectoris revealed no significant correlations and nearly null indices. Variables associated with temperature were the meteorological proxies with the largest correlations against diseases. Pressure and humidity mostly exhibited positive correlations, which is the opposite of variables related to temperature. Contrary to all other diseases, psychiatric pathologies showed a clear predominance of positive correlations. Finally, the association degree of the medical dataset with recurrent patterns was further evaluated through Fourier analysis, to assess the presence of statistically significant behavior. In the Northern Hemisphere high morbidity and mortality rates in December are usually assigned to diverse factors in relation to the holidays, but such an effect is not observed in the present analysis. There seems to be no clearly preferred meteorological proxy among the different types of temperatures used. It is shown that the amount of occurrences depends mainly on season rather on its strength quantified by temperature.

Association of monthly frequencies of diverse diseases in the calls to the public emergency service of the city of Buenos Aires during 1999-2004 with meteorological variables and seasons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, P.

2013-01-01

This work aims to study associations between monthly averages of meteorological variables and monthly frequencies of diverse diseases in the calls to the public ambulance emergency service of the city of Buenos Aires during the years 1999-2004. Throughout this time period no changes were made in the classification codes of the illnesses. Heart disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, cardiopulmonary arrest, angina pectoris, psychiatric diseases, stroke, transient ischemic attack, syncope and the total number of calls were analyzed against 11 weather variables and the four seasons. All illnesses exhibited some seasonal behavior, except cardiorespiratory arrest and angina pectoris. The largest frequencies of illnesses that exhibited some association with the meteorological variables used to occur in winter, except the psychiatric cases. Heart failure, stroke, psychiatric diseases and the total number of calls showed significant correlations with the 11 meteorological variables considered, and the largest indices (absolute values above 0.6) were found for the former two pathologies. On the other side, cardiorespiratory arrest and angina pectoris revealed no significant correlations and nearly null indices. Variables associated with temperature were the meteorological proxies with the largest correlations against diseases. Pressure and humidity mostly exhibited positive correlations, which is the opposite of variables related to temperature. Contrary to all other diseases, psychiatric pathologies showed a clear predominance of positive correlations. Finally, the association degree of the medical dataset with recurrent patterns was further evaluated through Fourier analysis, to assess the presence of statistically significant behavior. In the Northern Hemisphere high morbidity and mortality rates in December are usually assigned to diverse factors in relation to the holidays, but such an effect is not observed in the present analysis. There seems to be no clearly preferred meteorological proxy among the different types of temperatures used. It is shown that the amount of occurrences depends mainly on season rather on its strength quantified by temperature.

Post ablation recanalization of varicose veins of the limbs: Comparison ablation method of mechanochemical and laser procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhartono, R.; Irfan, W.; Wangge, G.; Moenadjat, Y.; Destanto, W. I.

2017-08-01

Endovenous ablation has been performed for varicose veins of the limbs in Indonesia since 2010. Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) therapy has been performed in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta, and mechanochemical ablation (MOCA) has been conducted in Fatmawati Hospital. This was a descriptive analytical study, with a cross-sectional design to analyze post-ablation recanalization after MOCA and EVLA procedures. Patients who had undergone MOCA or EVLA treatment were interviewed 3-18 months after the procedures. All the patients underwent vascular ultrasonography (USG) of the operated limb to assess recanalization. Secondary presurgery data were obtained from the patients’ from patients’ medical records. The clinical characteristics of the subjects were recorded to compare the potential correlation between these characteristics and recanalization post-MOCA and EVLA procedures. All the data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 20.0. The study consisted of 43 limbs: 24 treated by MOCA and 19 treated by EVLA. Most subjects in the MOCA group were <60 years (20/24), and 16 of the subjects were women. In the EVLA group, nine patients were <60 years, and 19 were ≥60 years, 15 of whom were women. The body mass index (BMI) of the majority (18/24) of the subjects in the MOCA group was normal, whereas most of the patients in the EVLA (10/19) group were overweight. In the MOCA group, the largest diameter of the vena saphena magna (VSM) in 20/24 extremities prior to treatment was VSM 4-7 mm, whereas the largest diameter in the EVLA group prior to treatment was >7 mm in 13/19 extremities. In the MOCA group, total recanalization occurred in 2/24 extremities, and partial recanalization occurred in 8/24 extremities. In the EVLA group, total recanalization occurred in 1/19 extremities, and partial recanalization occurred in 3/19 extremities. The association between the clinical characteristics of the patients and recanalization was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The recanalization tendency was higher in the MOCA group than in the EVLA group. Although there was no statistically significant association between the clinical characteristics of the patients and recanalization, the largest diameter of the VSM presurgery (>7 mm) was higher in 3/4 extremities in the MOCA group, as compared to 3/13 extremities in the EVLA group.

The impact of the 2007-2009 recession on workers' health coverage.

PubMed

Fronstin, Paul

2011-04-01

IMPACT OF THE RECESSION: The 2007-2009 recession has taken its toll on the percentage of the population with employment-based health coverage. While, since 2000, there has been a slow erosion in the percentage of individuals under age 65 with employment-based health coverage, 2009 was the first year in which the percentage fell below 60 percent, and marked the largest one-year decline in coverage. FEWER WORKERS WITH COVERAGE: The percentage of workers with coverage through their own job fell from 53.2 percent in 2008 to 52 percent in 2009, a 2.4 percent decline in the likelihood that a worker has coverage through his or her own job. The percentage of workers with coverage as a dependent fell from 17 percent in 2008 to 16.3 percent in 2009, a 4.5 percent drop in the likelihood that a worker has coverage as a dependent. These declines occurred as the unemployment rate increased from an average of 5.8 percent in 2008 to 9.3 percent in 2009 (and reached a high of 10.1 percent during 2009). FIRM SIZE/INDUSTRY: The decline in the percentage of workers with coverage from their own job affected workers in private-sector firms of all sizes. Among public-sector workers, the decline from 73.4 percent to 73 percent was not statistically significant. Workers in all private-sector industries experienced a statistically significant decline in coverage between 2008 and 2009. HOURS WORKED: Full-time workers experienced a decline in coverage that was statistically significant while part-time workers did not. Among full-time workers, those employed full year experienced a statistically significant decline in coverage from their own job. Those employed full time but for only part of the year did not experience a statistically significant change in coverage. Among part-time workers, those employed full year experienced a statistically significant increase in the likelihood of having coverage in their own name, as did part-time workers employed for only part of the year. ANNUAL EARNINGS: The decline in the percentage of workers with coverage through their own job was limited to workers with lower annual earnings. Statistically significant declines were not found among any group of workers with annual earnings of at least $40,000. Workers with a high school education or less experienced a statistically significant decline in the likelihood of having coverage. Neither workers with a college degree nor those with a graduate degree experienced a statistically significant decline in coverage through their own job. Workers of all races experienced statistically significant declines in coverage between 2008 and 2009. Both men and women experienced a statistically significant decline in the percentage with health coverage through their own job. IMPACT OF STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE WORK FORCE: The movement of workers from the manufacturing industry to the service sector continued between 2008 and 2009. The percentage of workers employed on a full-time basis decreased while the percentage working part time increased. While there was an overall decline in the percentage of full-time workers, that decline was limited to workers employed full year. The percentage of workers employed on a full-time, part-year basis increased between 2008 and 2009. The distribution of workers by annual earnings shifted from middle-income workers to lower-income workers between 2008 and 2009.

Assessing the effect of land use change on catchment runoff by combined use of statistical tests and hydrological modelling: Case studies from Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lørup, Jens Kristian; Refsgaard, Jens Christian; Mazvimavi, Dominic

1998-03-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and assess long-term impacts of land use change on catchment runoff in semi-arid Zimbabwe, based on analyses of long hydrological time series (25-50 years) from six medium-sized (200-1000 km 2) non-experimental rural catchments. A methodology combining common statistical methods with hydrological modelling was adopted in order to distinguish between the effects of climate variability and the effects of land use change. The hydrological model (NAM) was in general able to simulate the observed hydrographs very well during the reference period, thus providing a means to account for the effects of climate variability and hence strengthening the power of the subsequent statistical tests. In the test period the validated model was used to provide the runoff record which would have occurred in the absence of land use change. The analyses indicated a decrease in the annual runoff for most of the six catchments, with the largest changes occurring for catchments located within communal land, where large increases in population and agricultural intensity have taken place. However, the decrease was only statistically significant at the 5% level for one of the catchments.

A Population Study of Gaseous Exoplanets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsiaras, A.; Waldmann, I. P.; Zingales, T.; Rocchetto, M.; Morello, G.; Damiano, M.; Karpouzas, K.; Tinetti, G.; McKemmish, L. K.; Tennyson, J.; Yurchenko, S. N.

2018-04-01

We present here the analysis of 30 gaseous extrasolar planets, with temperatures between 600 and 2400 K and radii between 0.35 and 1.9 R Jup. The quality of the HST/WFC3 spatially scanned data combined with our specialized analysis tools allow us to study the largest and most self-consistent sample of exoplanetary transmission spectra to date and examine the collective behavior of warm and hot gaseous planets rather than isolated case studies. We define a new metric, the Atmospheric Detectability Index (ADI) to evaluate the statistical significance of an atmospheric detection and find statistically significant atmospheres in around 16 planets out of the 30 analyzed. For most of the Jupiters in our sample, we find the detectability of their atmospheres to be dependent on the planetary radius but not on the planetary mass. This indicates that planetary gravity plays a secondary role in the state of gaseous planetary atmospheres. We detect the presence of water vapour in all of the statistically detectable atmospheres, and we cannot rule out its presence in the atmospheres of the others. In addition, TiO and/or VO signatures are detected with 4σ confidence in WASP-76 b, and they are most likely present in WASP-121 b. We find no correlation between expected signal-to-noise and atmospheric detectability for most targets. This has important implications for future large-scale surveys.

Software engineering principles applied to large healthcare information systems--a case report.

PubMed

Nardon, Fabiane Bizinella; de A Moura, Lincoln

2007-01-01

São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and one of the largest cities in the world. In 2004, São Paulo City Department of Health decided to implement a Healthcare Information System to support managing healthcare services and provide an ambulatory health record. The resulting information system is one of the largest public healthcare information systems ever built, with more than 2 million lines of code. Although statistics shows that most software projects fail, and the risks for the São Paulo initiative were enormous, the information system was completed on-time and on-budget. In this paper, we discuss the software engineering principles adopted that allowed to accomplish that project's goals, hoping that sharing the experience of this project will help other healthcare information systems initiatives to succeed.

Space vehicle approach velocity judgments under simulated visual space conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haines, R. F.

1989-01-01

There were 35 volunteers who responded when they first perceived an increase in apparent size of a collimated, two-dimensional perspective image of an Orbiter vehicle. The variables of interest included the presence (or absence) of a fixed reticle within the field of view (FOV), background starfield velocity, initial range to the vehicle and vehicle closure velocity. It was found that: 1) increasing vehicle approach velocity yielded a very small (but significant) effect of faster detection of vehicle movement, nevertheless, response variability was relatively large; 2) including the fixed reticle in the FOV produced significantly slower detection of vehicle radial movement, however this occurred only at the largest range and the magnitude of the effect was only about 15% of the one sigma value; and 3) increasing background star velocity during this judgment led to slower detection of vehicle movement. While statistically significant, this effect was small and occurred primarily at the largest range. A possible explanation for the last two findings is that other static and dynamic objects within the visual field may compete for available attention which otherwise would be available for judging image expansion; thus, the target's retinal image has to expand more than otherwise for its movement to be detected. This study also showed that the Proximity Operations Research Mockup at NASA/Ames can be used effectively to investigate a variety of visual judgment questions related to future space operations. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research and possible underlying mechanisms.

78 FR 21950 - Bosley, Inc., a Corporation, and Aderans America Holdings, Inc., a Corporation, and Aderans Co...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-12

... information such as costs, sales statistics, inventories, formulas, patterns, devices, manufacturing processes... recognition. Bosley is the largest such manager in the United States. For at least four years, the chief...

Land surface and atmospheric conditions associated with heat waves over the Chickasaw Nation in the South Central United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eungul; Bieda, Rahama; Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Basara Richter, Heather

2016-06-01

Exposure to extreme heat was reconstructed based on regional land-atmosphere processes from 1979 to 2010 in the South Central U.S. The study region surrounds the Chickasaw Nation (CN), a predominantly Native American population with a highly prevalent burden of climate-sensitive chronic diseases. Land surface and atmospheric conditions for summer heat waves were analyzed during spring (March-April-May, MAM) and summer (June-July-August, JJA) based on the Climate and Ocean: Variability, Predictability, and Change maximum temperature definition for heat wave frequency (HWF). The spatial-temporal pattern of HWF was determined using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the corresponding principle component time series of the first EOF of HWF. Statistically significant analyses of observed conditions indicated that sensible heat increased and latent heat fluxes decreased with high HWF in the South Central U.S. The largest positive correlations of sensible heat flux to HWF and the largest negative correlations of latent heat flux to HWF were specifically observed over the CN. This is a significantly different energy transfer regime due to less available soil moisture during the antecedent MAM and JJA. The higher sensible heat from dry soil could cause significant warming from the near surface (>2.0°C) to the lower troposphere (>1.5°C), and accumulated boundary layer heat could induce the significant patterns of higher geopotential height and enhance anticyclonic circulations (negative vorticity anomaly) at the midtroposphere. Results suggested a positive land-atmosphere feedback associated with heat waves and called attention to the need for region-specific climate adaptation planning.

Land surface and atmospheric conditions associated with heat waves in the South Central United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eungul; Bieda, Rahama; Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Richter, Heather

2017-04-01

Exposure to extreme heat was reconstructed based on regional land-atmosphere processes from 1979 to 2010 in the South Central U.S. The study region surrounds the Chickasaw Nation (CN), a predominantly Native American population with a highly prevalent burden of climate-sensitive chronic diseases. Land surface and atmospheric conditions for summer heat waves were analyzed during spring (March-April-May, MAM) and summer (June-July-August, JJA) based on the Climate and Ocean: Variability, Predictability, and Change maximum temperature definition for heat wave frequency (HWF). The spatial-temporal pattern of HWF was determined using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the corresponding principle component time series of the first EOF of HWF. Statistically significant analyses of observed conditions indicated that sensible heat increased and latent heat fluxes decreased with high HWF in the South Central U.S. The largest positive correlations of sensible heat flux to HWF and the largest negative correlations of latent heat flux to HWF were specifically observed over the CN. This is a significantly different energy transfer regime due to less available soil moisture during the antecedent MAM and JJA. The higher sensible heat from dry soil could cause significant warming from the near surface (> 2.0°C) to the lower troposphere (> 1.5°C), and accumulated boundary layer heat could induce the significant patterns of higher geopotential height and enhance anticyclonic circulations (negative vorticity anomaly) at the midtroposphere. Results suggested a positive land-atmosphere feedback associated with heat waves and called attention to the need for region-specific climate adaptation planning.

NEOS Data and the Origin of the 5 MeV Bump in the Reactor Antineutrino Spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, Patrick

2017-01-01

We perform a combined analysis of recent NEOS and Daya Bay data on the reactor antineutrino spectrum. This analysis includes approximately 1.5 million antineutrino events, which is the largest neutrino event sample analyzed to date. We use a double ratio which cancels flux model dependence and related uncertainties as well as the effects of the detector response model. We find at 3-4 standard deviation significance level, that plutonium-239 and plutonium-241 are disfavored as the single source for the so-called 5 MeV bump. This analysis method has general applicability and, in particular, with higher statistics data sets, will be able to shed significant light on the issue of the bump. With some caveats, this should also allow us to improve the sensitivity for sterile neutrino searches in NEOS.

Discrete hierarchy of sizes and performances in the exchange-traded fund universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandermarliere, B.; Ryckebusch, J.; Schoors, K.; Cauwels, P.; Sornette, D.

2017-03-01

Using detailed statistical analyses of the size distribution of a universe of equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs), we discover a discrete hierarchy of sizes, which imprints a log-periodic structure on the probability distribution of ETF sizes that dominates the details of the asymptotic tail. This allows us to propose a classification of the studied universe of ETFs into seven size layers approximately organized according to a multiplicative ratio of 3.5 in their total market capitalization. Introducing a similarity metric generalizing the Herfindhal index, we find that the largest ETFs exhibit a significantly stronger intra-layer and inter-layer similarity compared with the smaller ETFs. Comparing the performance across the seven discerned ETF size layers, we find an inverse size effect, namely large ETFs perform significantly better than the small ones both in 2014 and 2015.

[Comparative analysis of STR and SNP polymorphism in the populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) from Eastern and Western Kamchatka].

PubMed

Khrustaleva, A M; Volkov, A A; Stoklitskaia, D S; Miuge, N S; Zelenina, D A

2010-11-01

Sockeye salmon samples from five largest lacustrine-riverine systems of Kamchatka Peninsula were tested for polymorphism at six microsatellite (STR) and five single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. Statistically significant genetic differentiation among local populations from this part of the species range examined was demonstrated. The data presented point to pronounced genetic divergence of the populations from two geographical regions, Eastern and Western Kamchatka. For sockeye salmon, the individual identification test accuracy was higher for microsatellites compared to similar number of SNP markers. Pooling of the STR and SNP allele frequency data sets provided the highest accuracy of the individual fish population assignment.

Dynamics of statistical distance: Quantum limits for two-level clocks

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

Braunstein, S.L.; Milburn, G.J.

1995-03-01

We study the evolution of statistical distance on the Bloch sphere under unitary and nonunitary dynamics. This corresponds to studying the limits to clock precision for a clock constructed from a two-state system. We find that the initial motion away from pure states under nonunitary dynamics yields the greatest accuracy for a one-tick'' clock; in this case the clock's precision is not limited by the largest frequency of the system.

An Estimate of Nova Southeastern University's Impact on Florida's Economy in 2010: Contributions from the Planned $500 Million Medical and Research-Intensive Academic Village and from Projected Student Enrollment. Report 04-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacFarland, Thomas W.

2004-01-01

Nova Southeastern University is the 10th largest private, not-for-profit, postsecondary institution in the United States, based on Fall Term 2002 unduplicated enrollment statistics reported to the National Center for Education Statistics. It was recently announced that Nova Southeastern University plans to build a $500 million academic village,…

Correction of the significance level when attempting multiple transformations of an explanatory variable in generalized linear models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In statistical modeling, finding the most favorable coding for an exploratory quantitative variable involves many tests. This process involves multiple testing problems and requires the correction of the significance level. Methods For each coding, a test on the nullity of the coefficient associated with the new coded variable is computed. The selected coding corresponds to that associated with the largest statistical test (or equivalently the smallest pvalue). In the context of the Generalized Linear Model, Liquet and Commenges (Stat Probability Lett,71:33–38,2005) proposed an asymptotic correction of the significance level. This procedure, based on the score test, has been developed for dichotomous and Box-Cox transformations. In this paper, we suggest the use of resampling methods to estimate the significance level for categorical transformations with more than two levels and, by definition those that involve more than one parameter in the model. The categorical transformation is a more flexible way to explore the unknown shape of the effect between an explanatory and a dependent variable. Results The simulations we ran in this study showed good performances of the proposed methods. These methods were illustrated using the data from a study of the relationship between cholesterol and dementia. Conclusion The algorithms were implemented using R, and the associated CPMCGLM R package is available on the CRAN. PMID:23758852

Incidence of workers compensation indemnity claims across socio-demographic and job characteristics.

PubMed

Du, Juan; Leigh, J Paul

2011-10-01

We hypothesized that low socioeconomic status, employer-provided health insurance, low wages, and overtime were predictors of reporting workers compensation indemnity claims. We also tested for gender and race disparities. Responses from 17,190 (person-years) Americans participating in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1997-2005, were analyzed with logistic regressions. The dependent variable indicated whether the subject collected benefits from a claim. Odds ratios for men and African-Americans were relatively large and strongly significant predictors of claims; significance for Hispanics was moderate and confounded by education. Odds ratios for variables measuring education were the largest for all statistically significant covariates. Neither low wages nor employer-provided health insurance was a consistent predictor. Due to confounding from the "not salaried" variable, overtime was not a consistently significant predictor. Few studies use nationally representative longitudinal data to consider which demographic and job characteristics predict reporting workers compensation indemnity cases. This study did and tested some common hypotheses about predictors. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Statistics of internationally-issued English articles on ophthalmology by mainland Chinese authors during the past 6 years].

PubMed

Zou, Feng; Xu, Jie-na; Zhang, Yan-li; Yang, Liu; Wu, Kai-li

2007-09-01

To understand and to analyze the overall situation of ophthalmic research articles issued in English internationally by mainland Chinese authors during the past 6 years. Using relevant retrieval words to search the articles from the PubMed, the largest database in biology and medical science in the world, and to conduct a statistical analysis. Three hundred and ninety two English ophthalmological articles by mainland Chinese researchers as the first author or first organization were published in 134 periodicals. Most of these organizations were medical universities (as well as their affiliated hospitals) and China Academy of Science. There were 23 journals which published more than 4 articles and there were 25 organizations issued more than 4 articles. During the past 6 years, there was a significant increase in the number of articles issued internationally by mainland Chinese authors, indicating an enormous progress in the field of ophthalmic research in mainland of China.

A study of vital and health statistics of the Kainji Lake Area of Nigeria.

PubMed

Adekolu-John, E O

1988-09-01

A survey of vital and health statistics, and the evaluation of collection of these data in the registration centres of Kainji Lake Area, are presented. Forty-two per cent of all deaths occurred below 10 years of age, with the largest percentage occurring below 5 years of age. The leading causes of all deaths were malaria, gastro-intestinal disorders and measles. Occurrence of an epidemic was found to be significant to the overall mortality. The role of traditional healers in the control of childhood mortality is discussed. About 34% of the women had married more than once and 56% of the divorces occurred after the first marriage. The causes of divorces were largely due to loss of affection and neglect. The number of deliveries in the hospitals was more than the number of registered births and no death was registered at the centres. A unique system of collection of vital information was suggested for the Kainji Lake Area.

An open-access CMIP5 pattern library for temperature and precipitation: Description and methodology

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

Lynch, Cary D.; Hartin, Corinne A.; Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin

Pattern scaling is used to efficiently emulate general circulation models and explore uncertainty in climate projections under multiple forcing scenarios. Pattern scaling methods assume that local climate changes scale with a global mean temperature increase, allowing for spatial patterns to be generated for multiple models for any future emission scenario. For uncertainty quantification and probabilistic statistical analysis, a library of patterns with descriptive statistics for each file would be beneficial, but such a library does not presently exist. Of the possible techniques used to generate patterns, the two most prominent are the delta and least squared regression methods. We exploremore » the differences and statistical significance between patterns generated by each method and assess performance of the generated patterns across methods and scenarios. Differences in patterns across seasons between methods and epochs were largest in high latitudes (60-90°N/S). Bias and mean errors between modeled and pattern predicted output from the linear regression method were smaller than patterns generated by the delta method. Across scenarios, differences in the linear regression method patterns were more statistically significant, especially at high latitudes. We found that pattern generation methodologies were able to approximate the forced signal of change to within ≤ 0.5°C, but choice of pattern generation methodology for pattern scaling purposes should be informed by user goals and criteria. As a result, this paper describes our library of least squared regression patterns from all CMIP5 models for temperature and precipitation on an annual and sub-annual basis, along with the code used to generate these patterns.« less

An open-access CMIP5 pattern library for temperature and precipitation: Description and methodology

DOE PAGES

Lynch, Cary D.; Hartin, Corinne A.; Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin; ...

2017-05-15

Pattern scaling is used to efficiently emulate general circulation models and explore uncertainty in climate projections under multiple forcing scenarios. Pattern scaling methods assume that local climate changes scale with a global mean temperature increase, allowing for spatial patterns to be generated for multiple models for any future emission scenario. For uncertainty quantification and probabilistic statistical analysis, a library of patterns with descriptive statistics for each file would be beneficial, but such a library does not presently exist. Of the possible techniques used to generate patterns, the two most prominent are the delta and least squared regression methods. We exploremore » the differences and statistical significance between patterns generated by each method and assess performance of the generated patterns across methods and scenarios. Differences in patterns across seasons between methods and epochs were largest in high latitudes (60-90°N/S). Bias and mean errors between modeled and pattern predicted output from the linear regression method were smaller than patterns generated by the delta method. Across scenarios, differences in the linear regression method patterns were more statistically significant, especially at high latitudes. We found that pattern generation methodologies were able to approximate the forced signal of change to within ≤ 0.5°C, but choice of pattern generation methodology for pattern scaling purposes should be informed by user goals and criteria. As a result, this paper describes our library of least squared regression patterns from all CMIP5 models for temperature and precipitation on an annual and sub-annual basis, along with the code used to generate these patterns.« less

Project #153M: Guidance for Assessing the Remaining Strength of Corroded Pipelines

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-04-01

Incident statistics have consistently shown that corrosion is the primary cause of pipeline failures in liquid pipelines, and is the second largest cause of failures in natural gas transmission pipelines and distribution piping. Corrosion can cause m...

Urban Data Book : Volume 2. Urban Data - Milwaukee-Washington, Notes and Technical Appendixes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

A quick reference compilation of certain population, socio-economic, employment, and modal split characteristics of the 35 largest Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA) in the United States is presented. The three basic groups of urban data ...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in locally advanced prostate cancer: secondary analysis of radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) 8610.

PubMed

Pan, Larry; Baek, Seunghee; Edmonds, Pamela R; Roach, Mack; Wolkov, Harvey; Shah, Satish; Pollack, Alan; Hammond, M Elizabeth; Dicker, Adam P

2013-04-25

Angiogenesis is a key element in solid-tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. VEGF is among the most potent angiogenic factor thus far detected. The aim of the present study is to explore the potential of VEGF (also known as VEGF-A) as a prognostic and predictive biomarker among men with locally advanced prostate cancer. The analysis was performed using patients enrolled on RTOG 8610, a phase III randomized control trial of radiation therapy alone (Arm 1) versus short-term neoadjuvant and concurrent androgen deprivation and radiation therapy (Arm 2) in men with locally advanced prostate carcinoma. Tissue samples were obtained from the RTOG tissue repository. Hematoxylin and eosin slides were reviewed, and paraffin blocks were immunohistochemically stained for VEGF expression and graded by Intensity score (0-3). Cox or Fine and Gray's proportional hazards models were used. Sufficient pathologic material was available from 103 (23%) of the 456 analyzable patients enrolled in the RTOG 8610 study. There were no statistically significant differences in the pre-treatment characteristics between the patient groups with and without VEGF intensity data. Median follow-up for all surviving patients with VEGF intensity data is 12.2 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated no statistically significant correlation between the intensity of VEGF expression and overall survival, distant metastasis, local progression, disease-free survival, or biochemical failure. VEGF expression was also not statistically significantly associated with any of the endpoints when analyzed by treatment arm. This study revealed no statistically significant prognostic or predictive value of VEGF expression for locally advanced prostate cancer. This analysis is among one of the largest sample bases with long-term follow-up in a well-characterized patient population. There is an urgent need to establish multidisciplinary initiatives for coordinating further research in the area of human prostate cancer biomarkers.

Circumpolar variation in morphological characteristics of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ely, Craig R.; Fox, A.D.; Alisauskas, R.T.; Andreev, A.; Bromley, R.G.; Degtyarev, Andrei G.; Ebbinge, B.; Gurtovaya, E.N.; Kerbes, R.; Kondratyev, Alexander V.; Kostin, I.; Krechmar, A.V.; Litvin, K.E.; Miyabayashi, Y.; Moou, J.H.; Oates, R.M.; Orthmeyer, D.L.; Sabano, Yutaka; Simpson, S.G.; Solovieva, D.V.; Spindler, Michael A.; Syroechkovsky, Y.V.; Takekawa, John Y.; Walsh, A.

2005-01-01

Capsule: Greater White-fronted Geese show significant variation in body size from sampling locations throughout their circumpolar breeding range. Aims: To determine the degree of geographical variation in body size of Greater White-fronted Geese and identify factors contributing to any apparent patterns in variation. Methods: Structural measures of >3000 geese from 16 breeding areas throughout the Holarctic breeding range of the species were compared statistically. Results: Palearctic forms varied clinally, and increased in size from the smallest forms on the Kanin and Taimyr peninsulas in western Eurasia to the largest forms breeding in the Anadyr Lowlands of eastern Chukotka. Clinal variation was less apparent in the Nearctic, as both the smallest form in the Nearctic and the largest form overall (the Tule Goose) were from different breeding areas in Alaska. The Tule Goose was 25% larger than the smallest form. Birds from Greenland (A. a. flavirostris) were the second largest, although only slightly larger than geese from several North American populations. Body size was not correlated with breeding latitude but was positively correlated with temperature on the breeding grounds, breeding habitat, and migration distance. Body mass of Greater White-fronted Geese from all populations remained relatively constant during the period of wing moult. Morphological distinctness of eastern and western Palearctic forms concurs with earlier findings of complete range disjunction. Conclusions: Patterns of morphological variation in Greater White-fronted Geese across the Holarctic can be generally attributed to adaptation to variable breeding environments, migration requirements, and phylo-geographical histories. 

Gap Shape Classification using Landscape Indices and Multivariate Statistics

PubMed Central

Wu, Chih-Da; Cheng, Chi-Chuan; Chang, Che-Chang; Lin, Chinsu; Chang, Kun-Cheng; Chuang, Yung-Chung

2016-01-01

This study proposed a novel methodology to classify the shape of gaps using landscape indices and multivariate statistics. Patch-level indices were used to collect the qualified shape and spatial configuration characteristics for canopy gaps in the Lienhuachih Experimental Forest in Taiwan in 1998 and 2002. Non-hierarchical cluster analysis was used to assess the optimal number of gap clusters and canonical discriminant analysis was used to generate the discriminant functions for canopy gap classification. The gaps for the two periods were optimally classified into three categories. In general, gap type 1 had a more complex shape, gap type 2 was more elongated and gap type 3 had the largest gaps that were more regular in shape. The results were evaluated using Wilks’ lambda as satisfactory (p < 0.001). The agreement rate of confusion matrices exceeded 96%. Differences in gap characteristics between the classified gap types that were determined using a one-way ANOVA showed a statistical significance in all patch indices (p = 0.00), except for the Euclidean nearest neighbor distance (ENN) in 2002. Taken together, these results demonstrated the feasibility and applicability of the proposed methodology to classify the shape of a gap. PMID:27901127

Gap Shape Classification using Landscape Indices and Multivariate Statistics.

PubMed

Wu, Chih-Da; Cheng, Chi-Chuan; Chang, Che-Chang; Lin, Chinsu; Chang, Kun-Cheng; Chuang, Yung-Chung

2016-11-30

This study proposed a novel methodology to classify the shape of gaps using landscape indices and multivariate statistics. Patch-level indices were used to collect the qualified shape and spatial configuration characteristics for canopy gaps in the Lienhuachih Experimental Forest in Taiwan in 1998 and 2002. Non-hierarchical cluster analysis was used to assess the optimal number of gap clusters and canonical discriminant analysis was used to generate the discriminant functions for canopy gap classification. The gaps for the two periods were optimally classified into three categories. In general, gap type 1 had a more complex shape, gap type 2 was more elongated and gap type 3 had the largest gaps that were more regular in shape. The results were evaluated using Wilks' lambda as satisfactory (p < 0.001). The agreement rate of confusion matrices exceeded 96%. Differences in gap characteristics between the classified gap types that were determined using a one-way ANOVA showed a statistical significance in all patch indices (p = 0.00), except for the Euclidean nearest neighbor distance (ENN) in 2002. Taken together, these results demonstrated the feasibility and applicability of the proposed methodology to classify the shape of a gap.

Partitioning nitrogen losses by natural abundance nitrogen isotope composition in a process-based statistical modelling framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Ning; Wright, Ian; Prentice, Iain Colin

2017-04-01

Natural abundance of the stable isotope 15N is an under-utilized resource for research on the global terrestrial nitrogen cycle. Mass balance considerations suggest that if reactive N inputs have a roughly constant isotopic signature, soil δ15N should be mainly determined by the fraction of N losses by leaching - which barely discriminates against 15N - versus gaseous N losses, which discriminate strongly against 15N. We defined simple process-oriented functions of runoff (frunoff) and soil temperature (ftemp) and investigated the dependencies of soil and foliage δ15N (from global compilations of both types of measurement) on their ratio. Both plant and soil δ15N were found to systematically increase with ftemp/frunoff. Consistent with previous analyses, foliage δ15N was offset (more negative) with respect to soil δ15N, with significant differences in this offset between (from largest to smallest offset) ericoid, ectomycorrhizal, arbuscular mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal associated plants. δ15N values tend to be large and positive in the driest environments and to decline as frunoff increases, while also being lower in cold environments and increasing as ftemp increases. The fitted statistical model was used to estimate the gaseous fraction of total N losses from ecosystems (fgas) on a global grid basis. In common with earlier results, the largest values of fgas are predicted in the tropics and semi-arid subtropics. This analysis provides an indirectly estimated global mapping of fgas, which could be used as an improved benchmark for terrestrial nitrogen cycle models.

Improvement of diagnostic efficiency in distinguishing the benign and malignant thyroid nodules via conventional ultrasound combined with ultrasound contrast and elastography

PubMed Central

Liu, Mei-Juan; Men, Yan-Ming; Zhang, Yong-Lin; Zhang, Yu-Xi; Liu, Hao

2017-01-01

We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic values of conventional ultrasound (US), ultrasound contrast (UC) and ultrasound elastography (UE) in distinguishing the benign and malignant thyroid nodules. A total of 100 patients with thyroid nodules receiving operative treatment were selected; they underwent the conventional US, UE and UC examinations before operation, respectively. The nodules received pathological examination after operation to distinguish benign from malignant lesions. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accordance rate of each diagnostic method was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the area under the curve (AUC) of ROC was calculated. The manifestations of malignant thyroid nodules in conventional US examination were mostly the hypoecho, heterogeneous echo, irregular shape, unclear boundary, aspect ratio <1, microcalcification and irregular peripheral echo halo, and there were statistically significant differences compared with the benign nodules (P<0.05). UE showed that the differences between benign and malignant nodules in 2, 3 and 4 points were statistically significant (P<0.05). The manifestations of malignant nodules in UC were mostly the irregular shape, obscure boundary, no obvious enhancement, heterogeneous enhancement and visible perfusion defects, and there were statistically significant differences compared with the benign nodules (P<0.05). ROC curve showed that both sensitivity and specificity of UE and UC were superior to those of conventional US. AUC was the largest (AUC = 0.908) and the diagnostic value was the highest in the conventional US combined with UE and UC. Conventional US combined with elastography and UC can significantly improve the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. PMID:28693244

Improvement of diagnostic efficiency in distinguishing the benign and malignant thyroid nodules via conventional ultrasound combined with ultrasound contrast and elastography.

PubMed

Liu, Mei-Juan; Men, Yan-Ming; Zhang, Yong-Lin; Zhang, Yu-Xi; Liu, Hao

2017-07-01

We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic values of conventional ultrasound (US), ultrasound contrast (UC) and ultrasound elastography (UE) in distinguishing the benign and malignant thyroid nodules. A total of 100 patients with thyroid nodules receiving operative treatment were selected; they underwent the conventional US, UE and UC examinations before operation, respectively. The nodules received pathological examination after operation to distinguish benign from malignant lesions. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accordance rate of each diagnostic method was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the area under the curve (AUC) of ROC was calculated. The manifestations of malignant thyroid nodules in conventional US examination were mostly the hypoecho, heterogeneous echo, irregular shape, unclear boundary, aspect ratio <1, microcalcification and irregular peripheral echo halo, and there were statistically significant differences compared with the benign nodules (P<0.05). UE showed that the differences between benign and malignant nodules in 2, 3 and 4 points were statistically significant (P<0.05). The manifestations of malignant nodules in UC were mostly the irregular shape, obscure boundary, no obvious enhancement, heterogeneous enhancement and visible perfusion defects, and there were statistically significant differences compared with the benign nodules (P<0.05). ROC curve showed that both sensitivity and specificity of UE and UC were superior to those of conventional US. AUC was the largest (AUC = 0.908) and the diagnostic value was the highest in the conventional US combined with UE and UC. Conventional US combined with elastography and UC can significantly improve the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

HIV/AIDS Stigma Attitudes among Educators in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Chao, Li-Wei; Akintola, Goke; Pauly, Mark

2012-01-01

Background One hundred and twenty educators from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, underwent HIV/AIDS training. The educators were surveyed about their attitudes toward people with HIV. Methods The educators completed self-administered survey questionnaires both before and after two interventions. Measures included demographic characteristics, teachers' knowledge about HIV/AIDS, self-efficacy in handling HIV/AIDS situations, and attitudes (stigma and otherwise) towards HIV-related issues. The first intervention was a CD-ROM and the second intervention involved educators receiving a two day workshop on HIV transmission, risk factors, and actions that educators should know and undertake. The first step entailed testing the stigma instrument for its internal consistency, and developing and testing potential subscales from the instrument. The second step entailed testing for the statistical associations between stigma (as measured by the stigma instrument and its subscales) and various demographic and HIV knowledge related variables. Results The overall stigma scale had a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.66. Educators in the workshop generally had lower baseline levels of stigma than those in the CD-ROM intervention. Following both interventions the stigma levels of both groups of educators were significantly reduced. The levels of stigma reduction varied by educators' demographic indicators. The largest reductions in stigma were reported for those educators who had better general AIDS knowledge; better knowledge about risk of transmission; university education, rural residence and younger age. Conclusions The levels of teachers' stigma attitudes were statistically significantly lower after both types of HIV/AIDS training and were also statistically significantly associated with improvements in HIV knowledge. PMID:21039555

Examining the use of an open digital health library for professionals.

PubMed

Eggen, Runar; Tjensvoll, Kjell; Nylenna, Magne

2014-11-18

The Norwegian Electronic Health Library (The Library) is a website for health personnel. Most of the content is also open to the public. Usage statistics have risen sharply in the years 2010-2013. We wanted to find out whether the rise was caused by health personnel, the general public, or other factors. Since we lacked direct information, we had to use proxy data to shed light on our questions. We applied mixed methods (database of registered users, user survey, usage statistics, and statistics from suppliers), and triangulated between them. Health personnel were our largest user group, but The Library was also accessed by students, patients, and other groups. Content in Norwegian was preferred to English language content. Concise, practical information was preferred to more comprehensive information. Patient leaflets were the most popular information type. Mobile phone visits differed from personal computer visits both in terms of time of day and what kind of information was viewed. The Library was used mostly by health personnel, as intended, but our data are inconclusive regarding a possible change in user groups. There was a large degree of consistency in results when using different investigation methods. The survey points toward health personnel being the largest user group, and the usage statistics show that patient leaflets are the most popular content, being viewed by both health personnel and patients.

Socioeconomic differences in the benefits of structured physical activity compared with health education on the prevention of major mobility disability in older adults: the LIFE study.

PubMed

Bann, David; Chen, Haiying; Bonell, Chris; Glynn, Nancy W; Fielding, Roger A; Manini, Todd; King, Abby C; Pahor, Marco; Mihalko, Shannon L; Gill, Thomas M

2016-09-01

Evidence is lacking on whether health-benefiting community-based interventions differ in their effectiveness according to socioeconomic characteristics. We evaluated whether the benefit of a structured physical activity intervention on reducing mobility disability in older adults differs by education or income. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study was a multicentre, randomised trial that compared a structured physical activity programme with a health education programme on the incidence of mobility disability among at-risk community-living older adults (aged 70-89 years; average follow-up of 2.6 years). Education (≤ high school (0-12 years), college (13-17 years) or postgraduate) and annual household income were self-reported (<$24 999, $25 000 to $49 999 and ≥$50 000). The risk of disability (objectively defined as loss of ability to walk 400 m) was compared between the 2 treatment groups using Cox regression, separately by socioeconomic group. Socioeconomic group×intervention interaction terms were tested. The effect of reducing the incidence of mobility disability was larger for those with postgraduate education (0.72, 0.51 to 1.03; N=411) compared with lower education (high school or less (0.93, 0.70 to 1.24; N=536). However, the education group×intervention interaction term was not statistically significant (p=0.54). Findings were in the same direction yet less pronounced when household income was used as the socioeconomic indicator. In the largest and longest running trial of physical activity amongst at-risk older adults, intervention effect sizes were largest among those with higher education or income, yet tests of statistical interactions were non-significant, likely due to inadequate power. NCT01072500. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Risk factors for chronic subdural haematoma formation do not account for the established male bias.

PubMed

Marshman, Laurence A G; Manickam, Appukutty; Carter, Danielle

2015-04-01

The 'subdural space' is an artefact of inner dural border layer disruption: it is not anatomical but always pathological. A male bias has long been accepted for chronic subdural haematomas (CSDH), and increased male frequencies of trauma and/or alcohol abuse are often cited as likely explanations: however, no study has validated this. We investigated to see which risk factors accounted for the male bias with CSDH. Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. A male bias (M:F 97:58) for CSDH was confirmed in n=155 patients. The largest risk factor for CSDH was cerebral atrophy (M:F 94% vs. 91%): whilst a male bias prevailed in mild-moderate cases (M:F 58% vs. 41%), a female bias prevailed for severe atrophy (F:M 50% vs. 36%) (χ(2)=3.88, P=0.14). Risk factors for atrophy also demonstrated a female bias, some approached statistical significance: atrial fibrillation (P=0.05), stroke/TIA (P=0.06) and diabetes mellitus (P=0.07). There was also a trend for older age in females (F:M 72±13 years vs. 68±15 years, P=0.09). The third largest risk factor, after atrophy and trauma (i.e. anti-coagulant and anti-platelet use) was statistically significantly biased towards females (F:M 50% vs. 33%, P=0.04). No risk factor accounted for the established male bias with CSDH. In particular, a history of trauma (head injury or fall [M:F 50% vs. 57%, P=0.37]), and alcohol abuse (M:F 17% vs. 16%, P=0.89) was remarkably similar between genders. No recognised risk factor for CSDH formation accounted for the established male bias: risk factor trends generally favoured females. In particular, and in contrast to popular belief, a male CSDH bias did not relate to increased male frequencies of trauma and/or alcohol abuse. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The shape and size distribution of H II regions near the percolation transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bag, Satadru; Mondal, Rajesh; Sarkar, Prakash; Bharadwaj, Somnath; Sahni, Varun

2018-06-01

Using Shapefinders, which are ratios of Minkowski functionals, we study the morphology of neutral hydrogen (H I) density fields, simulated using seminumerical technique (inside-out), at various stages of reionization. Accompanying the Shapefinders, we also employ the `largest cluster statistic' (LCS), originally proposed in Klypin & Shandarin, to study the percolation in both neutral and ionized hydrogen. We find that the largest ionized region is percolating below the neutral fraction x_{H I}≲ 0.728 (or equivalently z ≲ 9). The study of Shapefinders reveals that the largest ionized region starts to become highly filamentary with non-trivial topology near the percolation transition. During the percolation transition, the first two Shapefinders - `thickness' (T) and `breadth' (B) - of the largest ionized region do not vary much, while the third Shapefinder - `length' (L) - abruptly increases. Consequently, the largest ionized region tends to be highly filamentary and topologically quite complex. The product of the first two Shapefinders, T × B, provides a measure of the `cross-section' of a filament-like ionized region. We find that, near percolation, the value of T × B for the largest ionized region remains stable at ˜7 Mpc2 (in comoving scale) while its length increases with time. Interestingly, all large ionized regions have similar cross-sections. However, their length shows a power-law dependence on their volume, L ∝ V0.72, at the onset of percolation.

Combined Diffusion Tensor and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging Methodology for Automated Regional Brain Analysis: Application in a Normal Pediatric Population.

PubMed

Ghosh, Nirmalya; Holshouser, Barbara; Oyoyo, Udo; Barnes, Stanley; Tong, Karen; Ashwal, Stephen

2017-01-01

During human brain development, anatomic regions mature at different rates. Quantitative anatomy-specific analysis of longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data may improve our ability to quantify and categorize these maturational changes. Computational tools designed to quickly fuse and analyze imaging information from multiple, technically different datasets would facilitate research on changes during normal brain maturation and for comparison to disease states. In the current study, we developed a complete battery of computational tools to execute such data analyses that include data preprocessing, tract-based statistical analysis from DTI data, automated brain anatomy parsing from T1-weighted MR images, assignment of metabolite information from MRSI data, and co-alignment of these multimodality data streams for reporting of region-specific indices. We present statistical analyses of regional DTI and MRSI data in a cohort of normal pediatric subjects (n = 72; age range: 5-18 years; mean 12.7 ± 3.3 years) to establish normative data and evaluate maturational trends. Several regions showed significant maturational changes for several DTI parameters and MRSI ratios, but the percent change over the age range tended to be small. In the subcortical region (combined basal ganglia [BG], thalami [TH], and corpus callosum [CC]), the largest combined percent change was a 10% increase in fractional anisotropy (FA) primarily due to increases in the BG (12.7%) and TH (9%). The largest significant percent increase in N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratio was seen in the brain stem (BS) (18.8%) followed by the subcortical regions in the BG (11.9%), CC (8.9%), and TH (6.0%). We found consistent, significant (p < 0.01), but weakly positive correlations (r = 0.228-0.329) between NAA/Cr ratios and mean FA in the BS, BG, and CC regions. Age- and region-specific normative MR diffusion and spectroscopic metabolite ranges show brain maturation changes and are requisite for detecting abnormalities in an injured or diseased population. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The influence of implant-abutment connection on the screw loosening and microleakage.

PubMed

Tsuruta, Katsuhiro; Ayukawa, Yasunori; Matsuzaki, Tatsuya; Kihara, Masafumi; Koyano, Kiyoshi

2018-04-09

There are some spaces between abutment and implant body which can be a reservoir of toxic substance, and they can penetrate into subgingival space from microgap at the implant-abutment interface. This penetration may cause periimplantitis which is known to be one of the most important factors associated with late failure. In the present study, three kinds of abutment connection system, external parallel connection (EP), internal parallel connection (IP), and internal conical connection (CC), were studied from the viewpoint of microleakage from the gap between the implant and the abutment and in connection with the loosening of abutment screw. We observed dye leakage from abutment screw hole to outside through microgap under the excessive compressive and tensile load and evaluated the anti-leakage characteristics of these connection systems. During the experiment, one abutment screw for EP and two screws for IP, out of seven samples in each group, were fractured. After the 2000 cycles of compressive tensile loadings, removal torque value (RTV) of abutment screw represented no statistical differences among three groups. Standard deviation was largest in the RTV of EP and smallest in that of CC. The results of microleakage of toluidine blue from implant-abutment connection indicated that microleakage generally increased as loading procedure progressed. The amount of microleakage was almost plateau at 2000 cycles in CC, but still increasing in other two groups. The value of microleakage greatly scattered in EP, but the deviation of that in CC is significantly smaller. At 500 cycles of loading, there were no significant differences in the amount of microleakage among the groups, but at 1000, 1500, and 2000 cycles of loading, the amount of microleakage in CC was significantly smaller than that in IP. Throughout the experiment, the amount of microleakage in EP was largest, but no statistical difference was indicated due to the high standard deviation. Within the limitation of the present study, CC was stable even after the loading in the RTV of abutment screw and it prevented microleakage from the microgap between the implant body and the abutment, among the three tested connections.

Temporal variation of the arterial pressure in healthy young people and its relation to geomagnetic activity in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azcárate, T.; Mendoza, B.; Sánchez de la Peña, S.; Martínez, J. L.

2012-11-01

We present a study of the temporal behavior of the systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure for a sample of 51 normotensive, healthy volunteers, 18 men and 33 women with an average age of 19 years old in Mexico City, Mexico, during April and May, 2008. We divided the data by sex along the circadian rhythm. Three geomagnetic storms occurred during the studied time-span. The strongest one, a moderate storm, is attributed to a coronal hole border that reached the Earth. The ANOVA test applied to the strongest storm showed that even though we are dealing with a moderate geomagnetic storm, there are statistically significant responses of the blood pressure. The superposed epoch analysis during a three-day window around the strongest storm shows that on average the largest changes occurred for the SBP. Moreover, the SBP largest increases occurred two days before and one day after this storm, and women are the most sensitive group as they present larger SBP and DBP average changes than men. Finally, given the small size of the sample, we cannot generalize our results.

Correlation of radiographic size and the presence of radiopaque lamina with histological findings in 70 periapical lesions.

PubMed

Carrillo, Celia; Penarrocha, Miguel; Ortega, Bárbara; Martí, Eva; Bagán, José Vicente; Vera, Francisco

2008-08-01

This study was conducted to relate the histological diagnosis of chronic inflammatory periapical lesions with the radiographic images of these lesions. A total of 70 biopsy specimens obtained during periapical surgery were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined under a microscope. Histological analysis established the diagnosis as granuloma, cyst, or scar tissue. The location of the lesion was recorded, as were the radiographic size (maximum and minimum diameter in mm and area in mm(2)) and the presence of radiopaque lamina around the lesion, using an image analyzing system. The distribution of the biopsy specimens was 65.7% granulomas, 25.7% scar tissue, and 8.6% cysts, 1 of which was a keratocyst. The largest lesions were cysts and epithelialized granulomas, with statistically significant differences. Radiopaque lamina was observed around 9 lesions; of these, only 2 were histologically diagnosed as cysts, with the rest as granulomas. Most of the apical lesions were granulomas. Cysts had the largest radiotransparent images; however, in the 70 cases studied, neither the radiographic size nor the presence of associated radiopaque lamina alone was sufficient to determine the type of lesion. Histological analysis is required.

A Concentrated Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lum, Lydia

2010-01-01

For years, New York health-care providers have treated Asian-Americans afflicted by serious, even life-threatening illnesses with ever-increasing frequency. Many doctors in the nation's largest city agreed that Asians seemed particularly at risk for specific health problems, but there was neither research nor statistics supporting physician…

The Automotive Situation in Poznań versus other Cities and National Indexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozak, Karolina; Kozak, Miłosław; Merkisz, Jerzy; Nijak, Dawid; Wiśniewska, Bożena

2012-09-01

Following the dynamic development of the automotive industry and economic changes in the last 20 years Polish transport-related needs and citizen mobility have changed as well. An increased demand for traveling and easy access to individual means of transport in the form of passenger cars put Poznan in the top ten of the largest cities of Poland in terms of the motorization level. The paper analyses the current situation of the level of motorization of the city of Poznan based on statistical data from Central Vehicle and Driver Register, Department of Motor Vehicles in Poznan and published by Central Office of Statistics. A synthetic analysis has been presented of the situation in Poznan against other largest cities of Poland and the average situation in the country. The paper also presents the analysis of the preferences of the citizens of Poznan in terms of engine capacity, type of fuel, engine type as and the most popular vehicle makes.

Flood trends and river engineering on the Mississippi River system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pinter, N.; Jemberie, A.A.; Remo, J.W.F.; Heine, R.A.; Ickes, B.S.

2008-01-01

Along >4000 km of the Mississippi River system, we document that climate, land-use change, and river engineering have contributed to statistically significant increases in flooding over the past 100-150 years. Trends were tested using a database of >8 million hydrological measurements. A geospatial database of historical engineering construction was used to quantify the response of flood levels to each unit of engineering infrastructure. Significant climate- and/or land use-driven increases in flow were detected, but the largest and most pervasive contributors to increased flooding on the Mississippi River system were wing dikes and related navigational structures, followed by progressive levee construction. In the area of the 2008 Upper Mississippi flood, for example, about 2 m of the flood crest is linked to navigational and flood-control engineering. Systemwide, large increases in flood levels were documented at locations and at times of wing-dike and levee construction. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

Estimating quality-adjusted life-year loss due to noncommunicable diseases in Korean adults through to the year 2040.

PubMed

Ock, Minsu; Han, Jung Won; Lee, Jin Yong; Kim, Seon-Ha; Jo, Min-Woo

2015-01-01

To estimate the loss in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) in Korean adults due to 13 noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in 2010 and predict changes in QALY loss through to the year 2040. Thirteen NCDs (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, stroke, myocardial infarction, angina, arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, cataract, and depression) were selected from the Korean Community Health Survey 2010. The EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire index from the Korean Community Health Survey 2010 and the Korean valuation set were used to estimate utility weights according to sex, age, and disease. Morbidity data were also obtained from the Korean Community Health Survey 2010. Mortality data according to disease and life expectancy were retrieved from the Korean Statistical Information Service. To predict future QALY loss, future population projection data from the Korean Statistical Information Service were used as substitutes for 2010 population size. Among the assessed 13 NCDs, the largest total QALY loss was for hypertension (513,113 QALYs; units are omitted hereafter), followed by arthritis (509,317) and stroke (431,049). The largest QALY loss due to mortality was stroke (306,733), whereas the largest QALY loss due to morbidity was arthritis (502,513). By applying the middle estimate of future population, the largest increase in total QALY loss between 2010 and 2040 was for hypertension (840,582), followed by stroke (719,076) and diabetes mellitus (474,607). Hypertension, arthritis, and stroke are important in terms of total QALY loss, which will continuous to increase because of aging. These results could be used to develop cost-effective interventions that reduce the burden of NCDs. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Decomposing the gap in missed opportunities for vaccination between poor and non-poor in sub-Saharan Africa: A Multicountry Analyses.

PubMed

Ndwandwe, Duduzile; Uthman, Olalekan A; Adamu, Abdu A; Sambala, Evanson Z; Wiyeh, Alison B; Olukade, Tawa; Bishwajit, Ghose; Yaya, Sanni; Okwo-Bele, Jean-Marie; Wiysonge, Charles S

2018-04-24

Understanding the gaps in missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) in sub-Saharan Africa would inform interventions for improving immunisation coverage to achieving universal childhood immunisation. We aimed to conduct a multicountry analyses to decompose the gap in MOV between poor and non-poor in SSA. We used cross-sectional data from 35 Demographic and Health Surveys in SSA conducted between 2007 and 2016. Descriptive statistics used to understand the gap in MOV between the urban poor and non-poor, and across the selected covariates. Out of the 35 countries included in this analysis, 19 countries showed pro-poor inequality, 5 showed pro-non-poor inequality and remaining 11 countries showed no statistically significant inequality. Among the countries with statistically significant pro-illiterate inequality, the risk difference ranged from 4.2% in DR Congo to 20.1% in Kenya. Important factors responsible for the inequality varied across countries. In Madagascar, the largest contributors to inequality in MOV were media access, number of under-five children, and maternal education. However, in Liberia media access narrowed inequality in MOV between poor and non-poor households. The findings indicate that in most SSA countries, children belonging to poor households are most likely to have MOV and that socio-economic inequality in is determined not only by health system functions, but also by factors beyond the scope of health authorities and care delivery system. The findings suggest the need for addressing social determinants of health.

Assessment study of lichenometric methods for dating surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jomelli, Vincent; Grancher, Delphine; Naveau, Philippe; Cooley, Daniel; Brunstein, Daniel

2007-04-01

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the most classical approaches used in lichenometry. In particular, we perform a detailed comparison among methods based on the statistical analysis of either the largest lichen diameters recorded on geomorphic features or the frequency of all lichens. To assess the performance of each method, a careful comparison design with well-defined criteria is proposed and applied to two distinct data sets. First, we study 350 tombstones. This represents an ideal test bed because tombstone dates are known and, therefore, the quality of the estimated lichen growth curve can be easily tested for the different techniques. Secondly, 37 moraines from two tropical glaciers are investigated. This analysis corresponds to our real case study. For both data sets, we apply our list of criteria that reflects precision, error measurements and their theoretical foundations when proposing estimated ages and their associated confidence intervals. From this comparison, it clearly appears that two methods, the mean of the n largest lichen diameters and the recent Bayesian method based on extreme value theory, offer the most reliable estimates of moraine and tombstones dates. Concerning the spread of the error, the latter approach provides the smallest uncertainty and it is the only one that takes advantage of the statistical nature of the observations by fitting an extreme value distribution to the largest diameters.

Covariance Between Arctic Sea Ice and Clouds Within Atmospheric State Regimes at the Satellite Footprint Level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Patrick C.; Kato, Seiji; Xu, Kuan-Man; Cai, Ming

2015-01-01

Understanding the cloud response to sea ice change is necessary for modeling Arctic climate. Previous work has primarily addressed this problem from the interannual variability perspective. This paper provides a refined perspective of sea ice-cloud relationship in the Arctic using a satellite footprint-level quantification of the covariance between sea ice and Arctic low cloud properties from NASA A-Train active remote sensing data. The covariances between Arctic low cloud properties and sea ice concentration are quantified by first partitioning each footprint into four atmospheric regimes defined using thresholds of lower tropospheric stability and mid-tropospheric vertical velocity. Significant regional variability in the cloud properties is found within the atmospheric regimes indicating that the regimes do not completely account for the influence of meteorology. Regional anomalies are used to account for the remaining meteorological influence on clouds. After accounting for meteorological regime and regional influences, a statistically significant but weak covariance between cloud properties and sea ice is found in each season for at least one atmospheric regime. Smaller average cloud fraction and liquid water are found within footprints with more sea ice. The largest-magnitude cloud-sea ice covariance occurs between 500m and 1.2 km when the lower tropospheric stability is between 16 and 24 K. The covariance between low cloud properties and sea ice is found to be largest in fall and is accompanied by significant changes in boundary layer temperature structure where larger average near-surface static stability is found at larger sea ice concentrations.

Covariance between Arctic sea ice and clouds within atmospheric state regimes at the satellite footprint level.

PubMed

Taylor, Patrick C; Kato, Seiji; Xu, Kuan-Man; Cai, Ming

2015-12-27

Understanding the cloud response to sea ice change is necessary for modeling Arctic climate. Previous work has primarily addressed this problem from the interannual variability perspective. This paper provides a refined perspective of sea ice-cloud relationship in the Arctic using a satellite footprint-level quantification of the covariance between sea ice and Arctic low cloud properties from NASA A-Train active remote sensing data. The covariances between Arctic low cloud properties and sea ice concentration are quantified by first partitioning each footprint into four atmospheric regimes defined using thresholds of lower tropospheric stability and midtropospheric vertical velocity. Significant regional variability in the cloud properties is found within the atmospheric regimes indicating that the regimes do not completely account for the influence of meteorology. Regional anomalies are used to account for the remaining meteorological influence on clouds. After accounting for meteorological regime and regional influences, a statistically significant but weak covariance between cloud properties and sea ice is found in each season for at least one atmospheric regime. Smaller average cloud fraction and liquid water are found within footprints with more sea ice. The largest-magnitude cloud-sea ice covariance occurs between 500 m and 1.2 km when the lower tropospheric stability is between 16 and 24 K. The covariance between low cloud properties and sea ice is found to be largest in fall and is accompanied by significant changes in boundary layer temperature structure where larger average near-surface static stability is found at larger sea ice concentrations.

Discovery of the Largest Orbweaving Spider Species: The Evolution of Gigantism in Nephila

PubMed Central

Kuntner, Matjaž; Coddington, Jonathan A.

2009-01-01

Background More than 41,000 spider species are known with about 400–500 added each year, but for some well-known groups, such as the giant golden orbweavers, Nephila, the last valid described species dates from the 19th century. Nephila are renowned for being the largest web-spinning spiders, making the largest orb webs, and are model organisms for the study of extreme sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and sexual biology. Here, we report on the discovery of a new, giant Nephila species from Africa and Madagascar, and review size evolution and SSD in Nephilidae. Methodology We formally describe N. komaci sp. nov., the largest web spinning species known, and place the species in phylogenetic context to reconstruct the evolution of mean size (via squared change parsimony). We then test female and male mean size correlation using phylogenetically independent contrasts, and simulate nephilid body size evolution using Monte Carlo statistics. Conclusions Nephila females increased in size almost monotonically to establish a mostly African clade of true giants. In contrast, Nephila male size is effectively decoupled and hovers around values roughly one fifth of female size. Although N. komaci females are the largest Nephila yet discovered, the males are also large and thus their SSD is not exceptional. PMID:19844575

Discovery of the largest orbweaving spider species: the evolution of gigantism in Nephila.

PubMed

Kuntner, Matjaz; Coddington, Jonathan A

2009-10-21

More than 41,000 spider species are known with about 400-500 added each year, but for some well-known groups, such as the giant golden orbweavers, Nephila, the last valid described species dates from the 19(th) century. Nephila are renowned for being the largest web-spinning spiders, making the largest orb webs, and are model organisms for the study of extreme sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and sexual biology. Here, we report on the discovery of a new, giant Nephila species from Africa and Madagascar, and review size evolution and SSD in Nephilidae. We formally describe N. komaci sp. nov., the largest web spinning species known, and place the species in phylogenetic context to reconstruct the evolution of mean size (via squared change parsimony). We then test female and male mean size correlation using phylogenetically independent contrasts, and simulate nephilid body size evolution using Monte Carlo statistics. Nephila females increased in size almost monotonically to establish a mostly African clade of true giants. In contrast, Nephila male size is effectively decoupled and hovers around values roughly one fifth of female size. Although N. komaci females are the largest Nephila yet discovered, the males are also large and thus their SSD is not exceptional.

Use of disposable graduated biopsy forceps improves accuracy of polyp size measurements during endoscopy.

PubMed

Jin, Hei-Ying; Leng, Qiang

2015-01-14

To determine the accuracy of endoscopic polyp size measurements using disposable graduated biopsy forceps (DGBF). Gradations accurate to 1 mm were assessed with the wire of disposable graduated biopsy forceps. When a polyp was noted, endoscopists determined the width of the polyp; then, the graduated biopsy forceps was inserted and the largest diameter of the tumor was measured. After excision, during surgery or endoscopy, the polyp was measured using the vernier caliper. One hundred and thirty-three colorectal polyps from 119 patients were studied. The mean diameter, by post-polypectomy measurement, was 0.92 ± 0.69 cm; 83 were < 1 cm, 36 were between 1 and 2 cm, and 14 were > 2 cm. The mean diameter, by visual estimation, was 1.15 ± 0.88 cm; compared to the actual size measured using vernier calipers, the difference was statistically significant. The mean diameter measured using the DGBF was 0.93 ± 0.68 cm; compared to the actual size measured using vernier calipers, this difference was not statistically significant. The ratio between the mean size estimated by visual estimation and the actual size was significantly different from that between the mean size estimated using the DGBF and the actual size (1.26 ± 0.30 vs 1.02 ± 0.11). The accuracy of polyp size estimation was low by visual assessment; however, it improved when the DGBF was used.

Selectivity of physiotherapist programs in the United States does not differ by institutional funding source or research activity level.

PubMed

Riley, Sean P; Covington, Kyle; Landry, Michel D; McCallum, Christine; Engelhard, Chalee; Cook, Chad E

2016-01-01

This study aimed to compare selectivity characteristics among institution characteristics to determine differences by institutional funding source (public vs. private) or research activity level (research vs. non-research). This study included information provided by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Data were extracted from all students who graduated in 2011 from accredited physical therapy programs in the United States. The public and private designations of the institutions were extracted directly from the classifications from the 'CAPTE annual accreditation report,' and high and low research activity was determined based on Carnegie classifications. The institutions were classified into four groups: public/research intensive, public/non-research intensive, private/research intensive, and private/non-research intensive. Descriptive and comparison analyses with post hoc testing were performed to determine whether there were statistically significant differences among the four groups. Although there were statistically significant baseline grade point average differences among the four categorized groups, there were no significant differences in licensure pass rates or for any of the selectivity variables of interest. Selectivity characteristics did not differ by institutional funding source (public vs. private) or research activity level (research vs. non-research). This suggests that the concerns about reduced selectivity among physiotherapy programs, specifically the types that are experiencing the largest proliferation, appear less warranted.

Rebuilding Trust in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awan, Seher

2017-01-01

The California Community College (CCC) system is the largest system of higher education in the United States, with 72 districts and 113 colleges. The CCC system exhibits statistics demonstrating success; however, as with any organization, trust, communication, and leadership play an essential role in creating stable and productive organizations.…

An open-access CMIP5 pattern library for temperature and precipitation: description and methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynch, Cary; Hartin, Corinne; Bond-Lamberty, Ben; Kravitz, Ben

2017-05-01

Pattern scaling is used to efficiently emulate general circulation models and explore uncertainty in climate projections under multiple forcing scenarios. Pattern scaling methods assume that local climate changes scale with a global mean temperature increase, allowing for spatial patterns to be generated for multiple models for any future emission scenario. For uncertainty quantification and probabilistic statistical analysis, a library of patterns with descriptive statistics for each file would be beneficial, but such a library does not presently exist. Of the possible techniques used to generate patterns, the two most prominent are the delta and least squares regression methods. We explore the differences and statistical significance between patterns generated by each method and assess performance of the generated patterns across methods and scenarios. Differences in patterns across seasons between methods and epochs were largest in high latitudes (60-90° N/S). Bias and mean errors between modeled and pattern-predicted output from the linear regression method were smaller than patterns generated by the delta method. Across scenarios, differences in the linear regression method patterns were more statistically significant, especially at high latitudes. We found that pattern generation methodologies were able to approximate the forced signal of change to within ≤ 0.5 °C, but the choice of pattern generation methodology for pattern scaling purposes should be informed by user goals and criteria. This paper describes our library of least squares regression patterns from all CMIP5 models for temperature and precipitation on an annual and sub-annual basis, along with the code used to generate these patterns. The dataset and netCDF data generation code are available at doi:10.5281/zenodo.495632.

A Methodology for the Parametric Reconstruction of Non-Steady and Noisy Meteorological Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rovira, F.; Palau, J. L.; Millán, M.

2009-09-01

Climatic and meteorological time series often show some persistence (in time) in the variability of certain features. One could regard annual, seasonal and diurnal time variability as trivial persistence in the variability of some meteorological magnitudes (as, e.g., global radiation, air temperature above surface, etc.). In these cases, the traditional Fourier transform into frequency space will show the principal harmonics as the components with the largest amplitude. Nevertheless, meteorological measurements often show other non-steady (in time) variability. Some fluctuations in measurements (at different time scales) are driven by processes that prevail on some days (or months) of the year but disappear on others. By decomposing a time series into time-frequency space through the continuous wavelet transformation, one is able to determine both the dominant modes of variability and how those modes vary in time. This study is based on a numerical methodology to analyse non-steady principal harmonics in noisy meteorological time series. This methodology combines both the continuous wavelet transform and the development of a parametric model that includes the time evolution of the principal and the most statistically significant harmonics of the original time series. The parameterisation scheme proposed in this study consists of reproducing the original time series by means of a statistically significant finite sum of sinusoidal signals (waves), each defined by using the three usual parameters: amplitude, frequency and phase. To ensure the statistical significance of the parametric reconstruction of the original signal, we propose a standard statistical t-student analysis of the confidence level of the amplitude in the parametric spectrum for the different wave components. Once we have assured the level of significance of the different waves composing the parametric model, we can obtain the statistically significant principal harmonics (in time) of the original time series by using the Fourier transform of the modelled signal. Acknowledgements The CEAM Foundation is supported by the Generalitat Valenciana and BANCAIXA (València, Spain). This study has been partially funded by the European Commission (FP VI, Integrated Project CIRCE - No. 036961) and by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, research projects "TRANSREG” (CGL2007-65359/CLI) and "GRACCIE” (CSD2007-00067, Program CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010).

Slow kinetics of Brownian maxima.

PubMed

Ben-Naim, E; Krapivsky, P L

2014-07-18

We study extreme-value statistics of Brownian trajectories in one dimension. We define the maximum as the largest position to date and compare maxima of two particles undergoing independent Brownian motion. We focus on the probability P(t) that the two maxima remain ordered up to time t and find the algebraic decay P ∼ t(-β) with exponent β = 1/4. When the two particles have diffusion constants D(1) and D(2), the exponent depends on the mobilities, β = (1/π) arctan sqrt[D(2)/D(1)]. We also use numerical simulations to investigate maxima of multiple particles in one dimension and the largest extension of particles in higher dimensions.

Differences in stone size and ureteral dilation between obstructing proximal and distal ureteral calculi.

PubMed

Eisner, Brian H; Pedro, Renato; Namasivayam, Saravanan; Kambadakone, Avinash; Sahani, Dushyant V; Dretler, Stephen P; Monga, Manoj

2008-09-01

To examine the differences in ureteral dilation and calculus size between obstructing proximal and distal ureteral stones. A retrospective review of computed tomography (CT) scans from 176 consecutive patients with obstructing ureteral calculi was performed. For the calculi, the axial diameter was defined as the largest stone diameter on the axial CT images, and the coronal length was defined as the cephalocaudal length of the stone measured on the coronal CT images. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. A total of 65 proximal and 111 distal ureteral calculi were analyzed. On univariate analysis, the proximal calculi were associated with a greater degree of ureteral dilation (mean 6.1 mm vs 5.3 mm, P = .01) and had a greater coronal length (mean 9.9 mm vs 8.3 mm, P = .005) than distal calculi. This association was also true on the multivariate analysis, which controlled for age and sex (P = .0004). No statistically significant difference was found in the axial calculus diameter for the proximal and distal stones (mean 5.3 mm vs 5.0 mm, P = .29). In a subset of 50 patients whose contralateral ureters (without stones) were measured for control comparison, the ureteral dilation in the ureters with stones was significantly greater than in the control ureters (proximal ureter 6.2 mm vs 4.3 mm, P = .001; distal ureter 4.7 mm vs 3.8 mm, P = .004). For proximal calculi, 72.3% were associated with ureteral dilation of less than 7 mm, 23.1% with 7-10 mm, and 4.6% with greater than 10 mm. For the distal calculi, 90.1% were associated with ureteral dilation of less than 7 mm, 6.3% with 7-10 mm, and 3.6% with greater than 10 mm. The coronal length was the largest measured diameter in 94% of the calculi, and the mean calculus coronal length was significantly greater than the mean axial diameter (8.9 mm vs 5.1 mm, respectively, P < .001). The results of our study have shown that proximal ureteral calculi are associated with a significantly greater degree of ureteral dilation and larger coronal length than are distal calculi. These findings should guide the endoscopist in planning intracorporeal ureteroscopic lithotripsy. We suggest obtaining CT coronal images to more accurately characterize obstructing ureteral stones.

How to Search, Write, Prepare and Publish the Scientific Papers in the Biomedical Journals

PubMed Central

Masic, Izet

2011-01-01

This article describes the methodology of preparation, writing and publishing scientific papers in biomedical journals. given is a concise overview of the concept and structure of the System of biomedical scientific and technical information and the way of biomedical literature retreival from worldwide biomedical databases. Described are the scientific and professional medical journals that are currently published in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, given is the comparative review on the number and structure of papers published in indexed journals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are listed in the Medline database. Analyzed are three B&H journals indexed in MEDLINE database: Medical Archives (Medicinski Arhiv), Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences and Medical Gazette (Medicinki Glasnik) in 2010. The largest number of original papers was published in the Medical Archives. There is a statistically significant difference in the number of papers published by local authors in relation to international journals in favor of the Medical Archives. True, the Journal Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences does not categorize the articles and we could not make comparisons. Journal Medical Archives and Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences by percentage published the largest number of articles by authors from Sarajevo and Tuzla, the two oldest and largest university medical centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The author believes that it is necessary to make qualitative changes in the reception and reviewing of papers for publication in biomedical journals published in Bosnia and Herzegovina which should be the responsibility of the separate scientific authority/ committee composed of experts in the field of medicine at the state level. PMID:23572850

Changes in tropical precipitation cluster size distributions under global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neelin, J. D.; Quinn, K. M.

2016-12-01

The total amount of precipitation integrated across a tropical storm or other precipitation feature (contiguous clusters of precipitation exceeding a minimum rain rate) is a useful measure of the aggregate size of the disturbance. To establish baseline behavior in current climate, the probability distribution of cluster sizes from multiple satellite retrievals and National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis is compared to those from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory high-resolution atmospheric model (HIRAM-360 and -180). With the caveat that a minimum rain rate threshold is important in the models (which tend to overproduce low rain rates), the models agree well with observations in leading properties. In particular, scale-free power law ranges in which the probability drops slowly with increasing cluster size are well modeled, followed by a rapid drop in probability of the largest clusters above a cutoff scale. Under the RCP 8.5 global warming scenario, the models indicate substantial increases in probability (up to an order of magnitude) of the largest clusters by the end of century. For models with continuous time series of high resolution output, there is substantial spread on when these probability increases for the largest precipitation clusters should be detectable, ranging from detectable within the observational period to statistically significant trends emerging only in the second half of the century. Examination of NCEP reanalysis and SSMI/SSMIS series of satellite retrievals from 1979 to present does not yield reliable evidence of trends at this time. The results suggest improvements in inter-satellite calibration of the SSMI/SSMIS retrievals could aid future detection.

Trends in Disparity by Sex and Race/Ethnicity for the Leading Causes of Death in the United States-1999-2010.

PubMed

Chang, Man-Huei; Moonesinghe, Ramal; Athar, Heba M; Truman, Benedict I

2016-01-01

Temporal trends in disparities in the leading causes of death within and between US demographic subgroups indicate the need for and success of interventions to prevent premature death in vulnerable populations. Studies that report recent trends are limited and outdated. To describe temporal trends in disparities in death rates by sex and race/ethnicity for the 10 leading causes of death in the United States during 1999-2010. We used underlying cause of death data and population estimates from the National Vital Statistics System to calculate age-adjusted death rates for the 10 leading causes of death during 1999-2010. We measured absolute and relative disparities by sex and race/ethnicity for each cause and year of death; we used weighted linear regression to test for significance of trends over time. Of the 10 leading causes of death, age-adjusted death rates by sex and race/ethnicity declined during 1999-2010 for 6 causes and increased for 4 causes. But sex and racial/ethnic disparities between groups persisted for each year and cause of death. In the US population, the decreasing trend during 1999-2010 was greatest for cerebrovascular disease (-36.5%) and the increasing trend was greatest for Alzheimer disease (52.4%). For each sex and year, the disparity in death rates between Asian/Pacific Islanders (API) and other groups varied significantly by cause of death. In 2010, the API-non-Hispanic black disparity was largest for heart disease, malignant neoplasms, cerebrovascular diseases, and nephritis; the API-American Indian/Alaska Native disparity was largest for unintentional injury, diabetes mellitus, influenza and pneumonia, and suicide; and the API-non-Hispanic white disparity was largest for chronic lower respiratory diseases and Alzheimer disease. Public health practitioners can use these findings to improve policies and practices and to evaluate progress in eliminating disparities and their social determinants in vulnerable populations.

A pilot study on objective quantification and anatomical modelling of in vivo head and neck positions commonly applied in training and competition of sport horses.

PubMed

Elgersma, A E; Wijnberg, I D; Sleutjens, J; van der Kolk, J H; van Weeren, P R; Back, W

2010-11-01

Head and neck positions (HNP) in sport horses are under debate in the equine community, as they could interfere with equine welfare. HNPs have not been quantified objectively and no information is available on their head and neck loading. To quantify in vivo HNPs in sport horses and develop o a model to estimate loading on the cervical vertebrae in these positions. Videos were taken of 7 Warmbloods at walk on a straight line in 5 positions, representing all HNPs during Warmblood training and competition. Markers were glued at 5 anatomical landmarks. Two-dimensional angles and distances were determined from video frames for the 5 HNPs and statistically compared (P < 0.05). A new simulation model was developed to estimate nuchal ligament cervical loading at these HNPs. The mean angles were significantly different between the 5 HNPs for the line between C1 and T6 with the horizontal and for the line connecting the facial crest (CF) and C1 with the vertical, while the vertical distance from CF to the lateral styloid process of the radius (PS) was significantly different between all 5 positions (P < 0.05). The estimated nuchal ligament loading appeared to be largest at the origin of C2 for all HNPs, except for the 'hyperextended' HNP5; the 'hyperflexed' HNP4 showed the largest loading values on the nuchal ligament origins at all locations. HNPs can be accurately quantified in the sagittal plane from angles and distances based on standard anatomical landmarks and home-video captured images. Nuchal ligament loading showed the largest estimated values at its origin on C2 in hyperflexion (HNP4). Modelling opens further perspectives to eventually estimate loading for individual horses and thus ergonomically optimise their HNP, which may improve the welfare of the sport horse during training and competition. © 2010 EVJ Ltd.

A global approach to estimate irrigated areas - a comparison between different data and statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, Jonas; Zabel, Florian; Mauser, Wolfram

2018-02-01

Agriculture is the largest global consumer of water. Irrigated areas constitute 40 % of the total area used for agricultural production (FAO, 2014a) Information on their spatial distribution is highly relevant for regional water management and food security. Spatial information on irrigation is highly important for policy and decision makers, who are facing the transition towards more efficient sustainable agriculture. However, the mapping of irrigated areas still represents a challenge for land use classifications, and existing global data sets differ strongly in their results. The following study tests an existing irrigation map based on statistics and extends the irrigated area using ancillary data. The approach processes and analyzes multi-temporal normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) SPOT-VGT data and agricultural suitability data - both at a spatial resolution of 30 arcsec - incrementally in a multiple decision tree. It covers the period from 1999 to 2012. The results globally show a 18 % larger irrigated area than existing approaches based on statistical data. The largest differences compared to the official national statistics are found in Asia and particularly in China and India. The additional areas are mainly identified within already known irrigated regions where irrigation is more dense than previously estimated. The validation with global and regional products shows the large divergence of existing data sets with respect to size and distribution of irrigated areas caused by spatial resolution, the considered time period and the input data and assumption made.

Occurrence, distribution, and transport of pesticides in agricultural irrigation-return flow from four drainage basins in the Columbia Basin Project, Washington, 2002-04, and comparison with historical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Richard J.; Frans, Lonna M.; Huffman, Raegan L.

2006-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from sites in four irrigation return-flow drainage basins in the Columbia Basin Project from July 2002 through October 2004. Ten samples were collected throughout the irrigation season (generally April through October) and two samples were collected during the non-irrigation season. Samples were analyzed for temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and a suite of 107 pesticides and pesticide metabolites (pesticide transformation products) and to document the occurrence, distribution, and pesticides transport and pesticide metabolites. The four drainage basins vary in size from 19 to 710 square miles. Percentage of agricultural cropland ranges from about 35 percent in Crab Creek drainage basin to a maximum of 75 percent in Lind Coulee drainage basin. More than 95 percent of cropland in Red Rock Coulee, Crab Creek, and Sand Hollow drainage basins is irrigated, whereas only 30 percent of cropland in Lind Coulee is irrigated. Forty-two pesticides and five metabolites were detected in samples from the four irrigation return-flow drainage basins. The most compounds detected were in samples from Sand Hollow with 37, followed by Lind Coulee with 33, Red Rock Coulee with 30, and Crab Creek with 28. Herbicides were the most frequently detected pesticides, followed by insecticides, metabolites, and fungicides. Atrazine, bentazon, diuron, and 2,4-D were the most frequently detected herbicides and chlorpyrifos and azinphos-methyl were the most frequently detected insecticides. A statistical comparison of pesticide concentrations in surface-water samples collected in the mid-1990s at Crab Creek and Sand Hollow with those collected in this study showed a statistically significant increase in concentrations for diuron and a statistically significant decrease for ethoprophos and atrazine in Crab Creek. Statistically significant increases were in concentrations of bromacil, diuron, and pendimethalin at Sand Hollow and statistically significant decreases were in concentrations of 2,6-diethylanaline, alachlor, atrazine, DCPA, and EPTC. A seasonal Kendall trend test on data from Lind Coulee indicated no statistically significant trends for any pesticide for 1994 through 2004. A comparison of pesticide concentrations detected in this study with those detected in previous U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment studies of the Central Columbia Plateau, Yakima River basin, and national agricultural studies indicated that concentrations in this study generally were in the middle to lower end of the concentration spectrum for the most frequently detected herbicides and insecticides, but that the overall rate of detection was near the high end. Thirty-one of the 42 herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides detected in surface-water samples were applied to the major agricultural crops in the drainage basins, and 11 of the detected pesticides are sold for residential application. Eight of the pesticides detected in surface-water samples were not reported as having any agricultural or residential use. The overall pattern of pesticide use depends on which crops are grown in each drainage basin. Drainage basins with predominantly more orchards have higher amounts of insecticides applied, whereas basins with larger percentages of field crops tend to have more herbicides applied. Pesticide usage was most similar in Crab Creek and Sand Hollow, where the largest total amounts applied were the insecticides azinphos-methyl, carbaryl, and chlorpyrifos and the herbicide EPTC. In Red Rock Coulee basin, DCPA was the most heavily applied herbicide, followed by the fungicide chlorothalonil, the herbicide EPTC, and the insecticides chlorpyrifos and azinphos-methyl. In Lind Coulee, which has a large percentage of dryland agricultural area, the herbicides 2,4-D and EPTC were applied in the largest amount, followed by the fungicide chlorothalonil. The

Bacterial Community Dynamics in Full-Scale Activated Sludge Bioreactors: Operational and Ecological Factors Driving Community Assembly and Performance

PubMed Central

Valentín-Vargas, Alexis; Toro-Labrador, Gladys; Massol-Deyá, Arturo A.

2012-01-01

The assembling of bacterial communities in conventional activated sludge (CAS) bioreactors was thought, until recently, to be chaotic and mostly unpredictable. Studies done over the last decade have shown that specific, and often, predictable random and non-random factors could be responsible for that process. These studies have also motivated a “structure–function” paradigm that is yet to be resolved. Thus, elucidating the factors that affect community assembly in the bioreactors is necessary for predicting fluctuations in community structure and function. For this study activated sludge samples were collected during a one-year period from two geographically distant CAS bioreactors of different size. Combining community fingerprinting analysis and operational parameters data with a robust statistical analysis, we aimed to identify relevant links between system performance and bacterial community diversity and dynamics. In addition to revealing a significant β-diversity between the bioreactors’ communities, results showed that the largest bioreactor had a less dynamic but more efficient and diverse bacterial community throughout the study. The statistical analysis also suggests that deterministic factors, as opposed to stochastic factors, may have a bigger impact on the community structure in the largest bioreactor. Furthermore, the community seems to rely mainly on mechanisms of resistance and functional redundancy to maintain functional stability. We suggest that the ecological theories behind the Island Biogeography model and the species-area relationship were appropriate to predict the assembly of bacterial communities in these CAS bioreactors. These results are of great importance for engineers and ecologists as they reveal critical aspects of CAS systems that could be applied towards improving bioreactor design and operation. PMID:22880016

A comparison of dental hygienists' salaries to state dental supervision levels.

PubMed

Catlett, April

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of dental supervision on registered dental hygienists' salaries in the 50 states and District of Columbia by comparing the average dental hygiene salaries from the largest metropolitan city within each state from May 2011, the most recent valid data, in relation to the required level of dental supervision. A retrospective contrasted-group quasi-experimental design analysis was conducted using the most current mean dental hygiene salaries for the largest metropolitan city within each state and the District of Columbia which was matched to the appropriate dental supervision level. In addition, a dental assisting salary control group was utilized and correlated to the appropriate dental hygienist salary in the same metropolitan city and state. Samples were obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) statistical analysis was utilized to assess the relationship of the 5 levels of dentist supervision, with the registered dental hygienist salaries. The MANOVA analysis was also utilized to assess the control group, dental assistant salaries. No statistically significant results were found among the dental supervision levels on the measures of dental hygiene salaries and dental assistant salaries. Wilks's Λ=0.81, F (8, 90)=1.29, p=0.26. Analyses of variances (ANOVA) on the dependent variables were also conducted as follow-up tests to the MANOVA. Study results suggest dental hygienists who are required to have a dentist on the premises to complete any dental treatment obtain similar salaries to those dental hygienists who are allowed to work in some settings unsupervised by a dentist. Therefore, dental supervision does not seem to have an impact on dental hygienists' salaries. Copyright © 2014 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Associative Networks on a Massively Parallel Computer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-10-01

lgbt (as a group of numbers, in this case), but this only leads to sensible queries when a statistical function is applied: "What is the largest salary...34.*"* . •.,. 64 the siW~pe operations being used during ascend, each movement step costs the same as executing an operation

Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy Webinar: Taking on Takeout Waste: New Approaches in New York City

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

It is estimated that nationally, over 76 million tons of containers and packaging make up the largest portion of municipal solid waste generated, and 39 percent of those discards are sent to landfills. While the specific statistics on takeout waste tonnage

The Biggest Classroom in the Building

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuon, Tricia; Flores, Juanita; Pickett, Janie

2014-01-01

This article asks a thought provoking question: Do school librarians matter? The statistics would seem to indicate that many decision makers in many schools believe school librarians and even school libraries are expendable, even though the school library is often the largest classroom in a school. To start, school librarians are technology…

COMBINING EVIDENCE ON AIR POLLUTION AND DAILY MORTALITY FROM 20 LARGEST U.S. CITIES: A HIERARCHICAL MODELING STRATEGY

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental science and management are fed by individual studies of pollution effects, often focused on single locations. Data are encountered data, typically from multiple sources and on different time and spatial scales. Statistical issues including publication bias and m...

Determinants of personal exposure to PM2.5, ultrafine particle counts, and CO in a transport microenvironment.

PubMed

Kaur, S; Nieuwenhuijsen, M J

2009-07-01

Short-term human exposure concentrations to PM2.5, ultrafine particle counts (particle range: 0.02-1 microm), and carbon monoxide (CO) were investigated at and around a street canyon intersection in Central London, UK. During a four week field campaign, groups of four volunteers collected samples at three timings (morning, lunch, and afternoon), along two different routes (a heavily trafficked route and a backstreet route) via five modes of transport (walking, cycling, bus, car, and taxi). This was followed by an investigation into the determinants of exposure using a regression technique which incorporated the site-specific traffic counts, meteorological variables (wind speed and temperature) and the mode of transport used. The analyses explained 9, 62, and 43% of the variability observed in the exposure concentrations to PM2.5, ultrafine particle counts, and CO in this study, respectively. The mode of transport was a statistically significant determinant of personal exposure to PM2.5, ultrafine particle counts, and CO, and for PM2.5 and ultrafine particle counts it was the most important determinant. Traffic count explained little of the variability in the PM2.5 concentrations, but it had a greater influence on ultrafine particle count and CO concentrations. The analyses showed that temperature had a statistically significant impact on ultrafine particle count and CO concentrations. Wind speed also had a statistically significant effect but smaller. The small proportion in variability explained in PM2.5 by the model compared to the largest proportion in ultrafine particle counts and CO may be due to the effect of long-range transboundary sources, whereas for ultrafine particle counts and CO, local traffic is the main source.

Use of Google Scholar public profiles in orthopedics.

PubMed

Tetsworth, Kevin; Fraser, Dave; Glatt, Vaida; Hohmann, Erik

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to survey the growth of Google Scholar public profiles in orthopedics over a 12-month period and to investigate global patterns. Data was prospectively acquired from June 2013 to June 2014. Google Scholar queries specific to orthopedic surgery were performed at 90-day intervals. Demographic aspects of each user were also compiled, including gender, current location, and primary interests. To determine differences between the growth of Google Scholar public profile registrations and citation counts, as well as differences in growth in different regions, repeated measures of analysis of variance (RMANOVA) were used. RMANOVA revealed statistically significant differences ( p = 0.0001) for regional growth. The largest growth was observed in the United Kingdom ( p = 0.009, 289%), followed by the Asia-Pacific region ( p = 0.004, 177%) and "Other" ( p = 0.006, 172%). The mean growth per 90-day interval is 19.9% ( p = 0.003) and the mean 12-month growth is 107% ( p = 0.05). Statistically significant differences between gender (male vs. female) and basic and clinical sciences ( χ 2 = 22.4, p = 0.0001) were observed. This study suggests an exponential growth in the number of authors in the field of orthopedic surgery creating a Google Scholar public profile, and at the current rate participation doubles every 10.6 months.

Cerebellar Volume in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

PubMed

Wyciszkiewicz, Aleksandra; Pawlak, Mikolaj A; Krawiec, Krzysztof

2017-02-01

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with altered cerebellar volume and cerebellum is associated with cognitive performance. However there are mixed results regarding the cerebellar volume in young patients with ADHD. To clarify the size and direction of this effect, we conducted the analysis on the large public database of brain images. The aim of this study was to confirm that cerebellar volume in ADHD is smaller than in control subjects in currently the largest publicly available cohort of ADHD subjects.We applied cross-sectional case control study design by comparing 286 ADHD patients (61 female) with age and gender matched control subjects. Volumetric measurements of cerebellum were obtained using automated segmentation with FreeSurfer 5.1. Statistical analysis was performed in R-CRAN statistical environment. Patients with ADHD had significantly smaller total cerebellar volumes (134.5±17.11cm 3 vs.138.90±15.32 cm 3 ). The effect was present in both females and males (males 136.9±14.37 cm 3 vs. 141.20±14.75 cm 3 ; females 125.7±12.34 cm 3 vs. 131.20±15.03 cm 3 ). Age was positively and significantly associated with the cerebellar volumes. These results indicate either delayed or disrupted cerebellar development possibly contributing to ADHD pathophysiology.

Correlation between the reason for referral, clinical, and objective assessment of the risk for dysphagia.

PubMed

Mancopes, Renata; Gonçalves, Bruna Franciele da Trindade; Costa, Cintia Conceição; Favero, Talita Cristina; Drozdz, Daniela Rejane Constantino; Bilheri, Diego Fernando Dorneles; Schumacher, Stéfani Fernanda

2014-01-01

To correlate the reason for referral to speech therapy service at a university hospital with the results of clinical and objective assessment of risk for dysphagia. This is a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective analytical and quantitative study. The data were gathered from the database, and the information used was the reason for referral to speech therapy service, results of clinical assessment of the risk for dysphagia, and also from swallowing videofluoroscopy. There was a mean difference between the variables of the reason for the referral, results of the clinical and objective swallowing assessments, and scale of penetration/aspiration, although the values were not statistically significant. Statistically significant correlation was observed between clinical and objective assessments and the penetration scale, with the largest occurring between the results of objective assessment and penetration scale. There was a correlation between clinical and objective assessments of swallowing and mean difference between the variables of the reason for the referral with their respective assessment. This shows the importance of the association between the data of patient's history and results of clinical evaluation and complementary tests, such as videofluoroscopy, for correct identification of the swallowing disorders, being important to combine the use of severity scales of penetration/aspiration for diagnosis.

Health benefits of particle filtration.

PubMed

Fisk, W J

2013-10-01

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statistically significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7% to 25%. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Brain Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography Gender Differences in Tinnitus Patients.

PubMed

Shlamkovich, Nathan; Gavriel, Haim; Eviatar, Ephraim; Lorberboym, Mordechay; Aviram, Eliad

2016-10-01

Increased metabolism in the left auditory cortex has been reported in tinnitus patients. However, gender difference has not been addressed. To assess the differences in Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) results between the genders in tinnitus patients. Retrospective cohort. Included were patients referred to our clinic between January 2011 and August 2013 who complained of tinnitus and underwent fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET to assess brain metabolism. Univariate and multivariate nominal logistic regressions were used to evaluate the association between upper temporal gyrus (UTG; right and left) and gender. Included were 140 patients (87 males) with an average age of 52.5 yr (median = 53.1). Bilateral tinnitus was found in 85 patients (60.7%), left sided in 30 (21.4%), and right sided in 21(15%). Increased uptake in the UTG was found in 60% of the patients on either side. Males had a statistically significant increased uptake in the UTG in those with unilateral tinnitus and in the entire population. We present the largest study reported so far on tinnitus patients who have undergone FDG-PET-CT. We found a statistically significant difference between the genders in FDG uptake by the UTG. Further investigations should be undertaken to reveal the etiologies for these differences and to assess different therapeutic protocols according to gender. American Academy of Audiology

Semi-empirical seismic relations of A-F stars from COROT and Kepler legacy data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moya, A.; Suárez, J. C.; García Hernández, A.; Mendoza, M. A.

2017-10-01

Asteroseismology is witnessing a revolution, thanks to high-precise asteroseismic space data (MOST, COROT, Kepler, BRITE) and their large ground-based follow-up programs. Those instruments have provided an unprecedented large amount of information, which allows us to scrutinize its statistical properties in the quest for hidden relations among pulsational and/or physical observables. This approach might be particularly useful for stars whose pulsation content is difficult to interpret. This is the case of intermediate-mass classical pulsating stars (I.e. γ Dor, δ Scuti, hybrids) for which current theories do not properly predict the observed oscillation spectra. Here, we establish a first step in finding such hidden relations from data mining techniques for these stars. We searched for those hidden relations in a sample of δ Scuti and hybrid stars observed by COROT and Kepler (74 and 153, respectively). No significant correlations between pairs of observables were found. However, two statistically significant correlations emerged from multivariable correlations in the observed seismic data, which describe the total number of observed frequencies and the largest one, respectively. Moreover, three different sets of stars were found to cluster according to their frequency density distribution. Such sets are in apparent agreement with the asteroseismic properties commonly accepted for A-F pulsating stars.

Surface Area of Patellar Facets: Inferential Statistics in the Iraqi Population

PubMed Central

Al-Zamili, Zaid; Omar, Rawan

2017-01-01

Background. The patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body; its three-dimensional complexity necessitates biomechanical perfection. Numerous pathologies occur at the patellofemoral unit which may end in degenerative changes. This study aims to test the presence of statistical correlation between the surface areas of patellar facets and other patellar morphometric parameters. Materials and Methods. Forty dry human patellae were studied. The morphometry of each patella was measured using a digital Vernier Caliper, electronic balance, and image analyses software known as ImageJ. The patellar facetal surface area was correlated with patellar weight, height, width, and thickness. Results. Inferential statistics proved the existence of linear correlation of total facetal surface area and patellar weight, height, width, and thickness. The correlation was strongest for surface area versus patellar weight. The lateral facetal area was found persistently larger than the medial facetal area, the p value was found to be <0.001 (one-tailed t-test) for right patellae, and another significant p value of < 0.001 (one-tailed t-test) was found for left patellae. Conclusion. These data are vital for the restoration of the normal biomechanics of the patellofemoral unit; these are to be consulted during knee surgeries and implant designs and can be of an indispensable anthropometric, interethnic, and biometric value. PMID:28348891

Jimsphere wind and turbulence exceedance statistic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelfang, S. I.; Court, A.

1972-01-01

Exceedance statistics of winds and gusts observed over Cape Kennedy with Jimsphere balloon sensors are described. Gust profiles containing positive and negative departures, from smoothed profiles, in the wavelength ranges 100-2500, 100-1900, 100-860, and 100-460 meters were computed from 1578 profiles with four 41 weight digital high pass filters. Extreme values of the square root of gust speed are normally distributed. Monthly and annual exceedance probability distributions of normalized rms gust speeds in three altitude bands (2-7, 6-11, and 9-14 km) are log-normal. The rms gust speeds are largest in the 100-2500 wavelength band between 9 and 14 km in late winter and early spring. A study of monthly and annual exceedance probabilities and the number of occurrences per kilometer of level crossings with positive slope indicates significant variability with season, altitude, and filter configuration. A decile sampling scheme is tested and an optimum approach is suggested for drawing a relatively small random sample that represents the characteristic extreme wind speeds and shears of a large parent population of Jimsphere wind profiles.

New Evidence on the Relationship Between Climate and Conflict

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, M.

2015-12-01

We synthesize a large new body of research on the relationship between climate and conflict. We consider many types of human conflict, ranging from interpersonal conflict -- domestic violence, road rage, assault, murder, and rape -- to intergroup conflict -- riots, coups, ethnic violence, land invasions, gang violence, and civil war. After harmonizing statistical specifications and standardizing estimated effect sizes within each conflict category, we implement a meta-analysis that allows us to estimate the mean effect of climate variation on conflict outcomes as well as quantify the degree of variability in this effect size across studies. Looking across more than 50 studies, we find that deviations from moderate temperatures and precipitation patterns systematically increase the risk of conflict, often substantially, with average effects that are highly statistically significant. We find that contemporaneous temperature has the largest average effect by far, with each 1 standard deviation increase toward warmer temperatures increasing the frequency of contemporaneous interpersonal conflict by 2% and of intergroup conflict by more than 10%. We also quantify substantial heterogeneity in these effect estimates across settings.

Wave energy resource of Brazil: An analysis from 35 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis data

PubMed Central

Araújo, Alex Maurício

2017-01-01

This paper presents a characterization of the wave power resource and an analysis of the wave power output for three (AquaBuoy, Pelamis and Wave Dragon) different wave energy converters (WEC) over the Brazilian offshore. To do so it used a 35 years reanalysis database from the ERA-Interim project. Annual and seasonal statistical analyzes of significant height and energy period were performed, and the directional variability of the incident waves were evaluated. The wave power resource was characterized in terms of the statistical parameters of mean, maximum, 95th percentile and standard deviation, and in terms of the temporal variability coefficients COV, SV e MV. From these analyses, the total annual wave power resource available over the Brazilian offshore was estimated in 89.97 GW, with largest mean wave power of 20.63 kW/m in the southernmost part of the study area. The analysis of the three WEC was based in the annual wave energy output and in the capacity factor. The higher capacity factor was 21.85% for Pelamis device at the southern region of the study area. PMID:28817731

Wave energy resource of Brazil: An analysis from 35 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis data.

PubMed

Espindola, Rafael Luz; Araújo, Alex Maurício

2017-01-01

This paper presents a characterization of the wave power resource and an analysis of the wave power output for three (AquaBuoy, Pelamis and Wave Dragon) different wave energy converters (WEC) over the Brazilian offshore. To do so it used a 35 years reanalysis database from the ERA-Interim project. Annual and seasonal statistical analyzes of significant height and energy period were performed, and the directional variability of the incident waves were evaluated. The wave power resource was characterized in terms of the statistical parameters of mean, maximum, 95th percentile and standard deviation, and in terms of the temporal variability coefficients COV, SV e MV. From these analyses, the total annual wave power resource available over the Brazilian offshore was estimated in 89.97 GW, with largest mean wave power of 20.63 kW/m in the southernmost part of the study area. The analysis of the three WEC was based in the annual wave energy output and in the capacity factor. The higher capacity factor was 21.85% for Pelamis device at the southern region of the study area.

Saharan Dust Deposition May Affect Phytoplankton Growth in the Mediterranean Sea at Ecological Time Scales

PubMed Central

Gallisai, Rachele; Peters, Francesc; Volpe, Gianluca; Basart, Sara; Baldasano, José Maria

2014-01-01

The surface waters of the Mediterranean Sea are extremely poor in the nutrients necessary for plankton growth. At the same time, the Mediterranean Sea borders with the largest and most active desert areas in the world and the atmosphere over the basin is subject to frequent injections of mineral dust particles. We describe statistical correlations between dust deposition over the Mediterranean Sea and surface chlorophyll concentrations at ecological time scales. Aerosol deposition of Saharan origin may explain 1 to 10% (average 5%) of seasonally detrended chlorophyll variability in the low nutrient-low chlorophyll Mediterranean. Most of the statistically significant correlations are positive with main effects in spring over the Eastern and Central Mediterranean, conforming to a view of dust events fueling needed nutrients to the planktonic community. Some areas show negative effects of dust deposition on chlorophyll, coinciding with regions under a large influence of aerosols from European origin. The influence of dust deposition on chlorophyll dynamics may become larger in future scenarios of increased aridity and shallowing of the mixed layer. PMID:25333783

A new statistic for identifying batch effects in high-throughput genomic data that uses guided principal component analysis.

PubMed

Reese, Sarah E; Archer, Kellie J; Therneau, Terry M; Atkinson, Elizabeth J; Vachon, Celine M; de Andrade, Mariza; Kocher, Jean-Pierre A; Eckel-Passow, Jeanette E

2013-11-15

Batch effects are due to probe-specific systematic variation between groups of samples (batches) resulting from experimental features that are not of biological interest. Principal component analysis (PCA) is commonly used as a visual tool to determine whether batch effects exist after applying a global normalization method. However, PCA yields linear combinations of the variables that contribute maximum variance and thus will not necessarily detect batch effects if they are not the largest source of variability in the data. We present an extension of PCA to quantify the existence of batch effects, called guided PCA (gPCA). We describe a test statistic that uses gPCA to test whether a batch effect exists. We apply our proposed test statistic derived using gPCA to simulated data and to two copy number variation case studies: the first study consisted of 614 samples from a breast cancer family study using Illumina Human 660 bead-chip arrays, whereas the second case study consisted of 703 samples from a family blood pressure study that used Affymetrix SNP Array 6.0. We demonstrate that our statistic has good statistical properties and is able to identify significant batch effects in two copy number variation case studies. We developed a new statistic that uses gPCA to identify whether batch effects exist in high-throughput genomic data. Although our examples pertain to copy number data, gPCA is general and can be used on other data types as well. The gPCA R package (Available via CRAN) provides functionality and data to perform the methods in this article. reesese@vcu.edu

What is too much variation? The null hypothesis in small-area analysis.

PubMed Central

Diehr, P; Cain, K; Connell, F; Volinn, E

1990-01-01

A small-area analysis (SAA) in health services research often calculates surgery rates for several small areas, compares the largest rate to the smallest, notes that the difference is large, and attempts to explain this discrepancy as a function of service availability, physician practice styles, or other factors. SAAs are often difficult to interpret because there is little theoretical basis for determining how much variation would be expected under the null hypothesis that all of the small areas have similar underlying surgery rates and that the observed variation is due to chance. We developed a computer program to simulate the distribution of several commonly used descriptive statistics under the null hypothesis, and used it to examine the variability in rates among the counties of the state of Washington. The expected variability when the null hypothesis is true is surprisingly large, and becomes worse for procedures with low incidence, for smaller populations, when there is variability among the populations of the counties, and when readmissions are possible. The characteristics of four descriptive statistics were studied and compared. None was uniformly good, but the chi-square statistic had better performance than the others. When we reanalyzed five journal articles that presented sufficient data, the results were usually statistically significant. Since SAA research today is tending to deal with low-incidence events, smaller populations, and measures where readmissions are possible, more research is needed on the distribution of small-area statistics under the null hypothesis. New standards are proposed for the presentation of SAA results. PMID:2312306

What is too much variation? The null hypothesis in small-area analysis.

PubMed

Diehr, P; Cain, K; Connell, F; Volinn, E

1990-02-01

A small-area analysis (SAA) in health services research often calculates surgery rates for several small areas, compares the largest rate to the smallest, notes that the difference is large, and attempts to explain this discrepancy as a function of service availability, physician practice styles, or other factors. SAAs are often difficult to interpret because there is little theoretical basis for determining how much variation would be expected under the null hypothesis that all of the small areas have similar underlying surgery rates and that the observed variation is due to chance. We developed a computer program to simulate the distribution of several commonly used descriptive statistics under the null hypothesis, and used it to examine the variability in rates among the counties of the state of Washington. The expected variability when the null hypothesis is true is surprisingly large, and becomes worse for procedures with low incidence, for smaller populations, when there is variability among the populations of the counties, and when readmissions are possible. The characteristics of four descriptive statistics were studied and compared. None was uniformly good, but the chi-square statistic had better performance than the others. When we reanalyzed five journal articles that presented sufficient data, the results were usually statistically significant. Since SAA research today is tending to deal with low-incidence events, smaller populations, and measures where readmissions are possible, more research is needed on the distribution of small-area statistics under the null hypothesis. New standards are proposed for the presentation of SAA results.

State Electricity Profiles

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

The annual report presents data tables describing the electricity industry in each State. Data include: summary statistics; the 10 largest plants by generating capacity; the top five entities ranked by sector; electric power industry generating capacity by primary energy source; electric power industry generation by primary energy source; utility delivered fuel prices for coal, petroleum, and natural gas; electric power industry emissions estimates; retail sales, revenue, and average retail price by sector; retail electricity sales statistics; and supply and disposition of electricity; net metering counts and capacity by technology and customer type; and advanced metering counts by customer type.

Synthesis of monthly and annual streamflow records (water years 1950-2003) for Big Sandy, Clear, Peoples, and Beaver Creeks in the Milk River basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles

2006-01-01

To address concerns expressed by the State of Montana about the apportionment of water in the St. Mary and Milk River basins between Canada and the United States, the International Joint Commission requested information from the United States government about water that originates in the United States but does not cross the border into Canada. In response to this request, the U.S. Geological Survey synthesized monthly and annual streamflow records for Big Sandy, Clear, Peoples, and Beaver Creeks, all of which are in the Milk River basin in Montana, for water years 1950-2003. This report presents the synthesized values of monthly and annual streamflow for Big Sandy, Clear, Peoples, and Beaver Creeks in Montana. Synthesized values were derived from recorded and estimated streamflows. Statistics, including long-term medians and averages and flows for various exceedance probabilities, were computed from the synthesized data. Beaver Creek had the largest median annual discharge (19,490 acre-feet), and Clear Creek had the smallest median annual discharge (6,680 acre-feet). Big Sandy Creek, the stream with the largest drainage area, had the second smallest median annual discharge (9,640 acre-feet), whereas Peoples Creek, the stream with the second smallest drainage area, had the second largest median annual discharge (11,700 acre-feet). The combined median annual discharge for the four streams was 45,400 acre-feet. The largest combined median monthly discharge for the four creeks was 6,930 acre-feet in March, and the smallest combined median monthly discharge was 48 acre-feet in January. The combined median monthly values were substantially smaller than the average monthly values. Overall, synthesized flow records for the four creeks are considered to be reasonable given the prevailing climatic conditions in the region during the 1950-2003 base period. Individual estimates of monthly streamflow may have large errors, however. Linear regression was used to relate logarithms of combined annual streamflow to water years 1950-2003. The results of the regression analysis indicated a significant downward trend (regression line slope was -0.00977) for combined annual streamflow. A regression analysis using data from 1956-2003 indicated a slight, but not significant, downward trend for combined annual streamflow.

Influence of compressibility on the Lagrangian statistics of vorticity-strain-rate interactions.

PubMed

Danish, Mohammad; Sinha, Sawan Suman; Srinivasan, Balaji

2016-07-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of compressibility on Lagrangian statistics of vorticity and strain-rate interactions. The Lagrangian statistics are extracted from "almost" time-continuous data sets of direct numerical simulations of compressible decaying isotropic turbulence by employing a cubic spline-based Lagrangian particle tracker. We study the influence of compressibility on Lagrangian statistics of alignment in terms of compressibility parameters-turbulent Mach number, normalized dilatation-rate, and flow topology. In comparison to incompressible turbulence, we observe that the presence of compressibility in a flow field weakens the alignment tendency of vorticity toward the largest strain-rate eigenvector. Based on the Lagrangian statistics of alignment conditioned on dilatation and topology, we find that the weakened tendency of alignment observed in compressible turbulence is because of a special group of fluid particles that have an initially negligible dilatation-rate and are associated with stable-focus-stretching topology.

Summary statistics and trend analysis of water-quality data at sites in the Gila River basin, New Mexico and Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldys, Stanley; Ham, L.K.; Fossum, K.D.

1995-01-01

Summary statistics and temporal trends for 19 water-chemistry constituents and for turbidity were computed for 13 study sites in the Gila River basin, Arizona and New Mexico. A nonparametric technique, the seasonal Kendall tau test for flow-adjusted data, was used to analyze temporal changes in water-chemistry data. For the 19 selected constituents and turbidity, decreasing trends in concentrations outnumbered increasing trends by more than two to one. Decreasing trends in concentrations of constituents were found for 49 data sets at the 13 study sites. Gila River at Calva and Gila River above diversions, at Gillespie Dam (eight each) had the most decreasing trends for individual sites. The largest number of decreasing trends measured for a constituent was six for dissolved lead. The next largest number of decreasing trends for a constituent was for dissolved solids and total manganese (five each). Hardness, dissolved sodium, and dissolved chloride had decreasing trends at four of the study sites. Increasing trends in concen- trations of constituents were found for 24 data sets at the 13 study sites. The largest number of increasing trends measured for a single constituent was for pH (four), dissolved sulfate (three), dissolved chromium (three) and total manganese (three). Increased concentrations of constituents generally were found in three areas in the basin-at Pinal Creek above Inspiration Dam, at sites above reservoirs, and at sites on the main stem of the Gila River from Gillespie Dam to the mouth.

Extraversion and taste sensitivity.

PubMed

Zverev, Yuriy; Mipando, Mwapatsa

2008-03-01

The rationale for investigating the gustatory reactivity as influenced by personality dimensions was suggested by some prior findings of an association between extraversion and acuity in other sensory systems. Detection thresholds for sweet, salty, and bitter qualities of taste were measured in 60 young healthy male and female volunteers using a two-alternative forced-choice technique. Personality of the responders was assessed using the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Multivariate analysis of variance failed to demonstrate a statistically significant interaction between an extraversion-introversion score, neuroticism score, smoking, gender and age. The only reliable negative association was found between the body mass index (BMI) and taste sensitivity (Roy's largest root = 0.05, F(7436.5) = 8.34, P = 0.003). Possible reasons for lack of differences between introverts and extraverts in the values of taste detection thresholds were discussed.

Attendance and Substance Use Outcomes for the Seeking Safety Program: Sometimes Less Is More

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hien, Denise A.; Morgan-Lopez, Antonio A.; Campbell, Aimee N. C.; Saavedra, Lissette M.; Wu, Elwin; Cohen, Lisa; Ruglass, Lesia; Nunes, Edward V.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study uses data from the largest effectiveness trial to date on treatment of co-occurring posttraumatic stress and substance use disorders, using advances in statistical methodology for modeling treatment attendance and membership turnover in rolling groups. Method: Women receiving outpatient substance abuse treatment (N = 353)…

Courting Female Donors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strout, Erin

2007-01-01

Women are expected to own half the wealth in the United States by 2010. They also account for 58 percent of undergraduates at colleges today. Those statistics should loom large for higher-education fund raisers at a time when almost every institution is either in the middle of its largest fund-raising campaign ever or planning to announce one. But…

Effects of spatial allocation and parameter variability on lakewide estimates from surveys of Lake Superior, North America’s largest lake

EPA Science Inventory

Lake Superior was sampled in 2011 using a Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified design (n=54 sites) to characterize biological and chemical properties of this huge aquatic resource, with statistical confidence. The lake was divided into two strata (inshore <100m and offsh...

75 FR 78678 - Proposed Methodology for Respondent Selection in Antidumping Proceedings; Request for Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-16

... evidence of shipment from a non-selected company before making its respondent-selection decision. However... administering authority at the time of selection, or (2) exporters and producers accounting for the largest... accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 1A. Therefore, to ensure the statistical validity of the...

Self-similarity analysis of eubacteria genome based on weighted graph.

PubMed

Qi, Zhao-Hui; Li, Ling; Zhang, Zhi-Meng; Qi, Xiao-Qin

2011-07-07

We introduce a weighted graph model to investigate the self-similarity characteristics of eubacteria genomes. The regular treating in similarity comparison about genome is to discover the evolution distance among different genomes. Few people focus their attention on the overall statistical characteristics of each gene compared with other genes in the same genome. In our model, each genome is attributed to a weighted graph, whose topology describes the similarity relationship among genes in the same genome. Based on the related weighted graph theory, we extract some quantified statistical variables from the topology, and give the distribution of some variables derived from the largest social structure in the topology. The 23 eubacteria recently studied by Sorimachi and Okayasu are markedly classified into two different groups by their double logarithmic point-plots describing the similarity relationship among genes of the largest social structure in genome. The results show that the proposed model may provide us with some new sights to understand the structures and evolution patterns determined from the complete genomes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EPA Collaboration with Indonesia

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Indonesia is a key actor in the global environmental arena. In addition to significant ecological resources, Indonesia also has the fourth largest population in the world and the third largest greenhouse gas emissions.

The impact of computed tomography slice thickness on the assessment of stereotactic, 3D conformal and intensity-modulated radiotherapy of brain tumors.

PubMed

Caivano, R; Fiorentino, A; Pedicini, P; Califano, G; Fusco, V

2014-05-01

To evaluate radiotherapy treatment planning accuracy by varying computed tomography (CT) slice thickness and tumor size. CT datasets from patients with primary brain disease and metastatic brain disease were selected. Tumor volumes ranging from about 2.5 to 100 cc and CT scan at different slice thicknesses (1, 2, 4, 6 and 10 mm) were used to perform treatment planning (1-, 2-, 4-, 6- and 10-CT, respectively). For any slice thickness, a conformity index (CI) referring to 100, 98, 95 and 90 % isodoses and tumor size was computed. All the CI and volumes obtained were compared to evaluate the impact of CT slice thickness on treatment plans. The smallest volumes reduce significantly if defined on 1-CT with respect to 4- and 6-CT, while the CT slice thickness does not affect target definition for the largest volumes. The mean CI for all the considered isodoses and CT slice thickness shows no statistical differences when 1-CT is compared to 2-CT. Comparing the mean CI of 1- with 4-CT and 1- with 6-CT, statistical differences appear only for the smallest volumes with respect to 100, 98 and 95 % isodoses-the CI for 90 % isodose being not statistically significant for all the considered PTVs. The accuracy of radiotherapy tumor volume definition depends on CT slice thickness. To achieve a better tumor definition and dose coverage, 1- and 2-CT would be suitable for small targets, while 4- and 6-CT are suitable for the other volumes.

Top Surgery in Transgender Men: How Far Can You Push the Envelope?

PubMed

Bluebond-Langner, Rachel; Berli, Jens U; Sabino, Jennifer; Chopra, Karan; Singh, Devinder; Fischer, Beverly

2017-04-01

The authors present their grading scale and the outcomes of the largest cohort of top surgery published to date. Application of this grading system can help determine which patients will benefit from a subcutaneous mastectomy with free nipple graft versus a circumareolar technique, with the primary endpoint being need for aesthetic revisions. The authors reviewed their database of transgender males who underwent bilateral mastectomy between 2006 and 2015. Data collected included age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, smoking, diabetes, testosterone use, months of social transition, technique used, postoperative complications, and need for revision. Two techniques were used, circumareolar incision and free nipple graft technique. Between 2006 and 2015, 1686 consecutive mastectomies were performed on 843 patients. Of those, 548 patients were excluded because of inadequate follow-up. Of the 295 included, 109 were treated using a circumareolar incision and 186 were treated using a free nipple graft technique. There was no statistically significant difference in complications between the two groups; however, there was a statistically significant difference in the rate of aesthetic revisions in the grade 2B circumareolar incision group (34 percent versus 8.8 percent). The authors' outcomes are comparable to the literature, and demonstrate that these procedures can safely be performed in an outpatient setting. The authors' grading scale classifies patients and helps the surgeon select a surgical technique. The authors show a statistical difference in rates of aesthetic revisions in Fischer grade 2B patients when a circumareolar incision is selected over a free nipple graft technique. Therapeutic, III.

Generational differences in acute care nurses.

PubMed

Widger, Kimberley; Pye, Christine; Cranley, Lisa; Wilson-Keates, Barbara; Squires, Mae; Tourangeau, Ann

2007-01-01

Generational differences in values, expectations and perceptions of work have been proposed as one basis for problems and solutions in recruitment and retention of nurses. This study used a descriptive design. A sample of 8207 registered nurses and registered practical nurses working in Ontario, Canada, acute care hospitals who responded to the Ontario Nurse Survey in 2003 were included in this study. Respondents were categorized as Baby Boomers, Generation X or Generation Y based on their birth year. Differences in responses among these three generations to questions about their own characteristics, employment circumstances, work environment and responses to the work environment were explored. There were statistically significant differences among the generations. Baby Boomers primarily worked full-time day shifts. Gen Y tended to be employed in teaching hospitals; Boomers worked more commonly in community hospitals. Baby Boomers were generally more satisfied with their jobs than Gen X or Gen Y nurses. Gen Y had the largest proportion of nurses with high levels of burnout in the areas of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Baby Boomers had the largest proportion of nurses with low levels of burnout. Nurse managers may be able to capitalize on differences in generational values and needs in designing appropriate interventions to enhance recruitment and retention of nurses.

Scalable streaming tools for analyzing N-body simulations: Finding halos and investigating excursion sets in one pass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivkin, N.; Liu, Z.; Yang, L. F.; Kumar, S. S.; Lemson, G.; Neyrinck, M.; Szalay, A. S.; Braverman, V.; Budavari, T.

2018-04-01

Cosmological N-body simulations play a vital role in studying models for the evolution of the Universe. To compare to observations and make a scientific inference, statistic analysis on large simulation datasets, e.g., finding halos, obtaining multi-point correlation functions, is crucial. However, traditional in-memory methods for these tasks do not scale to the datasets that are forbiddingly large in modern simulations. Our prior paper (Liu et al., 2015) proposes memory-efficient streaming algorithms that can find the largest halos in a simulation with up to 109 particles on a small server or desktop. However, this approach fails when directly scaling to larger datasets. This paper presents a robust streaming tool that leverages state-of-the-art techniques on GPU boosting, sampling, and parallel I/O, to significantly improve performance and scalability. Our rigorous analysis of the sketch parameters improves the previous results from finding the centers of the 103 largest halos (Liu et al., 2015) to ∼ 104 - 105, and reveals the trade-offs between memory, running time and number of halos. Our experiments show that our tool can scale to datasets with up to ∼ 1012 particles while using less than an hour of running time on a single GPU Nvidia GTX 1080.

Weight fluctuation during adulthood and weight gain since breast cancer diagnosis predict multiple dimensions of body image among rural breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Fazzino, Tera L; Hunter, Rebecca Clausius; Sporn, Nora; Christifano, Danielle N; Befort, Christie A

2017-03-01

Obesity and weight gain after breast cancer treatment are common among survivors, yet the relationship between weight and body image has received little attention. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between current body mass index, weight gain since diagnosis, and largest weight fluctuation in adulthood with six dimensions of body image among overweight/obese breast cancer survivors. The current study used data obtained from a weight control trial with 210 rural overweight/obese breast cancer survivors. Using data collected at baseline, multiple regression models were constructed to examine the relative association of the three weight variables with breast cancer-specific dimensions of body image while controlling for demographic characteristics and cancer treatment-related variables. Largest weight fluctuation in adulthood significantly predicted overall body image (p = 0.01) and was associated with the three socially oriented dimensions of body image: social activity restriction, embarrassment about appearance, and sexuality (all ps = 0.01). Weight gain since diagnosis approached statistical significance in predicting overall body image (p = 0.05) and was associated with embarrassment about appearance (p = 0.03). Current body mass index was not significantly associated with overall body image when controlling for the other weight variables (p = 0.07) and was negatively associated with social activity restriction (p = 0.01) and sexuality (p = 0.01). Obese breast cancer survivors with a history of a large weight fluctuation in adulthood may be prone to poorer breast cancer-specific body image several years after treatment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vital capacities in acute and chronic airway obstruction: dependence on flow and volume histories.

PubMed

Brusasco, V; Pellegrino, R; Rodarte, J R

1997-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether measurements of vital capacity (VC) are affected by the direction of the manoeuvre (inspiratory vs expiratory) and by the rate of expiratory flow. The study was performed on 25 individuals with chronic airway obstruction (CAO) and a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (expressed in standardized residuals (SR)) of -2.0+/-1.4 SD (CAO group), and 10 asthmatic subjects with methacholine (MCh)-induced bronchoconstriction (FEV1 -23+/-1.02 SR) (MCh group). VCs were measured during fast inspiration following both slow (FIVCse) and forced (FIVCfe) expiration from end-tidal inspiration to residual volume (RV), and during slow (EVC) or forced (FVC) expiration from total lung capacity (TLC). In the CAO group, FVC was the smallest volume (3.75+/-1.03 L) and significantly different from the other three estimates of VC; FIVCse (4.03+/-0.91 L) was the largest volume and significantly different from FVC and FIVCfe (3.83+/-0.98 L). In the MCh group, FVC (4.16+/-0.94 L) and EVC (4.19+/-0.89 L) were the largest volumes, although only the difference between FVC and FIVCfe (3.76+/-0.81 L) reached statistical significance. These data suggest that both flow and volume histories contribute to decreased vital capacities during bronchoconstriction. However, whereas increasing expiratory flow always tends to decrease vital capacity, the volume history of full inflation has different effects in chronic and acute bronchoconstriction, probably due to different effects on airway calibre. These results stress the importance of using standardized manoeuvres in order to obtain comparable values of vital capacity.

Evaluating the impact of a school-based health intervention using a randomized field experiment.

PubMed

Greve, Jane; Heinesen, Eskil

2015-07-01

We conduct an econometric evaluation of a health-promoting programme in primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark. The programme includes health-related measurements of the students, communication of knowledge about health, and support of health-promoting projects for students. Half of the schools in the fourth largest municipality in Denmark were randomly selected into a treatment group implementing the programme, while the remainder served as a control group. We estimate both OLS models using only post-intervention observations and difference in differences (DID) models using also pre-intervention observations. We estimate effects of the initiative on BMI, waist/height ratio, overweight and obesity for the entire sample and by gender and grade. We find no consistent effect of the programme. When we use the entire sample, no estimates are statistically significant at conventional levels, although the point estimates for the effect on BMI, indicating an average reduction in the range of 0.10-0.15 kg/m(2), are consistent with the results in a recent Cochrane review evaluating 55 studies of diet and exercise interventions targeting children; and DID estimates which are marginally significant (at the 10% level) indicate that the intervention reduces the risk of obesity by 1% point. Running separate estimations by gender and grade we find a few statistically significant estimates: OLS estimates indicate that the intervention reduces BMI in females in grade 5 by 0.39 kg/m(2) and reduces the risk of obesity in females in grade 9 by 2.6% points; DID estimates indicate an increase in waist for females in preschool class by 1.2 cm and an increase in the risk of obesity in grade 9 males by 4% points. However, if we corrected for multiple hypotheses testing these estimates would be insignificant. There is no statistically significant correlation between participation in the programme and the number of other health-promoting projects at the schools. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-designed femoral neck guide pin locator for femoral neck fractures.

PubMed

Xia, Shengli; Wang, Ziping; Wang, Minghui; Wu, Zuming; Wang, Xiuhui

2014-01-01

Closed reduction and fixation with 3 cannulated screws is a widely accepted surgery for the treatment of femoral neck fractures. However, how to obtain optimal screw placement remains unclear. In the current study, the authors designed a guide pin positioning system for femoral neck fracture cannulated screw fixation and examined its application value by comparing it with freehand guide needle positioning and with general guide pin locator positioning provided by equipment manufacturers. The screw reset rate, screw parallelism, triangle area formed by the link line of the entry point of 3 guide pins, and maximum vertical load bearing of the femoral neck after internal fixation were recorded. As expected, the triangle area was largest in the self-designed positioning group, followed by the general positioning group and the freehand positioning group. The difference among the 3 groups was statistically significant (P<.05). Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs showed that the screws were more parallel in the self-designed positioning group and general positioning group compared with the freehand positioning group (P<.05). The screw reset rate in the self-designed positioning group was significantly lower than that in the general positioning group and the freehand positioning group (P<.05). Maximum bearing load among the 3 groups was equivalent, showing no statistically significant difference (P>.05). The authors’ self-designed guide pin positioning system has the potential to accurately insert cannulated screws in femoral neck fractures and may reduce bone loss and unnecessary radiation.

Use of disposable graduated biopsy forceps improves accuracy of polyp size measurements during endoscopy

PubMed Central

Jin, Hei-Ying; Leng, Qiang

2015-01-01

AIM: To determine the accuracy of endoscopic polyp size measurements using disposable graduated biopsy forceps (DGBF). METHODS: Gradations accurate to 1 mm were assessed with the wire of disposable graduated biopsy forceps. When a polyp was noted, endoscopists determined the width of the polyp; then, the graduated biopsy forceps was inserted and the largest diameter of the tumor was measured. After excision, during surgery or endoscopy, the polyp was measured using the vernier caliper. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-three colorectal polyps from 119 patients were studied. The mean diameter, by post-polypectomy measurement, was 0.92 ± 0.69 cm; 83 were < 1 cm, 36 were between 1 and 2 cm, and 14 were > 2 cm. The mean diameter, by visual estimation, was 1.15 ± 0.88 cm; compared to the actual size measured using vernier calipers, the difference was statistically significant. The mean diameter measured using the DGBF was 0.93 ± 0.68 cm; compared to the actual size measured using vernier calipers, this difference was not statistically significant. The ratio between the mean size estimated by visual estimation and the actual size was significantly different from that between the mean size estimated using the DGBF and the actual size (1.26 ± 0.30 vs 1.02 ± 0.11). CONCLUSION: The accuracy of polyp size estimation was low by visual assessment; however, it improved when the DGBF was used. PMID:25605986

Middle Ear Pressures in Wind Instrument Musicians.

PubMed

Osborne, Max Sallis; Morris, Simon; Clark, Matthew P; Begg, Philip

2018-05-22

This study aimed to assess if playing wind instruments leads to a measurable increase in middle ear pressure during note generation and to provide evidence to clinicians to advise musicians undergoing middle ear surgery. An observational cohort study of 40 volunteers in 7 different wind instrument categories underwent tympanometry at rest and during note production. Community. Recreational musicians aged over 18 years recruited from the student body attending Birmingham University, UK. None. Tympanometry is used as a noninvasive measure of middle ear pressure. The pressure at which peak compliance occurred was taken as an indirect measure of middle ear pressure. The data produced at rest and during note production was statistically analysed with paired t testing and significance set at a p value less than 0.01. Overall a statistically significant increase in middle ear pressure change of 0.63 mm Hg (p = 0.0001) during note production was identified. Musicians playing the oboe and trumpet demonstrate the largest increase in middle ear pressure of 1.46 mm Hg (p = 0.0053) and 0.78 mm Hg (p = 0.0005) respectively. The data provided by this study gives evidence for the first time that playing wind instruments does increase middle ear pressure. Although the clinical significance of this is yet to be determined the authors would advise that musicians who undergo otological procedures should refrain from playing their instruments until full recovery has been achieved as advised by their clinician following direct microscopic review.

Changes in Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation Associated with Increased Extreme Precipitation Events in the Northeast United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collow, A.; Bosilovich, M. G.; Koster, R. D.

2016-12-01

Over the past two decades a statistically significant increase in the frequency of summertime extreme precipitation events has been observed over the northeastern United States - the largest such increase in the US in terms of area and magnitude. In an effort to characterize synoptic scale patterns and changes to the atmospheric circulation associated with extreme precipitation events in this region, atmospheric fields from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) are composited on days that exceed the 90th percentile of precipitation from the CPC-Unified daily gauge-based precipitation observations. Changes over time in composites of sea level pressure, 500 hPa height, and the vertical profile of equivalent potential temperature indicate that the observed increase in extreme precipitation events is associated with extratropical cyclones, including cut off low pressure and frontal systems. Analysis of the Eady maximum growth rate, an indicator for storm tracks, shows that storms tracks in recent years have shifted southward. In addition, mean summertime transient meridional winds have decreased over time, slowing baroclinic systems and causing stationary systems to become more frequent, in agreement with previous studies examining blocking due to high pressure systems. The Atlantic Ocean provides a significant supply of moisture that converges over the region when a cyclonic circulation is situated to the south, and the statistically significant increase in Eady maximum growth rate over time there provides an increasingly improved thermodynamic environment for extreme precipitation events.

Long-Term Changes in the Extreme Significant Wave Heights on the Western North Pacific: Impacts of Tropical Cyclone Activity and ENSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Sinil; Oh, Jaiho

2018-02-01

Seasonal extreme wave statistics were reproduced by using the 25-km-grid global wave model of WAVEWATCH-III. The results showed that the simulated wave dataset for the present climate (1979-2009) was similar to Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) wave data. Statistics such as the root mean squared error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (CC) over the western North Pacific (WNP) basin were 0.5 m and 0.69 over the analysis domain. The largest trends and standard deviation were around the southern coast of Japan and western edge of the WNP. Linear regression analysis was employed to identify the relationship between the leading principal components (PCs) of significant wave heights (SWHs) in the peak season of July to September and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the equatorial Pacific. The results indicated that the inter-annual variability of SWH can be associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation in the peak season. The CC between the first PC of the SWH and anomalies in the Nino 3.4 SST index was also significant at a 99% confidence level. Significant variations in the SWH are affected by tropical cyclones (TCs) caused by increased SST anomalies. The genesis and development of simulated TCs can be important to the variation in SWHs for the WNP in the peak season. Therefore, we can project the variability of SWHs through TC activity based on changes in SST conditions for the equatorial Pacific in the future.

Who benefits from the Obio Community Health Insurance Scheme in Rivers State, Nigeria? A benefit incidence analysis.

PubMed

Vaughan, Kelsey; Akwataghibe, Ngozi; Fakunle, Babatunde; Wolmarans, Liezel

2016-11-01

A key aspect of monitoring and evaluating health programs is ensuring that benefits are reaching their target population. We conducted a benefit incidence analysis (BIA) of a Shell-sponsored community health insurance scheme in Nigeria to determine the extent to which the target group (the poor) was benefitting. We examined a sample of 616 patients' hospital attendance, financial and administrative records from 2012-2013. We estimated annual utilization rates and average unit costs for inpatient and outpatient services. We multiplied the two to produce a total cost per patient, then deducted annual out-of-pocket expenditures to estimate the total community-based health insurance scheme benefit per person. Benefits were multiplied by the total number of persons in each socioeconomic group to aggregate benefits. We used concentration curves and dominance tests to determine statistical significance at 5% and 10% levels of significance. Collectively, the poorest 20% of the population received 12% of benefits while the richest quintile received the largest share (23%). Inpatient and outpatient benefits are weakly regressive (pro-rich), statistically significant at a 10% level of significance. Although the poor were found to benefit, this BIA revealed a tendency towards pro-rich distributions. Removing co-payments for the poorest, reducing long wait and visit times and using community volunteers to help increase access to health services may improve benefits for the poor. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A statistical approach to determining energetic outer radiation belt electron precipitation fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon Wedlund, Mea; Clilverd, Mark A.; Rodger, Craig J.; Cresswell-Moorcock, Kathy; Cobbett, Neil; Breen, Paul; Danskin, Donald; Spanswick, Emma; Rodriguez, Juan V.

2014-05-01

Subionospheric radio wave data from an Antarctic-Arctic Radiation-Belt (Dynamic) Deposition VLF Atmospheric Research Konsortia (AARDDVARK) receiver located in Churchill, Canada, is analyzed to determine the characteristics of electron precipitation into the atmosphere over the range 3 < L < 7. The study advances previous work by combining signals from two U.S. transmitters from 20 July to 20 August 2010, allowing error estimates of derived electron precipitation fluxes to be calculated, including the application of time-varying electron energy spectral gradients. Electron precipitation observations from the NOAA POES satellites and a ground-based riometer provide intercomparison and context for the AARDDVARK measurements. AARDDVARK radiowave propagation data showed responses suggesting energetic electron precipitation from the outer radiation belt starting 27 July 2010 and lasting ~20 days. The uncertainty in >30 keV precipitation flux determined by the AARDDVARK technique was found to be ±10%. Peak >30 keV precipitation fluxes of AARDDVARK-derived precipitation flux during the main and recovery phase of the largest geomagnetic storm, which started on 4 August 2010, were >105 el cm-2 s-1 sr-1. The largest fluxes observed by AARDDVARK occurred on the dayside and were delayed by several days from the start of the geomagnetic disturbance. During the main phase of the disturbances, nightside fluxes were dominant. Significant differences in flux estimates between POES, AARDDVARK, and the riometer were found after the main phase of the largest disturbance, with evidence provided to suggest that >700 keV electron precipitation was occurring. Currently the presence of such relativistic electron precipitation introduces some uncertainty in the analysis of AARDDVARK data, given the assumption of a power law electron precipitation spectrum.

Cosmological implications of different baryon acoustic oscillation data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuang; Hu, YaZhou; Li, Miao

2017-04-01

In this work, we explore the cosmological implications of different baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data, including the BAO data extracted by using the spherically averaged one-dimensional galaxy clustering (GC) statistics (hereafter BAO1) and the BAO data obtained by using the anisotropic two-dimensional GC statistics (hereafter BAO2). To make a comparison, we also take into account the case without BAO data (hereafter NO BAO). Firstly, making use of these BAO data, as well as the SNLS3 type Ia supernovae sample and the Planck distance priors data, we give the cosmological constraints of the ΛCDM, the wCDM, and the Chevallier-Polarski-Linder (CPL) model. Then, we discuss the impacts of different BAO data on cosmological consquences, including its effects on parameter space, equation of state (EoS), figure of merit (FoM), deceleration-acceleration transition redshift, Hubble parameter H( z), deceleration parameter q( z), statefinder hierarchy S 3 (1)( z), S 4 (1)( z) and cosmic age t( z). We find that: (1) NO BAO data always give a smallest fractional matter density Ω m0, a largest fractional curvature density Ωk0 and a largest Hubble constant h; in contrast, BAO1 data always give a largest Ω m0, a smallest Ω k0 and a smallest h. (2) For the wCDM and the CPL model, NO BAO data always give a largest EoS w; in contrast, BAO2 data always give a smallest w. (3) Compared with the case of BAO1, BAO2 data always give a slightly larger FoM, and thus can give a cosmological constraint with a slightly better accuracy. (4) The impacts of different BAO data on the cosmic evolution and the comic age are very small, and cannot be distinguished by using various dark energy diagnoses and the cosmic age data.

Little science, big science: strategies for research portfolio selection in academic surgery departments.

PubMed

Shah, Anand; Pietrobon, Ricardo; Cook, Chad; Sheth, Neil P; Nguyen, Lam; Guo, Lucie; Jacobs, Danny O; Kuo, Paul C

2007-12-01

To evaluate National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for academic surgery departments and to determine whether optimal portfolio strategies exist to maximize this funding. The NIH budget is expected to be relatively stable in the foreseeable future, with a modest 0.7% increase from 2005 to 2006. Funding for basic and clinical science research in surgery is also not expected to increase. NIH funding award data for US surgery departments from 2002 to 2004 was collected using publicly available data abstracted from the NIH Information for Management, Planning, Analysis, and Coordination (IMPAC) II database. Additional information was collected from the Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) database regarding research area (basic vs. clinical, animal vs. human, classification of clinical and basic sciences). The primary outcome measures were total NIH award amount, number of awards, and type of grant. Statistical analysis was based on binomial proportional tests and multiple linear regression models. The smallest total NIH funding award in 2004 to an individual surgery department was a single $26,970 grant, whereas the largest was more than $35 million comprising 68 grants. From 2002 to 2004, one department experienced a 336% increase (greatest increase) in funding, whereas another experienced a 73% decrease (greatest decrease). No statistically significant differences were found between departments with decreasing or increasing funding and the subspecialty of basic science or clinical research funded. Departments (n = 5) experiencing the most drastic decrease (total dollars) in funding had a significantly higher proportion of type K (P = 0.03) grants compared with departments (n = 5) with the largest increases in total funding; the latter group had a significantly increased proportion of type U grants (P = 0.01). A linear association between amount of decrease/increase was found with the average amount of funding per grant and per investigator (P < 0.01), suggesting that departments that increased their total funding relied on investigators with large amounts of funding per grant. Although incentives to junior investigators and clinicians with secondary participation in research are important, our findings suggest that the best strategy for increasing NIH funding for surgery departments is to invest in individuals with focused research commitments and established track records of garnering large and multiple research grants.

Vertical marginal gap evaluation of conventional cast and computer numeric controlled-milled titanium full-arch implant-supported frameworks.

PubMed

Alfadda, Sara A

2014-01-01

To use a novel approach to measure the amount of vertical marginal gap in computer numeric controlled (CNC)-milled titanium frameworks and conventional cast frameworks. Ten cast frameworks were fabricated on the mandibular master casts of 10 patients. Then, 10 CNC-milled titanium frameworks were fabricated by laser scanning the cast frameworks. The vertical marginal gap was measured and analyzed using the Contura-G2 coordinate measuring machine and special computer software. The CNC-milled titanium frameworks showed an overall reduced mean vertical gap compared with the cast frameworks in all five analogs. This difference was highly statistically significant in the distal analogs. The largest mean gap in the cast framework was recorded in the most distal analogs, and the least amount was in the middle analog. Neither of the two types of frameworks provided a completely gap-free superstructure. The CNCmilled titanium frameworks showed a significantly smaller vertical marginal gap than the cast frameworks.

High-magnitude flooding across Britain since AD 1750

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macdonald, Neil; Sangster, Heather

2017-03-01

The last decade has witnessed severe flooding across much of the globe, but have these floods really been exceptional? Globally, relatively few instrumental river flow series extend beyond 50 years, with short records presenting significant challenges in determining flood risk from high-magnitude floods. A perceived increase in extreme floods in recent years has decreased public confidence in conventional flood risk estimates; the results affect society (insurance costs), individuals (personal vulnerability) and companies (e.g. water resource managers). Here, we show how historical records from Britain have improved understanding of high-magnitude floods, by examining past spatial and temporal variability. The findings identify that whilst recent floods are notable, several comparable periods of increased flooding are identifiable historically, with periods of greater frequency (flood-rich periods). Statistically significant relationships between the British flood index, the Atlantic Meridional Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation Index are identified. The use of historical records identifies that the largest floods often transcend single catchments affecting regions and that the current flood-rich period is not unprecedented.

Discrepancies among Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed coverage of funding information in medical journal articles.

PubMed

Kokol, Peter; Vošner, Helena Blažun

2018-01-01

The overall aim of the present study was to compare the coverage of existing research funding information for articles indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. The numbers of articles with funding information published in 2015 were identified in the three selected databases and compared using bibliometric analysis of a sample of twenty-eight prestigious medical journals. Frequency analysis of the number of articles with funding information showed statistically significant differences between Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. The largest proportion of articles with funding information was found in Web of Science (29.0%), followed by PubMed (14.6%) and Scopus (7.7%). The results show that coverage of funding information differs significantly among Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases in a sample of the same medical journals. Moreover, we found that, currently, funding data in PubMed is more difficult to obtain and analyze compared with that in the other two databases.

The healthy migrant effect: new findings from the Mexican Family Life Survey.

PubMed

Rubalcava, Luis N; Teruel, Graciela M; Thomas, Duncan; Goldman, Noreen

2008-01-01

We used nationally representative longitudinal data from the Mexican Family Life Survey to determine whether recent migrants from Mexico to the United States are healthier than other Mexicans. Previous research has provided little scientific evidence that tests the "healthy migrant" hypothesis. Estimates were derived from logistic regressions of whether respondents moved to the United States between surveys in 2002 and 2005, by gender and urban versus rural residence. Covariates included physical health measurements, self-reported health, and education measured in 2002. Our primary sample comprised 6446 respondents aged 15 to 29 years. Health significantly predicted subsequent migration among females and rural males. However, the associations were weak, few health indicators were statistically significant, and there was substantial variation in the estimates between males and females and between urban and rural dwellers. On the basis of recent data for Mexico, the largest source of migrants to the United States, we found generally weak support for the healthy migrant hypothesis.

Clinical evaluation of post-operative cerebral infarction in traumatic epidural haematoma.

PubMed

Zhang, Suojun; Wang, Sheng; Wan, Xueyan; Liu, Shengwen; Shu, Kai; Lei, Ting

2017-01-01

Patients with traumatic epidural haematoma, undergoing the prompt and correct treatment, usually have favourable outcomes. However, secondary cerebral infarction may be life-threatening condition, as it is difficult to be identified before neurological impairment occurs. To evaluate the clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH and assess potential risk factors for post-operative cerebral infarction. The clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH were collected and analysed retrospectively. The univariate analysis revealed 10 potential risk factors (the haematoma location, volume, the largest thickness and mid-line shift, basal cisterns compression, traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, pupil dilatation, pre-operative Glasgow Coma Scale score, ∆GCS and intraoperative brain pressure) for cerebral infarction with statistically significant difference. Of these factors, haematoma volume and basal cistern compression turned out to be the most significant risk factors through final multivariate logistic regression analysis. The findings of this study can provide predictive factors for development of cerebral infarction and information for clinical decision-making and future studies.

Psychosocial interventions for reducing vocal challenging behavior in persons with autistic disorder: a multilevel meta-analysis of single-case experiments.

PubMed

Vanderkerken, Lien; Heyvaert, Mieke; Maes, Bea; Onghena, Patrick

2013-12-01

Vocal challenging behavior (VCB) forms a common problem in individuals with autistic disorder. Since VCB is associated with negative outcomes for the individual and his or her environment, it is important to know how to manage this type of CB. To evaluate the effectiveness of several psychosocial interventions applied to decrease VCB in individuals with autistic disorder, we conducted a meta-analysis of single-case experiments (SCEs). Fifty-two SCEs, including 74 participants, were combined using a multilevel meta-analysis. The overall treatment effect was large and statistically significant. However, the effect varied significantly over the included studies and participants. Examining this variance, evidence was found for a moderator effect of VCB type and intervention type, with, on average, the largest effects for interventions used to reduce VCB including stereotypical VCB and for interventions containing both antecedent and consequence components. Age, gender, primary treatment setting, publication year, and study quality did not significantly moderate the intervention effect. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of seismicity in relation to fluid injection in the North-Western part of The Geysers geothermal field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leptokaropoulos, Konstantinos; Staszek, Monika; Lasocki, Stanisław; Martínez-Garzón, Patricia; Kwiatek, Grzegorz

2018-02-01

The Geysers geothermal field located in California, USA, is the largest geothermal site in the world, operating since the 1960s. We here investigate and quantify the correlation between temporal seismicity evolution and variation of the injection data by examination of time-series through specified statistical tools (binomial test to investigate significant rate changes, cross correlation between seismic and injection data, b-value variation analysis). To do so, we utilize seismicity and operational data associated with two injection wells (Prati-9 and Prati-29) which cover a time period of approximately 7 yr (from November 2007 to August 2014). The seismicity is found to be significantly positively correlated with the injection rate. The maximum correlation occurs with a seismic response delay of ˜2 weeks, following injection operations. Those results are very stable even after considering hypocentral uncertainties, by applying a vertical shift of the events foci up to 300 m. Our analysis indicates also time variations of b-value, which exhibits significant positive correlation with injection rates.

The Grand Junction Report: Issues of Equality in the Mesa Valley.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission on Civil Rights, Washington, DC.

The Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area is the fifth largest metropolitan area in Colorado and the 12th fastest-growing in the Southwest. Latinos make up approximately 8 percent of total population and 15 percent of school enrollment; these numbers are increased by migrant farmworkers and their families. In May 2001, a public forum was…

How to Build a Desk Statistics Tracker in Less than an Hour Using Forms in Google Docs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Sunshine; Ambrosi, Thomas

2011-01-01

The University of Minnesota-Duluth is the second largest campus in the University of Minnesota system. The UMD library, which serves more than 11,000 students and 500 faculty members, is primarily an undergraduate library. The reference team consists of eight librarians, including author Sunshine Carter, reference and electronics resources…

A System within a System: The Philippine Schools Overseas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regis, Czarina Valerie A.; de Guzman, Allan B.

2006-01-01

The Philippine school system is considered as one of the largest in the world with 41,989 public elementary and secondary schools and 7,790 private schools under the supervision and regulation of the Department of Education [DepEd Fact Sheet, 2005]. On top of this statistics are 40 duly-registered educational institutions called the Philippine…

Building Interest in Nursing Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Susan

2005-01-01

In February 2004, when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its list of the 10 occupations with the largest projected job growth in the years 2002-2012, registered nurses (RNs) were at the top of the list. American Nurses Association President Barbara A. Blakeney noted at the time that it was not surprising given our aging population and…

Trends in Participation and Attainment of Chinese Students in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iannelli, Cristina; Huang, Jun

2014-01-01

The UK higher education system receives the second largest number of Chinese overseas students in the world. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data used in this study show that the total number of Chinese graduates (at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels) increased from around 6000 at the beginning of the twenty-first century to…

A State Policy Model to Address the Nation's Dropout Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chau, Yen

2009-01-01

By now people are all too familiar with the disheartening numbers: approximately 7,000 students drop out each day, which means nearly one-third of high school students will not graduate with their peers. The statistics are even more staggering for minority and low-income students, especially in the nation's largest urban districts, where less than…

A School District Financial Condition Assessment System and Its Application to Pennsylvania School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruck, W. Earl; Miltenberger, Lauren

2013-01-01

The funding of public education in America has been a primary concern for government officials at the federal, state, and local levels for several generations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, this expenditure accounts for the single largest allocation in most state and local government operating budgets (Stanley and…

No Evidence That Schizophrenia Candidate Genes Are More Associated With Schizophrenia Than Noncandidate Genes.

PubMed

Johnson, Emma C; Border, Richard; Melroy-Greif, Whitney E; de Leeuw, Christiaan A; Ehringer, Marissa A; Keller, Matthew C

2017-11-15

A recent analysis of 25 historical candidate gene polymorphisms for schizophrenia in the largest genome-wide association study conducted to date suggested that these commonly studied variants were no more associated with the disorder than would be expected by chance. However, the same study identified other variants within those candidate genes that demonstrated genome-wide significant associations with schizophrenia. As such, it is possible that variants within historic schizophrenia candidate genes are associated with schizophrenia at levels above those expected by chance, even if the most-studied specific polymorphisms are not. The present study used association statistics from the largest schizophrenia genome-wide association study conducted to date as input to a gene set analysis to investigate whether variants within schizophrenia candidate genes are enriched for association with schizophrenia. As a group, variants in the most-studied candidate genes were no more associated with schizophrenia than were variants in control sets of noncandidate genes. While a small subset of candidate genes did appear to be significantly associated with schizophrenia, these genes were not particularly noteworthy given the large number of more strongly associated noncandidate genes. The history of schizophrenia research should serve as a cautionary tale to candidate gene investigators examining other phenotypes: our findings indicate that the most investigated candidate gene hypotheses of schizophrenia are not well supported by genome-wide association studies, and it is likely that this will be the case for other complex traits as well. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of agricultural best-management practices in the Conestoga River headwaters, Pennsylvania; effects of nutrient management on quality of surface runoff at a small carbonate-rock site near Ephrate, Pennsylvania, 1984-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, D.W.; Lietman, P.L.; Koerkle, E.J.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection conducted a study from 1984 to 1990 to determine theeffects of the implementation and practice of nutrient management [an agricultural best-management practice (BMP)] on the quality of surface runoff and ground water at a 55-acre crop and livestock farm in carbonate terrain nearEphrata, Pa. Implementation of nutrient management at Field-Site 2 resulted in application decreases of 33 percent for nitrogen and 29 percent for phosphorus. There wereno significant changes in nitrogen or phosphorusloads for a given amount of runoff from the pre-BMP to the post-BMP periods. However, less than 2 percent of the applied nutrients weredischarged with runoff throughout the study period.After the implementation of nutrient management, statistically significant decreases in concentrations of nitrate in ground-water samples occurred at threeof the four wells monitored throughout the pre- and post-BMP periods. The largest decreases in nitrate concentrations occurred at wells where samples hadthe largest nitrate concentrations prior to nutrient management. Changes in nitrogen applications to the contributing areas of five wells were correlated with nitrate concentrations of the well water. The correlations between the timing and amount of applied nitrogen and changes in ground-water quality met the four conditions that are characteristic of a cause-effect relation: an association, consistency, responsiveness, and a mechanism. Changes in ground-water nitrate concentrations lagged behind changes in loading of nitrogen fertilizers (primarily manure) by approximately 4 to 19 months.

The Unequal Impact of Food Insecurity on Cognitive and Behavioral Outcomes among 5-Year-Old Urban Children.

PubMed

Hobbs, Savannah; King, Christian

2018-05-09

To examine the associations of food insecurity with children's cognitive and behavioral outcomes using quantile regression. Secondary analysis of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study dataset. A total of 2,046 children aged 5 years. Child behavioral outcomes were measured using externalizing (aggressive) and internalizing (emotional) behavior problems. Child cognitive outcomes were measured using the Peabody Vocabulary test and the Woodcock-Johnson letter-word identification test. Food insecurity was measured using the US Department of Agriculture's Food Security Module. Unconditional quantile regressions were employed. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. Negative associations between food insecurity and child behavior problems (externalizing and internalizing) were largest for children with the most behavior problems. For Peabody Vocabulary scores, the negative association with food insecurity was statistically significant only for children in the top half of the distribution (≥50th percentile). The analysis found mixed evidence of an association between food insecurity and the Woodcock-Johnson letter-word identification test. These associations were similar for boys and girls. Because children's cognitive skills and behavioral problems have long-lasting implications and effects later in life, reducing the risk of food insecurity might particularly benefit children with greater externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trends in mean and extreme temperatures over Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abatan, Abayomi A.; Osayomi, Tolulope; Akande, Samuel O.; Abiodun, Babatunde J.; Gutowski, William J.

2018-02-01

In recent times, Ibadan has been experiencing an increase in mean temperature which appears to be linked to anthropogenic global warming. Previous studies have indicated that the warming may be accompanied by changes in extreme events. This study examined trends in mean and extreme temperatures over Ibadan during 1971-2012 at annual and seasonal scales using the high-resolution atmospheric reanalysis from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) twentieth-century dataset (ERA-20C) at 15 grid points. Magnitudes of linear trends in mean and extreme temperatures and their statistical significance were calculated using ordinary least squares and Mann-Kendall rank statistic tests. The results show that Ibadan has witnessed an increase in annual and seasonal mean minimum temperatures. The annual mean maximum temperature exhibited a non-significant decline in most parts of Ibadan. While trends in cold extremes at annual scale show warming, trends in coldest night show greater warming than in coldest day. At the seasonal scale, we found that Ibadan experienced a mix of positive and negative trends in absolute extreme temperature indices. However, cold extremes show the largest trend magnitudes, with trends in coldest night showing the greatest warming. The results compare well with those obtained from a limited number of stations. This study should inform decision-makers and urban planners about the ongoing warming in Ibadan.

Capillary fluctuations of surface steps: An atomistic simulation study for the model Cu(111) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitas, Rodrigo; Frolov, Timofey; Asta, Mark

2017-10-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to investigate the capillary fluctuations of steps on the surface of a model metal system. The fluctuation spectrum, characterized by the wave number (k ) dependence of the mean squared capillary-wave amplitudes and associated relaxation times, is calculated for 〈110 〉 and 〈112 〉 steps on the {111 } surface of elemental copper near the melting temperature of the classical potential model considered. Step stiffnesses are derived from the MD results, yielding values from the largest system sizes of (37 ±1 ) meV/A ˚ for the different line orientations, implying that the stiffness is isotropic within the statistical precision of the calculations. The fluctuation lifetimes are found to vary by approximately four orders of magnitude over the range of wave numbers investigated, displaying a k dependence consistent with kinetics governed by step-edge mediated diffusion. The values for step stiffness derived from these simulations are compared to step free energies for the same system and temperature obtained in a recent MD-based thermodynamic-integration (TI) study [Freitas, Frolov, and Asta, Phys. Rev. B 95, 155444 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.155444]. Results from the capillary-fluctuation analysis and TI calculations yield statistically significant differences that are discussed within the framework of statistical-mechanical theories for configurational contributions to step free energies.

Production of lunar fragmental material by meteoroid impact.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marcus, A. H.

1973-01-01

The rate of production of new fragmental lunar surface material is derived theoretically on the hypothesis that such material is excavated from a bedrock layer by meteoroid impacts. An overlaying regolith effectively shields the bedrock layer from small impacts, reducing the production rate of centimeter-sized and smaller blocks by a large factor. Logarithmic production rate curves for centimeter to motor-sized blocks are nonlinear for any regolith from centimeters to tens of meters in thickness, with small blocks relatively much less frequent for thicker (older) regoliths, suggesting the possibility of a statistical reverse bedding. Modest variations in the exponents of scaling laws for crater depth-diameter ratio and maximum block-diameter to crater diameter ratio are shown to have significant effects on the production rates. The production rate increases slowly with increasing size of the largest crater affecting the region.

Closing in on the large-scale CMB power asymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras, D.; Hutchinson, J.; Moss, A.; Scott, D.; Zibin, J. P.

2018-03-01

Measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropies have revealed a dipolar asymmetry in power at the largest scales, in apparent contradiction with the statistical isotropy of standard cosmological models. The significance of the effect is not very high, and is dependent on a posteriori choices. Nevertheless, a number of models have been proposed that produce a scale-dependent asymmetry. We confront several such models for a physical, position-space modulation with CMB temperature observations. We find that, while some models that maintain the standard isotropic power spectrum are allowed, others, such as those with modulated tensor or uncorrelated isocurvature modes, can be ruled out on the basis of the overproduction of isotropic power. This remains the case even when an extra isocurvature mode fully anticorrelated with the adiabatic perturbations is added to suppress power on large scales.

Chemical profiling of guarana seeds (Paullinia cupana) from different geographical origins using UPLC-QTOF-MS combined with chemometrics.

PubMed

da Silva, Givaldo Souza; Canuto, Kirley Marques; Ribeiro, Paulo Riceli Vasconcelos; de Brito, Edy Sousa; Nascimento, Madson Moreira; Zocolo, Guilherme Julião; Coutinho, Janclei Pereira; de Jesus, Raildo Mota

2017-12-01

Paullinia cupana, commonly known as guarana, is an Amazonian fruit whose seeds are used to produce the powdered guarana, which is rich in caffeine and consumed for its stimulating activity. The metabolic profile of guarana from the two largest producing regions was investigated using UPLC-MS combined with multivariate statistical analysis. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed significant differences between samples produced in the states of Bahia and Amazonas. The metabolites responsible for the differentiation were identified by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Fourteen phenolic compounds were characterized in guarana powder samples, and catechin, epicatechin, B-type procyanidin dimer, A-type procyanidin trimer and A-type procyanidin dimer were the main compounds responsible for the geographical variation of the samples. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The topology of large-scale structure. VI - Slices of the universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Changbom; Gott, J. R., III; Melott, Adrian L.; Karachentsev, I. D.

1992-03-01

Results of an investigation of the topology of large-scale structure in two observed slices of the universe are presented. Both slices pass through the Coma cluster and their depths are 100 and 230/h Mpc. The present topology study shows that the largest void in the CfA slice is divided into two smaller voids by a statistically significant line of galaxies. The topology of toy models like the white noise and bubble models is shown to be inconsistent with that of the observed slices. A large N-body simulation was made of the biased cloud dark matter model and the slices are simulated by matching them in selection functions and boundary conditions. The genus curves for these simulated slices are spongelike and have a small shift in the direction of a meatball topology like those of observed slices.

The topology of large-scale structure. VI - Slices of the universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Changbom; Gott, J. R., III; Melott, Adrian L.; Karachentsev, I. D.

1992-01-01

Results of an investigation of the topology of large-scale structure in two observed slices of the universe are presented. Both slices pass through the Coma cluster and their depths are 100 and 230/h Mpc. The present topology study shows that the largest void in the CfA slice is divided into two smaller voids by a statistically significant line of galaxies. The topology of toy models like the white noise and bubble models is shown to be inconsistent with that of the observed slices. A large N-body simulation was made of the biased cloud dark matter model and the slices are simulated by matching them in selection functions and boundary conditions. The genus curves for these simulated slices are spongelike and have a small shift in the direction of a meatball topology like those of observed slices.

Origin-based polyphenolic fingerprinting of Theobroma cacao in unfermented and fermented beans.

PubMed

D'Souza, Roy N; Grimbs, Sergio; Behrends, Britta; Bernaert, Herwig; Ullrich, Matthias S; Kuhnert, Nikolai

2017-09-01

A comprehensive analysis of cocoa polyphenols from unfermented and fermented cocoa beans from a wide range of geographic origins was carried out to catalogue systematic differences based on their origin as well as fermentation status. This study identifies previously unknown compounds with the goal to ascertain, which of these are responsible for the largest differences between bean types. UHPLC coupled with ultra-high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed to identify and relatively quantify various oligomeric proanthocyanidins and their glycosides amongst several other unreported compounds. A series of biomarkers allowing a clear distinction between unfermented and fermented cocoa beans and for beans of different origins were identified. The large sample set employed allowed comparison of statistically significant variations of key cocoa constituents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in the Relationship Between Education and Marriage: Marriage Market Mismatch?

PubMed Central

Musick, Kelly; Brand, Jennie E.; Davis, Dwight

2011-01-01

Educational expansion has led to greater diversity in the social backgrounds of college students. We ask how schooling interacts with this diversity to influence marriage formation among men and women. Relying on data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (N = 3208), we use a propensity score approach to group men and women into social strata and multilevel event history models to test differences in the effects of college attendance across strata. We find a statistically significant, positive trend in the effects of college attendance across strata, with the largest effects of college on first marriage among the more advantaged and the smallest—indeed, negative—effects among the least advantaged men and women. These findings appear consistent with a mismatch in the marriage market between individuals’ education and their social backgrounds. PMID:22563132

Effects of economic crises on population health outcomes in Latin America, 1981–2010: an ecological study

PubMed Central

Williams, Callum; Gilbert, Barnabas James; Zeltner, Thomas; Watkins, Johnathan; Atun, Rifat; Maruthappu, Mahiben

2016-01-01

Objectives The relative health effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on population health have not been assessed. We aimed to determine the effect of changes in these economic measures on mortality metrics across Latin America. Design Ecological study. Setting Latin America (21 countries), 1981–2010. Outcome measures Uses multivariate regression analysis to assess the effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and GDP per capita on 5 mortality indicators across 21 countries in Latin America, 1981–2010. Country-specific differences in healthcare infrastructure, population structure and population size were controlled for. Results Between 1981 and 2010, a 1% rise in unemployment was associated with statistically significant deteriorations (p<0.05) in 5 population health outcomes, with largest deteriorations in 1–5 years of age and male adult mortality rates (1.14 and 0.53 rises per 1000 deaths respectively). A 1% rise in inflation rate was associated with significant deteriorations (p<0.05) in 4 population health outcomes, with the largest deterioration in male adult mortality rate (0.0033 rise per 1000 deaths). Lag analysis showed that 5 years after rises in unemployment and inflation, significant deteriorations (p<0.05) occurred in 3 and 5 mortality metrics, respectively. A 1% rise in GDP per capita was associated with no significant deteriorations in population health outcomes either in the short or long term. β coefficient comparisons indicated that the effect of unemployment increases was substantially greater than that of changes in GDP per capita or inflation. Conclusions Rises in unemployment and inflation are associated with long-lasting deteriorations in several population health outcomes. Unemployment exerted much larger effects on health than inflation. In contrast, changes in GDP per capita had almost no association with the explored health outcomes. Contrary to neoclassical development economics, policymakers should prioritise amelioration of unemployment if population health outcomes are to be optimised. PMID:26739715

A comprehensive framework for functional diversity patterns of marine chromophytic phytoplankton using rbcL phylogeny

PubMed Central

Samanta, Brajogopal; Bhadury, Punyasloke

2016-01-01

Marine chromophytes are taxonomically diverse group of algae and contribute approximately half of the total oceanic primary production. To understand the global patterns of functional diversity of chromophytic phytoplankton, robust bioinformatics and statistical analyses including deep phylogeny based on 2476 form ID rbcL gene sequences representing seven ecologically significant oceanographic ecoregions were undertaken. In addition, 12 form ID rbcL clone libraries were generated and analyzed (148 sequences) from Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve representing the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem as part of this study. Global phylogenetic analyses recovered 11 major clades of chromophytic phytoplankton in varying proportions with several novel rbcL sequences in each of the seven targeted ecoregions. Majority of OTUs was found to be exclusive to each ecoregion, whereas some were shared by two or more ecoregions based on beta-diversity analysis. Present phylogenetic and bioinformatics analyses provide a strong statistical support for the hypothesis that different oceanographic regimes harbor distinct and coherent groups of chromophytic phytoplankton. It has been also shown as part of this study that varying natural selection pressure on form ID rbcL gene under different environmental conditions could lead to functional differences and overall fitness of chromophytic phytoplankton populations. PMID:26861415

Molecular weight analyses and enzymatic degradation profiles of the soft-tissue fillers Belotero Balance, Restylane, and Juvéderm Ultra.

PubMed

Flynn, Timothy Corcoran; Thompson, David H; Hyun, Seok-Hee

2013-10-01

In this study, the authors sought to determine the molecular weight distribution of three hyaluronic acids-Belotero Balance, Restylane, and Juvéderm Ultra-and their rates of degradation following exposure to hyaluronidase. Lot consistency of Belotero Balance also was analyzed. Three lots of Belotero Balance were analyzed using liquid chromatography techniques. The product was found to have high-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight species. One lot of Belotero Balance was compared to one lot each of Juvéderm Ultra and Restylane. Molecular weights of the species were analyzed. The hyaluronic acids were exposed to ovine testicular hyaluronidase at six time points-baseline and 0.5, 1, 2, 6, and 24 hours-to determine degradation rates. Belotero Balance lots were remarkably consistent. Belotero Balance had the largest high-molecular-weight species, followed by Juvéderm Ultra and Restylane (p < 0.001). Low-molecular-weight differences among all three hyaluronic acids were not statistically significant. Percentages of high-molecular-weight polymer differ among the three materials, with Belotero Balance having the highest fraction of high-molecular-weight polymer. Degradation of the high-molecular-weight species over time showed different molecular weights of the high-molecular-weight fraction. Rates of degradation of the hyaluronic acids following exposure to ovine testicular hyaluronidase were similar. All hyaluronic acids were fully degraded at 24 hours. Fractions of high-molecular-weight polymer differ across the hyaluronic acids tested. The low-molecular-weight differences are not statistically significant. The high-molecular-weight products have different molecular weights at the 0.5- and 2-hour time points when exposed to ovine testicular hyaluronidase and are not statistically different at 24 hours.

Civil construction work: The unseen contributor to the occupational and global disease burden

PubMed Central

Sitalakshmi, R.; Saikumar, P.; Jeyachandran, P.; Manoharan; Thangavel; Thomas, Jayakar

2016-01-01

Background: Construction industry is the second largest employment giving industry in India with many semi-skilled or unskilled workers taking up the occupation for livelihood without any training and proper guidance. Aim: To evaluate the pathogenic association of cement exposure to occupational contact dermatoses as evidenced by immune markers and to correlate their pulmonary functions with years of exposure to cement. Setting and Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among randomly selected cement workers. Methods and material: Evaluation of socioeconomic status (SES) and years of exposure of cement workers was done using a questionnaire. Clinical examination of skin lesions and strip patch test with application of potassium dichromate on unexposed skin was performed. Results were interpreted after 48 hours. Absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and IgE levels measured, and spirometric evaluation was performed. Statistical Analysis: Analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation test were used for data analysis. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Clinically, skin lesions were noticed in 51%, elevated AEC in 47%, and raised Anti IgE in 73%. Two participants developed positive reactions to the skin strip patch test. Duration of exposure to cement and SES were compared with clinical skin lesions. Spirometry result was normal in 81%, obstruction in 8%, restriction in 10%, and mixed pattern in 1%. Forced expiratory volume at 1.0 second, forced expiratory flow (25–75%), and  (PEFR) Peak Expiratory Flow Rate were markedly reduced with years of exposure. Workers who had greater skin lesions and with increase in exposure had increased AEC and IgE levels, although statistically not significant. Conclusions: Exposure to cement and poor SES is strongly correlated to increased prevalence of skin lesions and reduced pulmonary functions. PMID:28194084

Time density curve analysis for C-arm FDCT PBV imaging.

PubMed

Kamran, Mudassar; Byrne, James V

2016-04-01

Parenchymal blood volume (PBV) estimation using C-arm flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) assumes a steady-state contrast concentration in cerebral vasculature for the scan duration. Using time density curve (TDC) analysis, we explored if the steady-state assumption is met for C-arm CT PBV scans, and how consistent the contrast-material dynamics in cerebral vasculature are across patients. Thirty C-arm FDCT datasets of 26 patients with aneurysmal-SAH, acquired as part of a prospective study comparing C-arm CT PBV with MR-PWI, were analysed. TDCs were extracted from the 2D rotational projections. Goodness-of-fit of TDCs to a steady-state horizontal-line-model and the statistical similarity among the individual TDCs were tested. Influence of the differences in TDC characteristics on the agreement of resulting PBV measurements with MR-CBV was calculated. Despite identical scan parameters and contrast-injection-protocol, the individual TDCs were statistically non-identical (p < 0.01). Using Dunn's multiple comparisons test, of the total 435 individual comparisons among the 30 TDCs, 330 comparisons (62%) reached statistical significance for difference. All TDCs deviated significantly (p < 0.01) from the steady-state horizontal-line-model. PBV values of those datasets for which the TDCs showed largest deviations from the steady-state model demonstrated poor agreement and correlation with MR-CBV, compared with the PBV values of those datasets for which the TDCs were closer to steady-state. For clinical C-arm CT PBV examinations, the administered contrast material does not reach the assumed 'ideal steady-state' for the duration of scan. Using a prolonged injection protocol, the degree to which the TDCs approximate the ideal steady-state influences the agreement of resulting PBV measurements with MR-CBV. © The Author(s) 2016.

Time density curve analysis for C-arm FDCT PBV imaging

PubMed Central

Byrne, James V

2016-01-01

Introduction Parenchymal blood volume (PBV) estimation using C-arm flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) assumes a steady-state contrast concentration in cerebral vasculature for the scan duration. Using time density curve (TDC) analysis, we explored if the steady-state assumption is met for C-arm CT PBV scans, and how consistent the contrast-material dynamics in cerebral vasculature are across patients. Methods Thirty C-arm FDCT datasets of 26 patients with aneurysmal-SAH, acquired as part of a prospective study comparing C-arm CT PBV with MR-PWI, were analysed. TDCs were extracted from the 2D rotational projections. Goodness-of-fit of TDCs to a steady-state horizontal-line-model and the statistical similarity among the individual TDCs were tested. Influence of the differences in TDC characteristics on the agreement of resulting PBV measurements with MR-CBV was calculated. Results Despite identical scan parameters and contrast-injection-protocol, the individual TDCs were statistically non-identical (p < 0.01). Using Dunn's multiple comparisons test, of the total 435 individual comparisons among the 30 TDCs, 330 comparisons (62%) reached statistical significance for difference. All TDCs deviated significantly (p < 0.01) from the steady-state horizontal-line-model. PBV values of those datasets for which the TDCs showed largest deviations from the steady-state model demonstrated poor agreement and correlation with MR-CBV, compared with the PBV values of those datasets for which the TDCs were closer to steady-state. Conclusion For clinical C-arm CT PBV examinations, the administered contrast material does not reach the assumed ‘ideal steady-state’ for the duration of scan. Using a prolonged injection protocol, the degree to which the TDCs approximate the ideal steady-state influences the agreement of resulting PBV measurements with MR-CBV. PMID:26769736

Evaluation of the reproducibility of a protocol for the pharmacokinetic study of breast tumors by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Etxano, J; García-Lallana Valbuena, A; Antón Ibáñez, I; Elizalde, A; Pina, L; García-Foncillas, J; Boni, V

2015-01-01

To evaluate the reproducibility of a protocol for dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for the pharmacokinetic study of breast tumors. We carried out this prospective study from October 2009 through December 2009. We studied 12 patients with stage ii-iii invasive breast cancer without prior treatment. Our center's research ethics committee approved the study. The 12 patients underwent on two consecutive days DCE-MRI with a high temporal resolution protocol (21 acquisitions/minute). The data obtained in an ROI traced around the largest diameter of the tumor (ROI 1) and in another ROI traced around the area of the lesion's highest K(trans) intensity (ROI 2) were analyzed separately. We used parametric and nonparametric statistical tests to study the reproducibility and concordance of the principal pharmacokinetic variables (K(trans), Kep, Ve and AUC90). The correlations were very high (r>.80; P<.01) for all the variables for ROI 1 and high (r=.70-.80; P<.01) for all the variables for ROI 2, with the exception of Ve both in ROI 1 (r=.44; P=.07) and in ROI 2 (r=.13; P=.235). There were no statistically significant differences between the two studies in the values obtained for K(trans), Kep and AUC90 (P>.05 for each), but there was a statistically significant difference between the two studies in the values obtained for Ve in ROI 2 (P=.008). The high temporal resolution protocol for DCE-MRI used at out center is very reproducible for the principal pharmacokinetic constants of breast. Copyright © 2012 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Trends in the Vertical Distribution of Ozone: A Comparison of Two Analyses of Ozonesonde Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loogan, J. A.; Megretskaia, I. A.; Miller, A. J.; Tiao, G. C.; Choi, D.; Zhang, L.; Bishop, L.; Stolarski, R.; Labow, G. J.; Hollandsworth, S. M.;

Association between traditional clinical high-risk features and gene expression profile classification in uveal melanoma.

PubMed

Nguyen, Brandon T; Kim, Ryan S; Bretana, Maria E; Kegley, Eric; Schefler, Amy C

2018-02-01

To evaluate the association between traditional clinical high-risk features of uveal melanoma patients and gene expression profile (GEP). This was a retrospective, single-center, case series of patients with uveal melanoma. Eighty-three patients met inclusion criteria for the study. Patients were examined for the following clinical risk factors: drusen/retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) changes, vascularity on B-scan, internal reflectivity on A-scan, subretinal fluid (SRF), orange pigment, apical tumor height/thickness, and largest basal dimensions (LBD). A novel point system was created to grade the high-risk clinical features of each tumor. Further analyses were performed to assess the degree of association between GEP and each individual risk factor, total clinical risk score, vascularity, internal reflectivity, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage classification, apical tumor height/thickness, and LBD. Of the 83 total patients, 41 were classified as GEP class 1A, 17 as class 1B, and 25 as class 2. The presence of orange pigment, SRF, low internal reflectivity and vascularity on ultrasound, and apical tumor height/thickness ≥ 2 mm were not statistically significantly associated with GEP class. Lack of drusen/RPE changes demonstrated a trend toward statistical association with GEP class 2 compared to class 1A/1B. LBD and advancing AJCC stage was statistically associated with higher GEP class. In this cohort, AJCC stage classification and LBD were the only clinical features statistically associated with GEP class. Clinicians should use caution when inferring the growth potential of melanocytic lesions solely from traditional funduscopic and ultrasonographic risk factors without GEP data.

Debunking the Computer Science Digital Library: Lessons Learned in Collection Development at Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buczynski, James Andrew

2005-01-01

Developing a library collection to support the curriculum of Canada's largest computer studies school has debunked many myths about collecting computer science and technology information resources. Computer science students are among the heaviest print book and e-book users in the library. Circulation statistics indicate that the demand for print…

Preparing Young Hispanic Dual Language Learners for a Knowledge Economy. Preschool Policy Brief. Issue 24

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figueras-Daniel, Alexandra; Barnett, W. Steven

2013-01-01

As the United States works to reclaim economic prosperity, the Hispanic population--with the largest growth in population over the last decade--will likely play a key role in any economic resurgence. Educational success is a crucial part of economic recovery. While statistics on the educational success of Hispanic children are hardly encouraging,…

Hampton at Willamina is #1 : Seneca, Weyerhaeuser mills follow

Treesearch

Henry Spelter

2003-01-01

Approximately 720 sawmills produce most of the softwood lumber in the U.S. The largest 200 of these, ranked mostly according to 2002 production, are displayed in the table on the ensuing pages. Where the actual production statistic was not released, it was estimated by subtracting from capacity any lost volume due to downtime. In a few instances where neither...

Southwest Oregon Biscuit Fire: an analysis of forest resources and fire severity

Treesearch

David L. Azuma; Joseph Donnegan; Donald Gedney

2004-01-01

The Biscuit Fire in southwestern Oregon was one of the largest and most costly in recent history, burning over 499,000 acres and costing over 150 million dollars in suppression efforts. This study uses prefire resource information in conjunction with postfire burn severity to generate statistically reliable prefire resource estimates for the land within the Biscuit...

An Inquiry into the Factors That Contribute to Health Science Teacher Attrition and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Wilma Lynne

2012-01-01

Teaching remains one of the largest occupations in the United States and accounts for 4.9% of the civilian workforce. There are over twice as many teachers as nurses (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). The turnover rate for teachers is consistently higher than many other occupations in the nation, and this factor is driving an…

Short-period atmospheric gravity waves - A study of their statistical properties and source mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gedzelman, S. D.

1983-01-01

Gravity waves for the one year period beginning 19 October 1976 around Palisades, New York, are investigated to determine their statistical properties and sources. The waves have typical periods of 10 min, pressure amplitudes of 3 Pa and velocities of 30 m/s. In general, the largest, amplitude waves occur during late fall and early winter when the upper tropospheric winds directly overhead are fastest and the static stability of the lower troposphere is greatest. Mean wave amplitudes correlate highly with the product of the mean maximum wind speed and the mean low level stratification directly aloft. A distinct diurnal variation of wave amplitudes with the largest waves occurring in the pre-dawn hours is also observed as a result of the increased static stability then. The majority of waves are generated by shear instability; however, a number of waves are generated by distant sources such as nuclear detonations or large thunderstorms. The waves with distant sources can be distinguished on the basis of their generally much higher coherency across the grid and velocities that depart markedly from the wind velocity at any point in the sounding.

Statistical sampling of the distribution of uranium deposits using geologic/geographic clusters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finch, W.I.; Grundy, W.D.; Pierson, C.T.

1992-01-01

The concept of geologic/geographic clusters was developed particularly to study grade and tonnage models for sandstone-type uranium deposits. A cluster is a grouping of mined as well as unmined uranium occurrences within an arbitrary area about 8 km across. A cluster is a statistical sample that will reflect accurately the distribution of uranium in large regions relative to various geologic and geographic features. The example of the Colorado Plateau Uranium Province reveals that only 3 percent of the total number of clusters is in the largest tonnage-size category, greater than 10,000 short tons U3O8, and that 80 percent of the clusters are hosted by Triassic and Jurassic rocks. The distributions of grade and tonnage for clusters in the Powder River Basin show a wide variation; the grade distribution is highly variable, reflecting a difference between roll-front deposits and concretionary deposits, and the Basin contains about half the number in the greater-than-10,000 tonnage-size class as does the Colorado Plateau, even though it is much smaller. The grade and tonnage models should prove useful in finding the richest and largest uranium deposits. ?? 1992 Oxford University Press.

Long term statistics (1845-2014) of daily runoff maxima, monthly rainfall and runoff in the Adda basin (Italian Alps) under natural and anthropogenic changes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranzi, Roberto; Goatelli, Federica; Castioni, Camilla; Tomirotti, Massimo; Crespi, Alice; Mattea, Enrico; Brunetti, Michele; Maugeri, Maurizio

2017-04-01

A new time series of daily runoff reconstructed at the inflow in the Como Lake in the Italian Alps is presented. The time series covers a 170 years time period and includes the two largest floods ever recorded for the region: the 1868 and 1987 ones. Statistics of annual maxima show a decrease which is not statistically significant and a decrease of annual runoff which is statistically significant, instead. To investigate the possible reasons of such changes monthly temperature and precipitation are analysed. Decrease of runoff peaks can be justified by the increase of reservoir storage volumes. Evapotranspiration indexes based on monthly temperature indicate an increase of evapotranspiration losses as a possible cause of runoff decrease. Secular precipitation series for the Adda basin are then computed by a methodology projecting observational data onto a high-resolution grid (30-arc-second, DEM GTOPO30). It is based on the assumption that the spatio-temporal behaviour of a meteorological variable over a given area can be described by superimposing two fields: the climatological normals over a reference period, i.e. the climatologies, and the departure from them, i.e. the anomalies. The two fields can be reconstructed independently and are based on different datasets. To compute the precipitation climatologies all the available stations within the Adda basin are considered while, for the anomalies, only the longest and the most homogeneous records are selected. To this aim, a great effort was made to extend these series to the past as much as possible, also by digitising the historical records available from the hardcopy archives. The climatological values at each DEM cell of the Adda basin are obtained by a local weighted linear regression of precipitation versus elevation (LWLR) taking into account the closest stations with similar geographical characteristics to those of the cell itself. The anomaly field is obtained by a weighted average of the anomalies of neighbouring stations considering both the distance and the elevation differences between the stations and the considered cell. Finally, the secular precipitation records at each DEM cell of the Adda basin are computed by multiplying the local estimated anomalies for the corresponding climatological values. A statistically significant decreasing trend of precipitation results from the Man Kendall and Sen-Theil tests.

Bureau of the Census Center for International Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinto, Nina Pane

1994-01-01

This paper describes the organization and activities of the Center for International Research at the Bureau of the Census. There is a formal publication exchange program with other government's statistical programs. This has resulted in the Center's collection being one of the world's largest in the area of international census and demographic information. Foreign statistical publications are in three libraries, one being dedicated to the former Soviet Union and one to the Peoples Republic of China. In addition to the libraries there are two computerized data bases. The International data base is a source of demographic and socio-economic statistics for all countries of the world. The second data base is the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Data Base which contains information related to the publication and dissemination of the results of seroprevalence surveys.

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

Parthipun, A. A., E-mail: aneeta@hotmail.co.uk; Taylor, J.; Manyonda, I.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between large uterine fibroid diameter, uterine volume, number of vials of embolic agent used and risk of complications from uterine artery embolisation (UAE). This was a prospective study involving 121 patients undergoing UAE embolisation for symptomatic uterine fibroids at a single institution. Patients were grouped according to diameter of largest fibroid and uterine volume. Results were also stratified according to the number of vials of embolic agent used and rate of complications. No statistical difference in complication rate was demonstrated between the two groups according to diametermore » of the largest fibroid (large fibroids were classified as {>=}10 cm; Fisher's exact test P = 1.00), and no statistical difference in complication rate was demonstrated according to uterine volume (large uterine volume was defined as {>=}750 cm{sup 3}; Fisher's exact test P = 0.70). 84 of the 121 patients had documentation of the number of vials used during the procedure. Patients were divided into two groups, with {>=}4 used defined as a large number of embolic agent. There was no statistical difference between these two groups and no associated increased risk of developing complications. This study showed no increased incidence of complications in women with large-diameter fibroids or uterine volumes as defined. In addition, there was no evidence of increased complications according to quantity of embolic material used. Therefore, UAE should be offered to women with large fibroids and uterine volumes.« less

A prospective study to determine the costs incurred by families of children newly diagnosed with cancer in Ontario.

PubMed

Tsimicalis, Argerie; Stevens, Bonnie; Ungar, Wendy J; McKeever, Patricia; Greenberg, Mark; Agha, Mohammad; Guerriere, Denise; Barr, Ronald; Naqvi, Ahmed; Moineddin, Rahim

2012-10-01

A diagnosis of cancer in childhood places a considerable economic burden on families, although costs are not well described. The objectives of this study were to identify and determine independent predictors of the direct and time costs incurred by such families. A prospective, cost-of-illness study was conducted in families of children newly diagnosed with cancer. Parents recorded the resources consumed and costs incurred during 1 week per month for three consecutive months beginning the fourth week following diagnosis and listed any additional costs incurred since then. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were performed to describe families' costs (expressed in 2007 Canadian dollars) and to determine direct and time cost predictors. In total, 28 fathers and 71 mothers participated. The median total direct and time costs in 3 months were $CAD3503 and $CAD23 130, respectively, per family. The largest component of direct costs was travel and of time costs was time allocated previously for unpaid activities. There were no statistically significant predictors of direct costs. Six per cent of the variance for time costs was explained by language spoken at home. Families of children with cancer are confronted with a wide range of direct and time costs, the largest being travel and time allocated previously for unpaid activities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Regional frequency analysis to asses wind resource spatial and temporal variations in Washington State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortuza, M.; Demissie, D.

2013-12-01

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's annual wind technologies market report, the wind power capacity in the country grew from 2.5 gigawatts in early 2000 to 60 gigawatts in 2012, making it one of the largest new sources of electric capacity additions in the U.S. in recent years. With over 2.8 gigawatts of current capacity (eighth largest in the nation), Washington State plays a significant role in this rapidly increasing energy resource. To further expand and/or optimize these capacities, assessment of wind resource and its spatial and temporal variations are important. However, since at-site frequency analysis using meteorological data is not adequate for extending wind frequency to locations with no data, longer return period, and heterogeneous topography and surface, a regional frequency analysis based on L-moment method is adopted in this study to estimate regional wind speed patterns and return periods in Washington State using hourly mean wind speed data from 1979 - 2010. The analysis applies the k-means, hierarchical and self-organizing map clustering techniques to explore potential clusters or regions; statistical tests are then applied to identify homogeneous regions and appropriate probability distribution models. The result from the analysis is expected to provide essential knowledge about the areas with potential capacity of constructing wind power plants, which can also be readily extended to assist decisions on their daily operations.

Economic assessment of the construction industry: A construction-economics nexus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barber, Herbert Marion, Jr.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an economic assessment of the construction industry. More specifically, this study addresses ambiguities within the literature that are associated with the construction-economics nexus. The researcher 1) investigated the relationships between economic indicators and stock prices of U.S. construction equipment manufacturers, 2) investigated the relationships between energy production, consumption, and corruption, and 3) determined the economic effect electricity generation and electricity consumption has on economies of scale. The researcher used descriptive and inferential statistics in this study and determined that economists, researchers, policy-makers, and others should have predicted the 2007-08 world economic collapse 5-6 years prior to realization of the event given that construction indices and GDP grossly regressed from statistically acceptable trends as early as 2002 and perhaps 2000. Substantiating this claim, the effect of the cost of construction materials and labor, i.e. construction index, on GDP was significant for years leading up to the collapse (1970-2007). Additionally, it was determined that energy production and consumption are predictors of governmental corruption in some countries. In the Republic of Botswana, for example, the researcher determined that energy production and consumption statistically jointly effected governmental corruption. In addition to determining statistical effect, a model for predicting governmental corruption was developed based on energy production and consumption volumes. Also, the researcher found that electricity generation in the 25 largest world economies had a statistically significant effect on GDP. Electricity consumption also had an effect on GDP, as well, but not on other economic indicators. More importantly than the quantitative findings, the researcher concluded that the construction-economics nexus is far more complex than most policy-makers realize. As such, infrastructure spending may, or may not, be an answer to the current world economic collapse, as much more research remains to be completed by researchers to address known ambiguities within various associated findings. Until a collective agreement can be reached among researchers as to the effect that construction spending has on economic output under known, specific parameters, policy-makers should exercise extreme caution when leveraging infrastructure spending as a solution for overcoming the world economic collapse.

Results of Observational Studies: Analysis of Findings from the Nurses’ Health Study

PubMed Central

Tai, Vicky; Grey, Andrew; Bolland, Mark J.

2014-01-01

Background The role of observational studies in informing clinical practice is debated, and high profile examples of discrepancies between the results of observational studies and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have intensified that debate. We systematically reviewed findings from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), one of the longest and largest observational studies, to assess the number and strength of the associations reported and to determine if they have been confirmed in RCTs. Methods We reviewed NHS publication abstracts from 1978–2012, extracted information on associations tested, and graded the strength of the reported effect sizes. We searched PubMed for RCTs or systematic reviews for 3 health outcomes commonly reported in NHS publications: breast cancer, ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and osteoporosis. NHS results were compared with RCT results and deemed concordant when the difference in effect sizes between studies was ≤0.15. Findings 2007 associations between health outcomes and independent variables were reported in 1053 abstracts. 58.0% (1165/2007) were statistically significant, and 22.2% (445/2007) were neutral (no association). Among the statistically significant results that reported a numeric odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR), 70.5% (706/1002) reported a weak association (OR/RR 0.5–2.0), 24.5% (246/1002) a moderate association (OR/RR 0.25–0.5 or 2.0–4.0) and 5.0% (50/1002) a strong association (OR/RR ≤0.25 or ≥4.0). 19 associations reported in NHS publications for breast cancer, IHD and osteoporosis have been tested in RCTs, and the concordance between NHS and RCT results was low (≤25%). Conclusions NHS publications contain a large number of analyses, the majority of which reported statistically significant but weak associations. Few of these associations have been tested in RCTs, and where they have, the agreement between NHS results and RCTs is poor. PMID:25330007

The association between social network factors and mental health at different life stages.

PubMed

Levula, Andrew; Wilson, Andrew; Harré, Michael

2016-07-01

Psychosocial factors are important determinants of an individual's health. This study examines the association between health scores and social network factors on mental health across different life stages. Data were drawn from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey for adolescents (n = 1739), adults (n = 10,309) and seniors (n = 2287). Hierarchical regression modelling was applied to examine effects within and across age groups. All the variables were derived from the self-completion questionnaire. The social network factors were statistically significant predictors of mental health outcomes for all three life stages. For adolescents, the three social network factors were statistically significant with social isolation having the largest impact (β = -.284, p < .001), followed by social connection (β = .084, p < .001) and social trust having a similar effect (β = .073, p < .001). For adults social isolation had the highest impact (β = -.203, p < .001), followed by social connection (β = .110, p < .001) and social trust (β = .087, p < .001).The results for seniors were social isolation (β = -.188, p < .001), social connection (β = .147, p < .001) and social trust (β = .032, p < .05). After adding the social network factors, the models improved significantly with social isolation playing the most significant role across all life stages, whereas the other social network factors played a differentiated role depending upon the life stage. These findings have practical implications in the design of mental health interventions across different life stages.

Short communication: Genetic association between schizophrenia and cannabis use.

PubMed

Verweij, Karin J H; Abdellaoui, Abdel; Nivard, Michel G; Sainz Cort, Alberto; Ligthart, Lannie; Draisma, Harmen H M; Minică, Camelia C; Gillespie, Nathan A; Willemsen, Gonneke; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Boomsma, Dorret I; Vink, Jacqueline M

2017-02-01

Previous studies have shown a relationship between schizophrenia and cannabis use. As both traits are substantially heritable, a shared genetic liability could explain the association. We use two recently developed genomics methods to investigate the genetic overlap between schizophrenia and cannabis use. Firstly, polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia were created based on summary statistics from the largest schizophrenia genome-wide association (GWA) meta-analysis to date. We analysed the association between these schizophrenia polygenic scores and multiple cannabis use phenotypes (lifetime use, regular use, age at initiation, and quantity and frequency of use) in a sample of 6,931 individuals. Secondly, we applied LD-score regression to the GWA summary statistics of schizophrenia and lifetime cannabis use to calculate the genome-wide genetic correlation. Polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia were significantly (α<0.05) associated with five of the eight cannabis use phenotypes, including lifetime use, regular use, and quantity of use, with risk scores explaining up to 0.5% of the variance. Associations were not significant for age at initiation of use and two measures of frequency of use analyzed in lifetime users only, potentially because of reduced power due to a smaller sample size. The LD-score regression revealed a significant genetic correlation of r g =0.22 (SE=0.07, p=0.003) between schizophrenia and lifetime cannabis use. Common genetic variants underlying schizophrenia and lifetime cannabis use are partly overlapping. Individuals with a stronger genetic predisposition to schizophrenia are more likely to initiate cannabis use, use cannabis more regularly, and consume more cannabis over their lifetime. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

UV-associated decline in systemic folate: implications for human nutrigenetics, health, and evolutionary processes.

PubMed

Lucock, Mark; Beckett, Emma; Martin, Charlotte; Jones, Patrice; Furst, John; Yates, Zoe; Jablonski, Nina G; Chaplin, George; Veysey, Martin

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether UV exposure alters folate status according to C677T-MTHFR genotype, and to consider the relevance of this to human health and the evolutionary model of skin pigmentation. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite data were used to examine surface UV-irradiance, as a marker of UV exposure, in a large (n = 649) Australian cross-sectional study population. PCR/RFLP analysis was used to genotype C677T-MTHFR. Overall, cumulative UV-irradiance (42 and 120 days pre-clinic) was significantly negatively related to red cell folate (RCF) levels. When the cohort was stratified by MTHFR-C677T genotype, the relationship between UV-irradiance (42 days pre-clinic) and RCF remained significant only in the cohorts containing carriers of the T allele. Statistically significant z-score statistics and interaction terms from genotype and UV-irradiance (p-interaction) demonstrated that genotype did modify the effect of UV-irradiance on RCF, with the largest effect of UV being demonstrated in the 677TT-MTHFR subjects. Data provide strong evidence that surface UV-irradiance reduces long-term systemic folate levels, and that this is influenced by the C677T-MTHFR gene variant. We speculate this effect may be due to 677TT-MTHFR individuals containing more 5,10CH 2 -H 4 PteGlu, and that this folate form may be particularly UV labile. Since UV-irradiance lowers RCF in an MTHFR genotype-specific way, there are likely implications for human health and the evolution of skin pigmentation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cities with camera-equipped taxicabs experience reduced taxicab driver homicide rates: United States, 1996-2010.

PubMed

Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Amandus, Harlan; Damadi, Parisa; Wu, Nan; Konda, Srinivas; Hendricks, Scott

2014-05-01

Driving a taxicab remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States, with leading homicide rates. Although safety equipment designed to reduce robberies exists, it is not clear what effect it has on reducing taxicab driver homicides. Taxicab driver homicide crime reports for 1996 through 2010 were collected from 20 of the largest cities (>200,000) in the United States: 7 cities with cameras installed in cabs, 6 cities with partitions installed, and 7 cities with neither cameras nor partitions. Poisson regression modeling using generalized estimating equations provided city taxicab driver homicide rates while accounting for serial correlation and clustering of data within cities. Two separate models were constructed to compare (1) cities with cameras installed in taxicabs versus cities with neither cameras nor partitions and (2) cities with partitions installed in taxicabs versus cities with neither cameras nor partitions. Cities with cameras installed in cabs experienced a significant reduction in homicides after cameras were installed (adjRR = 0.11, CL 0.06-0.24) and compared to cities with neither cameras nor partitions (adjRR = 0.32, CL 0.15-0.67). Cities with partitions installed in taxicabs experienced a reduction in homicides (adjRR = 0.78, CL 0.41-1.47) compared to cities with neither cameras nor partitions, but it was not statistically significant. The findings suggest cameras installed in taxicabs are highly effective in reducing homicides among taxicab drivers. Although not statistically significant, the findings suggest partitions installed in taxicabs may be effective.

Injury severity in ice skating: an epidemiologic analysis using a standardised injury classification system.

PubMed

Ostermann, Roman C; Hofbauer, Marcus; Tiefenböck, Thomas M; Pumberger, Matthias; Tiefenböck, Michael; Platzer, Patrick; Aldrian, Silke

2015-01-01

Although injuries sustained during ice skating have been reported to be more serious than other forms of skating, the potential injury risks are often underestimated by skating participants. The purpose of this study was to give a descriptive overview of injury patterns occurring during ice skating. Special emphasis was put on injury severity by using a standardised injury classification system. Over a six month period, all patients treated with ice-skating-related injuries at Europe's largest hospital were included. Patient demographics were collected and all injuries categorised according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2005. A descriptive statistic and logistic regression analysis was performed. Three hundred and forty-one patients (134 M, 207 F) were included in this study. Statistical analysis revealed that age had a significant influence on injury severity. People > 50 years had a higher risk of sustaining a more severe injury according to the AIS compared with younger skaters. Furthermore, the risk of head injury was significantly lower for people aged between 18 and 50 years than for people < 18 years (p = 0.0007) and significantly higher for people > 50 years than for people aged between 18 and 50 years (p = 0.04). The severity of ice-skating injuries is associated with the patient's age, showing more severe injuries in older patients. Awareness should be raised among the public and physicians about the risks associated with this activity in order to promote further educational interventions and the use of protective gear.

The correlation between gelatin macroscale differences and nanoparticle properties: providing insight into biopolymer variability.

PubMed

Stevenson, André T; Jankus, Danny J; Tarshis, Max A; Whittington, Abby R

2018-05-21

From therapeutic delivery to sustainable packaging, manipulation of biopolymers into nanostructures imparts biocompatibility to numerous materials with minimal environmental pollution during processing. While biopolymers are appealing natural based materials, the lack of nanoparticle (NP) physicochemical consistency has decreased their nanoscale translation into actual products. Insights regarding the macroscale and nanoscale property variation of gelatin, one of the most common biopolymers already utilized in its bulk form, are presented. Novel correlations between macroscale and nanoscale properties were made by characterizing similar gelatin rigidities obtained from different manufacturers. Samples with significant differences in clarity, indicating sample purity, obtained the largest deviations in NP diameter. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation between macroscale molecular weight dispersity and NP diameter was determined. New theoretical calculations proposing the limited number of gelatin chains that can aggregate and subsequently get crosslinked for NP formation were presented as one possible reason to substantiate the correlation analysis. NP charge and crosslinking extent were also related to diameter. Lower gelatin sample molecular weight dispersities produced statistically smaller average diameters (<75 nm), and higher average electrostatic charges (∼30 mV) and crosslinking extents (∼95%), which were independent of gelatin rigidity, conclusions not shown in the literature. This study demonstrates that the molecular weight composition of the starting material is one significant factor affecting gelatin nanoscale properties and must be characterized prior to NP preparation. Identifying gelatin macroscale and nanoscale correlations offers a route toward greater physicochemical property control and reproducibility of new NP formulations for translation to industry.

How LEND sees the water on the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanin, Anton; Mitrofanov, Igor; Litvak, Maxim; Boynton, William; Bodnarik, Julia; Hamara, Dave; Harshman, Karl; Chin, Gordon; Evans, Larry; Livengood, Timothy; McClanahan, Timothy; Sagdeev, Roald; Starr, Richard

2016-04-01

The Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) is operating on orbit around the Moon on-board the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft more than six years. LEND has been designed and manufactured to investigate presence and determine average amount of hydrogen in upper (~1 m depth) subsurface layer of the Lunar regolith with spatial resolution ~10 km from 50 km orbit and to check the hypothesis what the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) at circumpolar regions are the main reservoirs of a large deposition of water ice on the Moon. One of most interesting and surprising LEND observations that not all large PSRs contain a detectable amount of hydrogen but there are neutron suppression regions (NSRs) with statistically significant suppression of neutron flux. The NSRs partially overlap or include PSRs in craters Cabeus, Shoemaker, Haworth (on South) and Rozhdestvensky U (on North) but significant part of their area spread out at sunlit territory. This means that hydrogen may be preserved for a long time or even accumulated at a subsurface regolith layer of sunlit areas. The majority of PSRs do not show statistically significant suppressions of neutron flux in comparison with neighbor sunlit vicinity. This implies a hypothesis what a permanent shadow is not only necessary condition for the hydrogen accumulation and preservation in the lunar subsurface. A method of water equivalent hydrogen (WEH) in top ~1 meter regolith estimation using LEND data has been developed. Maps of WEH distribution in North and South polar regions will be presented and discussed. Also, WEH estimation in case of hydrogen bearing regolith layer coverage by a dry regolith will be presented for largest NSRs.

Colombia Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

Colombia is South America's largest coal producer, and the region's third-largest oil producer after Venezuela and Brazil. In 2015, Colombia was the world's fifth-largest coal exporter. The country is also a significant oil exporter, ranking as the fifth-largest crude oil exporter to the United States in 2015. A series of regulatory reforms enacted in 2003 makes the oil and natural gas sector more attractive to foreign investors led to an increase in Colombian oil and natural gas production. The Colombian government implemented a partial privatization of state oil company Ecopetrol (formerly known as Empresa Colombiana de Petróleos S.A.) in an attempt to revive its upstream oil industry.

Voxel-based statistical analysis of cerebral blood flow using Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT in patients with traumatic brain injury: group and individual analyses.

PubMed

Shin, Yong Beom; Kim, Seong-Jang; Kim, In-Ju; Kim, Yong-Ki; Kim, Dong-Soo; Park, Jae Heung; Yeom, Seok-Ran

2006-06-01

Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was applied to brain perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to investigate regional cerebral abnormalities compared to age-matched normal controls. Thirteen patients with TBI underwent brain perfusion SPECT were included in this study (10 males, three females, mean age 39.8 +/- 18.2, range 21 - 74). SPM2 software implemented in MATLAB 5.3 was used for spatial pre-processing and analysis and to determine the quantitative differences between TBI patients and age-matched normal controls. Three large voxel clusters of significantly decreased cerebral blood perfusion were found in patients with TBI. The largest clusters were area including medial frontal gyrus (voxel number 3642, peak Z-value = 4.31, 4.27, p = 0.000) in both hemispheres. The second largest clusters were areas including cingulated gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus of left hemisphere (voxel number 381, peak Z-value = 3.67, 3.62, p = 0.000). Other clusters were parahippocampal gyrus (voxel number 173, peak Z-value = 3.40, p = 0.000) and hippocampus (voxel number 173, peak Z-value = 3.23, p = 0.001) in the left hemisphere. The false discovery rate (FDR) was less than 0.04. From this study, group and individual analyses of SPM2 could clearly identify the perfusion abnormalities of brain SPECT in patients with TBI. Group analysis of SPM2 showed hypoperfusion pattern in the areas including medial frontal gyrus of both hemispheres, cingulate gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus in the left hemisphere compared to age-matched normal controls. Also, left parahippocampal gyrus and left hippocampus were additional hypoperfusion areas. However, these findings deserve further investigation on a larger number of patients to be performed to allow a better validation of objective SPM analysis in patients with TBI.

Retailing in Tennessee 1979

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

Data are summarized on retail sales compiled from sales tax records. Contained in this report are retail sales estimates for the 95 counties in the State of Tennessee and 294 cities, towns or parts of towns which are shown in various degrees of detail depending on disclosure restrictions. Number of firms is determined by the total number of reports submitted. Sales and percent distribution of sales are shown for the State of Tennessee and counties by Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) designation and by various county groupings based on the size of largest city. A list of counties by SMSAmore » designation and by size class of largest city is given in the Appendix. The number of firms and estimated retail sales are also shown for 10 business groups.« less

Seasonal morphological changes in the ovary of the Jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos).

PubMed

Islam, Muhammad Nazrul; Zhu, Xiao Bo; Aoyama, Masato; Sugita, Shoei

2010-12-01

Morphometric and histological studies were conducted to examine the seasonal ovarian changes in the Jungle crow of the Kanto area, Japan, from December to June. The ovary weights, largest diameters and atresias of the ovarian follicles and steroid-producing cells were examined. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained ovary sections and ImageJ software were used. The most developed ovary weight increased 373-fold in April, compared to those in December, followed by a 29-fold decrease in June. The average largest follicle diameter of the December and the January ovaries were 1.03 ± 0.35 and 1.05 ± 0.3 mm, respectively. The average largest follicle diameter increased by 2-fold in February, 4-fold in March and 8-fold in April, compared to those of December and January. Thereafter, the average largest follicle diameter declined by 6-fold in June. The average ovary weight and the largest follicle diameter in April increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared to those of December and January, followed by a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in June. The ovary weight correlated well with the expansion of the largest follicular diameter. Non-bursting and bursting atresias of smaller follicles were more common in the December, January, February and June ovaries, and bursting atresias of larger follicles were more common in the March, April and May ovaries. Ovarian steroidogenic cells became heavily charged with lipids in December, January, February and June, and they depleted their lipids in March and April, which might be due to steroid synthesis. Our results indicate that there are significant seasonal histomorphologic variations in the Jungle crow ovary.

Hidden Hearing Loss? No Effect of Common Recreational Noise Exposure on Cochlear Nerve Response Amplitude in Humans

PubMed Central

Grinn, Sarah K.; Wiseman, Kathryn B.; Baker, Jason A.; Le Prell, Colleen G.

2017-01-01

This study tested hypothesized relationships between noise exposure and auditory deficits. Both retrospective assessment of potential associations between noise exposure history and performance on an audiologic test battery and prospective assessment of potential changes in performance after new recreational noise exposure were completed. Methods: 32 participants (13M, 19F) with normal hearing (25-dB HL or better, 0.25–8 kHz) were asked to participate in 3 pre- and post-exposure sessions including: otoscopy, tympanometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) (f2 frequencies 1–8 kHz), pure-tone audiometry (0.25–8 kHz), Words-in-Noise (WIN) test, and electrocochleography (eCochG) measurements at 70, 80, and 90-dB nHL (click and 2–4 kHz tone-bursts). The first session was used to collect baseline data, the second session was collected the day after a loud recreational event, and the third session was collected 1-week later. Of the 32 participants, 26 completed all 3 sessions. Results: The retrospective analysis did not reveal statistically significant relationships between noise exposure history and any auditory deficits. The day after new exposure, there was a statistically significant correlation between noise “dose” and WIN performance overall, and within the 4-dB signal-to-babble ratio. In contrast, there were no statistically significant correlations between noise dose and changes in threshold, DPOAE amplitude, or AP amplitude the day after new noise exposure. Additional analyses revealed a statistically significant relationship between TTS and DPOAE amplitude at 6 kHz, with temporarily decreased DPOAE amplitude observed with increasing TTS. Conclusions: There was no evidence of auditory deficits as a function of previous noise exposure history, and no permanent changes in audiometric, electrophysiologic, or functional measures after new recreational noise exposure. There were very few participants with TTS the day after exposure - a test time selected to be consistent with previous animal studies. The largest observed TTS was approximately 20-dB. The observed pattern of small TTS suggests little risk of synaptopathy from common recreational noise exposure, and that we should not expect to observe changes in evoked potentials for this reason. No such changes were observed in this study. These data do not support suggestions that common, recreational noise exposure is likely to result in “hidden hearing loss”. PMID:28919848

Employment Trends from 1984 to 1995 and Their Implications for Napa Valley College. Planning Report Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedlander, Jack

Designed to assist staff at Napa Valley College (NVC) in their efforts to develop short- and long-range plans for the institution, this report reviews recent reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding trends in the labor force. Following introductory material, the report looks at occupations with the largest job growth, the 20 fastest…

Out before the Game Begins: Hispanic Leaders Talk about What's Needed to Bring More Hispanic Youngsters into Science, Technology and Math Professions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasbarra, Paul; Johnson, Jean

2008-01-01

Hispanics are one of the largest and fastest-growing minority groups in the United States. Projections indicate a need for an increase of 20% of practicing engineers by 2010. Despite the growing number of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers in the American economy, education statistics suggest that too few Hispanic students…

Ensemble of regional climate model projections for Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolan, Paul; McGrath, Ray

2016-04-01

The method of Regional Climate Modelling (RCM) was employed to assess the impacts of a warming climate on the mid-21st-century climate of Ireland. The RCM simulations were run at high spatial resolution, up to 4 km, thus allowing a better evaluation of the local effects of climate change. Simulations were run for a reference period 1981-2000 and future period 2041-2060. Differences between the two periods provide a measure of climate change. To address the issue of uncertainty, a multi-model ensemble approach was employed. Specifically, the future climate of Ireland was simulated using three different RCMs, driven by four Global Climate Models (GCMs). To account for the uncertainty in future emissions, a number of SRES (B1, A1B, A2) and RCP (4.5, 8.5) emission scenarios were used to simulate the future climate. Through the ensemble approach, the uncertainty in the RCM projections can be partially quantified, thus providing a measure of confidence in the predictions. In addition, likelihood values can be assigned to the projections. The RCMs used in this work are the COnsortium for Small-scale MOdeling-Climate Limited-area Modelling (COSMO-CLM, versions 3 and 4) model and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The GCMs used are the Max Planck Institute's ECHAM5, the UK Met Office's HadGEM2-ES, the CGCM3.1 model from the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and the EC-Earth consortium GCM. The projections for mid-century indicate an increase of 1-1.6°C in mean annual temperatures, with the largest increases seen in the east of the country. Warming is enhanced for the extremes (i.e. hot or cold days), with the warmest 5% of daily maximum summer temperatures projected to increase by 0.7-2.6°C. The coldest 5% of night-time temperatures in winter are projected to rise by 1.1-3.1°C. Averaged over the whole country, the number of frost days is projected to decrease by over 50%. The projections indicate an average increase in the length of the growing season of over 35 days per year. Results show significant projected decreases in mean annual, spring and summer precipitation amounts by mid-century. The projected decreases are largest for summer, with "likely" reductions ranging from 0% to 20%. The frequencies of heavy precipitation events show notable increases (approximately 20%) during the winter and autumn months. The number of extended dry periods is projected to increase substantially during autumn and summer. Regional variations of projected precipitation change remain statistically elusive. The energy content of the wind is projected to significantly decrease for the future spring, summer and autumn months. Projected increases for winter were found to be statistically insignificant. The projected decreases were largest for summer, with "likely" values ranging from 3% to 15%. Results suggest that the tracks of intense storms are projected to extend further south over Ireland relative to those in the reference simulation. As extreme storm events are rare, the storm-tracking research needs to be extended. Future work will focus on analysing a larger ensemble, thus allowing a robust statistical analysis of extreme storm track projections.

Search for signatures of magnetically-induced alignment in the arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierre Auger Collaboration; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allard, D.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Antičić, T.; Anzalone, A.; Aramo, C.; Arganda, E.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Bäcker, T.; Balzer, M.; Barber, K. B.; Barbosa, A. F.; Bardenet, R.; Barroso, S. L. C.; Baughman, B.; Bäuml, J.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, B. R.; Becker, K. H.; Bellétoile, A.; Bellido, J. A.; Benzvi, S.; Berat, C.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, F.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Bruijn, R.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Burton, R. E.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalano, O.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chauvin, J.; Cheng, S. H.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chou, A.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cook, H.; Cooper, M. J.; Coppens, J.; Cordier, A.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Creusot, A.; Criss, A.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dagoret-Campagne, S.; Dallier, R.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; de Domenico, M.; de Donato, C.; de Jong, S. J.; de La Vega, G.; de Mello Junior, W. J. M.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; de Mitri, I.; de Souza, V.; de Vries, K. D.; Decerprit, G.; Del Peral, L.; Del Río, M.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; di Giulio, C.; Diaz, J. C.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diep, P. N.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dong, P. N.; Dorofeev, A.; Dos Anjos, J. C.; Dova, M. T.; D'Urso, D.; Dutan, I.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Fajardo Tapia, I.; Falcke, H.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Ferrero, A.; Fick, B.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fliescher, S.; Fracchiolla, C. E.; Fraenkel, E. D.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Gaior, R.; Gamarra, R. F.; Gambetta, S.; García, B.; García Gámez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Gascon, A.; Gemmeke, H.; Gesterling, K.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giller, M.; Glass, H.; Gold, M. S.; Golup, G.; Gomez Albarracin, F.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, D.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Gookin, B.; Góra, D.; Gorgi, A.; Gouffon, P.; Gozzini, S. R.; Grashorn, E.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grigat, M.; Grillo, A. F.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Guzman, A.; Hague, J. D.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harmsma, S.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Herve, A. E.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holmes, V. C.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horneffer, A.; Hrabovský, M.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Ionita, F.; Italiano, A.; Jarne, C.; Jiraskova, S.; Josebachuili, M.; Kadija, K.; Kampert, K. H.; Karhan, P.; Kasper, P.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Knapp, J.; Koang, D.-H.; Kotera, K.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuehn, F.; Kuempel, D.; Kulbartz, J. K.; Kunka, N.; La Rosa, G.; Lachaud, C.; Lautridou, P.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Lemiere, A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Lopez Agüera, A.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Lyberis, H.; Maccarone, M. C.; Macolino, C.; Maldera, S.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, J.; Marin, V.; Maris, I. C.; Marquez Falcon, H. R.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Mathes, H. J.; Matthews, J.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurizio, D.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menichetti, E.; Menshikov, A.; Mertsch, P.; Meurer, C.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Miller, W.; Miramonti, L.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morales, B.; Morello, C.; Moreno, E.; Moreno, J. C.; Morris, C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Mueller, S.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navarro, J. L.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Nhung, P. T.; Niemietz, L.; Nierstenhoefer, N.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Nožka, L.; Nyklicek, M.; Oehlschläger, J.; Olinto, A.; Oliva, P.; Olmos-Gilbaja, V. M.; Ortiz, M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Parente, G.; Parizot, E.; Parra, A.; Parsons, R. D.; Pastor, S.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; PeĶala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Pesce, R.; Petermann, E.; Petrera, S.; Petrinca, P.; Petrolini, A.; Petrov, Y.; Petrovic, J.; Pfendner, C.; Phan, N.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Ponce, V. H.; Pontz, M.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rivera, H.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Robledo, C.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez, G.; Rodriguez Martino, J.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodriguez-Cabo, I.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Rouillé-D'Orfeuil, B.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rühle, C.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarkar, S.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Schmidt, A.; Schmidt, F.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovancova, J.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F.; Schulte, S.; Schuster, D.; Sciutto, S. J.; Scuderi, M.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Silva Lopez, H. H.; Śmiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Spinka, H.; Squartini, R.; Stanic, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Strazzeri, E.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šuša, T.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Tamashiro, A.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Taşcău, O.; Tavera Ruiz, C. G.; Tcaciuc, R.; Tegolo, D.; Thao, N. T.; Thomas, D.; Tiffenberg, J.; Timmermans, C.; Tiwari, D. K.; Tkaczyk, W.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Travnicek, P.; Tridapalli, D. B.; Tristram, G.; Trovato, E.; Tueros, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van den Berg, A. M.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Wahlberg, H.; Wahrlich, P.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Warner, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Westerhoff, S.; Whelan, B. J.; Wieczorek, G.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Winnick, M. G.; Wommer, M.; Wundheiler, B.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.

2012-01-01

We present the results of an analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in which we search for groups of directionally-aligned events (or 'multiplets') which exhibit a correlation between arrival direction and the inverse of the energy. These signatures are expected from sets of events coming from the same source after having been deflected by intervening coherent magnetic fields. The observation of several events from the same source would open the possibility to accurately reconstruct the position of the source and also measure the integral of the component of the magnetic field orthogonal to the trajectory of the cosmic rays. We describe the largest multiplets found and compute the probability that they appeared by chance from an isotropic distribution. We find no statistically significant evidence for the presence of multiplets arising from magnetic deflections in the present data.

Search for a gamma-ray line feature from a group of nearby galaxy clusters with Fermi LAT Pass 8 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yun-Feng; Shen, Zhao-Qiang; Li, Xiang; Fan, Yi-Zhong; Huang, Xiaoyuan; Lei, Shi-Jun; Feng, Lei; Liang, En-Wei; Chang, Jin

2016-05-01

Galaxy clusters are the largest gravitationally bound objects in the Universe and may be suitable targets for indirect dark matter searches. With 85 months of Fermi LAT Pass 8 publicly available data, we analyze the gamma-ray emission in the direction of 16 nearby galaxy clusters with an unbinned likelihood analysis. No statistically or globally significant γ -ray line feature is identified and a tentative line signal may present at ˜43 GeV . The 95% confidence level upper limits on the velocity-averaged cross section of dark matter particles annihilating into double γ rays (i.e., ⟨σ v ⟩χχ →γ γ) are derived. Unless very optimistic boost factors of dark matter annihilation in these galaxy clusters have been assumed, such constraints are much weaker than the bounds set by the Galactic γ -ray data.

Empirical study of the tails of mutual fund size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarzkopf, Yonathan; Farmer, J. Doyne

2010-06-01

The mutual fund industry manages about a quarter of the assets in the U.S. stock market and thus plays an important role in the U.S. economy. The question of how much control is concentrated in the hands of the largest players is best quantitatively discussed in terms of the tail behavior of the mutual fund size distribution. We study the distribution empirically and show that the tail is much better described by a log-normal than a power law, indicating less concentration than, for example, personal income. The results are highly statistically significant and are consistent across fifteen years. This contradicts a recent theory concerning the origin of the power law tails of the trading volume distribution. Based on the analysis in a companion paper, the log-normality is to be expected, and indicates that the distribution of mutual funds remains perpetually out of equilibrium.

Effect of tumor resection on the characteristics of functional brain networks.

PubMed

Wang, H; Douw, L; Hernández, J M; Reijneveld, J C; Stam, C J; Van Mieghem, P

2010-08-01

Brain functioning such as cognitive performance depends on the functional interactions between brain areas, namely, the functional brain networks. The functional brain networks of a group of patients with brain tumors are measured before and after tumor resection. In this work, we perform a weighted network analysis to understand the effect of neurosurgery on the characteristics of functional brain networks. Statistically significant changes in network features have been discovered in the beta (13-30 Hz) band after neurosurgery: the link weight correlation around nodes and within triangles increases which implies improvement in local efficiency of information transfer and robustness; the clustering of high link weights in a subgraph becomes stronger, which enhances the global transport capability; and the decrease in the synchronization or virus spreading threshold, revealed by the increase in the largest eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix, which suggests again the improvement of information dissemination.

Search for signatures of magnetically-induced alignment in the arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

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

Abreu, P.; /Lisbon, IST; Aglietta, M.

2011-11-01

We present the results of an analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in which we search for groups of directionally-aligned events (or ''multiplets'') which exhibit a correlation between arrival direction and the inverse of the energy. These signatures are expected from sets of events coming from the same source after having been deflected by intervening coherent magnetic fields. The observation of several events from the same source would open the possibility to accurately reconstruct the position of the source and also measure the integral of the component of the magnetic field orthogonal to the trajectory of themore » cosmic rays. We describe the largest multiplets found and compute the probability that they appeared by chance from an isotropic distribution. We find no statistically significant evidence for the presence of multiplets arising from magnetic deflections in the present data.« less

An integrative model of organizational safety behavior.

PubMed

Cui, Lin; Fan, Di; Fu, Gui; Zhu, Cherrie Jiuhua

2013-06-01

This study develops an integrative model of safety management based on social cognitive theory and the total safety culture triadic framework. The purpose of the model is to reveal the causal linkages between a hazardous environment, safety climate, and individual safety behaviors. Based on primary survey data from 209 front-line workers in one of the largest state-owned coal mining corporations in China, the model is tested using structural equation modeling techniques. An employee's perception of a hazardous environment is found to have a statistically significant impact on employee safety behaviors through a psychological process mediated by the perception of management commitment to safety and individual beliefs about safety. The integrative model developed here leads to a comprehensive solution that takes into consideration the environmental, organizational and employees' psychological and behavioral aspects of safety management. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do volcanic eruptions affect climate? Sulfur gases may cause cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Self, Stephen; Rampino, Michael R.

1988-01-01

The relationship between volcanic eruptions on earth and the observed climatic changes is investigated. The results of the comparison and analyses of volcanologic and climatologic data sets for the years between 1880 and 1980 indicate that changes in temperature caused by even of the largest eruptions recorded during this time were about the same as normal variations in temperature. However, when temperature records for several months or years preceding and following a given eruption were analyzed, a statistically significant temperature decrease of 0.2-0.5 C was found for the periods of one to two years immediately following some of the 19th and 20th century explosive events that prodiced large aerosol clouds (e.g., Krakatau and Agung eruptions). It is suggested that the content of sulfur in the erupted magma determines the size of aerosol cloud producing the cooling effect.

Randomised clinical trial evaluating the effect of different timing and number of fixed timed artificial inseminations, following a seven-day progesterone-based protocol, on pregnancy outcomes in UK dairy heifers.

PubMed

Walsh, John Paul; Coates, Amy; Lima, Fabio; Smith, Rob; Oikonomou, Georgios

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect on pregnancy outcome of either inseminating heifers twice (at 48 and 72 hours after withdrawal of a controlled internal drug release insert (CIDR) containing progesterone) or once (56 hours after CIDR withdrawal) following a seven-day CIDR synchronisation protocol. Dairy heifers (n=267) from five farms, with an age range of 388-736 days, were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (group A heifers were inseminated twice; group B heifers were inseminated once). Both groups received a CIDR on day (D) 0 and an intramuscular injection of d-cloprostenol on D6; the CIDR was withdrawn on D7. Measurements of withers height, body condition score and hearth girth (used to estimate weight) were taken on D0. The diameter of the largest follicles and corpora lutea was recorded on both D0 and D6. Data were analysed with the use of multivariable logistic regression modelling. Treatment group and farm were not statistically significantly associated with pregnancy per treatment (P/T). Age and dominant follicle size on D6 were significantly associated with P/T. Heifers with the largest dominant follicle sizes (16-22 mm) were 5.54 times less likely to be pregnant than those heifers with the smallest dominant follicles (8-10 mm) on D6. It was shown that the cost associated with inseminating heifers twice after a seven-day CIDR synchronisation protocol is not justified. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Chiropractic Hospital-Based Interventions Research Outcomes Study: Consistency of Outcomes Between Doctors of Chiropractic Treating Patients With Acute Lower Back Pain.

PubMed

Quon, Jeffrey A; Bishop, Paul B; Arthur, Brian

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine if effectiveness differs between community-based doctors of chiropractic administering standardized evidence-based care that includes high-velocity low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) for acute low back pain (LBP). A secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial and observational pilot study data was performed with nonrandom allocation to 4 DCs. Patients included those with Quebec Task Force categories less than or equal to 2 and acute LBP of 2 to 4 weeks' duration. The intervention provided was clinical practice guidelines-based care including high-velocity low-amplitude SMT. Primary outcomes included changes from baseline in modified Roland Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) at 24 weeks. Comparisons of simple main effects at 24 weeks and of marginal main effects in repeated-measures analyses were performed. Between groups, adjusted point-specific differences in RDQ change were minimally clinically important but not statistically significant at 24 weeks (largest pairwise difference, -3.1; 95% confidence interval, -6.3 to 0.1; overall P = .10). However, in optimal analyses that considered the repeated nature of the measurements for each outcome, significant differences in marginal mean RDQ changes were found between groups (largest pairwise difference, -3.8; 95% confidence interval, -4.9 to 2.6; overall P = .03). Overall, DCs differed modestly in their effectiveness in improving LBP-specific disability. The point estimates mirrored typically reported effect sizes from recent systematic reviews of SMT; however, confidence limits did not exclude clinically negligible effects. Copyright © 2015 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compositional Effects on Nickel-Base Superalloy Single Crystal Microstructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacKay, Rebecca A.; Gabb, Timothy P.; Garg,Anita; Rogers, Richard B.; Nathal, Michael V.

2012-01-01

Fourteen nickel-base superalloy single crystals containing 0 to 5 wt% chromium (Cr), 0 to 11 wt% cobalt (Co), 6 to 12 wt% molybdenum (Mo), 0 to 4 wt% rhenium (Re), and fixed amounts of aluminum (Al) and tantalum (Ta) were examined to determine the effect of bulk composition on basic microstructural parameters, including gamma' solvus, gamma' volume fraction, volume fraction of topologically close-packed (TCP) phases, phase chemistries, and gamma - gamma'. lattice mismatch. Regression models were developed to describe the influence of bulk alloy composition on the microstructural parameters and were compared to predictions by a commercially available software tool that used computational thermodynamics. Co produced the largest change in gamma' solvus over the wide compositional range used in this study, and Mo produced the largest effect on the gamma lattice parameter and the gamma - gamma' lattice mismatch over its compositional range, although Re had a very potent influence on all microstructural parameters investigated. Changing the Cr, Co, Mo, and Re contents in the bulk alloy had a significant impact on their concentrations in the gamma matrix and, to a smaller extent, in the gamma' phase. The gamma phase chemistries exhibited strong temperature dependencies that were influenced by the gamma and gamma' volume fractions. A computational thermodynamic modeling tool significantly underpredicted gamma' solvus temperatures and grossly overpredicted the amount of TCP phase at 982 C. Furthermore, the predictions by the software tool for the gamma - gamma' lattice mismatch were typically of the wrong sign and magnitude, but predictions could be improved if TCP formation was suspended within the software program. However, the statistical regression models provided excellent estimations of the microstructural parameters based on bulk alloy composition, thereby demonstrating their usefulness.

Exploring effects of therapeutic massage and patient teaching in the practice of diaphragmatic breathing on blood pressure, stress, and anxiety in hypertensive African-American women: an intervention study.

PubMed

Jefferson, Lenetra L

2010-07-01

The problem of hypertension among African-Americans is one of the major areas of health disparities. The American Heart Association (2009) noted that the prevalence of hypertension among African-Americans is perhaps among the highest in the world and this is particularly so among African-American women (44.0%). The purpose of this study was to determine how therapeutic chair massage and patient teaching in diaphragmatic breathing affected African-American women's blood pressure, stress, and anxiety levels over one week or six weeks time periods. A Modified Stress, Coping, and Adaptation Model (Roy, 1976; Lazarus, 1966), Descriptives, T-tests, Pearson Product Moment Correlations, Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and Multivariate analysis of variance with covariate (MANCOVA) were used. Descriptive statistics indicated a significance for decreased systolic blood pressure levels for the one week post massage intervention measurement with p = .01, diastolic blood pressure level significance for the same group p = .02, significance for this group's State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Y2 Scale score p = .01, and Roy's Largest Root p = .03.

Radiation Doses from the Norwegian Diet.

PubMed

Komperød, Mari; Skuterud, Lavrans

2018-06-13

Ingestion doses between and within countries are expected to vary significantly due to differences in dietary habits and geographical variations in radionuclide concentrations. This paper presents the most comprehensive assessment to date of the effective radiation dose from the Norwegian diet, from natural as well as anthropogenic radionuclides. Ingestion doses to the Norwegian public are calculated using national dietary statistics and the most relevant radionuclide concentration data for the various food products. The age-weighted average effective dose received by the Norwegian population from the diet is estimated at 0.41 mSv y from naturally occurring radionuclides and 0.010 mSv y from anthropogenic radionuclides. This is approximately 50% higher than the estimated world average. Fish and shellfish is the food group that provides the largest dose contribution from the average Norwegian diet. Although the average dose from anthropogenic radionuclides today is low, the exposure may still be significant for certain critical groups-especially persons who consume large amounts of reindeer meat from the regions that received significant radioactive fallout after the Chernobyl accident. Furthermore, persons with high Rn concentrations in their drinking water are among those receiving the highest ingestion doses in Norway.

Changes of precipitation extremes indices in São Francisco River Basin, Brazil from 1947 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezerra, Bergson G.; Silva, Lindenberg L.; Santos e Silva, Claudio M.; de Carvalho, Gilvani Gomes

2018-02-01

The São Francisco River is strategically important due to its hydroelectric potential and for bringing the largest water body of Brazilian Semiarid region, supplying water for irrigation, urban, and industrial activities. Thereby, for the purpose of characterizing changes on the precipitation patterns over São Francisco River basin, 11 extremes precipitation indices as defined by the joint WMO/CCI/ETCCDMI/CLIVAR project were calculated using daily observation from the 59 rain gauges during 1947-2012 period. The extreme climatic indices were calculated with the RClimDex software, which performs an exhaustive data quality control, intending to identify spurious errors and dataset inconsistencies. Weak and significant regional changes were observed in both CDD and SDII indices. Most precipitation extremes indices decreased but without statistical significance. The spatial analysis of indices did not show clearly regional changes due to the complexity of hydrometeorology of the region. In some cases, two rainfall stations exhibited opposite trends with the same significance level although they are separated by a few kilometers. This has occurred more frequently in Lower-Middle São Francisco, probably associated with intense land cover change over the last decades in this region.

Cluster mislocation in kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calafut, Victoria; Bean, Rachel; Yu, Byeonghee

2017-12-01

We investigate the impact of a variety of analysis assumptions that influence cluster identification and location on the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) pairwise momentum signal and covariance estimation. Photometric and spectroscopic galaxy tracers from SDSS, WISE, and DECaLs, spanning redshifts 0.05

Neuroanatomical Characterization of Child Offspring of Bipolar Parents

PubMed Central

Singh, Manpreet K.; DelBello, Melissa P.; Adler, Caleb M.; Stanford, Kevin E.; Strakowski, Stephen M.

2012-01-01

Objectives To examine structural differences in selected anterior limbic brain regions between at-risk children of parents with bipolar I disorder and children with healthy parents. We hypothesized that at-risk children would exhibit abnormalities in brain regions that are involved in mood regulation. Methods Children (8–12 years old) of parents with bipolar I disorder (“at-risk”, AR, N=21) and of parents without any DSM-IV Axis I disorder (health controls, HC, N=24) were evaluated using diagnosticassessments and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Morphometric analyses were used to examine group differences in the prefrontal cortical, thalamic, striatal, and amygdalar volumes. Results Nine (43%) of the AR children met DSM-IV-TR criteria for a non-bipolar mood disorder at the time of assessment. AR and HC children did not demonstrate statistically significant differences across regions of interest [Wilks Lambda = 0.86, F(4,39)=1.64, p=0.18; effect size, (f)=0.19]. Post-hoc analyses of covariance showed the largest relative effect size was contributed by the prefrontal cortex [(f)=0.26]. Conclusions 8 to 12 year old children with a familial risk for mania do not exhibit any statistically significant volumetric differences in the prefrontal cortex, thalamus, striatum, or amygdala as compared to age matched children of parents without any psychopathology. Longitudinal studies examining whether structural changes over time may be associated with vulnerability for developing subsequent bipolar disorder are needed to clarify the underlying pathophysiology of this disorder. PMID:18356766

Secondary organic aerosol contributions to PM2.5 in Monterrey, Mexico: Temporal and seasonal variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancilla, Yasmany; Herckes, Pierre; Fraser, Matthew P.; Mendoza, Alberto

2015-02-01

Air pollution caused by fine particles is a problem of great concern in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA) which is the third largest city and the second most important industrial center in Mexico. In this study, samples of fine particulate matter emissions with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were collected for 12-hour periods during the spring and fall of 2011 and 2012. Eighty-three samples were analyzed for organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC). The carbonaceous fraction (OC + EC) accounted for 28-55% of the PM2.5 mass. The average OC/EC ratios ranged from 7.4 to 12.6, and OC and EC concentrations were statistically significant correlated (R2 = 0.81, p < 0.01). The secondary organic aerosol (SOA) contributions were determined using two approaches: the EC tracer method based on a primary OC/EC ratio derived from a tunnel study and the minimum observed OC/EC ratio. SOAs were determined to constitute, on average, 59-87% and 32-45% of the total OC and PM2.5, respectively. The relationship between O3 and wind speed indicated that pollutant levels were influenced by transport events during the spring, while stagnation events predominated during the fall campaigns. Statistically significant correlations were observed between OC and EC and gaseous species (CO, NOx, and SO2), indicating a contribution by combustion of fossil fuels to the carbonaceous material.

Ongoing hydrothermal heat loss from the 1912 ash-flow sheet, Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hogeweg, N.; Keith, T.E.C.; Colvard, E.M.; Ingebritsen, S.E.

2005-01-01

The June 1912 eruption of Novarupta filled nearby glacial valleys on the Alaska Peninsula with ash-flow tuff (ignimbrite), and post-eruption observations of thousands of steaming fumaroles led to the name 'Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes' (VTTS). By the late 1980s most fumarolic activity had ceased, but the discovery of thermal springs in mid-valley in 1987 suggested continued cooling of the ash-flow sheet. Data collected at the mid-valley springs between 1987 and 2001 show a statistically significant correlation between maximum observed chloride (Cl) concentration and temperature. These data also show a statistically significant decline in the maximum Cl concentration. The observed variation in stream chemistry across the sheet strongly implies that most solutes, including Cl, originate within the area of the VTTS occupied by the 1912 deposits. Numerous measurements of Cl flux in the Ukak River just below the ash-flow sheet suggest an ongoing heat loss of ???250 MW. This represents one of the largest hydrothermal heat discharges in North America. Other hydrothermal discharges of comparable magnitude are related to heat obtained from silicic magma bodies at depth, and are quasi-steady on a multidecadal time scale. However, the VTTS hydrothermal flux is not obviously related to a magma body and is clearly declining. Available data provide reasonable boundary and initial conditions for simple transient modeling. Both an analytical, conduction-only model and a numerical model predict large rates of heat loss from the sheet 90 years after deposition.

Evaluation of Free Breathing Versus Breath Hold Diffusion Weighted Imaging in Terms Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) Values for Solid Abdominal Organs.

PubMed

Herek, Duygu; Karabulut, Nevzat; Kocyıgıt, Ali; Yagcı, Ahmet Baki

2016-01-01

Our aim was to compare the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of normal abdominal parenchymal organs and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements in the same patients with breath hold (BH) and free breathing (FB) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Forty-eight patients underwent both BH and FB DWI. Spherical region of interest (ROI) was placed on the right hepatic lobe, spleen, pancreas, and renal cortices. ADC values were calculated for each organ on each sequence using an automated software. Image noise, defined as the standard deviation (SD) of the signal intensities in the most artifact-free area of the image background was measured by placing the largest possible ROI on either the left or the right side of the body outside the object in the recorded field of view. SNR was calculated using the formula: SNR=signal intensity (SI) (organ) /standard deviation (SD) (noise) . There were no statistically significant differences in ADC values of the abdominal organs between BH and FB DWI sequences ( p >0.05). There were statistically significant differences between SNR values of organs on BH and FB DWIs. SNRs were found to be better on FB DWI than BH DWI ( p <0.001). Free breathing DWI technique reduces image noise and increases SNR for abdominal examinations. Free breathing technique is therefore preferable to BH DWI in the evaluation of abdominal organs by DWI.

A meta-analysis of neuropsychological outcome after mild traumatic brain injury: re-analyses and reconsiderations of Binder et al. (1997), Frencham et al. (2005), and Pertab et al. (2009).

PubMed

Rohling, Martin L; Binder, Laurence M; Demakis, George J; Larrabee, Glenn J; Ploetz, Danielle M; Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Jennifer

2011-05-01

The meta-analytic findings of Binder et al. (1997) and Frencham et al. (2005) showed that the neuropsychological effect of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) was negligible in adults by 3 months post injury. Pertab et al. (2009) reported that verbal paired associates, coding tasks, and digit span yielded significant differences between mTBI and control groups. We re-analyzed data from the 25 studies used in the prior meta-analyses, correcting statistical and methodological limitations of previous efforts, and analyzed the chronicity data by discrete epochs. Three months post injury the effect size of -0.07 was not statistically different from zero and similar to that which has been found in several other meta-analyses (Belanger et al., 2005; Schretlen & Shapiro, 2003). The effect size 7 days post injury was -0.39. The effect of mTBI immediately post injury was largest on Verbal and Visual Memory domains. However, 3 months post injury all domains improved to show non-significant effect sizes. These findings indicate that mTBI has an initial small effect on neuropsychological functioning that dissipates quickly. The evidence of recovery in the present meta-analysis is consistent with previous conclusions of both Binder et al. and Frencham et al. Our findings may not apply to people with a history of multiple concussions or complicated mTBIs.

The Relationship Between Surface Curvature and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Wall Stress.

PubMed

de Galarreta, Sergio Ruiz; Cazón, Aitor; Antón, Raúl; Finol, Ender A

2017-08-01

The maximum diameter (MD) criterion is the most important factor when predicting risk of rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). An elevated wall stress has also been linked to a high risk of aneurysm rupture, yet is an uncommon clinical practice to compute AAA wall stress. The purpose of this study is to assess whether other characteristics of the AAA geometry are statistically correlated with wall stress. Using in-house segmentation and meshing algorithms, 30 patient-specific AAA models were generated for finite element analysis (FEA). These models were subsequently used to estimate wall stress and maximum diameter and to evaluate the spatial distributions of wall thickness, cross-sectional diameter, mean curvature, and Gaussian curvature. Data analysis consisted of statistical correlations of the aforementioned geometry metrics with wall stress for the 30 AAA inner and outer wall surfaces. In addition, a linear regression analysis was performed with all the AAA wall surfaces to quantify the relationship of the geometric indices with wall stress. These analyses indicated that while all the geometry metrics have statistically significant correlations with wall stress, the local mean curvature (LMC) exhibits the highest average Pearson's correlation coefficient for both inner and outer wall surfaces. The linear regression analysis revealed coefficients of determination for the outer and inner wall surfaces of 0.712 and 0.516, respectively, with LMC having the largest effect on the linear regression equation with wall stress. This work underscores the importance of evaluating AAA mean wall curvature as a potential surrogate for wall stress.

Defining SOD1 ALS natural history to guide therapeutic clinical trial design

PubMed Central

Bali, Taha; Self, Wade; Liu, Jingxia; Siddique, Teepu; Wang, Leo H; Bird, Thomas D; Ratti, Elena; Atassi, Nazem; Boylan, Kevin B; Glass, Jonathan D; Maragakis, Nicholas J; Caress, James B; McCluskey, Leo F; Appel, Stanley H; Wymer, James P; Gibson, Summer; Zinman, Lorne; Mozaffar, Tahseen; Callaghan, Brian; McVey, April L; Jockel-Balsarotti, Jennifer; Allred, Peggy; Fisher, Elena R; Lopate, Glenn; Pestronk, Alan; Cudkowicz, Merit E; Miller, Timothy M

2016-01-01

Importance Understanding the natural history of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by SOD1 mutations (ALSSOD1) will provide key information for optimising clinical trials in this patient population. Objective To establish an updated natural history of ALSSOD1. Design, setting and participants Retrospective cohort study from 15 medical centres in North America evaluated records from 175 patients with ALS with genetically confirmed SOD1 mutations, cared for after the year 2000. Main outcomes and measures Age of onset, survival, ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS) scores and respiratory function were analysed. Patients with the A4V (Ala-Val) SOD1 mutation (SOD1A4V), the largest mutation population in North America with an aggressive disease progression, were distinguished from other SOD1 mutation patients (SOD1non-A4V) for analysis. Results Mean age of disease onset was 49.7 ±12.3 years (mean±SD) for all SOD1 patients, with no statistical significance between SOD1A4V and SOD1non-A4V (p=0.72, Kruskal-Wallis). Total SOD1 patient median survival was 2.7 years. Mean disease duration for all SOD1 was 4.6±6.0 and 1.4±0.7 years for SOD1A4V. SOD1A4V survival probability (median survival 1.2 years) was significantly decreased compared with SOD1non-A4V (median survival 6.8 years; p<0.0001, log-rank). A statistically significant increase in ALS-FRS decline in SOD1A4V compared with SOD1non-A4V participants (p=0.02) was observed, as well as a statistically significant increase in ALS-forced vital capacity decline in SOD1A4V compared with SOD1non-A4V (p=0.02). Conclusions and relevance SOD1A4V is an aggressive, but relatively homogeneous form of ALS. These SOD1-specific ALS natural history data will be important for the design and implementation of clinical trials in the ALSSOD1 patient population. PMID:27261500

Development of self-image and its components during a one-year follow-up in non-referred adolescents with excess and normal weight.

PubMed

Mäkinen, Mauno; Marttunen, Mauri; Komulainen, Erkki; Terevnikov, Viacheslav; Puukko-Viertomies, Leena-Riitta; Aalberg, Veikko; Lindberg, Nina

2015-01-01

The proportion of overweight and obese youths is high. The present study aimed to investigate the development of self-image and its components during a one-year follow-up among non-referred adolescents with excess and normal weight. Furthermore, we separately analyzed the data for girls and boys. Altogether 86 8(th) grades (41 girls and 45 boys) with a relative weight of 26% or more above the median and 91 controls (43 girls and 48 boys) with normal weight participated the follow-up. The Offer Self-Image Questionnaire, Revised (OSIQ-R) was used to assess self-image at baseline and on follow-up. In the OSIQ-R, a low total raw score implies positive adjustment, while a high raw score implies poor adjustment and a negative self-image. The study design was doubly correlated (pairs and time), and a linear mixed model was used in the statistical analysis. In OSIQ-R total scores, a comparative improvement was observed in girls with normal weight. Among these girls, significant change scores compared to zero were seen in impulse control, social functioning, vocational attitudes, self-confidence, self-reliance, body image, sexuality, and ethical values. In girls with excess weight, none of the change scores compared to zero were statistically significant. When the girls with normal and excess weight were compared, the difference in change scores was largest in sexuality and vocational attitudes. Change scores compared to zero were significant in sexuality and idealism for boys with excess weight, and in impulse control, mental health, self-reliance, and sexuality for normal weight boys. When the boys with excess and normal weight were compared, no statistically significant differences emerged in change scores. In mid-adolescent girls, the influence of overweight and obesity on the development of self-image is substantial. Weight management programs directed at overweight adolescent girls should include psychological interventions aiming to diminish self-image distress, especially that associated with feelings, attitudes, and behavior towards the opposite sex, as well as future career plans.

The asymmetric impact of natural disasters on China's bilateral trade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Y.; Yang, S.; Shi, P.; Jeager, C. C.

2015-10-01

Globalization and technological revolutions are making the world more interconnected. International trade is an important approach linking the world. Since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan shocked the global supply chain, more attention has been paid to the global impact of large-scale disasters. China is the second largest trader in the world and faces frequent natural disasters. Therefore, this study proposes a gravity model for China's bilateral trade tailored to national circumstances and estimates the impact of natural disasters in China and trading partner countries on Chinese imports and exports. We analyzed Chinese and trading partner statistical data from 1980 to 2012. Study results show the following: (1) China's natural disasters have a positive impact on exports but have no significant impact on imports; (2) trading partner countries' natural disasters reduce Chinese imports and exports; (3) both development level and land area of the partners are important in determining the intensity of natural disaster impacts on China's bilateral trade. The above findings suggest that the impact of natural disasters on trade is asymmetric and significantly affected by other factors, which demand further study.

The asymmetric impact of natural disasters on China's bilateral trade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Y.; Shi, P.; Yang, S.; Jeager, C. C.

2015-03-01

Globalization and technological revolutions are making the world more interconnected. International trade is one of the major approaches linking the world. Since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan shocked the global supply chain, more attention has been paid to the global impact of large-scale disasters. China is the second largest trader in the world and faces the most frequent natural disasters. Therefore, this study proposes a gravity model for China's bilateral trade tailored to national circumstances, and estimates the impact of natural disasters in China and trading partner countries on Chinese imports and exports. We analyzed Chinese and trading partner statistical data from 1980 to 2012. Study results show that: (1) China's natural disasters have a positive impact on imports, but have no significant impact on exports, (2) trading partner countries' natural disasters reduce Chinese imports and exports, (3) both development level and land area of the partners are important in determining the intensity of natural disaster impacts on China's bilateral trade. The above findings suggest that the impact of natural disasters on trade is asymmetric and significantly affected by other factors, which demand further study.

Divergent biophysical controls of aquatic CO2 and CH4 in the World's two largest rivers.

PubMed

Borges, Alberto V; Abril, Gwenaël; Darchambeau, François; Teodoru, Cristian R; Deborde, Jonathan; Vidal, Luciana O; Lambert, Thibault; Bouillon, Steven

2015-10-23

Carbon emissions to the atmosphere from inland waters are globally significant and mainly occur at tropical latitudes. However, processes controlling the intensity of CO2 and CH4 emissions from tropical inland waters remain poorly understood. Here, we report a data-set of concurrent measurements of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and dissolved CH4 concentrations in the Amazon (n = 136) and the Congo (n = 280) Rivers. The pCO2 values in the Amazon mainstem were significantly higher than in the Congo, contrasting with CH4 concentrations that were higher in the Congo than in the Amazon. Large-scale patterns in pCO2 across different lowland tropical basins can be apprehended with a relatively simple statistical model related to the extent of wetlands within the basin, showing that, in addition to non-flooded vegetation, wetlands also contribute to CO2 in river channels. On the other hand, dynamics of dissolved CH4 in river channels are less straightforward to predict, and are related to the way hydrology modulates the connectivity between wetlands and river channels.

Determinants of Interest Rates on Corporate Bonds of Mining Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranosz, Robert

2017-09-01

This article is devoted to the determinants of interest rates on corporate bonds of mining enterprises. The study includes a comparison between the cost of foreign capital as resulting from the issue of debt instruments in different sectors of the economy in relation to the mining industry. The article also depicts the correlation between the rating scores published by the three largest rating agencies: S&P, Moody's, and Fitch. The test was based on simple statistical methods. The analysis performed indicated that there is a dependency between the factors listed and the amount of interest rates on corporate bonds of global mining enterprises. Most significant factors include the rating level and the period for which the given series of bonds was issued. Additionally, it is not without significance whether the given bond has additional options. Pursuant to the obtained results, is should be recognized that in order to reduce the interest rate on bonds, mining enterprises should pay particular attention to the rating and attempt to include additional options in issued bonds. Such additional options may comprise, for example, an ability to exchange bonds to shares or raw materials.

Microplastic contamination in Lake Winnipeg, Canada.

PubMed

Anderson, Philip J; Warrack, Sarah; Langen, Victoria; Challis, Jonathan K; Hanson, Mark L; Rennie, Michael D

2017-06-01

Microplastics are an emerging contaminant of concern in aquatic ecosystems. To better understand microplastic contamination in North American surface waters, we report for the first time densities of microplastics in Lake Winnipeg, the 11th largest freshwater body in the world. Samples taken 2014 to 2016 revealed similar or significantly greater microplastic densities in Lake Winnipeg compared with those reported in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Plastics in the lake were largely of secondary origin, overwhelmingly identified as fibres. We detected significantly greater densities of microplastics in the north basin compared to the south basin of the lake in 2014, but not in 2015 or 2016. Mean lake-wide densities across all years were comparable and not statistically different. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that 23% of isolated particles on average were not plastic. While the ecological impact of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems is still largely unknown, our study contributes to the growing evidence that microplastic contamination is widespread even around sparsely-populated freshwater ecosystems, and provides a baseline for future study and risk assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The secret lives of experiments: methods reporting in the fMRI literature.

PubMed

Carp, Joshua

2012-10-15

Replication of research findings is critical to the progress of scientific understanding. Accordingly, most scientific journals require authors to report experimental procedures in sufficient detail for independent researchers to replicate their work. To what extent do research reports in the functional neuroimaging literature live up to this standard? The present study evaluated methods reporting and methodological choices across 241 recent fMRI articles. Many studies did not report critical methodological details with regard to experimental design, data acquisition, and analysis. Further, many studies were underpowered to detect any but the largest statistical effects. Finally, data collection and analysis methods were highly flexible across studies, with nearly as many unique analysis pipelines as there were studies in the sample. Because the rate of false positive results is thought to increase with the flexibility of experimental designs, the field of functional neuroimaging may be particularly vulnerable to false positives. In sum, the present study documented significant gaps in methods reporting among fMRI studies. Improved methodological descriptions in research reports would yield significant benefits for the field. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short-term space flight on nitrogenous compounds, lipoproteins, and serum proteins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leach, C. S.; Lane, H. W.; Krauhs, J. M.

1994-01-01

Biochemical variables in blood were measured in venous blood samples from 38 to 72 Space Shuttle astronauts before and immediately after flights of 2 to 11 days. Mean pre- and postflight values were compared using the paired t-test or the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The largest change in serum enzymes was a 21% increase (P = .0014) in gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, which may have been related to stress. The median value of apolipoprotein (apo) A-I decreased from 152 to 127 mg/dL (P < .0001), but the change in apo B (77 to 73 mg/dL) was not statistically significant, and the mean apo A-I/apo B ratio remained well above 1.5. A decrease in dietary fat and cholesterol intake during shuttle missions may have been a cause of the change in apo A-I. Twelve of the 16 nonenzyme serum proteins measured were significantly elevated (P < .05), possibly because of hemoconcentration and increased protein catabolism. The 56% increase in haptoglobin may be related to release of suppressed erythropoiesis at landing.

Contingency and statistical laws in replicate microbial closed ecosystems.

PubMed

Hekstra, Doeke R; Leibler, Stanislas

2012-05-25

Contingency, the persistent influence of past random events, pervades biology. To what extent, then, is each course of ecological or evolutionary dynamics unique, and to what extent are these dynamics subject to a common statistical structure? Addressing this question requires replicate measurements to search for emergent statistical laws. We establish a readily replicated microbial closed ecosystem (CES), sustaining its three species for years. We precisely measure the local population density of each species in many CES replicates, started from the same initial conditions and kept under constant light and temperature. The covariation among replicates of the three species densities acquires a stable structure, which could be decomposed into discrete eigenvectors, or "ecomodes." The largest ecomode dominates population density fluctuations around the replicate-average dynamics. These fluctuations follow simple power laws consistent with a geometric random walk. Thus, variability in ecological dynamics can be studied with CES replicates and described by simple statistical laws. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inverse statistical estimation via order statistics: a resolution of the ill-posed inverse problem of PERT scheduling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickard, William F.

2004-10-01

The classical PERT inverse statistics problem requires estimation of the mean, \\skew1\\bar{m} , and standard deviation, s, of a unimodal distribution given estimates of its mode, m, and of the smallest, a, and largest, b, values likely to be encountered. After placing the problem in historical perspective and showing that it is ill-posed because it is underdetermined, this paper offers an approach to resolve the ill-posedness: (a) by interpreting a and b modes of order statistic distributions; (b) by requiring also an estimate of the number of samples, N, considered in estimating the set {m, a, b}; and (c) by maximizing a suitable likelihood, having made the traditional assumption that the underlying distribution is beta. Exact formulae relating the four parameters of the beta distribution to {m, a, b, N} and the assumed likelihood function are then used to compute the four underlying parameters of the beta distribution; and from them, \\skew1\\bar{m} and s are computed using exact formulae.

Air pollution and hospitalizations in the largest Brazilian metropolis

PubMed Central

Gouveia, Nelson; Corrallo, Flavia Prado; de Leon, Antônio Carlos Ponce; Junger, Washington; de Freitas, Clarice Umbelino

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of air pollution on hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in the largest Brazilian metropolis. METHODS This study was carried out at the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Brazil. Environmental data were obtained from the network of monitoring stations of nine municipalities. Air pollution exposure was measured by daily means of PM10 (particles with a nominal mean aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm) per municipality, while daily counts of hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases within the Brazilian Unified Health System were the outcome. For each municipality a time series analysis was carried out in which a semiparametric Poisson regression model was the framework to explain the daily fluctuations on counts of hospitalizations over time. The results were combined in a meta-analysis to estimate the overall risk of PM10 in hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases at the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. RESULTS Regarding hospitalizations for respiratory diseases, the effect estimates were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for all municipalities, except Santo André and Taboão da Serra. The RR (Relative Risk) of this outcome for an increase of 10 µg/m3 in the levels of PM10 ranged from 1.011 (95%CI 1.009–1.013) for São Paulo to 1.032 (95%CI 1.024–1.040) in São Bernardo do Campo. The RR of hospitalization for respiratory diseases in children for an increase of 10 µg/m3 of PM10 ranged from 1.009 (95%CI 1.001–1.017) in Santo André to 1.077 (95%CI 1.056–1.098) in Mauá. Only São Paulo and São Bernardo do Campo presented positive and statistically significant results for hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to estimate the risk of illness from air pollution in the set of municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, Brazil. Global estimates of the effect of exposure to pollution in the region indicated associations only with respiratory diseases. Only São Paulo and São Bernardo do Campo showed an association between the levels of PM10 and hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases. PMID:29211200

Asteroid Airbursts: Risk Assessment and Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boslough, M.

2015-12-01

Airbursts are events in which small (meters to tens-of-meters in diameter) asteroids deposit most of their energy in the atmosphere with a total energy greater than small nuclear explosions (>0.1 kilotons of TNT). The airburst risk is higher than previous assessments for two reasons. First, they are more frequent than previously thought. The Tunguska-class (~40 meters) population estimate has doubled, and Chelyabinsk-class (~20 meters) has increased by a factor of 2.6. Second, asteroid airbursts are significantly more damaging than previously assumed. In most cases, they more efficiently couple energy to the surface than nuclear explosions of the same yield. Past Near-Earth Object (NEO) risk assessments concluded that the largest asteroids (> 1 km) dominated the hazard. Large NEOs represent only a tiny fraction of the population but the potential for global catastrophe means that the contribution from low-probability, high-consequence events is large. Nearly 90% of these objects, none of which is on a collision course, have been catalogued. This has reduced their assessed near-term statistical risk by more than an order of magnitude because completion is highest for the largest and most dangerous. The relative risk from small objects would therefore be increasing even if their absolute assessed risk were not. Uncertainty in the number of small NEOs remains large and can only be reduced by expanded surveys. One strategy would be to count small NEOs making close passes in statistically significant numbers. For example, there are about 25 times as many objects of a given size that pass within the distance of geosynchronous orbit than collide with the earth, and 2000 times as many pass within a lunar distance (accounting for gravitational focusing). An asteroid the size of the Chelyabinsk impactor (~20 m) could potentially be observed within geosynchronous orbit every two years and within lunar orbit nearly once a week. A Tunguska-sized asteroid (~40 m) passes within a lunar distance several times a year. A survey optimized to discover and count these objects would rapidly reduce the uncertainty in their populations. An additional benefit would be early warning of an imminent impact to give authorities time to issue evacuation or take-cover instructions in circumstances for which there would be no time the prevent an impact.

Teen Births: Examining the Recent Increase. Research Brief. Publication #2009-08

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kristin Anderson

2009-01-01

After a 14-year decline, the teen birth rate increased in 2006, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Between 2005 and 2006, the teen birth rate rose 3.5 percent, from 40.5 to 41.9 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19. The number of teen births rose by 20,843, from 414,593 to 435,436 births, the largest annual increase…

A Phenomenological Study of What Black Male TRiO Student Support Services Program Members Attribute to Their Decision to Drop out of College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, LaTonya S.

2011-01-01

Compared to other races, the college achievement gap is largest between Black men and women where females earn twice as many degrees as their male counterparts (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010, Status and trends in the education of racial and ethnic minorities). Many Black men attempt college and eventually drop out forfeiting their…

Agent-Based Simulation and Analysis of a Defensive UAV Swarm Against an Enemy UAV Swarm

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

de Investigacion, Programas y Desarrollo de la Armada Armada de Chile CHILE 10. CAPT Jeffrey Kline, USN(ret.) Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California 91 ...this de - fensive swarm system, an agent-based simulation model is developed, and appropriate designs of experiments and statistical analyses are... de - velopment and implementation of counter UAV technology from readily-available commercial products. The organization leverages the “largest

Percolation under noise: Detecting explosive percolation using the second-largest component

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viles, Wes; Ginestet, Cedric E.; Tang, Ariana; Kramer, Mark A.; Kolaczyk, Eric D.

2016-05-01

We consider the problem of distinguishing between different rates of percolation under noise. A statistical model of percolation is constructed allowing for the birth and death of edges as well as the presence of noise in the observations. This graph-valued stochastic process is composed of a latent and an observed nonstationary process, where the observed graph process is corrupted by type-I and type-II errors. This produces a hidden Markov graph model. We show that for certain choices of parameters controlling the noise, the classical (Erdős-Rényi) percolation is visually indistinguishable from a more rapid form of percolation. In this setting, we compare two different criteria for discriminating between these two percolation models, based on the interquartile range (IQR) of the first component's size, and on the maximal size of the second-largest component. We show through data simulations that this second criterion outperforms the IQR of the first component's size, in terms of discriminatory power. The maximal size of the second component therefore provides a useful statistic for distinguishing between different rates of percolation, under physically motivated conditions for the birth and death of edges, and under noise. The potential application of the proposed criteria for the detection of clinically relevant percolation in the context of applied neuroscience is also discussed.

A Large-Scale Super-Structure at z=0.65 in the UKIDSS Ultra-Deep Survey Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galametz, Audrey; Candels Clustering Working Group

2017-07-01

In hierarchical structure formation scenarios, galaxies accrete along high density filaments. Superclusters represent the largest density enhancements in the cosmic web with scales of 100 to 200 Mpc. As they represent the largest components of LSS, they are very powerful tools to constrain cosmological models. Since they also offer a wide range of density, from infalling group to high density cluster core, they are also the perfect laboratory to study the influence of environment on galaxy evolution. I will present a newly discovered large scale structure at z=0.65 in the UKIDSS UDS field. Although statistically predicted, the presence of such structure in UKIDSS, one of the most extensively covered and studied extragalactic field, remains a serendipity. Our follow-up confirmed more than 15 group members including at least three galaxy clusters with M200 10^14Msol . Deep spectroscopy of the quiescent core galaxies reveals that the most massive structure knots are at very different formation stage with a range of red sequence properties. Statistics allow us to map formation age across the structure denser knots and identify where quenching is most probably occurring across the LSS. Spectral diagnostics analysis also reveals an interesting population of transition galaxies we suspect are transforming from star-forming to quiescent galaxies.

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

Bérczi, Viktor, E-mail: berczi@hotmail.com; Valcseva, Éva, E-mail: evapeneva@gmail.com; Kozics, Dóra, E-mail: dora.kozics@gmail.com

IntroductionEarly literature suggested that the size of the uterus, the size of the dominant fibroid, and the amount of applied embolization particles would be the risk factors for major postprocedural complications, but recent publications have confuted these early results. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether the size of the dominant fibroid would influence the complication rate and effectiveness in a large single-center cohort.Patients and MethodsFrom 28 April 2008 until 31 December 2012, 303 patients had uterine artery embolization (UAE). 262 patients had small [largest diameter <10 cm (Group 1)], 41 patients had large [largest diameter >10 cm (Group 2)]more » fibroid. UAE was performed from unilateral femoral access using 500–710 and 355–500 µm polyvinyl alcohol particles. Periprocedural and postprocedural complications and numerical analog quality-of-life scores (0—unbearable symptoms; 100—perfect quality of life) were listed and statistically analyzed.ResultsDuring the mean follow-up time [7.79 ± 5.16 (SD) month], data on 275 patients (275/303 = 90.8 %) were available. Quality-of-life score was 33.3 ± 23.5 and 33.5 ± 24.1 before, whereas 85.6 ± 16.0 and 81.5 ± 23.5 after UAE in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, (Mann–Whitney U test one-sided, p = 0.365). There were 4 myoma expulsions, 1 acute myomectomy, and 2 acute hysterectomies reported from Group 1, meanwhile 1 myoma expulsion, 1 acute myomectomy, and 2 acute hysterectomies were documented from Group 2 (NS differences).ConclusionThere was no significant difference in the effectiveness and in the number of minor and major complications between fibroids with <10 cm largest diameter compared to those >10 cm.« less

Dose reduction for abdominal and pelvic MDCT after change to graduated weight-based protocol for selecting quality reference tube current, peak kilovoltage, and slice collimation.

PubMed

Herts, Brian R; Baker, Mark E; Obuchowski, Nancy; Primak, Andrew; Schneider, Erika; Rhana, Harpreet; Dong, Frank

2013-06-01

The purpose of this article is to determine the decrease in volume CT dose index (CTDI(vol)) and dose-length product (DLP) achieved by switching from fixed quality reference tube current protocols with automatic tube current modulation to protocols adjusting the quality reference tube current, slice collimation, and peak kilovoltage according to patient weight. All adult patients who underwent CT examinations of the abdomen or abdomen and pelvis during 2010 using weight-based protocols who also underwent a CT examination in 2008 or 2009 using fixed quality reference tube current protocols were identified from the radiology information system. Protocol pages were electronically retrieved, and the CT model, examination date, scan protocol, CTDI(vol), and DLP were extracted from the DICOM header or by optical character recognition. There were 15,779 scans with dose records for 2700 patients. Changes in CTDI(vol) and DLP were compared only between examinations of the same patient and same CT system model for examinations performed in 2008 or 2009 and those performed in 2010. The final analysis consisted of 1117 comparisons in 1057 patients, and 1209 comparisons in 988 patients for CTDI(vol) and DLP, respectively. The change to a weight-based protocol resulted in a statistically significant reduction in CTDI(vol) and DLP on three MDCT system models (p < 0.001). The largest average CTDI(vol) decrease was 13.9%, and the largest average DLP decrease was 16.1% on a 64-MDCT system. Both the CTDI(vol) and DLP decreased the most for patients who weighed less than 250 lb (112.5 kg). Adjusting the CT protocol by selecting parameters according to patient weight is a viable method for reducing CT radiation dose. The largest reductions occurred in the patients weighing less than 250 lb.

Development of a Simple Tool for Identifying Alcohol Use Disorder in Female Korean Drinkers from Previous Questionnaires.

PubMed

Seo, Yu Ri; Kim, Jong Sung; Kim, Sung Soo; Yoon, Seok Joon; Suh, Won Yoon; Youn, Kwangmi

2016-01-01

This study aimed to develop a simple tool for identifying alcohol use disorders in female Korean drinkers from previous questionnaires. This research was conducted on 400 women who consumed at least one alcoholic drink during the past month and visited the health promotion center at Chungnam National University Hospital between June 2013 to May 2014. Drinking habits and alcohol use disorders were assessed by structured interviews using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition diagnostic criteria. The subjects were also asked to answer the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), AUDIT-Consumption, CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener), TWEAK (Tolerance, Worried, Eye-opener, Amnesia, Kut down), TACE (Tolerance, Annoyed, Cut down, Eye-opener), and NET (Normal drinker, Eye-opener, Tolerance) questionnaires. The area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of each question of the questionnaires on alcohol use disorders was assessed. After combining two questions with the largest AUROC, it was compared to other previous questionnaires. Among the 400 subjects, 58 (14.5%) were identified as having an alcohol use disorder. Two questions with the largest AUROC were question no. 7 in AUDIT, "How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?" and question no. 5 in AUDIT, "How often during the past year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of drinking?" with an AUROC (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.886 (0.850-0.915) and 0.862 (0.824-0.894), respectively. The AUROC (95% CI) of the combination of the two questions was 0.958 (0.934-0.976) with no significant difference as compared to the existing AUDIT with the largest AUROC. The above results suggest that the simple tool consisting of questions no. 5 and no. 7 in AUDIT is useful in identifying alcohol use disorders in Korean female drinkers.

Cluster mislocation in kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (kSZ) effect extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calafut, Victoria Rose; Bean, Rachel; Yu, Byeonghee

2018-01-01

We investigate the impact of a variety of analysis assumptions that influence cluster identification and location on the kSZ pairwise momentum signal and covariance estimation. Photometric and spectroscopic galaxy tracers from SDSS, WISE, and DECaLs, spanning redshifts 0.05

Tackling Health Inequities in Chile: Maternal, Newborn, Infant, and Child Mortality Between 1990 and 2004

PubMed Central

Requejo, Jennifer Harris; Nien, Jyh Kae; Merialdi, Mario; Bustreo, Flavia; Betran, Ana Pilar

2009-01-01

Objectives. We analyzed trends in maternal, newborn, and child mortality in Chile between 1990 and 2004, after the introduction of national interventions and reforms, and examined associations between trends and interventions. Methods. Data were provided by the Chilean Ministry of Health on all pregnancies between 1990 and 2004 (approximately 4 000 000). We calculated yearly maternal mortality ratios, stillbirth rates, and mortality rates for neonates, infants (aged > 28 days and < 1 year), and children aged 1 to 4 years. We also calculated these statistics by 5-year intervals for Chile's poorest to richest district quintiles. Results. During the study period, the maternal mortality ratio decreased from 42.1 to 18.5 per 100 000 live births. The mortality rate for neonates decreased from 9.0 to 5.7 per 1000 births, for infants from 7.8 to 3.1 per 1000 births, and for young children from 3.1 to 1.7 per 1000 live births. The stillbirth rate declined from 6.0 to 5.0 per 1000 births. Disparities in these mortality statistics between the poorest and richest district quintiles also decreased, with the largest mortality reductions in the poorest quintile. Conclusions. During a period of socioeconomic development and health sector reforms, Chile experienced significant mortality and inequity reductions. PMID:19443831

Sensitivity of goodness-of-fit statistics to rainfall data rounding off

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deidda, Roberto; Puliga, Michelangelo

An analysis based on the L-moments theory suggests of adopting the generalized Pareto distribution to interpret daily rainfall depths recorded by the rain-gauge network of the Hydrological Survey of the Sardinia Region. Nevertheless, a big problem, not yet completely resolved, arises in the estimation of a left-censoring threshold able to assure a good fitting of rainfall data with the generalized Pareto distribution. In order to detect an optimal threshold, keeping the largest possible number of data, we chose to apply a “failure-to-reject” method based on goodness-of-fit tests, as it was proposed by Choulakian and Stephens [Choulakian, V., Stephens, M.A., 2001. Goodness-of-fit tests for the generalized Pareto distribution. Technometrics 43, 478-484]. Unfortunately, the application of the test, using percentage points provided by Choulakian and Stephens (2001), did not succeed in detecting a useful threshold value in most analyzed time series. A deeper analysis revealed that these failures are mainly due to the presence of large quantities of rounding off values among sample data, affecting the distribution of goodness-of-fit statistics and leading to significant departures from percentage points expected for continuous random variables. A procedure based on Monte Carlo simulations is thus proposed to overcome these problems.

Temporal expression profiling of plasma proteins reveals oxidative stress in early stages of Type 1 Diabetes progression

DOE PAGES

Liu, Chih-Wei; Bramer, Lisa; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo; ...

2017-10-07

We report that blood markers other than islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process as early as possible, and more accurately reflect the progression of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). To this end, a longitudinal proteomic profiling of human plasma using TMT-10plex-based LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to track temporal proteomic changes of T1D patients (n = 11) across 9 serial time points, spanning the period of T1D natural progression, in comparison with those of the matching healthy controls (n = 10). To our knowledge, the current study represents the largest (> 2000 proteins measured)more » longitudinal expression profiles of human plasma proteome in T1D research. By applying statistical trend analysis on the temporal expression patterns between T1D and controls, and Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for multiple-testing correction, 13 protein groups were regarded as having statistically significant differences during the entire follow-up period. Moreover, 16 protein groups, which play pivotal roles in response to oxidative stress, have consistently abnormal expression trend before seroconversion to islet autoimmunity. Importantly, the expression trends of two key reactive oxygen species-decomposing enzymes, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase were verified independently by ELISA.« less

Temporal expression profiling of plasma proteins reveals oxidative stress in early stages of Type 1 Diabetes progression

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

Liu, Chih-Wei; Bramer, Lisa; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo

We report that blood markers other than islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process as early as possible, and more accurately reflect the progression of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). To this end, a longitudinal proteomic profiling of human plasma using TMT-10plex-based LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to track temporal proteomic changes of T1D patients (n = 11) across 9 serial time points, spanning the period of T1D natural progression, in comparison with those of the matching healthy controls (n = 10). To our knowledge, the current study represents the largest (> 2000 proteins measured)more » longitudinal expression profiles of human plasma proteome in T1D research. By applying statistical trend analysis on the temporal expression patterns between T1D and controls, and Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for multiple-testing correction, 13 protein groups were regarded as having statistically significant differences during the entire follow-up period. Moreover, 16 protein groups, which play pivotal roles in response to oxidative stress, have consistently abnormal expression trend before seroconversion to islet autoimmunity. Importantly, the expression trends of two key reactive oxygen species-decomposing enzymes, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase were verified independently by ELISA.« less

The Use of Research-Based Instructional Strategies in Introductory Physics: Where do Faculty Leave the Innovation-Decision Process?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Charles; Dancy, Melissa; Niewiadomska-Bugaj, Magdalena

2013-03-01

During the Fall of 2008 a web survey was completed by a representative sample of 722 United States physics faculty. In this talk we will briefly present summary statistics to describe faculty knowledge about and use of 24 specific research-based instructional strategies (RBIS). We will then analyze the results based on a four stage model of the innovation-decision process: knowledge, trial, continuation, and high use. The largest losses occur at the continuation stage, with approximately 1/3 of faculty discontinuing use of all RBIS after trying one or more of these strategies. These results suggest that common dissemination strategies are good at creating knowledge about RBIS and motivation to try a RBIS, but more work is needed to support faculty during implementation and continued use of RBIS. Based on a logistic regression analysis, only nine of the 20 potential predictor variables measured were statistically significant when controlling for other variables. Faculty age, institutional type, and percentage of job related to teaching were not found to be correlated with knowledge or use at any stage. High research productivity and large class sizes were not found to be barriers to use of at least some RBIS. Supported by NSF #0715698.

Predictive and Prognostic Implications of Variant Philadelphia Translocations in CML: Experience From a Tertiary Oncology Center in Southern India.

PubMed

Kanakasetty, Govind Babu; Kuntejowdahalli, Lakshmaiah; Thanky, Aditi Harsh; Dasappa, Lokanatha; Jacob, Linu Abraham; Mallekavu, Suresh Babu; Kumari, Prasanna

2017-01-01

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome with classical t(9;22)(q34;q11) seen in up to 90% of cases. However 5% to 10% of patients who present with variant Ph translocations (vPh) have been an area of research for their significance in predicting response to various therapies including tyrosine kinase inhibitors as well as prognosticating survival outcomes for many years involving varied patient populations, with conflicting results. We retrospectively analyzed our data from January 2002 to December 2014. Patients with vPh in chronic phase of CML (CML-CP) were analyzed with respect to their demographic parameters, response to imatinib therapy, and survival and their data were compared with data of patients with classical Ph translocation (cPh). Of 615 patients diagnosed with CML-CP, 72 patients (11.7%) showed vPh. Most common chromosomes involved in these translocations were 14 (13.9%), 11 (12.5%), 19 (9.7%), and 7 (8.3%). Rates of complete hematological response, complete cytogenetic response, and major molecular response were not statistically different between the groups. At 5 years, event-free survival, failure-free survival, progression-free survival, and overall survival were 60% versus 67.9%, 62.7% versus 69.7%, 84.7% versus 92.1%, and 87.5% versus 92.4%, respectively, in vPh and cPh. The differences in survival were statistically not significant. To our knowledge, this is the largest series of variant translocations in CML-CP, pertaining to the Indian population. Our data suggest that the presence of vPh in CML has no significant effect in predicting response to imatinib as well as in prognosticating survival. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Undesirable financial effects of head and neck cancer radiotherapy during the initial treatment period.

PubMed

Egestad, Helen; Nieder, Carsten

2015-01-01

Healthcare cost and reforms are at the forefront of international debates. One of the current discussion themes in oncology is whether and how patients' life changes due to costs of cancer care. In Norway, the main part of the treatment costs is supported by general taxpayer revenues. The objective of this study was to clarify whether head and neck cancer patients (n=67) in northern Norway experienced financial health-related quality of life (HRQOL) deterioration due to costs associated with treatment. HRQOL was examined by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 in the beginning and in the end of radiation treatment in patients treated at the University Hospital in Northern Norway. Changes in financial HRQOL were calculated and compared by paired sample T-tests. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine correlations among gender, marital status, age and treatment with or without additional chemotherapy and changes in the HRQOL domain of financial difficulties. The majority of score results at both time points were in the lower range (mean 15-25), indicating limited financial difficulties. We observed no statistically significant differences by gender, marital status and age. Increasing financial difficulties during treatment were reported by male patients and those younger than 65, that is, patients who were younger than retirement age. The largest effect was seen in singles. However, differences were not statistically significant. During the initial phase of the disease trajectory, no significant increase in financial difficulties was found. This is in line with the aims of the Norwegian public healthcare model. However, long-term longitudinal studies should be performed, especially with regard to the trends we observed in single, male and younger patients.

Common and rare genetic markers of lipid variation in subjects with type 2 diabetes from the ACCORD clinical trial.

PubMed

Marvel, Skylar W; Rotroff, Daniel M; Wagner, Michael J; Buse, John B; Havener, Tammy M; McLeod, Howard L; Motsinger-Reif, Alison A

2017-01-01

Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Alterations in circulating lipid levels, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG) are heritable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Here we conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of common and rare variants to investigate associations with baseline lipid levels in 7,844 individuals with type 2 diabetes from the ACCORD clinical trial. DNA extracted from stored blood samples from ACCORD participants were genotyped using the Affymetrix Axiom Biobank 1 Genotyping Array. After quality control and genotype imputation, association of common genetic variants (CV), defined as minor allele frequency (MAF) ≥ 3%, with baseline levels of TC, LDL, HDL, and TG was tested using a linear model. Rare variant (RV) associations (MAF < 3%) were conducted using a suite of methods that collapse multiple RV within individual genes. Many statistically significant CV ( p  < 1 × 10 -8 ) replicate findings in large meta-analyses in non-diabetic subjects. RV analyses also confirmed findings in other studies, whereas significant RV associations with CNOT2 , HPN-AS1 , and SIRPD appear to be novel ( q  < 0.1). Here we present findings for the largest GWAS of lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes to date. We identified 17 statistically significant ( p  < 1 × 10 -8 ) associations of CV with lipid levels in 11 genes or chromosomal regions, all of which were previously identified in meta-analyses of mostly non-diabetic cohorts. We also identified 13 associations in 11 genes based on RV, several of which represent novel findings.

Common and rare genetic markers of lipid variation in subjects with type 2 diabetes from the ACCORD clinical trial

PubMed Central

Wagner, Michael J.; Buse, John B.; Havener, Tammy M.; McLeod, Howard L.

2017-01-01

Background Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Alterations in circulating lipid levels, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG) are heritable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Here we conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of common and rare variants to investigate associations with baseline lipid levels in 7,844 individuals with type 2 diabetes from the ACCORD clinical trial. Methods DNA extracted from stored blood samples from ACCORD participants were genotyped using the Affymetrix Axiom Biobank 1 Genotyping Array. After quality control and genotype imputation, association of common genetic variants (CV), defined as minor allele frequency (MAF) ≥ 3%, with baseline levels of TC, LDL, HDL, and TG was tested using a linear model. Rare variant (RV) associations (MAF < 3%) were conducted using a suite of methods that collapse multiple RV within individual genes. Results Many statistically significant CV (p < 1 × 10−8) replicate findings in large meta-analyses in non-diabetic subjects. RV analyses also confirmed findings in other studies, whereas significant RV associations with CNOT2, HPN-AS1, and SIRPD appear to be novel (q < 0.1). Discussion Here we present findings for the largest GWAS of lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes to date. We identified 17 statistically significant (p < 1 × 10−8) associations of CV with lipid levels in 11 genes or chromosomal regions, all of which were previously identified in meta-analyses of mostly non-diabetic cohorts. We also identified 13 associations in 11 genes based on RV, several of which represent novel findings. PMID:28480134

US Intergroup Anal Carcinoma Trial: Tumor Diameter Predicts for Colostomy

PubMed Central

Ajani, Jaffer A.; Winter, Kathryn A.; Gunderson, Leonard L.; Pedersen, John; Benson, Al B.; Thomas, Charles R.; Mayer, Robert J.; Haddock, Michael G.; Rich, Tyvin A.; Willett, Christopher G.

2009-01-01

Purpose The US Gastrointestinal Intergroup Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 98-11 anal carcinoma trial showed that cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy resulted in a significantly higher rate of colostomy compared with mitomycin-based therapy. Established prognostic variables for patients with anal carcinoma include tumor diameter, clinical nodal status, and sex, but pretreatment variables that would predict the likelihood of colostomy are unknown. Methods A secondary analysis was performed by combining patients in the two treatment arms to evaluate whether new predictive and prognostic variables would emerge. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to correlate overall survival (OS), disease-free survival, and time to colostomy (TTC) with pretreatment and treatment variables. Results Of 682 patients enrolled, 644 patients were assessable and analyzed. In the multivariate analysis, tumor-related prognosticators for poorer OS included node-positive cancer (P ≤ .0001), large (> 5 cm) tumor diameter (P = .01), and male sex (P = .016). In the treatment-related categories, cisplatin-based therapy was statistically significantly associated with a higher rate of colostomy (P = .03) than was mitomycin-based therapy. In the pretreatment variables category, only large tumor diameter independently predicted for TTC (P = .008). Similarly, the cumulative 5-year colostomy rate was statistically significantly higher for large tumor diameter than for small tumor diameter (Gray's test; P = .0074). Clinical nodal status and sex were not predictive of TTC. Conclusion The combined analysis of the two arms of RTOG 98-11, representing the largest prospective database, reveals that tumor diameter (irrespective of the nodal status) is the only independent pretreatment variable that predicts TTC and 5-year colostomy rate in patients with anal carcinoma. PMID:19139424

Predictors of persistent pain after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lewis, G N; Rice, D A; McNair, P J; Kluger, M

2015-04-01

Several studies have identified clinical, psychosocial, patient characteristic, and perioperative variables that are associated with persistent postsurgical pain; however, the relative effect of these variables has yet to be quantified. The aim of the study was to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of predictor variables associated with persistent pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Included studies were required to measure predictor variables prior to or at the time of surgery, include a pain outcome measure at least 3 months post-TKA, and include a statistical analysis of the effect of the predictor variable(s) on the outcome measure. Counts were undertaken of the number of times each predictor was analysed and the number of times it was found to have a significant relationship with persistent pain. Separate meta-analyses were performed to determine the effect size of each predictor on persistent pain. Outcomes from studies implementing uni- and multivariable statistical models were analysed separately. Thirty-two studies involving almost 30 000 patients were included in the review. Preoperative pain was the predictor that most commonly demonstrated a significant relationship with persistent pain across uni- and multivariable analyses. In the meta-analyses of data from univariate models, the largest effect sizes were found for: other pain sites, catastrophizing, and depression. For data from multivariate models, significant effects were evident for: catastrophizing, preoperative pain, mental health, and comorbidities. Catastrophizing, mental health, preoperative knee pain, and pain at other sites are the strongest independent predictors of persistent pain after TKA. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prognostic impact of number of resected and involved lymph nodes at complete resection on survival in non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Saji, Hisashi; Tsuboi, Masahiro; Yoshida, Koichi; Kato, Yasufumi; Nomura, Masaharu; Matsubayashi, Jun; Nagao, Toshitaka; Kakihana, Masatoshi; Usuda, Jitsuo; Kajiwara, Naohiro; Ohira, Tatsuo; Ikeda, Norihiko

2011-11-01

Lymph node (LN) status is a major determinant of stage and survival in patients with lung cancer. In the 7th edition of the TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors, the number of involved LNs is included in the definition of pN factors in breast, stomach, esophageal, and colorectal cancer, and the pN status significantly correlates with prognosis. We retrospectively investigated the prognostic impact of the number of resected LNs (RLNs) and involved LNs in the context of other established clinical prognostic factors, in a series of 928 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent complete resection at our institution between 2000 and 2007. The mean number of RLNs was 15. There was a significant difference in the total number of RLNs categorized between less than 10 and ≥10 (p = 0.0129). Although the incidence of LN involvement was statistically associated with poor prognosis, the largest statistically significant increase in overall survival was observed between 0 to 3 and ≥4 involved LNs (hazard ratio = 7.680; 95% confidence interval = 5.051-11.655, p < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, we used the ratio between the number of involved LNs and RLNs. The number of RLNs was found to be a strong independent prognostic factor for NSCLC (hazard ratio = 6.803; 95% confidence interval = 4.137-11.186, p < 0.0001). Complete resection including 10 or more LNs influenced survival at complete NSCLC resection. Four involved LNs seemed to be a benchmark for NSCLC prognosis. The number of involved LNs is a strong independent prognostic factor in NSCLC, and the results of this study may provide new information for determining the N category in the next tumor, node, metastasis classification.

Age-related variation and predictors of long-term quality of life in germ cell tumor survivors.

PubMed

Hartung, Tim J; Mehnert, Anja; Friedrich, Michael; Hartmann, Michael; Vehling, Sigrun; Bokemeyer, Carsten; Oechsle, Karin

2016-02-01

To compare long-term health-related quality of life (QoL) in germ cell tumor survivors (GCTS) and age-adjusted men and to identify predictors of variation in long-term QoL in GCTS. We used the Short-Form Health Survey to measure QoL in a cross-sectional sample of 164 survivors of germ cell tumors from Hamburg, Germany. QoL was compared with age-adjusted German norm data. Sociodemographic and medical data from questionnaires and medical records were used to find predictors of QoL. On average, patients were 44.4 years old (standard deviation = 9.6 y) and average time since first germ cell tumor diagnosis was 11.6 years (standard deviation = 7.3 y). We found significantly lower mental component scores in GCTS when compared with norm data (Hedges g =-0.44, P<0.001). An exploratory analysis by age group showed the largest difference in mental QoL in survivors aged 31 to 40 years (Hedges g =-0.67). Linear regression analysis revealed age (β =-0.46, P<0.001), marital status (β = 0.20, P = 0.024), advanced secondary qualifications (β =-0.25, P = 0.001), time since diagnosis (β = 0.17, P = 0.031), and tumor stage (β = 0.17, P = 0.024) as statistically significant predictors of the physical component score, accounting for 22% of the variance. Statistically significant predictors of the mental component score were higher secondary qualifications (β = 0.17, P = 0.033) and unemployment (β =-0.21, P = 0.009), accounting for 6% of the variance. Survivors of germ cell tumors can expect an overall long-term QoL similar to that of other men of their age. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Allometric biomass equations for 12 tree species in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests, Northeastern China.

PubMed

He, Huaijiang; Zhang, Chunyu; Zhao, Xiuhai; Fousseni, Folega; Wang, Jinsong; Dai, Haijun; Yang, Song; Zuo, Qiang

2018-01-01

Understanding forest carbon budget and dynamics for sustainable resource management and ecosystem functions requires quantification of above- and below-ground biomass at individual tree species and stand levels. In this study, a total of 122 trees (9-12 per species) were destructively sampled to determine above- and below-ground biomass of 12 tree species (Acer mandshuricum, Acer mono, Betula platyphylla, Carpinus cordata, Fraxinus mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica, Maackia amurensis, P. koraiensis, Populus ussuriensis, Quercus mongolica, Tilia amurensis and Ulmus japonica) in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests of Northeastern China, an area of the largest natural forest in the country. Biomass allocation was examined and biomass models were developed using diameter as independent variable for individual tree species and all species combined. The results showed that the largest biomass allocation of all species combined was on stems (57.1%), followed by coarse root (21.3%), branch (18.7%), and foliage (2.9%). The log-transformed model was statistically significant for all biomass components, although predicting power was higher for species-specific models than for all species combined, general biomass models, and higher for stems, roots, above-ground biomass, and total tree biomass than for branch and foliage biomass. These findings supplement the previous studies on this forest type by additional sample trees, species and locations, and support biomass research on forest carbon budget and dynamics by management activities such as thinning and harvesting in the northeastern part of China.

Allometric biomass equations for 12 tree species in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests, Northeastern China

PubMed Central

He, Huaijiang; Zhao, Xiuhai; Fousseni, Folega; Wang, Jinsong; Dai, Haijun; Yang, Song; Zuo, Qiang

2018-01-01

Understanding forest carbon budget and dynamics for sustainable resource management and ecosystem functions requires quantification of above- and below-ground biomass at individual tree species and stand levels. In this study, a total of 122 trees (9–12 per species) were destructively sampled to determine above- and below-ground biomass of 12 tree species (Acer mandshuricum, Acer mono, Betula platyphylla, Carpinus cordata, Fraxinus mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica, Maackia amurensis, P. koraiensis, Populus ussuriensis, Quercus mongolica, Tilia amurensis and Ulmus japonica) in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests of Northeastern China, an area of the largest natural forest in the country. Biomass allocation was examined and biomass models were developed using diameter as independent variable for individual tree species and all species combined. The results showed that the largest biomass allocation of all species combined was on stems (57.1%), followed by coarse root (21.3%), branch (18.7%), and foliage (2.9%). The log-transformed model was statistically significant for all biomass components, although predicting power was higher for species-specific models than for all species combined, general biomass models, and higher for stems, roots, above-ground biomass, and total tree biomass than for branch and foliage biomass. These findings supplement the previous studies on this forest type by additional sample trees, species and locations, and support biomass research on forest carbon budget and dynamics by management activities such as thinning and harvesting in the northeastern part of China. PMID:29351291

Operating Room Efficiency before and after Entrance in a Benchmarking Program for Surgical Process Data.

PubMed

Pedron, Sara; Winter, Vera; Oppel, Eva-Maria; Bialas, Enno

2017-08-23

Operating room (OR) efficiency continues to be a high priority for hospitals. In this context the concept of benchmarking has gained increasing importance as a means to improve OR performance. The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how participation in a benchmarking and reporting program for surgical process data was associated with a change in OR efficiency, measured through raw utilization, turnover times, and first-case tardiness. The main analysis is based on panel data from 202 surgical departments in German hospitals, which were derived from the largest database for surgical process data in Germany. Panel regression modelling was applied. Results revealed no clear and univocal trend of participation in a benchmarking and reporting program for surgical process data. The largest trend was observed for first-case tardiness. In contrast to expectations, turnover times showed a generally increasing trend during participation. For raw utilization no clear and statistically significant trend could be evidenced. Subgroup analyses revealed differences in effects across different hospital types and department specialties. Participation in a benchmarking and reporting program and thus the availability of reliable, timely and detailed analysis tools to support the OR management seemed to be correlated especially with an increase in the timeliness of staff members regarding first-case starts. The increasing trend in turnover time revealed the absence of effective strategies to improve this aspect of OR efficiency in German hospitals and could have meaningful consequences for the medium- and long-run capacity planning in the OR.

Predictive modeling of outcomes following definitive chemoradiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer based on FDG-PET image characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folkert, Michael R.; Setton, Jeremy; Apte, Aditya P.; Grkovski, Milan; Young, Robert J.; Schöder, Heiko; Thorstad, Wade L.; Lee, Nancy Y.; Deasy, Joseph O.; Oh, Jung Hun

2017-07-01

In this study, we investigate the use of imaging feature-based outcomes research (‘radiomics’) combined with machine learning techniques to develop robust predictive models for the risk of all-cause mortality (ACM), local failure (LF), and distant metastasis (DM) following definitive chemoradiation therapy (CRT). One hundred seventy four patients with stage III-IV oropharyngeal cancer (OC) treated at our institution with CRT with retrievable pre- and post-treatment 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans were identified. From pre-treatment PET scans, 24 representative imaging features of FDG-avid disease regions were extracted. Using machine learning-based feature selection methods, multiparameter logistic regression models were built incorporating clinical factors and imaging features. All model building methods were tested by cross validation to avoid overfitting, and final outcome models were validated on an independent dataset from a collaborating institution. Multiparameter models were statistically significant on 5 fold cross validation with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)  =  0.65 (p  =  0.004), 0.73 (p  =  0.026), and 0.66 (p  =  0.015) for ACM, LF, and DM, respectively. The model for LF retained significance on the independent validation cohort with AUC  =  0.68 (p  =  0.029) whereas the models for ACM and DM did not reach statistical significance, but resulted in comparable predictive power to the 5 fold cross validation with AUC  =  0.60 (p  =  0.092) and 0.65 (p  =  0.062), respectively. In the largest study of its kind to date, predictive features including increasing metabolic tumor volume, increasing image heterogeneity, and increasing tumor surface irregularity significantly correlated to mortality, LF, and DM on 5 fold cross validation in a relatively uniform single-institution cohort. The LF model also retained significance in an independent population.

Identifying and characterizing hepatitis C virus hotspots in Massachusetts: a spatial epidemiological approach.

PubMed

Stopka, Thomas J; Goulart, Michael A; Meyers, David J; Hutcheson, Marga; Barton, Kerri; Onofrey, Shauna; Church, Daniel; Donahue, Ashley; Chui, Kenneth K H

2017-04-20

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections have increased during the past decade but little is known about geographic clustering patterns. We used a unique analytical approach, combining geographic information systems (GIS), spatial epidemiology, and statistical modeling to identify and characterize HCV hotspots, statistically significant clusters of census tracts with elevated HCV counts and rates. We compiled sociodemographic and HCV surveillance data (n = 99,780 cases) for Massachusetts census tracts (n = 1464) from 2002 to 2013. We used a five-step spatial epidemiological approach, calculating incremental spatial autocorrelations and Getis-Ord Gi* statistics to identify clusters. We conducted logistic regression analyses to determine factors associated with the HCV hotspots. We identified nine HCV clusters, with the largest in Boston, New Bedford/Fall River, Worcester, and Springfield (p < 0.05). In multivariable analyses, we found that HCV hotspots were independently and positively associated with the percent of the population that was Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04, 1.09) and the percent of households receiving food stamps (AOR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.74). HCV hotspots were independently and negatively associated with the percent of the population that were high school graduates or higher (AOR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.93) and the percent of the population in the "other" race/ethnicity category (AOR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.91). We identified locations where HCV clusters were a concern, and where enhanced HCV prevention, treatment, and care can help combat the HCV epidemic in Massachusetts. GIS, spatial epidemiological and statistical analyses provided a rigorous approach to identify hotspot clusters of disease, which can inform public health policy and intervention targeting. Further studies that incorporate spatiotemporal cluster analyses, Bayesian spatial and geostatistical models, spatially weighted regression analyses, and assessment of associations between HCV clustering and the built environment are needed to expand upon our combined spatial epidemiological and statistical methods.

A comparative study of the mobile population in Wuhan and other major cities.

PubMed

Zeng, Y

1997-01-01

This study examined population mobility among residents of 5 cities in China: Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Data were obtained from the 1995 Sample Survey of 1% of Wuhan Population and provincial Statistical Yearbooks. The total mobile population in China has increased from 20-80 million during 1982-95. Shanghai is the largest Chinese city. Beijing has a large proportion of international and internal migrants. Guangzhou is a capital city that was the first to adopt economic reforms. Migration fueled development in Shenzhen. A larger mobile population was related to larger population density. The mobile population was 20% in all cities, 30% of central city population, and 140.5% of the central city of Shenzhen. Beijing and Shanghai had the highest growth rates. Construction accounts for the largest percentage of business-related mobile population in Wuhan, Beijing, and Shanghai. Manufacturing accounts for the largest percentage in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Most of the mobile population in capital cities such as Wuhan and Guangzhou, originates from within the provinces. The largest percentage of mobile population in Beijing and Shanghai come from adjacent provinces. Guangzhou receives many migrants from adjacent Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. 47.8-78.8% of mobile population were farmers. More migrants are men. Educational levels are low. The mobile population contributes to industry and informational/cultural exchange. The migrants detract from urban areas in population pressure on housing and services, shortages of employment, illegal activities and crime, and unplanned births.

Alignment-free sequence comparison (II): theoretical power of comparison statistics.

PubMed

Wan, Lin; Reinert, Gesine; Sun, Fengzhu; Waterman, Michael S

2010-11-01

Rapid methods for alignment-free sequence comparison make large-scale comparisons between sequences increasingly feasible. Here we study the power of the statistic D2, which counts the number of matching k-tuples between two sequences, as well as D2*, which uses centralized counts, and D2S, which is a self-standardized version, both from a theoretical viewpoint and numerically, providing an easy to use program. The power is assessed under two alternative hidden Markov models; the first one assumes that the two sequences share a common motif, whereas the second model is a pattern transfer model; the null model is that the two sequences are composed of independent and identically distributed letters and they are independent. Under the first alternative model, the means of the tuple counts in the individual sequences change, whereas under the second alternative model, the marginal means are the same as under the null model. Using the limit distributions of the count statistics under the null and the alternative models, we find that generally, asymptotically D2S has the largest power, followed by D2*, whereas the power of D2 can even be zero in some cases. In contrast, even for sequences of length 140,000 bp, in simulations D2* generally has the largest power. Under the first alternative model of a shared motif, the power of D2*approaches 100% when sufficiently many motifs are shared, and we recommend the use of D2* for such practical applications. Under the second alternative model of pattern transfer,the power for all three count statistics does not increase with sequence length when the sequence is sufficiently long, and hence none of the three statistics under consideration canbe recommended in such a situation. We illustrate the approach on 323 transcription factor binding motifs with length at most 10 from JASPAR CORE (October 12, 2009 version),verifying that D2* is generally more powerful than D2. The program to calculate the power of D2, D2* and D2S can be downloaded from http://meta.cmb.usc.edu/d2. Supplementary Material is available at www.liebertonline.com/cmb.

Aftershocks and triggered events of the Great 1906 California earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meltzner, A.J.; Wald, D.J.

2003-01-01

The San Andreas fault is the longest fault in California and one of the longest strike-slip faults in the world, yet little is known about the aftershocks following the most recent great event on the San Andreas, the Mw 7.8 San Francisco earthquake on 18 April 1906. We conducted a study to locate and to estimate magnitudes for the largest aftershocks and triggered events of this earthquake. We examined existing catalogs and historical documents for the period April 1906 to December 1907, compiling data on the first 20 months of the aftershock sequence. We grouped felt reports temporally and assigned modified Mercalli intensities for the larger events based on the descriptions judged to be the most reliable. For onshore and near-shore events, a grid-search algorithm (derived from empirical analysis of modern earthquakes) was used to find the epicentral location and magnitude most consistent with the assigned intensities. For one event identified as far offshore, the event's intensity distribution was compared with those of modern events, in order to contrain the event's location and magnitude. The largest aftershock within the study period, an M ???6.7 event, occurred ???100 km west of Eureka on 23 April 1906. Although not within our study period, another M ???6.7 aftershock occurred near Cape Mendocino on 28 October 1909. Other significant aftershocks included an M ???5.6 event near San Juan Bautista on 17 May 1906 and an M ???6.3 event near Shelter Cove on 11 August 1907. An M ???4.9 aftershock occurred on the creeping segment of the San Andreas fault (southeast of the mainshock rupture) on 6 July 1906. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake also triggered events in southern California (including separate events in or near the Imperial Valley, the Pomona Valley, and Santa Monica Bay), in western Nevada, in southern central Oregon, and in western Arizona, all within 2 days of the mainshock. Of these trigerred events, the largest were an M ???6.1 earthquake near Brawley and an M ???5.0 event under or near Santa Monica Bay, 11.3 and 31.3 hr after the San Francisco mainshock, respectively. The western Arizona event is inferred to have been triggered dynamically. In general, the largest aftershocks occurred at the ends of the 1906 rupture or away from the rupture entirely; very few significant aftershocks occurred along the mainshock rupture itself. The total number of large aftershocks was less than predicted by a generic model based on typical California mainshock-aftershock statistics, and the 1906 sequence appears to have decayed more slowly than average California sequences. Similarities can be drawn between the 1906 aftershock sequence and that of the 1857 (Mw 7.9) San Andreas fault earthquake.

Extreme Wave Statistics within the Mouth of the Columbia River

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

nearshore coastal environment. Because of his guidance, I was able to make the most of this challenging learning experience. I spent countless hours...the current field induces a refractive caustic along the principal current axis. Caustic focusing causes an increase of wave height to its maximum...the largest waves are found upstream of the caustic area (around x/Lo=25 in Figure 6). 10 Figure 6. Transformation of 0.1-Hz swell

Ergonomic Training Reduces Musculoskeletal Disorders among Office Workers: Results from the 6-Month Follow-Up

PubMed Central

Mahmud, Norashikin; Kenny, Dianna Theadora; Md Zein, Raemy; Hassan, Siti Nurani

2011-01-01

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are commonly reported among computer users. This study explored whether these disorders can be reduced by the provision of ergonomics education. Methods: A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in which 3 units were randomised for intervention and received training, and 3 units were given a leaflet. The effect of intervention on workstation habits, musculoskeletal disorders, days and episodes of sick leave, and psychological well-being were assessed. Results: A significant improvement in workstation habits was found, and the differences remained significant at the follow-up time point for keyboard, mouse, chair, and desk use. The largest reduction in the percentage of musculoskeletal disorders was in the neck region (−42.2%, 95% CI −60.0 to −24.4). After adjusting for baseline values, significant differences were found at the follow-up time point in the neck, right shoulder, right and left upper limbs, lower back, and right and left lower limbs. No significant differences were found for the days and episodes of sick leave or the psychological well-being among workers after the intervention. Conclusion: Consistent reductions were observed for all musculoskeletal disorders at the follow-up time point, although the difference was not statistically significant for the upper back. The improvements in the musculoskeletal disorders did not translate into fewer days lost from work or improved psychological well-being. PMID:22135582

Development of a theoretical screening tool to assess caries risk in Nevada youth.

PubMed

Ditmyer, Marcia M; Mobley, Connie; Draper, Quinn; Demopoulos, Christina; Smith, E Steven

2008-01-01

One objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of caries among Nevada youth, subsequently comparing these data with national statistics. A second objective was to identify the risk factors associated with caries prevalence and severity in order to develop and tailor a theoretical screening tool for this cohort for future validation. Researchers computed the prevalence rates of dental caries (D-score) and severity rates of decayed, missing, and filled teeth indices in a cohort of 9202 students, 13 to 18 years of age, attending public/private schools in the 2005/2006 academic year. Multiple regression established which of the 13 variables significantly contributed to caries risk, subsequently using logistic regression to ascertain the weight of contribution and odds ratios of significant variables. Living in counties with no municipal water fluoridation, increased exposure to environmental smoke, minority race, living in rural communities, and increasing age were the largest significant contributors (respectively). Exposure to tobacco, being female, lack of dental insurance, increased body mass index risk, and lack of dental sealants were also significant, but to a lesser extent. Nonsignificant factors included socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and family history of diabetes. This study confirmed high caries prevalence and severity and identified significant risk factors for inclusion in a theoretical risk screening tool for future validation and translation for use in the early detection of caries risk in Nevada youth.

Correlation among auto-refractor, wavefront aberration, and subjective manual refraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qi; Ren, Qiushi

2005-01-01

Three optometry methods which include auto-refractor, wavefront aberrometer and subjective manual refraction were studied and compared in measuring low order aberrations of 60 people"s 117 normal eyes. Paired t-test and linear regression were used to study these three methods" relationship when measuring myopia with astigmatism. In order to make the analysis more clear, we divided the 117 normal eyes into different groups according to their subjective manual refraction and redid the statistical analysis. Correlations among three methods show significant in sphere, cylinder and axis in all groups, with sphere"s correlation coefficients largest(R>0.98, P<0.01) and cylinder"s smallest (0.900.01). Auto-refractor had significant change from the other two methods when measuring cylinder (P<0.01). The results after grouping differed a little from the analysis among total people. Although three methods showed significant change from each other in certain parameters, the amplitude of these differences were not large, which indicated that the coherence of auto-refractor, wavefront aberrometer and subjective refraction is good. However, we suggested that wavefront aberration measurement could be a good starting point of optometry, subjective refraction is still necessary for refinement.

Carbon Cycling in Wetland Forest Soils

Treesearch

Carl C. Trettin; Martin F. Jurgensen

2003-01-01

Wetlands comprise a small proportion (i.e., 2 to 3%) of earth's terrestrial surface, yet they contain a significant proportion of the terrestrial carbon (C) pool. Soils comprise the largest terrestrial C pool (ca. 1550 Pg C in upper 100 cm; Eswaran et al., 1993; Batjes, 1996), and wetlands contain the single largest component, with estimates ranging between 18...

Low power and type II errors in recent ophthalmology research.

PubMed

Khan, Zainab; Milko, Jordan; Iqbal, Munir; Masri, Moness; Almeida, David R P

2016-10-01

To investigate the power of unpaired t tests in prospective, randomized controlled trials when these tests failed to detect a statistically significant difference and to determine the frequency of type II errors. Systematic review and meta-analysis. We examined all prospective, randomized controlled trials published between 2010 and 2012 in 4 major ophthalmology journals (Archives of Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, and American Journal of Ophthalmology). Studies that used unpaired t tests were included. Power was calculated using the number of subjects in each group, standard deviations, and α = 0.05. The difference between control and experimental means was set to be (1) 20% and (2) 50% of the absolute value of the control's initial conditions. Power and Precision version 4.0 software was used to carry out calculations. Finally, the proportion of articles with type II errors was calculated. β = 0.3 was set as the largest acceptable value for the probability of type II errors. In total, 280 articles were screened. Final analysis included 50 prospective, randomized controlled trials using unpaired t tests. The median power of tests to detect a 50% difference between means was 0.9 and was the same for all 4 journals regardless of the statistical significance of the test. The median power of tests to detect a 20% difference between means ranged from 0.26 to 0.9 for the 4 journals. The median power of these tests to detect a 50% and 20% difference between means was 0.9 and 0.5 for tests that did not achieve statistical significance. A total of 14% and 57% of articles with negative unpaired t tests contained results with β > 0.3 when power was calculated for differences between means of 50% and 20%, respectively. A large portion of studies demonstrate high probabilities of type II errors when detecting small differences between means. The power to detect small difference between means varies across journals. It is, therefore, worthwhile for authors to mention the minimum clinically important difference for individual studies. Journals can consider publishing statistical guidelines for authors to use. Day-to-day clinical decisions rely heavily on the evidence base formed by the plethora of studies available to clinicians. Prospective, randomized controlled clinical trials are highly regarded as a robust study and are used to make important clinical decisions that directly affect patient care. The quality of study designs and statistical methods in major clinical journals is improving overtime, 1 and researchers and journals are being more attentive to statistical methodologies incorporated by studies. The results of well-designed ophthalmic studies with robust methodologies, therefore, have the ability to modify the ways in which diseases are managed. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying, displaying and accounting for heterogeneity in the meta-analysis of RCTs using standard and generalised Q statistics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Clinical researchers have often preferred to use a fixed effects model for the primary interpretation of a meta-analysis. Heterogeneity is usually assessed via the well known Q and I2 statistics, along with the random effects estimate they imply. In recent years, alternative methods for quantifying heterogeneity have been proposed, that are based on a 'generalised' Q statistic. Methods We review 18 IPD meta-analyses of RCTs into treatments for cancer, in order to quantify the amount of heterogeneity present and also to discuss practical methods for explaining heterogeneity. Results Differing results were obtained when the standard Q and I2 statistics were used to test for the presence of heterogeneity. The two meta-analyses with the largest amount of heterogeneity were investigated further, and on inspection the straightforward application of a random effects model was not deemed appropriate. Compared to the standard Q statistic, the generalised Q statistic provided a more accurate platform for estimating the amount of heterogeneity in the 18 meta-analyses. Conclusions Explaining heterogeneity via the pre-specification of trial subgroups, graphical diagnostic tools and sensitivity analyses produced a more desirable outcome than an automatic application of the random effects model. Generalised Q statistic methods for quantifying and adjusting for heterogeneity should be incorporated as standard into statistical software. Software is provided to help achieve this aim. PMID:21473747

[Analysis of acute pesticide poisoning in Ningbo city from 2011 to 2016].

PubMed

Li, X H; Leng, P B; Mao, G C; Wang, A H

2018-01-20

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of acute pesticide poisoning in Ningbo, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and control strategy. Methods: In February 2017, the pesticide poisoning report card of Ningbo from 2011 to 2016 was drawn from the China Disease Control and prevention information system. The data of the report card was organized by Excel and analyzed by SPSS19.0 software. Results: 2593 cases of acute pesticide poisoning were reported in Ningbo from 2011 to 2016, 125 deaths, and the case fatality rate was 4.82%. The productive pesticide poisoning and unproductive pesticide poisoning were 299 and 2294, respectively, the ratio was 1: 7.67. The case fatality rate were 0.33% and 5.41%, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (χ(2)=14.83, P<0.01). The productive Pesticide poisoning mainly occurred from July to September (55.85%) , the unproductive pesticides mainly occurred from April to June (30.64%) and July to September (30.34%). The seasonal distribution of the pesticide poisoning in the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=82.21, P<0.01). The productive pesticide poisoning in male (80.27%) was significantly higher than the proportion of unproductive pesticide poisoning (52.09%) , the differences in gender composition between the two types of pesticide poisoning was significant (χ2=84.97, P<0.01). The productive pesticide poisoning from 55 to 65 years old group was in the largest number (35.45%) , and the distribution of unproductive pesticide poisoning was uniform in each age group including 25 years old and above, the difference in age composition between two types of pesticide poisoning was statistically significant (χ2=177.84, P<0.01). All of the 10 counties of Ningbo had reports of pesticide poisoning. The counties with more reports were Ninghai county (18.28%) , Fenghua district (14.69%) and Yuyao (12.42%). The acute pesticide poisoning was mainly caused by pesticides and herbicides, mainly in organophosphorus (45.74%) and paraquat (16.81%) . Conclusions: At present, the pesticide poisoning in Ningbo is given priority to unproductive pesticide poisoning currently, seasonal distribution characteristics was obvious, and occurred both in different sex and age groups, suggesting that the relevant departments should carry out targeted health education, and strengthen the management of high toxic and highly toxic pesticides.

[Correlations between MRI apparent diffusion coefficient and histological grade and molecular biology of breast invasive ductal carcinoma].

PubMed

Yu, Xuejuan; Liu, Shangang; Chen, Zhaoqiu; Zhang, Pinliang; Zhang, Jianbo; Xu, Liang; Liu, Zengjun; Ren, Ruimei

2014-08-01

To study the correlation between the MRI apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and histological grade and molecular biology of breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). This retrospective study included 125 patients with IDC verified by pathology from February 2010 to February 2013. Conventional MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) examination were performed using a 3.0T scanner with diffusion factor of 0 and 800 s/mm(2). The region of interest (ROI) was drawn on the largest lesion and/or its two adjacent slices. The ADC value of the whole tumor was calculated as the mean ADC value. The correlation between mean ADCs and histological grade and biological factors was analyzed. The mean ADC of pathological grade I, II and III IDC was (1.152 ± 0.072)×10(-3) mm(2)/s, (1.102 ± 0.101)×10(-3) mm(2)/s, and (1.035 ± 0.107)×10(-3) mm(2)/s, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference among them (P = 0.003). Statistically a significant difference was observed between grade III and I (P = 0.034), grade III and II (P = 0.006), but not between grade I and II (P = 0.741). A significant correlation was observed between ADC value and pathological grade (r = -0.342, P < 0.001). The median ADC values were significantly higher in the ER-negative than in the ER-positive cases [(1.130 ± 0.115)×10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. (1.060 ± 0.089) ×10(-3) mm(2)/s, P < 0.001)], in PR-negative than in PR-positive cases [(1.121 ± 0.106)×10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. (1.055 ± 0.096) ×10(-3) mm(2)/s, P < 0.001)], and in Ki-67-negative than in Ki-67-positive cases [(1.153 ± 0.090)×10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. (1.063 ± 0.101) ×10(-3) mm(2)/s, P < 0.001]. A statistically significant correlation was observed between ADC value and expressions of ER, PR, and Ki-67 (r = -0.311, r = -0.317, r = -0.414, P < 0.001). ADC value of breast invasive ductal carcinoma is correlated with histological grade, and expression of ER, PR and Ki-67.

Effects of economic crises on population health outcomes in Latin America, 1981-2010: an ecological study.

PubMed

Williams, Callum; Gilbert, Barnabas James; Zeltner, Thomas; Watkins, Johnathan; Atun, Rifat; Maruthappu, Mahiben

2016-01-06

The relative health effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on population health have not been assessed. We aimed to determine the effect of changes in these economic measures on mortality metrics across Latin America. Ecological study. Latin America (21 countries), 1981-2010. Uses multivariate regression analysis to assess the effects of changes in unemployment, inflation and GDP per capita on 5 mortality indicators across 21 countries in Latin America, 1981-2010. Country-specific differences in healthcare infrastructure, population structure and population size were controlled for. Between 1981 and 2010, a 1% rise in unemployment was associated with statistically significant deteriorations (p<0.05) in 5 population health outcomes, with largest deteriorations in 1-5 years of age and male adult mortality rates (1.14 and 0.53 rises per 1000 deaths respectively). A 1% rise in inflation rate was associated with significant deteriorations (p<0.05) in 4 population health outcomes, with the largest deterioration in male adult mortality rate (0.0033 rise per 1000 deaths). Lag analysis showed that 5 years after rises in unemployment and inflation, significant deteriorations (p<0.05) occurred in 3 and 5 mortality metrics, respectively. A 1% rise in GDP per capita was associated with no significant deteriorations in population health outcomes either in the short or long term. β coefficient comparisons indicated that the effect of unemployment increases was substantially greater than that of changes in GDP per capita or inflation. Rises in unemployment and inflation are associated with long-lasting deteriorations in several population health outcomes. Unemployment exerted much larger effects on health than inflation. In contrast, changes in GDP per capita had almost no association with the explored health outcomes. Contrary to neoclassical development economics, policymakers should prioritise amelioration of unemployment if population health outcomes are to be optimised. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Characteristics of electron distributions observed during large amplitude whistler wave events in the magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, L. B., III; Cattell, C. A.; Kellogg, P. J.; Goetz, K.; Wygant, J.; Breneman, A. W.; Kersten, K.

2010-12-01

We present a statistical study of the characteristics of electron distributions associated with large amplitude whistler waves inside the terrestrial magnetosphere using waveform capture data as an addition of the study by Kellogg et al., [2010b]. We identified three types of electron distributions observed simultaneously with the whistler waves including beam-like, beam/flattop, and anisotropic distributions. The whistlers exhibited different characteristics dependent upon the observed electron distributions. The majority of the waveforms observed in our study have f/fce ≤ 0.5 and are observed primarily in the radiation belts outside the plasmapause simultaneously with anisotropic electron distributions. We also present an example waveform capture of the largest magnetic field amplitude (≥ 8 nT pk-pk) whistler wave measured in the radiation belts. The majority of the largest amplitude whistlers occur during magnetically active periods (AE > 200 nT).

Higher-order derivative correlations and the alignment of small-scale structures in isotropic numerical turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, R. A.

1983-01-01

In a three dimensional simulation higher order derivative correlations, including skewness and flatness factors, are calculated for velocity and passive scalar fields and are compared with structures in the flow. The equations are forced to maintain steady state turbulence and collect statistics. It is found that the scalar derivative flatness increases much faster with Reynolds number than the velocity derivative flatness, and the velocity and mixed derivative skewness do not increase with Reynolds number. Separate exponents are found for the various fourth order velocity derivative correlations, with the vorticity flatness exponent the largest. Three dimensional graphics show strong alignment between the vorticity, rate of strain, and scalar-gradient fields. The vorticity is concentrated in tubes with the scalar gradient and the largest principal rate of strain aligned perpendicular to the tubes. Velocity spectra, in Kolmogorov variables, collapse to a single curve and a short minus 5/3 spectral regime is observed.

User's Guide for Monthly Vector Wind Profile Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelfang, S. I.

1999-01-01

The background, theoretical concepts, and methodology for construction of vector wind profiles based on a statistical model are presented. The derived monthly vector wind profiles are to be applied by the launch vehicle design community for establishing realistic estimates of critical vehicle design parameter dispersions related to wind profile dispersions. During initial studies a number of months are used to establish the model profiles that produce the largest monthly dispersions of ascent vehicle aerodynamic load indicators. The largest monthly dispersions for wind, which occur during the winter high-wind months, are used for establishing the design reference dispersions for the aerodynamic load indicators. This document includes a description of the computational process for the vector wind model including specification of input data, parameter settings, and output data formats. Sample output data listings are provided to aid the user in the verification of test output.

Characteristics of Electron Distributions Observed During Large Amplitude Whistler Wave Events in the Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Lynn B., III

2010-01-01

We present a statistical study of the characteristics of electron distributions associated with large amplitude whistler waves inside the terrestrial magnetosphere using waveform capture data as an addition of the study by Kellogg et al., [2010b]. We identified three types of electron distributions observed simultaneously with the whistler waves including beam-like, beam/flattop, and anisotropic distributions. The whistlers exhibited different characteristics dependent upon the observed electron distributions. The majority of the waveforms observed in our study have f/fce < or = 0.5 and are observed primarily in the radiation belts outside the plasmapause simultaneously with anisotropic electron distributions. We also present an example waveform capture of the largest magnetic field amplitude (> or = 8 nT pk-pk) whistler wave measured in the radiation belts. The majority of the largest amplitude whistlers occur during magnetically active periods (AE > 200 nT).

Inhomogeneous cosmology and backreaction: Current status and future prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolejko, Krzysztof; Korzyński, Mikołaj

Astronomical observations reveal hierarchical structures in the universe, from galaxies, groups of galaxies, clusters and superclusters, to filaments and voids. On the largest scales, it seems that some kind of statistical homogeneity can be observed. As a result, modern cosmological models are based on spatially homogeneous and isotropic solutions of the Einstein equations, and the evolution of the universe is approximated by the Friedmann equations. In parallel to standard homogeneous cosmology, the field of inhomogeneous cosmology and backreaction is being developed. This field investigates whether small scale inhomogeneities via nonlinear effects can backreact and alter the properties of the universe on its largest scales, leading to a non-Friedmannian evolution. This paper presents the current status of inhomogeneous cosmology and backreaction. It also discusses future prospects of the field of inhomogeneous cosmology, which is based on a survey of 50 academics working in the field of inhomogeneous cosmology.

Factors influencing agreement between child self-report and parent proxy-reports on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) generic core scales.

PubMed

Cremeens, Joanne; Eiser, Christine; Blades, Mark

2006-08-30

In situations where children are unable or unwilling to respond for themselves, measurement of quality of life (QOL) is often obtained by parent proxy-report. However the relationship between child self and parent proxy-reports has been shown to be poor in some circumstances. Additionally the most appropriate statistical method for comparing ratings between child and parent proxy-reports has not been clearly established. The objectives of this study were to assess the: 1) agreement between child and parent proxy-reports on an established child QOL measure (the PedsQL) using two different statistical methods; 2) effect of chronological age and domain type on agreement between children's and parents' reports on the PedsQL; 3) relationship between parents' own well-being and their ratings of their child's QOL. One hundred and forty-nine healthy children (5.5 - 6.5, 6.5 - 7.5, and 7.5 - 8.5 years) completed the PedsQL. One hundred and three of their parents completed these measures in relation to their child, and a measure of their own QOL (SF-36). Consistency between child and parent proxy-reports on the PedsQL was low, with Intra-Class correlation coefficients ranging from 0.02 to 0.23. Correlations were higher for the oldest age group for Total Score and Psychosocial Health domains, and for the Physical Health domain in the youngest age group. Statistically significant median differences were found between child and parent-reports on all subscales of the PedsQL. The largest median differences were found for the two older age groups. Statistically significant correlations were found between parents' own QOL and their proxy-reports of child QOL across the total sample and within the middle age group. Intra-Class correlation coefficients and median difference testing can provide different information on the relationship between parent proxy-reports and child self-reports. Our findings suggest that differences in the levels of parent-child agreement previously reported may be an artefact of the statistical method used. In addition, levels of agreement can be affected by child age, domains investigated, and parents' own QOL. Further studies are needed to establish the optimal predictors of levels of parent-child agreement.

MS/MS Automated Selected Ion Chromatograms

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

Monroe, Matthew

2005-12-12

This program can be used to read a LC-MS/MS data file from either a Finnigan ion trap mass spectrometer (.Raw file) or an Agilent Ion Trap mass spectrometer (.MGF and .CDF files) and create a selected ion chromatogram (SIC) for each of the parent ion masses chosen for fragmentation. The largest peak in each SIC is also identified, with reported statistics including peak elution time, height, area, and signal to noise ratio. It creates several output files, including a base peak intensity (BPI) chromatogram for the survey scan, a BPI for the fragmentation scans, an XML file containing the SICmore » data for each parent ion, and a "flat file" (ready for import into a database) containing summaries of the SIC data statistics.« less

High-statistics measurement of the η →3 π0 decay at the Mainz Microtron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakhov, S.; Abt, S.; Achenbach, P.; Adlarson, P.; Afzal, F.; Aguar-Bartolomé, P.; Ahmed, Z.; Ahrens, J.; Annand, J. R. M.; Arends, H. J.; Bantawa, K.; Bashkanov, M.; Beck, R.; Biroth, M.; Borisov, N. S.; Braghieri, A.; Briscoe, W. J.; Cherepnya, S.; Cividini, F.; Collicott, C.; Costanza, S.; Denig, A.; Dieterle, M.; Downie, E. J.; Drexler, P.; Ferretti Bondy, M. I.; Fil'kov, L. V.; Fix, A.; Gardner, S.; Garni, S.; Glazier, D. I.; Gorodnov, I.; Gradl, W.; Gurevich, G. M.; Hamill, C. B.; Heijkenskjöld, L.; Hornidge, D.; Huber, G. M.; Käser, A.; Kashevarov, V. L.; Kay, S.; Keshelashvili, I.; Kondratiev, R.; Korolija, M.; Krusche, B.; Lazarev, A.; Lisin, V.; Livingston, K.; Lutterer, S.; MacGregor, I. J. D.; Manley, D. M.; Martel, P. P.; McGeorge, J. C.; Middleton, D. G.; Miskimen, R.; Mornacchi, E.; Mushkarenkov, A.; Neganov, A.; Neiser, A.; Oberle, M.; Ostrick, M.; Otte, P. B.; Paudyal, D.; Pedroni, P.; Polonski, A.; Ron, G.; Rostomyan, T.; Sarty, A.; Sfienti, C.; Sokhoyan, V.; Spieker, K.; Steffen, O.; Strakovsky, I. I.; Strandberg, B.; Strub, Th.; Supek, I.; Thiel, A.; Thiel, M.; Thomas, A.; Unverzagt, M.; Usov, Yu. A.; Wagner, S.; Walford, N. K.; Watts, D. P.; Werthmüller, D.; Wettig, J.; Witthauer, L.; Wolfes, M.; Zana, L. A.; A2 Collaboration at MAMI

2018-06-01

The largest, at the moment, statistics of 7 ×106η →3 π0 decays, based on 6.2 ×107η mesons produced in the γ p →η p reaction, has been accumulated by the A2 Collaboration at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. It allowed a detailed study of the η →3 π0 dynamics beyond its conventional parametrization with just the quadratic slope parameter α and enabled, for the first time, a measurement of the second-order term and a better understanding of the cusp structure in the neutral decay. The present data are also compared to recent theoretical calculations that predict a nonlinear dependence along the quadratic distance from the Dalitz-plot center.

Outliers and Extremes: Dragon-Kings or Dragon-Fools?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schertzer, D. J.; Tchiguirinskaia, I.; Lovejoy, S.

2012-12-01

Geophysics seems full of monsters like Victor Hugo's Court of Miracles and monstrous extremes have been statistically considered as outliers with respect to more normal events. However, a characteristic magnitude separating abnormal events from normal ones would be at odd with the generic scaling behaviour of nonlinear systems, contrary to "fat tailed" probability distributions and self-organized criticality. More precisely, it can be shown [1] how the apparent monsters could be mere manifestations of a singular measure mishandled as a regular measure. Monstrous fluctuations are the rule, not outliers and they are more frequent than usually thought up to the point that (theoretical) statistical moments can easily be infinite. The empirical estimates of the latter are erratic and diverge with sample size. The corresponding physics is that intense small scale events cannot be smoothed out by upscaling. However, based on a few examples, it has also been argued [2] that one should consider "genuine" outliers of fat tailed distributions so monstrous that they can be called "dragon-kings". We critically analyse these arguments, e.g. finite sample size and statistical estimates of the largest events, multifractal phase transition vs. more classical phase transition. We emphasize the fact that dragon-kings are not needed in order that the largest events become predictable. This is rather reminiscent of the Feast of Fools picturesquely described by Victor Hugo. [1] D. Schertzer, I. Tchiguirinskaia, S. Lovejoy et P. Hubert (2010): No monsters, no miracles: in nonlinear sciences hydrology is not an outlier! Hydrological Sciences Journal, 55 (6) 965 - 979. [2] D. Sornette (2009): Dragon-Kings, Black Swans and the Prediction of Crises. International Journal of Terraspace Science and Engineering 1(3), 1-17.

The Kaiser Permanente Northern California Adult Member Health Survey.

PubMed

Gordon, Nancy; Lin, Teresa

2016-01-01

The Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Member Health Survey (MHS) is used to describe sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of the adult membership of this large, integrated health care delivery system to monitor trends over time, identify health disparities, and conduct research. To provide an overview of the KPNC MHS and share findings that illustrate how survey statistics and data have been and can be used for research and programmatic purposes. The MHS is a large-scale, institutional review board-approved survey of English-speaking KPNC adult members. The confidential survey has been conducted by mail triennially starting in 1993 with independent age-sex and geographically stratified random samples, with an option for online completion starting in 2005. The full survey sample and survey data are linkable at the individual level to Health Plan and geocoded data. Respondents are assigned weighting factors for their survey year and additional weighting factors for analysis of pooled survey data. Statistics from the 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011 surveys show trends in sociodemographic and health-related characteristics and access to the Internet and e-mail for the adult membership aged 25 to 79 years and for 6 age-sex subgroups. Pooled data from the 2008 and 2011 surveys show many significant differences in these characteristics across the 5 largest race/ethnic groups in KPNC (non-Hispanic whites, blacks, Latinos, Filipinos, and Chinese). The KPNC MHS has yielded unique insights and provides an opportunity for researchers and public health organizations outside of KPNC to leverage our survey-generated statistics and collaborate on epidemiologic and health services research studies.

DNA barcode identification of Podocarpaceae--the second largest conifer family.

PubMed

Little, Damon P; Knopf, Patrick; Schulz, Christian

2013-01-01

We have generated matK, rbcL, and nrITS2 DNA barcodes for 320 specimens representing all 18 extant genera of the conifer family Podocarpaceae. The sample includes 145 of the 198 recognized species. Comparative analyses of sequence quality and species discrimination were conducted on the 159 individuals from which all three markers were recovered (representing 15 genera and 97 species). The vast majority of sequences were of high quality (B 30 = 0.596-0.989). Even the lowest quality sequences exceeded the minimum requirements of the BARCODE data standard. In the few instances that low quality sequences were generated, the responsible mechanism could not be discerned. There were no statistically significant differences in the discriminatory power of markers or marker combinations (p = 0.05). The discriminatory power of the barcode markers individually and in combination is low (56.7% of species at maximum). In some instances, species discrimination failed in spite of ostensibly useful variation being present (genotypes were shared among species), but in many cases there was simply an absence of sequence variation. Barcode gaps (maximum intraspecific p-distance > minimum interspecific p-distance) were observed in 50.5% of species when all three markers were considered simultaneously. The presence of a barcode gap was not predictive of discrimination success (p = 0.02) and there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of barcode gaps among markers (p = 0.05). In addition, there was no correlation between number of individuals sampled per species and the presence of a barcode gap (p = 0.27).

Spatial spread of dengue in a non-endemic tropical city in northern Argentina.

PubMed

Gil, José F; Palacios, Maximiliano; Krolewiecki, Alejandro J; Cortada, Pedro; Flores, Rosana; Jaime, Cesar; Arias, Luis; Villalpando, Carlos; Alberti DÁmato, Anahí M; Nasser, Julio R; Aparicio, Juan P

2016-06-01

After more than eighty years dengue reemerged in Argentina in 1997. Since then, the largest epidemic in terms of geographical extent, magnitude and mortality, was recorded in 2009. In this report we analyzed the DEN-1 epidemic spread in Orán, a mid-size city in a non-endemic tropical area in Northern Argentina, and its correlation with demographic and socioeconomic factors. Cases were diagnosed by ELISA between January and June 2009. We applied a space-time and spatial scan statistic under a Poisson model. Possible association between dengue incidence and socio-economic variables was studied with the Spearman correlation test. The epidemic started from an imported case from Bolivia and space-time analysis detected two clusters: one on February and other in April (in the south and the northeast of the city respectively) with risk ratios of 25.24 and 4.07 (p<0.01). Subsequent cases spread widely around the city without significant space-temporal clustering. Maximum values of the entomological indices were observed in January, at the beginning of the epidemic (B=21.96; LH=8.39). No statistically significant association between socioeconomic variables and dengue incidence was found but positive correlation between population size and the number of cases (p<0.05) was detected. Two mechanisms may explain the observed pattern of epidemic spread in this non-endemic tropical city: a) Short range dispersal of mosquitoes and people generates clusters of cases and b) long-distance (within the city) human movement contributes to a quasi-random distribution of cases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sex-specific developmental models for Creophilus maxillosus (L.) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae): searching for larger accuracy of insect age estimates.

PubMed

Frątczak-Łagiewska, Katarzyna; Matuszewski, Szymon

2018-05-01

Differences in size between males and females, called the sexual size dimorphism, are common in insects. These differences may be followed by differences in the duration of development. Accordingly, it is believed that insect sex may be used to increase the accuracy of insect age estimates in forensic entomology. Here, the sex-specific differences in the development of Creophilus maxillosus were studied at seven constant temperatures. We have also created separate developmental models for males and females of C. maxillosus and tested them in a validation study to answer a question whether sex-specific developmental models improve the accuracy of insect age estimates. Results demonstrate that males of C. maxillosus developed significantly longer than females. The sex-specific and general models for the total immature development had the same optimal temperature range and similar developmental threshold but different thermal constant K, which was the largest in the case of the male-specific model and the smallest in the case of the female-specific model. Despite these differences, validation study revealed just minimal and statistically insignificant differences in the accuracy of age estimates using sex-specific and general thermal summation models. This finding indicates that in spite of statistically significant differences in the duration of immature development between females and males of C. maxillosus, there is no increase in the accuracy of insect age estimates while using the sex-specific thermal summation models compared to the general model. Accordingly, this study does not support the use of sex-specific developmental data for the estimation of insect age in forensic entomology.

Effects of Long-Term Speech-in-Noise Training in Air Traffic Controllers and High Frequency Suppression. A Control Group Study.

PubMed

Pérez Zaballos, María Teresa; Ramos de Miguel, Ángel; Pérez Plasencia, Daniel; Zaballos González, María Luisa; Ramos Macías, Ángel

2015-12-01

To evaluate 1) if air traffic controllers (ATC) perform better than non-air traffic controllers in an open-set speech-in-noise test because of their experience with radio communications, and 2) if high-frequency information (>8000 Hz) substantially improves speech-in-noise perception across populations. The control group comprised 28 normal-hearing subjects, and the target group comprised 48 ATCs aged between 19 and 55 years who were native Spanish speakers. The hearing -in-noise abilities of the two groups were characterized under two signal conditions: 1) speech tokens and white noise sampled at 44.1 kHz (unfiltered condition) and 2) speech tokens plus white noise, each passed through a 4th order Butterworth filter with 70 and 8000 Hz low and high cutoffs (filtered condition). These tests were performed at signal-to-noise ratios of +5, 0, and -5-dB SNR. The ATCs outperformed the control group in all conditions. The differences were statistically significant in all cases, and the largest difference was observed under the most difficult conditions (-5 dB SNR). Overall, scores were higher when high-frequency components were not suppressed for both groups, although statistically significant differences were not observed for the control group at 0 dB SNR. The results indicate that ATCs are more capable of identifying speech in noise. This may be due to the effect of their training. On the other hand, performance seems to decrease when the high frequency components of speech are removed, regardless of training.

Comparison of snowpack and winter wet-deposition chemistry in the Rocky Mountains, USA: Implications for winter dry deposition

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clow, David W.; Ingersoll, George P.; Mast, M. Alisa; Turk, John T.; Campbell, Donald H.

2002-01-01

Depth-integrated snowpack chemistry was measured just prior to maximum snowpack depth during the winters of 1992-1999 at 12 sites co-located with National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trend Network (NADP/NTN) sites in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, USA. Winter volume-weighted mean wet-deposition concentrations were calculated for the NADP/NTN sites, and the data were compared to snowpack concentrations using the paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. No statistically significant differences were indicated in concentrations of SO42- or NO3- (p>0.1). Small, but statistically significant differences (p???0.03) were indicated for all other solutes analyzed. Differences were largest for Ca2+ concentrations, which on average were 2.3??eql-1 (43%) higher in the snowpack than in winter NADP/NTN samples. Eolian carbonate dust appeared to influence snowpack chemistry through both wet and dry deposition, and the effect increased from north to south. Dry deposition of eolian carbonates was estimated to have neutralized an average of 6.9??eql-1 and a maximum of 12??eql-1 of snowpack acidity at the southernmost sites. The good agreement between snowpack and winter NADP/NTN SO42- and NO3- concentrations indicates that for those solutes the two data sets can be combined to increase data density in high-elevation areas, where few NADP/NTN sites exist. This combination of data sets will allow for better estimates of atmospheric deposition of SO42- and NO3- across the Rocky Mountain region.

Comparison of snowpack and winter wet-deposition chemistry in the Rocky Mountains, USA: implications for winter dry deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clow, David W.; Ingersoll, George P.; Mast, M. Alisa; Turk, John T.; Campbell, Donald H.

Depth-integrated snowpack chemistry was measured just prior to maximum snowpack depth during the winters of 1992-1999 at 12 sites co-located with National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trend Network (NADP/NTN) sites in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, USA. Winter volume-weighted mean wet-deposition concentrations were calculated for the NADP/NTN sites, and the data were compared to snowpack concentrations using the paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. No statistically significant differences were indicated in concentrations of SO 42- or NO 3- ( p>0.1). Small, but statistically significant differences ( p⩽0.03) were indicated for all other solutes analyzed. Differences were largest for Ca 2+ concentrations, which on average were 2.3 μeq l -1 (43%) higher in the snowpack than in winter NADP/NTN samples. Eolian carbonate dust appeared to influence snowpack chemistry through both wet and dry deposition, and the effect increased from north to south. Dry deposition of eolian carbonates was estimated to have neutralized an average of 6.9 μeq l -1 and a maximum of 12 μeq l -1 of snowpack acidity at the southernmost sites. The good agreement between snowpack and winter NADP/NTN SO 42- and NO 3- concentrations indicates that for those solutes the two data sets can be combined to increase data density in high-elevation areas, where few NADP/NTN sites exist. This combination of data sets will allow for better estimates of atmospheric deposition of SO 42- and NO 3- across the Rocky Mountain region.

Quantitative analysis of structural variations in corpus callosum in adults with multiple system atrophy (MSA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Debanjali; Sinha, Neelam; Saini, Jitender

2017-03-01

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare, non-curable, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects nervous system and movement, poses a considerable diagnostic challenge to medical researchers. Corpus callosum (CC) being the largest white matter structure in brain, enabling inter-hemispheric communication, quantification of callosal atrophy may provide vital information at the earliest possible stages. The main objective is to identify the differences in CC structure for this disease, based on quantitative analysis on the pattern of callosal atrophy. We report results of quantification of structural changes in regional anatomical thickness, area and length of CC between patient-groups with MSA with respect to healthy controls. The method utilizes isolating and parcellating the mid-sagittal CC into 100 segments along the length - measuring the width of each segment. It also measures areas within geometrically defined five callosal compartments of the well-known Witelson, and Hofer-Frahma schemes. For quantification, statistical tests are performed on these different callosal measurements. From the statistical analysis, it is concluded that compared to healthy controls, width is reduced drastically throughout CC for MSA group and as well as changes in area and length are also significant for MSA. The study is further extended to check if any significant difference in thickness is found between the two variations of MSA, Parkinsonian MSA and Cerebellar MSA group, using the same methodology. However area and length of this two sub-MSA group, no substantial difference is obtained. The study is performed on twenty subjects for each control and MSA group, who had T1-weighted MRI.

DNA Barcode Identification of Podocarpaceae—The Second Largest Conifer Family

PubMed Central

Little, Damon P.; Knopf, Patrick; Schulz, Christian

2013-01-01

We have generated matK, rbcL, and nrITS2 DNA barcodes for 320 specimens representing all 18 extant genera of the conifer family Podocarpaceae. The sample includes 145 of the 198 recognized species. Comparative analyses of sequence quality and species discrimination were conducted on the 159 individuals from which all three markers were recovered (representing 15 genera and 97 species). The vast majority of sequences were of high quality (B 30 = 0.596–0.989). Even the lowest quality sequences exceeded the minimum requirements of the BARCODE data standard. In the few instances that low quality sequences were generated, the responsible mechanism could not be discerned. There were no statistically significant differences in the discriminatory power of markers or marker combinations (p = 0.05). The discriminatory power of the barcode markers individually and in combination is low (56.7% of species at maximum). In some instances, species discrimination failed in spite of ostensibly useful variation being present (genotypes were shared among species), but in many cases there was simply an absence of sequence variation. Barcode gaps (maximum intraspecific p–distance > minimum interspecific p–distance) were observed in 50.5% of species when all three markers were considered simultaneously. The presence of a barcode gap was not predictive of discrimination success (p = 0.02) and there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of barcode gaps among markers (p = 0.05). In addition, there was no correlation between number of individuals sampled per species and the presence of a barcode gap (p = 0.27). PMID:24312258

Evaluation of degree of conversion and the effect of thermal aging on the color stability of resin cements and flowable composite.

PubMed

Prieto, Lúcia Trazzi; Pimenta de Araújo, Cíntia Tereza; Araujo Pierote, Josué Junior; Salles de Oliveira, Dayane Carvalho Ramos; Coppini, Erick Kamiya; Sartini Paulillo, Luís Alexandre Maffei

2018-01-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the color stability and degree of conversion (DC) of dual-cure and light-cure cements and flowable composites after thermal aging. A total of 50 human incisors were prepared and divided into six groups ( n = 10). Veneers were fabricated using IPS Empress Direct composite resin were bonded with three types of luting agents: Light-cured, conventional dual, and flowable composite according to the manufacturer's instructions. The groups were as follows: Filtek Z350XT Flow/Single Bond 2, RelyX ARC/Single Bond 2, RelyX Veneer/Single Bond 2, Tetric N-Flow/Tetric N-Bond, and Variolink II/Tetric N-Bond. Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage L*, a* and b* color coordinates were measured 24 h after cementation procedure with a color spectrophotometer and reevaluated after 10,000 thermal cycles. To evaluate the DC 50 specimens ( n = 10) of each resin material were obtained and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to evaluate the absorption spectra. Statistical analysis was performed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). No statistically significant differences in ΔE* occurred after aging. The greatest change in lightness occurred in the Variolink II resin cement. Changes in red-green hue were very small for the same cement and largest in the Tetric N-Flow flowable resin composite, while the greatest change in blue-yellow hue was a yellowing of the RelyX ARC luting cement. RelyX ARC exhibited the highest DC, and there were no statistically significant differences in DC among the other cements. Resin-based luting agent might affect the final of ceramic veneer restorations. The thermal aging affected the final color of the evaluated materials, and these were regarded as clinically unacceptable (ΔE >3.3).

A population study of hot Jupiter atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsiaras, A.; Waldmann, I. P.; Zingales, T.; Rocchetto, M.; Damiano, M.; Karpouzas, K.; Tinetti, G.; McKemmish, L. K.; Tennyson, J.; Yrchenko, S. N.

2017-09-01

In the past two decades, we have learnt that every star hosts more than one planet. While the hunt for new exoplanets is on-going, the current sample of more than 3500 confirmed planets reveals a wide spectrum of planetary characteristics. While small planets appear to be the most common, the big and gaseous planets play a key role in the process of planetary formation. We present here the analysis of 30 gaseous extra-solar planets, with temperatures between 600 and 2400 K and radii between 0.35 and 1.9 Jupiter radii. These planets were spectroscopically observed with the Wide Field Camera 3 on-board the Hubble Space Telescope, which is currently one of the most successful instruments for observing exoplanetary atmospheres. The quality of the HST/WFC3 spatially-scanned data combined with our specialised analysis tools, allows us to create the largest and most self-consistent sample of exoplanetary transmission spectra to date and study the collective behaviour of warm and hot gaseous planets rather than isolated case-studies. We define a new metric, the Atmospheric Detectability Index (ADI) to evaluate the statistical significance of an atmospheric detection and find statistically significant atmospheres around 16 planets. For most of the Jupiters in our sample we find the detectability of their atmospheres to be dependent on the planetary radius but not on the planetary mass. This indicates that planetary gravity is a secondary factor in the evolution of planetary atmospheres. We detect the presence of water vapour in all the statistically detectable atmospheres and we cannot rule out its presence in the atmospheres of the others. In addition, TiO and/or VO signatures are detected with 4σ confidence in WASP-76 b, and they are most likely present on WASP-121 b. We find no correlation between expected signal-to-noise and atmospheric detectability for most targets. This has important implications for future large-scale surveys.

Statistical Significance of Periodicity and Log-Periodicity with Heavy-Tailed Correlated Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wei-Xing; Sornette, Didier

We estimate the probability that random noise, of several plausible standard distributions, creates a false alarm that a periodicity (or log-periodicity) is found in a time series. The solution of this problem is already known for independent Gaussian distributed noise. We investigate more general situations with non-Gaussian correlated noises and present synthetic tests on the detectability and statistical significance of periodic components. A periodic component of a time series is usually detected by some sort of Fourier analysis. Here, we use the Lomb periodogram analysis, which is suitable and outperforms Fourier transforms for unevenly sampled time series. We examine the false-alarm probability of the largest spectral peak of the Lomb periodogram in the presence of power-law distributed noises, of short-range and of long-range fractional-Gaussian noises. Increasing heavy-tailness (respectively correlations describing persistence) tends to decrease (respectively increase) the false-alarm probability of finding a large spurious Lomb peak. Increasing anti-persistence tends to decrease the false-alarm probability. We also study the interplay between heavy-tailness and long-range correlations. In order to fully determine if a Lomb peak signals a genuine rather than a spurious periodicity, one should in principle characterize the Lomb peak height, its width and its relations to other peaks in the complete spectrum. As a step towards this full characterization, we construct the joint-distribution of the frequency position (relative to other peaks) and of the height of the highest peak of the power spectrum. We also provide the distributions of the ratio of the highest Lomb peak to the second highest one. Using the insight obtained by the present statistical study, we re-examine previously reported claims of ``log-periodicity'' and find that the credibility for log-periodicity in 2D-freely decaying turbulence is weakened while it is strengthened for fracture, for the ion-signature prior to the Kobe earthquake and for financial markets.

The Importance of Medical Students' Attitudes Regarding Cognitive Competence for Teaching Applied Statistics: Multi-Site Study and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Milic, Natasa M.; Masic, Srdjan; Milin-Lazovic, Jelena; Trajkovic, Goran; Bukumiric, Zoran; Savic, Marko; Milic, Nikola V.; Cirkovic, Andja; Gajic, Milan; Kostic, Mirjana; Ilic, Aleksandra; Stanisavljevic, Dejana

2016-01-01

Background The scientific community increasingly is recognizing the need to bolster standards of data analysis given the widespread concern that basic mistakes in data analysis are contributing to the irreproducibility of many published research findings. The aim of this study was to investigate students’ attitudes towards statistics within a multi-site medical educational context, monitor their changes and impact on student achievement. In addition, we performed a systematic review to better support our future pedagogical decisions in teaching applied statistics to medical students. Methods A validated Serbian Survey of Attitudes Towards Statistics (SATS-36) questionnaire was administered to medical students attending obligatory introductory courses in biostatistics from three medical universities in the Western Balkans. A systematic review of peer-reviewed publications was performed through searches of Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Medline, and APA databases through 1994. A meta-analysis was performed for the correlation coefficients between SATS component scores and statistics achievement. Pooled estimates were calculated using random effects models. Results SATS-36 was completed by 461 medical students. Most of the students held positive attitudes towards statistics. Ability in mathematics and grade point average were associated in a multivariate regression model with the Cognitive Competence score, after adjusting for age, gender and computer ability. The results of 90 paired data showed that Affect, Cognitive Competence, and Effort scores demonstrated significant positive changes. The Cognitive Competence score showed the largest increase (M = 0.48, SD = 0.95). The positive correlation found between the Cognitive Competence score and students’ achievement (r = 0.41; p<0.001), was also shown in the meta-analysis (r = 0.37; 95% CI 0.32–0.41). Conclusion Students' subjective attitudes regarding Cognitive Competence at the beginning of the biostatistics course, which were directly linked to mathematical knowledge, affected their attitudes at the end of the course that, in turn, influenced students' performance. This indicates the importance of positively changing not only students’ cognitive competency, but also their perceptions of gained competency during the biostatistics course. PMID:27764123

The Importance of Medical Students' Attitudes Regarding Cognitive Competence for Teaching Applied Statistics: Multi-Site Study and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Milic, Natasa M; Masic, Srdjan; Milin-Lazovic, Jelena; Trajkovic, Goran; Bukumiric, Zoran; Savic, Marko; Milic, Nikola V; Cirkovic, Andja; Gajic, Milan; Kostic, Mirjana; Ilic, Aleksandra; Stanisavljevic, Dejana

2016-01-01

The scientific community increasingly is recognizing the need to bolster standards of data analysis given the widespread concern that basic mistakes in data analysis are contributing to the irreproducibility of many published research findings. The aim of this study was to investigate students' attitudes towards statistics within a multi-site medical educational context, monitor their changes and impact on student achievement. In addition, we performed a systematic review to better support our future pedagogical decisions in teaching applied statistics to medical students. A validated Serbian Survey of Attitudes Towards Statistics (SATS-36) questionnaire was administered to medical students attending obligatory introductory courses in biostatistics from three medical universities in the Western Balkans. A systematic review of peer-reviewed publications was performed through searches of Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Medline, and APA databases through 1994. A meta-analysis was performed for the correlation coefficients between SATS component scores and statistics achievement. Pooled estimates were calculated using random effects models. SATS-36 was completed by 461 medical students. Most of the students held positive attitudes towards statistics. Ability in mathematics and grade point average were associated in a multivariate regression model with the Cognitive Competence score, after adjusting for age, gender and computer ability. The results of 90 paired data showed that Affect, Cognitive Competence, and Effort scores demonstrated significant positive changes. The Cognitive Competence score showed the largest increase (M = 0.48, SD = 0.95). The positive correlation found between the Cognitive Competence score and students' achievement (r = 0.41; p<0.001), was also shown in the meta-analysis (r = 0.37; 95% CI 0.32-0.41). Students' subjective attitudes regarding Cognitive Competence at the beginning of the biostatistics course, which were directly linked to mathematical knowledge, affected their attitudes at the end of the course that, in turn, influenced students' performance. This indicates the importance of positively changing not only students' cognitive competency, but also their perceptions of gained competency during the biostatistics course.

The Effects of Changing Land Use and Climate on the Hydrology and Carbon Budget of Lake Simcoe Watershed, Ontario, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oni, Stephen Kayode

The Lake Simcoe watershed (LSW) has experienced significant population growth and is under pressure from development. This has led to land use changes in the watershed in addition to the global climate change that is impacting every region of the world. In this thesis, remote sensing analysis, statistics and process-based modelling approaches were used to better understand dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and runoff dynamics in the changing landscape of LSW. The process-based approach involved the use of the HBV (Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenbalansavdelning) rainfall runoff model and the Integrated Catchment Model for Carbon (INCA-C). Statistical downscaling of the Canadian General Circulation Model (CGCM3) was used to predict the impact of climate change under the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) A1B and A2 scenarios. There was a significant land use change in LSW between 1994 and 2009 with a positive monotonic trend in runoff ratio across tributaries. Large increase in runoff ratio without corresponding increase in precipitation suggested that runoff drains more quickly over the land surfaces; an indication of increasing urban-induced impervious surfaces. However, there was a significant increase in air temperature (MK = 0.315; p<0.01) and precipitation (MK = 0.290; p<0.01) outside the fifteen year (1994-2009) window. This translated to an increase in air temperature of ˜0.7°C and precipitation by ˜6.3% at the end of the forty year period (1960-2000). This suggested that historical meteorological conditions in the LSW have evolved to a warmer-wetter condition in the recent time and this might serve as a pointer of future conditions if the current trend persists. Both A1B and A2 scenarios predicted an increase in air temperature by a maximum of 1.4°C by 2050 and up to 3.5°C by 2100 relative to the baseline period (1960-2000). HBV predicted a largest variability in the spring and winter season's runoff regimes (2020-2050) under both A1B and A2 scenarios. A 5% increase in DOC concentration and a 6% increase in flux were observed between period 1 (1994-1997) and period 2 (2007-2009). The observed increases were driven by spring (20%) and summer (26%). INCA-C predicted a positive monotonic increase in long-term DOC concentrations (2020-2100) in surface waters draining into Lake Simcoe under both scenarios with the largest seasonal variations in DOC concentrations predicted to occur in the summer months. This indicates the sensitivity of surface water quantity-quality to rising air temperature with the possibility of an increase in CO2 emissions from the rivers in the future. Understanding the processes that mediate DOC mobilization into Lake Simcoe from its catchment may lead to improvements in watershed management and a better understanding of other carbon dependent biogeochemical processes such as mercury. Keywords: CGCM, Climate change, Dissolved organic carbon, Environmental modelling, HBV model, Hydrology, INCA-C, Lake Simcoe, Land use change, Remote sensing, SDSM, Statistical downscaling.

[Polychlorinated biphenyls in fractions of wheat grains and in selected bakery products].

PubMed

Brandt, Elzbieta; Pietrzak-Fiećko, Renata; Smoczyński, S S

2012-01-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) form a group of synthetic aromatic chemical compounds, commonly occurring in the environment as a result of industrialisation. Despite the ban on PCBs production, their wide application in the past resulted in their common occurrence in all elements of the environment. The lipophilic nature of the compounds resulting in their accumulation in live organisms and in the human body may trigger many harmful effects. The aim of this study was to determine the PCBs content in the selected species of wheat and in bakery products. The studies aiming at confirming possible correlation between the size of the grain of the selected species of wheat and the content of polychlorinated biphenyls were presented in this paper. Moreover, PCBs concentration in cereals' grains and in bread was compared. The PCBs content was defined in different sizes of grains species of wheat i.e. Opatka, Zyta, Elena and Almari. The study included also two kinds of wheat bread. PCBs were determined after the extraction with n-hexane followed by sulphuric acid hydrolysis. Gas chromatography analysis was conducted on a PU 4600 Unicam apparatus with an electron capture detector. The large variations in PCBs content depending on the grain size were confirmed. In the Opatka species the increase in the content of all determined congeners and the size of grain was confirmed. The lowest PCBs concentrations were in smallest grains (0,0090 mg/kg of fat), and the highest in the largest grains (0,0264 mg/kg of fat). In Zyta species PCBs content was also lowest in the smallest grains, however these results were not statistically significant. In the Elena species the increase in the PCBs content together with the increase in the grain size was confirmed. Basing on the determination coefficient it was found that the concentration of PCBs depends on the size of grains in 24%. The highest concentration of PCBs (0,0366 mg/kg of fat) was found in the largest grains, however differences between the examined fractions were not statistically significant. Similar tendencies were observed in Almari species. PCBs content in wheat bread was on lower level than in all of the examined species. It was confirmed that fraction 2,8 x 25 mm of all species of wheat grain had the highest PCBs content. The tendency to decrease of PCBs content with the decrease of the grain in size was observed. The relation between qualitative class of species and PCBs content was not confirmed. There were statistically significant differences in the PCBs concentrations between the wheat species within one size fraction. The results of PCBs content in wheat bread were lower than in all examined species of wheat. One can assume that for the production of bread collected for the study, the wheat originating from areas with low PCBs contamination was used. Somewhat higher PCBs content was observed in the wheat bread with bran added, probably due to higher PCBs accumulation in the bran, which contain higher fat and contribute therefore to the overall PCBs in the bran containing bread.

High school students' experiences of bullying and victimization and the association with school health center use.

PubMed

Lewis, Catherine; Deardorff, Julianna; Lahiff, Maureen; Soleimanpour, Samira; Sakashita, Kimi; Brindis, Claire D

2015-05-01

Bullying and victimization are ongoing concerns in schools. School health centers (SHCs) are well situated to support affected students because they provide crisis intervention, mental health care, and broader interventions to improve school climate. This study examined the association between urban adolescents' experiences of school-based bullying and victimization and their use of SHCs. Data was analyzed from 2063 high school students in 5 Northern California school districts using the 2009-2010 California Healthy Kids Survey. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to measure associations. Students who were bullied or victimized at school had significantly higher odds of using the SHCs compared with students who were not, and were also significantly more likely to report confidentiality concerns. The magnitude of associations was largest for Asian/Pacific Islander students, though this was likely due to greater statistical power. African American students reported victimization experiences at approximately the same rate as their peers, but were significantly less likely to indicate they experienced bullying. Findings suggest that SHCs may be an important place to address bullying and victimization at school, but confidentiality concerns are barriers that may be more common among bullied and victimized youth. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Unemployment, public-sector healthcare expenditure and colorectal cancer mortality in the European Union: 1990-2009.

PubMed

Maruthappu, Mahiben; Watson, Robert A; Watkins, Johnathan; Williams, Callum; Zeltner, Thomas; Faiz, Omar; Ali, Raghib; Atun, Rifat

2016-01-01

We examined the association between unemployment and government spending on healthcare with colorectal cancer mortality. Retrospective observational study using data from the World Bank and WHO. Multivariate regression analysis was used, controlling for country-specific differences in infrastructure and demographics. A 1 % increase in unemployment was associated with a significant increase in colorectal cancer mortality in both men and women [men: coefficient (R) = 0.0995, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.0132-0.1858, P = 0.024; women: R = 0.0742, 95 % CI 0.0160-0.1324, P = 0.013]. A 1 % increase in government spending on healthcare was associated with a statistically significant decrease in colorectal cancer mortality across both sexes (men: R = -0.4307, 95 % CI -0.6057 to -0.2557, P < 0.001; women: R = -0.2162, 95 % CI -0.3407 to -0.0917, P = 0.001). The largest changes in mortality occurred 3-4 years following changes in either economic variable. Unemployment rises are associated with a significant increase in colorectal cancer mortality, whilst government healthcare spending rises are associated with falling mortality. This is likely due, in part, to reduced access to healthcare services and has major implications for clinicians and policy makers alike.

Effect of Processing Parameters on the Physical, Thermal, and Combustion Properties of Plasma-Synthesized Aluminum Nanopowders

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

only a couple of processing parameters. Table 2 Statistical results of the DOE Run no. Plasma power Feed rate System pressure Quench rate...and quench rate. Particle size was chosen as the measured response due to its predominant effect on material properties. The results of the DOE...showed that feed rate and quench rate have the largest effect on particle size. All synthesized powders were characterized by thermogravimetric

Westmorland-Albert Solid Waste Corporation annual report, 1997 (in English;French)

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

NONE

1998-12-31

Formed under the Clean Environment Act the Corporation has been involved in landfill sites and in recycling and composting programs in New Brunswick. This report includes the Chairman`s summary of issues and accomplishment over the past year, followed by a list of WASWC members. The largest part of the document is composed of financial statements. Statistics provided in appendices covers solid waste received from each municipality by waste category (residential / commercial or industrial / commercial / institutional).

High diversity of beta-lactamases in the General Hospital Vienna verified by whole genome sequencing and statistical analysis.

PubMed

Barišić, Ivan; Mitteregger, Dieter; Hirschl, Alexander M; Noehammer, Christa; Wiesinger-Mayr, Herbert

2014-10-01

The detailed analysis of antibiotic resistance mechanisms is essential for understanding the underlying evolutionary processes, the implementation of appropriate intervention strategies and to guarantee efficient treatment options. In the present study, 110 β-lactam-resistant, clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae sampled in 2011 in one of Europe's largest hospitals, the General Hospital Vienna, were screened for the presence of 31 β-lactamase genes. Twenty of those isolates were selected for whole genome sequencing (WGS). In addition, the number of β-lactamase genes was estimated using biostatistical models. The carbapenemase genes blaKPC-2, blaKPC-3, and blaVIM-4 were identified in carbapenem-resistant and intermediate susceptible isolates, blaOXA-72 in an extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive one. Furthermore, the observed high prevalence of the acquired blaDHA-1 and blaCMY AmpC β-lactamase genes (70%) in phenotypically AmpC-positive isolates is alarming due to their capability to become carbapenem-resistant upon changes in membrane permeability. The statistical analyses revealed that approximately 55% of all β-lactamase genes present in the General Hospital Vienna were detected by this study. In summary, this work gives a very detailed picture on the disseminated β-lactamases and other resistance genes in one of Europe's largest hospitals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The “χ” of the Matter: Testing the Relationship between Paleoenvironments and Three Theropod Clades

PubMed Central

Sales, Marcos A. F.; Lacerda, Marcel B.; Horn, Bruno L. D.; de Oliveira, Isabel A. P.; Schultz, Cesar L.

2016-01-01

The view of spinosaurs as dinosaurs of semi-aquatic habits and strongly associated with marginal and coastal habitats are deeply rooted in both scientific and popular knowledge, but it was never statistically tested. Inspired by a previous analysis of other dinosaur clades and major paleoenvironmental categories, here we present our own statistical evaluation of the association between coastal and terrestrial paleoenvironments and spinosaurids, along with other two theropod taxa: abelisaurids and carcharodontosaurids. We also included a taphonomic perspective and classified the occurrences in categories related to potential biases in order to better address our interpretations. Our main results can be summarized as follows: 1) the taxon with the largest amount of statistical evidence showing it positively associated to coastal paleoenvironments is Spinosauridae; 2) abelisaurids and carcharodontosaurids had more statistical evidence showing them positively associated with terrestrial paleoenvironments; 3) it is likely that spinosaurids also occupied spatially inland areas in a way somehow comparable at least to carcharodontosaurids; 4) abelisaurids may have been more common than the other two taxa in inland habitats. PMID:26829315

Uterine preservation in pelvic organ prolapse using robot assisted laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy: quality of life and technique.

PubMed

Mourik, Sarah L; Martens, Jolise E; Aktas, Mustafa

2012-11-01

Measuring quality of life of women with disorders of the pelvic floor is crucial when evaluating a therapy. The aim of this study is to profile health related quality of life of women with pelvic organ prolapse who are treated with robot assisted laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy (RALS). We also compare the operative characteristics and learning curve in this study with the current literature and describe the surgical technique. A prospective cohort study in a teaching hospital in The Netherlands. Fifty women with uterovaginal prolapse were treated with RALS. This study presents the largest cohort in Europe treated by RALS to date. Quality of life was assessed pre- and post-operatively using the UDI/IIQ validated self-questionnaire designed for Dutch-speaking patients. Clinical and operative data were prospectively collected up to 29 months. RALS was performed with preservation of the uterus. Statistical analysis of categorical data was performed with the paired T-test. Descriptive statistics were computed with the use of standard methods for means, median and proportions. Before operation, overall wellbeing was scored at 67.7% and after surgery this improved to 82.1% (p=0.03). Feelings of nervousness, frustration and embarrassment reduced significantly. Sexual functioning improved, but not significantly. The mean operative time was 223 (103-340) min. Operative time decreased significantly with gained experience and became comparable to the operative time for abdominal sacrocolpopexy and classic laparoscopy. Average blood loss was less than 50 ml and patients had a mean hospital stay of 2 days. Of all women, 95.2% were very satisfied with the result after RALS. Health related quality of life improves significantly after RALS. There are high rates of patient satisfaction. RALS proves to be a safe and effective treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Operative time is comparable to abdominal sacrocolpopexy and classic laparoscopy in the current literature. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Severity of urban cycling injuries and the relationship with personal, trip, route and crash characteristics: analyses using four severity metrics

PubMed Central

Cripton, Peter A; Shen, Hui; Brubacher, Jeff R; Chipman, Mary; Friedman, Steven M; Harris, M Anne; Winters, Meghan; Reynolds, Conor C O; Cusimano, Michael D; Babul, Shelina; Teschke, Kay

2015-01-01

Objective To examine the relationship between cycling injury severity and personal, trip, route and crash characteristics. Methods Data from a previous study of injury risk, conducted in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, were used to classify injury severity using four metrics: (1) did not continue trip by bike; (2) transported to hospital by ambulance; (3) admitted to hospital; and (4) Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). Multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations with personal, trip, route and crash characteristics. Results Of 683 adults injured while cycling, 528 did not continue their trip by bike, 251 were transported by ambulance and 60 were admitted to hospital for further treatment. Treatment urgencies included 75 as CTAS=1 or 2 (most medically urgent), 284 as CTAS=3, and 320 as CTAS=4 or 5 (least medically urgent). Older age and collision with a motor vehicle were consistently associated with increased severity in all four metrics and statistically significant in three each (both variables with ambulance transport and CTAS; age with hospital admission; and motor vehicle collision with did not continue by bike). Other factors were consistently associated with more severe injuries, but statistically significant in one metric each: downhill grades; higher motor vehicle speeds; sidewalks (these significant for ambulance transport); multiuse paths and local streets (both significant for hospital admission). Conclusions In two of Canada's largest cities, about one-third of the bicycle crashes were collisions with motor vehicles and the resulting injuries were more severe than in other crash circumstances, underscoring the importance of separating cyclists from motor vehicle traffic. Our results also suggest that bicycling injury severity and injury risk would be reduced on facilities that minimise slopes, have lower vehicle speeds, and that are designed for bicycling rather than shared with pedestrians. PMID:25564148

Is Forest Restoration in the Southwest China Karst Promoted Mainly by Climate Change or Human-Induced Factors?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, H.

2017-12-01

The Southwest China Karst, the largest continuous karst zone in the world, has suffered serious rock desertification due to the large population pressure in the area. Recent trend analyses have indicated general greening trends in this region. The region has experienced mild climate change, and yet significant land use changes, such as afforestation and reforestation. In addition, out-migration has occurred. Whether climate change or human-induced factors, i.e., ecological afforestation projects and out-migration have primarily promoted forest restoration in this region was investigated in this study, using Guizhou Province as the study area. Based on Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, we found general greening trends of the forest from 2000 to 2010. About 89% of the forests have experienced an increase in the annual NDVI, and among which, about 41% is statistically significant. For the summer season, more than 65% of the forests have increases in summer NDVI, and about 16% of the increases are significant. The strongest greening trends mainly occurred in the karst areas. Meanwhile, annual average and summer average temperature in this region have increased and the precipitation in most of the region has decreased, although most of these changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.1). A site-based regression analysis using 19 climate stations with minimum land use changes showed that a warming climate coupled with a decrease in precipitation explained some of the changes in the forest NDVI, but the results were not conclusive. The major changes were attributed to human-induced factors, especially in the karst areas. The implications of an ecological afforestation project and out-migration for forest restoration were also discussed, and the need for further investigations at the household level to better understand the out-migration-environment relationship was identified.

Development and validation of a novel, simple, and accurate spectrophotometric method for the determination of lead in human serum.

PubMed

Shayesteh, Tavakol Heidari; Khajavi, Farzad; Khosroshahi, Abolfazl Ghafuri; Mahjub, Reza

2016-01-01

The determination of blood lead levels is the most useful indicator of the determination of the amount of lead that is absorbed by the human body. Various methods, like atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), have already been used for the detection of lead in biological fluid, but most of these methods are based on complicated, expensive, and highly instructed instruments. In this study, a simple and accurate spectroscopic method for the determination of lead has been developed and applied for the investigation of lead concentration in biological samples. In this study, a silica gel column was used to extract lead and eliminate interfering agents in human serum samples. The column was washed with deionized water. The pH was adjusted to the value of 8.2 using phosphate buffer, and then tartrate and cyanide solutions were added as masking agents. The lead content was extracted into the organic phase containing dithizone as a complexion reagent and the dithizone-Pb(II) complex was formed and approved by visible spectrophotometry at 538 nm. The recovery was found to be 84.6 %. In order to validate the method, a calibration curve involving the use of various concentration levels was calculated and proven to be linear in the range of 0.01-1.5 μg/ml, with an R (2) regression coefficient of 0.9968 by statistical analysis of linear model validation. The largest error % values were found to be -5.80 and +11.6 % for intra-day and inter-day measurements, respectively. The largest RSD % values were calculated to be 6.54 and 12.32 % for intra-day and inter-day measurements, respectively. Further, the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 0.002 μg/ml. The developed method was applied to determine the lead content in the human serum of voluntary miners, and it has been proven that there is no statistically significant difference between the data provided from this novel method and the data obtained from previously studied AAS.

Nurse staffing and deficiencies in the largest for-profit nursing home chains and chains owned by private equity companies.

PubMed

Harrington, Charlene; Olney, Brian; Carrillo, Helen; Kang, Taewoon

2012-02-01

To compare staffing levels and deficiencies of the 10 largest U.S. for-profit nursing home chains with five other ownership groups and chain staffing and deficiencies before and after purchase by four private equity (PE) companies. Facilities for the largest for-profit chains were identified through Internet searches and company reports and matched with federal secondary data for 2003-2008 for each ownership group. Descriptive statistics and generalized estimation equation panel regression models examined staffing and deficiencies by ownership groups in the 2003-2008 period, controlling for facility characteristics, resident acuity, and market factors with state fixed effects. The top 10 for-profit chains had lower registered nurse and total nurse staffing hours than government facilities, controlling for other factors. The top 10 chains received 36 percent higher deficiencies and 41 percent higher serious deficiencies than government facilities. Other for-profit facilities also had lower staffing and higher deficiencies than government facilities. The chains purchased by PE companies showed little change in staffing levels, but the number of deficiencies and serious deficiencies increased in some postpurchase years compared with the prepurchase period. There is a need for greater study of large for-profit chains as well as those chains purchased by PE companies. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

A model for the role of emotional intelligence in patient safety

PubMed Central

Codier, Estelle; Codier, David

2015-01-01

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the USA, resulting in over 440,000 deaths/year. Although over a decade has passed since the first Institute of Medicine study that documented such horrific statistics and despite significant safety improvement efforts, serious progress has yet to be achieved. It is estimated that 80% of medical errors result from miscommunication among health care providers and between providers and patients. There is preliminary research evidence that communication skills programs can improve safety outcomes, but a systematic theoretical framework for such programs has not been identified. Because of the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) ability and communication effectiveness, EI has been called by some “one of the largest drivers of patient safety.” Little literature has explored this relationship. The purpose of this article was to present a theoretical model for the relationship between EI, communication and patient safety, with conceptual and clinical illustrations used to describe such a relationship. PMID:27981102

New Binary Systems With Asymmetric Light Curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Virnina, Natalia A.

2010-12-01

We present the results of investigation of the light curves of 27 newly discovered binary systems. Among the examined curves, there were 10 curves with statistically significant asymmetry of maximums, according the 3σ criterion for the difference between the maximal brightness. Half of these 10 curves have a higher first maximum, another half the second one. Two of these 10 curves, USNO-B1.0 1629-0064825 = VSX J052807.9+725606 and USNO-B1.0 1586-0116785, show the largest difference between magnitudes in maxima. The star VSX J052807.9+725606 also shows the secondary minimum, which is shifted from the phase φ = 0.5. The shape of the curve argues that the physical processes of this star could be close to that of well known short periodic binary system V361 Lyr, which has a spot on the surface of one star of the system. Another star, USNO-B1.0 1586-0116785, probably has a cold spot, or several spots, in the photosphere of one of the components.

Mid-career faculty development in academic medicine: How does it impact faculty and institutional vitality?

PubMed Central

Campion, MaryAnn W.; Bhasin, Robina M.; Beaudette, Donald J.; Shann, Mary H.; Benjamin, Emelia J.

2016-01-01

Purpose Faculty vitality is integral to the advancement of higher education. Strengthening vitality is particularly important for mid-career faculty, who represent the largest and most dissatisfied segment. The demands of academic medicine appear to be another factor that may put faculty at risk of attrition. To address these issues, we initiated a ten-month mid-career faculty development program. Methods A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the program's impact on faculty and institutional vitality. Pre/post surveys compared participants with a matched reference group. Quantitative data were augmented by interviews and focus groups with multiple stakeholders. Results At the program's conclusion, participants showed statistically significant gains in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and connectivity when compared to the referents. Conclusion Given that mid-career faculty development in academic medicine has not been extensively studied, our evaluation provides a useful perspective to guide future initiatives aimed at enhancing the vitality and leadership capacity of mid-career faculty. PMID:27942418

Repetitive mammalian dwarfing during ancient greenhouse warming events

PubMed Central

D’Ambrosia, Abigail R.; Clyde, William C.; Fricke, Henry C.; Gingerich, Philip D.; Abels, Hemmo A.

2017-01-01

Abrupt perturbations of the global carbon cycle during the early Eocene are associated with rapid global warming events, which are analogous in many ways to present greenhouse warming. Mammal dwarfing has been observed, along with other changes in community structure, during the largest of these ancient global warming events, known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum [PETM; ~56 million years ago (Ma)]. We show that mammalian dwarfing accompanied the subsequent, smaller-magnitude warming event known as Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 [ETM2 (~53 Ma)]. Statistically significant decrease in body size during ETM2 is observed in two of four taxonomic groups analyzed in this study and is most clearly observed in early equids (horses). During ETM2, the best-sampled lineage of equids decreased in size by ~14%, as opposed to ~30% during the PETM. Thus, dwarfing appears to be a common evolutionary response of some mammals during past global warming events, and the extent of dwarfing seems related to the magnitude of the event. PMID:28345031

Nutraceuticals for Skin Care: A Comprehensive Review of Human Clinical Studies.

PubMed

Pérez-Sánchez, Almudena; Barrajón-Catalán, Enrique; Herranz-López, María; Micol, Vicente

2018-03-24

The skin is the body's largest organ, it participates in sensitivity and offers protection against microorganisms, chemicals and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Consequently, the skin may suffer alterations such as photo-ageing, immune dysfunction and inflammation which may significantly affect human health. Nutraceuticals represent a promising strategy for preventing, delaying, or minimising premature ageing of the skin and also to alleviate certain skin disorders. Among them, bioactive peptides and oligosaccharides, plant polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids are the most widely used ingredients. Supplementation with these products has shown evidence of having an effect on the signs of ageing and protection against UV radiation ageing in several human trials. In this review, the most relevant human studies on skin nutraceuticals are evaluated and the statistical resolution, biological relevance of their results, and, the trial protocols are discussed. In conclusion, quality and rigorousness of the trials must be improved to build credible scientific evidence for skin nutraceuticals and to establish a cause-effect relationship between the ingredients the beneficial effects for the skin.

Flu and Finances: Influenza Outbreaks and Loan Defaults in US Cities, 2004-2012.

PubMed

Houle, Jason N; Collins, J Michael; Schmeiser, Maximilian D

2015-09-01

We examined the association between influenza outbreaks in 83 metropolitan areas and credit card and mortgage defaults, as measured in quarterly zip code-level credit data over the period of 2004 to 2012. We used ordinary least squares, fixed effects, and 2-stage least squares instrumental variables regression strategies to examine the relationship between influenza-related Google searches and 30-, 60-, and 90-day credit card and mortgage delinquency rates. We found that a proxy for influenza outbreaks is associated with a small but statistically significant increase in credit card and mortgage default rates, net of other factors. These effects are largest for 90-day defaults, suggesting that influenza outbreaks have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable borrowers who are already behind on their payments. Overall, it appears there is a relationship between exogenous health shocks (such as influenza) and credit default. The results suggest that consumer finances could benefit from policies that aim to reduce the financial shocks of illness, particularly for vulnerable borrowers.

DD genotype of ACE gene I/D polymorphism is associated with Behcet disease in a Turkish population.

PubMed

Yigit, Serbülent; Tural, Sengül; Rüstemoglu, Aydin; Inanir, Ahmet; Gul, Ulker; Kalkan, Goknur; Akkanet, Songul; Karakuş, Nevin; Ateş, Omer

2013-01-01

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic, multi-systemic and inflammatory disorder. The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the vessel wall plays a role in the endothelial control and contributes to inflammatory processes. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is the regulatory component of the RAS. This study was conducted in Turkish patients with BD to determine the frequency of I/D polymorphism genotypes of ACE gene. Genomic DNA obtained from 566 persons (266 patients with BD and 300 healthy controls). ACE gene I/D polymorphism genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction using I and D allele-specific primers. There was statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to genotype distribution (p < 0.001). This study is the largest study in Turkish population that ACE gene I/D polymorphism investigated in BD. As a result of this study, ACE gene I/D polymorphism DD genotype could be a genetic marker in BD in Turkish study population.

Characterization of large price variations in financial markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansen, Anders

2003-06-01

Statistics of drawdowns (loss from the last local maximum to the next local minimum) plays an important role in risk assessment of investment strategies. As they incorporate higher (> two) order correlations, they offer a better measure of real market risks than the variance or other cumulants of daily (or some other fixed time scale) of returns. Previous results have shown that the vast majority of drawdowns occurring on the major financial markets have a distribution which is well represented by a stretched exponential, while the largest drawdowns are occurring with a significantly larger rate than predicted by the bulk of the distribution and should thus be characterized as outliers (Eur. Phys. J. B 1 (1998) 141; J. Risk 2001). In the present analysis, the definition of drawdowns is generalized to coarse-grained drawdowns or so-called ε-drawdowns and a link between such ε- outliers and preceding log-periodic power law bubbles previously identified (Quantitative Finance 1 (2001) 452) is established.

Flood basalts and extinction events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stothers, Richard B.

1993-01-01

The largest known effusive eruptions during the Cenozoic and Mesozoic Eras, the voluminous flood basalts, have long been suspected as being associated with major extinctions of biotic species. Despite the possible errors attached to the dates in both time series of events, the significance level of the suspected correlation is found here to be 1 percent to 4 percent. Statistically, extinctions lag eruptions by a mean time interval that is indistinguishable from zero, being much less than the average residual derived from the correlation analysis. Oceanic flood basalts, however, must have had a different biological impact, which is still uncertain owing to the small number of known examples and differing physical factors. Although not all continental flood basalts can have produced major extinction events, the noncorrelating eruptions may have led to smaller marine extinction events that terminated at least some of the less catastrophically ending geologic stages. Consequently, the 26 Myr quasi-periodicity seen in major marine extinctions may be only a sampling effect, rather than a manifestation of underlying periodicity.

Statistical attribution analysis of the nonstationarity of the annual runoff series of the Weihe River.

PubMed

Xiong, Lihua; Jiang, Cong; Du, Tao

2014-01-01

Time-varying moments models based on Pearson Type III and normal distributions respectively are built under the generalized additive model in location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) framework to analyze the nonstationarity of the annual runoff series of the Weihe River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River. The detection of nonstationarities in hydrological time series (annual runoff, precipitation and temperature) from 1960 to 2009 is carried out using a GAMLSS model, and then the covariate analysis for the annual runoff series is implemented with GAMLSS. Finally, the attribution of each covariate to the nonstationarity of annual runoff is analyzed quantitatively. The results demonstrate that (1) obvious change-points exist in all three hydrological series, (2) precipitation, temperature and irrigated area are all significant covariates of the annual runoff series, and (3) temperature increase plays the main role in leading to the reduction of the annual runoff series in the study basin, followed by the decrease of precipitation and the increase of irrigated area.

Mid-career faculty development in academic medicine: How does it impact faculty and institutional vitality?

PubMed

Campion, MaryAnn W; Bhasin, Robina M; Beaudette, Donald J; Shann, Mary H; Benjamin, Emelia J

2016-09-01

Faculty vitality is integral to the advancement of higher education. Strengthening vitality is particularly important for mid-career faculty, who represent the largest and most dissatisfied segment. The demands of academic medicine appear to be another factor that may put faculty at risk of attrition. To address these issues, we initiated a ten-month mid-career faculty development program. A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the program's impact on faculty and institutional vitality. Pre/post surveys compared participants with a matched reference group. Quantitative data were augmented by interviews and focus groups with multiple stakeholders. At the program's conclusion, participants showed statistically significant gains in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and connectivity when compared to the referents. Given that mid-career faculty development in academic medicine has not been extensively studied, our evaluation provides a useful perspective to guide future initiatives aimed at enhancing the vitality and leadership capacity of mid-career faculty.

Insights into interventions in managing COPD patients: lessons from the TORCH and UPLIFT® studies

PubMed Central

Miravitlles, Marc; Anzueto, Antonio

2009-01-01

Influencing the progression of COPD has long been an elusive goal of drug therapy. Directly or indirectly, this has again been investigated in two of the largest, long-term drug trials in COPD: Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) and Understanding Potential Long-Term Impacts on Function with Tiotropium (UPLIFT®). Neither trial achieved statistical significance in their respective primary outcomes; however, both make considerable contributions to understanding of how the progression of COPD may be influenced. The objective of this article is to review the data from these different trials with a view to what can be learnt about the management of COPD. The long-term improvements in lung function, health-related quality of life, and possibly survival from the use of long-acting bronchodilators in these trials suggest an influence on progression of the disease. With the more optimistic view of benefits from drug treatment of COPD that these trials provide, a review of prescribing practices is warranted. PMID:19516917

Beta-Catenin and Epithelial Tumors: A Study Based on 374 Oropharyngeal Cancers

PubMed Central

Santoro, Angela; Pannone, Giuseppe; Papagerakis, Silvana; McGuff, H. Stan; Cafarelli, Barbara; Lepore, Silvia; De Maria, Salvatore; Rubini, Corrado; Mattoni, Marilena; Staibano, Stefania; Mezza, Ernesto; De Rosa, Gaetano; Aquino, Gabriella; Losito, Simona; Loreto, Carla; Crimi, Salvatore; Bufo, Pantaleo

2014-01-01

Introduction. Although altered regulation of the Wnt pathway via beta-catenin is a frequent event in several human cancers, its potential implications in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC/OPSCC) are largely unexplored. Work purpose was to define association between beta-catenin expression and clinical-pathological parameters in 374 OSCCs/OP-SCCs by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Materials and Methods. Association between IHC detected patterns of protein expression and clinical-pathological parameters was assessed by statistical analysis and survival rates by Kaplan-Meier curves. Beta-catenin expression was also investigated in OSCC cell lines by Real-Time PCR. An additional analysis of the DNA content was performed on 22 representative OSCCs/OPSCCs by DNA-image-cytometric analysis. Results and Discussion. All carcinomas exhibited significant alterations of beta-catenin expression (P < 0.05). Beta-catenin protein was mainly detected in the cytoplasm of cancerous cells and only focal nuclear positivity was observed. Higher cytoplasmic expression correlated significantly with poor histological differentiation, advanced stage, and worst patient outcome (P < 0.05). By Real-Time PCR significant increase of beta-catenin mRNA was detected in OSCC cell lines and in 45% of surgical specimens. DNA ploidy study demonstrated high levels of aneuploidy in beta-catenin overexpressing carcinomas. Conclusions. This is the largest study reporting significant association between beta-catenin expression and clinical-pathological factors in patients with OSCCs/OPSCCs. PMID:24511551

The Great Recession, unemployment and suicide

PubMed Central

Norström, Thor; Grönqvist, Hans

2015-01-01

Background How have suicide rates responded to the marked increase in unemployment spurred by the Great Recession? Our paper puts this issue into a wider perspective by assessing (1) whether the unemployment-suicide link is modified by the degree of unemployment protection, and (2) whether the effect on suicide of the present crisis differs from the effects of previous economic downturns. Methods We analysed the unemployment-suicide link using time-series data for 30 countries spanning the period 1960–2012. Separate fixed-effects models were estimated for each of five welfare state regimes with different levels of unemployment protection (Eastern, Southern, Anglo-Saxon, Bismarckian and Scandinavian). We included an interaction term to capture the possible excess effect of unemployment during the Great Recession. Results The largest unemployment increases occurred in the welfare state regimes with the least generous unemployment protection. The unemployment effect on male suicides was statistically significant in all welfare regimes, except the Scandinavian one. The effect on female suicides was significant only in the eastern European country group. There was a significant gradient in the effects, being stronger the less generous the unemployment protection. The interaction term capturing the possible excess effect of unemployment during the financial crisis was not significant. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the more generous the unemployment protection the weaker the detrimental impact on suicide of the increasing unemployment during the Great Recession. PMID:25339416

Multiscale spatial and small-scale temporal variation in the composition of Riverine fish communities.

PubMed

Growns, Ivor; Astles, Karen; Gehrke, Peter

2006-03-01

We studied the multiscale (sites, river reaches and rivers) and short-term temporal (monthly) variability in a freshwater fish assemblage. We found that small-scale spatial variation and short-term temporal variability significantly influenced fish community structure in the Macquarie and Namoi Rivers. However, larger scale spatial differences between rivers were the largest source of variation in the data. The interaction between temporal change and spatial variation in fish community structure, whilst statistically significant, was smaller than the variation between rivers. This suggests that although the fish communities within each river changed between sampling occasions, the underlying differences between rivers were maintained. In contrast, the strongest interaction between temporal and spatial effects occurred at the smallest spatial scale, at the level of individual sites. This means whilst the composition of the fish assemblage at a given site may fluctuate, the magnitude of these changes is unlikely to affect larger scale differences between reaches within rivers or between rivers. These results suggest that sampling at any time within a single season will be sufficient to show spatial differences that occur over large spatial scales, such as comparisons between rivers or between biogeographical regions.

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

Fisk, William J.

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statisticallymore » significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percent age improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7percent to 25percent. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.« less

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

Fisk, William J.

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statisticallymore » significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, e.g., 7percent to 25percent. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.« less

Variations in teenage birth rates, 1991-98: national and state trends.

PubMed

Ventura, S J; Curtin, S C; Mathews, T J

2000-04-24

This report presents national birth rates for teenagers for 1991-98 and the percent change, 1991-98. State-specific teenage birth rates by age, race, and Hispanic origin for 1991 and 1998 and the percent change, 1991 to 1998, are also presented. Tabular and graphical descriptions of the trends in teenage birth rates for the Nation and each State, by age group, race, and Hispanic origin of the mother, are discussed. Birth rates for teenagers 15-19 years declined nationally between 1991 and 1998 for all age and race and Hispanic origin populations, with the steepest declines recorded for black teenagers. State-specific rates fell significantly in all States for ages 15-19 years; declines ranged from 10 to 38 percent. In general, rates by State fell more for younger than for older teenagers, ranging by State from 10 to 46 percent for ages 15-17 years. Statistically significant reductions for older teenagers ranged from 3 to 39 percent. Reductions by State were largest for black teenagers 15-19 years, with rates falling 30 percent or more in 15 States. Among the factors accounting for these declines are decreased sexual activity, increases in condom use, and the adoption of the implant and injectable contraceptives.

A Study of Two Instructional Sequences Informed by Alternative Learning Progressions in Genetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, Ravit Golan; Choi, Jinnie; Castro-Faix, Moraima; Cavera, Veronica L.

2017-12-01

Learning progressions (LPs) are hypothetical models of how learning in a domain develops over time with appropriate instruction. In the domain of genetics, there are two independently developed alternative LPs. The main difference between the two progressions hinges on their assumptions regarding the accessibility of classical (Mendelian) versus molecular genetics and the order in which they should be taught. In order to determine the relative difficulty of the different genetic ideas included in the two progressions, and to test which one is a better fit with students' actual learning, we developed two modules in classical and molecular genetics and alternated their sequence in an implementation study with 11th grade students studying biology. We developed a set of 56 ordered multiple-choice items that collectively assessed both molecular and classical genetic ideas. We found significant gains in students' learning in both molecular and classical genetics, with the largest gain relating to understanding the informational content of genes and the smallest gain in understanding modes of inheritance. Using multidimensional item response modeling, we found no statistically significant differences between the two instructional sequences. However, there was a trend of slightly higher gains for the molecular-first sequence for all genetic ideas.

Effects of joint position on the distraction distance during grade III glenohumeral joint distraction in healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Park, Sam-Sik; Kim, Bo-Kyung; Moon, Ok-Kon; Choi, Wan-Suk

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The study investigated the effects of joint position on the distraction distance during Grade III glenohumeral joint distraction in healthy individuals. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty adults in their forties without shoulder disease were randomly divided into neutral position group (NPG; n = 7), resting position group (RPG; n = 7), and end range position group (ERPG; n = 6). After Kaltenborn Grade III distraction for 40s, the distance between glenoid fossa and humeral head was measured by ultrasound. [Results] The average distances between the humeral head and glenoid fossa before distraction were 2.86 ± 0.81, 3.21 ± 0.47, and 3.55 ± 0.59 mm for the NP, RP, and ERP groups. The distances after applying distraction were 3.12 ± 0.51, 3.86 ± 0.55, and 4.35 ± 0.32 mm. Between-group comparison after applying distraction revealed no significant differences between the NP and RP groups, while there was a statistically significant difference between the NP and RP groups, as well as between the NP and ERP groups. [Conclusion] Joint space was largest in ERP individuals when performing manual distraction. PMID:26644692

Right-handers have negligibly higher IQ scores than left-handers: Systematic review and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Ntolka, Eleni; Papadatou-Pastou, Marietta

2018-01-01

The relationship between intelligence and handedness remains a matter of debate. The present study is a systematic review of 36 studies (totaling 66,108 individuals), which have measured full IQ scores in different handedness groups. Eighteen of those studies were further included in three sets of meta-analyses (totaling 20,442 individuals), which investigated differences in standardized mean IQ scores in (i) left-handers, (ii) non-right-handers, and (iii) mixed-handers compared to right-handers. The bulk of the studies included in the systematic review reported no differences in IQ scores between left- and right-handers. In the meta-analyses, statistically significant differences in mean IQ scores were detected between right-handers and left-handers, but were marginal in magnitude (d=-0.07); the data sets were found to be homogeneous. Significance was lost when the largest study was excluded. No differences in mean IQ scores were found between right-handers and non-right-handers as well as between right-handers and mixed-handers. No sex differences were found. Overall, the intelligence differences between handedness groups in the general population are negligible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human and riverine impacts on the dynamics of seawater nutrient and carbon parameters in Kwangyang Bay, South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae-Wook; Kim, Dongseon; Baek, Seung Ho; Kim, Young Ok

2015-04-01

We investigated seawater nutrient and carbon parameters in Kwangyang Bay, South Korea, which has been exposed to significant human influences, in each core month of four seasons for between 2010 and 2012. The survey data were analyzed using multivariate statistics analysis (cluster and factor analysis). As a result, we found that the Seomjin River (the fifth largest river in South Korea) and biological activity, including phytoplankton photosynthesis and bacterial decomposition, were the main factors determining the overall water quality of the bay. However, the impacts of these factors varied both spatially and seasonally, because the factors were linked with the geographical environments and seasonal variations in freshwater discharge. In particular, the Seomjin River was primarily responsible for nitrate, silicate, total alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon, and exhibited a significant impact in the summer. During the past 10 years, nutrient loads from the river and industrial complexes to the bay have decreased. The impacts of this decrease are visible in the phosphate concentration, which has fallen to a third of its initial value. We also examined the potential role of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in nitrogen cycling in the study area.

Divergent biophysical controls of aquatic CO2 and CH4 in the World’s two largest rivers

PubMed Central

Borges, Alberto V.; Abril, Gwenaël; Darchambeau, François; Teodoru, Cristian R.; Deborde, Jonathan; Vidal, Luciana O.; Lambert, Thibault; Bouillon, Steven

2015-01-01

Carbon emissions to the atmosphere from inland waters are globally significant and mainly occur at tropical latitudes. However, processes controlling the intensity of CO2 and CH4 emissions from tropical inland waters remain poorly understood. Here, we report a data-set of concurrent measurements of the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and dissolved CH4 concentrations in the Amazon (n = 136) and the Congo (n = 280) Rivers. The pCO2 values in the Amazon mainstem were significantly higher than in the Congo, contrasting with CH4 concentrations that were higher in the Congo than in the Amazon. Large-scale patterns in pCO2 across different lowland tropical basins can be apprehended with a relatively simple statistical model related to the extent of wetlands within the basin, showing that, in addition to non-flooded vegetation, wetlands also contribute to CO2 in river channels. On the other hand, dynamics of dissolved CH4 in river channels are less straightforward to predict, and are related to the way hydrology modulates the connectivity between wetlands and river channels. PMID:26494107

Automated margin analysis of contemporary adhesive systems in vitro: evaluation of discriminatory variables.

PubMed

Heintze, Siegward D; Forjanic, Monika; Roulet, François-Jean

2007-08-01

Using an optical sensor, to automatically evaluate the marginal seal of restorations placed with 21 adhesive systems of all four adhesive categories in cylindrical cavities of bovine dentin applying different outcome variables, and to evaluate their discriminatory power. Twenty-one adhesive systems were evaluated: three 3-step etch-and-rinse systems, three 2-step etch-and-rinse systems, five 2-step self-etching systems, and ten 1-step self-etching systems. All adhesives were applied in cylindrical cavities in bovine dentin together with Tetric Ceram (n=8). In the control group, no adhesive system was used. After 24 h of storage in water at 37 degrees C, the surface was polished with 4000-grit SiC paper, and epoxy resin replicas were produced. An optical sensor (FRT MicroProf) created 100 profiles of the restoration margin, and an algorithm detected gaps and calculated their depths and widths. The following evaluation criteria were used: percentage of specimens without gaps, the percentage of gap-free profiles in relation to all profiles per specimen, mean gap width, mean gap depth, largest gap, modified marginal integrity index MI. The statistical analysis was carried out on log-transformed data for all variables with ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's test for multiple comparisons. The correlation between the variables was tested with regression analysis, and the pooled data accordingto the four adhesive categories were compared by applying the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test (p < 0.05). For all the variables that characterized the marginal adaptation, there was a great variation from material to material. In general, the etch-and-rinse adhesive systems demonstrated the best marginal adaptation, followed by the 2-step self-etching and the 1-step self-etching adhesives; the latter showed the highest variability in test results between materials and within the same material. The only exception to this rule was Xeno IV, which showed a marginal adaptation that was comparable to that of the best 3-step etch-and-rinse systems. Except for the variables "largest gap" and "mean gap depth", all the other variables had a similar ability to discriminate between materials. Pooled data according to the four adhesive categories revealed statistically significant differences between the one-step self-etching systems and the other three systems as well as between two-step self-etching and three-step etch-and-rinse systems. With one exception, the one-step self-etching systems yielded the poorest marginal adaptation results and the highest variability between materials and within the same material. Except for the variable "largest gap", the percentage of continuous margin, mean gap width, mean gap depth, and the marginal integrity index MI were closely related to one another and showed--with the exception of "mean gap depth"--similar discriminatory power.

Defining SOD1 ALS natural history to guide therapeutic clinical trial design.

PubMed

Bali, Taha; Self, Wade; Liu, Jingxia; Siddique, Teepu; Wang, Leo H; Bird, Thomas D; Ratti, Elena; Atassi, Nazem; Boylan, Kevin B; Glass, Jonathan D; Maragakis, Nicholas J; Caress, James B; McCluskey, Leo F; Appel, Stanley H; Wymer, James P; Gibson, Summer; Zinman, Lorne; Mozaffar, Tahseen; Callaghan, Brian; McVey, April L; Jockel-Balsarotti, Jennifer; Allred, Peggy; Fisher, Elena R; Lopate, Glenn; Pestronk, Alan; Cudkowicz, Merit E; Miller, Timothy M

2017-02-01

Understanding the natural history of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by SOD1 mutations (ALS SOD1 ) will provide key information for optimising clinical trials in this patient population. To establish an updated natural history of ALS SOD1 . Retrospective cohort study from 15 medical centres in North America evaluated records from 175 patients with ALS with genetically confirmed SOD1 mutations, cared for after the year 2000. Age of onset, survival, ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS) scores and respiratory function were analysed. Patients with the A4V (Ala-Val) SOD1 mutation (SOD1 A4V ), the largest mutation population in North America with an aggressive disease progression, were distinguished from other SOD1 mutation patients (SOD1 non-A4V ) for analysis. Mean age of disease onset was 49.7±12.3 years (mean±SD) for all SOD1 patients, with no statistical significance between SOD1 A4V and SOD1 non-A4V (p=0.72, Kruskal-Wallis). Total SOD1 patient median survival was 2.7 years. Mean disease duration for all SOD1 was 4.6±6.0 and 1.4±0.7 years for SOD1 A4V . SOD1 A4V survival probability (median survival 1.2 years) was significantly decreased compared with SOD1 non-A4V (median survival 6.8 years; p<0.0001, log-rank). A statistically significant increase in ALS-FRS decline in SOD1 A4V compared with SOD1 non-A4V participants (p=0.02) was observed, as well as a statistically significant increase in ALS-forced vital capacity decline in SOD1 A4V compared with SOD1 non-A4V (p=0.02). SOD1 A4V is an aggressive, but relatively homogeneous form of ALS. These SOD1-specific ALS natural history data will be important for the design and implementation of clinical trials in the ALS SOD1 patient population. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Is the introduction of another variable to the strength-duration curve necessary in neurostimulation?

PubMed

Abejón, David; Rueda, Pablo; del Saz, Javier; Arango, Sara; Monzón, Eva; Gilsanz, Fernando

2015-04-01

Neurostimulation is the process and technology derived from the application of electricity with different parameters to activate or inhibit nerve pathways. Pulse width (Pw) is the duration of each electrical impulse and, along with amplitude (I), determines the total energy charge of the stimulation. The aim of the study was to test Pw values to find the most adequate pulse widths in rechargeable systems to obtain the largest coverage of the painful area, the most comfortable paresthesia, and the greatest patient satisfaction. A study of the parameters was performed, varying Pw while maintaining a fixed frequency at 50 Hz. Data on perception threshold (Tp ), discomfort threshold (Td ), and therapeutic threshold (Tt ) were recorded, applying 14 increasing Pw values ranging from 50 µsec to 1000 µsec. Lastly, the behavior of the therapeutic range (TR), the coverage of the painful area, the subjective patient perception of paresthesia, and the degree of patient satisfaction were assessed. The findings after analyzing the different thresholds were as follows: When varying the Pw, the differences obtained at each threshold (Tp , Tt , and Td ) were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The differences among the resulting Tp values and among the resulting Tt values were statistically significant when varying Pw from 50 up to 600 µsec (p < 0.05). For Pw levels 600 µsec and up, no differences were observed in these thresholds. In the case of Td , significant differences existed as Pw increased from 50 to 700 µsec (p ≤ 0.05). The coverage increased in a statistically significant way (p < 0.05) from Pw values of 50 µsec to 300 µsec. Good or very good subjective perception was shown at about Pw 300 µsec. The patient paresthesia coverage was introduced as an extra variable in the chronaxie-rheobase curve, allowing the adjustment of Pw values for optimal programming. The coverage of the patient against the current chronaxie-rheobase formula will be represented on three axes; an extra axis (z) will appear, multiplying each combination of Pw value and amplitude by the percentage of coverage corresponding to those values. Using this new comparison of chronaxie-rheobase curve vs. coverage, maximum Pw values will be obtained different from those obtained by classic methods. © 2014 International Neuromodulation Society.

XCOM intrinsic dimensionality for low-Z elements at diagnostic energies

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

Bornefalk, Hans

2012-02-15

Purpose: To determine the intrinsic dimensionality of linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) from XCOM for elements with low atomic number (Z = 1-20) at diagnostic x-ray energies (25-120 keV). H{sub 0}{sup q}, the hypothesis that the space of LACs is spanned by q bases, is tested for various q-values. Methods: Principal component analysis is first applied and the LACs are projected onto the first q principal component bases. The residuals of the model values vs XCOM data are determined for all energies and atomic numbers. Heteroscedasticity invalidates the prerequisite of i.i.d. errors necessary for bootstrapping residuals. Instead wild bootstrap is applied,more » which, by not mixing residuals, allows the effect of the non-i.i.d residuals to be reflected in the result. Credible regions for the eigenvalues of the correlation matrix for the bootstrapped LAC data are determined. If subsequent credible regions for the eigenvalues overlap, the corresponding principal component is not considered to represent true data structure but noise. If this happens for eigenvalues l and l + 1, for any l{<=}q, H{sub 0}{sup q} is rejected. Results: The largest value of q for which H{sub 0}{sup q} is nonrejectable at the 5%-level is q = 4. This indicates that the statistically significant intrinsic dimensionality of low-Z XCOM data at diagnostic energies is four. Conclusions: The method presented allows determination of the statistically significant dimensionality of any noisy linear subspace. Knowledge of such significant dimensionality is of interest for any method making assumptions on intrinsic dimensionality and evaluating results on noisy reference data. For LACs, knowledge of the low-Z dimensionality might be relevant when parametrization schemes are tuned to XCOM data. For x-ray imaging techniques based on the basis decomposition method (Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733-744, 1976), an underlying dimensionality of two is commonly assigned to the LAC of human tissue at diagnostic energies. The finding of a higher statistically significant dimensionality thus raises the question whether a higher assumed model dimensionality (now feasible with the advent of multibin x-ray systems) might also be practically relevant, i.e., if better tissue characterization results can be obtained.« less

In vivo six-degree-of-freedom knee-joint kinematics in overground and treadmill walking following total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Guan, Shanyuanye; Gray, Hans A; Schache, Anthony G; Feller, Julian; de Steiger, Richard; Pandy, Marcus G

2017-08-01

No data are available to describe six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) knee-joint kinematics for one complete cycle of overground walking following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aims of this study were firstly, to measure 6-DOF knee-joint kinematics and condylar motion for overground walking following TKA; and secondly, to determine whether such data differed between overground and treadmill gait when participants walked at the same speed during both tasks. A unique mobile biplane X-ray imaging system enabled accurate measurement of 6-DOF TKA knee kinematics during overground walking by simultaneously tracking and imaging the joint. The largest rotations occurred for flexion-extension and internal-external rotation whereas the largest translations were associated with joint distraction and anterior-posterior drawer. Strong associations were found between flexion-extension and adduction-abduction (R 2  = 0.92), joint distraction (R 2  = 1.00), and anterior-posterior translation (R 2  = 0.77), providing evidence of kinematic coupling in the TKA knee. Although the measured kinematic profiles for overground walking were grossly similar to those for treadmill walking, several statistically significant differences were observed between the two conditions with respect to temporo-spatial parameters, 6-DOF knee-joint kinematics, and condylar contact locations and sliding. Thus, caution is advised when making recommendations regarding knee implant performance based on treadmill-measured knee-joint kinematic data. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1634-1643, 2017. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human cell toxicogenomic analysis of bromoacetic acid: a regulated drinking water disinfection by-product.

PubMed

Muellner, Mark G; Attene-Ramos, Matias S; Hudson, Matthew E; Wagner, Elizabeth D; Plewa, Michael J

2010-04-01

The disinfection of drinking water is a major achievement in protecting the public health. However, current disinfection methods also generate disinfection by-products (DBPs). Many DBPs are cytotoxic, genotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic and represent an important class of environmentally hazardous chemicals that may carry long-term human health implications. The objective of this research was to integrate in vitro toxicology with focused toxicogenomic analysis of the regulated DBP, bromoacetic acid (BAA) and to evaluate modulation of gene expression involved in DNA damage/repair and toxic responses, with nontransformed human cells. We generated transcriptome profiles for 168 genes with 30 min and 4 hr exposure times that did not induce acute cytotoxicity. Using qRT-PCR gene arrays, the levels of 25 transcripts were modulated to a statistically significant degree in response to a 30 min treatment with BAA (16 transcripts upregulated and nine downregulated). The largest changes were observed for RAD9A and BRCA1. The majority of the altered transcript profiles are genes involved in DNA repair, especially the repair of double strand DNA breaks, and in cell cycle regulation. With 4 hr of treatment the expression of 28 genes was modulated (12 upregulated and 16 downregulated); the largest fold changes were in HMOX1 and FMO1. This work represents the first nontransformed human cell toxicogenomic study with a regulated drinking water disinfection by-product. These data implicate double strand DNA breaks as a feature of BAA exposure. Future toxicogenomic studies of DBPs will further strengthen our limited knowledge in this growing area of drinking water research. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) versus breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A retrospective comparison in 66 breast lesions.

PubMed

Li, L; Roth, R; Germaine, P; Ren, S; Lee, M; Hunter, K; Tinney, E; Liao, L

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) with that of breast magnetic resonance imaging (BMRI) in breast cancer detection using parameters, including sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), lesion size, morphology, lesion and background enhancement, and examination time. A total of 48 women (mean age, 56years±10.6 [SD]) with breast lesions detected between October 2012 and March 2014 were included. Both CESM and BMRI were performed for each patient within 30 days. The enhancement intensity of lesions and breast background parenchyma was subjectively assessed for both modalities and was quantified for comparison. Statistical significance was analyzed using paired t-test for mean size of index lesions in all malignant breasts (an index lesion defined as the largest lesion in each breast), and a mean score of enhancement intensity for index lesions and breast background. PPV, sensitivity, and accuracy were calculated for both CESM and BMRI. The average duration time of CESM and MRI examinations was also compared. A total of 66 lesions were identified, including 62 malignant and 4 benign lesions. Both CESM and BMRI demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% for detection of breast cancer. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean size of index lesions (P=0.108). The enhancement intensity of breast background was significantly lower for CESM than for BMRI (P<0.01). The mean score of enhancement intensity of index lesions on CESM was significantly less than that for BMRI (P<0.01). The smallest lesion that was detected by both modalities measured 4mm. CESM had a higher PPV than BMRI (P>0.05). The average examination time for CESM was significantly shorter than that of BMRI (P<0.01). CESM has similar sensitivity than BMRI in breast cancer detection, with higher PPV and less background enhancement. CESM is associate with significantly shorter exam time thus a more accessible alternative to BMRI, and has the potential to play an important tool in breast cancer detection and staging. Copyright © 2016 Éditions françaises de radiologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of water productivity under climate change in irrigated areas of the arid Northwest China using an assemble statistical downscaling method and an agro-hydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Liu; Guo, Zezhong; Huang, Guanhua

2018-06-01

The Heihe River Basin (HRB) is the second largest inland river basin, located in the arid region of Northwest China with a serious water shortage. Evaluation of water productivity will provide scientific implications for agricultural water-saving in irrigated areas of the arid region under climate change. Based on observed meteorological data, 23 GCMs outputs and the ERA-40 reanalysis data, an assemble statistical downscaling model was developed to generate climate change scenarios under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP8.5 respectively, which were then used to drive the SWAP-EPIC model to simulate crop growth in the irrigated areas of the middle HRB for the future period from 2018 to 2047. Crop yield showed an increasing trend, while crop water consumption decreased gradually in Gaotai and Ganzhou irrigated areas. The water productivity in future 30 years showed an increasing trend in both Gaotai and Ganzhou areas, with the most significant increase under RCP4.5 scenario, which were both larger than 2 kg m-3. Compared with that of the period from 2012 to 2015, the water productivity during 2018-2047 under three RCP scenarios increased by 9.2, 14.3 and 11.8 % in the Gaotai area, and 15.4, 21.6, 19.9 % in the Ganzhou area, respectively.

Nonlinear analysis of pupillary dynamics.

PubMed

Onorati, Francesco; Mainardi, Luca Tommaso; Sirca, Fabiola; Russo, Vincenzo; Barbieri, Riccardo

2016-02-01

Pupil size reflects autonomic response to different environmental and behavioral stimuli, and its dynamics have been linked to other autonomic correlates such as cardiac and respiratory rhythms. The aim of this study is to assess the nonlinear characteristics of pupil size of 25 normal subjects who participated in a psychophysiological experimental protocol with four experimental conditions, namely “baseline”, “anger”, “joy”, and “sadness”. Nonlinear measures, such as sample entropy, correlation dimension, and largest Lyapunov exponent, were computed on reconstructed signals of spontaneous fluctuations of pupil dilation. Nonparametric statistical tests were performed on surrogate data to verify that the nonlinear measures are an intrinsic characteristic of the signals. We then developed and applied a piecewise linear regression model to detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). Two joinpoints and three scaling intervals were identified: slope α0, at slow time scales, represents a persistent nonstationary long-range correlation, whereas α1 and α2, at middle and fast time scales, respectively, represent long-range power-law correlations, similarly to DFA applied to heart rate variability signals. Of the computed complexity measures, α0 showed statistically significant differences among experimental conditions (p<0.001). Our results suggest that (a) pupil size at constant light condition is characterized by nonlinear dynamics, (b) three well-defined and distinct long-memory processes exist at different time scales, and (c) autonomic stimulation is partially reflected in nonlinear dynamics. (c) autonomic stimulation is partially reflected in nonlinear dynamics.

Effects of land cover change on the tropical circulation in a GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonko, Alexandra Karolina; Hense, Andreas; Feddema, Johannes Jan

2010-09-01

Multivariate statistics are used to investigate sensitivity of the tropical atmospheric circulation to scenario-based global land cover change (LCC), with the largest changes occurring in the tropics. Three simulations performed with the fully coupled Parallel Climate Model (PCM) are compared: (1) a present day control run; (2) a simulation with present day land cover and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A2 greenhouse gas (GHG) projections; and (3) a simulation with SRES A2 land cover and GHG projections. Dimensionality of PCM data is reduced by projection onto a priori specified eigenvectors, consisting of Rossby and Kelvin waves produced by a linearized, reduced gravity model of the tropical circulation. A Hotelling T 2 test is performed on projection amplitudes. Effects of LCC evaluated by this method are limited to diabatic heating. A statistically significant and recurrent signal is detected for 33% of all tests performed for various combinations of parameters. Taking into account uncertainties and limitations of the present methodology, this signal can be interpreted as a Rossby wave response to prescribed LCC. The Rossby waves are shallow, large-scale motions, trapped at the equator and most pronounced in boreal summer. Differences in mass and flow fields indicate a shift of the tropical Walker circulation patterns with an anomalous subsidence over tropical South America.

Charm dimuon production in neutrino-nucleon interactions in the NOMAD experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petti, Roberto; Samoylov, Oleg

2012-09-01

We present our new measurement of charm dimuon production in neutrino-iron interactions based upon the full statistics collected by the NOMAD experiment. After background subtraction we observe 15,340 charm dimuon events, providing the largest sample currently available. The analysis exploits the large inclusive charged current sample (about 9 million events after all analysis cuts) to constrain the total systematic uncertainty to about 2%. The extraction of strange sea and charm production parameters is also discussed.

Charm dimuon production in neutrino-nucleon interactions in the NOMAD experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petti, R.; Samoylov, O. B.

2011-12-01

We present our new measurement of charm dimuon production in neutrino-iron interactions based upon the full statistics collected by the NOMAD experiment. After background subtraction we observe 15,340 charm dimuon events, providing the largest sample currently available. The analysis exploits the large inclusive charged current sample (about 9 million events after all analysis cuts) to constrain the total systematic uncertainty to ˜2%. The extraction of strange sea and charm production parameters is also discussed.

Tri-Service Champus Statistical Database Project (TCSDP): Champus Ambulatory Data Analysis. Detail Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-30

Navy was highest in all three measures, followed by the Air Force, and the Army was the lowest. No branch accounted for a large proportion of the...the largest proportion of workload and costs were in the category ’Outside Catchment Area’. The total government pay for outside catchment area category...services. MACDILL REG HOSP MACDILL AFB had the highest amount of total government pay in the Air Force’s billable MTF. It accounted for 4.13

The Center for Astrophysics Redshift Survey - Recent results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1989-01-01

Six strips of the CfA redshift survey extension are now complete. The data continue to support a picture in which galaxies are on thin sheets which nearly surround vast low-density voids. The largest structures are comparable with the extent of the survey. Voids like the one in Bootes are a common feature of the large-scale distribution of galaxies. The issue of fair samples of the galaxy distribution is discussed, examining statistical measures of the galaxy distribution including the two-point correlation functions.

Annual West Coast Theoretical Chemistry/Statistical Mechanics Conference (14th), held at Los Angeles, California on 17-19 June 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-19

of California, Los Angles, CA AB-INITIO STUDIES OF WATER CLUSTERSt Sotris S. Xantheas and Thorn H. Dunning Jr. Molecular Theory Group, Molecular...mechanics, of the solvation properties of a chlorine ion in polarizable water . In these studies , we employed the polarizable water model developed recently by...acetaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide with 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutan-2-yl, and lithium hydride with methyl isopropyl ketone . The largest system studied . 1. contains

High-statistics measurement of the η → 3 π 0 decay at the Mainz Microtron

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

Prakhov, S.; Abt, S.; Achenbach, P.

Here, the largest, at the moment, statistics of 7 × 10 6 η → 3π 0 decays, based on 6.2 × 10 7 η mesons produced in the γp → ηp reaction, has been accumulated by the A2 Collaboration at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. It allowed a detailed study of the η → 3π 0 dynamics beyond its conventional parametrization with just the quadratic slope parameter α and enabled, for the first time, a mea- surement of the second-order term and a better understanding of the cusp structure in the neutral decay. The present data are also compared to recentmore » theoretical calculations that predict a nonlinear dependence along the quadratic distance from the Dalitz-plot center.« less

Poincaré recurrences of DNA sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frahm, K. M.; Shepelyansky, D. L.

2012-01-01

We analyze the statistical properties of Poincaré recurrences of Homo sapiens, mammalian, and other DNA sequences taken from the Ensembl Genome data base with up to 15 billion base pairs. We show that the probability of Poincaré recurrences decays in an algebraic way with the Poincaré exponent β≈4 even if the oscillatory dependence is well pronounced. The correlations between recurrences decay with an exponent ν≈0.6 that leads to an anomalous superdiffusive walk. However, for Homo sapiens sequences, with the largest available statistics, the diffusion coefficient converges to a finite value on distances larger than one million base pairs. We argue that the approach based on Poncaré recurrences determines new proximity features between different species and sheds a new light on their evolution history.

Projecting Range Limits with Coupled Thermal Tolerance - Climate Change Models: An Example Based on Gray Snapper (Lutjanus griseus) along the U.S. East Coast

PubMed Central

Hare, Jonathan A.; Wuenschel, Mark J.; Kimball, Matthew E.

2012-01-01

We couple a species range limit hypothesis with the output of an ensemble of general circulation models to project the poleward range limit of gray snapper. Using laboratory-derived thermal limits and statistical downscaling from IPCC AR4 general circulation models, we project that gray snapper will shift northwards; the magnitude of this shift is dependent on the magnitude of climate change. We also evaluate the uncertainty in our projection and find that statistical uncertainty associated with the experimentally-derived thermal limits is the largest contributor (∼ 65%) to overall quantified uncertainty. This finding argues for more experimental work aimed at understanding and parameterizing the effects of climate change and variability on marine species. PMID:23284974

High-statistics measurement of the η → 3 π 0 decay at the Mainz Microtron

DOE PAGES

Prakhov, S.; Abt, S.; Achenbach, P.; ...

2018-06-07

Here, the largest, at the moment, statistics of 7 × 10 6 η → 3π 0 decays, based on 6.2 × 10 7 η mesons produced in the γp → ηp reaction, has been accumulated by the A2 Collaboration at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. It allowed a detailed study of the η → 3π 0 dynamics beyond its conventional parametrization with just the quadratic slope parameter α and enabled, for the first time, a mea- surement of the second-order term and a better understanding of the cusp structure in the neutral decay. The present data are also compared to recentmore » theoretical calculations that predict a nonlinear dependence along the quadratic distance from the Dalitz-plot center.« less

Exact extreme-value statistics at mixed-order transitions.

PubMed

Bar, Amir; Majumdar, Satya N; Schehr, Grégory; Mukamel, David

2016-05-01

We study extreme-value statistics for spatially extended models exhibiting mixed-order phase transitions (MOT). These are phase transitions that exhibit features common to both first-order (discontinuity of the order parameter) and second-order (diverging correlation length) transitions. We consider here the truncated inverse distance squared Ising model, which is a prototypical model exhibiting MOT, and study analytically the extreme-value statistics of the domain lengths The lengths of the domains are identically distributed random variables except for the global constraint that their sum equals the total system size L. In addition, the number of such domains is also a fluctuating variable, and not fixed. In the paramagnetic phase, we show that the distribution of the largest domain length l_{max} converges, in the large L limit, to a Gumbel distribution. However, at the critical point (for a certain range of parameters) and in the ferromagnetic phase, we show that the fluctuations of l_{max} are governed by novel distributions, which we compute exactly. Our main analytical results are verified by numerical simulations.

Nonadditive entropy Sq and nonextensive statistical mechanics: Applications in geophysics and elsewhere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsallis, Constantino

2012-06-01

The celebrated Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) entropy, S BG = -kΣi p i ln p i, and associated statistical mechanics are essentially based on hypotheses such as ergodicity, i.e., when ensemble averages coincide with time averages. This dynamical simplification occurs in classical systems (and quantum counterparts) whose microscopic evolution is governed by a positive largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE). Under such circumstances, relevant microscopic variables behave, from the probabilistic viewpoint, as (nearly) independent. Many phenomena exist, however, in natural, artificial and social systems (geophysics, astrophysics, biophysics, economics, and others) that violate ergodicity. To cover a (possibly) wide class of such systems, a generalization (nonextensive statistical mechanics) of the BG theory was proposed in 1988. This theory is based on nonadditive entropies such as S_q = kfrac{{1 - sumnolimits_i {p_i^q } }} {{q - 1}}left( {S_1 = S_{BG} } right). Here we comment some central aspects of this theory, and briefly review typical predictions, verifications and applications in geophysics and elsewhere, as illustrated through theoretical, experimental, observational, and computational results.

Using walker during walking: a pilot study for health elder.

PubMed

Po-Chan, Yeh; Cherng-Yee, Leung

2012-01-01

Walker operation completely relies on the walker handle, however most marketed walkers possess two horizontal handles. Several researchers have suggested that horizontal handles might lead to wrist injury. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the relevant design aspects of walker for elderly people. 28 elders participated in this study; when the experiment was started, subject walked on the tile for 3 meter distance twice by using walker. Data for analysis were selected at the corresponding wrist deviation and vertical force. The results showed that during walker using, the mean wrist deviation was greater than zero. The largest vertical force is significantly larger than the smallest one, and different wrist deviation occurred at three phases, the largest wrist deviation while raising walker is larger than the smallest one, however, no significant different was found between the largest and smallest wrist deviation while pressing walker. No significant correlation occurred between weight and wrist deviation. The correlation between weight and vertical force was significantly positive. With wrist deviation walker use may cause injury to upper-limb, however wrists remain in a neutral position during hand movement to prevent damage. The findings of this study should improve the design of walker handles to reduce the wrist deviations of users.

Made in China: Challenge and Innovation in China's Vocational Education and Training System. International Comparative Study of Leading Vocational Education Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Vivien

2015-01-01

China has the largest population and largest labor force in the world. It has been highly successful in rapidly expanding both secondary and higher education to a significant fraction of the youth cohort. However, educational opportunities and standards across China are highly uneven. China has abundant labor power, but it will need a far more…

Environmental Assessment for Watershed Enhancements at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-03

Potassium permanganate would be utilized to prevent lethal dose of rotenone migrating beyond the largest beaver dam on Otter Creek. Lowering the lake level...Finding of No Significant Impact JBER Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson KMnO4 potassium permanganate MOA Municipality of Anchorage NEPA National...Potassium permanganate would be utilized to prevent lethal dose of rotenone migrating beyond the largest beaver dam on Otter Creek. Lowering the lake

Agreement in the determination of preformed wire shape templates on plaster models and customized digital arch form diagrams on digital models.

PubMed

Camardella, Leonardo Tavares; Sá, Maiara da Silva Bezerra; Guimarães, Luciana Campos; Vilella, Beatriz de Souza; Vilella, Oswaldo de Vasconcellos

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to verify the accuracy of preformed wire shape templates on plaster models and those of customized digital arch form diagrams on digital models. Twenty pairs of dental plaster models were randomly selected from the archives of the Department of Orthodontics of Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All plaster model samples were scanned in a plaster model scanner to create the respective digital models. Three examiners defined the arch form on the mandibular arch of these models by selecting the ideal preformed wire shape template on each plaster model or by making a customized digital arch form on the digital models using a digital arch form customization tool. These 2 arch forms were superimposed by the best-fit method. The greatest differences in the 6 regions on the superimposed arches were evaluated. Each examiner presented a descriptive analysis with the means, standard deviation, and minimum and maximum intervals of the differences on the superimpositions. Intraclass correlation coefficient and paired t tests were used to evaluate the accuracy of the superimpositions. Among the 6 regions analyzed in the superimpositions, the largest differences in the anterior and premolar regions were considered clinically insignificant, whereas the largest differences in the right molar region, especially the second molar area, were considered clinically significant by all 3 examiners. The intraclass correlation coefficients showed a weak correlation in the premolar region and moderate correlations in the anterior and molar regions. The paired t test showed statistically significant differences in the left anterior and premolar regions. The superimpositions between the arch forms on plaster and digital models were considered accurate, and the differences were not clinically significant, with the exception of the second molar area. Despite the favorable results, the requirement of correcting some software problems may hamper the transition from plaster to digital models. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Carotenogenesis of five strains of the algae Dunaliella sp. (Chlorophyceae) isolated from Venezuelan hypersaline lagoons].

PubMed

Guevara, Miguel; Lodeiros, César; Gómez, Olga; Lemus, Nathalie; Núñez, Paulino; Romero, Lolymar; Vásquez, Aléikar; Rosales, Néstor

2005-01-01

We evaluated discontinuous cultures (Algal medium at 0.5 mM of NaNO3, and 27% NaCI) of five strains of Dunaliella sp. isolated from Venezuelan hypersaline lagoons (Araya, Coche, Peonia, Cumaraguas. and Boca Chica) and one strain from a reference collection (Dunaliella salina, LB1644). Cultures were maintained to 25+/-1 degrees C, with constant aeration, photoperiod 12:12, and two light intensities (195 and 390 microE.m(-2).s(-1)) during 30 days. Cell count was recorded on a daily basis using a Neubaüer camera. Totals of chlorophyll a and carotenoids were measured at the end of the experiment. The largest cellular densities were measured during the smallest light intensities. The strain with the largest cellular density was isolated from Boca Chica (8 xl0(6) and 2.5 xl0(6) cel.ml(-1) a 390 and 195microE.m(-2).s(-1), respectively). The increment of light intensity produced a significant reduction of growth rates in all strains. Totals of carotenoids by volume were as large as 390 microE.m(-2).s(-1). Strains LB 1644, from Coche and Araya were those that produced the largest amount of carotenoids (38.4; 32.8 and 21.0 microg.ml(-1), respectively). Differences total carotenoids by cell between treatments were significant. The largest concentration was 390 microE.m(-2).s(-1). The strains LB 1644 and Coche produced the highest values of carotenes (137.14 and 106.06 pg.cel(-1), respectively). Differences in the relation carotenoid:chlorophyll a between the strains at various light intensities was significant. Strains LB1644 presented the largest value of the relation carotenoids:chlorophyll a (20:1) at 195 microE.m(-2).s(-1). No significant differences were detected in the strain Coche (15:1). All the other strains showed relations lower than one. Our results suggest that the strains of Coche and Araya show potential to be used in the biotechnology of carotenoids production.

Heat exchange from the toucan bill reveals a controllable vascular thermal radiator.

PubMed

Tattersall, Glenn J; Andrade, Denis V; Abe, Augusto S

2009-07-24

The toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), the largest member of the toucan family, possesses the largest beak relative to body size of all birds. This exaggerated feature has received various interpretations, from serving as a sexual ornament to being a refined adaptation for feeding. However, it is also a significant surface area for heat exchange. Here we show the remarkable capacity of the toco toucan to regulate heat distribution by modifying blood flow, using the bill as a transient thermal radiator. Our results indicate that the toucan's bill is, relative to its size, one of the largest thermal windows in the animal kingdom, rivaling elephants' ears in its ability to radiate body heat.

Recent trends in the nonfuel minerals industry of Iran

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hastorun, Sinan; Renaud, Karine M.; Lederer, Graham W.

2016-07-11

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that Iran held globally significant reserves of feldspar (2d largest in the world), barite (5th largest), gypsum (5th largest), fluorspar (8th largest), and iron ore (10th largest). The Government of Iran claimed to also have significant reserves of chromium, copper, gold, manganese, phosphate rock, and zinc. In 2014, Iran was the second-leading producer of gypsum and the sixth-leading producer of barite, with 6.1 percent and 3.6 percent of world output, respectively. Iran was also the world’s 7th-leading producer of cement, feldspar, and fluorspar; 8th-leading producer of bentonite; 9th-leading producer of molybdenum; 11th-leading producer of iron ore; and 14th-leading producer of crude steel. The Government of Iran plans to quadruple the output of aluminum, copper cathode, direct-reduced iron, and iron ore pellets; triple that of crude steel and gold; and double that of cement, pig iron, and zinc by 2025. It also plans to double the contribution of mining and to quadruple that of mineral processing to the national economy in the next decade. In order to achieve these major goals, the construction and expansion of several mines and mineral facilities are planned or under development. Whether Iran’s annual mineral production increases as rapidly as envisioned by the Government will depend largely on the amount of foreign investment into the minerals industry; integration of modern technology into mineral facilities; and availability of energy to aluminum, copper, and steel plants at competitive prices to international investors.

Statistical Model to Analyze Quantitative Proteomics Data Obtained by 18O/16O Labeling and Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Jorge, Inmaculada; Navarro, Pedro; Martínez-Acedo, Pablo; Núñez, Estefanía; Serrano, Horacio; Alfranca, Arántzazu; Redondo, Juan Miguel; Vázquez, Jesús

2009-01-01

Statistical models for the analysis of protein expression changes by stable isotope labeling are still poorly developed, particularly for data obtained by 16O/18O labeling. Besides large scale test experiments to validate the null hypothesis are lacking. Although the study of mechanisms underlying biological actions promoted by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on endothelial cells is of considerable interest, quantitative proteomics studies on this subject are scarce and have been performed after exposing cells to the factor for long periods of time. In this work we present the largest quantitative proteomics study to date on the short term effects of VEGF on human umbilical vein endothelial cells by 18O/16O labeling. Current statistical models based on normality and variance homogeneity were found unsuitable to describe the null hypothesis in a large scale test experiment performed on these cells, producing false expression changes. A random effects model was developed including four different sources of variance at the spectrum-fitting, scan, peptide, and protein levels. With the new model the number of outliers at scan and peptide levels was negligible in three large scale experiments, and only one false protein expression change was observed in the test experiment among more than 1000 proteins. The new model allowed the detection of significant protein expression changes upon VEGF stimulation for 4 and 8 h. The consistency of the changes observed at 4 h was confirmed by a replica at a smaller scale and further validated by Western blot analysis of some proteins. Most of the observed changes have not been described previously and are consistent with a pattern of protein expression that dynamically changes over time following the evolution of the angiogenic response. With this statistical model the 18O labeling approach emerges as a very promising and robust alternative to perform quantitative proteomics studies at a depth of several thousand proteins. PMID:19181660

Novel method of fabricating individual trays for maxillectomy patients by computer-aided design and rapid prototyping.

PubMed

Huang, Zhi; Wang, Xin-zhi; Hou, Yue-Zhong

2015-02-01

Making impressions for maxillectomy patients is an essential but difficult task. This study developed a novel method to fabricate individual trays by computer-aided design (CAD) and rapid prototyping (RP) to simplify the process and enhance patient safety. Five unilateral maxillectomy patients were recruited for this study. For each patient, a computed tomography (CT) scan was taken. Based on the 3D surface reconstruction of the target area, an individual tray was manufactured by CAD/RP. With a conventional custom tray as control, two final impressions were made using the different types of tray for each patient. The trays were sectioned, and in each section the thickness of the material was measured at six evenly distributed points. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used to examine the difference of the impression thickness. SAS 9.3 was applied in the statistical analysis. Afterwards, all casts were then optically 3D scanned and compared digitally to evaluate the feasibility of this method. Impressions of all five maxillectomy patients were successfully made with individual trays fabricated by CAD/RP and traditional trays. The descriptive statistics of impression thickness measurement showed slightly more uneven results in the traditional trays, but no statistical significance was shown. A 3D digital comparison showed acceptable discrepancies within 1 mm in the majority of cast areas. The largest difference of 3 mm was observed in the buccal wall of the defective areas. Moderate deviations of 1 to 2 mm were detected in the buccal and labial vestibular groove areas. This study confirmed the feasibility of a novel method of fabricating individual trays by CAD/RP. Impressions made by individual trays manufactured using CAD/RP had a uniform thickness, with an acceptable level of accuracy compared to those made through conventional processes. © 2014 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

In vitro evaluation of clot capture efficiency of an absorbable vena cava filter.

PubMed

Dria, Stephen J; Eggers, Mitchell D

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro clot capture efficiency (CCE) of an investigational absorbable inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) vs the Greenfield IVCF. Investigational absorbable and Greenfield filters were challenged with polyacrylamide clot surrogates ranging from 3 × 5 to 10 × 24 mm (diameter × length) in a flow loop simulating the venous system. Filters were challenged with clots until CCE standard error of 5% or less was achieved under binomial statistics. Pressure gradients across the filters were measured for the largest size clot, enabling calculation of forces on the filter. The in vitro CCE of the absorbable IVCF was statistically similar to that of the Greenfield filter for all clot sizes apart from the 3 × 10-mm clot, for which there was statistically significant difference between filter CCEs (absorbable filter, 59%; Greenfield filter, 31%; P = .0001). CCE ranged from an average 32% for the 3 × 5-mm clot to 100% for 7 × 10-mm and larger clots for the absorbable IVCF. Pressure gradient across the absorbable filter with 10 × 24-mm clot averaged 0.14 mm Hg, corresponding to a net force on the filter of 2.1 × 10(-3) N, compared with 0.39 mm Hg or 5.8 × 10(-3) N (P < .001) for the Greenfield filter. CCE of the absorbable filter was statistically similar to or an improvement on that of the Greenfield stainless steel filter for all clot sizes tested. CCE of the Greenfield filter in this study aligned with data from previous studies. Given the efficacy of the Greenfield filter in attenuating the risk of pulmonary embolism, the current study suggests that the absorbable filter may be a viable candidate for subsequent human testing. Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimating chronic disease rates in Canada: which population-wide denominator to use?

PubMed

Ellison, J; Nagamuthu, C; Vanderloo, S; McRae, B; Waters, C

2016-10-01

Chronic disease rates are produced from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) using administrative health data from provincial/territorial health ministries. Denominators for these rates are based on estimates of populations derived from health insurance files. However, these data may not be accessible to all researchers. Another source for population size estimates is the Statistics Canada census. The purpose of our study was to calculate the major differences between the CCDSS and Statistics Canada's population denominators and to identify the sources or reasons for the potential differences between these data sources. We compared the 2009 denominators from the CCDSS and Statistics Canada. The CCDSS denominator was adjusted for the growth components (births, deaths, emigration and immigration) from Statistics Canada's census data. The unadjusted CCDSS denominator was 34 429 804, 3.2% higher than Statistics Canada's estimate of population in 2009. After the CCDSS denominator was adjusted for the growth components, the difference between the two estimates was reduced to 431 323 people, a difference of 1.3%. The CCDSS overestimates the population relative to Statistics Canada overall. The largest difference between the two estimates was from the migrant growth component, while the smallest was from the emigrant component. By using data descriptions by data source, researchers can make decisions about which population to use in their calculations of disease frequency.

Common pitfalls in statistical analysis: Clinical versus statistical significance

PubMed Central

Ranganathan, Priya; Pramesh, C. S.; Buyse, Marc

2015-01-01

In clinical research, study results, which are statistically significant are often interpreted as being clinically important. While statistical significance indicates the reliability of the study results, clinical significance reflects its impact on clinical practice. The third article in this series exploring pitfalls in statistical analysis clarifies the importance of differentiating between statistical significance and clinical significance. PMID:26229754

Percolation Analysis as a Tool to Describe the Topology of the Large Scale Structure of the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yess, Capp D.

1997-09-01

Percolation analysis is the study of the properties of clusters. In cosmology, it is the statistics of the size and number of clusters. This thesis presents a refinement of percolation analysis and its application to astronomical data. An overview of the standard model of the universe and the development of large scale structure is presented in order to place the study in historical and scientific context. Then using percolation statistics we, for the first time, demonstrate the universal character of a network pattern in the real space, mass distributions resulting from nonlinear gravitational instability of initial Gaussian fluctuations. We also find that the maximum of the number of clusters statistic in the evolved, nonlinear distributions is determined by the effective slope of the power spectrum. Next, we present percolation analyses of Wiener Reconstructions of the IRAS 1.2 Jy Redshift Survey. There are ten reconstructions of galaxy density fields in real space spanning the range β = 0.1 to 1.0, where β=Ω0.6/b,/ Ω is the present dimensionless density and b is the linear bias factor. Our method uses the growth of the largest cluster statistic to characterize the topology of a density field, where Gaussian randomized versions of the reconstructions are used as standards for analysis. For the reconstruction volume of radius, R≈100h-1 Mpc, percolation analysis reveals a slight 'meatball' topology for the real space, galaxy distribution of the IRAS survey. Finally, we employ a percolation technique developed for pointwise distributions to analyze two-dimensional projections of the three northern and three southern slices in the Las Campanas Redshift Survey and then give consideration to further study of the methodology, errors and application of percolation. We track the growth of the largest cluster as a topological indicator to a depth of 400 h-1 Mpc, and report an unambiguous signal, with high signal-to-noise ratio, indicating a network topology which in two dimensions is indicative of a filamentary distribution. It is hoped that one day percolation analysis can characterize the structure of the universe to a degree that will aid theorists in confidently describing the nature of our world.

Assessment of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Way, David W.; Davis, J. L.; Shidner, Jeremy D.

2013-01-01

On August 5, 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, successfully landed inside Gale Crater. This landing was only the seventh successful landing and fourth rover to be delivered to Mars. Weighing nearly one metric ton, Curiosity is the largest and most complex rover ever sent to investigate another planet. Safely landing such a large payload required an innovative Entry, Descent, and Landing system, which included the first guided entry at Mars, the largest supersonic parachute ever flown at Mars, and a novel and untested Sky Crane landing system. A complete, end-to-end, six degree-of-freedom, multi-body computer simulation of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing sequence was developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. In-flight data gathered during the successful landing is compared to pre-flight statistical distributions, predicted by the simulation. These comparisons provide insight into both the accuracy of the simulation and the overall performance of the vehicle.

Physics-based forecasting of induced seismicity at Groningen gas field, the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dempsey, David; Suckale, Jenny

2017-08-01

Earthquakes induced by natural gas extraction from the Groningen reservoir, the Netherlands, put local communities at risk. Responsible operation of a reservoir whose gas reserves are of strategic importance to the country requires understanding of the link between extraction and earthquakes. We synthesize observations and a model for Groningen seismicity to produce forecasts for felt seismicity (M > 2.5) in the period February 2017 to 2024. Our model accounts for poroelastic earthquake triggering and rupture on the 325 largest reservoir faults, using an ensemble approach to model unknown heterogeneity and replicate earthquake statistics. We calculate probability distributions for key model parameters using a Bayesian method that incorporates the earthquake observations with a nonhomogeneous Poisson process. Our analysis indicates that the Groningen reservoir was not critically stressed prior to the start of production. Epistemic uncertainty and aleatoric uncertainty are incorporated into forecasts for three different future extraction scenarios. The largest expected earthquake was similar for all scenarios, with a 5% likelihood of exceeding M 4.0.

Preliminary assessment of the Mars Science Laboratory entry, descent, and landing simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Way, David W.

On August 5, 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, successfully landed inside Gale Crater. This landing was the seventh successful landing and fourth rover to be delivered to Mars. Weighing nearly one metric ton, Curiosity is the largest and most complex rover ever sent to investigate another planet. Safely landing such a large payload required an innovative Entry, Descent, and Landing system, which included the first guided entry at Mars, the largest supersonic parachute ever flown at Mars, and the novel Sky Crane landing system. A complete, end-to-end, six degree-of-freedom, multi-body computer simulation of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing sequence was developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. In-flight data gathered during the successful landing is compared to pre-flight statistical distributions, predicted by the simulation. These comparisons provide insight into both the accuracy of the simulation and the overall performance of the Entry, Descent, and Landing system.

Preliminary Assessment of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Way, David W.

2013-01-01

On August 5, 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, successfully landed inside Gale Crater. This landing was only the seventh successful landing and fourth rover to be delivered to Mars. Weighing nearly one metric ton, Curiosity is the largest and most complex rover ever sent to investigate another planet. Safely landing such a large payload required an innovative Entry, Descent, and Landing system, which included the first guided entry at Mars, the largest supersonic parachute ever flown at Mars, and a novel and untested Sky Crane landing system. A complete, end-to-end, six degree-of-freedom, multibody computer simulation of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing sequence was developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. In-flight data gathered during the successful landing is compared to pre-flight statistical distributions, predicted by the simulation. These comparisons provide insight into both the accuracy of the simulation and the overall performance of the vehicle.

Racial disparities in diabetes mortality in the 50 most populous US cities.

PubMed

Rosenstock, Summer; Whitman, Steve; West, Joseph F; Balkin, Michael

2014-10-01

While studies have consistently shown that in the USA, non-Hispanic Blacks (Blacks) have higher diabetes prevalence, complication and death rates than non-Hispanic Whites (Whites), there are no studies that compare disparities in diabetes mortality across the largest US cities. This study presents and compares Black/White age-adjusted diabetes mortality rate ratios (RRs), calculated using national death files and census data, for the 50 most populous US cities. Relationships between city-level diabetes mortality RRs and 12 ecological variables were explored using bivariate correlation analyses. Multivariate analyses were conducted using negative binomial regression to examine how much of the disparity could be explained by these variables. Blacks had statistically significantly higher mortality rates compared to Whites in 39 of the 41 cities included in analyses, with statistically significant rate ratios ranging from 1.57 (95 % CI: 1.33-1.86) in Baltimore to 3.78 (95 % CI: 2.84-5.02) in Washington, DC. Analyses showed that economic inequality was strongly correlated with the diabetes mortality disparity, driven by differences in White poverty levels. This was followed by segregation. Multivariate analyses showed that adjusting for Black/White poverty alone explained 58.5 % of the disparity. Adjusting for Black/White poverty and segregation explained 72.6 % of the disparity. This study emphasizes the role that inequalities in social and economic determinants, rather than for example poverty on its own, play in Black/White diabetes mortality disparities. It also highlights how the magnitude of the disparity and the factors that influence it can vary greatly across cities, underscoring the importance of using local data to identify context specific barriers and develop effective interventions to eliminate health disparities.

Impact of Land Surface Initialization Approach on Subseasonal Forecast Skill: a Regional Analysis in the Southern Hemisphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirsch, Annette L.; Kala, Jatin; Pitman, Andy J.; Carouge, Claire; Evans, Jason P.; Haverd, Vanessa; Mocko, David

2014-01-01

The authors use a sophisticated coupled land-atmosphere modeling system for a Southern Hemisphere subdomain centered over southeastern Australia to evaluate differences in simulation skill from two different land surface initialization approaches. The first approach uses equilibrated land surface states obtained from offline simulations of the land surface model, and the second uses land surface states obtained from reanalyses. The authors find that land surface initialization using prior offline simulations contribute to relative gains in subseasonal forecast skill. In particular, relative gains in forecast skill for temperature of 10%-20% within the first 30 days of the forecast can be attributed to the land surface initialization method using offline states. For precipitation there is no distinct preference for the land surface initialization method, with limited gains in forecast skill irrespective of the lead time. The authors evaluated the asymmetry between maximum and minimum temperatures and found that maximum temperatures had the largest gains in relative forecast skill, exceeding 20% in some regions. These results were statistically significant at the 98% confidence level at up to 60 days into the forecast period. For minimum temperature, using reanalyses to initialize the land surface contributed to relative gains in forecast skill, reaching 40% in parts of the domain that were statistically significant at the 98% confidence level. The contrasting impact of the land surface initialization method between maximum and minimum temperature was associated with different soil moisture coupling mechanisms. Therefore, land surface initialization from prior offline simulations does improve predictability for temperature, particularly maximum temperature, but with less obvious improvements for precipitation and minimum temperature over southeastern Australia.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in Patients Attending Outpatient Clinic in Kuantan, Malaysia.

PubMed

Mohammad, Nursyafiza B; Rahman, Nor Azlina A; Haque, Mainul

2018-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death around the world including Malaysia. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the single largest cause of death in the developed countries and is one of the main contributors to the disease burden in developing countries. This was a cross-sectional study conducted to determine knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding the risk of CVD in patients attending an outpatient clinic in Kuantan, Malaysia. A total of 100 patients comprising 52 male and 48 female subjects were selected through convenient sampling method. Of the total subjects, 86% were Malays. The mean scores (standard deviation) for KAP were 60.75±4.823, 54.36±8.711, and 33.43±4.046, respectively, whereas the maximum scores obtained by the subjects for KAP were 71, 65, and 43, respectively. Regarding questions related to knowledge, 88% subjects knew irregular eating pattern can cause disease and the benefits of vegetable intake. Most subjects recognized that smoking and obesity were CVD risk factors. Regarding questions related to attitude, 96% agreed that exercise can prevent CVD. More than half of the subjects followed healthy lifestyle. There were statistically significant differences observed in knowledge level between sexes ( P = 0.046) and races ( P = 0.001). Nevertheless, there was no statistically significant difference observed in KAP across different education levels of the subjects regarding the risk of CVD ( P -value = 0.332, 0.185, and 0.160, respectively). This study revealed that patients had good knowledge and attitude regarding CVD risk factors. Yet, the number of smokers is still quite high. Development of better public information system is essential for the well-being of the society.

Comparison of the effectiveness of compression stockings and layer compression systems in venous ulceration treatment

PubMed Central

Jawień, Arkadiusz; Cierzniakowska, Katarzyna; Cwajda-Białasik, Justyna; Mościcka, Paulina

2010-01-01

Introduction The aim of the research was to compare the dynamics of venous ulcer healing when treated with the use of compression stockings as well as original two- and four-layer bandage systems. Material and methods A group of 46 patients suffering from venous ulcers was studied. This group consisted of 36 (78.3%) women and 10 (21.70%) men aged between 41 and 88 years (the average age was 66.6 years and the median was 67). Patients were randomized into three groups, for treatment with the ProGuide two-layer system, Profore four-layer compression, and with the use of compression stockings class II. In the case of multi-layer compression, compression ensuring 40 mmHg blood pressure at ankle level was used. Results In all patients, independently of the type of compression therapy, a few significant statistical changes of ulceration area in time were observed (Student’s t test for matched pairs, p < 0.05). The largest loss of ulceration area in each of the successive measurements was observed in patients treated with the four-layer system – on average 0.63 cm2/per week. The smallest loss of ulceration area was observed in patients using compression stockings – on average 0.44 cm2/per week. However, the observed differences were not statistically significant (Kruskal-Wallis test H = 4.45, p > 0.05). Conclusions A systematic compression therapy, applied with preliminary blood pressure of 40 mmHg, is an effective method of conservative treatment of venous ulcers. Compression stockings and prepared systems of multi-layer compression were characterized by similar clinical effectiveness. PMID:22419941

Differentiating between Glioblastoma and Primary CNS Lymphoma Using Combined Whole-tumor Histogram Analysis of the Normalized Cerebral Blood Volume and the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient.

PubMed

Bao, Shixing; Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Takahashi, Hiroto; Tanaka, Hisashi; Arisawa, Atsuko; Matsuo, Chisato; Wu, Rongli; Fujimoto, Yasunori; Tomiyama, Noriyuki

2018-05-31

This study aimed to determine whether whole-tumor histogram analysis of normalized cerebral blood volume (nCBV) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for contrast-enhancing lesions can be used to differentiate between glioblastoma (GBM) and primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). From 20 patients, 9 with PCNSL and 11 with GBM without any hemorrhagic lesions, underwent MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted imaging before surgery. Histogram analysis of nCBV and ADC from whole-tumor voxels in contrast-enhancing lesions was performed. An unpaired t-test was used to compare the mean values for each type of tumor. A multivariate logistic regression model (LRM) was performed to classify GBM and PCNSL using the best parameters of ADC and nCBV. All nCBV histogram parameters of GBMs were larger than those of PCNSLs, but only average nCBV was statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. Meanwhile, ADC histogram parameters were also larger in GBM compared to those in PCNSL, but these differences were not statistically significant. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the nCBV average and ADC 25th percentile demonstrated the largest area under the curve with values of 0.869 and 0.838, respectively. The LRM combining these two parameters differentiated between GBM and PCNSL with a higher area under the curve value (Logit (P) = -21.12 + 10.00 × ADC 25th percentile (10 -3 mm 2 /s) + 5.420 × nCBV mean, P < 0.001). Our results suggest that whole-tumor histogram analysis of nCBV and ADC combined can be a valuable objective diagnostic method for differentiating between GBM and PCNSL.

Multicenter retrospective analysis of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) with high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H).

PubMed

Goldstein, J; Tran, B; Ensor, J; Gibbs, P; Wong, H L; Wong, S F; Vilar, E; Tie, J; Broaddus, R; Kopetz, S; Desai, J; Overman, M J

2014-05-01

The microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) phenotype, present in 15% of early colorectal cancer (CRC), confers good prognosis. MSI-H metastatic CRC is rare and its impact on outcomes is unknown. We describe survival outcomes and the impact of chemotherapy, metastatectomy, and BRAF V600E mutation status in the largest reported cohort of MSI-H metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). A retrospective review of 55 MSI-H metastatic CRC patients from two institutions, Royal Melbourne Hospital (Australia) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (United States), was conducted. Statistical analyses utilized Kaplan-Meier method, Log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards models. Median age was 67 years (20-90), 58% had poor differentiation, and 45% had stage IV disease at presentation. Median overall survival (OS) from metastatic disease was 15.4 months. Thirteen patients underwent R0/R1 metastatectomies, with median OS from metastatectomy 33.8 months. Thirty-one patients received first-line systemic chemotherapy for metastatic disease with median OS from the start of chemotherapy 11.5 months. No statistically significant difference in progression-free survival or OS was seen between fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, or irinotecan based chemotherapy. BRAF V600E mutation was present in 14 of 47 patients (30%). BRAF V600E patients demonstrated significantly worse median OS; 10.1 versus 17.3 months, P = 0.03. In multivariate analyses, BRAF V600E mutants had worse OS (HR 4.04; P = 0.005), while patients undergoing metastatectomy (HR 0.11; P = <0.001) and patients who initially presented as stage IV disease had improved OS (HR 0.27; P = 0.003). Patients with MSI-H metastatic CRC do not appear to have improved outcomes. BRAF V600E mutation is a poor prognostic factor in MSI-H metastatic CRC.

Variations in the GCR Flux Associated with Heliospheric Transient Structures Near the August 20, 2006 Forbush Decrease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulligan, T.; Blake, J.; Spence, H. E.; Jordan, A. P.; Shaul, D.; Quenby, J.

2007-12-01

On August 20, 2006 a Forbush decrease observed at Polar in the Earth's magnetosphere was also seen at the INTEGRAL spacecraft outside the magnetosphere during a very active time in the solar wind. Data from Polar HIST and from INTEGRAL's Ge detector saturation rate (GEDSAT), which measures the GCR background with a threshold of ~200 MeV, show similar, short-period GCR variations in and around the Forbush decrease. The solar wind magnetic field and plasma conditions during this time reveals three interplanetary shocks present in the days leading up to and including the Forbush decrease. The first two shocks are driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and the last one by a high-speed stream. However, the solar wind following these shocks and during the Forbush decrease is not particularly geoeffective. The Forbush decrease, which begins at ~1200 UT on August 20, 2006 is the largest intensity change during this active time, but there are many others on a variety of timescales. Looking at more than 14 consecutive hours of INTEGRAL and Polar data on August 21, 2006 shows great similarities in the time history of the measurements made aboard the two satellites coupled with differences that must be due to GCR variability on a scale size of the order or less than their separation distance. Despite the spacecraft separation of over 25 Re, many of the larger intensity fluctuations remain identical at both satellites. Autocorrelation and power spectral analyses have shown these are not ar-n processes and that these fluctuations are statistically significant. Such analyses can be done with high confidence because both detectors aboard Polar and INTEGRAL have large geometric factors that generate high count rates on the order of 1000 particles per spin, ensuring rigorous, statistically significant samples.

Civil construction work: The unseen contributor to the occupational and global disease burden.

PubMed

Sitalakshmi, R; Saikumar, P; Jeyachandran, P; Manoharan; Thangavel; Thomas, Jayakar

2016-01-01

Construction industry is the second largest employment giving industry in India with many semi-skilled or unskilled workers taking up the occupation for livelihood without any training and proper guidance. To evaluate the pathogenic association of cement exposure to occupational contact dermatoses as evidenced by immune markers and to correlate their pulmonary functions with years of exposure to cement. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among randomly selected cement workers. Methods and material: Evaluation of socioeconomic status (SES) and years of exposure of cement workers was done using a questionnaire. Clinical examination of skin lesions and strip patch test with application of potassium dichromate on unexposed skin was performed. Results were interpreted after 48 hours. Absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and IgE levels measured, and spirometric evaluation was performed. Analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation test were used for data analysis. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Clinically, skin lesions were noticed in 51%, elevated AEC in 47%, and raised Anti IgE in 73%. Two participants developed positive reactions to the skin strip patch test. Duration of exposure to cement and SES were compared with clinical skin lesions. Spirometry result was normal in 81%, obstruction in 8%, restriction in 10%, and mixed pattern in 1%. Forced expiratory volume at 1.0 second, forced expiratory flow (25-75%), and  (PEFR) Peak Expiratory Flow Rate were markedly reduced with years of exposure. Workers who had greater skin lesions and with increase in exposure had increased AEC and IgE levels, although statistically not significant. Exposure to cement and poor SES is strongly correlated to increased prevalence of skin lesions and reduced pulmonary functions.

Analysis of conference abstract-to-publication rate in UK orthopaedic research.

PubMed

Collier, Thomas; Roadley-Battin, Michelle; Darlow, Chloe; Chant, Philip; Hing, Caroline B; Smith, Toby O

2018-02-01

Presentation of research at orthopaedic conferences is an important component for surgical evidence-based practice. However, there remains uncertainty as to how many conference abstracts proceed to achieve full-text publication (FTP) for wider dissemination. This study aimed to determine the abstract-to-publication rate (APR) of research presented in the largest hip and knee orthopaedic meetings in the UK, and to identify predictive factors which influence the APR. All published abstracts (n=744) from the 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 British Hip Society (BHS) and the 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK) annual conference meetings were examined by four researchers independently. To determine whether abstracts had been published in full-text form, Google Scholar, Medline and EMBASE evidence databases were used to verify FTP status. Variables including sample size, statistical significance, grade of the first author, research affiliated institution and research design were extracted and analysed to identify whether these were associated with FTP. 176 out of 744 abstracts achieved FTP status (APR: 23.7%). Factors associated with FTP status included statistically significant results (P<0.01) and research design (P=0.02). Factors not associated included sample size, grade of the first author and research affiliated institution (P>0.05). APRs of the assessed BHS and BASK annual conference presentations are low in comparison to other scientific meetings. Encouragement should be provided to clinicians and academics to submit their work for publication to address this short fall, thereby enhancing the potential for full-text research publications to inform evidence-based orthopaedics. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Volume and Functional Outcomes in Stroke, Lower Extremity Fracture, and Lower Extremity Joint Replacement

PubMed Central

Graham, James E.; Deutsch, Anne; O’Connell, Ann A.; Karmarkar, Amol M.; Granger, Carl V.; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J.

2013-01-01

Background It is unclear if volume-outcome relationships exist in inpatient rehabilitation. Objectives Assess associations between facility volumes and two patient-centered outcomes in the three most common diagnostic groups in inpatient rehabilitation. Research Design We used hierarchical linear and generalized linear models to analyze administrative assessment data from patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation services for stroke (n=202,423), lower extremity fracture (n=132,194), or lower extremity joint replacement (n=148,068) between 2006 and 2008 in 717 rehabilitation facilities across the U.S. Facilities were assigned to quintiles based on average annual diagnosis-specific patient volumes. Measures Discharge functional status (FIM instrument) and probability of home discharge. Results Facility-level factors accounted for 6–15% of the variance in discharge FIM total scores and 3–5% of the variance in home discharge probability across the 3 diagnostic groups. We used the middle volume quintile (Q3) as the reference group for all analyses and detected small, but statistically significant (p < .01) associations with discharge functional status in all three diagnosis groups. Only the highest volume quintile (Q5) reached statistical significance, displaying higher functional status ratings than Q3 each time. The largest effect was observed in FIM total scores among fracture patients, with only a 3.6-point difference in Q5 and Q3 group means. Volume was not independently related to home discharge. Conclusions Outcome-specific volume effects ranged from small (functional status) to none (home discharge) in all three diagnostic groups. Patients with these conditions can be treated locally rather than at higher-volume regional centers. Further regionalization of inpatient rehabilitation services is not needed for these conditions. PMID:23579350

Morphometric analysis of diameter and relationship of vertebral artery with respect to transverse foramen in Indian population

PubMed Central

Sureka, Binit; Mittal, Mahesh Kumar; Mittal, Aliza; Agarwal, Mukul Sinha Kanhaiya; Bhambri, Narendra Kumar; Thukral, Brij Bhushan

2015-01-01

Purpose: To study the location, origin, size and relationship of the vertebral artery and the transverse foramina in the lower cervical spine by computed tomographic angiography (CTA) measurements in the Indian population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of multi-detector CT (MDCT) cerebral angiography scans was done between June 2011 and February 2014. A total of 120 patients were evaluated. The diameter of the vertebral artery (AL) and the shortest distance between the vertebral artery and the medial (M), lateral (L), anterior (A), and posterior (P) borders of transverse foramen were studied. In addition, the shortest distance between the vertebral artery and pedicle (h) was also analyzed. Statistical Analysis: The means and their standard deviations (SD) were calculated in both the sexes. The t-tests were performed to look for significant sexual difference. Results: The largest vertebral artery diameter (AL) was at level C7 on the right side (3.5 ± 0.8) and at the level of C5 on the left side (3.7 ± 0.4). Statistically significant difference between males and females were seen at levels C4, C5, and C7. The diameter of the vertebral artery was smaller in females than males. The L value was greater than other parameters (M, A, P) at the same level in all the measurements. The h value was greatest at C6 level and shortest at C5. Conclusion: CTA is necessary before pedicle screw fixation due to variation in measurements at all levels. The highest potential risk of vertebral artery injury during cervical pedicle screw implantation may be at C5, then at C4, and the safest is at C7. PMID:25969640

Statistics of the epoch of reionization 21-cm signal - I. Power spectrum error-covariance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Rajesh; Bharadwaj, Somnath; Majumdar, Suman

2016-02-01

The non-Gaussian nature of the epoch of reionization (EoR) 21-cm signal has a significant impact on the error variance of its power spectrum P(k). We have used a large ensemble of seminumerical simulations and an analytical model to estimate the effect of this non-Gaussianity on the entire error-covariance matrix {C}ij. Our analytical model shows that {C}ij has contributions from two sources. One is the usual variance for a Gaussian random field which scales inversely of the number of modes that goes into the estimation of P(k). The other is the trispectrum of the signal. Using the simulated 21-cm Signal Ensemble, an ensemble of the Randomized Signal and Ensembles of Gaussian Random Ensembles we have quantified the effect of the trispectrum on the error variance {C}II. We find that its relative contribution is comparable to or larger than that of the Gaussian term for the k range 0.3 ≤ k ≤ 1.0 Mpc-1, and can be even ˜200 times larger at k ˜ 5 Mpc-1. We also establish that the off-diagonal terms of {C}ij have statistically significant non-zero values which arise purely from the trispectrum. This further signifies that the error in different k modes are not independent. We find a strong correlation between the errors at large k values (≥0.5 Mpc-1), and a weak correlation between the smallest and largest k values. There is also a small anticorrelation between the errors in the smallest and intermediate k values. These results are relevant for the k range that will be probed by the current and upcoming EoR 21-cm experiments.

Metropolitan area racial residential segregation, neighborhood racial composition, and breast cancer mortality.

PubMed

Russell, Emily F; Kramer, Michael R; Cooper, Hannah L F; Gabram-Mendola, Sheryl; Senior-Crosby, Diana; Jacob Arriola, Kimberly R

2012-09-01

There are significant relationships between racial residential segregation (RRS) and a range of health outcomes, including cancer-related outcomes. This study explores the contribution of metropolitan area RRS, census tract racial composition and breast cancer and all-cause mortality among black and white breast cancer patients. This study has three units of analysis: women diagnosed with breast cancer (n = 22,088), census tracts where they lived at diagnosis (n = 1,373), and the metropolitan statistical area (MSA)/micropolitan statistical area (MiSA) where they lived at diagnosis (n = 37). Neighborhood racial composition was measured as the percent of black residents in the census tract. Metropolitan area RRS was measured using the Information Theory Index. Multilevel Cox proportional hazards models examined the association of metropolitan area RRS and census tract racial composition with breast cancer and all-cause mortality. Survival analysis explored and compared the risk of death in women exposed to environments where a higher and lower proportion of residents were black. Breast cancer mortality disparities were largest in racially mixed tracts located in high MSA/MiSA segregation areas (RR = 2.06, 95 % CI 1.70, 2.50). For black but not white women, as MSA/MiSA RRS increased, there was an increased risk for breast cancer mortality (HR = 2.20, 95 % CI 1.09, 4.45). For all-cause mortality, MSA/MiSA segregation was not a significant predictor, but increasing tract percent black was associated with increased risk for white but not black women (HR 1.29, 95 % CI 1.05, 1.58). Racial residential segregation may influence health for blacks and whites differently. Pathways through which RRS patterns impact health should be further explored.

Normal orbit skeletal changes in adolescents as determined through cone-beam computed tomography.

PubMed

Lee, B; Flores-Mir, C; Lagravère, M O

2016-11-10

To determine three-dimensional spatial orbit skeletal changes in adolescents over a 19 to 24 months observation period assessed through cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The sample consisted of 50 adolescents aged 11 to 17. All were orthodontic patients who had two CBCTs taken with an interval of 19 to 24 months between images. The CBCTs were analyzed using the third-party software Avizo. Sixteen anatomical landmarks resulting in 24 distances were used to measure spatial structural changes of both orbits. Reliability and measurement error of all landmarks were calculated using ten CBCTs. Descriptive and t-test statistical analyses were used to determine the overall changes in the orbits. All landmarks showed excellent reliability with the largest measurement error being the Y-coordinate of the left most medial point of the temporalis grooves at 0.95 mm. The mean differences of orbital changes between time 1 and time 2 in the transverse, antero-posterior and vertical directions were 0.97, 0.36 and 0.33 mm respectively. Right to left most antero-inferior superior orbital rim distance had the greatest overall transverse change of 4.37 mm. Right most posterior point of lacrimal crest to right most postero-lateral point of the superior orbital fissure had the greatest overall antero-posterior change of 0.52 mm. Lastly, left most antero-inferior superior orbital rim to left most antero-superior inferior orbital rim had the greatest overall vertical change of 0.63 mm. The orbit skeletal changes in a period of 19-24 months in a sample of 11-17 year olds were statistically significant, but are not considered to be clinically significant. The overall average changes of orbit measurements were less than 1 mm.

Reducing the Primary Cesarean Birth Rate: A Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Javernick, Julie A; Dempsey, Amy

2017-07-01

Research continues to support vaginal birth as the safest mode of childbirth, but despite this, cesarean birth has become the most common surgical procedure performed on women. The rate has increased 500% since the 1970s without a corresponding improvement in maternal or neonatal outcomes. A Colorado community hospital recognized that its primary cesarean birth rate was higher than national and state benchmark levels. To reduce this rate, the hospital collaborated with its largest maternity care provider group to implement a select number of physiologic birth practices and measure improvement in outcomes. Using a pre- and postprocess measure study design, the quality improvement project team identified and implemented 3 physiologic birth parameters over a 12-month period that have been shown to promote vaginal birth. These included reducing elective induction of labor in women less than 41 weeks' gestation; standardizing triage to admit women at greater than or equal to 4 cm dilation; and increasing the use of intermittent auscultation as opposed to continuous fetal monitoring for fetal surveillance. The team also calculated each obstetrician-gynecologist's primary cesarean birth rate monthly and delivered these rates to the providers. Outcomes showed that the provider group decreased its primary cesarean birth rate from 28.9% to 12.2% in the 12-month postprocess measure period. The 57.8% decrease is statistically significant (odds ratio [OR], 0.345; z = 6.52, P < .001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.249-0.479). While this quality improvement project cannot be translated to other settings, promotion of physiologic birth practices, along with audit and feedback, had a statistically significant impact on the primary cesarean birth rate for this provider group and, consequently, on the community hospital where they attend births. © 2017 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Has the incidence of hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in Queensland been reduced with improved education in fetal surveillance monitoring?

PubMed

Byford, Sally; Weaver, Edward; Anstey, Chris

2014-08-01

Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is secondary to intrapartum asphyxia and the fifth largest cause of death of children under five. Incorrect use and interpretation of intrapartum cardiotocographs has been identified as a contributing factor to the development of HIE. Therefore, RANZCOG introduced the Fetal Surveillance Education Program (FSEP) to improve education and practice of intrapartum care. To investigate the incidence of HIE throughout Queensland between 2003 and 2011 during the introduction and implementation of RANZCOG FSEP. The incidence of HIE admissions at each hospital in Queensland (2003-2011) was collated from Queensland Health Statistics Centre. RANZCOG FSEP provided data regarding course attendees throughout Queensland (2006-2011). Hospitals were grouped into four regions. Statistical analysis was conducted using Stata(TM) (version 12.0) - data appeared to follow a damped harmonic model. The posteducation (2006-2011) HIE rate was significantly lower (P = 0.02) than the pre-education (2003-2005) rate. The final model predicted a stabilisation of HIE occurrence rate at approximately 160 events/100,000 live births by 2012. This rate was stable if the level of education was maintained but rose back to the initial rate of 250 events/100,000 live births if the education participation was discontinued. This study identified a significant reduction in the incidence of HIE--a potentially life-threatening newborn condition--between 2003 and 2011, during and following FSEP implementation. Notwithstanding the inevitable limitations of state-based data collection, these results are encouraging. For such improvements to be sustained, education must reach all staff engaged in intrapartum care and be regularly repeated. © 2014 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

A comparative study of cell cycle mediator protein expression patterns in anaplastic and papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Evans, Juanita J; Crist, Henry S; Durvesh, Saima; Bruggeman, Richard D; Goldenberg, David

2012-07-01

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an extremely aggressive and rapidly fatal neoplasm. The aim of this study was to identify a limited cell cycle associated protein expression pattern unique to ATC and to correlate that pattern with clinical outcome. This represents one of the largest tissue micro-array projects comparing the cell cycle protein expression data of ATC to other well-differentiated tumors in the literature. Tissue microarrays were created from 21 patients with ATC and an age and gender matched cohort of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclin D1, cyclin E, p53, p21, p16, aurora kinase A, opioid growth factor (OGF), OGF-receptor, thyroglobulin and Ki-67 was evaluated in a semi-quantitative fashion. Differences in protein expression between the cohorts were evaluated using chi-square tests with Bonferroni adjustments. Survival time and presence of metastasis at presentation were collected. The ATC cohort showed a statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in thyroglobulin expression and statistically significant increases (p < 0.05) in Ki-67 and p53 expression as compared with the PTC cohort. A trend toward loss of p16 and p21 expression was noted in the ATC cohort. A trend toward decreased survival was noted with p21 expression. These data indicate disruption of the normal cell cycle with aberrant expression of multiple protein markers suggesting increased proliferative activity and loss of control of cell cycle progression to G₁ phase. These findings support the assertion that ATC may represent the furthest end of a continuum of thyroid carcinoma dedifferentiation.

Gamma-index method sensitivity for gauging plan delivery accuracy of volumetric modulated arc therapy.

PubMed

Park, Jong In; Park, Jong Min; Kim, Jung-In; Park, So-Yeon; Ye, Sung-Joon

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of the gamma-index method according to various gamma criteria for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Twenty head and neck (HN) and twenty prostate VMAT plans were retrospectively selected for this study. Both global and local 2D gamma evaluations were performed with criteria of 3%/3 mm, 2%/2 mm, 1%/2 mm and 2%/1 mm. In this study, the global and local gamma-index calculated the differences in doses relative to the maximum dose and the dose at the current measurement point, respectively. Using log files acquired during delivery, the differences in parameters at every control point between the VMAT plans and the log files were acquired. The differences in dose-volumetric parameters between reconstructed VMAT plans using the log files and the original VMAT plans were calculated. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (rs) were calculated between the passing rates and those differences. Considerable correlations with statistical significances were observed between global 1%/2 mm, local 1%/2 mm and local 2%/1 mm and the MLC position differences (rs = -0.712, -0.628 and -0.581). The numbers of rs values with statistical significance between the passing rates and the changes in dose-volumetric parameters were largest in global 2%/2 mm (n = 16), global 2%/1 mm (n = 15) and local 2%/1 mm (n = 13) criteria. Local gamma-index method with 2%/1 mm generally showed higher sensitivity to detect deviations between a VMAT plan and the delivery of the VMAT plan. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inpatient rehabilitation volume and functional outcomes in stroke, lower extremity fracture, and lower extremity joint replacement.

PubMed

Graham, James E; Deutsch, Anne; O'Connell, Ann A; Karmarkar, Amol M; Granger, Carl V; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J

2013-05-01

It is unclear if volume-outcome relationships exist in inpatient rehabilitation. Assess associations between facility volumes and 2 patient-centered outcomes in the 3 most common diagnostic groups in inpatient rehabilitation. We used hierarchical linear and generalized linear models to analyze administrative assessment data from patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation services for stroke (n=202,423), lower extremity fracture (n=132,194), or lower extremity joint replacement (n=148,068) between 2006 and 2008 in 717 rehabilitation facilities across the United States. Facilities were assigned to quintiles based on average annual diagnosis-specific patient volumes. Discharge functional status (FIM instrument) and probability of home discharge. Facility-level factors accounted for 6%-15% of the variance in discharge FIM total scores and 3%-5% of the variance in home discharge probability across the 3 diagnostic groups. We used the middle volume quintile (Q3) as the reference group for all analyses and detected small, but statistically significant (P<0.01) associations with discharge functional status in all 3 diagnosis groups. Only the highest volume quintile (Q5) reached statistical significance, displaying higher functional status ratings than Q3 each time. The largest effect was observed in FIM total scores among fracture patients, with only a 3.6-point difference in Q5 and Q3 group means. Volume was not independently related to home discharge. Outcome-specific volume effects ranged from small (functional status) to none (home discharge) in all 3 diagnostic groups. Patients with these conditions can be treated locally rather than at higher volume regional centers. Further regionalization of inpatient rehabilitation services is not needed for these conditions.

Towards a Logical Distinction Between Swarms and Aftershock Sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardine, M.; Burris, L.; McNutt, S.

2007-12-01

The distinction between swarms and aftershock sequences has, up to this point, been fairly arbitrary and non- uniform. Typically 0.5 to 1 order of magnitude difference between the mainshock and largest aftershock has been a traditional choice, but there are many exceptions. Seismologists have generally assumed that the mainshock carries most of the energy, but this is only true if it is sufficiently large compared to the size and numbers of aftershocks. Here we present a systematic division based on energy of the aftershock sequence compared to the energy of the largest event of the sequence. It is possible to calculate the amount of aftershock energy assumed to be in the sequence using the b-value of the frequency-magnitude relation with a fixed choice of magnitude separation (M-mainshock minus M-largest aftershock). Assuming that the energy of an aftershock sequence is less than the energy of the mainshock, the b-value at which the aftershock energy exceeds that of the mainshock energy determines the boundary between aftershock sequences and swarms. The amount of energy for various choices of b-value is also calculated using different values of magnitude separation. When the minimum b-value at which the sequence energy exceeds that of the largest event/mainshock is plotted against the magnitude separation, a linear trend emerges. Values plotting above this line represent swarms and values plotting below it represent aftershock sequences. This scheme has the advantage that it represents a physical quantity - energy - rather than only statistical features of earthquake distributions. As such it may be useful to help distinguish swarms from mainshock/aftershock sequences and to better determine the underlying causes of earthquake swarms.

Global Maize Trade and Food Security: Implications from a Social Network Model

PubMed Central

Wu, Felicia; Guclu, Hasan

2013-01-01

In this study, we developed a social network model of the global trade of maize: one of the most important food, feed, and industrial crops worldwide, and critical to food security. We used this model to analyze patterns of maize trade among nations, and to determine where vulnerabilities in food security might arise if maize availability were decreased due to factors such as diversion to non-food uses, climatic factors, or plant diseases. Using data on imports and exports from the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database for each year from 2000 to 2009 inclusive, we summarized statistics on volumes of maize trade between pairs of nations for 217 nations. There is evidence of market segregation among clusters of nations; with three prominent clusters representing Europe, Brazil and Argentina, and the United States. The United States is by far the largest exporter of maize worldwide, while Japan and the Republic of Korea are the largest maize importers. In particular, the star-shaped cluster of the network that represents US maize trade to other nations indicates the potential for food security risks because of the lack of trade these other nations conduct with other maize exporters. If a scenario arose in which US maize could not be exported in as large quantities, maize supplies in many nations could be jeopardized. We discuss this in the context of recent maize ethanol production and its attendant impacts on food prices elsewhere worldwide. PMID:23656551

Global maize trade and food security: implications from a social network model.

PubMed

Wu, Felicia; Guclu, Hasan

2013-12-01

In this study, we developed a social network model of the global trade of maize: one of the most important food, feed, and industrial crops worldwide, and critical to food security. We used this model to analyze patterns of maize trade among nations, and to determine where vulnerabilities in food security might arise if maize availability was decreased due to factors such as diversion to nonfood uses, climatic factors, or plant diseases. Using data on imports and exports from the U.N. Commodity Trade Statistics Database for each year from 2000 to 2009 inclusive, we summarized statistics on volumes of maize trade between pairs of nations for 217 nations. There is evidence of market segregation among clusters of nations; with three prominent clusters representing Europe, Brazil and Argentina, and the United States. The United States is by far the largest exporter of maize worldwide, whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea are the largest maize importers. In particular, the star-shaped cluster of the network that represents U.S. maize trade to other nations indicates the potential for food security risks because of the lack of trade these other nations conduct with other maize exporters. If a scenario arose in which U.S. maize could not be exported in as large quantities, maize supplies in many nations could be jeopardized. We discuss this in the context of recent maize ethanol production and its attendant impacts on food prices elsewhere worldwide. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Statistical analysis of modal properties of a cable-stayed bridge through long-term structural health monitoring with wireless smart sensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asadollahi, Parisa; Li, Jian

2016-04-01

Understanding the dynamic behavior of complex structures such as long-span bridges requires dense deployment of sensors. Traditional wired sensor systems are generally expensive and time-consuming to install due to cabling. With wireless communication and on-board computation capabilities, wireless smart sensor networks have the advantages of being low cost, easy to deploy and maintain and therefore facilitate dense instrumentation for structural health monitoring. A long-term monitoring project was recently carried out for a cable-stayed bridge in South Korea with a dense array of 113 smart sensors, which feature the world's largest wireless smart sensor network for civil structural monitoring. This paper presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of the modal properties including natural frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes of the monitored cable-stayed bridge. Data analyzed in this paper is composed of structural vibration signals monitored during a 12-month period under ambient excitations. The correlation between environmental temperature and the modal frequencies is also investigated. The results showed the long-term statistical structural behavior of the bridge, which serves as the basis for Bayesian statistical updating for the numerical model.

Quantifying uncertainty in climate change science through empirical information theory.

PubMed

Majda, Andrew J; Gershgorin, Boris

2010-08-24

Quantifying the uncertainty for the present climate and the predictions of climate change in the suite of imperfect Atmosphere Ocean Science (AOS) computer models is a central issue in climate change science. Here, a systematic approach to these issues with firm mathematical underpinning is developed through empirical information theory. An information metric to quantify AOS model errors in the climate is proposed here which incorporates both coarse-grained mean model errors as well as covariance ratios in a transformation invariant fashion. The subtle behavior of model errors with this information metric is quantified in an instructive statistically exactly solvable test model with direct relevance to climate change science including the prototype behavior of tracer gases such as CO(2). Formulas for identifying the most sensitive climate change directions using statistics of the present climate or an AOS model approximation are developed here; these formulas just involve finding the eigenvector associated with the largest eigenvalue of a quadratic form computed through suitable unperturbed climate statistics. These climate change concepts are illustrated on a statistically exactly solvable one-dimensional stochastic model with relevance for low frequency variability of the atmosphere. Viable algorithms for implementation of these concepts are discussed throughout the paper.

Trends of particulate matter (PM2.5) and chemical composition at a regional background site in the Western Mediterranean over the last nine years (2002-2010)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cusack, M.; Alastuey, A.; Pérez, N.; Pey, J.; Querol, X.

2012-04-01

The time variability and long term trends of PM2.5 (particulate matter of diameter <2.5 μm) at various regional background (RB) sites across Europe are studied and interpreted in this work. Long-term trends of PM2.5 concentrations are relatively scarce across Europe, with few studies outlining the changes measured in PM2.5 concentrations over a significant period of time. To this end, data on mean annual levels of PM2.5 measured at Montseny (MSY, North East Spain) and various RB sites in Spain and Europe are evaluated and compared, and subsequently analysed for statistically significant trends. The MSY site registered higher average PM2.5 levels than those measured at a selection of other RB sites across Spain, Portugal, Germany and Scandinavia, but lower than those measured in Switzerland, Italy and Austria. Reductions in PM2.5 were observed across all stations in Spain and Europe to varying degrees. MSY underwent a statistically significant reduction since measurements began, indicating a year-on-year gradual decrease (-3.7 μg m-3, calculated from the final year of data compared to the mean). Similar trends were observed in other RB sites across Spain (-1.9 μg m-3). Reductions recorded in PM2.5 across Europe were varied, with many experiencing gradual, year-on-year decreases (-1.8 μg m-3). These reductions have been attributed to various causes: the introduction and implementation of pollution abatement strategies in EU member states, the effect of the current economic crisis on emissions of PM2.5 and the influence of anomalous meteorology observed during the winters of 2009 and 2010. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), a large scale meteorological phenomenon most prevalent during winter, was observed to influence the frequency of Saharan dust intrusions across the Iberian Peninsula. Chemical composition of PM2.5 at MSY is characterised by high levels of organic matter (OM) and sulphate, followed by crustal material, nitrate and ammonia. Sea Spray and finally elemental carbon (EC) comprised a minor part of the total PM2.5 mass. Statistical trend analysis was performed on the various chemical components of PM2.5 recorded at MSY to determine which components were accountable for the decrease in PM2.5 concentration. It is shown that OM underwent the largest decrease over the time period with a statistically significant trend (-1.3 μg m-3 of the mean), followed by sulphate (-0.8 μg m-3), ammonium (-0.5 μg m-3) and nitrate (-0.4 μg m-3). Conversely, sea spray, EC and crustal material reductions were found to be negligible.

Nurse Staffing and Deficiencies in the Largest For-Profit Nursing Home Chains and Chains Owned by Private Equity Companies

PubMed Central

Harrington, Charlene; Olney, Brian; Carrillo, Helen; Kang, Taewoon

2012-01-01

Objective To compare staffing levels and deficiencies of the 10 largest U.S. for-profit nursing home chains with five other ownership groups and chain staffing and deficiencies before and after purchase by four private equity (PE) companies. Data Sources Facilities for the largest for-profit chains were identified through Internet searches and company reports and matched with federal secondary data for 2003–2008 for each ownership group. Study Design Descriptive statistics and generalized estimation equation panel regression models examined staffing and deficiencies by ownership groups in the 2003–2008 period, controlling for facility characteristics, resident acuity, and market factors with state fixed effects. Principal Findings The top 10 for-profit chains had lower registered nurse and total nurse staffing hours than government facilities, controlling for other factors. The top 10 chains received 36 percent higher deficiencies and 41 percent higher serious deficiencies than government facilities. Other for-profit facilities also had lower staffing and higher deficiencies than government facilities. The chains purchased by PE companies showed little change in staffing levels, but the number of deficiencies and serious deficiencies increased in some postpurchase years compared with the prepurchase period. Conclusions There is a need for greater study of large for-profit chains as well as those chains purchased by PE companies. PMID:22091627

Changes in streamflow characteristics in Wisconsin as related to precipitation and land use

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gebert, Warren A.; Garn, Herbert S.; Rose, William J.

2016-01-19

Streamflow characteristics were determined for 15 longterm streamflow-gaging stations for the periods 1915–2008, 1915–68, and 1969–2008 to identify trends. Stations selected represent flow characteristics for the major river basins in Wisconsin. Trends were statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level at 13 of the 15 streamflow-gaging stations for various streamflow characteristics for 1915–2008. Most trends indicated increases in low flows for streams with agriculture as the dominant land use. The three most important findings are: increases in low flows and average flows in agricultural watersheds, decreases in flood peak discharge for many streams in both agricultural and forested watersheds, and climatic change occurred with increasing annual precipitation and changes in monthly occurrence of precipitation. When the 1915–68 period is compared to the 1969–2008 period, the annual 7-day low flow increased an average of 60 percent for nine streams in agricultural areas as compared to a 15 percent increase for the five forested streams. Average annual flow for the same periods increased 23 percent for the agriculture streams and 0.6 percent for the forested streams. The annual flood peak discharge for the same periods decreased 15 percent for agriculture streams and 8 percent for forested streams. The largest increase in the annual 7-day low flow was 117 percent, the largest increase in annual average flow was 41 percent, and the largest decrease in annual peak discharge was 51 percent. The trends in streamflow characteristics affect frequency characteristics, which are used for a variety of design and compliance purposes. The frequencies for the 1969–2008 period were compared to frequencies for the 1915–68 period. The 7-day, 10-year (Q7, 10) low flow increased 91 percent for nine agricultural streams, while the five forested streams had an increase of 18 percent. The 100-year flood peak discharge decreased an average of 15 percent for streams in the agriculture area and 27 percent for streams in the forested area. Increases in low flow for agriculture streams are attributed to changes in agricultural practices and land use as well as increased precipitation. The decrease in annual flood peak discharge with increased annual precipitation is less clear, but is attributed to increased infiltration from changes in agricultural practices and climatic changes. For future low-flow studies, the 1969–2008 period should be used to determine low-flow characteristics since it represents current (2014) conditions and was generally free of significant trends.

Effects of particle-fluid density ratio on the interactions between the turbulent channel flow and finite-size particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhaosheng; Lin, Zhaowu; Shao, Xueming; Wang, Lian-Ping

2017-09-01

A parallel direct-forcing fictitious domain method is employed to perform fully resolved numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow laden with finite-size particles. The effects of the particle-fluid density ratio on the turbulence modulation in the channel flow are investigated at the friction Reynolds number of 180, the particle volume fraction of 0.84 % , and the particle-fluid density ratio ranging from 1 to 104.2. The results show that the variation of the flow drag with the particle-fluid density ratio is not monotonic, with a larger flow drag for the density ratio of 10.42, compared to those of unity and 104.2. A significant drag reduction by the particles is observed for large particle-fluid density ratios during the transient stage, but not at the statistically stationary stage. The intensity of particle velocity fluctuations generally decreases with increasing particle inertia, except that the particle streamwise root-mean-square velocity and streamwise-transverse velocity correlation in the near-wall region are largest at the density ratio of the order of 10. The averaged momentum equations are derived with the spatial averaging theorem and are used to analyze the mechanisms for the effects of the particles on the flow drag. The results indicate that the drag-reduction effect due to the decrease in the fluid Reynolds shear stress is counteracted by the drag-enhancement effect due to the increase in the total particle stress or the interphase drag force for the large particle-inertia case. The sum of the total Reynolds stress and particle inner stress contributions to the flow drag is largest at the density ratio of the order of 10, which is the reason for the largest flow drag at this density ratio. The interphase drag force obtained from the averaged momentum equation (the balance theory) is significantly smaller than (but agrees qualitatively with) that from the empirical drag formula based on the phase-averaged slip velocity for large density ratios. For the neutrally buoyant case, the balance theory predicts a positive interphase force on the particles arising from the negative gradient of the particle inner stress, which cannot be predicted by the drag formula based on the phase-averaged slip velocity. In addition, our results show that both particle collision and particle-turbulence interaction play roles in the formation of the inhomogeneous distribution of the particles at the density ratio of the order of 10.

Effects of particle-fluid density ratio on the interactions between the turbulent channel flow and finite-size particles.

PubMed

Yu, Zhaosheng; Lin, Zhaowu; Shao, Xueming; Wang, Lian-Ping

2017-09-01

A parallel direct-forcing fictitious domain method is employed to perform fully resolved numerical simulations of turbulent channel flow laden with finite-size particles. The effects of the particle-fluid density ratio on the turbulence modulation in the channel flow are investigated at the friction Reynolds number of 180, the particle volume fraction of 0.84%, and the particle-fluid density ratio ranging from 1 to 104.2. The results show that the variation of the flow drag with the particle-fluid density ratio is not monotonic, with a larger flow drag for the density ratio of 10.42, compared to those of unity and 104.2. A significant drag reduction by the particles is observed for large particle-fluid density ratios during the transient stage, but not at the statistically stationary stage. The intensity of particle velocity fluctuations generally decreases with increasing particle inertia, except that the particle streamwise root-mean-square velocity and streamwise-transverse velocity correlation in the near-wall region are largest at the density ratio of the order of 10. The averaged momentum equations are derived with the spatial averaging theorem and are used to analyze the mechanisms for the effects of the particles on the flow drag. The results indicate that the drag-reduction effect due to the decrease in the fluid Reynolds shear stress is counteracted by the drag-enhancement effect due to the increase in the total particle stress or the interphase drag force for the large particle-inertia case. The sum of the total Reynolds stress and particle inner stress contributions to the flow drag is largest at the density ratio of the order of 10, which is the reason for the largest flow drag at this density ratio. The interphase drag force obtained from the averaged momentum equation (the balance theory) is significantly smaller than (but agrees qualitatively with) that from the empirical drag formula based on the phase-averaged slip velocity for large density ratios. For the neutrally buoyant case, the balance theory predicts a positive interphase force on the particles arising from the negative gradient of the particle inner stress, which cannot be predicted by the drag formula based on the phase-averaged slip velocity. In addition, our results show that both particle collision and particle-turbulence interaction play roles in the formation of the inhomogeneous distribution of the particles at the density ratio of the order of 10.

Absorption of arsenic from soil and water by two chard (Beta vulgaris L.) varieties: A potential risk to human health.

PubMed

Yañez, L M; Alfaro, J A; Bovi Mitre, G

2018-07-15

The accumulation of arsenic (As) in vegetables poses a risk of contamination to humans via the food chain. Two chard (var. cicla and var. d'ampuis) crops were grown for 60 days in greenhouses on Aridisol soil, and irrigated with water from Pastos Chicos, Jujuy (Argentina). The soil and water used in the trial presented 49 and 1.44 mg/L As concentration levels, respectively. Total dry biomass (TDB) and total As were determined in soils, roots and leaves. The latter was quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry with hydride generation, and bioconcentration and translocation factors were determined. TDB in var. cicla showed statistically significant differences when the plant was cultivated in control soil and watered with the toxicant (2.04 g), as compared with the treatment without exposure (2.8 g). TDB in var. d'ampuis presented statistically significant differences with respect to that of the control when the plants were grown in soils with As and watered with the toxicant (3.3 g). This variety increased its biomass in the presence of As. In the two Swiss chard varieties evaluated, the largest As accumulation in root and leaves was found when they were cultivated in contaminated soil and watered with distilled water. The presence of the toxicant in the leaves exceeded the limits established by Código Alimentario Argentino, i.e. 0.30 mg/kg. Total target hazard quotient (THQ) values for As were higher than 1, suggesting that consumers would run significant risks when consuming these chard varieties. Furthermore, it was determined that the carcinogenic risk (CR) posed by this type of exposure to As exceeded the acceptable risk level of 1 × 10 -6 . Based on this evidence, we may conclude that consuming chard cultivated on the evaluated site brings about considerable risks to local residents' health. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maternal and Neonatal Birth Factors Affecting the Age of ASD Diagnosis.

PubMed

Darcy-Mahoney, Ashley; Minter, Bonnie; Higgins, Melinda; Guo, Ying; Zauche, Lauren Head; Hirst, Jessica

2016-12-01

Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) enables early intervention that improves long term functioning of children with ASD but is often delayed until age of school entry. Few studies have identified factors that affect timely diagnosis. This study addressed how maternal education, race, age, marital status as well as neonatal birth factors affect the age at which a child is diagnosed with ASD. This study involved a retrospective analysis of 664 records of children treated at one of the largest autism treatment centers in the United States from March 1, 2009 to December 30, 2010. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to identify maternal and neonatal factors associated with age of diagnosis. Infant gender, maternal race, marital status, and maternal age were identified as significant factors for predicting the age of ASD diagnosis. In the Cox proportional hazards regression model, only maternal race and marital status were included. Median survival age till diagnosis of children born to married mothers was 53.4 months compared to 57.8 months and 63.7 months of children born to single and divorced or widowed mothers respectively. Median survival age till diagnosis for children of African American mothers was 53.8 months compared to 57.2 months for children of Caucasian mothers. No statistically significant difference of timing of ASD diagnosis was found for children of varying gestational age. Children born to older or married mothers and mothers of minority races were more likely to have an earlier ASD diagnosis. No statistically significant differences in timing of ASD diagnosis were found for children born at varying gestational ages. Identification of these factors has the potential to inform public health outreach aimed at promoting timely ASD diagnosis. This work could enhance clinical practice for timelier diagnoses of ASD by supporting parents and clinicians around the world in identifying risk factors beyond gender and SES and developing strategies to recognize earlier signs of ASD and contribute to improved development outcomes in children with ASD.

Interpreting locomotor biomechanics from the morphology of human footprints.

PubMed

Hatala, Kevin G; Wunderlich, Roshna E; Dingwall, Heather L; Richmond, Brian G

2016-01-01

Fossil hominin footprints offer unique direct windows to the locomotor behaviors of our ancestors. These data could allow a clearer understanding of the evolution of human locomotion by circumventing issues associated with indirect interpretations of habitual locomotor patterns from fossil skeletal material. However, before we can use fossil hominin footprints to understand better the evolution of human locomotion, we must first develop an understanding of how locomotor biomechanics are preserved in, and can be inferred from, footprint morphologies. In this experimental study, 41 habitually barefoot modern humans created footprints under controlled conditions in which variables related to locomotor biomechanics could be quantified. Measurements of regional topography (depth) were taken from 3D models of those footprints, and principal components analysis was used to identify orthogonal axes that described the largest proportions of topographic variance within the human experimental sample. Linear mixed effects models were used to quantify the influences of biomechanical variables on the first five principal axes of footprint topographic variation, thus providing new information on the biomechanical variables most evidently expressed in the morphology of human footprints. The footprint's overall depth was considered as a confounding variable, since biomechanics may be linked to the extent to which a substrate deforms. Three of five axes showed statistically significant relationships with variables related to both locomotor biomechanics and substrate displacement; one axis was influenced only by biomechanics and another only by the overall depth of the footprint. Principal axes of footprint morphological variation were significantly related to gait type (walking or running), kinematics of the hip and ankle joints and the distribution of pressure beneath the foot. These results provide the first quantitative framework for developing hypotheses regarding the biomechanical patterns reflected by fossil hominin footprints by demonstrating the statistically significant effects of specific kinematic variables on patterns of variation in footprint topography. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of pH on Prokaryotic Cell Size and Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundararajan, D.; Gutierrez, F.; Heim, N. A.; Payne, J.

2015-12-01

The pH of a habitat is essential to an organism's growth and success in its environment. Although most organisms maintain a neutral internal pH, their environmental pH can vary greatly. However, little research has been done concerning an organism's environmental pH across a wide range of taxa. We studied pH tolerance in prokaryotes and its relationship with biovolume, taxonomic classification, and ideal temperature. We had three hypotheses: pH and temperature are not correlated; pH tolerance is similar within taxonomic groups; and extremophiles have small cell sizes. To test these hypotheses, we used pH, size, and taxonomic data from The Prokaryotes. We found that the mean optimum external pH was neutral for prokaryotes as a whole and when divided by domain, phylum, and class. Using ANOVA to test for pH within and among group variances, we found that variation of pH in domains, phyla, classes, and families was greater than between them. pH and size did not show much of a correlation, except that the largest and smallest sized prokaryotes had nearly neutral pH. This seems significant because extremophiles need to divert more of their energy from growth to maintain a neutral internal pH. Acidophiles showed a larger range of optimum pH values than alkaliphiles. A similar result was seen with the minimum and maximum pH values of acidophiles and alkaliphiles. While acidophiles were spread out and had some alkaline maximum values, alkaliphiles had smaller ranges, and unlike some acidophiles that had pH minimums close to zero, alkaliphile pH maximums did not go beyond a pH of 12. No statistically significant differences were found between sizes of acidophiles and alkaliphiles. However, optimum temperatures of acidophiles and alkaliphiles did have a statistically significant difference. pH and temperature had a negative correlation. Therefore, pH seems to have a correlation with cell size, temperature, and taxonomy to some extent.

Impact of the Polymorphism Near MC4R (rs17782313) on Obesity- and Metabolic-Related Traits in Women Participating in an Aerobic Training Program.

PubMed

Leońska-Duniec, Agata; Jastrzębski, Zbigniew; Zarębska, Aleksandra; Smółka, Wojciech; Cięszczyk, Paweł

2017-09-01

The C/T polymorphism (rs17782313) mapped 188 kb downstream of the melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) shows a strong relationship with an increased body mass index (BMI) and the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, the information on polymorphism's potential modifying effect on obesity- and metabolic-related traits achieved through training is still unknown. Therefore, we decided to check if selected body measurements observed in physically active participants would be modulated by the genotype. The genotype distribution was examined in a group of 201 Polish women measured for chosen traits before and after the completion of a 12 week moderate-intensive aerobic training program. A statistically significant relationship between the glucose level and the genotype was identified (p = 0.046). Participants with CC and CT genotypes had a higher glucose level during the entire study period compared with the TT genotype. However, our results did not confirm the relationship between the C allele and an increased BMI or other obesity-related traits. Additionally, we did not observe a near MC4R C/T polymorphism x physical activity interaction. However, our results revealed that majority of obesity-related variables changed significantly during the 12 week training program. The effect sizes (d) of these changes ranged from small to medium (d = 0.11-0.80), whereas the largest effect (d = 0.80; i.e. medium) was reported for the fat mass content (FM). We found a relationship between the near MC4R C/T polymorphism and an increased glucose level, and it is thus a candidate to influence type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, after the 12 week training program, participants with the C (risk) allele with fasting hyperglycemia had a normal glucose level. Although, this change was not statistically significant, it shows an important trend which needs further investigation.

Small-scale variability in peatland pore-water biogeochemistry, Hudson Bay Lowland, Canada.

PubMed

Ulanowski, T A; Branfireun, B A

2013-06-01

The Hudson Bay Lowland (HBL) of northern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec, Canada is the second largest contiguous peatland complex in the world, currently containing more than half of Canada's soil carbon. Recent concerns about the ecohydrological impacts to these large northern peatlands resulting from climate change and resource extraction have catalyzed a resurgence in scientific research into this ecologically important region. However, the sheer size, heterogeneity and elaborate landscape arrangements of this ecosystem raise important questions concerning representative sampling of environmental media for chemical or physical characterization. To begin to quantify such variability, this study assessed the small-scale spatial (1m) and short temporal (21 day) variability of surface pore-water biogeochemistry (pH, dissolved organic carbon, and major ions) in a Sphagnum spp.-dominated, ombrotrophic raised bog, and a Carex spp.-dominated intermediate fen in the HBL. In general, pore-water pH and concentrations of dissolved solutes were similar to previously reported literature values from this region. However, systematic sampling revealed consistent statistically significant differences in pore-water chemistries between the bog and fen peatland types, and large within-site spatiotemporal variability. We found that microtopography in the bog was associated with consistent differences in most biogeochemical variables. Temporal changes in dissolved solute chemistry, particularly base cations (Na(+), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)), were statistically significant in the intermediate fen, likely a result of a dynamic connection between surficial waters and mineral-rich deep groundwater. In both the bog and fen, concentrations of SO4(2-) showed considerable spatial variability, and a significant decrease in concentrations over the study period. The observed variability in peatland pore-water biogeochemistry over such small spatial and temporal scales suggests that under-sampling in northern peatland environments could lead to erroneous conclusions concerning the abundance and distribution of natural elements and pollutants alike. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gravitational lensing statistics of amplified supernovae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linder, Eric V.; Wagoner, Robert V.; Schneider, P.

1988-01-01

Amplification statistics of gravitationally lensed supernovae can provide a valuable probe of the lensing matter in the universe. A general probability distribution for amplification by compact objects is derived which allows calculation of the lensed fraction of supernovae at or greater than an amplification A and at or less than an apparent magnitude. Comparison of the computed fractions with future results from ongoing supernova searches can lead to determination of the mass density of compact dark matter components with masses greater than about 0.001 solar mass, while the time-dependent amplification (and polarization) of the expanding supernovae constrain the individual masses. Type II supernovae are found to give the largest fraction for deep surveys, and the optimum flux-limited search is found to be at approximately 23d magnitude, if evolution of the supernova rate is neglected.

Multiwavelength and Statistical Research in Space Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, Eric D.

1997-01-01

The accomplishments in the following three research areas are summarized: multiwavelength study of active galactic nuclei; magnetic activity of young stellar objects; and statistical methodology for astronomical data analysis. The research is largely based on observations of the ROSAT and ASCA X-ray observatories, complemented by ground-based optical and radio studies. Major findings include: discovery of inverse Compton X-ray emission from radio galaxy lobes; creation of the largest and least biased available sample of BL Lac objects; characterization of X-ray and nonthermal radio emission from T Tauri stars; obtaining an improved census of young stars in a star forming region and modeling the star formation history and kinematics; discovery of X-ray emission from protostars; development of linear regression methods and codes for interpreting astronomical data; and organization of the first cross-disciplinary conferences for astronomers and statisticians.

Remote sensing for urban planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Bruce A.; Schmidt, Nicholas; Jensen, John R.; Cowen, Dave J.; Halls, Joanne; Narumalani, Sunil; Burgess, Bryan

1994-01-01

Utility companies are challenged to provide services to a highly dynamic customer base. With factory closures and shifts in employment becoming a routine occurrence, the utility industry must develop new techniques to maintain records and plan for expected growth. BellSouth Telecommunications, the largest of the Bell telephone companies, currently serves over 13 million residences and 2 million commercial customers. Tracking the movement of customers and scheduling the delivery of service are major tasks for BellSouth that require intensive manpower and sophisticated information management techniques. Through NASA's Commercial Remote Sensing Program Office, BellSouth is investigating the utility of remote sensing and geographic information system techniques to forecast residential development. This paper highlights the initial results of this project, which indicate a high correlation between the U.S. Bureau of Census block group statistics and statistics derived from remote sensing data.