Long-term care-service use and increases in care-need level among home-based elderly people in a Japanese urban area.

PubMed

Koike, Soichi; Furui, Yuji

2013-04-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of home-based long-term care insurance services on an increase in care need levels and discuss its policy implications. We analyzed care need certification and long-term care service use data for 3006 non-institutionalized elderly persons in a Tokyo ward effective as of October 2009 and 2010. Individual care need assessment intervals and their corresponding changes in care need level were calculated from data at two data acquisition points of care need assessment. Those who had been certified but did not use any long-term care insurance service were defined as the control group. The Cox proportionate hazard model was used to determine whether the use of a long-term care insurance service is associated with increased care need level. After adjusting for sex, age, and care need level, the hazard ratio for the probability of increased care need level among service users was calculated as 0.75 (95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.88; p < 0.001). Home-based long-term care service use may prevent an increase in care need level. Administrative data on care need certification and services use could be an effective tool for evaluating the long-term care insurance system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of calcitonin gene-related peptide in cardioprotection of short-term and long-term exercise preconditioning.

PubMed

Sun, Xiao-Juan; Pan, Shan-Shan

2014-07-01

To examine the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in cardioprotection of short-term and long-term exercise preconditioning (EP). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were, respectively, subjected to continuous intermittent treadmill training 3 days or 3 weeks as short-term or long-term EP protocols. The myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol (ISO) was performed 24 hours after short-term and long-term EP. The myocardial injury was evaluated in terms of the serum cardiac troponin levels and the hematoxylin-basic fuchsin-picric acid staining. Additionally, serum CGRP levels, CGRP expression in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and heart were analyzed as possible mechanisms to explain short-term and long-term EP-induced cardioprotection. Both short-term and long-term EP markedly attenuated the isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemia with lower serum cardiac troponin levels. Short-term EP does not alter serum CGRP levels and CGRP expression in the DRG and heart. Long-term EP significantly increases serum CGRP levels and CGRP expression in the DRG and heart. The results indicate that short-term EP does not increase the synthesis and release of CGRP. Therefore, the cardioprotective effect of short-term EP does not involve CGRP adaptation. Furthermore, long-term EP increases CGRP synthesis in the DRG and promotes CGRP release in the blood and heart. Hence, CGRP may play an important role in the cardioprotective effect of long-term EP.

[Serum total cholesterol levels and eligibility for long-term care insurance: a prospective cohort study of the Tsurugaya project].

PubMed

Hoshi, Rena; Tomata, Yasutake; Kakizaki, Masako; Tsuboya, Toru; Nagai, Masato; Watanabe, Ikue; Hozawa, Atsushi; Tsuji, Ichiro

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum total cholesterol levels and certification eligibility for long-term care insurance in elderly Japanese individuals. The Tsurugaya Project was a comprehensive geriatric assessment conducted for community-dwelling elderly individuals aged ≥70 years in the Tsurugaya area, Sendai, Japan. Of the 2,925 inhabitants, 958 subjects participated in the Tsurugaya Project. For this analysis, we used 827 subjects who gave informed consent and were not qualified for long-term care insurance at the time of the baseline survey. Subjects were followed up for 6 years. We classified the subjects into 4 quintiles and used the fourth quintile (212-230 mg/dL) as a reference for statistical analysis. We used Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of certification eligibility for long-term care insurance according to total cholesterol levels in serum. During 6 years of follow-up, a total of 214 subjects were qualified for long-term care insurance certification. The lowest serum total cholesterol level (<177 mg/dL) was significantly associated with increased eligibility for long-term care insurance certification. Compared with the fourth quintile, multivariate HRs (95%CIs) of long-term care insurance certification were 1.91 (1.23-2.98), 1.36 (0.85-2.18), 0.99 (0.62-1.56), 1.38 (0.88-2.17), for <177 mg/dL, 177-194 mg/dL, 195-211 mg/dL, and ≤231 mg/dL, respectively. Moreover, the association was statistically significant even after excluding subjects with a history of liver disease or cancer, an abnormality in the liver function test, or high levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Low serum total cholesterol levels were significantly associated with increased eligibility for long-term care insurance certification even after adjusting for a variety of confounding factors.

Long-term outcomes and social independence level after arterial switch operation.

PubMed

Yamazaki, Akira; Yamamoto, Noboru; Sakamoto, Takahiko; Ishihara, Kazuaki; Iwata, Yusuke; Matsumura, Goki; Kurosawa, Hiromi

2008-02-01

Various issues regarding the long-term survivors of arterial switch operation (ASO) have been clarified according to the improvement of surgical mortality. We reviewed the long-term results and social independence level after ASO. Two hundred and four (204) patients who had undergone ASO more than 15 years ago were studied retrospectively. ASO was performed as a primary operation (group I, n=99) or as a secondary operation (group II, n=105). Lecompte procedure was performed in 197 patients, modified Aubert procedure in 5, and original Jatene procedure in 2. There were 11 late deaths. Kaplan-Meier survival rate (not including operative deaths) was 94.9% at 10 years and 94.9% at 15 years in group I, and 96.9% at 10 years and 94.4% at 15 years in group II. Forty-eight reoperations were performed (aortic valve replacement in 6, aortic valvoplasty in 2, Konno procedure in 1, double valve replacement in 1, right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in 35). The reoperation-free rate including late death was 82.2% at 10 years and 75.7% at 15 years in group I, and 88.2% at 10 years and 78.1% at 15 years in group II. One hundred and seventy-eight patients were classified as NYHA class I and 7 patients as class II. All the patients except those with mental disorder (1) or neurodevelopmental impairment (3) were attending school or working. There was no significant difference in left ventricular function between group I and II, both showing values within the normal range. The long-term (>15 years) outcome of ASO survivors was satisfactory. Most patients showed excellent cardiac function and were socially independent.

CCL11 (Eotaxin-1) Levels Predict Long-Term Functional Outcomes in Patients Following Ischemic Stroke.

PubMed

Roy-O'Reilly, Meaghan; Ritzel, Rodney M; Conway, Sarah E; Staff, Ilene; Fortunato, Gilbert; McCullough, Louise D

2017-12-01

Circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine C-C motif chemokine 11 (CCL11, also known as eotaxin-1) are increased in several animal models of neuroinflammation, including traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's disease. Increased levels of CCL11 have also been linked to decreased neurogenesis in mice. We hypothesized that circulating CCL11 levels would increase following ischemic stroke in mice and humans, and that higher CCL11 levels would correlate with poor long-term recovery in patients. As predicted, circulating levels of CCL11 in both young and aged mice increased significantly 24 h after experimental stroke. However, ischemic stroke patients showed decreased CCL11 levels compared to controls 24 h after stroke. Interestingly, lower post-stroke CCL11 levels were predictive of increased stroke severity and independently predictive of poorer functional outcomes in patients 12 months after ischemic stroke. These results illustrate important differences in the peripheral inflammatory response to ischemic stroke between mice and human patients. In addition, it suggests CCL11 as a candidate biomarker for the prediction of acute and long-term functional outcomes in ischemic stroke patients.

[Long-term psychiatric hospitalizations].

PubMed

Plancke, L; Amariei, A

2017-02-01

Long-term hospitalizations in psychiatry raise the question of desocialisation of the patients and the inherent costs. Individual indicators were extracted from a medical administrative database containing full-time psychiatric hospitalizations for the period 2011-2013 of people over 16 years old living in the French region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. We calculated the proportion of people who had experienced a hospitalization with a duration of 292 days or more during the study period. A bivariate analysis was conducted, then ecological data (level of health-care offer, the deprivation index and the size of the municipalities of residence) were included into a multilevel regression model in order to identify the factors significantly related to variability of long-term hospitalization rates. Among hospitalized individuals in psychiatry, 2.6% had had at least one hospitalization of 292 days or more during the observation period; the number of days in long-term hospitalization represented 22.5% of the total of days of full-time hospitalization in psychiatry. The bivariate analysis revealed that seniority in the psychiatric system was strongly correlated with long hospitalization rates. In the multivariate analysis, the individual indicators the most related to an increased risk of long-term hospitalization were: total lack of autonomy (OR=9.0; 95% CI: 6.7-12.2; P<001); diagnoses of psychological development disorders (OR=9.7; CI95%: 4.5-20.6; P<.001); mental retardation (OR=4.5; CI95%: 2.5-8.2; P<.001): schizophrenia (OR=3.0; CI95%: 1.7-5.2; P<.001); compulsory hospitalization (OR=1.7; CI95%: 1.4-2.1; P<.001); having experienced therapeutic isolation (OR=1.8; CI95%: 1.5-2.1; P<.001). Variations of long-term hospitalization rates depending on the type of establishment were very high, but the density of hospital beds or intensity of ambulatory activity services were not significantly linked to long-term hospitalization. The inhabitants of small urban units had

Long-term vegetarians have low oxidative stress, body fat, and cholesterol levels

PubMed Central

Kim, Mi Kyung; Cho, Sang Woon

2012-01-01

Excessive oxidative stress and abnormal blood lipids may cause chronic diseases. This risk can be reduced by consuming an antioxidant- and fiber-rich vegetarian diet. We compared biomarkers of oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, and lipid profiles of sex- and age-matched long-term vegetarians and omnivores in Korea. Forty-five vegetarians (23 men and 22 women; mean age, 49.5 ± 5.3 years), who had maintained a vegetarian diet for a minimum of 15 years, and 30 omnivores (15 men and 15 women; mean age, 48.9 ± 3.6 years) participated in this study. Their 1-day, 24-h recall, and 2-day dietary records were analyzed. Oxidative stress was measured by the levels of diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM). Antioxidant status was determined by the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) and levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. We observed that vegetarians had a significantly lower body fat percentage (21.6 ± 6.4%) than that of omnivores (25.4 ± 4.6%; P < 0.004). d-ROM levels were significantly lower in vegetarians than those in omnivores (331.82 ± 77.96 and 375.80 ± 67.26 Carratelli units; P < 0.011). Additionally, total cholesterol levels in the vegetarians and omnivores were 173.73 ± 31.42 mg/dL and 193.17 ± 37.89 mg/dL, respectively (P < 0.018). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 101.36 ± 23.57 mg/dL and 120.60 ± 34.62 mg/dL (P < 0.005) in the vegetarians and omnivores, respectively, indicating that vegetarians had significantly lower lipid levels. Thus, oxidative stress, body fat, and cholesterol levels were lower in long-term vegetarians than those in omnivores. PMID:22586505

Long-term vegetarians have low oxidative stress, body fat, and cholesterol levels.

PubMed

Kim, Mi Kyung; Cho, Sang Woon; Park, Yoo Kyoung

2012-04-01

Excessive oxidative stress and abnormal blood lipids may cause chronic diseases. This risk can be reduced by consuming an antioxidant- and fiber-rich vegetarian diet. We compared biomarkers of oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, and lipid profiles of sex- and age-matched long-term vegetarians and omnivores in Korea. Forty-five vegetarians (23 men and 22 women; mean age, 49.5 ± 5.3 years), who had maintained a vegetarian diet for a minimum of 15 years, and 30 omnivores (15 men and 15 women; mean age, 48.9 ± 3.6 years) participated in this study. Their 1-day, 24-h recall, and 2-day dietary records were analyzed. Oxidative stress was measured by the levels of diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM). Antioxidant status was determined by the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) and levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. We observed that vegetarians had a significantly lower body fat percentage (21.6 ± 6.4%) than that of omnivores (25.4 ± 4.6%; P < 0.004). d-ROM levels were significantly lower in vegetarians than those in omnivores (331.82 ± 77.96 and 375.80 ± 67.26 Carratelli units; P < 0.011). Additionally, total cholesterol levels in the vegetarians and omnivores were 173.73 ± 31.42 mg/dL and 193.17 ± 37.89 mg/dL, respectively (P < 0.018). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 101.36 ± 23.57 mg/dL and 120.60 ± 34.62 mg/dL (P < 0.005) in the vegetarians and omnivores, respectively, indicating that vegetarians had significantly lower lipid levels. Thus, oxidative stress, body fat, and cholesterol levels were lower in long-term vegetarians than those in omnivores.

Resident and facility characteristics associated with care-need level deterioration in long-term care welfare facilities in Japan.

PubMed

Jin, Xueying; Tamiya, Nanako; Jeon, Boyoung; Kawamura, Akira; Takahashi, Hideto; Noguchi, Haruko

2018-05-01

To determine the resident and facility characteristics associated with residents' care-need level deterioration in long-term care welfare facilities in Japan. A nationally representative sample of 358 886 residents who lived in 3774 long-term care welfare facilities for at least 1 year from October 2012 was obtained from long-term care insurance claims data. Facility characteristics were linked with a survey of institutions and establishments for long-term care in 2012. We used a multilevel logistic regression according to the inclusion and exclusion of lost to follow-up to define the resident and facility characteristics associated with resident care-need level deteriorations (lost to follow-up: the majority were hospitalized residents or had died; were treated as deterioration in the including loss to follow-up model). Adjusting for the covariates, at the resident level, older age and lower care-need level at baseline were more likely to show deterioration in the care-need level. At the facility level, metropolitan facilities, unit model (all private room settings) and mixed-model facilities (partly private room settings) were less likely to experience care-need level deterioration. A higher proportion of registered nurses among all nurses was negatively related to care-need level deterioration only in the model including lost to follow-up. A higher proportion of registered dietitians among all dietitians and the facilities in business for fewer years were negatively associated with care-need level deterioration only in the model excluding lost to follow-up. The present study could help identify residents who are at risk of care-need level deterioration, and could contribute to improvements in provider quality performance and enhance competence in the market. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 758-766. © 2018 The Authors Geriatrics & Gerontology International published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Geriatrics Society.

Management training in long-term care.

PubMed

Evashwick, Connie

2002-01-01

The education of health care administrators faces its most dramatic change since the inception of the field. Recent discussions at the national level call for major overhaul of curricula and teaching modalities, including moving education to position students for evidence-based practice. This paper presents recommendations for incorporating training about chronic and long-term care into health care management curricula. It asserts that all health care management students should have a basic knowledge of the fundamental policy, operating, and financing principles of long-term care. The majority of people using the health care delivery system today, and increasingly in the future, suffer from chronic conditions. Long-term care services, although less expansive in structure, far outnumber acute care services and health plans. They will grow in the future to meet the portending demand. To maximize job opportunities and to optimize performance in any job, health care administrators need to know about the long-term care delivery system. This paper delineates critical topics pertaining to long-term care, organized according to 11 fundamental management areas in which the field is developing core competencies. The contents were derived from a year-long process of asking stakeholders in the various facets of long-term care what topics they thought were essential for administrators to know. The topics delineated in this document represent the consensus about essential knowledge that all health care administrators should have about long-term care, whether specializing in long-term care or following a more general management career. The education of health care administrators faces its most dramatic change since the inception ofthe field. Recent discussions at the national level call for major overhaul of curricula and teaching modalities, including moving education to position students to perform according to evidence-based practice. It is thus timely to consider content, as

Long-term outcome after adjacent two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using stand-alone plasmaphore-covered titanium cages.

PubMed

Marbacher, Serge; Hidalgo-Staub, Teresa; Kienzler, Jenny; Wüergler-Hauri, Carola; Landolt, Hans; Fandino, Javier

2015-05-01

Reports on long-term outcome of stand-alone contiguous two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using stand-alone Plasmaphore-coated titanium cages (PCTCs) are rare, and data on follow-ups > 3 years are missing. To evaluate the long-term outcome of adjacent two-level microsurgical ACDF using stand-alone PCTC. A total of 33 consecutive patients presented with cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) underwent contiguous two-level ACDF. Clinical long-term evaluation (mean: 61 ± 14 months) included documentation of neurologic deficits (motor deficits, sensory deficits, reflex status, and gait disturbance), neck pain, and radicular pain. Functional outcome was measured using the Odom criteria, patient-perceived outcome, and evaluation of work status. Radiographs were evaluated to assess intervertebral disc height, subsidence, level of fusion, sagittal balance, and implant position. Surgery was performed at levels C5-C6 and C6-C7 in 30 patients and at C4-C5 and C5-C6 in 3 (mean age: 50.1 ± 7.7 years). Symptoms and neurologic deficits improved as follows: neurologic deficits (pre: 100%; post: 36%), radicular pain (pre: 85%; post: 15%), and neck pain (pre: 94%; post: 33%). Excellent and good functional and subjective outcome was noted in 75%. Cage subsidence was found to be more prominent in the lower (52%) than the upper (36%) mobile cervical segment. Two-level fusion was documented in most patients (n = 29 [88%]). Kyphotic deformity occurred in two cases (n = 2 [6%]). Stand-alone contiguous two-level ACDF using PCPT proved to be effective, yielding good long-term clinical and functional outcomes. The relatively high rate of subsidence did not affect the good clinical and functional long-term outcome. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Neuropsychological Testing in Interventional Cardiology Staff after Long-Term Exposure to Ionizing Radiation.

PubMed

Marazziti, Donatella; Tomaiuolo, Francesco; Dell'Osso, Liliana; Demi, Virginia; Campana, Serena; Piccaluga, Emanuela; Guagliumi, Giulio; Conversano, Ciro; Baroni, Stefano; Andreassi, Maria Grazia; Picano, Eugenio

2015-10-01

This study aimed at comparing neuropsychological test scores in 83 cardiologists and nurses (exposed group, EG) working in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and 83 control participants (non exposed group, nEG), to explore possible cognitive impairments. The neuropsychological assessment was carried out by means of a battery called "Esame Neuropsicologico Breve." EG participants showed significantly lower scores on the delayed recall, visual short-term memory, and semantic lexical access ability than the nEG ones. No dose response could be detected. EG participants showed lower memory and verbal fluency performances, as compared with nEG. These reduced skills suggest alterations of some left hemisphere structures that are more exposed to IR in interventional cardiology staff. On the basis of these findings, therefore, head protection would be a mandatory good practice to reduce effects of head exposure to ionizing radiation among invasive cardiology personnel (and among other exposed professionals).

Prevalence and facility level correlates of need for wheelchair seating assessment among long-term care residents.

PubMed

Giesbrecht, Edward M; Mortenson, W Ben; Miller, William C

2012-01-01

Wheelchairs are frequently prescribed for residents with mobility impairments in long-term care. Many residents receive poorly fitting wheelchairs, compromising functional independence and mobility, and contributing to subsequent health issues such as pressure ulcers. The extent of this problem and the factors that predict poor fit are poorly understood; such evidence would contribute greatly to effective and efficient clinical practice in long-term care. To identify the prevalence of need for wheelchair seating intervention among residents in long-term care facilities in Vancouver and explore the relationship between the need for seating intervention and facility level factors. Logistic regression analysis using secondary data from a cross-sectional study exploring predictors of resident mobility. A total of 263 residents (183 females and 80 males) were randomly selected from 11 long-term care facilities in the Vancouver health region (mean age 84.2 ± 8.6 years). The Seating Identification Tool was used to establish subject need for wheelchair seating intervention. Individual item frequency was calculated. Six contextual variables were measured at each facility including occupational therapy staffing, funding source, policies regarding wheelchair-related equipment, and decision-making philosophy. The overall prevalence rate of inappropriate seating was 58.6% (95% CI 52.6-64.5), ranging from 30.4 to 81.8% among the individual facilities. Discomfort, poor positioning and mobility, and skin integrity were the most common issues. Two facility level variables were significant predictors of need for seating assessment: ratio of occupational therapists per 100 residents [OR 0.11 (CI 0.04, 0.31)] and expectation that residents purchase wheelchair equipment beyond the basic level [OR 2.78 (1.11, 6.97)]. A negative association between facility prevalence rate and ratio of occupational therapists (r(p) = -0.684, CI -0.143 to -0.910) was found. Prevalence of need for seating

Long-term high-level exercise promotes muscle reinnervation with age.

PubMed

Mosole, Simone; Carraro, Ugo; Kern, Helmut; Loefler, Stefan; Fruhmann, Hannah; Vogelauer, Michael; Burggraf, Samantha; Mayr, Winfried; Krenn, Matthias; Paternostro-Sluga, Tatjana; Hamar, Dusan; Cvecka, Jan; Sedliak, Milan; Tirpakova, Veronika; Sarabon, Nejc; Musarò, Antonio; Sandri, Marco; Protasi, Feliciano; Nori, Alessandra; Pond, Amber; Zampieri, Sandra

2014-04-01

The histologic features of aging muscle suggest that denervation contributes to atrophy, that immobility accelerates the process, and that routine exercise may protect against loss of motor units and muscle tissue. Here, we compared muscle biopsies from sedentary and physically active seniors and found that seniors with a long history of high-level recreational activity up to the time of muscle biopsy had 1) lower loss of muscle strength versus young men (32% loss in physically active vs 51% loss in sedentary seniors); 2) fewer small angulated (denervated) myofibers; 3) a higher percentage of fiber-type groups (reinnervated muscle fibers) that were almost exclusive of the slow type; and 4) sparse normal-size muscle fibers coexpressing fast and slow myosin heavy chains, which is not compatible with exercise-driven muscle-type transformation. The biopsies from the old physically active seniors varied from sparse fiber-type groupings to almost fully transformed muscle, suggesting that coexpressing fibers appear to fill gaps. Altogether, the data show that long-term physical activity promotes reinnervation of muscle fibers and suggest that decades of high-level exercise allow the body to adapt to age-related denervation by saving otherwise lost muscle fibers through selective recruitment to slow motor units. These effects on size and structure of myofibers may delay functional decline in late aging.

Long-term data storage in diamond

PubMed Central

Dhomkar, Siddharth; Henshaw, Jacob; Jayakumar, Harishankar; Meriles, Carlos A.

2016-01-01

The negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV−) center in diamond is the focus of widespread attention for applications ranging from quantum information processing to nanoscale metrology. Although most work so far has focused on the NV− optical and spin properties, control of the charge state promises complementary opportunities. One intriguing possibility is the long-term storage of information, a notion we hereby introduce using NV-rich, type 1b diamond. As a proof of principle, we use multicolor optical microscopy to read, write, and reset arbitrary data sets with two-dimensional (2D) binary bit density comparable to present digital-video-disk (DVD) technology. Leveraging on the singular dynamics of NV− ionization, we encode information on different planes of the diamond crystal with no cross-talk, hence extending the storage capacity to three dimensions. Furthermore, we correlate the center’s charge state and the nuclear spin polarization of the nitrogen host and show that the latter is robust to a cycle of NV− ionization and recharge. In combination with super-resolution microscopy techniques, these observations provide a route toward subdiffraction NV charge control, a regime where the storage capacity could exceed present technologies. PMID:27819045

Long-term data storage in diamond.

PubMed

Dhomkar, Siddharth; Henshaw, Jacob; Jayakumar, Harishankar; Meriles, Carlos A

2016-10-01

The negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV - ) center in diamond is the focus of widespread attention for applications ranging from quantum information processing to nanoscale metrology. Although most work so far has focused on the NV - optical and spin properties, control of the charge state promises complementary opportunities. One intriguing possibility is the long-term storage of information, a notion we hereby introduce using NV-rich, type 1b diamond. As a proof of principle, we use multicolor optical microscopy to read, write, and reset arbitrary data sets with two-dimensional (2D) binary bit density comparable to present digital-video-disk (DVD) technology. Leveraging on the singular dynamics of NV - ionization, we encode information on different planes of the diamond crystal with no cross-talk, hence extending the storage capacity to three dimensions. Furthermore, we correlate the center's charge state and the nuclear spin polarization of the nitrogen host and show that the latter is robust to a cycle of NV - ionization and recharge. In combination with super-resolution microscopy techniques, these observations provide a route toward subdiffraction NV charge control, a regime where the storage capacity could exceed present technologies.

Exposure to Ionizing Radiation Causes Long-Term Increase in Serum Estradiol and Activation of PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathway in Mouse Mammary Gland

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

Suman, Shubhankar; Johnson, Michael D.; Fornace, Albert J.

Purpose: Exposure to ionizing radiation is an established risk factor for breast cancer. Radiation exposure during infancy, childhood, and adolescence confers the highest risk. Although radiation is a proven mammary carcinogen, it remains unclear where it acts in the complex multistage process of breast cancer development. In this study, we investigated the long-term pathophysiologic effects of ionizing radiation at a dose (2 Gy) relevant to fractionated radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Adolescent (6-8 weeks old; n = 10) female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 2 Gy total body {gamma}-radiation, the mammary glands were surgically removed, and serum and urine samples weremore » collected 2 and 12 months after exposure. Molecular pathways involving estrogen receptor-{alpha} (ER{alpha}) and phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling were investigated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results: Serum estrogen and urinary levels of the oncogenic estrogen metabolite (16{alpha}OHE1) were significantly increased in irradiated animals. Immunostaining for the cellular proliferative marker Ki-67 and cyclin-D1 showed increased nuclear accumulation in sections of mammary glands from irradiated vs. control mice. Marked increase in p85{alpha}, a regulatory sub-unit of the PI3K was associated with increase in Akt, phospho-Akt, phospho-BAD, phospho-mTOR, and c-Myc in irradiated samples. Persistent increase in nuclear ER{alpha} in mammary tissues 2 and 12 months after radiation exposure was also observed. Conclusions: Taken together, our data not only support epidemiologic observations associating radiation and breast cancer but also, specify molecular events that could be involved in radiation-induced breast cancer.« less

Synthesizing long-term sea level rise projections - the MAGICC sea level model v2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nauels, Alexander; Meinshausen, Malte; Mengel, Matthias; Lorbacher, Katja; Wigley, Tom M. L.

2017-06-01

Sea level rise (SLR) is one of the major impacts of global warming; it will threaten coastal populations, infrastructure, and ecosystems around the globe in coming centuries. Well-constrained sea level projections are needed to estimate future losses from SLR and benefits of climate protection and adaptation. Process-based models that are designed to resolve the underlying physics of individual sea level drivers form the basis for state-of-the-art sea level projections. However, associated computational costs allow for only a small number of simulations based on selected scenarios that often vary for different sea level components. This approach does not sufficiently support sea level impact science and climate policy analysis, which require a sea level projection methodology that is flexible with regard to the climate scenario yet comprehensive and bound by the physical constraints provided by process-based models. To fill this gap, we present a sea level model that emulates global-mean long-term process-based model projections for all major sea level components. Thermal expansion estimates are calculated with the hemispheric upwelling-diffusion ocean component of the simple carbon-cycle climate model MAGICC, which has been updated and calibrated against CMIP5 ocean temperature profiles and thermal expansion data. Global glacier contributions are estimated based on a parameterization constrained by transient and equilibrium process-based projections. Sea level contribution estimates for Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are derived from surface mass balance and solid ice discharge parameterizations reproducing current output from ice-sheet models. The land water storage component replicates recent hydrological modeling results. For 2100, we project 0.35 to 0.56 m (66 % range) total SLR based on the RCP2.6 scenario, 0.45 to 0.67 m for RCP4.5, 0.46 to 0.71 m for RCP6.0, and 0.65 to 0.97 m for RCP8.5. These projections lie within the range of the latest IPCC SLR

LONG TERM STABILITY STUDY AT FNAL AND SLAC USING BINP DEVELOPED HYDROSTATIC LEVEL SYSTEM

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

Seryi, Andrei

2003-05-28

Long term ground stability is essential for achieving the performance goals of the Next Linear Collider. To characterize ground motion on relevant time scales, measurements have been performed at three geologically different locations using a hydrostatic level system developed specifically for these studies. Comparative results from the different sites are presented in this paper.

Long-term exposure to endogenous levels of tributyltin decreases GluR2 expression and increases neuronal vulnerability to glutamate.

PubMed

Nakatsu, Yusuke; Kotake, Yaichiro; Takishita, Tomoko; Ohta, Shigeru

2009-10-15

Tributyltin (TBT), an endocrine-disrupting chemical, has been used commercially as a heat stabilizer, agricultural pesticide and component of antifouling paints. In this study, we investigated the effect of long-term exposure to endogenous levels of TBT on neuronal glutamate receptors. Cultured rat cortical neurons were exposed to 1-50 nM TBT for 9 days (from day 2 to day 10 in vitro). The number of neurons was reduced by long-term exposure to 50 nM TBT, but not to 1-20 nM TBT. Long-term exposure to 20 nM TBT decreased the mRNA expression of glutamate receptors NR1, NR2A, GluR1 and GluR2, and increased that of NR2B, GluR3 and GluR4. GluR2 protein was also reduced by long-term exposure to TBT. Because AMPA receptor lacking GluR2 exhibits Ca2+ permeability, we investigated whether Ca2+ influx or glutamate toxicity was affected. Indeed, glutamate-induced Ca2+ influx was increased in TBT-treated neurons. Consistent with this, neurons became more susceptible to glutamate toxicity as a result of long-term exposure to TBT and this susceptibility was abolished by an antagonist of GluR2-lacking AMPA receptor. Thus, it is suggested that long-term exposure to endogenous levels of TBT induces a decrease of GluR2 protein, causing neurons become more susceptible to glutamate toxicity.

Consider long-term care as service alternative.

PubMed

Loria, L S

1987-04-01

The increasing demand for elderly care services, pressures on inpatient average length of stay and payment levels, and potential financial rewards from providing additional services, makes long-term care look attractive to hospitals. Long-term care, however, is not for every hospital. Before deciding to establish long-term care services, management should examine how the service fits within the hospital's strategic plan. The action plan below provides guidance in evaluating a decision to use hospital facilities for long-term care. Examine how long-term care services fit within the hospital's strategic plan. Study area demographics and competitors to assess the need and supply of long-term care services. Survey the medical staff, consumers and payers to determine attitudes, perceptions and interests regarding long-term care services. Develop a facility plan that identifies areas of excess capacity that can be most easily converted into long-term care with minimal effects on hospital operations. Prepare a financial feasibility analysis of the contribution margin and return on investment attributable to long-term care services. Include an impact analysis on hospital operations. Establish a management task force to develop a detailed implementation plan including assigned individual responsibilities and related timetable. Develop an effective marketing plan designed to generate increased patient market share.

Ground Levels and Ionization Energies for the Neutral Atoms

National Institute of Standards and Technology Data Gateway

SRD 111 Ground Levels and Ionization Energies for the Neutral Atoms (Web, free access)   Data for ground state electron configurations and ionization energies for the neutral atoms (Z = 1-104) including references.

Long-term Ultraviolet Monitoring of a Tidal Disruption Event at only 90 Mpc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maksym, W. Peter; Cenko, Bradley; Eracleous, Michael; Keel, William C.; Irwin, Jimmy; Sigurdsson, Steinn; Fruchter, Andrew; Gezari, Suvi; Bogdanovic, Tamara; Roth, Katherine

2018-01-01

At only 90 Mpc, ASASSN-14li is one of the nearest tidal disruption events (TDEs) to permit high-quality multi-wavelength monitoring, and is the first TDE with ultraviolet spectroscopic observations between Lyman alpha and Mg II λ2800Å. We present results from a continued long-term ultraviolet monitoring campaign with the Hubble Space Telescope. Prior observations had showed an array of broad emission lines common to Seyferts. Surpisingly, however, uncommon lines such as He II λ1640Å, N III] λ1750Å and N IV] λ1486Å had been enhanced, whereas others such as C III] λ1909Å and Mg II λ2800Å are notably absent. Our campaign shows contnued continuum emission accompanied by the gradual disappearance of broad line emission, which may indicate the gradual disappearance of a TDE wind as the accretion rate declines to sub-critical levels. Variability of the semi-forbidden lines supports stimulation by the TDE. A continued absence of low-ionization lines like Mg II in our monitoring may constrain the presence of ionized unbound material at large radii.

Levels of Interference in Long and Short-Term Memory Differentially Modulate Non-REM and REM Sleep

PubMed Central

Fraize, Nicolas; Carponcy, Julien; Joseph, Mickaël Antoine; Comte, Jean-Christophe; Luppi, Pierre-Hervé; Libourel, Paul-Antoine; Salin, Paul-Antoine; Malleret, Gaël; Parmentier, Régis

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: It is commonly accepted that sleep is beneficial to memory processes, but it is still unclear if this benefit originates from improved memory consolidation or enhanced information processing. It has thus been proposed that sleep may also promote forgetting of undesirable and non-essential memories, a process required for optimization of cognitive resources. We tested the hypothesis that non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) promotes forgetting of irrelevant information, more specifically when processing information in working memory (WM), while REM sleep (REMS) facilitates the consolidation of important information. Methods: We recorded sleep patterns of rats trained in a radial maze in three different tasks engaging either the long-term or short-term storage of information, as well as a gradual level of interference. Results: We observed a transient increase in REMS amount on the day the animal learned the rule of a long-term/reference memory task (RM), and, in contrast, a positive correlation between the performance of rats trained in a WM task involving an important processing of interference and the amount of NREMS or slow wave activity. Various oscillatory events were also differentially modulated by the type of training involved. Notably, NREMS spindles and REMS rapid theta increase with RM training, while sharp-wave ripples increase with all types of training. Conclusions: These results suggest that REMS, but also rapid oscillations occurring during NREMS would be specifically implicated in the long-term memory in RM, whereas NREMS and slow oscillations could be involved in the forgetting of irrelevant information required for WM. Citation: Fraize N, Carponcy J, Joseph MA, Comte JC, Luppi PH, Libourel PA, Salin PA, Malleret G, Parmentier R. Levels of interference in long and short-term memory differentially modulate non-REM and REM sleep. SLEEP 2016;39(12):2173–2188. PMID:27748246

Long-Term Intermittent Hypoxia Elevates Cobalt Levels in the Brain and Injures White Matter in Adult Mice

PubMed Central

Veasey, Sigrid C.; Lear, Jessica; Zhu, Yan; Grinspan, Judith B.; Hare, Dominic J.; Wang, SiHe; Bunch, Dustin; Doble, Philip A.; Robinson, Stephen R.

2013-01-01

Study Objectives: Exposure to the variable oxygenation patterns in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes oxidative stress within the brain. We hypothesized that this stress is associated with increased levels of redox-active metals and white matter injury. Design: Participants were randomly allocated to a control or experimental group (single independent variable). Setting: University animal house. Participants: Adult male C57BL/6J mice. Interventions: To model OSA, mice were exposed to long-term intermittent hypoxia (LTIH) for 10 hours/day for 8 weeks or sham intermittent hypoxia (SIH). Measurements and Results: Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to quantitatively map the distribution of the trace elements cobalt, copper, iron, and zinc in forebrain sections. Control mice contained 62 ± 7 ng cobalt/g wet weight, whereas LTIH mice contained 5600 ± 600 ng cobalt/g wet weight (P < 0.0001). Other elements were unchanged between conditions. Cobalt was concentrated within white matter regions of the brain, including the corpus callosum. Compared to that of control mice, the corpus callosum of LTIH mice had significantly more endoplasmic reticulum stress, fewer myelin-associated proteins, disorganized myelin sheaths, and more degenerated axon profiles. Because cobalt is an essential component of vitamin B12, serum methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels were measured. LTIH mice had low MMA levels (P < 0.0001), indicative of increased B12 activity. Conclusions: Long-term intermittent hypoxia increases brain cobalt, predominantly in the white matter. The increased cobalt is associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress, myelin loss, and axonal injury. Low plasma methylmalonic acid levels are associated with white matter injury in long-term intermittent hypoxia and possibly in obstructive sleep apnea. Citation: Veasey SC; Lear J; Zhu Y; Grinspan JB; Hare DJ; Wang S; Bunch D; Doble PA; Robinson SR. Long-term intermittent hypoxia elevates cobalt

Long-term statin therapy could be efficacious in reducing the lipoprotein (a) levels in patients with coronary artery disease modified by some traditional risk factors.

PubMed

Xu, Ming-Xing; Liu, Chang; He, Yong-Ming; Yang, Xiang-Jun; Zhao, Xin

2017-05-01

Lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] is a well-established risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, up till now, treatment of patients with higher Lp (a) levels is challenging. This current study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of short-, medium and long-term statin use on the Lp (a) reduction and its modifying factors. The therapeutic duration was categorized into short-term (median, 39 days), medium term (median, 219 days) and long-term (median, 677 days). The lipid profiles before therapy served as baselines. Patients at short-, medium or long-term exactly matched with those at baseline. Every patient's lipid profiles during the follow-ups were compared to his own ones at baselines. The current study demonstrated that long-term statin therapy significantly decreased the Lp (a) levels in CAD patients while short-term or medium term statin therapy didn't. When grouped by statin use, only long-term simvastatin use significantly decreased the Lp (a) levels while long-term atorvastatin use insignificantly decreased the Lp (a) levels. Primary hypertension (PH), DM, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) could modify the therapeutic effects of statin use on the Lp (a) levels in CAD patients. The long-term statin therapy could be efficacious in reducing the Lp (a) levels in CAD patients, which has been modified by some traditional risk factors. In the era of commercial unavailability of more reliable Lp (a) lowering drugs, our findings will bolster confidence in fighting higher Lp (a) abnormalities both for patients and for doctors.

Vitamin D status among long-term survivors of testicular cancer.

PubMed

Schepisi, Giuseppe; De Padova, Silvia; Scarpi, Emanuela; Lolli, Cristian; Gurioli, Giorgia; Menna, Cecilia; Burgio, Salvatore L; Rossi, Lorena; Gallà, Valentina; Casadio, Valentina; Salvi, Samanta; Conteduca, Vincenza; De Giorgi, Ugo

2017-05-30

A correlation between disturbances in hormone levels and the onset of metabolic disorders has been reported in long-term survivors of testicular cancer (TC).We evaluated serum vitamin D levels and other biological parameters in a consecutive series of 61 long-term (≥3 years) unilateral TC survivors with a median a follow-up of 4 years and in a cohort of healthy males. Deficient vitamin D levels were observed in 10 (17%) of the 58 long-term unilateral TC survivors but were not reported in healthy males (p=.019, Fisher test). Median vitamin D levels were 18.6 ug/L in 58 assessable TC survivors and 23.6 ug/L in 40 healthy males (p=.031). In univariate logistic regression analysis, TC diagnosis was associated with inadequate levels of vitamin D (p=.047). Vitamin D levels were lower when follow-up was > 10 years, albeit this difference was not statistically significant (p=.074). Long-term (especially > 10 years) TC survivors may have difficulty maintaining optimal vitamin D levels. Larger studies are needed to better characterize vitamin D status and possible correlations with premature hormonal aging reported in long-term TC survivors.

Air density correction in ionization dosimetry.

PubMed

Christ, G; Dohm, O S; Schüle, E; Gaupp, S; Martin, M

2004-05-21

Air density must be taken into account when ionization dosimetry is performed with unsealed ionization chambers. The German dosimetry protocol DIN 6800-2 states an air density correction factor for which current barometric pressure and temperature and their reference values must be known. It also states that differences between air density and the attendant reference value, as well as changes in ionization chamber sensitivity, can be determined using a radioactive check source. Both methods have advantages and drawbacks which the paper discusses in detail. Barometric pressure at a given height above sea level can be determined by using a suitable barometer, or data downloaded from airport or weather service internet sites. The main focus of the paper is to show how barometric data from measurement or from the internet are correctly processed. Therefore the paper also provides all the requisite equations and terminological explanations. Computed and measured barometric pressure readings are compared, and long-term experience with air density correction factors obtained using both methods is described.

Social scientist on board in long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste in Belgium

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

Parotte, C.

In Belgium, the long-term management of radioactive waste is under the exclusive competence of the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (knew as ONDRAF/NIRAS). Unlike low-level waste, no institutional policy has yet been formally approved for the long-term management of high level and/or long-lived radioactive waste (knew as B and C waste). In this context, ONDRAF/NIRAS considers the public and stakeholders' participation as an essential factor in the formulation of an effective and legitimate policy. This is why it has decided to integrate them in different ways during the elaboration of the Waste Plan (ONDRAF/NIRAS-document containing guidelinesmore » to make a principled policy decision about nuclear waste management). To do so, social scientists have been regularly mobilized either as external evaluators, follow-up committee members, or participatory observants. Hence, the Waste Plan is only the first step in a long decision-making process. For a PhD student under contract with ONDRAF/NIRAS, this mandate consists of thinking out a way to construct an inter-organizational innovative communication system that would be participative, transparent and embedded in a long-term perspective, thus integrating all the further legal steps to take throughout the decision-making process. In this regard, two paradoxical constraints must be taken into account: on the one hand, my own influence on the legal decision-making process should remain limited, because of a series of constraints, lock-ins and previous decisions which have to be respected; on the other hand, ONDRAF/NIRAS expects the research conclusions to be policy relevant and useful. In this paper, the purpose is twofold. Firstly, the issues raised by this policy mandate is an opportunity to question the per-formative dimensions of the social scientist in the decision-making process and, more specifically, to have a reflexive view on our position as PhD Student. Secondly, assuming the

Long-term spatiotemporal trends and health risk assessment of oyster arsenic levels in coastal waters of northern South China Sea.

PubMed

Wang, Xuefeng; Wang, Lifei; Jia, Xiaoping; Jackson, Donald A

2017-09-01

Long-term spatiotemporal trends and health risk assessment of oyster arsenic levels in the coastal waters of northern South China Sea were investigated in order to help improve the quality and safety control and sustainable aquaculture for mollusks in China. Cultured oysters (Crassostrea rivularis) collected from the waters of 23 bays, harbors, and estuaries along the coast of northern South China Sea from 1989 to 2012 were examined for spatial patterns and long-term temporal trends of oyster arsenic levels. Single-factor index and health risk assessment were used to quantify arsenic exposure to human health through oyster consumption. Overall, arsenic was detected in 97.4% of the oyster samples, and oyster arsenic levels were non-detectable-2.51 mg/kg with an average of 0.63 ± 0.54 mg/kg. Oyster arsenic levels in the coastal waters of northern South China Sea showed an overall decline from 1989 to 2012, remained relatively low since 2005, and slightly increased after 2007. Oyster arsenic levels in Guangdong coastal waters were much higher with more variation than in Guangxi and Hainan coastal waters, and the long-term trends of oyster arsenic levels in Guangdong coastal waters dominated the overall trends of oyster arsenic levels in the coastal waters of northern South China Sea. Within Guangdong Province, oyster arsenic levels were highest in east Guangdong coastal waters, followed by the Pearl River estuary and west Guangdong coastal waters. Single-factor index ranged between 0.27 and 0.97, and average health risk coefficient was 3.85 × 10 -5 , both suggesting that oyster arsenic levels in northern South China Sea are within the safe range for human consumption. However, long-term attention should be given to seafood market monitoring in China and the risk of arsenic exposure to human health through oyster consumption.

Analysis of long-term ionizing radiation effects in bipolar transistors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanley, A. G.; Martin, K. E.

1978-01-01

The ionizing radiation effects of electrons on bipolar transistors have been analyzed using the data base from the Voyager project. The data were subjected to statistical analysis, leading to a quantitative characterization of the product and to data on confidence limits which will be useful for circuit design purposes. These newly-developed methods may form the basis for a radiation hardness assurance system. In addition, an attempt was made to identify the causes of the large variations in the sensitivity observed on different product lines. This included a limited construction analysis and a determination of significant design and processes variables, as well as suggested remedies for improving the tolerance of the devices to radiation.

Associations between Depressive State and Impaired Higher-Level Functional Capacity in the Elderly with Long-Term Care Requirements.

PubMed

Ogata, Soshiro; Hayashi, Chisato; Sugiura, Keiko; Hayakawa, Kazuo

2015-01-01

Depressive state has been reported to be significantly associated with higher-level functional capacity among community-dwelling elderly. However, few studies have investigated the associations among people with long-term care requirements. We aimed to investigate the associations between depressive state and higher-level functional capacity and obtain marginal odds ratios using propensity score analyses in people with long-term care requirements. We conducted a cross-sectional study based on participants aged ≥ 65 years (n = 545) who were community dwelling and used outpatient care services for long-term preventive care. We measured higher-level functional capacity, depressive state, and possible confounders. Then, we estimated the marginal odds ratios (i.e., the change in odds of impaired higher-level functional capacity if all versus no participants were exposed to depressive state) by logistic models using generalized linear models with the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) for propensity score and design-based standard errors. Depressive state was used as the exposure variable and higher-level functional capacity as the outcome variable. The all absolute standardized differences after the IPTW using the propensity scores were < 10% which indicated negligible differences in the mean or prevalence of the covariates between non-depressive state and depressive state. The marginal odds ratios were estimated by the logistic models with IPTW using the propensity scores. The marginal odds ratios were 2.17 (95%CI: 1.13-4.19) for men and 2.57 (95%CI: 1.26-5.26) for women. Prevention of depressive state may contribute to not only depressive state but also higher-level functional capacity.

Sperm quality and DNA damage in men from Jilin Province, China, who are occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Zhou, D D; Hao, J L; Guo, K M; Lu, C W; Liu, X D

2016-03-22

Long-term radiation exposure affects human health. Ionizing radiation has long been known to raise the risk of cancer. In addition to high doses of radiation, low-dose ionizing radiation might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, lens opacity, and some other non-cancerous diseases. Low- and high-dose exposures to ionizing radiation elicit different signaling events at the molecular level, and may involve different response mechanisms. The health risks arising from exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation should be re-evaluated. Health workers exposed to ionizing radiation experience low-dose radiation and have an increased risk of hematological malignancies. Reproductive function is sensitive to changes in the physical environment, including ionizing radiation. However, data is scarce regarding the association between occupational radiation exposure and risk to human fertility. Sperm DNA integrity is a functional parameter of male fertility evaluation. Hence, we aimed to report sperm quality and DNA damage in men from Jilin Province, China, who were occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. Sperm motility and normal morphology were significantly lower in the exposed compared with the non-exposed men. There was no statistically significant difference in sperm concentration between exposed and non-exposed men. The sperm DNA fragmentation index was significantly higher in the exposed than the non-exposed men. Chronic long-term exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation could affect sperm motility, normal morphology, and the sperm DNA fragmentation index in the Chinese population. Sperm quality and DNA integrity are functional parameters that could be used to evaluate occupational exposure to ionizing radiation.

Summary of ionizing radiation analysis on the Long Duration Exposure Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parnell, T. A.

1991-01-01

The Ionizing Radiation Special Investigation Group (IRSIG) for the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was established to perform radiation measurements and analysis not planned in the original experiments, and to assure availability of LDEF analysis results in a form useful to future missions. The IRSIG has organized extensive induced radioactivity measurements throughout LDEF, and a comprehensive program to compare the LDEF radiation measurements to values calculated using environment models. The activities and present status of the Group is described. The ionizing radiation results presented is summarized.

Neighbourhood Characteristics and Long-Term Air Pollution Levels Modify the Association between the Short-Term Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and All-Cause Mortality in Paris

PubMed Central

Deguen, Séverine; Petit, Claire; Delbarre, Angélique; Kihal, Wahida; Padilla, Cindy; Benmarhnia, Tarik; Lapostolle, Annabelle; Chauvin, Pierre; Zmirou-Navier, Denis

2015-01-01

Background While a great number of papers have been published on the short-term effects of air pollution on mortality, few have tried to assess whether this association varies according to the neighbourhood socioeconomic level and long-term ambient air concentrations measured at the place of residence. We explored the effect modification of 1) socioeconomic status, 2) long-term NO2 ambient air concentrations, and 3) both combined, on the association between short-term exposure to NO2 and all-cause mortality in Paris (France). Methods A time-stratified case-crossover analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of short-term NO2 variations on mortality, based on 79,107 deaths having occurred among subjects aged over 35 years, from 2004 to 2009, in the city of Paris. Simple and double interactions were statistically tested in order to analyse effect modification by neighbourhood characteristics on the association between mortality and short-term NO2 exposure. The data was estimated at the census block scale (n=866). Results The mean of the NO2 concentrations during the five days prior to deaths were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality: overall Excess Risk (ER) was 0.94% (95%CI=[0.08;1.80]. A higher risk was revealed for subjects living in the most deprived census blocks in comparison with higher socioeconomic level areas (ER=3.14% (95%CI=[1.41-4.90], p<0.001). Among these deprived census blocks, excess risk was even higher where long-term average NO2 concentrations were above 55.8 μg/m3 (the top tercile of distribution): ER=4.84% (95%CI=[1.56;8.24], p for interaction=0.02). Conclusion Our results show that people living in census blocks characterized by low socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to air pollution episodes. There is also an indication that people living in these disadvantaged census blocks might experience even higher risk following short-term air pollution episodes, when they are also chronically exposed to higher NO2 levels

Neighbourhood Characteristics and Long-Term Air Pollution Levels Modify the Association between the Short-Term Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations and All-Cause Mortality in Paris.

PubMed

Deguen, Séverine; Petit, Claire; Delbarre, Angélique; Kihal, Wahida; Padilla, Cindy; Benmarhnia, Tarik; Lapostolle, Annabelle; Chauvin, Pierre; Zmirou-Navier, Denis

2015-01-01

While a great number of papers have been published on the short-term effects of air pollution on mortality, few have tried to assess whether this association varies according to the neighbourhood socioeconomic level and long-term ambient air concentrations measured at the place of residence. We explored the effect modification of 1) socioeconomic status, 2) long-term NO2 ambient air concentrations, and 3) both combined, on the association between short-term exposure to NO2 and all-cause mortality in Paris (France). A time-stratified case-crossover analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of short-term NO2 variations on mortality, based on 79,107 deaths having occurred among subjects aged over 35 years, from 2004 to 2009, in the city of Paris. Simple and double interactions were statistically tested in order to analyse effect modification by neighbourhood characteristics on the association between mortality and short-term NO2 exposure. The data was estimated at the census block scale (n=866). The mean of the NO2 concentrations during the five days prior to deaths were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality: overall Excess Risk (ER) was 0.94% (95%CI=[0.08;1.80]. A higher risk was revealed for subjects living in the most deprived census blocks in comparison with higher socioeconomic level areas (ER=3.14% (95%CI=[1.41-4.90], p<0.001). Among these deprived census blocks, excess risk was even higher where long-term average NO2 concentrations were above 55.8 μg/m3 (the top tercile of distribution): ER=4.84% (95%CI=[1.56;8.24], p for interaction=0.02). Our results show that people living in census blocks characterized by low socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to air pollution episodes. There is also an indication that people living in these disadvantaged census blocks might experience even higher risk following short-term air pollution episodes, when they are also chronically exposed to higher NO2 levels.

Relations of long-term and contemporary lipid levels and lipid genetic risk scores with coronary artery calcium in the framingham heart study.

PubMed

Tsao, Connie W; Preis, Sarah Rosner; Peloso, Gina M; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Kathiresan, Sekar; Fox, Caroline S; Cupples, L Adrienne; Hoffmann, Udo; O'Donnell, Christopher J

2012-12-11

This study evaluated the association of timing of lipid levels and lipid genetic risk score (GRS) with subclinical atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a slowly progressive disorder influenced by suboptimal lipid levels. Long-term versus contemporary lipid levels may more strongly impact the development of coronary artery calcium (CAC). Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Offspring Cohort participants (n = 1,156, 44% male, 63 ± 9 years) underwent serial fasting lipids (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides), Exam 1 (1971 to 1975) to Exam 7 (1998 to 2001). FHS Third Generation Cohort participants (n = 1,954, 55% male, 45 ± 6 years) had fasting lipid profiles assessed, 2002 to 2005. Computed tomography (2002 to 2005) measured CAC. Lipid GRSs were computed from significantly associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The association between early, long-term average, and contemporary lipids, and lipid GRS with elevated CAC was assessed using logistic regression. In FHS Offspring, Exam 1 and long-term average as compared with Exam 7 lipid measurements, including untreated lipid levels, were strongly associated with elevated CAC. In the FHS Third Generation, contemporary lipids were associated with CAC. The LDL-C GRS was associated with CAC (age-/sex-adjusted odds ratio: 1.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.00 to 1.29, p = 0.04). However, addition of the GRS to the lipid models did not result in a significant increase in the odds ratio or C-statistic for any lipid measure. Early and long-term average lipid levels, as compared with contemporary measures, are more strongly associated with elevated CAC. Lipid GRS was associated with lipid levels but did not predict elevated CAC. Adult early and long-term average lipid levels provide important information when assessing subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk. Copyright © 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conversion of short-term to long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm.

PubMed

Moore, Shannon J; Deshpande, Kaivalya; Stinnett, Gwen S; Seasholtz, Audrey F; Murphy, Geoffrey G

2013-10-01

It is well-known that stress can significantly impact learning; however, whether this effect facilitates or impairs the resultant memory depends on the characteristics of the stressor. Investigation of these dynamics can be confounded by the role of the stressor in motivating performance in a task. Positing a cohesive model of the effect of stress on learning and memory necessitates elucidating the consequences of stressful stimuli independently from task-specific functions. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the effect of manipulating a task-independent stressor (elevated light level) on short-term and long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm. Short-term memory was elicited in both low light and high light conditions, but long-term memory specifically required high light conditions during the acquisition phase (familiarization trial) and was independent of the light level during retrieval (test trial). Additionally, long-term memory appeared to be independent of stress-mediated glucocorticoid release, as both low and high light produced similar levels of plasma corticosterone, which further did not correlate with subsequent memory performance. Finally, both short-term and long-term memory showed no savings between repeated experiments suggesting that this novel object recognition paradigm may be useful for longitudinal studies, particularly when investigating treatments to stabilize or enhance weak memories in neurodegenerative diseases or during age-related cognitive decline. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conversion of short-term to long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm

PubMed Central

Moore, Shannon J.; Deshpande, Kaivalya; Stinnett, Gwen S.; Seasholtz, Audrey F.; Murphy, Geoffrey G.

2013-01-01

It is well-known that stress can significantly impact learning; however, whether this effect facilitates or impairs the resultant memory depends on the characteristics of the stressor. Investigation of these dynamics can be confounded by the role of the stressor in motivating performance in a task. Positing a cohesive model of the effect of stress on learning and memory necessitates elucidating the consequences of stressful stimuli independently from task-specific functions. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the effect of manipulating a task-independent stressor (elevated light level) on short-term and long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm. Short-term memory was elicited in both low light and high light conditions, but long-term memory specifically required high light conditions during the acquisition phase (familiarization trial) and was independent of the light level during retrieval (test trial). Additionally, long-term memory appeared to be independent of stress-mediated glucocorticoid release, as both low and high light produced similar levels of plasma corticosterone, which further did not correlate with subsequent memory performance. Finally, both short-term and long-term memory showed no savings between repeated experiments suggesting that this novel object recognition paradigm may be useful for longitudinal studies, particularly when investigating treatments to stabilize or enhance weak memories in neurodegenerative diseases or during age-related cognitive decline. PMID:23835143

Inflammatory markers in relation to long-term air pollution.

PubMed

Mostafavi, Nahid; Vlaanderen, Jelle; Chadeau-Hyam, Marc; Beelen, Rob; Modig, Lars; Palli, Domenico; Bergdahl, Ingvar A; Vineis, Paolo; Hoek, Gerard; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios Α; Vermeulen, Roel

2015-08-01

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution can lead to chronic health effects such as cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Systemic inflammation has been hypothesized as a putative biological mechanism contributing to these adverse health effects. We evaluated the effect of long-term exposure to air pollution on blood markers of systemic inflammation. We measured a panel of 28 inflammatory markers in peripheral blood samples from 587 individuals that were biobanked as part of a prospective study. Participants were from Varese and Turin (Italy) and Umea (Sweden). Long-term air pollution estimates of nitrogen oxides (NOx) were available from the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). Linear mixed models adjusted for potential confounders were applied to assess the association between NOx and the markers of inflammation. Long-term exposure to NOx was associated with decreased levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α in Italy, but not in Sweden. NOx exposure levels were considerably lower in Sweden than in Italy (Sweden: median (5th, 95th percentiles) 6.65 μg/m(3) (4.8, 19.7); Italy: median (5th, 95th percentiles) 94.2 μg/m(3) (7.8, 124.5)). Combining data from Italy and Sweden we only observed a significant association between long-term exposure to NOx and decreased levels of circulating IL-8. We observed some indication for perturbations in the inflammatory markers due to long-term exposure to NOx. Effects were stronger in Italy than in Sweden, potentially reflecting the difference in air pollution levels between the two cohorts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of baseline hemoglobin A1c levels prior to initiation of pump therapy on long-term metabolic control.

PubMed

Pinhas-Hamiel, Orit; Tzadok, Michal; Hirsh, Galit; Boyko, Valentina; Graph-Barel, Chana; Lerner-Geva, Liat; Reichman, Brian

2010-07-01

This study was done to identify factors influencing long-term metabolic control in youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with an insulin pump. Data were obtained from retrospective chart review of 113 patients (52 males) with T1DM treated with an insulin pump for up to 7 years. Their mean +/- SD age at diagnosis of T1DM was 9.7 +/- 5.1 years, and that at pump therapy initiation was 13.8 +/- 6.1 years. Linear trends and changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels following pump insertion were evaluated according to gender, metabolic control prior to initiation of pump therapy, time from diagnosis of diabetes until pump therapy, age at initiation, and the duration of pump treatment. Mean HbA1c levels of patients with good baseline metabolic control (HbA1c level level 7.5% to level >9%) control groups (8.1 +/- 0.9% and 8.2 +/- 1.1%, respectively; P < 0.001). However, with time a significant trend for increasing HbA1c level was demonstrated in the group with good metabolic control (P value for trend = 0.004). HbA1c levels of patients with poor baseline metabolic control decreased significantly immediately after pump initiation (9.4 +/- 1.6% vs. 8.0 +/- 1.2%, P = 0.0001) and thereafter remained stable (P value for trend = 0.54). In the multivariable analyses, baseline HbA1c level levels during long-term follow-up. Long-term response to pump treatment was dependent on baseline metabolic control. Early pump treatment had a significant long-term impact on metabolic control.

Identification of pumping influences in long-term water level fluctuations.

PubMed

Harp, Dylan R; Vesselinov, Velimir V

2011-01-01

Identification of the pumping influences at monitoring wells caused by spatially and temporally variable water supply pumping can be a challenging, yet an important hydrogeological task. The information that can be obtained can be critical for conceptualization of the hydrogeological conditions and indications of the zone of influence of the individual pumping wells. However, the pumping influences are often intermittent and small in magnitude with variable production rates from multiple pumping wells. While these difficulties may support an inclination to abandon the existing dataset and conduct a dedicated cross-hole pumping test, that option can be challenging and expensive to coordinate and execute. This paper presents a method that utilizes a simple analytical modeling approach for analysis of a long-term water level record utilizing an inverse modeling approach. The methodology allows the identification of pumping wells influencing the water level fluctuations. Thus, the analysis provides an efficient and cost-effective alternative to designed and coordinated cross-hole pumping tests. We apply this method on a dataset from the Los Alamos National Laboratory site. Our analysis also provides (1) an evaluation of the information content of the transient water level data; (2) indications of potential structures of the aquifer heterogeneity inhibiting or promoting pressure propagation; and (3) guidance for the development of more complicated models requiring detailed specification of the aquifer heterogeneity. Copyright © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2010 National Ground Water Association.

Sea level anomaly in the North Atlantic and seas around Europe: Long-term variability and response to North Atlantic teleconnection patterns.

PubMed

Iglesias, Isabel; Lorenzo, M Nieves; Lázaro, Clara; Fernandes, M Joana; Bastos, Luísa

2017-12-31

Sea level anomaly (SLA), provided globally by satellite altimetry, is considered a valuable proxy for detecting long-term changes of the global ocean, as well as short-term and annual variations. In this manuscript, monthly sea level anomaly grids for the period 1993-2013 are used to characterise the North Atlantic Ocean variability at inter-annual timescales and its response to the North Atlantic main patterns of atmospheric circulation variability (North Atlantic Oscillation, Eastern Atlantic, Eastern Atlantic/Western Russia, Scandinavian and Polar/Eurasia) and main driven factors as sea level pressure, sea surface temperature and wind fields. SLA variability and long-term trends are analysed for the North Atlantic Ocean and several sub-regions (North, Baltic and Mediterranean and Black seas, Bay of Biscay extended to the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, and the northern North Atlantic Ocean), depicting the SLA fluctuations at basin and sub-basin scales, aiming at representing the regions of maximum sea level variability. A significant correlation between SLA and the different phases of the teleconnection patterns due to the generated winds, sea level pressure and sea surface temperature anomalies, with a strong variability on temporal and spatial scales, has been identified. Long-term analysis reveals the existence of non-stationary inter-annual SLA fluctuations in terms of the temporal scale. Spectral density analysis has shown the existence of long-period signals in the SLA inter-annual component, with periods of ~10, 5, 4 and 2years, depending on the analysed sub-region. Also, a non-uniform increase in sea level since 1993 is identified for all sub-regions, with trend values between 2.05mm/year, for the Bay of Biscay region, and 3.98mm/year for the Baltic Sea (no GIA correction considered). The obtained results demonstrated a strong link between the atmospheric patterns and SLA, as well as strong long-period fluctuations of this variable in spatial and

Long-term strength and damage accumulation in laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzenis, Yuris A.; Joshi, Shiv P.

1993-04-01

A modified version of the probabilistic model developed by authors for damage evolution analysis of laminates subjected to random loading is utilized to predict long-term strength of laminates. The model assumes that each ply in a laminate consists of a large number of mesovolumes. Probabilistic variation functions for mesovolumes stiffnesses as well as strengths are used in the analysis. Stochastic strains are calculated using the lamination theory and random function theory. Deterioration of ply stiffnesses is calculated on the basis of the probabilities of mesovolumes failures using the theory of excursions of random process beyond the limits. Long-term strength and damage accumulation in a Kevlar/epoxy laminate under tension and complex in-plane loading are investigated. Effects of the mean level and stochastic deviation of loading on damage evolution and time-to-failure of laminate are discussed. Long-term cumulative damage at the time of the final failure at low loading levels is more than at high loading levels. The effect of the deviation in loading is more pronounced at lower mean loading levels.

Phenomenological and molecular-level Petri net modeling and simulation of long-term potentiation.

PubMed

Hardy, S; Robillard, P N

2005-10-01

Petri net-based modeling methods have been used in many research projects to represent biological systems. Among these, the hybrid functional Petri net (HFPN) was developed especially for biological modeling in order to provide biologists with a more intuitive Petri net-based method. In the literature, HFPNs are used to represent kinetic models at the molecular level. We present two models of long-term potentiation previously represented by differential equations which we have transformed into HFPN models: a phenomenological synapse model and a molecular-level model of the CaMKII regulation pathway. Through simulation, we obtained results similar to those of previous studies using these models. Our results open the way to a new type of modeling for systems biology where HFPNs are used to combine different levels of abstraction within one model. This approach can be useful in fully modeling a system at the molecular level when kinetic data is missing or when a full study of a system at the molecular level it is not within the scope of the research.

Ionizing radiation-induced metabolic oxidative stress and prolonged cell injury

PubMed Central

Azzam, Edouard I.; Jay-Gerin, Jean-Paul; Pain, Debkumar

2013-01-01

Cellular exposure to ionizing radiation leads to oxidizing events that alter atomic structure through direct interactions of radiation with target macromolecules or via products of water radiolysis. Further, the oxidative damage may spread from the targeted to neighboring, non-targeted bystander cells through redox-modulated intercellular communication mechanisms. To cope with the induced stress and the changes in the redox environment, organisms elicit transient responses at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels to counteract toxic effects of radiation. Metabolic pathways are induced during and shortly after the exposure. Depending on radiation dose, dose-rate and quality, these protective mechanisms may or may not be sufficient to cope with the stress. When the harmful effects exceed those of homeostatic biochemical processes, induced biological changes persist and may be propagated to progeny cells. Physiological levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species play critical roles in many cellular functions. In irradiated cells, levels of these reactive species may be increased due to perturbations in oxidative metabolism and chronic inflammatory responses, thereby contributing to the long-term effects of exposure to ionizing radiation on genomic stability. Here, in addition to immediate biological effects of water radiolysis on DNA damage, we also discuss the role of mitochondria in the delayed outcomes of ionization radiation. Defects in mitochondrial functions lead to accelerated aging and numerous pathological conditions. Different types of radiation vary in their linear energy transfer (LET) properties, and we discuss their effects on various aspects of mitochondrial physiology. These include short and long-term in vitro and in vivo effects on mitochondrial DNA, mitochondrial protein import and metabolic and antioxidant enzymes. PMID:22182453

Effects of short- and long-term risperidone treatment on prolactin levels in children with autism.

PubMed

Anderson, George M; Scahill, Lawrence; McCracken, James T; McDougle, Christopher J; Aman, Michael G; Tierney, Elaine; Arnold, L Eugene; Martin, Andrés; Katsovich, Liliya; Posey, David J; Shah, Bhavik; Vitiello, Benedetto

2007-02-15

The effects of short- and long-term risperidone treatment on serum prolactin were assessed in children and adolescents with autism. Patients with autism (N = 101, 5-17 years of age) were randomized to an 8-week trial of risperidone or placebo and 63 then took part in a 4-month open-label follow-up phase. Serum samples were obtained at Baseline and Week-8 (N = 78), and at 6-month (N = 43) and 22-month (N = 30) follow-up. Serum prolactin was determined by immunoradiometric assay; dopamine type-2 receptor (DRD2) polymorphisms were genotyped. Baseline prolactin levels were similar in the risperidone (N = 42) and placebo (N = 36) groups (9.3 +/- 7.5 and 9.3 +/- 7.6 ng/ml, respectively). After 8 weeks of risperidone, prolactin increased to 39.0 +/- 19.2 ng/ml, compared with 10.1 +/- 8.8 ng/ml for placebo (p < .0001). Prolactin levels were also significantly increased at 6 months (32.4 +/- 17.8 ng/ml; N = 43, p < .0001) and at 22 months (N = 30, 25.3 +/- 15.6 ng/ml, p < .0001). Prolactin levels were not associated with adverse effects and DRD2 alleles (Taq1A, -141C Ins/Del, C957T) did not significantly influence baseline levels or risperidone-induced increases in prolactin. Risperidone treatment was associated with two- to four-fold mean increases in serum prolactin in children with autism. Although risperidone-induced increases tended to diminish with time, further research on the consequences of long-term prolactin elevations in children and adolescents is needed.

Private long-term care insurance and state tax incentives.

PubMed

Stevenson, David G; Frank, Richard G; Tau, Jocelyn

2009-01-01

To increase the role of private insurance in financing long-term care, tax incentives for long-term care insurance have been implemented at both the federal and state levels. To date, there has been surprisingly little study of these initiatives. Using a panel of national data, we find that market take-up for long-term care insurance increased over the last decade, but state tax incentives were responsible for only a small portion of this growth. Ultimately, the modest ability of state tax incentives to lower premiums implies that they should be viewed as a small piece of the long-term care financing puzzle.

Reorganization increases long-term sickness absence at all levels of hospital staff: panel data analysis of employees of Norwegian public hospitals.

PubMed

Ingelsrud, Mari H

2014-09-19

The Norwegian specialist health service has undergone many processes of reorganization during the last three decades. Changes are mainly initiated to increase the efficiency and quality of health care serving an ageing population under the condition of a diminishing labour supply. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of reorganization on long-term sickness absence among different levels of hospital staff. The study draws on panel data on employees of Norwegian public hospitals in 2005 and 2007 (N = 106,715). National register data on individual employees' days of medically certified long-term (>16 days) sickness absence were linked with survey measures of actual reorganization executed at each hospital in each year. The surveys, answered by hospital administration staff, measured five types of reorganization: merging units, splitting up units, creating new units, shutting down units and reallocation of employees. The variation in sickness absence days was analysed using random and fixed effects Poisson regression with level of reorganization as the main explanatory variable. The fixed effects analysis shows that increasing the degree of organizational change at a hospital from a low to a moderate or high degree leads to an increase in the number of days of long-term sickness absence of respectively 9% (95% CI: 1.03-1.15) and 8% (95% CI: 1.02-1.15). There are few significant differences between employees in different education categories. Only physicians have a significantly higher relative increase in days of long-term sickness absence than the control group with lower tertiary education. Increased long-term sickness absence is a risk following reorganization. This risk affects all levels of hospital staff.

Factors important in the purchase of partnership long-term care insurance.

PubMed

McCall, N; Mangle, S; Bauer, E; Knickman, J

1998-06-01

To understand the factors important in the purchase of long-term care insurance through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Partnership for Long-Term Care. Information on the Partnership programs, telephone surveys, data on Partnership purchasers, and random sample frames. Logistic regression analysis is used to examine characteristics associated with the purchase of a Partnership insurance policy. Independent variables are health status, demographic and financial characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes. A telephone survey of Partnership purchasers and a random sample of the population in each Partnership state were conducted. Survey questions included health status, opinions about long-term care and long-term care insurance, financial planning, demographic characteristics, and income and assets. Important in the purchase of a Partnership policy were variables associated with education and knowledge about long-term care. Other important factors include attitudes and health status. Partnership purchase is associated with higher income and asset levels up to a point, with the effect plateauing and decreasing at the highest income and asset levels. Improved education and knowledge are important in increasing long-term care insurance purchase. Attitudes about having a caregiver, and about the government's role in paying for long-term care as well as the potential purchaser's willingness to consider nursing home care affect policy purchase. Also associated with Partnership policy purchase are better health and middle income and asset levels.

Treatment of Electronic Energy Level Transition and Ionization Following the Particle-Based Chemistry Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liechty, Derek S.; Lewis, Mark

2010-01-01

A new method of treating electronic energy level transitions as well as linking ionization to electronic energy levels is proposed following the particle-based chemistry model of Bird. Although the use of electronic energy levels and ionization reactions in DSMC are not new ideas, the current method of selecting what level to transition to, how to reproduce transition rates, and the linking of the electronic energy levels to ionization are, to the author s knowledge, novel concepts. The resulting equilibrium temperatures are shown to remain constant, and the electronic energy level distributions are shown to reproduce the Boltzmann distribution. The electronic energy level transition rates and ionization rates due to electron impacts are shown to reproduce theoretical and measured rates. The rates due to heavy particle impacts, while not as favorable as the electron impact rates, compare favorably to values from the literature. Thus, these new extensions to the particle-based chemistry model of Bird provide an accurate method for predicting electronic energy level transition and ionization rates in gases.

Effects of sea-level rise and freshwater management on long-term water levels and water quality in the Florida Coastal Everglades.

PubMed

Dessu, Shimelis B; Price, René M; Troxler, Tiffany G; Kominoski, John S

2018-04-01

Since the 1880s, hydrological modification of the Greater Florida Everglades has reduced water levels and flows in Everglades National Park (ENP). The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP) began in 2000 to restore pre-drainage flows and preserve the natural landscape of the Everglades. However, sea-level rise (SLR) was not considered in the development of CERP. We used long-term data (2001-2016) from the Florida Coastal Everglades-Long Term Ecological Research Program to quantify and model the spatial dynamics of water levels, salinity, and nutrients in response to changes in climate, freshwater management and SLR in the Shark River Slough (SRS), ENP. Results indicate that fresh-to-marine head difference (FMHD) was the single most important factor affecting marine-to-freshwater hydrologic connectivity and transport of salinity and phosphorous upstream from the Gulf of Mexico. Sea-level has increasingly exceeded ground surface elevation at the most downstream freshwater site in SRS, thereby reducing the FMHD. We showed a higher impact of SLR in the dry season when there was practically no freshwater inflow to raise FMHD. We also demonstrated effectiveness of inflow depends more on the monthly distribution than the total annual volume. Hence, the impact per unit volume of inflow is significantly higher in the dry season in preventing high salinity and marine-derived nutrient levels. We advocate that FMHD needs to be factored into water management decisions to reduce adverse and likely irreversible effects of SLR throughout the Everglades landscape. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Long-Term Orientation and Educational Performance. Working Paper 174

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figlio, David; Giuliano, Paola; Özek, Umut; Sapienza, Paola

2017-01-01

We use remarkable population-level administrative education and birth records from Florida to study the role of Long-Term Orientation on the educational attainment of immigrant students living in the US. Controlling for the quality of schools and individual characteristics, students from countries with long-term oriented attitudes perform better…

Informed Consent to Research in Long-Term Care Settings

PubMed Central

Jablonski, Rita A.; Bourbonniere, Meg; Kolanowski, Ann

2010-01-01

Informed consent to nursing home research is a two-tiered process that begins with obtaining the consent of a long-term care community at the institutional level and progresses to the engagement of individuals in the consent process. Drawing on a review of the literature and the authors’ research experiences and institutional review board service, this paper describes the practical implications of nurse investigators’ obligation to ensure informed consent among participants in long-term care research. Recommendations focus on applying a community consent model to long-term care research, promoting an evidence-based approach to the protection of residents with decisional impairment, and increasing investigators’ attention to ethical issues involving long-term care staff. PMID:20078005

Long-term potentiation and long-term depression: a clinical perspective

PubMed Central

Bliss, Timothy V.P.; Cooke, Sam F

2011-01-01

Long-term potentiation and long-term depression are enduring changes in synaptic strength, induced by specific patterns of synaptic activity, that have received much attention as cellular models of information storage in the central nervous system. Work in a number of brain regions, from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex, and in many animal species, ranging from invertebrates to humans, has demonstrated a reliable capacity for chemical synapses to undergo lasting changes in efficacy in response to a variety of induction protocols. In addition to their physiological relevance, long-term potentiation and depression may have important clinical applications. A growing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, and technological advances in non-invasive manipulation of brain activity, now puts us at the threshold of harnessing long-term potentiation and depression and other forms of synaptic, cellular and circuit plasticity to manipulate synaptic strength in the human nervous system. Drugs may be used to erase or treat pathological synaptic states and non-invasive stimulation devices may be used to artificially induce synaptic plasticity to ameliorate conditions arising from disrupted synaptic drive. These approaches hold promise for the treatment of a variety of neurological conditions, including neuropathic pain, epilepsy, depression, amblyopia, tinnitus and stroke. PMID:21779718

Insulin signaling is acutely required for long-term memory in Drosophila.

PubMed

Chambers, Daniel B; Androschuk, Alaura; Rosenfelt, Cory; Langer, Steven; Harding, Mark; Bolduc, Francois V

2015-01-01

Memory formation has been shown recently to be dependent on energy status in Drosophila. A well-established energy sensor is the insulin signaling (InS) pathway. Previous studies in various animal models including human have revealed the role of insulin levels in short-term memory but its role in long-term memory remains less clear. We therefore investigated genetically the spatial and temporal role of InS using the olfactory learning and long-term memory model in Drosophila. We found that InS is involved in both learning and memory. InS in the mushroom body is required for learning and long-term memory whereas long-term memory specifically is impaired after InS signaling disruption in the ellipsoid body, where it regulates the level of p70s6k, a downstream target of InS and a marker of protein synthesis. Finally, we show also that InS is acutely required for long-term memory formation in adult flies.

Reconciling long-term cultural diversity and short-term collective social behavior.

PubMed

Valori, Luca; Picciolo, Francesco; Allansdottir, Agnes; Garlaschelli, Diego

2012-01-24

An outstanding open problem is whether collective social phenomena occurring over short timescales can systematically reduce cultural heterogeneity in the long run, and whether offline and online human interactions contribute differently to the process. Theoretical models suggest that short-term collective behavior and long-term cultural diversity are mutually excluding, since they require very different levels of social influence. The latter jointly depends on two factors: the topology of the underlying social network and the overlap between individuals in multidimensional cultural space. However, while the empirical properties of social networks are intensively studied, little is known about the large-scale organization of real societies in cultural space, so that random input specifications are necessarily used in models. Here we use a large dataset to perform a high-dimensional analysis of the scientific beliefs of thousands of Europeans. We find that interopinion correlations determine a nontrivial ultrametric hierarchy of individuals in cultural space. When empirical data are used as inputs in models, ultrametricity has strong and counterintuitive effects. On short timescales, it facilitates a symmetry-breaking phase transition triggering coordinated social behavior. On long timescales, it suppresses cultural convergence by restricting it within disjoint groups. Moreover, ultrametricity implies that these results are surprisingly robust to modifications of the dynamical rules considered. Thus the empirical distribution of individuals in cultural space appears to systematically optimize the coexistence of short-term collective behavior and long-term cultural diversity, which can be realized simultaneously for the same moderate level of mutual influence in a diverse range of online and offline settings.

Frontal lobe dysfunction in long-term cannabis users.

PubMed

Lundqvist, T; Jönsson, S; Warkentin, S

2001-01-01

This study examined the neurophysiological effects of cannabis. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured in 12 long-term cannabis users shortly after cessation of cannabis use (mean 1.6 days). The findings showed significantly lower mean hemispheric blood flow values and significantly lower frontal values in the cannabis subjects compared to normal controls. The results suggest that the functional level of the frontal lobes is affected by long-term cannabis use.

Reduced insulin-like growth factor-I serum levels in formerly obese women subjected to laparoscopic-adjustable gastric banding or diet-induced long-term caloric restriction.

PubMed

Mitterberger, Maria C; Mattesich, Monika; Klaver, Elise; Piza-Katzer, Hildegunde; Zwerschke, Werner

2011-11-01

Life-span extension in laboratory rodents induced by long-term caloric restriction correlates with decreased serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels. Reduced activity of the growth hormone/IGF-I signaling system slows aging and increases longevity in mutant mouse models. In the present study, we show that long-term caloric restriction achieved by two different interventions for 4 years, either laparoscopic-adjustable gastric banding or reducing diet, leads to reduced IGF-I serum levels in formerly obese women relative to normal-weight women eating ad libitum. Moreover, we present evidence that the long-term caloric restriction interventions reduce fasting growth hormone serum levels. The present study indicates that the activity of the growth hormone/IGF-I axis is reduced in long-term calorically restricted formerly obese humans. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the duration and severity of the caloric restriction intervention are important for the outcome on the growth hormone/IGF-I axis in humans.

Relativistic runaway ionization fronts.

PubMed

Luque, A

2014-01-31

We investigate the first example of self-consistent impact ionization fronts propagating at relativistic speeds and involving interacting, high-energy electrons. These fronts, which we name relativistic runaway ionization fronts, show remarkable features such as a bulk speed within less than one percent of the speed of light and the stochastic selection of high-energy electrons for further acceleration, which leads to a power-law distribution of particle energies. A simplified model explains this selection in terms of the overrun of Coulomb-scattered electrons. Appearing as the electromagnetic interaction between electrons saturates the exponential growth of a relativistic runaway electron avalanche, relativistic runaway ionization fronts may occur in conjunction with terrestrial gamma-ray flashes and thus explain recent observations of long, power-law tails in the terrestrial gamma-ray flash energy spectrum.

Long-term metapopulation study of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia): survey methods, data management, and long-term population trends.

PubMed

Ojanen, Sami P; Nieminen, Marko; Meyke, Evgeniy; Pöyry, Juha; Hanski, Ilkka

2013-10-01

Long-term observational studies conducted at large (regional) spatial scales contribute to better understanding of landscape effects on population and evolutionary dynamics, including the conditions that affect long-term viability of species, but large-scale studies are expensive and logistically challenging to keep running for a long time. Here, we describe the long-term metapopulation study of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) that has been conducted since 1991 in a large network of 4000 habitat patches (dry meadows) within a study area of 50 by 70 km in the Åland Islands in Finland. We explain how the landscape structure has been described, including definition, delimitation, and mapping of the habitat patches; methods of field survey, including the logistics, cost, and reliability of the survey; and data management using the EarthCape biodiversity platform. We describe the long-term metapopulation dynamics of the Glanville fritillary based on the survey. There has been no long-term change in the overall size of the metapopulation, but the level of spatial synchrony and hence the amplitude of fluctuations in year-to-year metapopulation dynamics have increased over the years, possibly due to increasing frequency of exceptional weather conditions. We discuss the added value of large-scale and long-term population studies, but also emphasize the need to integrate more targeted experimental studies in the context of long-term observational studies. For instance, in the case of the Glanville fritillary project, the long-term study has produced an opportunity to sample individuals for experiments from local populations with a known demographic history. These studies have demonstrated striking differences in dispersal rate and other life-history traits of individuals from newly established local populations (the offspring of colonizers) versus individuals from old, established local populations. The long-term observational study has stimulated the

Long-term metapopulation study of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia): survey methods, data management, and long-term population trends

PubMed Central

Ojanen, Sami P; Nieminen, Marko; Meyke, Evgeniy; Pöyry, Juha; Hanski, Ilkka

2013-01-01

Long-term observational studies conducted at large (regional) spatial scales contribute to better understanding of landscape effects on population and evolutionary dynamics, including the conditions that affect long-term viability of species, but large-scale studies are expensive and logistically challenging to keep running for a long time. Here, we describe the long-term metapopulation study of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) that has been conducted since 1991 in a large network of 4000 habitat patches (dry meadows) within a study area of 50 by 70 km in the Åland Islands in Finland. We explain how the landscape structure has been described, including definition, delimitation, and mapping of the habitat patches; methods of field survey, including the logistics, cost, and reliability of the survey; and data management using the EarthCape biodiversity platform. We describe the long-term metapopulation dynamics of the Glanville fritillary based on the survey. There has been no long-term change in the overall size of the metapopulation, but the level of spatial synchrony and hence the amplitude of fluctuations in year-to-year metapopulation dynamics have increased over the years, possibly due to increasing frequency of exceptional weather conditions. We discuss the added value of large-scale and long-term population studies, but also emphasize the need to integrate more targeted experimental studies in the context of long-term observational studies. For instance, in the case of the Glanville fritillary project, the long-term study has produced an opportunity to sample individuals for experiments from local populations with a known demographic history. These studies have demonstrated striking differences in dispersal rate and other life-history traits of individuals from newly established local populations (the offspring of colonizers) versus individuals from old, established local populations. The long-term observational study has stimulated the

Overview of developing desired conditions: Short-term actions, long-term objectives

Treesearch

J. D. Chew; K. O' Hara; J. G. Jones

2001-01-01

A number of modeling tools are required to go from short-term treatments to long-term objectives expressed as desired future conditions. Three models are used in an example that starts with determining desired stand level structure and ends with the implementation of treatments over time at a landscape scale. The Multi-Aged Stocking Assessment Model (MASAM) is used for...

Hemoglobin levels above anemia thresholds are maximally predictive for long-term survival in COPD with chronic respiratory failure.

PubMed

Kollert, Florian; Tippelt, Andrea; Müller, Carolin; Jörres, Rudolf A; Porzelius, Christine; Pfeifer, Michael; Budweiser, Stephan

2013-07-01

In patients with COPD, chronic anemia is known as an unfavorable prognostic factor. Whether the association between hemoglobin (Hb) levels and long-term survival is restricted to anemia or extends to higher Hb levels has not yet been systematically assessed. We determined Hb levels in 309 subjects with COPD and chronic respiratory failure prior to initiation of noninvasive ventilation, accounting for confounders that might affect Hb. Subjects were categorized as anemic (Hb < 12 g/dL in females, Hb < 13 g/dL in males), polycythemic (Hb ≥ 15 g/dL in females, Hb ≥ 17 g/dL in males), or normocythemic. In addition, percentiles of Hb values were analyzed with regard to mortality from any cause. Two-hundred seven subjects (67.0%) showed normal Hb levels, 46 (14.9%) had anemia, and 56 (18.1%) had polycythemia. Polycythemic subjects showed a higher survival rate than anemic (P = .01) and normocythemic subjects (P = .043). In a univariate Cox hazards model, Hb was associated with long-term survival (hazard ratio 0.855; 95% CI 0.783-0.934, P < .001). The 58th percentiles of Hb (14.3 g/dL in females, 15.1 g/dL in males) yielded the highest discriminative value for predicting survival (hazard ratio 0.463, 95% CI 0.324-0.660, P < .001). In the multivariate analysis this cutoff was an independent predictor for survival (hazard ratio 0.627, 95% CI 0.414-0.949, P = .03), in addition to age and body mass index. In subjects with COPD and chronic respiratory failure undergoing treatment with noninvasive ventilation and LTOT, high Hb levels are associated with better long-term survival. The optimal cutoff level for prediction was above the established threshold defining anemia. Thus, predicting survival only on the basis of anemia does not fully utilize the prognostic potential of Hb values in COPD.

Mechanisms of Translation Control Underlying Long-lasting Synaptic Plasticity and the Consolidation of Long-term Memory

PubMed Central

Santini, Emanuela; Huynh, Thu N.; Klann, Eric

2018-01-01

The complexity of memory formation and its persistence is a phenomenon that has been studied intensely for centuries. Memory exists in many forms and is stored in various brain regions. Generally speaking, memories are reorganized into broadly distributed cortical networks over time through systems level consolidation. At the cellular level, storage of information is believed to initially occur via altered synaptic strength by processes such as long-term potentiation (LTP). New protein synthesis is required for long-lasting synaptic plasticity as well as for the formation of long-term memory. The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a critical regulator of cap-dependent protein synthesis and is required for numerous forms of long-lasting synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. As such, the study of mTORC1 and protein factors that control translation initiation and elongation have enhanced our understanding of how the process of protein synthesis is regulated during memory formation. Herein we will discuss the molecular mechanisms that regulate protein synthesis as well as pharmacological and genetic manipulations that demonstrate the requirement for proper translational control in long-lasting synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation. PMID:24484700

Plutonium Isotopes in the Terrestrial Environment at the Savannah River Site, USA. A Long-Term Study

DOE PAGES

Armstrong, Christopher R.; Nuessle, Patterson R.; Brant, Heather A.; ...

2015-01-16

This work presents the findings of a long term plutonium study at Savannah River Site (SRS) conducted between 2003 and 2013. Terrestrial environmental samples were obtained at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in A-area. Plutonium content and isotopic abundances were measured over this time period by alpha spectrometry and three stage thermal ionization mass spectrometry (3STIMS). Here we detail the complete sample collection, radiochemical separation, and measurement procedure specifically targeted to trace plutonium in bulk environmental samples. Total plutonium activities were determined to be not significantly above atmospheric global fallout. However, the 238Pu/ 239+240Pu activity ratios attributed to SRS aremore » above atmospheric global fallout ranges. The 240Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios are reasonably consistent from year to year and are lower than fallout, while the 242Pu/ 239Pu atom ratios are higher than fallout values. Overall, the plutonium signatures obtained in this study reflect a mixture of weapons-grade, higher burn-up, and fallout material. This study provides a blue print for long term low level monitoring of plutonium in the environment.« less

Levels of Interference in Long and Short-Term Memory Differentially Modulate Non-REM and REM Sleep.

PubMed

Fraize, Nicolas; Carponcy, Julien; Joseph, Mickaël Antoine; Comte, Jean-Christophe; Luppi, Pierre-Hervé; Libourel, Paul-Antoine; Salin, Paul-Antoine; Malleret, Gaël; Parmentier, Régis

2016-12-01

It is commonly accepted that sleep is beneficial to memory processes, but it is still unclear if this benefit originates from improved memory consolidation or enhanced information processing. It has thus been proposed that sleep may also promote forgetting of undesirable and non-essential memories, a process required for optimization of cognitive resources. We tested the hypothesis that non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) promotes forgetting of irrelevant information, more specifically when processing information in working memory (WM), while REM sleep (REMS) facilitates the consolidation of important information. We recorded sleep patterns of rats trained in a radial maze in three different tasks engaging either the long-term or short-term storage of information, as well as a gradual level of interference. We observed a transient increase in REMS amount on the day the animal learned the rule of a long-term/reference memory task (RM), and, in contrast, a positive correlation between the performance of rats trained in a WM task involving an important processing of interference and the amount of NREMS or slow wave activity. Various oscillatory events were also differentially modulated by the type of training involved. Notably, NREMS spindles and REMS rapid theta increase with RM training, while sharp-wave ripples increase with all types of training. These results suggest that REMS, but also rapid oscillations occurring during NREMS would be specifically implicated in the long-term memory in RM, whereas NREMS and slow oscillations could be involved in the forgetting of irrelevant information required for WM. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Vitamin B12 and folate levels in long-term vegans.

PubMed

Bar-Sella, P; Rakover, Y; Ratner, D

1990-06-01

Serum vitamin B12, serum folate and red blood cell (RBC) folate levels were examined among 36 strict vegans of 5-35 years' duration. Vitamin B12 levels among the vegans were generally lower than in a control population. Most of the vegans had vitamin B12 values less than 200 pg/ml. RBC folate levels were normal but serum folate levels among the vegans were higher than among the controls. None of the vegans had any hematologic evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency, however four of them had neurologic complaints. Long-standing vegans should be monitored for vitamin B12 levels.

Experimental program to determine long term characteristics of the MDE pressure transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, C. D.

1973-01-01

The pressure cell sensors developed for the Pioneer 10/G meteoroid detection experiments (MDE) were investigated to enhance their application and their potential as a sensor in other MDE applications. Their Paschen characteristics were also investigated, and the effects of variations in geometry, Ni-63 platings (for initial ionizations) and sealing pressures were determined. The effects of extensive pre-flight testing and proton and heavy ion space radiation were investigated. Flight-quality pressure panels/cells were committed to long term testing to demonstrate their suitability for the Pioneer 10/G Missions.

The long-term consequences of the exposure to increasing gravity levels on the muscular, vestibular and cognitive functions in adult mice.

PubMed

Bojados, Mickael; Jamon, Marc

2014-05-01

Adult male mice C57Bl6/J were exposed to gravity levels between 1G and 4G during three weeks, and the long-term consequences on muscular, vestibular, emotional, and cognitive abilities were evaluated at the functional level to test the hypothesis of a continuum in the response to the increasing gravitational force. In agreement with the hypothesis, the growth of body mass slowed down in relation with the gravity level during the centrifugation, and weight recovery was inversely proportional. On the other hand, the long-term consequences on muscular, vestibular, emotional, and cognitive abilities did not fit the hypothesis of a continuum in the response to the gravity level. The hypergravity acted as endurance training on muscle force until 3G, then became deleterious at 4G. The vestibular reactions were not affected until 4G. Persistent emotional reactions appeared at 3G, and particularly 4G. The mice centrifuged at 3G and 4G showed an impaired spatial learning, probably in relation with the increased level of anxiety, but a greater difficulty was also observed in mice exposed at 2G, suggesting another cause for the impairment of spatial memory. The long-term response to the hypergravity was shown to depend on both the level of gravity and the duration of exposition, with different importance depending on the function considered. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New reporting procedures based on long-term method detection levels and some considerations for interpretations of water-quality data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childress, Carolyn J. Oblinger; Foreman, William T.; Connor, Brooke F.; Maloney, Thomas J.

1999-01-01

This report describes the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory?s approach for determining long-term method detection levels and establishing reporting levels, details relevant new reporting conventions, and provides preliminary guidance on interpreting data reported with the new conventions. At the long-term method detection level concentration, the risk of a false positive detection (analyte reported present at the long-term method detection level when not in sample) is no more than 1 percent. However, at the long-term method detection level, the risk of a false negative occurrence (analyte reported not present when present at the long-term method detection level concentration) is up to 50 percent. Because this false negative rate is too high for use as a default 'less than' reporting level, a more reliable laboratory reporting level is set at twice the determined long-term method detection level. For all methods, concentrations measured between the laboratory reporting level and the long-term method detection level will be reported as estimated concentrations. Non-detections will be censored to the laboratory reporting level. Adoption of the new reporting conventions requires a full understanding of how low-concentration data can be used and interpreted and places responsibility for using and presenting final data with the user rather than with the laboratory. Users must consider that (1) new laboratory reporting levels may differ from previously established minimum reporting levels, (2) long-term method detection levels and laboratory reporting levels may change over time, and (3) estimated concentrations are less certain than concentrations reported above the laboratory reporting level. The availability of uncensored but qualified low-concentration data for interpretation and statistical analysis is a substantial benefit to the user. A decision to censor data after they are reported from the laboratory may still be made by the user, if

Marketing in the long-term care continuum.

PubMed

Laurence, J Nathan; Kash, Bita A

2010-04-01

Today, long-term care facilities are composed of independent, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities along with many variations of those themes in between. The clientele for these various types of facilities differ because of the level of care the facility provides as well as the amenities long-term care consumers are looking for. However, there many similarities and common approaches to how reaching the target audience through effective marketing activities. Knowing who the target audience is, how to reach them, and how to communicate with them will serve any facility well in this competitive market. Developing marketing strategies for long-term care settings is as important as understanding what elements of care can be marketed individually as a niche market. Determining the market base for a facility is equally crucial since the target populations differ among the three types of facilities. By reviewing current marketing articles and applying marketing practices, we have crafted some general principles for which each facility type can learn from. Finally, we will discuss the types of marketing and how they related to the spectrum of long-term care facilities.

Distinct cerebellar engrams in short-term and long-term motor learning.

PubMed

Wang, Wen; Nakadate, Kazuhiko; Masugi-Tokita, Miwako; Shutoh, Fumihiro; Aziz, Wajeeha; Tarusawa, Etsuko; Lorincz, Andrea; Molnár, Elek; Kesaf, Sebnem; Li, Yun-Qing; Fukazawa, Yugo; Nagao, Soichi; Shigemoto, Ryuichi

2014-01-07

Cerebellar motor learning is suggested to be caused by long-term plasticity of excitatory parallel fiber-Purkinje cell (PF-PC) synapses associated with changes in the number of synaptic AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs). However, whether the AMPARs decrease or increase in individual PF-PC synapses occurs in physiological motor learning and accounts for memory that lasts over days remains elusive. We combined quantitative SDS-digested freeze-fracture replica labeling for AMPAR and physical dissector electron microscopy with a simple model of cerebellar motor learning, adaptation of horizontal optokinetic response (HOKR) in mouse. After 1-h training of HOKR, short-term adaptation (STA) was accompanied with transient decrease in AMPARs by 28% in target PF-PC synapses. STA was well correlated with AMPAR decrease in individual animals and both STA and AMPAR decrease recovered to basal levels within 24 h. Surprisingly, long-term adaptation (LTA) after five consecutive daily trainings of 1-h HOKR did not alter the number of AMPARs in PF-PC synapses but caused gradual and persistent synapse elimination by 45%, with corresponding PC spine loss by the fifth training day. Furthermore, recovery of LTA after 2 wk was well correlated with increase of PF-PC synapses to the control level. Our findings indicate that the AMPARs decrease in PF-PC synapses and the elimination of these synapses are in vivo engrams in short- and long-term motor learning, respectively, showing a unique type of synaptic plasticity that may contribute to memory consolidation.

Near-Term Actions to Address Long-Term Climate Risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lempert, R. J.

2014-12-01

Addressing climate change requires effective long-term policy making, which occurs when reflecting on potential events decades or more in the future causes policy makers to choose near-term actions different than those they would otherwise pursue. Contrary to some expectations, policy makers do sometimes make such long-term decisions, but not as commonly and successfully as climate change may require. In recent years however, the new capabilities of analytic decision support tools, combined with improved understanding of cognitive and organizational behaviors, has significantly improved the methods available for organizations to manage longer-term climate risks. In particular, these tools allow decision makers to understand what near-term actions consistently contribute to achieving both short- and long-term societal goals, even in the face of deep uncertainty regarding the long-term future. This talk will describe applications of these approaches for infrastructure, water, and flood risk management planning, as well as studies of how near-term choices about policy architectures can affect long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction pathways.

Pulse mode readout techniques for use with non-gridded industrial ionization chambers

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

Popov, Vladimir E.; Degtiarenko, Pavel V.

2011-10-01

Highly sensitive readout technique for precision long-term radiation measurements has been developed and tested in the Radiation Control Department at Jefferson Lab. The new electronics design is used to retrieve ionization data in a pulse mode. The dedicated data acquisition system works with M=Audio Audiophile 192 High-Definition 24-bit/192 kHz audio cards, taking data in continuous waveform recording mode. The on-line data processing algorithms extract signals of the ionization events from the data flow and measure the ionization value for each event. Two different ion chambers are evaluated. The first is a Reuter-Stokes Argon-filled (at 25 atm) High Pressure Ionization Chambermore » (HPIC), commonly used as a detector part in many GE Reuter-Stokes instruments of the RSS series. The second is a VacuTec Model 70181, 5 atm Xenon-filled ionization chamber. Results for both chambers indicate that the techniques allow using industrial ICs for high sensitivity and precision long-term radiation measurements, while at the same time providing information about spectral characteristics of the radiation fields.« less

Historical sea level data rescue to assess long-term sea level evolution: Saint-Nazaire observatory (Loire estuary, France) since 1863.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferret, Yann; Voineson, Guillaume; Pouvreau, Nicolas

2014-05-01

Nowadays, the study of the global sea level rise is a strong societal concern. The analysis of historical records of water level proves to be an ideal way to provide relevant arguments regarding the observed trends. In France, many systematic sea level observations have taken place since the mid-1800s. Despite this rich history, long sea level data sets digitally available are still scarce. Currently, only the time series of Brest, Marseille and recently the composite one of the Pertuis d'Antioche span periods longer than a century and are available to be taken into account in studies dealing with long term sea-level evolution. In this context, an important work of "data archaeology" is undertaken to rescue the numerous existing analog historical data that is part of the French scientific and cultural heritage. The present study is focused on the measurements carried out at the sea level observatory of Saint-Nazaire, located on the French Atlantic coast in the Loire estuary mouth area. Measurements were automatically performed with the use of float tide gauges from 1863 to 2007, but include some important gaps between 1920 and 1950. Since 2007, the Saint-Nazaire observatory is part of the French RONIM network operated by SHOM, and the old mechanical tide gauge has been superseded by a radar tide gauge (operated by "Grand Port Maritime" of Nantes-Saint-Nazaire). In total, the covered period is up to 150-year-long, including at least 125 years of continuous sea level measurements. With the reconstruction of this new data set, we aim at improving our knowledge on trends in sea level components on the Atlantic coast on large scale and on the coast vulnerability at more local scale. Moreover, because of the location of the station, it should be possible as well to study the influence of the Loire River on water level since the 19th century. It has been shown that the tidal range was strongly modified during the last century because of the anthropogenic influence along

Long-term effects of interference on short-term memory performance in the rat.

PubMed

Missaire, Mégane; Fraize, Nicolas; Joseph, Mickaël Antoine; Hamieh, Al Mahdy; Parmentier, Régis; Marighetto, Aline; Salin, Paul Antoine; Malleret, Gaël

2017-01-01

A distinction has always been made between long-term and short-term memory (also now called working memory, WM). The obvious difference between these two kinds of memory concerns the duration of information storage: information is supposedly transiently stored in WM while it is considered durably consolidated into long-term memory. It is well acknowledged that the content of WM is erased and reset after a short time, to prevent irrelevant information from proactively interfering with newly stored information. In the present study, we used typical WM radial maze tasks to question the brief lifespan of spatial WM content in rodents. Groups of rats were submitted to one of two different WM tasks in a radial maze: a WM task involving the repetitive presentation of a same pair of arms expected to induce a high level of proactive interference (PI) (HIWM task), or a task using a different pair in each trial expected to induce a low level of PI (LIWM task). Performance was effectively lower in the HIWM group than in LIWM in the final trial of each training session, indicative of a "within-session/short-term" PI effect. However, we also observed a different "between-session/long-term" PI effect between the two groups: while performance of LIWM trained rats remained stable over days, the performance of HIWM rats dropped after 10 days of training, and this impairment was visible from the very first trial of the day, hence not attributable to within-session PI. We also showed that a 24 hour-gap across training sessions known to allow consolidation processes to unfold, was a necessary and sufficient condition for the long-term PI effect to occur. These findings suggest that in the HIWM task, WM content was not entirely reset between training sessions and that, in specific conditions, WM content can outlast its purpose by being stored more permanently, generating a long-term deleterious effect of PI. The alternative explanation is that WM content could be transferred and stored

Earth's Constant Mean Elevation: Implication for Long-Term Sea Level and Controlled by Ocean Lithosphere Dynamics in a Pitman World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowley, David

2017-04-01

On a spherical Earth, the mean elevation ( -2440m) would be everywhere at a mean Earth radius from the center. This directly links an elevation at the surface to physical dimensions of the Earth, including surface area and volume that are at most very slowly evolving components of the Earth system. Earth's mean elevation thus provides a framework within which to consider changes in heights of Earth's solid surface as a function of time. In this paper the focus will be on long-term, non-glacially controlled sea level. Long-term sea level has long been argued to be largely controlled by changes in ocean basin volume related to changes in area-age distribution of oceanic lithosphere. As generally modeled by Pitman (1978) and subsequent workers, the age-depth relationship of oceanic lithosphere, including both the ridge depth and coefficients describing the age-depth relationship are assumed constant. This paper examines the consequences of adhering to these assumptions when placed within the larger framework of maintaining a constant mean radius of the Earth. Self-consistent estimates of long-term sea level height and changes in mean depth of the oceanic crust are derived from the assumption that the mean elevation and corresponding mean radius are unchanging aspects of Earth's shorter-term evolution. Within this context, changes in mean depth of the oceanic crust, corresponding with changes in mean age of the oceanic lithosphere, acting over the area of the oceanic crust represent a volume change that is required to be balanced by a compensating equal but opposite volume change under the area of the continental crust. Models of paleo-cumulative hypsometry derived from a starting glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA)-corrected ice-free hypsometry that conserve mean elevation provide a basis for understanding how these compensating changes impact global hypsometry and particularly estimates of global mean shoreline height. Paleo-shoreline height and areal extent of

Effects of Relocation and Individual and Environmental Factors on the Long-Term Stress Levels in Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Monitoring Hair Cortisol and Behaviors.

PubMed

Yamanashi, Yumi; Teramoto, Migaku; Morimura, Naruki; Hirata, Satoshi; Inoue-Murayama, Miho; Idani, Gen'ichi

2016-01-01

Understanding the factors associated with the long-term stress levels of captive animals is important from the view of animal welfare. In this study, we investigated the effects of relocation in addition to individual and environmental factors related to social management on long-term stress level in group-living captive chimpanzees by examining behaviors and hair cortisol (HC). Specifically, we conducted two studies. The first compared changes in HC levels before and after the relocation of 8 chimpanzees (Study 1) and the second examined the relationship between individual and environmental factors and individual HC levels in 58 chimpanzees living in Kumamoto Sanctuary (KS), Kyoto University (Study 2). We hypothesized that relocation, social situation, sex, and early rearing conditions, would affect the HC levels of captive chimpanzees. We cut arm hair from chimpanzees and extracted and assayed cortisol with an enzyme immunoassay. Aggressive behaviors were recorded ad libitum by keepers using a daily behavior monitoring sheet developed for this study. The results of Study 1 indicate that HC levels increased during the first year after relocation to the new environment and then decreased during the second year. We observed individual differences in reactions to relocation and hypothesized that social factors may mediate these changes. In Study 2, we found that the standardized rate of receiving aggression, rearing history, sex, and group formation had a significant influence on mean HC levels. Relocation status was not a significant factor, but mean HC level was positively correlated with the rate of receiving aggression. Mean HC levels were higher in males than in females, and the association between aggressive interactions and HC levels differed by sex. These results suggest that, although relocation can affect long-term stress level, individuals' experiences of aggression and sex may be more important contributors to long-term stress than relocation alone.

Climate Factors Contributing to Streamflow Inputs and Extreme Water-level Deviations from Long-term Averages for Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, M. T.; Stamm, J. F.

2014-12-01

The Great Lakes are a highly valued freshwater resource of the United States and Canada. The Lakes are the focus of a science-based restoration program, known as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Physical and chemical factors, such as inflows and nutrient loads to the Great Lakes can affect ecosystem function, contribute to the spread of invasive species and increase the occurrence of harmful algal blooms. Since about 1999, water levels in Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron have been at or below the long-term average (1918 to present). Analyses of streamflow trends for the period 1960 to 2012 in watersheds draining into Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron showed a long-term decline in average inflows, which helps to explain the persistently below-average lake levels. Recent climatic conditions of October 2013 to August 2014 have contributed to a rapid rise in lake levels, most notably in Lake Superior. Lake Superior recently reached an elevation of 602.56 feet above sea level in August 2014, which is the highest level in 17 years. Coincident with this recovery was the development of a large algal bloom in Lake Erie in August of 2014 that shut down the Toledo, Ohio municipal water supply. These anomalous, extreme deviations from long-term average lake levels will be examined to better understand the forcing factors that contributed to changes in inflow volumes and lake-levels. Particular focus will be given to the climatology of years when changes in lake levels are most pronounced, such as; the measured lake-level declines during 1964-1965 and 1998-2000; and lake-level rises during 1973-1974, 1987-1989, and 2013-2014. The climatology of years with periods of algal blooms will also be examined such as, 2003, 2008, 2011 and 2014.

Glutathione level after long-term occupational elemental mercury exposure

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

Kobal, Alfred Bogomir; Prezelj, Marija; Horvat, Milena

2008-05-15

Many in vitro and in vivo studies have elucidated the interaction of inorganic mercury (Hg) and glutathione. However, human studies are limited. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of remote long-term intermittent occupational elemental Hg vapour (Hg{sup o}) exposure on erythrocyte glutathione levels and some antioxidative enzyme activities in ex-mercury miners in the period after exposure. The study included 49 ex-mercury miners divided into subgroups of 28 still active, Hg{sup o}-not-exposed miners and 21 elderly retired miners, and 41 controls, age-matched to the miners subgroup. The control workers were taken from 'mercury-free works'. Reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidizedmore » disulphide glutathione (GSSG) concentrations in haemolysed erythrocytes were determined by capillary electrophoresis, while total glutathione (total GSH) and the GSH/GSSG ratio were calculated from the determined values. Catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities in erythrocytes were measured using commercially available reagent kits, while urine Hg (U-Hg) concentrations were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption (CVAAS). No correlation of present U-Hg levels, GSH, GSSG, and antioxidative enzymes with remote occupational biological exposure indices were found. The mean CAT activity in miners and retired miners was significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the controls. No differences in mean GPx activity among the three groups were found, whereas the mean GR activity was significantly higher (p<0.05) in miners than in retired miners. The mean concentrations of GSH (mmol/g Hb) in miners (13.03{+-}3.71) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the control group (11.68{+-}2.66). No differences in mean total GSH, GSSG levels, and GSH/GSSG ratio between miners and controls were found. A positive correlation between GSSG and present U-Hg excretion (r=0.41, p=0.001) in the whole group of ex-mercury miners was observed. The

Similarities and Differences between Working Memory and Long-Term Memory: Evidence from the Levels-of-Processing Span Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Nathan S.; Myerson, Joel; Roediger, Henry L., III; Hale, Sandra

2010-01-01

Two experiments compared the effects of depth of processing on working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) using a levels-of-processing (LOP) span task, a newly developed WM span procedure that involves processing to-be-remembered words based on their visual, phonological, or semantic characteristics. Depth of processing had minimal effect on…

Long-term Use of Opioids for Complex Chronic Pain

PubMed Central

Von Korff, Michael R.

2014-01-01

Increased opioid prescribing for back pain and other chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions has been accompanied by dramatic increases in prescription opioid addiction and fatal overdose. Opioid-related risks appear to increase with dose. While short-term randomized trials of opioids for chronic pain have found modest analgesic benefits (a one-third reduction in pain intensity on average), the long-term safety and effectiveness of opioids for chronic musculoskeletal pain is unknown. Given the lack of large, long-term randomized trials, recent epidemiologic data suggests the need for caution when considering long-term use of opioids to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain, particularly at higher dosage levels. Principles for achieving more selective and cautious use of opioids for chronic musculoskeletal pain are proposed. PMID:24315147

Effects of long-term exposure to low levels of ozone : a review.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-09-01

Available literature regarding long-term effects of ozone on animals and humans is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on reports that have appeared since 1976, but some earlier reports are cited for completeness and perspective. This review shows that ozon...

Computer model to simulate ionizing radiation effects correlates with experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Poch, Antoni

Exposure to radiation from high energy protons and particles with ionizing properties is a major challenge for long-term space missions. The specific effect of such radiation on hematopoietic cells is still not fully understood. A number of experiments have been conducted on ground and in space. Those experiments on one hand, measure the extent of damage on blood markers. On the other hand, they intend to quantify the correlation between dose and energy from the radiation particles, with their ability to impair the hematopoietic stem and progenitor function. We present a computer model based on a neural network that intends to assess the relationship between dose, energy and number of hits on a particular cell, to the damage incurred to the human marrow cells. Calibration of the network is performed with the existing experimental data available in bibliography. Different sources of ionizing radiation at different doses (0-90 cGy) and along different patterns of a long-term exposure scenarios are simulated. Results are shown for a continuous variation of doses and are compared with specific data available in the literature. Some predictions are inferred for long-term scenarios of spaceflight, and the risk of jeopardizing a mission due to a major disfunction of the bone marrow is calculated. The method has proved successful in reproducing specific experimental data. We also discuss the significance and validity of the predicted ionizing radiation effects in situations such as long-term missions for a continuous range of dose.

Sensitivity factor of the axial-symmetric transmission gauge: Deviation and long-term variation

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

Takahashi, N.; Tuzi, Y.; Arakawa, I.

2007-07-15

The deviation of the sensitivity factors for about 50 sensors of the axial-symmetric transmission gauge (ATG) was examined. The deviation has been compared with that for about 30 sensors of the B-A gauge and for about 30 sensors of the extractor gauge. Almost the same deviations are found for the above three types of gauges. The long-term variations of the sensitivity factors for two sensors of the ATG were also measured during four years. After the initial change with operating time, the sensitivity factor stabilized after long-term operation. The room temperature effect of the sensitivity factor plays an important rolemore » on the total pressure measurement by an ionization gauge, but the change of the sensitivity factor was larger than the room temperature effect. The reason for the change of the factor is estimated in connection with the annealing and the alignment of the filament and with the deviation of the place of electron emission on the filament.« less

Oxidative Stress and Genotoxicity of Long-Term Occupational Exposure to Low Levels of BTEX in Gas Station Workers

PubMed Central

Xiong, Feng; Li, Qin; Zhou, Bo; Huang, Jiongli; Liang, Guiqiang; Zhang, Li’e; Ma, Shuyan; Qing, Li; Liang, Linhan; Su, Jing; Peng, Xiaowu; Li, Qin; Zou, Yunfeng

2016-01-01

Atmospheric benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) can lead to multiple health injuries. However, what remains uncertain is the effect of long-term exposure to low levels of BTEX. Thus, we determined the BTEX levels in the air from the refueling and office areas in gas stations. Then we collected workers’ (200 refueling vs. 52 office workers) peripheral blood samples to analyze the serum total-superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels. DNA damage was analyzed by the comet assay and micronucleus test in buccal epithelial cells. We found that the levels of BTEX in refueling areas were significantly higher than those in office areas (p < 0.001). The serum T-SOD and GSH of refueling workers were significantly lower than those in office workers (p < 0.001). By contrast, the serum MDA and 8-OHdG of refueling workers were significantly higher than those of office workers (p < 0.001, MDA; p = 0.025, 8-OHdG). Furthermore, tail and Olive tail moments in refueling workers were longer (p = 0.004, tail moment; p = 0.001, Olive tail moment), and the micronucleus rate was higher (p < 0.001) than those in office workers. Taken together, long-term exposure to low levels of BTEX may reduce the antioxidant ability and increase the risk of DNA damage in refueling workers of gas stations. PMID:27929445

Decrease in calcitonin and parathyroid hormone mRNA levels and hormone secretion under long-term hypervitaminosis D3 in rats.

PubMed

Fernández-Santos, J M; Utrilla, J C; Conde, E; Hevia, A; Loda, M; Martín-Lacave, I

2001-04-01

In calcium homeostasis, vitamin D3 is a potent serum calcium-raising agent which in vivo regulates both calcitonin (CT) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) gene expression. Serum calcium is the major secretagogue for CT, a hormone product whose biosynthesis is the main biological activity of thyroid C-cells. Taking advantage of this regulatory mechanism, long-term vitamin D3-induced hypercalcemia has been extensively used as a model to produce hyperactivation, hyperplasia and even proliferative lesions of C-cells, supposedly to reduce the sustained high calcium serum concentrations. We have recently demonstrated that CT serum levels did not rise after long-term hypervitaminosis D3. Moreover, C-cells did not have a proliferative response, rather a decrease in CT-producing C-cell number was observed. In order to confirm the inhibitory effect of vitamin D3 on C-cells, Wistar rats were administered vitamin D3 chronically (25,000 IU/d) with or without calcium chloride (CaCl2). Under these long-term vitamin D3-hypercalcemic conditions, calcium, active metabolites of vitamin D3, CT and PTH serum concentrations were determined by RIA; CT and PTH mRNA levels were analysed by Northern blot and in situ hybridization; and, finally, the ultrastructure of calciotrophic hormone-producing cells was analysed by electron microscopy. Our results show, that, in rats, long term administration of vitamin D3 results in a decrease in hormone biosynthetic activities of both PTH and CT-producing cells, albeit at different magnitudes. Based upon these results, we conclude that hypervitaminosis D3-based methods do not stimulate C-cell activity and can not be used to induce proliferative lesions of calcitonin-producing cells.

The long-term use of cyproterone acetate in pedophilia: a case study.

PubMed

Cooper, A J; Cernovsky, Z; Magnus, R V

1992-01-01

This investigation reports the long-term use of the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate (CPA) in a pedophile, who was studied continuously over 38 months. Measures of sexual arousal, serum testosterone, and gonadotropin levels were significantly reduced by the drug as compared with placebo and no treatment; prolactin levels were significantly elevated. Some workers have observed that long-term administration of CPA (more than one year, which was then discontinued) produced enduring (in some cases apparently permanent) anti-libidinal effects; however, in the case described, within three weeks of stopping the drug, all measures had returned to pretrial levels. The importance of continuous long-term monitoring in sex offenders receiving an antiandrogen is discussed.

Double ionization of helium by ion impact: second Born order treatment at the fully differential level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, S. D.; Otranto, S.; Garibotti, C. R.

2015-01-01

In this work, a theoretical study of the double ionization of He by ion impact at the fully differential level is presented. Emphasis is made in the role played by the projectile in the double emission process depending on its charge and the amount of momentum transferred to the target. A Born-CDW model including a second-order term in the projectile charge is introduced and evaluated within an on-shell treatment. We find that emission geometries for which the second-order term dominates lead to asymmetric structures around the momentum transfer direction, a typical characteristic of higher order transitions.

Long-term urethral catheterisation.

PubMed

Turner, Bruce; Dickens, Nicola

This article discusses long-term urethral catheterisation, focusing on the relevant anatomy and physiology, indications for the procedure, catheter selection and catheter care. It is important that nurses have a good working knowledge of long-term catheterisation as the need for this intervention will increase with the rise in chronic health conditions and the ageing population.

Long-term solar-terrestrial observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The results of an 18-month study of the requirements for long-term monitoring and archiving of solar-terrestrial data is presented. The value of long-term solar-terrestrial observations is discussed together with parameters, associated measurements, and observational problem areas in each of the solar-terrestrial links (the sun, the interplanetary medium, the magnetosphere, and the thermosphere-ionosphere). Some recommendations are offered for coordinated planning for long-term solar-terrestrial observations.

Long-term effects of interference on short-term memory performance in the rat

PubMed Central

Missaire, Mégane; Fraize, Nicolas; Joseph, Mickaël Antoine; Hamieh, Al Mahdy; Parmentier, Régis; Marighetto, Aline; Salin, Paul Antoine; Malleret, Gaël

2017-01-01

A distinction has always been made between long-term and short-term memory (also now called working memory, WM). The obvious difference between these two kinds of memory concerns the duration of information storage: information is supposedly transiently stored in WM while it is considered durably consolidated into long-term memory. It is well acknowledged that the content of WM is erased and reset after a short time, to prevent irrelevant information from proactively interfering with newly stored information. In the present study, we used typical WM radial maze tasks to question the brief lifespan of spatial WM content in rodents. Groups of rats were submitted to one of two different WM tasks in a radial maze: a WM task involving the repetitive presentation of a same pair of arms expected to induce a high level of proactive interference (PI) (HIWM task), or a task using a different pair in each trial expected to induce a low level of PI (LIWM task). Performance was effectively lower in the HIWM group than in LIWM in the final trial of each training session, indicative of a “within-session/short-term” PI effect. However, we also observed a different “between-session/long-term” PI effect between the two groups: while performance of LIWM trained rats remained stable over days, the performance of HIWM rats dropped after 10 days of training, and this impairment was visible from the very first trial of the day, hence not attributable to within-session PI. We also showed that a 24 hour-gap across training sessions known to allow consolidation processes to unfold, was a necessary and sufficient condition for the long-term PI effect to occur. These findings suggest that in the HIWM task, WM content was not entirely reset between training sessions and that, in specific conditions, WM content can outlast its purpose by being stored more permanently, generating a long-term deleterious effect of PI. The alternative explanation is that WM content could be transferred and

Long-term care: long-term care insurance--2005. End of Year Issue Brief.

PubMed

Tanner, Rachel; Bercaw, Lawren

2005-12-31

As the "Baby Boom" generation approaches retirement, state and federal lawmakers are struggling to ensure that the nation's long-term care system will provide adequate services for the growing number of senior citizens. A 2003 Administration on Aging report predicted that the elderly population will double by 2030. Accordingly, policymakers must prepare for the impending squeeze on public health and Medicaid resources. Many consumers are exploring private long-term care insurance options as a means of preparing for the cost of eldercare. Yet, a lack of market uniformity has rendered the long-term care insurance industry somewhat difficult for consumers to decipher. In addition, senior care insurance is often costly, particularly for those over age 50.

The SPES surface ionization source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzolaro, M.; D'Agostini, F.; Monetti, A.; Andrighetto, A.

2017-09-01

Ion sources and target systems play a crucial role in isotope separation on line facilities, determining the main characteristics of the radioactive ion beams available for experiments. In the context of the selective production of exotic species (SPES) facility, a 40 MeV, 200 μA proton beam directly impinges a uranium carbide target, generating approximately 1013 fissions per second. The radioactive isotopes produced by the 238U fissions are delivered to the 1+ ion source by means of a tubular transfer line. Here they can be ionized and subsequently accelerated toward the experimental areas. In this work, the characterization of the surface ionization source currently adopted for the SPES facility is presented, taking as a reference ionization efficiency and transversal emittance measurements. The effects of long term operation at high temperature are also illustrated and discussed.

Measuring short-term and long-term physiological stress effects by cortisol reactivity in saliva and hair.

PubMed

van Holland, Berry J; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K

2012-11-01

The aims of this study were to investigate (1) the concurrent relationship between short-term and long-term stress reactivity measured by cortisol excretion and (2) the relationship of these physiological stress effects with self-reported stress and need for recovery after work (NFR). Participants were production workers in the meat-processing industry. Short-term cortisol excretion was calculated by summing 18 saliva samples, sampled over a 3-day period. Samples were delivered by 37 participants. Twenty-nine of them also supplied one hair sample of at least 3 cm in length for an analysis of long-term (3 months) cortisol excretion. All of them filled in a short questionnaire on self-reported stress and NFR. Self-reported stress was assessed by a three-item stress screener; NFR was assessed by an 11-item scale. Short-term and long-term cortisol excretion are significantly, but moderately, associated (r = 0.41, P = 0.03). Short-term and long-term cortisol excretion correlated weakly to self-reported stress and NFR (correlations varied from -0.04 to 0.21). Short-term and long-term physiological stress excretion levels are moderately associated. Physiological stress effects assessed from saliva and hair cannot be used interchangeably with self-reported stress because they only correlate weakly. To better predict long-term cortisol excretion in workers, the predictive value of short-term cortisol excretion must be evaluated in a prognostic longitudinal study in a working population.

A Processing Approach to the Working Memory/Long-Term Memory Distinction: Evidence from the Levels-of-Processing Span Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Nathan S.; Craik, Fergus I. M.

2012-01-01

Recent theories suggest that performance on working memory (WM) tasks involves retrieval from long-term memory (LTM). To examine whether WM and LTM tests have common principles, Craik and Tulving's (1975) levels-of-processing paradigm, which is known to affect LTM, was administered as a WM task: Participants made uppercase, rhyme, or…

Long-term academic stress enhances early processing of facial expressions.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang; Qin, Shaozheng; Yao, Zhuxi; Zhang, Kan; Wu, Jianhui

2016-11-01

Exposure to long-term stress can lead to a variety of emotional and behavioral problems. Although widely investigated, the neural basis of how long-term stress impacts emotional processing in humans remains largely elusive. Using event-related brain potentials (ERPs), we investigated the effects of long-term stress on the neural dynamics of emotionally facial expression processing. Thirty-nine male college students undergoing preparation for a major examination and twenty-one matched controls performed a gender discrimination task for faces displaying angry, happy, and neutral expressions. The results of the Perceived Stress Scale showed that participants in the stress group perceived higher levels of long-term stress relative to the control group. ERP analyses revealed differential effects of long-term stress on two early stages of facial expression processing: 1) long-term stress generally augmented posterior P1 amplitudes to facial stimuli irrespective of expression valence, suggesting that stress can increase sensitization to visual inputs in general, and 2) long-term stress selectively augmented fronto-central P2 amplitudes for angry but not for neutral or positive facial expressions, suggesting that stress may lead to increased attentional prioritization to processing negative emotional stimuli. Together, our findings suggest that long-term stress has profound impacts on the early stages of facial expression processing, with an increase at the very early stage of general information inputs and a subsequent attentional bias toward processing emotionally negative stimuli. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-level light emitting diode therapy promotes long-term functional recovery after experimental stroke in mice.

PubMed

Lee, Hae In; Lee, Sae-Won; Kim, Nam Gyun; Park, Kyoung-Jun; Choi, Byung Tae; Shin, Yong-Il; Shin, Hwa Kyoung

2017-12-01

We aimed to investigate the effects of low-level light emitting diode therapy (LED-T) on the long-term functional outcomes after cerebral ischemia, and the optimal timing of LED-T initiation for achieving suitable functional recovery. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in mice via photothrombosis. These mice were assigned to a sham-operated (control), ischemic (vehicle), or LED-T group [initiation immediately (acute), 4 days (subacute) or 10 days (delayed) after ischemia, followed by once-daily treatment for 7 days]. Behavioral outcomes were assessed 21 and 28 days post-ischemia, and histopathological analysis was performed 28 days post-ischemia. The acute and subacute LED-T groups showed a significant improvement in motor function up to 28 days post-ischemia, although no brain atrophy recovery was noted. We observed proliferating cells (BrdU + ) in the ischemic brain, and significant increases in BrdU + /GFAP + , BrdU + /DCX + , BrdU + /NeuN + , and CD31 + cells in the subacute LED-T group. However, the BrdU + /Iba-1 + cell count was reduced in the subacute LED-T group. Furthermore, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was significantly upregulated in the subacute LED-T group. We concluded that LED-T administered during the subacute stage had a positive impact on the long-term functional outcome, probably via neuron and astrocyte proliferation, blood vessel reconstruction, and increased BDNF expression. Picture: The rotarod test for motor coordination showed that acute and subacute LED-T improves long-term functional recovery after cerebral ischemia. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Long-term associative learning predicts verbal short-term memory performance.

PubMed

Jones, Gary; Macken, Bill

2018-02-01

Studies using tests such as digit span and nonword repetition have implicated short-term memory across a range of developmental domains. Such tests ostensibly assess specialized processes for the short-term manipulation and maintenance of information that are often argued to enable long-term learning. However, there is considerable evidence for an influence of long-term linguistic learning on performance in short-term memory tasks that brings into question the role of a specialized short-term memory system separate from long-term knowledge. Using natural language corpora, we show experimentally and computationally that performance on three widely used measures of short-term memory (digit span, nonword repetition, and sentence recall) can be predicted from simple associative learning operating on the linguistic environment to which a typical child may have been exposed. The findings support the broad view that short-term verbal memory performance reflects the application of long-term language knowledge to the experimental setting.

Asthma Medicines: Long-Term Control

MedlinePlus

... Size Email Print Share Asthma Medicines: Long-term Control Page Content Article Body Corticosteroids Synthetic versions of ... form, they are used exclusively for long-term control; they are not very effective for acute symptoms. ...

Predictors of the highest long-term care expenditures in Japan.

PubMed

Olivares-Tirado, Pedro; Tamiya, Nanako; Kashiwagi, Masayo; Kashiwagi, Kimikazu

2011-05-17

In Japan, as the number of elderly covered by the Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) system has increased, demand for long-term care services has increased substantially and consequently growing expenditures are threatening the sustainability of the system. Understanding the predictive factors associated with long-term care expenditures among the elderly would be useful in developing future strategies to ensure the sustainability of the system. We report a set of predictors of the highest long-term care expenditures in a cohort of elderly persons who received consecutive long-term care services during a year in a Japanese city. Data were obtained from databases of the LTC insurer of City A in Japan. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of the highest long-term care expenditures. We used a simplified model that focused on the effects of disability status and type of services used, while controlling for several relevant factors. Goodness of fit, a multicollinearity test, and logistic regression diagnostics were carried out for the final model. The study cohort consisted of 862 current users of LTCI system in city A. After controlling for gender and income, age, increased utilization rate of benefits, decline in functional status, higher care needs level and institutional care were found to be associated with the highest LTCI expenditures. An increased utilization rate of benefits (OR = 24.2) was a strong main effect predictors of the high LTC expenditures. However, a significant interaction between institutional care and high care need level was found, providing evidence of the combined effect of the two covariates. Beyond to confirm that disability status of elderly persons is the main factor driving the demand of LTC services and consequently the expenditures, we showed that changes in utilization rate of benefits -a specific insurance factor- and the use of institutional care conditional on the high care level, were strongest predictors of

Long-term Postoperative Nutritional Status Affects Prognosis Even After Infectious Complications in Gastric Cancer.

PubMed

Kiuchi, Jun; Komatsu, Shuhei; Kosuga, Toshiyuki; Kubota, Takeshi; Okamoto, Kazuma; Konishi, Hirotaka; Shiozaki, Atsushi; Fujiwara, Hitoshi; Ichikawa, Daisuke; Otsuji, Eigo

2018-05-01

This study was designed to investigate the clinical impact of postoperative serum albumin level on severe postoperative complications (SPCs) and prognosis. Data for a total of 728 consecutive patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2004 and 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. From these patients, a propensity score-matched analysis was performed based on 14 clinicopathological and surgical factors. Short-term decrease in postoperative serum albumin level was not associated with the occurrence of SPCs. Regarding long-term decrease in serum albumin level, a decrease of ≥0.5 g/dl at 3 months did not affect the long-term survival of patients without SPCs, but was related to a significantly poorer prognosis in patients with SPCs. By multivariate analysis, long-term decrease of serum albumin level was an independent prognostic factor in patients with SPCs. Long-term postoperative nutritional status as shown by a low level of albumin was related to prognosis in patients with SPCs. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Circulating sclerostin is elevated in short-term and reduced in long-term SCI

PubMed Central

Battaglino, Ricardo A.; Sudhakar, Supreetha; Lazzari, Antonio; Garshick, Eric; Zafonte, Ross; Morse, Leslie R.

2012-01-01

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes profound bone loss due to muscle paralysis resulting in the inability to walk. Sclerostin, a Wnt signaling pathway antagonist produced by osteocytes, is a potent inhibitor of bone formation. Short-term studies in rodent models have demonstrated increased sclerostin in response to mechanical unloading that is reversed with reloading. Although sclerostin inhibition has been proposed as a potential therapy for bone loss, it is not known if sclerostin levels vary with duration of SCI in humans. We analyzed circulating sclerostin in 155 men with varying degrees of SCI who were 1 year or more post-injury. We report that sclerostin levels are greatest in subjects with short-term SCI (≤ 5 years post-injury) and decrease significantly over the first 5 years post-injury. There was no association between sclerostin and injury duration in subjects with long-term SCI (> 5 years post-injury). In subjects with long-term SCI, sclerostin levels were positively associated with lower extremity bone density and bone mineral content. These data suggest that sclerostin levels in SCI are initially increased after SCI in response to mechanical unloading. This response is time-limited and as bone loss progresses, circulating sclerostin is lowest in subjects with severe osteoporosis. These findings support a dual role for sclerostin after SCI: a therapeutic target in acute SCI, and a biomarker of osteoporosis severity in chronic SCI. PMID:22575440

Circulating sclerostin is elevated in short-term and reduced in long-term SCI.

PubMed

Battaglino, Ricardo A; Sudhakar, Supreetha; Lazzari, Antonio A; Garshick, Eric; Zafonte, Ross; Morse, Leslie R

2012-09-01

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes profound bone loss due to muscle paralysis resulting in the inability to walk. Sclerostin, a Wnt signaling pathway antagonist produced by osteocytes, is a potent inhibitor of bone formation. Short-term studies in rodent models have demonstrated increased sclerostin in response to mechanical unloading that is reversed with reloading. Although sclerostin inhibition has been proposed as a potential therapy for bone loss, it is not known if sclerostin levels vary with duration of SCI in humans. We analyzed circulating sclerostin in 155 men with varying degrees of SCI who were 1 year or more post-injury. We report that sclerostin levels are greatest in subjects with short-term SCI (≤5 years post-injury) and decrease significantly over the first 5 years post-injury. There was no association between sclerostin and injury duration in subjects with long-term SCI (>5 years post-injury). In subjects with long-term SCI, sclerostin levels were positively associated with lower extremity bone density and bone mineral content. These data suggest that sclerostin levels are initially increased after SCI in response to mechanical unloading. This response is time-limited and as bone loss progresses, circulating sclerostin is lowest in subjects with severe osteoporosis. These findings support a dual role for sclerostin after SCI: a therapeutic target in acute SCI, and a biomarker of osteoporosis severity in chronic SCI. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Evolution of the Electrical Stimulation Levels for Cochlear Implant Patients

PubMed Central

Vargas, Jose Luis; Sainz, Manuel; Roldan, Cristina; de la Torre, Angel

2012-01-01

Objectives The stimulation levels programmed in cochlear implant systems are affected by an evolution since the first switch-on of the processor. This study was designed to evaluate the changes in stimulation levels over time and the relationship between post-implantation physiological changes and with the hearing experience provided by the continuous use of the cochlear implant. Methods Sixty-two patients, ranging in age from 4 to 68 years at the moment of implantation participated in this study. All subjects were implanted with the 12 channels COMBI 40+ cochlear implant at San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain. Hearing loss etiology and progression characteristics varied across subjects. Results The analyzed programming maps show that the stimulation levels suffer a fast evolution during the first weeks after the first switch-on of the processor. Then, the evolution becomes slower and the programming parameters tend to be stable at about 6 months after the first switch-on. The evolution of the stimulation levels implies an increment of the electrical dynamic range, which is increased from 15.4 to 20.7 dB and improves the intensity resolution. A significant increment of the sensitivity to acoustic stimuli is also observed. For some patients, we have also observed transitory changes in the electrode impedances associated to secretory otitis media, which cause important changes in the programming maps. Conclusion We have studied the long-term evolution of the stimulation levels in cochlear implant patients. Our results show the importance of systematic measurements of the electrode impedances before the revision of the programming map. This report also highlights that the evolution of the programming maps is an important factor to be considered in order to determine an adequate calendar fitting of the cochlear implant processor. PMID:23205223

Long-term exposure to microwave radiation provokes cancer growth: evidences from radars and mobile communication systems.

PubMed

Yakymenko, I; Sidorik, E; Kyrylenko, S; Chekhun, V

2011-06-01

In this review we discuss alarming epidemiological and experimental data on possible carcinogenic effects of long term exposure to low intensity microwave (MW) radiation. Recently, a number of reports revealed that under certain conditions the irradiation by low intensity MW can substantially induce cancer progression in humans and in animal models. The carcinogenic effect of MW irradiation is typically manifested after long term (up to 10 years and more) exposure. Nevertheless, even a year of operation of a powerful base transmitting station for mobile communication reportedly resulted in a dramatic increase of cancer incidence among population living nearby. In addition, model studies in rodents unveiled a significant increase in carcinogenesis after 17-24 months of MW exposure both in tumor-prone and intact animals. To that, such metabolic changes, as overproduction of reactive oxygen species, 8-hydroxi-2-deoxyguanosine formation, or ornithine decarboxylase activation under exposure to low intensity MW confirm a stress impact of this factor on living cells. We also address the issue of standards for assessment of biological effects of irradiation. It is now becoming increasingly evident that assessment of biological effects of non-ionizing radiation based on physical (thermal) approach used in recommendations of current regulatory bodies, including the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) Guidelines, requires urgent reevaluation. We conclude that recent data strongly point to the need for re-elaboration of the current safety limits for non-ionizing radiation using recently obtained knowledge. We also emphasize that the everyday exposure of both occupational and general public to MW radiation should be regulated based on a precautionary principles which imply maximum restriction of excessive exposure.

Long-term transportation noise annoyance is associated with subsequent lower levels of physical activity.

PubMed

Foraster, Maria; Eze, Ikenna C; Vienneau, Danielle; Brink, Mark; Cajochen, Christian; Caviezel, Seraina; Héritier, Harris; Schaffner, Emmanuel; Schindler, Christian; Wanner, Miriam; Wunderli, Jean-Marc; Röösli, Martin; Probst-Hensch, Nicole

2016-05-01

Noise annoyance (NA) might lead to behavioral patterns not captured by noise levels, which could reduce physical activity (PA) either directly or through impaired sleep and constitute a noise pathway towards cardiometabolic diseases. We investigated the association of long-term transportation NA and its main sources (aircraft, road, and railway) at home with PA levels. We assessed 3842 participants (aged 37-81) that attended the three examinations (SAP 1, 2, and 3 in years 1991, 2001 and 2011, respectively) of the population-based Swiss cohort on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA). Participants reported general 24-h transportation NA (in all examinations) and source-specific NA at night (only SAP 3) on an ICBEN-type 11-point scale. We assessed moderate, vigorous, and total PA from a short-questionnaire (SAP 3). The main outcome was moderate PA (active/inactive: cut-off≥150min/week). We used logistic regression including random effects by area and adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and lifestyles (main model) and evaluated potential effect modifiers. We analyzed associations with PA at SAP 3 a) cross-sectionally: for source-specific and transportation NA in the last year (SAP 3), and b) longitudinally: for 10-y transportation NA (mean of SAP 1+2), adjusting for prior PA (SAP 2) and changes in NA (SAP 3-2). Reported NA (score≥5) was 16.4%, 7.5%, 3%, and 1.1% for 1-year transportation, road, aircraft, and railway at SAP 3, respectively. NA was greater in the past, reaching 28.5% for 10-y transportation NA (SAP 1+2). The 10-y transportation NA was associated with a 3.2% (95% CI: 6%-0.2%) decrease in moderate PA per 1-NA rating point and was related to road and aircraft NA at night in cross-sectional analyses. The longitudinal association was stronger for women, reported daytime sleepiness or chronic diseases and it was not explained by objectively modeled levels of road traffic noise at SAP 3. In conclusion, long-term NA

Management challenges faced by managers of New Zealand long-term care facilities.

PubMed

Madas, E; North, N

2000-01-01

This article reports on a postal survey of 78 long-term care managers in one region of New Zealand, of whom 45 (58%) responded. Most long-term care managers (73.2%) were middle-aged females holding nursing but not management qualifications. Most long-term care facilities (69%) tended to be stand-alone facilities providing a single type of care (rest home or continuing care hospital). The most prominent issues facing managers were considered to be inadequate funding to match the growing costs of providing long-term care and occupancy levels. Managers believed that political/regulatory, economic and social factors influenced these issues. Despite a turbulent health care environment and the challenges facing managers, long-term care managers reported they were coping well and valued networking.

Predicting Long-term Temperature Increase for Time-Dependent SAR Levels with a Single Short-term Temperature Response

PubMed Central

Carluccio, Giuseppe; Bruno, Mary; Collins, Christopher M.

2015-01-01

Purpose Present a novel method for rapid prediction of temperature in vivo for a series of pulse sequences with differing levels and distributions of specific energy absorption rate (SAR). Methods After the temperature response to a brief period of heating is characterized, a rapid estimate of temperature during a series of periods at different heating levels is made using a linear heat equation and Impulse-Response (IR) concepts. Here the initial characterization and long-term prediction for a complete spine exam are made with the Pennes’ bioheat equation where, at first, core body temperature is allowed to increase and local perfusion is not. Then corrections through time allowing variation in local perfusion are introduced. Results The fast IR-based method predicted maximum temperature increase within 1% of that with a full finite difference simulation, but required less than 3.5% of the computation time. Even higher accelerations are possible depending on the time step size chosen, with loss in temporal resolution. Correction for temperature-dependent perfusion requires negligible additional time, and can be adjusted to be more or less conservative than the corresponding finite difference simulation. Conclusion With appropriate methods, it is possible to rapidly predict temperature increase throughout the body for actual MR examinations. (200/200 words) PMID:26096947

Predicting long-term temperature increase for time-dependent SAR levels with a single short-term temperature response.

PubMed

Carluccio, Giuseppe; Bruno, Mary; Collins, Christopher M

2016-05-01

Present a novel method for rapid prediction of temperature in vivo for a series of pulse sequences with differing levels and distributions of specific energy absorption rate (SAR). After the temperature response to a brief period of heating is characterized, a rapid estimate of temperature during a series of periods at different heating levels is made using a linear heat equation and impulse-response (IR) concepts. Here the initial characterization and long-term prediction for a complete spine exam are made with the Pennes' bioheat equation where, at first, core body temperature is allowed to increase and local perfusion is not. Then corrections through time allowing variation in local perfusion are introduced. The fast IR-based method predicted maximum temperature increase within 1% of that with a full finite difference simulation, but required less than 3.5% of the computation time. Even higher accelerations are possible depending on the time step size chosen, with loss in temporal resolution. Correction for temperature-dependent perfusion requires negligible additional time and can be adjusted to be more or less conservative than the corresponding finite difference simulation. With appropriate methods, it is possible to rapidly predict temperature increase throughout the body for actual MR examinations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A heuristic evaluation of long-term global sea level acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spada, Giorgio; Olivieri, Marco; Galassi, Gaia

2015-05-01

In view of the scientific and social implications, the global mean sea level rise (GMSLR) and its possible causes and future trend have been a challenge for so long. For the twentieth century, reconstructions generally indicate a rate of GMSLR in the range of 1.5 to 2.0 mm yr-1. However, the existence of nonlinear trends is still debated, and current estimates of the secular acceleration are subject to ample uncertainties. Here we use various GMSLR estimates published on scholarly journals since the 1940s for a heuristic assessment of global sea level acceleration. The approach, alternative to sea level reconstructions, is based on simple statistical methods and exploits the principles of meta-analysis. Our results point to a global sea level acceleration of 0.54 ± 0.27 mm/yr/century (1σ) between 1898 and 1975. This supports independent estimates and suggests that a sea level acceleration since the early 1900s is more likely than currently believed.

Reforming long-term care financing through insurance

PubMed Central

Meiners, Mark R.

1988-01-01

Until recently, insurance for long-term care was not viewed as feasible. This perception has changed dramatically in the past few years. Several models of long-term care insurance have begun to be tested. Although the application of insurance principles to long-term care is still new, the emergence of private market interest in developing long-term care insurance has been a catalyst to renewed public-policy support for reforming the way we pay for long-term care. States, in particular, have become interested in developing public-private partnerships to support the emergence of long-term care insurance that could help relieve the mounting pressure on Medicaid budgets. PMID:10312962

Long-term evaluation of impedance levels and clinical development in subthalamic deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Hartmann, C J; Wojtecki, L; Vesper, J; Volkmann, J; Groiss, S J; Schnitzler, A; Südmeyer, M

2015-10-01

This study was conducted to better understand the development of clinical efficacy and impedance levels in the long-term course of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson's disease (PD). In this retrospective study of twenty PD patients, the motor part of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale was periodically assessed i) after withdrawal of medication and inactivated stimulation, ii) after withdrawal of medication with activated stimulation and iii) after challenge with l-Dopa during activated stimulation up to 13 years after surgery. STN-DBS with or without medication significantly improved motor function up to 13 years after surgery. The contribution of axial symptoms increased over time. While the stimulation parameters were kept constant, the therapeutic impedances progressively declined. STN-DBS in PD remains effective in the long-term course of the disease. Constant current stimulation might be preferable over voltage-controlled stimulation, as it would alleviate the impact of impedance changes on the volume of tissue activated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The prediction of the level of personality organization on reduction of psychiatric symptoms and improvement of work ability in short- versus long-term psychotherapies during a 5-year follow-up.

PubMed

Knekt, Paul; Lindfors, Olavi; Keinänen, Matti; Heinonen, Erkki; Virtala, Esa; Härkänen, Tommi

2017-09-01

How level of personality organization (LPO) predicts psychiatric symptoms and work ability in short- versus long-term psychotherapies is poorly known. We investigated the importance of the LPO on the benefits of short-term versus long-term psychotherapies. A cohort study based on 326 outpatients with mood or anxiety disorder was allocated to long-term (LPP) and short-term (SPP) psychodynamic psychotherapy, and solution-focused therapy (SFT). The LPO was assessed by interview at baseline and categorized into neuroses and higher level borderline. Outcome was assessed at baseline and 4-9 times during a 5-year follow-up, using self-report and interview-based measures of symptoms and work ability. For patients receiving SPP, improvement in work ability, symptom reduction, and the remission rate were more considerable in patients with neuroses than in higher level borderline patients, whereas LPP or SFT showed no notable differences in effectiveness in the two LPO groups. In patients with neuroses, improvement was more considerable in the short-term therapy groups during the first year of follow-up, and in higher level borderline patients LPP was more effective after 3 years of follow-up. The remission rate, defined as both symptom reduction and lack of auxiliary treatment, was higher in LPP than in SPP for both the LPO groups considered. In neuroses, short-term psychotherapy was associated with a more rapid reduction of symptoms and increase in work ability, whereas LPP was more effective for longer follow-ups in both LPO groups. Further large-scale studies are needed. Level of personality organization is relevant for selection between short- and long-term psychotherapies. Short-term therapy gives faster benefits for neurotic patients but not for patients with higher level borderline personality organization. Sustained remission from symptoms is more probable after long-term than short-term therapy. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Is ionizing radiation regulated more stringently than chemical carcinogens

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

Travis, C.C.; Pack, S.R.; Hattemer-Frey, H.A.

1989-04-01

It is widely believed that United States government agencies regulate exposure to ionizing radiation more stringently than exposure to chemical carcinogens. It is difficult to verify this perception, however, because chemical carcinogens and ionizing radiation are regulated using vastly different strategies. Chemical carcinogens are generally regulated individually. Regulators consider the risk of exposure to one chemical rather than the cumulative radiation exposure from all sources. Moreover, standards for chemical carcinogens are generally set in terms of quantities released or resultant environmental concentrations, while standards for ionizing radiation are set in terms of dose to the human body. Since chemicals andmore » ionizing radiation cannot be compared on the basis of equal dose to the exposed individual, standards regulating chemicals and ionizing radiation cannot be compared directly. It is feasible, however, to compare the two sets of standards on the basis of equal risk to the exposed individual, assuming that standards for chemicals and ionizing radiation are equivalent if estimated risk levels are equitable. This paper compares risk levels associated with current standards for ionizing radiation and chemical carcinogens. The authors do not attempt to determine whether either type of risk is regulated too stringently or not stringently enough but endeavor only to ascertain if ionizing radiation is actually regulated more strictly than chemical carcinogens.« less

Dissociation between perceptual processing and priming in long-term lorazepam users.

PubMed

Giersch, Anne; Vidailhet, Pierre

2006-12-01

Acute effects of lorazepam on visual information processing, perceptual priming and explicit memory are well established. However, visual processing and perceptual priming have rarely been explored in long-term lorazepam users. By exploring these functions it was possible to test the hypothesis that difficulty in processing visual information may lead to deficiencies in perceptual priming. Using a simple blind procedure, we tested explicit memory, perceptual priming and visual perception in 15 long-term lorazepam users and 15 control subjects individually matched according to sex, age and education level. Explicit memory, perceptual priming, and the identification of fragmented pictures were found to be preserved in long-term lorazepam users, contrary to what is usually observed after an acute drug intake. The processing of visual contour, on the other hand, was still significantly impaired. These results suggest that the effects observed on low-level visual perception are independent of the acute deleterious effects of lorazepam on perceptual priming. A comparison of perceptual priming in subjects with low- vs. high-level identification of new fragmented pictures further suggests that the ability to identify fragmented pictures has no influence on priming. Despite the fact that they were treated with relatively low doses and far from peak plasma concentration, it is noteworthy that in long-term users memory was preserved.

Physiological, Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms of Long-Term Habituation

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

Calin-Jageman, Robert J

Work funded on this grant has explored the mechanisms of long-term habituation, a ubiquitous form of learning that plays a key role in basic cognitive functioning. Specifically, behavioral, physiological, and molecular mechanisms of habituation have been explored using a simple model system, the tail-elicited siphon-withdrawal reflex (T-SWR) in the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. Substantial progress has been made on the first and third aims, providing some fundamental insights into the mechanisms by which memories are stored. We have characterized the physiological correlates of short- and long-term habituation. We found that short-term habituation is accompanied by a robust sensory adaptation, whereasmore » long-term habituation is accompanied by alterations in sensory and interneuron synaptic efficacy. Thus, our data indicates memories can be shifted between different sites in a neural network as they are consolidated from short to long term. At the molecular level, we have accomplished microarray analysis comparing gene expression in both habituated and control ganglia. We have identified a network of putatively regulated transcripts that seems particularly targeted towards synaptic changes (e.g. SNAP25, calmodulin) . We are now beginning additional work to confirm regulation of these transcripts and build a more detailed understanding of the cascade of molecular events leading to the permanent storage of long-term memories. On the third aim, we have fostered a nascent neuroscience program via a variety of successful initiatives. We have funded over 11 undergraduate neuroscience scholars, several of whom have been recognized at national and regional levels for their research. We have also conducted a pioneering summer research program for community college students which is helping enhance access of underrepresented groups to life science careers. Despite minimal progress on the second aim, this project has provided a) novel insight into the network

Self-reported immature defense style as a predictor of outcome in short-term and long-term psychotherapy.

PubMed

Laaksonen, Maarit A; Sirkiä, Carlos; Knekt, Paul; Lindfors, Olavi

2014-07-01

Identification of pretreatment patient characteristics predictive of psychotherapy outcome could help to guide treatment choices. This study evaluates patients' initial level of immature defense style as a predictor of the outcome of short-term versus long-term psychotherapy. In the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study, 326 adult outpatients with mood or anxiety disorder were randomized to individual short-term (psychodynamic or solution-focused) or long-term (psychodynamic) psychotherapy. Their defense style was assessed at baseline using the 88-item Defense Style Questionnaire and classified as low or high around the median value of the respective score. Both specific (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS], Symptom Check List Anxiety Scale [SCL-90-Anx], Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HARS]) and global (Symptom Check List Global Severity Index [SCL-90-GSI], Global Assessment of Functioning Scale [GAF]) psychiatric symptoms were measured at baseline and 3-7 times during a 3-year follow-up. Patients with high use of immature defense style experienced greater symptom reduction in long-term than in short-term psychotherapy by the end of the 3-year follow-up (50% vs. 34%). Patients with low use of immature defense style experienced faster symptom reduction in short-term than in long-term psychotherapy during the first year of follow-up (34% vs. 19%). Knowledge of patients' initial level of immature defense style may potentially be utilized in tailoring treatments. Further research on defense styles as outcome predictors in psychotherapies of different types is needed.

Long-term prognosis of depression in primary care.

PubMed Central

Simon, G. E.

2000-01-01

This article uses longitudinal data from a primary care sample to examine long-term prognosis of depression. A sample of 225 patients initiating antidepressant treatment in primary care completed assessments of clinical outcome (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the mood module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IIIR) 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after initiating treatment. The proportion of patients continuing to meet criteria for major depression fell rapidly to approximately 10% and remained at approximately that level throughout follow-up. The proportion meeting criteria for remission (Hamilton Depression score of 7 or less) rose gradually to approximately 45%. Long-term prognosis (i.e. probability of remission at 6 months and beyond) was strongly related to remission status at 3 months (odds ratio 3.65; 95% confidence interval, 2.81-4.76) and only modestly related to various clinical characteristics assessed at baseline (e.g. prior history of recurrent depression, medical comorbidity, comorbid anxiety symptoms). The findings indicate that potentially modifiable risk factors influence the long-term prognosis of depression. This suggests that more systematic and effective depression treatment programmes might have an important effect on long-term course and reduce the overall burden of chronic and recurrent depression. PMID:10885162

Assessment of long-term omalizumab treatment in patients with severe allergic asthma long-term omalizumab treatment in severe asthma.

PubMed

Özgür, Eylem Sercan; Özge, Cengiz; Ïlvan, Ahmet; Naycı, Sibel Atış

2013-08-01

Several clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with severe allergic asthma but the treatment period has always been relatively short (4-12 months). In the literature, there are a few data about the long-term omalizumab therapy. We aimed to assess the long-term clinical and functional effectiveness of omalizumab treatment in severe allergic asthmatic patients, Medical records describing the patients' status before the start of treatment, and also having been registered at the end of 4th, 12th, and 36th months from the commencement of treatment, and at the last visit where the patient was evaluated were used for omalizumab effectiveness assessments. Twenty-six patients (female/male: 21/5) with severe allergic asthma, uncontrolled despite GINA 2006 Step 4 therapy, were included in the study. Effectiveness outcomes included spirometry measurements, level of asthma control measured by asthma control test (ACT), systemic glucocorticosteroid (sGCS) use, emergency room (ER) visits, and hospitalizations for severe exacerbations. In addition, the quality of life was assessed using the quality of life questionnaire AQLQ(S) before, 4, and 36 months after treatment, The mean age was 47.6 ± 13.9 and duration of allergic asthma was 22.7 ± 10.1 years. Serum total IgE levels were 322.0 ± 178.1 IU/mL. Mean duration of omalizumab treatment was 40.81 ± 8.2 months. FEV1 improved significantly at all control points versus baseline (p < .05). The level of asthma control as evaluated by ACT improved significantly after treatment (p < .05). We determined significantly reduced numbers of exacerbation, emergency visits, hospitalizations, sGCS, and SABA use by the end of 36 months (p < .05). The proportion of patients with improvements larger than 1.5 points in AQLQ(S) total score was 80.7% at the 4th month and 96.1% at the 36th month of treatment, This study showed that long-term therapy with omalizumab for up to 3 years was well tolerated with

Predictors for increasing eligibility level among home help service users in the Japanese long-term care insurance system.

PubMed

Kamiya, Kuniyasu; Sasou, Kenji; Fujita, Makoto; Yamada, Sumio

2013-01-01

This cross-sectional study described the prevalence of possible risk factors for increasing eligibility level of long-term care insurance in home help service users who were certified as support level 1-2 or care level 1-2 in Japan. Data were collected from October 2011 to November 2011. Variables included eligibility level, grip strength, calf circumference (CC), functional limitations, body mass index, memory impairment, depression, social support, and nutrition status. A total of 417 subjects (109 males and 308 females, mean age 83 years) were examined. There were 109 subjects with memory impairment. When divided by cut-off values, care level 2 was found to have higher prevalence of low grip strength, low CC, and depression. Some potentially modifiable factors such as muscle strength could be the risk factors for increasing eligibility level.

Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels during long-term IGF-I treatment of children and adults with primary GH resistance (Laron syndrome).

PubMed

Laron, Z; Klinger, B; Silbergeld, A

1999-01-01

Serum IGF-I levels were measured in 14 patients (9 children and 5 adults) with Laron syndrome (LS) during long-term treatment by IGF-I. Recombinant IGF-I (FK-780, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Japan) was administered once daily subcutaneously before breakfast for 3-5 years to the children and for 9 months to the adults. The initial daily dose was 150 micrograms/kg for children and 120 micrograms/kg for adults. Before initiation of treatment the mean overnight fasting levels of serum IGF-I in the children was 3.2 +/- 0.8 nmol/l (mean +/- SEM), rising to 10 +/- 1.7 nmol/l during long-term treatment even on a dose of 120 micrograms/kg/day. The serum IGF-I levels 4 hours after injection rose from 31.2 +/- 3.5 to 48 +/- 2 nmol/l. In the adult patients, the initial basal IGF-I was 4.1 +/- 0.7 nmol/l, rising to 16.1 +/- 3.84 nmol/l after 8-9 months treatment. Serum IGF-I levels at 4 hours after injection rose in the adult patients from 24.1 +/- 5.8 up to 66.8 +/- 15.4 nmol/l. A progressively increasing half-life during long term exogenous administration of IGF-I to patients with Laron syndrome was demonstrated by following serum IGF-I dynamics after injection. Based on the fact that no antibodies to IGF-I were detected and on findings in previous studies, it is speculated that the increasing serum IGF-I levels during long-term IGF-I treatment are caused by an increase in serum IGFBP-3 induced by chronic IGF-I administration. It is concluded that treatment with IGF-I necessitates regular monitoring of serum IGF-I levels; in patients in whom the age adjusted maximal levels are exceeded, a reduction of the daily IGF-I dose is indicated to avoid undesirable effects.

Long-term outcome of macroprolactinomas.

PubMed

Képénékian, Lori; Cebula, Hélène; Castinetti, Frédéric; Graillon, Thomas; Brue, Thierry; Goichot, Bernard

2016-12-01

Management of macroprolactinomas has dramatically changed in recent decades, from surgical to medical treatment as first-line therapy, with the development of dopamine agonists (DA). But few data exist on the long-term outcome of these patients. Retrospective descriptive multicenter study of patients with macroprolactinoma followed for at least 5 years between 1973 and 2008 at the University Hospitals of Strasbourg and Marseille. Forty-eight patients were included with 27 men, hypopituitarism in 33.3% of all patients and mean serum prolactin (PRL) level at diagnosis 2218.2±4154.7μg/L. Among the patients, 58.3% received medical treatment, 25% had additional surgery and 12.5% surgery and radiotherapy. The mean follow-up duration was 196±100 months. At the end of follow-up, 10 patients (20.8%) were cured (i.e. normal PRL level and normal imaging, no symptoms and withdrawal of DA≥1 year), 33 (68.8%) were controlled (i.e. normal PRL level, normal or abnormal imaging, no symptoms, DA in progress) and 5 (10.4%) were uncontrolled. Uncontrolled patients had significant higher baseline PRL level (P=0.0412) and cabergoline cumulative dose (P=0.0065) compared to the controlled group. There was no increase in frequency of hypopituitarism. Clinically significant valvular heart disease was found in 2 patients but screening was not systematic. Macroprolactinoma is currently most often a chronic disease controlled with DA. However, uncertainty about the adverse effects associated with high cumulative doses and the lack of data on the prognosis at very long-term should incite to revisit current strategies, including the role of surgery combined to medical treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Cellular Structures, Induced Instability, and Carcinogenesis

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

Resat, Marianne S.; Arthurs, Benjamin J.; Estes, Brian J.

2006-03-01

According to the American Cancer Society, the United States can expect 1,368,030 new cases of cancer in 2004 [1]. Among the many carcinogens Americans are exposed to, ionizing radiation will contribute to this statistic. Humans live in a radiation environment. Ionizing radiation is in the air we breathe, the earth we live on, and the food we eat. Man-made radiation adds to this naturally occurring radiation level thereby increasing the chance for human exposure. For many decades the scientific community, governmental regulatory bodies, and concerned citizens have struggled to estimate health risks associated with radiation exposures, particularly at low doses.more » While cancer induction is the primary concern and the most important somatic effect of exposure to ionizing radiation, potential health risks do not involve neoplastic diseases exclusively but also include somatic mutations that might contribute to birth defects and ocular maladies, and heritable mutations that might impact on disease risks in future generations. Consequently it is important we understand the effect of ionizingradiation on cellular structures and the subsequent long-term health risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation.« less

PLUME-SCALER-EVALUATING LONG-TERM MONITORING WELL NETWORKS

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's Subsurface Protection and Remediation Division is developing a new computer application called PLUME-SCALER to evaluate long term monitoring well networks using typically available historical site water level data. PLUME-SCALER can be used to determine if there are enough ...

Placenta previa and long-term morbidity of the term offspring.

PubMed

Walfisch, Asnat; Beharier, Ofer; Shoham-Vardi, Ilana; Sergienko, Ruslan; Landau, Daniella; Sheiner, Eyal

2016-08-01

The long-term impact of placenta previa on term infants is unknown. We aimed to investigate whether abnormal placentation increases the risk for long-term morbidity of the term offspring. A population-based cohort study compared the incidence of long-term hospitalizations up to the age of 18 due to cardiovascular, endocrine, neurological, hematological, respiratory and urinary morbidity of children born at term in pregnancies diagnosed with placenta previa and those without. Deliveries occurred between the years 1991-2013 in a tertiary medical center. Multiple pregnancies, and fetal congenital malformations were excluded. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to compare cumulative morbidity incidence over time. A multivariable generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression model analysis was used to control for confounders and for maternal clusters. During the study period 233,123 term deliveries met the inclusion criteria; 0.2% (n=502) of the children were born to mothers with placenta previa. During the follow-up period, children born to mothers with placenta previa did not have an increased risk for long-term cardiovascular, endocrine, hematological, neurological, respiratory, and urinary morbidity. Term offsprings of mothers diagnosed with placenta previa do not appear to be at an increased risk for long-term morbidity up to the age of 18. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term consequences of anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Meczekalski, Blazej; Podfigurna-Stopa, Agnieszka; Katulski, Krzysztof

2013-07-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder that occurs mainly in female adolescents and young women. The obsessive fear of weight gain, critically limited food intake and neuroendocrine aberrations characteristic of AN have both short- and long-term consequences for the reproductive, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and skeletal systems. Neuroendocrine changes include impairment of gonadotropin releasing-hormone (GnRH) pulsatile secretion and changes in neuropeptide activity at the hypothalamic level, which cause profound hypoestrogenism. AN is related to a decrease in bone mass density, which can lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis and a significant increase in fracture risk in later life. Rates of birth complications and low birth weight may be higher in women with previous AN. The condition is associated with fertility problems, unplanned pregnancies and generally negative attitudes to pregnancy. During pregnancy, women with the condition have higher rates of hyperemesis gravidarum, anaemia and obstetric complications, as well as impaired weight gain and compromised intrauterine foetal growth. It is reported that 80% of AN patients are affected by a cardiac complications such as sinus bradycardia, a prolonged QT interval on electrocardiography, arrythmias, myocardial mass modification and hypotension. A decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) is one of the most important medical consequences of AN. Reduced BMD may subsequently lead to a three- to seven-fold increased risk of spontaneous fractures. Untreated AN is associated with a significant increase in the risk of death. Better detection and sophisticated therapy should prevent the long-term consequences of this disorder. The aims of treatment are not only recovery but also prophylaxis and relief of the long-term effects of this disorder. Further investigations of the long-term disease risk are needed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term data archiving

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

Moore, David Steven

2009-01-01

Long term data archiving has much value for chemists, not only to retain access to research and product development records, but also to enable new developments and new discoveries. There are some recent regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11), but good science and good business both benefit regardless. A particular example of the benefits of and need for long term data archiving is the management of data from spectroscopic laboratory instruments. The sheer amount of spectroscopic data is increasing at a scary rate, and the pressures to archive come from the expense to create the data (or recreatemore » it if it is lost) as well as its high information content. The goal of long-term data archiving is to save and organize instrument data files as well as any needed meta data (such as sample ID, LIMS information, operator, date, time, instrument conditions, sample type, excitation details, environmental parameters, etc.). This editorial explores the issues involved in long-term data archiving using the example of Raman spectral databases. There are at present several such databases, including common data format libraries and proprietary libraries. However, such databases and libraries should ultimately satisfy stringent criteria for long term data archiving, including readability for long times into the future, robustness to changes in computer hardware and operating systems, and use of public domain data formats. The latter criterion implies the data format should be platform independent and the tools to create the data format should be easily and publicly obtainable or developable. Several examples of attempts at spectral libraries exist, such as the ASTM ANDI format, and the JCAMP-DX format. On the other hand, proprietary library spectra can be exchanged and manipulated using proprietary tools. As the above examples have deficiencies according to the three long term data archiving criteria, Extensible Markup Language (XML; a product of the World Wide

Alteration in plasma corticosterone levels following long term oral administration of lead produces depression like symptoms in rats.

PubMed

Haider, Saida; Saleem, Sadia; Tabassum, Saiqa; Khaliq, Saima; Shamim, Saima; Batool, Zehra; Parveen, Tahira; Inam, Qurat-ul-ain; Haleem, Darakhshan J

2013-03-01

Lead toxicity is known to induce a broad range of physiological, biochemical and behavioral dysfunctions that may result in adverse effects on several organs, including the central nervous system. Long-term exposure to low levels of lead (Pb(2+)) has been shown to produce behavioral deficits in rodents and humans by affecting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These deficits are thought to be associated with altered brain monoamine neurotransmission and due to changes in glucocorticoids levels. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Pb(2+)exposure on growth rate, locomotor activity, anxiety, depression, plasma corticosterone and brain serotonin (5-HT) levels in rats. Rats were exposed to lead in drinking water (500 ppm; lead acetate) for 5 weeks. The assessment of depression was done using the forced swimming test (FST). Estimation of brain 5-HT was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Plasma corticosterone was determined by spectrofluorimetric method. The present study showed that long term exposure to Pb(2+) significantly decreased the food intake followed by the decrease in growth rate in Pb(2+)exposed rats as compared to control group. No significant changes in open field activity were observed following Pb(2+)exposure while significant increase in anxiogenic effect was observed. Increased plasma corticosterone and decreased 5-HT levels were exhibited by Pb(2+)exposed rats as compared to controls. A significant increase in depressive like symptoms was exhibited by Pb(2+)exposed rats as compared to control rats. The results are discussed in the context of Pb(2+) inducing a stress-like response in rats leading to changes in plasma corticosterone and brain 5-HT levels via altering tryptophan pyrrolase activity.

Long-Term Control Medications for Lung Diseases

MedlinePlus

... Asthma Medications Long-Term Control Medications Long-Term Control Medications Make an Appointment Ask a Question Refer Patient Long-term control medications are taken daily to control and prevent ...

Long-term sickness absence due to adjustment disorder.

PubMed

Catalina-Romero, C; Pastrana-Jiménez, J I; Tenas-López, M J; Martínez-Muñoz, P; Ruiz-Moraga, M; Fernández-Labandera, C; Calvo-Bonacho, E

2012-07-01

Although adjustment disorder is frequently reported in clinical settings, scientific evidence is scarce regarding its impact on sickness absence and the variables associated with sickness absence duration. To report sickness absence duration and to identify predictors of long-term sickness absence in patients with adjustment disorder. This observational, prospective study included subjects with non-work-related sickness absence (>15 days) after a diagnosis of adjustment disorder. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the best predictors of long-term sickness absence (≥ 6 months). There were 1182 subjects in the final analysis. The median duration of sickness absence due to adjustment disorder was 91 days. Twenty-two per cent of the subjects reported long-term sickness absence. After multivariate analysis, comorbidity (OR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.43-3.49), age (25-34 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.27-6.07; 35-44 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 3.70, 95% CI 1.71-7.99; 45-54 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 3.58, 95% CI 1.60-8.02; ≥ 55 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 6.35, 95% CI 2.64-15.31) and occupational level (blue collar versus white collar: OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.10-2.09) remained significantly associated with long-term sickness absence. Comorbidity was the strongest predictor. It is possible to predict long-term sickness absence due to adjustment disorder on the basis of demographic, work-related and clinical information available during the basic assessment of the patient.

Reforming Long-Term Care Funding in Alberta.

PubMed

Crump, R Trafford; Repin, Nadya; Sutherland, Jason M

2015-01-01

Like many provinces across Canada, Alberta is facing growing demand for long-term care. Issues with the mixed funding model used to pay long-term care providers had Alberta Health Services concerned that it was not efficiently meeting the demand for long-term care. Consequently, in 2010, Alberta Health Services introduced the patient/care-based funding (PCBF) model. PCBF is similar to activity-based funding in that it directly ties the complexity and care needs of long-term care residents to the payment received by long-term care providers. This review describes PCBF and discusses some of its strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, this review is intended to inform other provinces faced with similar long-term care challenges and contemplating their own funding reforms.

Serum levels of zinc and copper in epileptic children during long-term therapy with anticonvulsants.

PubMed

Talat, Mohamed A; Ahmed, Anwar; Mohammed, Lamia

2015-10-01

To evaluate the serum levels of zinc and copper in epileptic children during the long-term treatment of anticonvulsant drugs and correlate this with healthy subjects. A hospital-based group matched case-control study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt between November 2013 and October 2014. Ninety patients aged 7.1 ± 3.6 years were diagnosed with epilepsy by a neurologist. The control group was selected from healthy individuals and matched to the case group. Serum zinc and copper were measured by the calorimetric method using a colorimetric method kit. The mean zinc level was 60.1 ± 22.6 ug/dl in the cases, and 102.1 ± 18 ug/dl in the controls (p<0.001). The mean copper level was 180.1 ± 32.4 ug/dl in cases compared with 114.5 ± 18.5 ug/dl in controls (p<0.001). Serum zinc levels in epileptic children under drug treatment are lower compared with healthy children. Also, serum copper levels in these patients are significantly higher than in healthy people. No significant difference in the levels of serum copper and zinc was observed in using one drug or multiple drugs in the treatment of epileptic patients.

Private Long-Term Care Insurance: Cost, Coverage, and Restrictions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Joshua M.; And Others

1987-01-01

Conducted descriptive analysis of 31 private long-term care insurance policies. Examined policies for premium rates, extent and levels of coverage, restrictions of eligibility to purchase a policy, and indemnity payment levels. Findings suggest that policies are expensive, impose numerous restrictions, offer limited coverage for certain services,…

Differences in the verbal fluency, working memory and executive functions in alcoholics: Short-term vs. long-term abstainers.

PubMed

Nowakowska-Domagała, Katarzyna; Jabłkowska-Górecka, Karolina; Mokros, Łukasz; Koprowicz, Jacek; Pietras, Tadeusz

2017-03-01

The aim of the study was to assess differences in verbal fluency, working memory and executive functions in two subgroups of alcohol-dependent patients, those undergoing short-term abstinence (STA) and those undergoing long-term abstinence (LTA), and to compare the level of cognitive functions in patients after long-term abstinence with healthy subjects. The study group consisted of 106 alcohol-dependent patients (53 immediately after drinking at least 3 days and 53 after at least one-year abstinence). The control group comprised 53 subjects, whose age, sex and education levels matched those of the patients in the experimental group. The dependence intensity was assessed using SADD and MAST scales. The neuropsychological assessment was based on the FAS Test, Stroop Test and TMT A&B Test. The results obtained for alcohol-dependent patients revealed significant disturbances of cognitive functions. Such results indicate the presence of severe frontal cerebral cortex dysfunctions. Frontal cortex dysfunctions affecting the verbal fluency and working memory subsystems and the executive functions also persisted during long-term abstinence periods. No significant correlations between the duration of dependence, quantity of alcohol consumed and efficiency of the working memory and executive functions were observed in alcohol-dependent subjects after short-term or long-term abstinence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Level crossings in the ionization of H(2) Rydberg molecules at a metal surface.

PubMed

McCormack, E A; Ford, M S; Softley, T P

2010-10-28

The ionization of H(2) Rydberg states at a metal surface is investigated using a molecular beam incident at grazing incidence on a gold surface. The H(2) molecules, excited by stepwise two-color laser excitation, are selected in each of the accessible Stark eigenstates of the N(+) = 2, n = 17 Rydberg manifold in turn and the ionization at the surface is characterized by applying a field to extract the ions formed. Profiles of extracted ion signal versus applied field show resonances that can be simulated by assuming an enhancement of surface ionization at fields corresponding to energy-level crossings between the populated N(+) = 2 manifold and the near-degenerate N(+) = 0 Stark manifolds. It is concluded that the slow (microsecond time scale) rotation-electronic energy transfer to N(+) = 0 states occurring at these crossings takes place in the time interval following application of the field ramp when the molecule is still distant from, and unperturbed by, the surface. However, the energy levels are strongly perturbed by image-dipole interactions as the molecule approaches close to the surface, leading to additional energy-level crossings. Adiabatic behavior at such crossings affects the intensity of the observed resonances in the surface ionization signal but not their field positions. Resonances are also observed in the surface ionization profiles at fields above the field-ionization threshold; some of these show asymmetric "Fano-type" line shapes due to quantum interference in the nonradiative coupling to degenerate bound and continuum states.

Predictors of the highest long-term care expenditures in Japan

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In Japan, as the number of elderly covered by the Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) system has increased, demand for long-term care services has increased substantially and consequently growing expenditures are threatening the sustainability of the system. Understanding the predictive factors associated with long-term care expenditures among the elderly would be useful in developing future strategies to ensure the sustainability of the system. We report a set of predictors of the highest long-term care expenditures in a cohort of elderly persons who received consecutive long-term care services during a year in a Japanese city. Methods Data were obtained from databases of the LTC insurer of City A in Japan. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of the highest long-term care expenditures. We used a simplified model that focused on the effects of disability status and type of services used, while controlling for several relevant factors. Goodness of fit, a multicollinearity test, and logistic regression diagnostics were carried out for the final model. Results The study cohort consisted of 862 current users of LTCI system in city A. After controlling for gender and income, age, increased utilization rate of benefits, decline in functional status, higher care needs level and institutional care were found to be associated with the highest LTCI expenditures. An increased utilization rate of benefits (OR = 24.2) was a strong main effect predictors of the high LTC expenditures. However, a significant interaction between institutional care and high care need level was found, providing evidence of the combined effect of the two covariates. Conclusions Beyond to confirm that disability status of elderly persons is the main factor driving the demand of LTC services and consequently the expenditures, we showed that changes in utilization rate of benefits -a specific insurance factor- and the use of institutional care conditional on the high care

Long-term care financing: lessons from France.

PubMed

Doty, Pamela; Nadash, Pamela; Racco, Nathalie

2015-06-01

POLICY POINTS: France's model of third-party coverage for long-term services and supports (LTSS) combines a steeply income-adjusted universal public program for people 60 or older with voluntary supplemental private insurance. French and US policies differ: the former pay cash; premiums are lower; and take-up rates are higher, in part because employer sponsorship, with and without subsidization, is more common-but also because coverage targets higher levels of need and pays a smaller proportion of costs. Such inexpensive, bare-bones private coverage, especially if marketed as a supplement to a limited public benefit, would be more affordable to those Americans currently most at risk of "spending down" to Medicaid. An aging population leads to a growing demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS). In 2002, France introduced universal, income-adjusted, public long-term care coverage for adults 60 and older, whereas the United States funds means-tested benefits only. Both countries have private long-term care insurance (LTCI) markets: American policies create alternatives to out-of-pocket spending and protect purchasers from relying on Medicaid. Sales, however, have stagnated, and the market's viability is uncertain. In France, private LTCI supplements public coverage, and sales are growing, although its potential to alleviate the long-term care financing problem is unclear. We explore whether France's very different approach to structuring public and private financing for long-term care could inform the United States' long-term care financing reform efforts. We consulted insurance experts and conducted a detailed review of public reports, academic studies, and other documents to understand the public and private LTCI systems in France, their advantages and disadvantages, and the factors affecting their development. France provides universal public coverage for paid assistance with functional dependency for people 60 and older. Benefits are steeply income

Contemporary deposition and long-term accumulation of sediment and nutrients by tidal freshwater forested wetlands impacted by sea level rise

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noe, Gregory; Hupp, Cliff R.; Bernhardt, Christopher E.; Krauss, Ken W.

2016-01-01

Contemporary deposition (artificial marker horizon, 3.5 years) and long-term accumulation rates (210Pb profiles, ~150 years) of sediment and associated carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) were measured in wetlands along the tidal Savannah and Waccamaw rivers in the southeastern USA. Four sites along each river spanned an upstream-to-downstream salinification gradient, from upriver tidal freshwater forested wetland (TFFW), through moderately and highly salt-impacted forested wetlands, to oligohaline marsh downriver. Contemporary deposition rates (sediment, C, N, and P) were greatest in oligohaline marsh and lowest in TFFW along both rivers. Greater rates of deposition in oligohaline and salt-stressed forested wetlands were associated with a shift to greater clay and metal content that is likely associated with a change from low availability of watershed-derived sediment to TFFW and to greater availability of a coastal sediment source to oligohaline wetlands. Long-term accumulation rates along the Waccamaw River had the opposite spatial pattern compared to contemporary deposition, with greater rates in TFFW that declined to oligohaline marsh. Long-term sediment and elemental mass accumulation rates also were 3–9× lower than contemporary deposition rates. In comparison to other studies, sediment and associated nutrient accumulation in TFFW are lower than downriver/estuarine freshwater, oligohaline, and salt marshes, suggesting a reduced capacity for surface sedimentation (short-term) as well as shallow soil processes (long-term sedimentation) to offset sea level rise in TFFW. Nonetheless, their potentially large spatial extent suggests that TFFW have a large impact on the transport and fate of sediment and nutrients in tidal rivers and estuaries.

Self-reported immature defense style as a predictor of outcome in short-term and long-term psychotherapy

PubMed Central

Laaksonen, Maarit A; Sirkiä, Carlos; Knekt, Paul; Lindfors, Olavi

2014-01-01

Objective Identification of pretreatment patient characteristics predictive of psychotherapy outcome could help to guide treatment choices. This study evaluates patients' initial level of immature defense style as a predictor of the outcome of short-term versus long-term psychotherapy. Method In the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study, 326 adult outpatients with mood or anxiety disorder were randomized to individual short-term (psychodynamic or solution-focused) or long-term (psychodynamic) psychotherapy. Their defense style was assessed at baseline using the 88-item Defense Style Questionnaire and classified as low or high around the median value of the respective score. Both specific (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS], Symptom Check List Anxiety Scale [SCL-90-Anx], Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HARS]) and global (Symptom Check List Global Severity Index [SCL-90-GSI], Global Assessment of Functioning Scale [GAF]) psychiatric symptoms were measured at baseline and 3–7 times during a 3-year follow-up. Results Patients with high use of immature defense style experienced greater symptom reduction in long-term than in short-term psychotherapy by the end of the 3-year follow-up (50% vs. 34%). Patients with low use of immature defense style experienced faster symptom reduction in short-term than in long-term psychotherapy during the first year of follow-up (34% vs. 19%). Conclusion Knowledge of patients' initial level of immature defense style may potentially be utilized in tailoring treatments. Further research on defense styles as outcome predictors in psychotherapies of different types is needed. PMID:25161816

Long-term neighborhood poverty trajectories and obesity in a sample of california mothers.

PubMed

Sheehan, Connor M; Cantu, Phillip A; Powers, Daniel A; Margerison-Zilko, Claire E; Cubbin, Catherine

2017-07-01

Neighborhoods (and people) are not static, and are instead shaped by dynamic long-term processes of change (and mobility). Using the Geographic Research on Wellbeing survey, a population-based sample of 2339 Californian mothers, we characterize then investigate how long-term latent neighborhood poverty trajectories predict the likelihood of obesity, taking into account short-term individual residential mobility. We find that, net of individual and neighborhood-level controls, living in or moving to tracts that experienced long-term low poverty was associated with lower odds of being obese relative to living in tracts characterized by long-term high poverty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Navigating Long-Term Care

PubMed Central

Holt, James D.

2017-01-01

Americans over age 65 constitute a larger percentage of the population each year: from 14% in 2010 (40 million elderly) to possibly 20% in 2030 (70 million elderly). In 2015, an estimated 66 million people provided care to the ill, disabled, and elderly in the United States. In 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15 million Americans used some form of long-term care: adult day care, home health, nursing home, or hospice. In all, 13% of people over 85 years old, compared with 1% of those ages 65 to 74, live in nursing homes in the United States. Transitions of care, among these various levels of care, are common: Nursing home to hospital transfer, one of the best-studied transitions, occurs in more than 25% of nursing home residents per year. This article follows one patient through several levels of care. PMID:28491911

Small mammals as indicators of short-term and long-term disturbance in mixed prairie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leis, S.A.; Leslie, David M.; Engle, David M.; Fehmi, J.S.

2008-01-01

Disturbance by military maneuvers over short and long time scales may have differential effects on grassland communities. We assessed small mammals as indicators of disturbance by military maneuvers in a mixed prairie in southern Oklahoma USA. We examined sites on two soil series, Foard and Lawton, across a gradient of disturbance intensity. A MANOVA showed that abundance of small mammals was associated (p = 0.03) with short-term (cover of vehicle tracks) disturbance but was not associated (p = 0.12) with long-term (loss of soil organic carbon, SOC) disturbance intensity. At the individual species level, Sigmodon hispidus (cotton rat) and Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) occurred across all levels of disturbance and in both soil types. Only P. maniculatus abundance changed (p < 0.01) with short-term disturbance and increased by about one individual per 5% of additional track-cover. Abundance of P. maniculatus also increased (p = 0.04) by about three individuals per 1% increase in soil carbon. Chaetodipus hispidus (hispid pocket mouse) and Reithrodontomys fulvescens (fulvous harvest mouse) only occurred in single soil types limiting their potential as more general indicators. Abundance of P. maniculatus was positively related to shifts in plant species composition and likely reflected changes in vegetation structure (i.e. litter depth) and forage availability resulting from disturbance. Peromyscus maniculatus may be a useful biological indicator of ecosystem change because it responded predictably to both long-term and short-term disturbance and, when coupled with soil, plant, and disturbance history variables, can reveal land condition trends. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007.

[Predictors of long-term remission after transsphenoidal surgery in Cushing's disease].

PubMed

Abellán Galiana, Pablo; Fajardo Montañana, Carmen; Riesgo Suárez, Pedro Antonio; Gómez Vela, José; Escrivá, Carlos Meseguer; Lillo, Vicente Rovira

2013-10-01

There is no consensus on the remission criteria for Cushing's disease or on the definition of disease recurrence after transsphenoidal surgery, and comparison of the different published series is therefore difficult. A long-term recurrence rate of Cushing's disease ranging from 2%-25% has been reported. Predictors of long-term remission reported include: 1) adenoma-related factors (aggressiveness, size, preoperative identification in MRI), 2) surgery-related factors, mainly neurosurgeon experience, 3) clinical factors, of which dependence on and duration of glucocorticoid treatment are most important, and 4) biochemical factors. Among the latter, low postoperative cortisol levels, less than 2 mcg/dL predict for disease remission. However, even when undetectable plasma cortisol levels are present, long-term recurrence may still occur and lifetime follow-up is required. We report the preliminary results of the first 20 patients with Cushing's disease operated on at our hospital using nadir cortisol levels less than 2 mcg/dl as remission criterion. Copyright © 2012 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The Long-Term Budget Outlook

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

Revenues Under CBO’s Long-Term Budget Scenarios 56A-8. Real Gross Domestic Product Under CBO’s Long-Term Budget Scenarios 57A-9. Total Surplus or...scenarios suggest that total federal spending for Medicare and Medicaid in 2050 could range anywhere from 7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)—a...see the Congressional Budget Office’s glossary of budgetary and economic terms, available at www.cbo.gov. 2. The future path of productivity growth

Long-term outcomes after severe shock.

PubMed

Pratt, Cristina M; Hirshberg, Eliotte L; Jones, Jason P; Kuttler, Kathryn G; Lanspa, Michael J; Wilson, Emily L; Hopkins, Ramona O; Brown, Samuel M

2015-02-01

Severe shock is a life-threatening condition with very high short-term mortality. Whether the long-term outcomes among survivors of severe shock are similar to long-term outcomes of other critical illness survivors is unknown. We therefore sought to assess long-term survival and functional outcomes among 90-day survivors of severe shock and determine whether clinical predictors were associated with outcomes. Seventy-six patients who were alive 90 days after severe shock (received ≥1 μg/kg per minute of norepinephrine equivalent) were eligible for the study. We measured 3-year survival and long-term functional outcomes using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, the EuroQOL 5-D-3L, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and an employment instrument. We also assessed the relationship between in-hospital predictors and long-term outcomes. The mean long-term survival was 5.1 years; 82% (62 of 76) of patients survived, of whom 49 were eligible for follow-up. Patients who died were older than patients who survived. Thirty-six patients completed a telephone interview a mean of 5 years after hospital admission. The patients' Physical Functioning scores were below U.S. population norms (P < 0.001), whereas mental health scores were similar to population norms. Nineteen percent of the patients had symptoms of depression, 39% had symptoms of anxiety, and 8% had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Thirty-six percent were disabled, and 17% were working full-time. Early survivors of severe shock had a high 3-year survival rate. Patients' long-term physical and psychological outcomes were similar to those reported for cohorts of less severely ill intensive care unit survivors. Anxiety and depression were relatively common, but only a few patients had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. This study supports the observation that acute illness severity does not determine long-term outcomes. Even extremely

Web-based decision support system to predict risk level of long term rice production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhlash, Imam; Maulidiyah, Ratna; Sutikno; Setiyono, Budi

2017-09-01

Appropriate decision making in risk management of rice production is very important in agricultural planning, especially for Indonesia which is an agricultural country. Good decision would be obtained if the supporting data required are satisfied and using appropriate methods. This study aims to develop a Decision Support System that can be used to predict the risk level of rice production in some districts which are central of rice production in East Java. Web-based decision support system is constructed so that the information can be easily accessed and understood. Components of the system are data management, model management, and user interface. This research uses regression models of OLS and Copula. OLS model used to predict rainfall while Copula model used to predict harvested area. Experimental results show that the models used are successfully predict the harvested area of rice production in some districts which are central of rice production in East Java at any given time based on the conditions and climate of a region. Furthermore, it can predict the amount of rice production with the level of risk. System generates prediction of production risk level in the long term for some districts that can be used as a decision support for the authorities.

Draft Genome Sequences of Four Alteromonas macleodii Strains Isolated from Copper Coupons and Grown Long-Term at Elevated Copper Levels.

PubMed

Cusick, Kathleen D; Dale, Jason R; Little, Brenda J; Biffinger, Justin C

2016-11-23

Alteromonas macleodii is a marine bacterium involved in the early stages of biofouling on ship hulls treated with copper as an antifouling agent. We report here the draft genome sequences of an A. macleodii strain isolated from copper coupons and three laboratory mutants grown long-term at elevated copper levels. Copyright © 2016 Cusick et al.

Assessment of long-term work attendance within human service organisations.

PubMed

Dellve, Lotta; Eriksson, Jesper; Vilhelmsson, Rebecka

2007-01-01

Terms and theories of work attendance vary according to their use and focus. This paper analyzes long-term work attendance in relation to social, psychosocial, and health-related factors. Register-based and questionnaire-based data covering 3,804 human service organisation workers over a three-year period were analyzed at individual and work-unit level. The results showed positive relationships between work attendance and male gender, high income, work commitment, job satisfaction, and having positive feelings towards work. High work attendance combined with work commitment, stress, or pain did not show any negative long-term effects upon short-term or long-term sick leave. Instead, work attendance seemed to be more associated with stable patterns of behaviour. Register-based measures of work attendance (at most 4-7 days of sick leave per worker per year) may be a useful tool in managing psychosocial work environment and related behaviour, but their inability to encompass information regarding individual health and disease must be borne in mind.

Long-term variation of total ozone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kane, R. P.

1988-03-01

The long-term variation of total ozone is studied for 1957 up to date for different latitude zones. The 3-year running averages show that, apart from a small portion showing parallelism with sunspot cycles, the trends in different latitude zones are dissimilar. In particular, where northern latitudes show a rising trend, the southern latitudes show an opposite (decreasing) trend. In the north-temperate group, Europe, North America and Asia show dissimilar trends. The longer data series (1932 ownards) for Arosa shows, besides a solar-cycle-dependent component, a steady level during 1932 1953 and a down-trend thereafter up to date. Very localised but long-lasting circulation patterns, different in different geographical regions, are indicated.

Short-term Action Intentions Overrule Long-Term Semantic Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Elk, M.; van Schie, H.T.; Bekkering, H.

2009-01-01

In the present study, we investigated whether the preparation of an unusual action with an object (e.g. bringing a cup towards the eye) could selectively overrule long-term semantic representations. In the first experiment it was found that unusual action intentions activated short-term semantic goal representations, rather than long-term…

Short-term and long-term effects of violent media on aggression in children and adults.

PubMed

Bushman, Brad J; Huesmann, L Rowell

2006-04-01

To test whether the results of the accumulated studies on media violence and aggressive behavior are consistent with the theories that have evolved to explain the effects. We tested for the existence of both short-term and long-term effects for aggressive behavior. We also tested the theory-driven hypothesis that short-term effects should be greater for adults and long-term effects should be greater for children. Meta-analysis. Children younger than 18 years and adults. Violent media, including TV, movies, video games, music, and comic books. Measures of aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal (eg, heart rate, blood pressure), and helping behavior. Effect size estimates were combined using meta-analytic procedures. As expected, the short-term effects of violent media were greater for adults than for children whereas the long-term effects were greater for children than for adults. The results also showed that there were overall modest but significant effect sizes for exposure to media violence on aggressive behaviors, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, arousal levels, and helping behavior. The results are consistent with the theory that short-term effects are mostly due to the priming of existing well-encoded scripts, schemas, or beliefs, which adults have had more time to encode. In contrast, long-term effects require the learning (encoding) of scripts, schemas, or beliefs. Children can encode new scripts, schemas, and beliefs via observational learning with less interference and effort than adults.

Increasing cellular level of phosphatidic acid enhances FGF-1 production in long term-cultured rat astrocytes.

PubMed

Nagayasu, Yuko; Morita, Shin-Ya; Hayashi, Hideki; Miura, Yutaka; Yokoyama, Kazuki; Michikawa, Makoto; Ito, Jin-Ichi

2014-05-14

We found in a previous study that both mRNA expression and release of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) are greater in rat astrocytes that are long term-cultured for one month (W/M cells) than in the cells cultured for one week (W/W cells). However, FGF-1 does not enhance phosphorylation of Akt, MEK, and ERK in W/M cells, while it does in W/W cells. In this work we studied the mechanism to cause these differences between W/W and W/M cells in culture. As it is known that long term culture generates oxidative stress, we characterized the stresses which W/M cells undergo in comparison with W/W cells. The levels of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and mitochondrial Bax were higher in W/M cells than in W/W cells. W/M cells recovered their ability to respond to FGF-1 to enhance phosphorylation of Akt, MEK, and ERK in the presence of antioxidants. Oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) had no effect on mRNA expression of FGF-1 in W/W cells, although H2O2 enhances release of FGF-1 from W/W cells without inducing apoptosis. The influence of cell density was studied on mRNA expression of FGF-1 and cellular response to FGF-1, as an increasing cell density is observed in W/M cells. The increasing cell density enhanced mRNA expression of FGF-1 in W/W cells without suppression of responses to FGF-1. The decrease in cell density lowered the FGF-1 mRNA expression in W/M cells without recovery of the response to FGF-1 to enhance phosphorylation of Akt, MEK, and ERK. These findings suggest that oxidative stress attenuate sensitivity to FGF-1 and higher cell density may enhance FGF-1 expression in W/M cells. In addition, we found that the cellular level of phosphatidic acid (PA) increased in H2O2-treated W/W and W/M cells and decreased by the treatment with antioxidants, and that PA enhances the mRNA expression of FGF-1 in the W/W cells. These findings suggest that the increasing PA production may enhance FGF-1 expression to protect astrocytes against oxidative stress

Comparison of serum triglyceride levels with propofol in long chain triglyceride and propofol in medium and long chain triglyceride after short term anesthesia in pediatric patients.

PubMed

Bhukal, Ishwar; Thimmarayan, Gokul; Bala, Indu; Solanki, Sohan Lal; Samra, Tanvir

2014-11-01

Significant increase in serum triglyceride (ST) concentration have been described in adult population after prolonged administration of propofol formulation containing long chain triglyceride (LCT). Though, medium chain triglyceride-LCT (MCT-LCT) propofol when compared with LCT propofol for long-term sedation in adults resulted in identical triglyceride levels, the elimination of triglyceride was faster in patients administered MCT-LCT propofol. A total of 40 children were randomized into two groups of 20 each; Group I were induced with 1% LCT propofol (3 mg/kg) and Group II with 1% medium and LCT propofol and maintained with descalating dose of 20.15 and 10 mg/kg/h at 10 min intervals. Blood samples for ST concentration were obtained before induction of anesthesia, at the end of propofol infusion and 4 h after terminating propofol infusion. ST levels were raised significantly above the basal values in both the groups but the rise was significantly higher in Group I (P < 0.05). Four hours after stopping propofol infusion the triglyceride levels were similar to the basal values in Group II, whereas in Group I the values were significantly greater than the baseline (P < 0.05) as well as those of Group II (P < 0.05). No clinically significant adverse effect of hypertriglyceridemia was observed. Even short term anesthesia with LCT and MCT-LCT propofol (1%) leads to elevated ST levels. The increase in ST levels is less with MCT-LCT propofol and elimination of triglyceride is also rapid after terminating MCT-LCT propofol infusion.

Resting State Synchrony in Short-Term versus Long-Term Abstinent Alcoholics

PubMed Central

Camchong, Jazmin; Stenger, Victor Andrew; Fein, George

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND We previously reported that when compared to controls, long-term abstinent alcoholics (LTAA) have increased resting state synchrony (RSS) of the inhibitory control network and reduced synchrony of the appetitive drive network, and hypothesized that these levels of synchrony are adaptive, and support the behavioral changes required to maintain abstinence. In the current study, we investigate whether these RSS patterns can be identified in short-term abstinent alcoholics. METHODS Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 27 short-term abstinent alcoholics (STAA), 23 LTAA and 23 non-substance abusing controls (NSAC). We examined baseline RSS using seed-based measures. RESULTS We found ordered RSS effects from NSAC to STAA and then to LTAA within both the appetitive drive and executive control networks: increasing RSS of the executive control network, and decreasing RSS of the reward processing network. Finally, we found significant correlations between strength of RSS in these networks and (a) cognitive flexibility and (b) current antisocial behavior. DISCUSSION Findings are consistent with an adaptive progression of RSS from short- to long-term abstinence so that, compared to normal controls, the synchrony (a) within the reward network progressively decreases and (b) within the executive control network progressively increases. PMID:23421812

Compensation for PKMζ in long-term potentiation and spatial long-term memory in mutant mice.

PubMed

Tsokas, Panayiotis; Hsieh, Changchi; Yao, Yudong; Lesburguères, Edith; Wallace, Emma Jane Claire; Tcherepanov, Andrew; Jothianandan, Desingarao; Hartley, Benjamin Rush; Pan, Ling; Rivard, Bruno; Farese, Robert V; Sajan, Mini P; Bergold, Peter John; Hernández, Alejandro Iván; Cottrell, James E; Shouval, Harel Z; Fenton, André Antonio; Sacktor, Todd Charlton

2016-05-17

PKMζ is a persistently active PKC isoform proposed to maintain late-LTP and long-term memory. But late-LTP and memory are maintained without PKMζ in PKMζ-null mice. Two hypotheses can account for these findings. First, PKMζ is unimportant for LTP or memory. Second, PKMζ is essential for late-LTP and long-term memory in wild-type mice, and PKMζ-null mice recruit compensatory mechanisms. We find that whereas PKMζ persistently increases in LTP maintenance in wild-type mice, PKCι/λ, a gene-product closely related to PKMζ, persistently increases in LTP maintenance in PKMζ-null mice. Using a pharmacogenetic approach, we find PKMζ-antisense in hippocampus blocks late-LTP and spatial long-term memory in wild-type mice, but not in PKMζ-null mice without the target mRNA. Conversely, a PKCι/λ-antagonist disrupts late-LTP and spatial memory in PKMζ-null mice but not in wild-type mice. Thus, whereas PKMζ is essential for wild-type LTP and long-term memory, persistent PKCι/λ activation compensates for PKMζ loss in PKMζ-null mice.

Serum levels of zinc and copper in epileptic children during long-term therapy with anticonvulsants

PubMed Central

Talat, Mohamed A.; Ahmed, Anwar; Mohammed, Lamia

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the serum levels of zinc and copper in epileptic children during the long-term treatment of anticonvulsant drugs and correlate this with healthy subjects. Methods: A hospital-based group matched case-control study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt between November 2013 and October 2014. Ninety patients aged 7.1±3.6 years were diagnosed with epilepsy by a neurologist. The control group was selected from healthy individuals and matched to the case group. Serum zinc and copper were measured by the calorimetric method using a colorimetric method kit. Results: The mean zinc level was 60.1±22.6 ug/dl in the cases, and 102.1±18 ug/dl in the controls (p<0.001). The mean copper level was 180.1±32.4 ug/dl in cases compared with 114.5±18.5 ug/dl in controls (p<0.001). Conclusion: Serum zinc levels in epileptic children under drug treatment are lower compared with healthy children. Also, serum copper levels in these patients are significantly higher than in healthy people. No significant difference in the levels of serum copper and zinc was observed in using one drug or multiple drugs in the treatment of epileptic patients. PMID:26492112

Long-term administration with levonorgestrel decreases allopregnanolone levels and alters GABA(A) receptor subunit expression and anxiety-like behavior.

PubMed

Porcu, Patrizia; Mostallino, Maria Cristina; Sogliano, Cristiana; Santoru, Francesca; Berretti, Roberta; Concas, Alessandra

2012-08-01

Fluctuations in the concentrations of the neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone are thought to influence γ-amino-butyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor gene expression and function. Long-term treatment with ethinyl estradiol (EE) plus levonorgestrel (LNG), two of the most widely used steroids in the hormonal contraceptive pill, decreases allopregnanolone levels in rat cerebral cortex and plasma, alters GABA(A) receptor expression and induces anxiety-like behavior. We evaluated which component of the hormonal contraceptive pill is responsible for the aforementioned changes. Female rats were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) with EE (0.030 mg) or LNG (0.125 mg) once a day for 4 weeks. Compared to the respective vehicle-treated control groups, EE decreased cerebral cortical levels of allopregnanolone, progesterone and pregnenolone by 76, 72 and 33%, respectively and hippocampal levels by 52, 56 and 50%, respectively. Likewise, LNG decreased cerebral cortical levels of allopregnanolone, progesterone and pregnenolone by 75, 68 and 33%, respectively, and hippocampal levels by 55, 65 and 60%, respectively. Administration of LNG, but not EE, increased the abundance of the γ2 subunit peptide in cerebral cortex and hippocampus by 38 and 59%, respectively. Further, LNG, but not EE, decreased the time spent and the number of entries into the open arms of the elevated plus maze by 56 and 43%, respectively, an index of anxiety-like behavior. These results suggest that alterations in GABA(A) receptor subunit expression and anxiety-like behavior induced by long-term treatment with combined EE/LNG appear to be caused by LNG. Given that both EE and LNG decrease allopregnanolone levels in a similar manner, these results further suggest that changes in allopregnanolone levels are not associated with GABA(A) receptor expression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term phenotypic evolution of bacteria.

PubMed

Plata, Germán; Henry, Christopher S; Vitkup, Dennis

2015-01-15

For many decades comparative analyses of protein sequences and structures have been used to investigate fundamental principles of molecular evolution. In contrast, relatively little is known about the long-term evolution of species' phenotypic and genetic properties. This represents an important gap in our understanding of evolution, as exactly these proprieties play key roles in natural selection and adaptation to diverse environments. Here we perform a comparative analysis of bacterial growth and gene deletion phenotypes using hundreds of genome-scale metabolic models. Overall, bacterial phenotypic evolution can be described by a two-stage process with a rapid initial phenotypic diversification followed by a slow long-term exponential divergence. The observed average divergence trend, with approximately similar fractions of phenotypic properties changing per unit time, continues for billions of years. We experimentally confirm the predicted divergence trend using the phenotypic profiles of 40 diverse bacterial species across more than 60 growth conditions. Our analysis suggests that, at long evolutionary distances, gene essentiality is significantly more conserved than the ability to utilize different nutrients, while synthetic lethality is significantly less conserved. We also find that although a rapid phenotypic evolution is sometimes observed within the same species, a transition from high to low phenotypic similarity occurs primarily at the genus level.

Estimating long-term multivariate progression from short-term data.

PubMed

Donohue, Michael C; Jacqmin-Gadda, Hélène; Le Goff, Mélanie; Thomas, Ronald G; Raman, Rema; Gamst, Anthony C; Beckett, Laurel A; Jack, Clifford R; Weiner, Michael W; Dartigues, Jean-François; Aisen, Paul S

2014-10-01

Diseases that progress slowly are often studied by observing cohorts at different stages of disease for short periods of time. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) follows elders with various degrees of cognitive impairment, from normal to impaired. The study includes a rich panel of novel cognitive tests, biomarkers, and brain images collected every 6 months for as long as 6 years. The relative timing of the observations with respect to disease pathology is unknown. We propose a general semiparametric model and iterative estimation procedure to estimate simultaneously the pathological timing and long-term growth curves. The resulting estimates of long-term progression are fine-tuned using cognitive trajectories derived from the long-term "Personnes Agées Quid" study. We demonstrate with simulations that the method can recover long-term disease trends from short-term observations. The method also estimates temporal ordering of individuals with respect to disease pathology, providing subject-specific prognostic estimates of the time until onset of symptoms. When the method is applied to ADNI data, the estimated growth curves are in general agreement with prevailing theories of the Alzheimer's disease cascade. Other data sets with common outcome measures can be combined using the proposed algorithm. Software to fit the model and reproduce results with the statistical software R is available as the grace package. ADNI data can be downloaded from the Laboratory of NeuroImaging. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stress, Social Support, and Burnout Among Long-Term Care Nursing Staff.

PubMed

Woodhead, Erin L; Northrop, Lynn; Edelstein, Barry

2016-01-01

Long-term care nursing staff are subject to considerable occupational stress and report high levels of burnout, yet little is known about how stress and social support are associated with burnout in this population. The present study utilized the job demands-resources model of burnout to examine relations between job demands (occupational and personal stress), job resources (sources and functions of social support), and burnout in a sample of nursing staff at a long-term care facility (N = 250). Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that job demands (greater occupational stress) were associated with more emotional exhaustion, more depersonalization, and less personal accomplishment. Job resources (support from supervisors and friends or family members, reassurance of worth, opportunity for nurturing) were associated with less emotional exhaustion and higher levels of personal accomplishment. Interventions to reduce burnout that include a focus on stress and social support outside of work may be particularly beneficial for long-term care staff. © The Author(s) 2014.

Long-term continuous corticosterone treatment decreases VEGF receptor-2 expression in frontal cortex.

PubMed

Howell, Kristy R; Kutiyanawalla, Ammar; Pillai, Anilkumar

2011-01-01

Stress and increased glucocorticoid levels are associated with many neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and depression. Recently, the role of vascular endothelial factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2/Flk1) signaling has been implicated in stress-mediated neuroplasticity. However, the mechanism of regulation of VEGF/Flk1 signaling under long-term continuous glucocorticoid exposure has not been elucidated. We examined the possible effects of long-term continuous glucocorticoid exposure on VEGF/Flk1 signaling in cultured cortical neurons in vitro, mouse frontal cortex in vivo, and in post mortem human prefrontal cortex of both control and schizophrenia subjects. We found that long-term continuous exposure to corticosterone (CORT, a natural glucocorticoid) reduced Flk1 protein levels both in vitro and in vivo. CORT treatment resulted in alterations in signaling molecules downstream to Flk1 such as PTEN, Akt and mTOR. We demonstrated that CORT-induced changes in Flk1 levels are mediated through glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and calcium. A significant reduction in Flk1-GR interaction was observed following CORT exposure. Interestingly, VEGF levels were increased in cortex, but decreased in serum following CORT treatment. Moreover, significant reductions in Flk1 and GR protein levels were found in postmortem prefrontal cortex samples from schizophrenia subjects. The alterations in VEGF/Flk1 signaling following long-term continuous CORT exposure represents a molecular mechanism of the neurobiological effects of chronic stress.

Scientific Understanding from Long Term Observations: Insights from the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gosz, J.

2001-12-01

The network dedicated to Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) in the United States has grown to 24 sites since it was formed in 1980. Long-term research and monitoring are performed on parameters thatare basic to all ecosystems and are required to understand patterns, processes, and relationship to change. Collectively, the sites in the LTER Network provide opportunities to contrast marine, coastal, and continental regions, the full range of climatic gradients existing in North America, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats in a range of ecosystem types. The combination of common core areas and long-term research and monitoring in many habitats have allowed unprecedented abilities to understand and compare complex temporal and spatial dynamics associated with issues like climate change, effects of pollution, biodiversity and landuse. For example, McMurdo Dry Valley in the Antarctic has demonstrated an increase in glacier mass since 1993 which coincides with a period of cooler than normal summers and more than average snowfall. In contrast, the Bonanza Creek and Toolik Lake sites in Alaska have recorded a warming period unprecedented in the past 200 years. Nitrogen deposition effects have been identified through long-term watershed studies on biogeochemical cycles, especially at Coweeta Hydrological Lab, Harvard Forest, and the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. In aquatic systems, such as the Northern Temperate Lakes site, long-term data revealed time lags in effects of invaders and disturbance on lake communities. Biological recovery from an effect such as lake acidification was shown to lag behind chemical recovery. The long-term changes documented over 2 decades have been instrumental in influencing management practices in many of the LTER areas. In Puerto Rico, the Luquillo LTER demonstrated that dams obstruct migrations of fish and freshwater shrimp and water abstraction at low flows can completely obliterate downstream migration of juveniles and damage

Long-Term Opioid Therapy Reconsidered

PubMed Central

Von Korff, Michael; Kolodny, Andrew; Deyo, Richard A.; Chou, Roger

2012-01-01

In the past 20 years, primary care physicians have greatly increased prescribing of long-term opioid therapy. However, the rise in opioid prescribing has outpaced the evidence regarding this practice. Increased opioid availability has been accompanied by an epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose. The rate of opioid addiction among patients receiving long-term opioid therapy remains unclear, but research suggests that opioid misuse is not rare. Recent studies report increased risks for serious adverse events, including fractures, cardiovascular events, and bowel obstruction, although further research on medical risks is needed. New data indicate that opioid-related risks may increase with dose. From a societal perspective, higher-dose regimens account for the majority of opioids dispensed, so cautious dosing may reduce both diversion potential and patient risks for adverse effects. Limiting long-term opioid therapy to patients for whom it provides decisive benefits could also reduce risks. Given the warning signs and knowledge gaps, greater caution and selectivity are needed in prescribing long-term opioid therapy. Until stronger evidence becomes available, clinicians should err on the side of caution when considering this treatment. PMID:21893626

North American long-term soil productivity research program

Treesearch

Allan E. Tiarks; Robert F. Powers; Jerry F. Ragus; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Felix, Jr. Ponder; Douglas M. Stone

1997-01-01

The National Long-term Soil Productivity research program was chartered to address National Forest Management Act concerns over possible losses in soil productivity on National Forest lands. The program supports validation of soil quality monitoring standards and process-level productivity research. Summarized results are supplied to Forests as collected. National...

North American long-term soil productivity research program

Treesearch

Allan E. Tiarks; Robert F. Powers; Jerry F. Ragus; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Felix Ponder; Douglas M. Stone

1997-01-01

The National Long-term Soil Productivity research program was chartered to address National Forest Management Act concerns over possible losses n soil productivity on national forest lands. The program supports validation of soil quality monitoring standards and process-level productivity research. Summarized results are supplied to forests as collected. National...

Demonstration of long-term increases in tropospheric O3 levels: causes and potential impacts.

PubMed

Susaya, Janice; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Shon, Zang-Ho; Brown, Richard J C

2013-09-01

Ground-level ozone (O3) is a well-known atmospheric pollutant with its adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Here, the tropospheric O3 concentrations monitored in seven major cities in Korea at monthly intervals over a 22-year period (1989-2010) are presented, and their long-term variability examined. The analysis of annual mean values of O3 (in nmolmol(-1), or ppb) showed a noticeable increase of 118±69% in all seven cities over the two decades (p<0.01). Changes in O3 levels are closely associated with both environmental (e.g., NOx (NO+NO2), SO2, CO, and total suspended particles (TSPs) (p<0.01), temperature, and sunshine hours) and common anthropogenic variables (e.g., population density and number of vehicles). Evidence collected in this study suggests that the atmospheric conditions in most major cities of Korea should be volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensitive or NOx saturated with respect to O3 formation. As such, establishment of a proper management strategy seems a sensible approach to control tropospheric ozone concentrations in densely populated cities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective effects of long-term lithium administration in a slowly progressive SMA mouse model.

PubMed

Biagioni, Francesca; Ferrucci, Michela; Ryskalin, Larisa; Fulceri, Federica; Lazzeri, Gloria; Calierno, Maria Teresa; Busceti, Carla L; Ruffoli, Riccardo; Fornai, Francesco

2017-12-01

In the present study we evaluated the long-term effects of lithium administration to a knock-out double transgenic mouse model (Smn-/-; SMN1A2G+/-; SMN2+/+) of Spinal Muscle Atrophy type III (SMA-III). This model is characterized by very low levels of the survival motor neuron protein, slow disease progression and motor neuron loss, which enables to detect disease-modifying effects at delayed time intervals. Lithium administration attenuates the decrease in motor activity and provides full protection from motor neuron loss occurring in SMA-III mice, throughout the disease course. In addition, lithium prevents motor neuron enlargement and motor neuron heterotopy and suppresses the occurrence of radial-like glial fibrillary acidic protein immunostaining in the ventral white matter of SMA-III mice. In SMA-III mice long-term lithium administration determines a dramatic increase of survival motor neuron protein levels in the spinal cord. These data demonstrate that long-term lithium administration during a long-lasting motor neuron disorder attenuates behavioural deficit and neuropathology. Since low level of survival motor neuron protein is bound to disease severity in SMA, the robust increase in protein level produced by lithium provides solid evidence which calls for further investigations considering lithium in the long-term treatment of spinal muscle atrophy.

Very long-term sequelae of craniopharyngioma.

PubMed

Wijnen, Mark; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M; Janssen, Joseph A M J L; Catsman-Berrevoets, Coriene E; Michiels, Erna M C; van Veelen-Vincent, Marie-Lise C; Dallenga, Alof H G; van den Berge, J Herbert; van Rij, Carolien M; van der Lely, Aart-Jan; Neggers, Sebastian J C M M

2017-06-01

Studies investigating long-term health conditions in patients with craniopharyngioma are limited by short follow-up durations and generally do not compare long-term health effects according to initial craniopharyngioma treatment approach. In addition, studies comparing long-term health conditions between patients with childhood- and adult-onset craniopharyngioma report conflicting results. The objective of this study was to analyse a full spectrum of long-term health effects in patients with craniopharyngioma according to initial treatment approach and age group at craniopharyngioma presentation. Cross-sectional study based on retrospective data. We studied a single-centre cohort of 128 patients with craniopharyngioma treated from 1980 onwards (63 patients with childhood-onset disease). Median follow-up since craniopharyngioma presentation was 13 years (interquartile range: 5-23 years). Initial craniopharyngioma treatment approaches included gross total resection ( n  = 25), subtotal resection without radiotherapy ( n  = 44), subtotal resection with radiotherapy ( n  = 25), cyst aspiration without radiotherapy ( n  = 8), and 90 Yttrium brachytherapy ( n  = 21). Pituitary hormone deficiencies (98%), visual disturbances (75%) and obesity (56%) were the most common long-term health conditions observed. Different initial craniopharyngioma treatment approaches resulted in similar long-term health effects. Patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma experienced significantly more growth hormone deficiency, diabetes insipidus, panhypopituitarism, morbid obesity, epilepsy and psychiatric conditions compared with patients with adult-onset disease. Recurrence-/progression-free survival was significantly lower after initial craniopharyngioma treatment with cyst aspiration compared with other therapeutic approaches. Survival was similar between patients with childhood- and adult-onset craniopharyngioma. Long-term health conditions were comparable after

Serum levels of enclomiphene and zuclomiphene in men with hypogonadism on long-term clomiphene citrate treatment.

PubMed

Helo, Sevann; Mahon, Joseph; Ellen, Joseph; Wiehle, Ron; Fontenot, Gregory; Hsu, Kuang; Feustel, Paul; Welliver, Charles; McCullough, Andrew

2017-01-01

To determine the relative concentrations of enclomiphene (ENC) and zuclomiphene (ZUC) isomers in men with hypogonadism on long-term clomiphene citrate (CC) therapy, and to determine whether patient age, body mass index (BMI) or duration of therapy were predictive of relative concentrations of ENC and ZUC. Men already receiving CC 25 mg daily therapy for secondary hypogonadism for a minimum of 6 weeks were recruited to have their ENC and ZUC levels assessed. Total testosterone, free testosterone, oestradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) before initiation of and while on CC therapy were recorded for all patients. Patient demographics including age, BMI and medical comorbidites were recorded. Serum samples were obtained at the time of enrolment to determine ENC and ZUC concentrations. A total of 15 men were enrolled in the period from June 2015 to August 2015. The median (range) patient age was 36 (22-70) years, BMI 32.0 (21.1-40.3) kg/m 2 and duration of treatment 25.9 (1.7-86.6) months. Baseline median total testosterone, oestradiol and LH levels were 205.0 ng/dL, 17.0 pg/mL and 4.0 mlU/mL, respectively. The post-treatment median total testosterone, oestradiol and LH level increased to 488.0 ng/dL, 34.0 pg/mL and 6.1 mIU/mL, respectively (all P<0.001). The median ENC and ZUC concentrations were 2.2 and 44.0 ng/mL, respectively. After at least 6 weeks of CC therapy, the median ZUC: ENC serum concentration ratio was 20:1. On linear regression analysis. patient age, BMI, duration of treatment and serum testosterone levels were not predictive of ENC or ZUC concentrations. Long-term CC therapy resulted in a significant alteration of ENC and ZUC concentrations, with ZUC as the predominant isomer. Given the vastly different biochemical and toxicological properties of ENC and ZUC, this study supports the need for the development of a pure selective oestrogen receptor antagonist for the treatment of men with hypogonadism. © 2016 The

Long-term care in international perspective.

PubMed

Doty, P

1988-12-01

The findings of a study of long-term care policies in 18 countries are reported in this article. Initial data were collected by a questionnaire survey under the auspices of the International Social Security Association. These data were supplemented by published documents and government statistics obtained while researching long-term care for the International Social Security Association and, subsequently, for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The principal focus is a cross-national comparison of institutionalization rates for the elderly. Differences in use rates for medically oriented facilities are less than those for nonmedical residential long-term care facilities. Only a small amount of variation is related to demographic differences, such as older or more female elderly populations in those countries with higher institutionalization rates. Included also is a description of the modes of financing long-term care.

Long-term effects of steroid withdrawal in kidney transplantation.

PubMed

Offermann, G; Schwarz, A; Krause, P H

1993-01-01

The long-term graft function after withdrawal of steroids from maintenance immunosuppression was analyzed in 98 kidney recipients (59 on cyclosporin monotherapy, 39 on cyclosporin plus azathioprine) who had not developed an early rejection episode when prednisolone was discontinued. Seven years after steroid withdrawal the probability of an increase in serum creatinine (> 20% of baseline levels) was 51%. The increase in creatinine was associated with sclerosing arteriopathy as a marker of chronic rejection in 29 of 43 graft biopsies. The addition of azathioprine had no effect on the stability of long-term graft function and did not influence the 7-year graft survival rate in this highly selected group of patients.

Long-term noise statistics from the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eller, Anthony I.; Ioup, George E.; Ioup, Juliette W.; Larue, James P.

2003-04-01

Long-term, omnidirectional acoustic noise measurements were conducted in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico during the summer of 2001. These efforts were a part of the Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center project, Phase I. Initial looks at the noise time series, processed in standard one-third-octave bands from 10 to 5000 Hz, show noise levels that differ substantially from customary deep-water noise spectra. Contributing factors to this highly dynamic noise environment are an abundance of marine mammal emissions and various industrial noises. Results presented here address long-term temporal variability, temporal coherence times, the fluctuation spectrum, and coherence of fluctuations across the frequency spectrum. [Research supported by ONR.

Compensation for PKMζ in long-term potentiation and spatial long-term memory in mutant mice

PubMed Central

Tsokas, Panayiotis; Hsieh, Changchi; Yao, Yudong; Lesburguères, Edith; Wallace, Emma Jane Claire; Tcherepanov, Andrew; Jothianandan, Desingarao; Hartley, Benjamin Rush; Pan, Ling; Rivard, Bruno; Farese, Robert V; Sajan, Mini P; Bergold, Peter John; Hernández, Alejandro Iván; Cottrell, James E; Shouval, Harel Z; Fenton, André Antonio; Sacktor, Todd Charlton

2016-01-01

PKMζ is a persistently active PKC isoform proposed to maintain late-LTP and long-term memory. But late-LTP and memory are maintained without PKMζ in PKMζ-null mice. Two hypotheses can account for these findings. First, PKMζ is unimportant for LTP or memory. Second, PKMζ is essential for late-LTP and long-term memory in wild-type mice, and PKMζ-null mice recruit compensatory mechanisms. We find that whereas PKMζ persistently increases in LTP maintenance in wild-type mice, PKCι/λ, a gene-product closely related to PKMζ, persistently increases in LTP maintenance in PKMζ-null mice. Using a pharmacogenetic approach, we find PKMζ-antisense in hippocampus blocks late-LTP and spatial long-term memory in wild-type mice, but not in PKMζ-null mice without the target mRNA. Conversely, a PKCι/λ-antagonist disrupts late-LTP and spatial memory in PKMζ-null mice but not in wild-type mice. Thus, whereas PKMζ is essential for wild-type LTP and long-term memory, persistent PKCι/λ activation compensates for PKMζ loss in PKMζ-null mice. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14846.001 PMID:27187150

Long-term actuarial survivorship analysis of an interspinous stabilization system

PubMed Central

Sénégas, Jacques; Pointillart, Vincent; Mangione, Paolo

2007-01-01

In 1986, an interspinous dynamic stabilization system (the prototype of the current Wallis implant) was designed to stiffen unstable operated degenerate lumbar segments with a hard interspinous blocker to limit extension and a tension band around the spinous processes to secure the implant and limit flexion. Restoring physiological mechanical conditions to the treated level(s) while preserving some intervertebral mobility was intended to treat low-back pain related to degenerative instability without increasing stress forces in the adjacent segments. The procedure was easily reversible. If low back pain persisted or recurred, the device was removed and stability was achieved using fusion. The intermediate-term results were promising, but the long-term safety and efficacy of this dynamic interspinous stabilization device has not been previously documented. We retrospectively reviewed the hospital files of all the patients (n = 241) who had this dynamic stabilization system implanted between 1987 and 1995, contacting as many as possible to determine the actuarial survivorship of the system. In this manner, 142 of the 241 patients (58.9%) were contacted by telephone. The endpoints used for the survivorship analysis were ‘any subsequent lumbar operation’ and ‘implant removal’. At 14 years follow-up, values of actuarial survivorship with 95% confidence interval were 75.9 ± 8.3 and 81.3 ± 6.8% for the endpoints ‘any subsequent lumbar operation’ and ‘implant removal’, respectively. There was no difference in survivorship of multiple-level implants with respect to single-level devices. Although the conclusions of the present study must be tempered by the 41% attrition rate, these findings support the long-term safety of this system, and possibly long-term protective action against adjacent-level degeneration by motion preservation. Outcomes at least equivalent to those of fusion were observed without the primary drawbacks of fusion. PMID:17426988

Competitive short-term and long-term memory processes in spatial habituation.

PubMed

Sanderson, David J; Bannerman, David M

2011-04-01

Exposure to a spatial location leads to habituation of exploration such that, in a novelty preference test, rodents subsequently prefer exploring a novel location to the familiar location. According to Wagner's (1981) theory of memory, short-term and long-term habituation are caused by separate and sometimes opponent processes. In the present study, this dual-process account of memory was tested. Mice received a series of exposure training trials to a location before receiving a novelty preference test. The novelty preference was greater when tested after a short, rather than a long, interval. In contrast, the novelty preference was weaker when exposure training trials were separated by a short, rather than a long interval. Furthermore, it was found that long-term habituation was determined by the independent effects of the amount of exposure training and the number of exposure training trials when factors such as the intertrial interval and the cumulative intertrial interval were controlled. A final experiment demonstrated that a long-term reduction of exploration could be caused by a negative priming effect due to associations formed during exploration. These results provide evidence against a single-process account of habituation and suggest that spatial habituation is determined by both short-term, recency-based memory and long-term, incrementally strengthened memory.

Dopaminergic neurotransmission dysfunction induced by amyloid-β transforms cortical long-term potentiation into long-term depression and produces memory impairment.

PubMed

Moreno-Castilla, Perla; Rodriguez-Duran, Luis F; Guzman-Ramos, Kioko; Barcenas-Femat, Alejandro; Escobar, Martha L; Bermudez-Rattoni, Federico

2016-05-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition manifested by synaptic dysfunction and memory loss, but the mechanisms underlying synaptic failure are not entirely understood. Although dopamine is a key modulator of synaptic plasticity, dopaminergic neurotransmission dysfunction in AD has mostly been associated to noncognitive symptoms. Thus, we aimed to study the relationship between dopaminergic neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in AD models. We used a transgenic model of AD (triple-transgenic mouse model of AD) and the administration of exogenous amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers into wild type mice. We found that Aβ decreased cortical dopamine levels and converted in vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) into long-term depression (LTD) after high-frequency stimulation delivered at basolateral amygdaloid nucleus-insular cortex projection, which led to impaired recognition memory. Remarkably, increasing cortical dopamine and norepinephrine levels rescued both high-frequency stimulation -induced LTP and memory, whereas depletion of catecholaminergic levels mimicked the Aβ-induced shift from LTP to LTD. Our results suggest that Aβ-induced dopamine depletion is a core mechanism underlying the early synaptopathy and memory alterations observed in AD models and acts by modifying the threshold for the induction of cortical LTP and/or LTD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intelligence as a predictor of outcome in short- and long-term psychotherapy.

PubMed

Knekt, Paul; Saari, Taru; Lindfors, Olavi

2014-12-30

Intelligence has been suggested as a suitability factor for short-term therapy whereas its possible effect on short-term versus long-term therapy still is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the prediction of intelligence on the level of psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning in psychotherapies of different lengths. A total of 251 outpatients from the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study, aged 20–46 years, and suffering from mood or anxiety disorders were allocated to two long-term and two short-term therapies. Intelligence was assessed at baseline with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R). Psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning were assessed 5–10 times during a 5-year follow-up using two primary symptom measures (HDRS and HARS) and one primary measure of psychosocial functioning (GAF). Short-term therapy was more effective than long-term therapy during the first year of follow-up. During the second to fourth follow-up year no differences between short- and long-term therapies or the intelligence groups were found. At the fifth follow-up year, however, long-term psychotherapy showed a statistically significantly larger change in all three primary measures compared to short-term therapy among those with higher intelligence. No differences between therapy groups were noted in those with lower intelligence. People with higher intelligence may benefit more from long-term than from short-term psychotherapy. These findings should be confirmed.

Astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation.

PubMed

Suzuki, Akinobu; Stern, Sarah A; Bozdagi, Ozlem; Huntley, George W; Walker, Ruth H; Magistretti, Pierre J; Alberini, Cristina M

2011-03-04

We report that, in the rat hippocampus, learning leads to a significant increase in extracellular lactate levels that derive from glycogen, an energy reserve selectively localized in astrocytes. Astrocytic glycogen breakdown and lactate release are essential for long-term but not short-term memory formation, and for the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength elicited in vivo. Disrupting the expression of the astrocytic lactate transporters monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) or MCT1 causes amnesia, which, like LTP impairment, is rescued by L-lactate but not equicaloric glucose. Disrupting the expression of the neuronal lactate transporter MCT2 also leads to amnesia that is unaffected by either L-lactate or glucose, suggesting that lactate import into neurons is necessary for long-term memory. Glycogenolysis and astrocytic lactate transporters are also critical for the induction of molecular changes required for memory formation, including the induction of phospho-CREB, Arc, and phospho-cofilin. We conclude that astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Akinobu; Stern, Sarah A.; Bozdagi, Ozlem; Huntley, George W.; Walker, Ruth H.; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Alberini, Cristina M.

2011-01-01

SUMMARY We report that in the rat hippocampus learning leads to a significant increase in extracellular lactate levels, which derive from glycogen, an energy reserve selectively localized in astrocytes. Astrocytic glycogen breakdown and lactate release are essential for long-term but not short-term memory formation, and for the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength elicited in-vivo. Disrupting the expression of the astrocytic lactate transporters monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) or MCT1 causes amnesia, which, like LTP impairment, is rescued by lactate but not equicaloric glucose. Disrupting the expression of the neuronal lactate transporter MCT2 also leads to amnesia that is unaffected by either L-lactate or glucose, suggesting that lactate import into neurons is necessary for long-term memory. Glycogenolysis and astrocytic lactate transporters are also critical for the induction of molecular changes required for memory formation, including the induction of phospho-CREB, Arc and phospho-cofilin. We conclude that astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation. PMID:21376239

Long-term Stability of the Post-Flash LED Lamp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martlin, Catherine; Baggett, Sylvia

2017-02-01

We report the results of a study of the long-term stability of the LED lamp used in post-flashing WFC3/UVIS images. We analyze 644 sub-array exposures taken over the course of just over 3 years and find no significant long-term trends in the LED lamp brightness. The average percentage change per year over all FLASH level and shutter combinations is found to be 0.15% per year with an uncertainty of ± 0.24% per year. The maximum measured percentage change per year was 0.39% for the highest FLASH level of 20 e- on shutter A which would indicate a change of less than 1 e-/pixel over the roughly 3 years since post-flashing began. There are, however, occasional short-term deviations in the LED output. The average minimum and maximum outliers over all FLASH level and shutter combination subsets are 4.1% below and 3.5% above, respectively, the mean of that subset. The maximum outlier over all the sets is 5.8% above the normalized mean value, for FLASH level 3/shutter A. The minimum outlier over all sets is also for FLASH level 3/shutter A and is 8.9% below the normalized mean value. Investigation of these outliers has revealed no systematic cause for the excursions and we recommend that users continue using the post-flash as they would have previously.

Predictors of short- and long-term mortality in first-ever ischaemic older stroke patients.

PubMed

Hsu, Chia-Yu; Hu, Gwo-Chi; Chen, Yi-Min; Chen, Chiu-Hsiang; Hu, Yu-Ning

2013-12-01

Predictors of short- and long-term all-cause mortality of older stroke patients were explored. Cox regression models were used to estimate the relative risk and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in the database entries of 636 older stroke patients aged 70 years and over. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission, age and coronary heart disease were significantly associated with 28-day death. The hazard ratios for the predictors of long-term mortality were as follows: NIHSS score, 1.1 (95% CI: 1.07-1.1); serum glucose level, 1.08 (95% CI: 1.01-1.2); serum triglyceride level, 0.6 (95% CI: 0.4-0.8); age, 1.04 (95% CI: 1.01-1.08); and coronary heart disease, 2.7 (95% CI: 1.4-5.4). NIHSS score on admission, age and coronary heart disease are independent predictors of short- and long-term mortality. Higher glucose and lower triglyceride level are significantly associated with the long-term mortality. © 2013 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing © 2013 ACOTA.

The Interdependence of Long- and Short-Term Components in Unmasked Repetition Priming: An Indication of Shared Resources.

PubMed

Merema, Matt R; Speelman, Craig P

2015-01-01

It has been suggested that unmasked repetition priming is composed of distinct long-and short-term priming components. The current study sought to clarify the relationship between these components by examining the relationship between them. A total of 60 people (45 females, 15 males) participated in a computer-based lexical decision task designed to measure levels of short-term priming across different levels of long-term priming. The results revealed an interdependent relationship between the two components, whereby an increase in long-term priming prompted a decrease in short-term priming. Both long-term and short-term priming were accurately captured by a single power function over seven minutes post repetition, suggesting the two components may draw on the same resources. This interdependence between long- and short-term priming may serve to improve fluency in reading.

Business Students' Choice of Short-Term or Long-Term Study Abroad Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzsimmons, Stacey R.; Flanagan, David J.; Wang, Xiaodan

2013-01-01

Recent years have seen a proliferation of short-term study abroad opportunities. Although they are both supplementing and replacing semester-long study abroad programs, research has focused primarily on semester (long-term) programs. We draw on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore factors that predict why students choose long-term and…

Long-term stable lung function and second uncomplicated pregnancy on sirolimus in lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM).

PubMed

Faehling, Martin; Wienhausen-Wilke, Vera; Fallscheer, Sabine; Trinajstic-Schulz, B; Weber, J; Leschke, Matthias

2015-09-14

We present a patient with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) on long-term sirolimus (now 79 months) who has had a second successful pregnancy. The second pregnancy on uninterrupted low-dose sirolimus (plasma levels 3-5 mg/L) was uncomplicated both with respect to mother and child suggesting that low-dose sirolimus might be safe in selected pregnant patients with stable LAM. The long-term time course in this patient is in agreement with recent reports of a long-term beneficial effect of sirolimus in LAM. In this patient, the pregnancies did not seem to impair the long-term improvement of lung-function on sirolimus.

Sustainability and Long Term-Tenure: Lion Trophy Hunting in Tanzania

PubMed Central

Brink, Henry; Skinner, Kirsten; Leader-Williams, Nigel

2016-01-01

It is argued that trophy hunting of large, charismatic mammal species can have considerable conservation benefits but only if undertaken sustainably. Social-ecological theory suggests such sustainability only results from developing governance systems that balance financial and biological requirements. Here we use lion (Panthera leo) trophy hunting data from Tanzania to investigate how resource ownership patterns influence hunting revenue and offtake levels. Tanzania contains up to half of the global population of free-ranging lions and is also the main location for lion trophy hunting in Africa. However, there are concerns that current hunting levels are unsustainable. The lion hunting industry in Tanzania is run by the private sector, although the government leases each hunting block to companies, enforces hunting regulation, and allocates them a species-specific annual quota per block. The length of these leases varies and theories surrounding property rights and tenure suggest hunting levels would be less sustainable in blocks experiencing a high turnover of short-term leases. We explored this issue using lion data collected from 1996 to 2008 in the Selous Game Reserve (SGR), the most important trophy hunting destination in Tanzania. We found that blocks in SGR with the highest lion hunting offtake were also those that experienced the steepest declines in trophy offtake. In addition, we found this high hunting offtake and the resultant offtake decline tended to be in blocks under short-term tenure. In contrast, lion hunting levels in blocks under long-term tenure matched more closely the recommended sustainable offtake of 0.92 lions per 1000 km2. However, annual financial returns were higher from blocks under short-term tenure, providing $133 per km2 of government revenue as compared to $62 per km2 from long-term tenure blocks. Our results provide evidence for the importance of property rights in conservation, and support calls for an overhaul of the system in

Sustainability and Long Term-Tenure: Lion Trophy Hunting in Tanzania.

PubMed

Brink, Henry; Smith, Robert J; Skinner, Kirsten; Leader-Williams, Nigel

2016-01-01

It is argued that trophy hunting of large, charismatic mammal species can have considerable conservation benefits but only if undertaken sustainably. Social-ecological theory suggests such sustainability only results from developing governance systems that balance financial and biological requirements. Here we use lion (Panthera leo) trophy hunting data from Tanzania to investigate how resource ownership patterns influence hunting revenue and offtake levels. Tanzania contains up to half of the global population of free-ranging lions and is also the main location for lion trophy hunting in Africa. However, there are concerns that current hunting levels are unsustainable. The lion hunting industry in Tanzania is run by the private sector, although the government leases each hunting block to companies, enforces hunting regulation, and allocates them a species-specific annual quota per block. The length of these leases varies and theories surrounding property rights and tenure suggest hunting levels would be less sustainable in blocks experiencing a high turnover of short-term leases. We explored this issue using lion data collected from 1996 to 2008 in the Selous Game Reserve (SGR), the most important trophy hunting destination in Tanzania. We found that blocks in SGR with the highest lion hunting offtake were also those that experienced the steepest declines in trophy offtake. In addition, we found this high hunting offtake and the resultant offtake decline tended to be in blocks under short-term tenure. In contrast, lion hunting levels in blocks under long-term tenure matched more closely the recommended sustainable offtake of 0.92 lions per 1000 km2. However, annual financial returns were higher from blocks under short-term tenure, providing $133 per km2 of government revenue as compared to $62 per km2 from long-term tenure blocks. Our results provide evidence for the importance of property rights in conservation, and support calls for an overhaul of the system in

Post-Learning Arousal Change and Long-Term Retention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, V.K.; Farley, Frank H.

This study examined the effects on long-term retention of variations in intensity and of temporal parameters of arousal following a single learning trial in a paired-associate task. The subjects were 56 female university students. Intensity of arousal was manipulated by using two levels of white noise--75 decibels and 90 decibels sound pressure…

Future of long-term care financing for the elderly in Korea.

PubMed

Kwon, Soonman

2008-01-01

With rapid aging, change in family structure, and the increase in the labor participation of women, the demand for long-term care has been increasing in Korea. Inappropriate utilization of medical care by the elderly in health care institutions, such as social admissions, also puts a financial burden on the health insurance system. The widening gap between the need for long-term care and the capacity of welfare programs to fulfill that need, along with a rather new national pension scheme and the limited economic capacity of the elderly, calls for a new public financing mechanism to provide protection for a broader range of old people from the costs of long-term care. Many important decisions are yet to be made, although Korea is likely to introduce social insurance for long-term care rather than tax-based financing, following the tradition of social health insurance. Whether it should cover only the elderly longterm care or all types of long-term care including disability of all age groups will have a critical impact on social solidarity and the financial sustainability of the new long-term care insurance. Generosity of benefits or the level of out-of-pocket payment, the role of cash benefits, and the relation with health insurance scheme all should be taken into account in the design of a new financing scheme. Lack of care personnel and facilities is also a barrier to the implementation of public long-term care financing in Korea, and the implementation strategy needs to be carved out carefully.

Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome after selective feticide in monochorionic pregnancies.

PubMed

van Klink, Jmm; Koopman, H M; Middeldorp, J M; Klumper, F J; Rijken, M; Oepkes, D; Lopriore, E

2015-10-01

To assess the incidence of and risk factors for adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in complicated monochorionic pregnancies treated with selective feticide at our centre between 2000 and 2011. Observational cohort study. National referral centre for fetal therapy (Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands). Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed in 74 long-term survivors. Children, at least 2 years of age, underwent an assessment of neurologic, motor and cognitive development using standardised psychometric tests and the parents completed a behavioural questionnaire. A composite outcome termed neurodevelopmental impairment including cerebral palsy (GMFCS II-V), cognitive and/or motor test score of <70, bilateral blindness or bilateral deafness requiring amplification. A total of 131 monochorionic pregnancies were treated with selective feticide at the Leiden University Medical Centre. Overall survival rate was 88/131 (67%). Long-term outcome was assessed in 74/88 (84%). Neurodevelopmental impairment was detected in 5/74 [6.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-12.5] of survivors. Overall adverse outcome, including perinatal mortality or neurodevelopmental impairment was 48/131 (36.6%). In multivariate analysis, parental educational level was associated with cognitive test scores (regression coefficient B 3.9, 95% CI 1.8-6.0). Behavioural problems were reported in 10/69 (14.5%). Adverse long-term outcome in survivor twins of complicated monochorionic pregnancies treated with selective feticide appears to be more prevalent than in the general population. Cognitive test scores were associated with parental educational level. Neurodevelopmental impairment after selective feticide was detected in 5/74 (6.8%, 95% CI 1.1-12.5) of survivors. © 2015 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Disrupted Bone Metabolism in Long-Term Bedridden Patients.

PubMed

Eimori, Keiko; Endo, Naoto; Uchiyama, Seiji; Takahashi, Yoshinori; Kawashima, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Kei

2016-01-01

Bedridden patients are at risk of osteoporosis and fractures, although the long-term bone metabolic processes in these patients are poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine how long-term bed confinement affects bone metabolism. This study included 36 patients who had been bedridden from birth due to severe immobility. Bone mineral density and bone metabolism markers were compared to the bedridden period in all study patients. Changes in the bone metabolism markers during a follow-up of 12 years were studied in 17 patients aged <30 years at baseline. The bone mineral density was reduced (0.58±0.19 g/cm3), and the osteocalcin (13.9±12.4 ng/mL) and urine N-terminal telopeptide (NTX) levels (146.9±134.0 mM BCE/mM creatinine) were greater than the cutoff value for predicting fracture. Among the bone metabolism markers studied, osteocalcin and NTX were negatively associated with the bedridden period. During the follow-up, osteocalcin and parathyroid hormone were decreased, and the 25(OH) vitamin D was increased. NTX at baseline was negatively associated with bone mineral density after 12 years. Unique bone metabolic abnormalities were found in patients who had been bedridden for long periods, and these metabolic abnormalities were altered by further bed confinement. Appropriate treatment based on the unique bone metabolic changes may be important in long-term bedridden patients.

Performance considerations in long-term spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akins, F. R.

1979-01-01

Maintenance of skilled performance during extended space flight is of critical importance to both the health and safety of crew members and to the overall success of mission goals. An examination of long term effects and performance requirements is therefore a factor of immense importance to the planning of future missions. Factors that were investigated include: definition of performance categories to be investigated; methods for assessing and predicting performance levels; in-flight factors which can affect performance; and factors pertinent to the maintenance of skilled performance.

Impact of long-term care insurance on institutional dementia care in Japan.

PubMed

Ito, Hiroto; Miyamoto, Yuki

2003-06-01

Japan started long-term care insurance for nursing and home help services in April 2000 to cope with growing medical expenditures for the population aged over 65. To study the impact of the new insurance on utilization of dementia care, we compared demographic and clinical characteristics including diagnosis, degree of disability and behavioral disturbance before and after the launch among people with dementia covered by either long-term care or medical insurance. The subjects of the study were randomly selected patients/residents of specialized dementia care units in both psychiatric hospitals and geriatric care facilities before (1145 patients/residents in early 2000) and after (262 for medical insurance and 205 for long-term care insurance in 2001) the new system was launched. Although patients/residents in 2000 and 2001 were similar as a whole, the 2001 sample showed differences between patients in each of the types of insurance systems. Logistic regression analysis revealed that patients/residents covered by long-term care insurance were significantly more likely to be females and require higher levels of care. Patients covered by long-term care insurance were significantly less likely to be transferred from a psychiatric department nor did they display behavioral disturbance or an inability to put out or deal with fire. These results suggest that health care facilities have shifted to the new insurance system for patients requiring higher levels of care but without behavioral disturbances as it was intended. On the other hand, there were policy concerns of that demented persons with moderate activities of daily living impairments and behavioral disturbances would be at risk being excluded from the long-term care scheme.

A new ring-shaped graphite monitor ionization chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshizumi, M. T.; Caldas, L. V. E.

2010-07-01

A ring-shaped monitor ionization chamber was developed at the Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares. This ionization chamber presents an entrance window of aluminized polyester foil. The guard ring and collecting electrode are made of graphite coated Lucite plates. The main difference between this new ionization chamber and commercial monitor chambers is its ring-shaped design. The new monitor chamber has a central hole, allowing the passage of the direct radiation beam without attenuation; only the penumbra radiation is measured by the sensitive volume. This kind of ionization chamber design has already been tested, but using aluminium electrodes. By changing the electrode material from aluminium to a graphite coating, an improvement in the chamber response stability was expected. The pre-operational tests, as saturation curve, recombination loss and polarity effect showed satisfactory results. The repeatability and the long-term stability tests were also evaluated, showing good agreement with international recommendations.

Discrimination of excess toxicity from baseline level for ionizable compounds: Effect of pH.

PubMed

Li, Jin J; Zhang, Xu J; Wang, Xiao H; Wang, Shuo; Yu, Yang; Qin, Wei C; Su, Li M; Zhao, Yuan H

2016-03-01

The toxic effect can be affected by pH in water through affecting the degree of ionization of ionizable compounds. Wrong classification of mode of action can be made from the apparent toxicities. In this paper, the toxicity data of 61 compounds to Daphnia magna determined at three pH values were used to investigate the effect of pH on the discrimination of excess toxicity. The results show that the apparent toxicities are significantly less than the baseline level. Analysis on the effect of pH on bioconcentration factor (BCF) shows that the log BCF values are significantly over-estimated for the strongly ionizable compounds, leading to the apparent toxicities greatly less than the baseline toxicities and the toxic ratios greatly less than zero. A theoretical equation between the apparent toxicities and pH has been developed basing on the critical body residue (CBR). The apparent toxicities are non-linearly related to pH, but linearly to fraction of unionized form. The determined apparent toxicities are well fitted with the toxicities predicted by the equation. The toxicities in the unionized form calculated from the equation are close to, or greater than the baseline level for almost all the strongly ionizable compounds, which are very different from the apparent toxicities. The studied ionizable compounds can be either classified as baseline, less inert or reactive compounds in D. magna toxicity. Some ionizable compounds do not exhibit excess toxicity at a certain pH, due not to their poor reactivity with target molecules, but because of the ionization in water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long Periodic Terms in the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bretagnon, P.

1982-01-01

The long period variations of the first eight planets in the solar system are studied. First, the Lagrangian solution is calculated and then the long period terms with fourth order eccentricities and inclinations are introduced into the perturbation function. A second approximation was made taking into account the short period terms' contribution, namely the perturbations of first order with respect to the masses. Special attention was paid to the determination of the integration constants. The relative importance of the different contributions is shown. It is useless, for example, to introduce the long period terms of fifth order if no account has been taken of the short period terms. Meanwhile, the terms that have been neglected would not introduce large changes in the integration constants. Even so, the calculation should be repeated with higher order short period terms and fifth order long periods.

Imaging windows for long-term intravital imaging

PubMed Central

Alieva, Maria; Ritsma, Laila; Giedt, Randy J; Weissleder, Ralph; van Rheenen, Jacco

2014-01-01

Intravital microscopy is increasingly used to visualize and quantitate dynamic biological processes at the (sub)cellular level in live animals. By visualizing tissues through imaging windows, individual cells (e.g., cancer, host, or stem cells) can be tracked and studied over a time-span of days to months. Several imaging windows have been developed to access tissues including the brain, superficial fascia, mammary glands, liver, kidney, pancreas, and small intestine among others. Here, we review the development of imaging windows and compare the most commonly used long-term imaging windows for cancer biology: the cranial imaging window, the dorsal skin fold chamber, the mammary imaging window, and the abdominal imaging window. Moreover, we provide technical details, considerations, and trouble-shooting tips on the surgical procedures and microscopy setups for each imaging window and explain different strategies to assure imaging of the same area over multiple imaging sessions. This review aims to be a useful resource for establishing the long-term intravital imaging procedure. PMID:28243510

Long-Term Hearing Results After Ossiculoplasty.

PubMed

Cox, Matthew D; Trinidade, Aaron; Russell, James Shep; Dornhoffer, John L

2017-04-01

To determine if the OOPS index is predictive of long-term hearing results after ossiculoplasty. Case series with retrospective chart review. Tertiary care otology practice. Adult and pediatric patients (3-88 years of age). Ossiculoplasty with cartilage tympanoplasty, with or without mastoidectomy. Primary outcome measures included short-term hearing results (pure-tone average air-bone gap [PTA-ABG] measured between 60 days and 1 year after surgery), long-term hearing results (PTA-ABG measured ≥5 years after surgery), and the rate of successful ABG closure to ≤20 dB. Secondary measures included the need for revision surgery, delayed tympanic membrane graft failure, worsening conductive hearing loss (after an initially satisfactory hearing result), and recurrence of cholesteatoma. There was no significant difference between adults and children for short-term hearing results (average post-op PTA-ABG was 18.9 dB vs. 19.8 dB, respectively; p = 0.544), long-term hearing results (average final PTA-ABG was 19.3 dB vs. 19.4 dB, respectively; p = 0.922), or rate of ABG closure to less than 20 dB (63.1% vs. 58.0%, p = 0.282). Spearman's rank-order correlation (ρ) identified a strong positive correlation between OOPS index score and average post-operative PTA-ABG (ρ = 0.983; p < 0.001; 2-tailed), as well as average long-term PTA-ABG (ρ = 0.950, p < 0.001; 2-tailed). The OOPS index makes it possible to accurately prognosticate hearing outcomes in adult and pediatric patients undergoing ossiculoplasty in both the short term and the long term.

[Association between Service Utilization Patterns and Frailty in the Elderly Certified at the Support Level in the Long-term Care Insurance System].

PubMed

Yoshiyuki, Noriko; Kono, Ayumi; Soga, Tomoko; Kanaya, Yukiko; Hotta, Kuniko

2016-01-01

This cross-sectional study clarified the association between service utilization patterns and frailty in the elderly certified at the support level in Japan's long-term care insurance (LTCI) system. We analyzed 710 subjects who completed in-home assessments and interviews from 1,033 elderly aged 65 and over living in Izumiotsu who had been certified at the LTCI support level in August 2014. The long-term service utilization data were collected from the local governmental office. Frailty was examined by the in-home structured assessment conducted by local health and welfare professionals. As frailty indicators, we measured subjects' frailty using the Kaigo-Yobo-Checklist (CL frailty), handgrip strength, body mass index, depression, and cognitive function. Long-term service utilization patterns were classified into five patterns: (1) home helper service only, (2) day care service only, (3) home helper and day care service, (4) one or more other services (using at least one other service regardless of home helper or day care), and (5) no service utilization. Odds ratios (ORs) of each frailty indicator were estimated by service utilization patterns by using logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic characteristics, with the other services group as the reference category. Out of 710 subjects (100%), the proportions of the service utilization patterns were as follows: home helper service only, 17.9%; day care service only, 15.6%; home helper and day care service, 13.1%; one or more other services, 27.0%; and no service utilization, 26.3%. The logistic regression analyses showed that compared with the one or more other services group, the day care service only group had lower odds of CL frailty (OR=0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.34 to 0.95) and lower odds of low handgrip strength (OR=0.59, 95% CI=0.35 to 1.00). The no service utilization group had lower odds of CL frailty (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.32 to 0.79) and lower odds of low handgrip strength (OR=0.58, 95

Revised energy levels of singly ionized lanthanum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güzelçimen, Feyza; Tonka, Mehdi; Uddin, Zaheer; Bhatti, Naveed Anjum; Windholz, Laurentius; Kröger, Sophie; Başar, Gönül

2018-05-01

Based on the experimental wavenumbers of 344 spectral lines from calibrated Fourier transform (FT) spectra as well as wavenumbers of 81 lines from the wavelength tables from literature, the energy of 115 fine structure levels of singly ionized lanthanum has been revised by weighted global fits. The classifications of the lines are provided by numerous previous investigations of lanthanum by different spectroscopic methods and authors. For the high accurate determination of the center of gravity wavenumbers from the experimental spectrum, the hyperfine constants of the involved levels have been taken into account, if possible. For the 94 levels with known hyperfine constants the accuracy of energy values is better than 0.01 cm-1. For 34 levels the magnetic dipole hyperfine constants A have been determined from FT spectra as part of this work. For four of these 34 levels even electric quadrupole hyperfine constants B could be estimated. For levels, which have experimentally unknown hyperfine constants and which are connected only by lines not found in the FT spectra but taken from literature, the uncertainties of energy values are about a factor of 10 higher. A list of all revised level energies together with a compilation of hyperfine structure data is given as well as a list of all lines used.

Similarities and Differences Between Working Memory and Long-Term Memory: Evidence From the Levels-of-Processing Span Task

PubMed Central

Rose, Nathan S.; Myerson, Joel; Roediger, Henry L.; Hale, Sandra

2010-01-01

Two experiments compared the effects of depth of processing on working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) using a levels-of-processing (LOP) span task, a newly developed WM span procedure that involves processing to-be-remembered words based on their visual, phonological, or semantic characteristics. Depth of processing had minimal effect on WM tests, yet subsequent memory for the same items on delayed tests showed the typical benefits of semantic processing. Although the difference in LOP effects demonstrates a dissociation between WM and LTM, we also found that the retrieval practice provided by recalling words on the WM task benefited long-term retention, especially for words initially recalled from supraspan lists. The latter result is consistent with the hypothesis that WM span tasks involve retrieval from secondary memory, but the LOP dissociation suggests the processes engaged by WM and LTM tests may differ. Therefore, similarities and differences between WM and LTM depend on the extent to which retrieval from secondary memory is involved and whether there is a match (or mismatch) between initial processing and subsequent retrieval, consistent with transfer-appropriate-processing theory. PMID:20192543

Short-term memory and long-term memory are still different.

PubMed

Norris, Dennis

2017-09-01

A commonly expressed view is that short-term memory (STM) is nothing more than activated long-term memory. If true, this would overturn a central tenet of cognitive psychology-the idea that there are functionally and neurobiologically distinct short- and long-term stores. Here I present an updated case for a separation between short- and long-term stores, focusing on the computational demands placed on any STM system. STM must support memory for previously unencountered information, the storage of multiple tokens of the same type, and variable binding. None of these can be achieved simply by activating long-term memory. For example, even a simple sequence of digits such as "1, 3, 1" where there are 2 tokens of the digit "1" cannot be stored in the correct order simply by activating the representations of the digits "1" and "3" in LTM. I also review recent neuroimaging data that has been presented as evidence that STM is activated LTM and show that these data are exactly what one would expect to see based on a conventional 2-store view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Short-Term Memory and Long-Term Memory are Still Different

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A commonly expressed view is that short-term memory (STM) is nothing more than activated long-term memory. If true, this would overturn a central tenet of cognitive psychology—the idea that there are functionally and neurobiologically distinct short- and long-term stores. Here I present an updated case for a separation between short- and long-term stores, focusing on the computational demands placed on any STM system. STM must support memory for previously unencountered information, the storage of multiple tokens of the same type, and variable binding. None of these can be achieved simply by activating long-term memory. For example, even a simple sequence of digits such as “1, 3, 1” where there are 2 tokens of the digit “1” cannot be stored in the correct order simply by activating the representations of the digits “1” and “3” in LTM. I also review recent neuroimaging data that has been presented as evidence that STM is activated LTM and show that these data are exactly what one would expect to see based on a conventional 2-store view. PMID:28530428

Effect of aromatherapy massage on elderly patients under long-term hospitalization in Japan.

PubMed

Satou, Tadaaki; Chikama, Mizuki; Chikama, Yoshiko; Hachigo, Masato; Urayama, Haruna; Murakami, Shio; Hayashi, Shinichiro; Koikem, Kazuo

2013-03-01

To verify the effectiveness of aromatherapy massage on elderly patients under long-term hospitalization. Aromatherapy massage was performed twice a week for a total of eight times. Nursing home. Elderly women under long-term hospitalization. Questionnaire and measurement of stress marker levels (salivary amylase activity) before and after the first, fifth, and eighth aromatherapy massages. Questionnaire (Face scale, General Health Questionnaire-12 [GHQ-12]), measurement of salivary amylase activity. A decrease in stress after aromatherapy massage compared to before each massage was confirmed at all measurement times and with the stress marker. No marked reduction was observed in Face scale or saliva amylase activity as a whole over the long term, although decreasing tendencies were seen. Marked reductions in GHQ-12 were observed over the long term. Aroma massage appears likely to prove effective in reducing psychological stress among elderly patients under long-term hospitalization.

Development of a new experimental device for long-duration magnetic reconnection in weakly ionized plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanai, Ryoma; Kaminou, Yasuhiro; Nishida, Kento; Inomoto, Michiaki

2016-10-01

Magnetic reconnection is a universal phenomenon which determines global structure and energy conversion in magnetized plasmas. Many experimental studies have been carried out to explore the physics of magnetic reconnection in fully ionized condition. However, it is predicted that the behavior of magnetic reconnection in weakly ionized plasmas such as solar chromosphere plasma will show different behavior such as ambipolar diffusion caused by interaction with neutral particles. In this research, we are developing a new experimental device to uncover the importance of ambipolar diffusion during magnetic reconnection in weakly ionized plasmas. We employ an inverter-driven rotating magnetic fields technique, which is used for generating steady azimuthal plasma current, to establish long-duration ( 1 ms) anti-parallel reconnection with magnetic field of 5 mT in weakly ionized plasma. We will present development status and initial results from the new experimental setup. This work was supported by JSPS A3 Foresight Program ``Innovative Tokamak Plasma Startup and Current Drive in Spherical Torus'', Giant-in Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) 15H05750, 15K14279, 26287143 and the NIFS Collaboration Research program (NIFS14KNWP004).

Experimental study of H2SO4 aerosol nucleation at high ionization levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomicic, Maja; Bødker Enghoff, Martin; Svensmark, Henrik

2018-04-01

One hundred and ten direct measurements of aerosol nucleation rate at high ionization levels were performed in an 8 m3 reaction chamber. Neutral and ion-induced particle formation from sulfuric acid (H2SO4) was studied as a function of ionization and H2SO4 concentration. Other species that could have participated in the nucleation, such as NH3 or organic compounds, were not measured but assumed constant, and the concentration was estimated based on the parameterization by Gordon et al. (2017). Our parameter space is thus [H2SO4] = 4×106 - 3×107 cm-3, [NH3+ org] = 2.2 ppb, T = 295 K, RH = 38 %, and ion concentrations of 1700-19 000 cm-3. The ion concentrations, which correspond to levels caused by a nearby supernova, were achieved with gamma ray sources. Nucleation rates were directly measured with a particle size magnifier (PSM Airmodus A10) at a size close to critical cluster size (mobility diameter of ˜ 1.4 nm) and formation rates at a mobility diameter of ˜ 4 nm were measured with a CPC (TSI model 3775). The measurements show that nucleation increases by around an order of magnitude when the ionization increases from background to supernova levels under fixed gas conditions. The results expand the parameterization presented in Dunne et al. (2016) and Gordon et al. (2017) (for [NH3 + org] = 2.2 ppb and T = 295 K) to lower sulfuric acid concentrations and higher ion concentrations. The results make it possible to expand the parameterization presented in Dunne et al. (2016) and Gordon et al. (2017) to higher ionization levels.

Long-Term Memory Performance in Adult ADHD.

PubMed

Skodzik, Timo; Holling, Heinz; Pedersen, Anya

2017-02-01

Memory problems are a frequently reported symptom in adult ADHD, and it is well-documented that adults with ADHD perform poorly on long-term memory tests. However, the cause of this effect is still controversial. The present meta-analysis examined underlying mechanisms that may lead to long-term memory impairments in adult ADHD. We performed separate meta-analyses of measures of memory acquisition and long-term memory using both verbal and visual memory tests. In addition, the influence of potential moderator variables was examined. Adults with ADHD performed significantly worse than controls on verbal but not on visual long-term memory and memory acquisition subtests. The long-term memory deficit was strongly statistically related to the memory acquisition deficit. In contrast, no retrieval problems were observable. Our results suggest that memory deficits in adult ADHD reflect a learning deficit induced at the stage of encoding. Implications for clinical and research settings are presented.

Long-Term Ground-Water Levels and Transmissivity in the Blackstone River Basin, Northern Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eggleston, Jack R.; Church, Peter E.; Barbaro, Jeffrey R.

2007-01-01

Ground water provides about 7.7 million gallons per day, or 28 percent of total water use in the Rhode Island part of the Blackstone River Basin. Primary aquifers in the basin are stratified glacial deposits, composed mostly of sand and gravel along valley bottoms. The ground-water and surface-water system in the Blackstone River Basin is under stress due to population growth, out-of-basin water transfers, industrialization, and changing land-use patterns. Streamflow periodically drops below the Aquatic Base Flow standard, and ground-water withdrawals add to stress on aquatic habitat during low-flow periods. Existing hydrogeologic data were reviewed to examine historical water-level trends and to generate contour maps of water-table altitudes and transmissivity of the sand and gravel aquifer in the Blackstone River Basin in Rhode Island. On the basis of data from four long-term observation wells, water levels appear to have risen slightly in the study area during the past 55 years. Analysis of available data indicates that increased rainfall during the same period is a likely contributor to the water-level rise. Spatial patterns of transmissivity are shown over larger areas and have been refined on the basis of more detailed data coverage as compared to previous mapping studies.

Long-term effect of urethral dilatation and internal urethrotomy for urethral strictures.

PubMed

Veeratterapillay, Rajan; Pickard, Rob S

2012-11-01

Urethral dilatation and direct visual internal urethrotomy (DVIU) are widely used minimally invasive options to manage men with urethral strictures. Advances in open urethroplasty with better long-term cure rates have fuelled the continuing debate as to which treatment is best for primary and recurrent urethral strictures. We reviewed recent literature to identify contemporary practice of urethral dilatation and DVIU and the long-term outcome of these procedures. Systematic literature search for the period January 2010 to December 2011 showed that urethral dilatation and DVIU remain frequently used treatment options as confirmed by surveys of urologists in the USA and the Netherlands. Multiple reports of laser DVIU confirm the safety of this approach but long-term data were lacking. Stricture free rates from urethra dilatation and DVIU vary from 10 to 90% at 12 months, although adjunctive intermittent self-dilatation can reduce time to recurrence. Although quality-of-life benefit appears good in the short term, repeated procedures may harm sexual function in the long-term. Urethral dilatation and DVIU remain widely used in urethral stricture management but high-level comparative evidence of benefit and harms against urethroplasty in the short and long-term is still lacking.

Virtual Models of Long-Term Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phenice, Lillian A.; Griffore, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home-care organizations, use web sites to describe their services to potential consumers. This virtual ethnographic study developed models representing how potential consumers may understand this information using data from web sites of 69 long-term-care providers. The content of long-term-care web…

Botulinum toxin type A in simple motor tics: short-term and long-term treatment-effects.

PubMed

Rath, Judith J G; Tavy, Dénes L J; Wertenbroek, Agnes A A C M; van Woerkom, Theodoor C A M; de Bruijn, Sebastiaan F T M

2010-08-01

To determine the short-term and long-term treatment-effects of botulinum toxin type A in simple motor tics, we analyzed 15 consecutive patients (18 tics) with simple motor tics that were treated every 3 months with injections of BTX-A. Efficacy (rated on a 4-level scale) and duration of effect of the first 2 and last 2 (if treated 5 times or more) treatments were recorded, as well as latency of response, changes of premonitory urges (PMUs) and possible side effects. Total number of treatments for each tic varied from 2 to 50 (mean 11, median 6). In 16 of 18 tics (89%) short-term efficacy was reported successful (good or moderate). Long-term efficacy was reported in 12 tics of which 11 showed similar or even increased beneficial effects. Premonitory urge (PMU) was reported in 8 patients (53%). PMU, if present, lessened or disappeared after treatment with BTX-A. A permanent remission of the treated tic was seen in 3 patients with a maximum follow-up of 10 years. BTX-A appears a safe and effective treatment for simple motor tics and retains its efficacy after long-term treatment. BTX may also induce permanent remission of the treated tics and effects of BTX are not restricted to merely motor behaviour.

Spectrum and Energy Levels of Five-Times Ionized Zirconium (Zr VI)

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Mark D.

2016-01-01

We carried out a new analysis of the spectrum of five-times-ionized zirconium Zr VI. For this we used sliding-spark discharges together with normal- and grazing-incidence spectrographs to observe the spectrum from 160 to 2000 Å. These observations showed that the analysis of this spectrum by Khan Z. A. et al. 1985 Phys. Scr. 31 837 contained a significant number of incorrect energy levels. We have now classified ∼420 lines as transitions between 23 even-parity levels 73 odd-parity levels. The 4s24p5, 4s4p6, 4s24p44d, 5s, 5d, 6s configurations are now complete, although a few levels of 4s24p45d are tentative. We determined Ritz-type wavelengths for ∼135 lines from the optimized energy levels. The uncertainties range from 0.0003 to 0.0020 Å. Hartree-Fock calculations and least-squares fits of the energy parameters to the observed levels were used to interpret the observed configurations. Oscillator strengths for all classified lines were calculated with the fitted parameters. The results are compared with values for the level energies, percentage compositions, and transition probabilities from recent ab initio theoretical calculations. The ionization energy was revised to 777380±300 cm-1 (96.38±0.04 eV). PMID:27325903

Spectrum and Energy Levels of Five-Times Ionized Zirconium (Zr VI).

PubMed

Reader, Joseph; Lindsay, Mark D

2016-02-01

We carried out a new analysis of the spectrum of five-times-ionized zirconium Zr VI. For this we used sliding-spark discharges together with normal- and grazing-incidence spectrographs to observe the spectrum from 160 to 2000 Å. These observations showed that the analysis of this spectrum by Khan Z. A. et al. 1985 Phys. Scr. 31 837 contained a significant number of incorrect energy levels. We have now classified ∼420 lines as transitions between 23 even-parity levels 73 odd-parity levels. The 4s 2 4p 5 , 4s4p 6 , 4s 2 4p 4 4d, 5s, 5d, 6s configurations are now complete, although a few levels of 4s 2 4p 4 5d are tentative. We determined Ritz-type wavelengths for ∼135 lines from the optimized energy levels. The uncertainties range from 0.0003 to 0.0020 Å. Hartree-Fock calculations and least-squares fits of the energy parameters to the observed levels were used to interpret the observed configurations. Oscillator strengths for all classified lines were calculated with the fitted parameters. The results are compared with values for the level energies, percentage compositions, and transition probabilities from recent ab initio theoretical calculations. The ionization energy was revised to 777380±300 cm -1 (96.38±0.04 eV).

Spectrum and energy levels of five-times ionized zirconium (Zr VI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reader, Joseph; Lindsay, Mark D.

2016-02-01

We carried out a new analysis of the spectrum of five-times-ionized zirconium Zr VI. For this we used sliding-spark discharges together with normal- and grazing-incidence spectrographs to observe the spectrum from 160 to 2000 Å. These observations showed that the analysis of this spectrum by Khan et al (1985 Phys. Scr. 31 837) contained a significant number of incorrect energy levels. We have now classified ˜420 lines as transitions between 23 even-parity levels 73 odd-parity levels. The 4s24p5, 4s4p6, 4s24p44d, 5s, 5d, 6s configurations are now complete, although a few levels of 4s24p45d are tentative. We determined Ritz-type wavelengths for ˜135 lines from the optimized energy levels. The uncertainties range from 0.0003 to 0.0020 Å. Hartree-Fock calculations and least-squares fits of the energy parameters to the observed levels were used to interpret the observed configurations. Oscillator strengths for all classified lines were calculated with the fitted parameters. The results are compared with values for the level energies, percentage compositions, and transition probabilities from recent ab initio theoretical calculations. The ionization energy was revised to 777 380 ± 300 cm-1 (96.38 ± 0.04 eV).

Prevalence of Long-Term Opioid Use in Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents.

PubMed

Hunnicutt, Jacob N; Chrysanthopoulou, Stavroula A; Ulbricht, Christine M; Hume, Anne L; Tjia, Jennifer; Lapane, Kate L

2018-01-01

Overall and long-term opioid use among older adults have increased since 1999. Less is known about opioid use in older adults in nursing homes (NHs). Cross-sectional. U.S. NHs (N = 13,522). Long-stay NH resident Medicare beneficiaries with a Minimum Data Set 3.0 (MDS) assessment between April 1, 2012, and June 30, 2012, and 120 days of follow-up (N = 315,949). We used Medicare Part D claims to measure length of opioid use in the 120 days from the index assessment (short-term: ≤30 days, medium-term: >30-89 days, long-term: ≥90 days), adjuvants (e.g., anticonvulsants), and other pain medications (e.g., corticosteroids). MDS assessments in the follow-up period were used to measure nonpharmacological pain management use. Modified Poisson models were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for age, gender, race and ethnicity, cognitive and physical impairment, and long-term opioid use. Of all long-stay residents, 32.4% were prescribed any opioid, and 15.5% were prescribed opioids long-term. Opioid users (versus nonusers) were more commonly prescribed pain adjuvants (32.9% vs 14.9%), other pain medications (25.5% vs 11.0%), and nonpharmacological pain management (24.5% vs 9.3%). Long-term opioid use was higher in women (aPR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.18-1.23) and lower in racial and ethnic minorities (non-Hispanic blacks vs whites: APR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.90-0.94) and those with severe cognitive impairment (vs no or mild impairment, aPR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.79-0.83). One in seven NH residents was prescribed opioids long-term. Recent guidelines on opioid prescribing for pain recommend reducing long-term opioid use, but this is challenging in NHs because residents may not benefit from nonpharmacological and nonopioid interventions. Studies to address concerns about opioid safety and effectiveness (e.g., on pain and functional status) in NHs are needed. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics

[Variations of soil fertility level in red soil region under long-term fertilization].

PubMed

Yu, Han-qing; Xu, Ming-gang; Lü, Jia-long; Bao, Yao-xian; Sun, Nan; Gao, Ju-sheng

2010-07-01

Based on the long-term (1982-2007) field experiment of "anthropogenic mellowing of raw soil" at the Qiyang red soil experimental station under Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and by using numerical theory, this paper studied the variations of the fertility level of granite red soil, quaternary red soil, and purple sandy shale soil under six fertilization patterns. The fertilization patterns included non-fertilization (CK), straw-returning without fertilizers (CKR), chemical fertilization (NPK), NPK plus straw-return (NPKR), rice straw application (M), and M plus straw-return (MR). The soil integrated fertility index (IFI) was significantly positively correlated with relative crop yield, and could better indicate soil fertility level. The IFI values of the three soils all were in the order of NPK, NPKR > M, MR > CK, CKR, with the highest value in treatment NPKR (0.77, 0.71, and 0.71 for granite red soil, quaternary red soil, and purple sandy shale soil, respectively). Comparing with that in the treatments of no straw-return, the IFI value in the treatments of straw return was increased by 6.72%-18.83%. A turning point of the IFI for all the three soils was observed at about 7 years of anthropogenic mellowing, and the annual increasing rate of the IFI was in the sequence of purple sandy shale soil (0.016 a(-1)) > quaternary red clay soil (0.011 a(-1)) > granite red soil (0.006 a(-1)). It was suggested that a combined application of organic and chemical fertilizers and/or straw return could be an effective and fast measure to enhance the soil fertility level in red soil region.

Carotenoid distribution in wild Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica) exposed to ionizing radiation in Fukushima.

PubMed

Giraudeau, Mathieu; Bonzom, Jean-Marc; Ducatez, Simon; Beaugelin-Seiller, Karine; Deviche, Pierre; Lengagne, Thierry; Cavalie, Isabelle; Camilleri, Virginie; Adam-Guillermin, Christelle; McGraw, Kevin J

2018-05-09

The nuclear accident in the Fukushima prefecture released a large amount of artificial radionuclides that might have short- and long-term biological effects on wildlife. Ionizing radiation can be a harmful source of reactive oxygen species, and previous studies have already shown reduced fitness effects in exposed animals in Chernobyl. Due to their potential health benefits, carotenoid pigments might be used by animals to limit detrimental effects of ionizing radiation exposure. Here, we examined concentrations of carotenoids in blood (i.e. a snapshot of levels in circulation), liver (endogenous carotenoid reserves), and the vocal sac skin (sexual signal) in relation to the total radiation dose rates absorbed by individual (TDR from 0.2 to 34 µGy/h) Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica). We found high within-site variability of TDRs, but no significant effects of the TDR on tissue carotenoid levels, suggesting that carotenoid distribution in amphibians might be less sensitive to ionizing radiation exposure than in other organisms or that the potential deleterious effects of radiation exposure might be less significant or more difficult to detect in Fukushima than in Chernobyl due to, among other things, differences in the abundance and mixture of each radionuclide.

Learning, memory and long-term potentiation are altered in Nedd4 heterozygous mice.

PubMed

Camera, Daria; Coleman, Harold A; Parkington, Helena C; Jenkins, Trisha A; Pow, David V; Boase, Natasha; Kumar, Sharad; Poronnik, Philip

2016-04-15

The consolidation of short-term memory into long-term memory involves changing protein level and activity for the synaptic plasticity required for long-term potentiation (LTP). AMPA receptor trafficking is a key determinant of LTP and recently ubiquitination by Nedd4 has been shown to play an important role via direct action on the GluA1 subunit, although the physiological relevance of these findings are yet to be determined. We therefore investigated learning and memory in Nedd4(+/-) mice that have a 50% reduction in levels of Nedd4. These mice showed decreased long-term spatial memory as evidenced by significant increases in the time taken to learn the location of and subsequently find a platform in the Morris water maze. In contrast, there were no significant differences between Nedd4(+/+) and Nedd4(+/-) mice in terms of short-term spatial memory in a Y-maze test. Nedd4(+/-) mice also displayed a significant reduction in post-synaptic LTP measured in hippocampal brain slices. Immunofluorescence of Nedd4 in the hippocampus confirmed its expression in hippocampal neurons of the CA1 region. These findings indicate that reducing Nedd4 protein by 50% significantly impairs LTP and long-term memory thereby demonstrating an important role for Nedd4 in these processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of family caregivers on the use of formal long-term care in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, E-Y; Cho, E; Lee, N-J

2013-12-01

We investigated whether the presence and characteristics of a family caregiver affect the use of formal long-term care under the new Korean long-term care system. In July 2008, Korea introduced public long-term care insurance, a form of social insurance, in order to cope with the reality of the growing elderly population and the increasing demand for long-term care. The family caregivers of 271 applicants for long-term care insurance who had a caregiver and 36 applicants without a caregiver living in one city participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected from November 2010 to June 2011 using self-report questionnaires. Variables included the applicant's gender; age; physical and cognitive function; type of long-term care used; presence and type of family caregivers; caregiver's gender, age, education level, marital status, and employment status; and service use covered by long-term care insurance. Logistic multiple regression was used. The effect of the presence and characteristics of a family caregiver on the use of a long-term care facility was significant. A nursing home was used for care more frequently when the applicant had no family caregiver. An elderly subject who had a spouse as a caregiver used home healthcare services more often than nursing home services. The decision to use formal services may depend not only on the care level required by the applicant, but also on the presence and type of caregivers. To successfully implement the new long-term care insurance system, consideration of the caregiver situation should be included in policy development. © 2013 International Council of Nurses.

Weakly ionized cosmic gas: Ionization and characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberg, M.; Mendis, D. A.; Chow, V. W.

1994-01-01

Since collective plasma behavior may determine important transport processes (e.g., plasma diffusion across a magnetic field) in certain cosmic environments, it is important to delineate the parameter space in which weakly ionized cosmic gases may be characterized as plasmas. In this short note, we do so. First, we use values for the ionization fraction given in the literature, wherein the ionization is generally assumed to be due primarily to ionization by cosmic rays. We also discuss an additional mechanism for ionization in such environments, namely, the photoelectric emission of electrons from cosmic dust grains in an interstellar Far Ultra Violet (FUV) radiation field. Simple estimates suggest that under certain conditions this mechanism may dominate cosmic ray ionization, and possibly also the photoionization of metal atoms by the interstellar FUV field, and thereby lead to an enhanced ionization level.

Complex network structure influences processing in long-term and short-term memory.

PubMed

Vitevitch, Michael S; Chan, Kit Ying; Roodenrys, Steven

2012-07-01

Complex networks describe how entities in systems interact; the structure of such networks is argued to influence processing. One measure of network structure, clustering coefficient, C, measures the extent to which neighbors of a node are also neighbors of each other. Previous psycholinguistic experiments found that the C of phonological word-forms influenced retrieval from the mental lexicon (that portion of long-term memory dedicated to language) during the on-line recognition and production of spoken words. In the present study we examined how network structure influences other retrieval processes in long- and short-term memory. In a false-memory task-examining long-term memory-participants falsely recognized more words with low- than high-C. In a recognition memory task-examining veridical memories in long-term memory-participants correctly recognized more words with low- than high-C. However, participants in a serial recall task-examining redintegration in short-term memory-recalled lists comprised of high-C words more accurately than lists comprised of low-C words. These results demonstrate that network structure influences cognitive processes associated with several forms of memory including lexical, long-term, and short-term.

Long-Term Exposure to Low-Level Arsenic in Drinking Water and Diabetes Incidence: A Prospective Study of the Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort

PubMed Central

Bräuner, Elvira Vaclavik; Nordsborg, Rikke Baastrup; Andersen, Zorana Jovanovic; Tjønneland, Anne; Loft, Steffen

2014-01-01

Background: Established causes of diabetes do not fully explain the present epidemic. High-level arsenic exposure has been implicated in diabetes risk, but the effect of low-level arsenic exposure in drinking water remains unclear. Objective: We sought to determine whether long-term exposure to low-level arsenic in drinking water in Denmark is associated with an increased risk of diabetes using a large prospective cohort. Methods: During 1993–1997, we recruited 57,053 persons. We followed each cohort member for diabetes occurrence from enrollment until 31 December 2006. We traced and geocoded residential addresses of the cohort members and used a geographic information system to link addresses with water-supply areas. We estimated individual exposure to arsenic using all addresses from 1 January 1971 until the censoring date. Cox proportional hazards models were used to model the association between arsenic exposure and diabetes incidence, separately for two definitions of diabetes: all cases and a more strict definition in which cases of diabetes based solely on blood glucose results were excluded. Results: Over a mean follow-up period of 9.7 years for 52,931 eligible participants, there were a total of 4,304 (8.1%) diabetes cases, and 3,035 (5.8%) cases of diabetes based on the more strict definition. The adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) per 1-μg/L increment in arsenic levels in drinking water were as follows: IRR = 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.06) and IRR = 1.02 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.05) for all and strict diabetes cases, respectively. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to low-level arsenic in drinking water may contribute to the development of diabetes. Citation: Bräuner EV, Nordsborg RB, Andersen ZJ, Tjønneland A, Loft S, Raaschou-Nielsen O. 2014. Long-term exposure to low-level arsenic in drinking water and diabetes incidence: a prospective study of the Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. Environ Health Perspect 122:1059–1065; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408198

Long-term variation in above and belowground plant inputs alters soil organic matter biogeochemistry at the molecular-level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, M. J.; Pisani, O.; Lin, L.; Lun, O.; Simpson, A.; Lajtha, K.; Nadelhoffer, K. J.

2015-12-01

The long-term fate of soil carbon reserves with global environmental change remains uncertain. Shifts in moisture, altered nutrient cycles, species composition, or rising temperatures may alter the proportions of above and belowground biomass entering soil. However, it is unclear how long-term changes in plant inputs may alter the composition of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil carbon storage. Advanced molecular techniques were used to assess SOM composition in mineral soil horizons (0-10 cm) after 20 years of Detrital Input and Removal Treatment (DIRT) at the Harvard Forest. SOM biomarkers (solvent extraction, base hydrolysis and cupric (II) oxide oxidation) and both solid-state and solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to identify changes in SOM composition and stage of degradation. Microbial activity and community composition were assessed using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Doubling aboveground litter inputs decreased soil carbon content, increased the degradation of labile SOM and enhanced the sequestration of aliphatic compounds in soil. The exclusion of belowground inputs (No roots and No inputs) resulted in a decrease in root-derived components and enhanced the degradation of leaf-derived aliphatic structures (cutin). Cutin-derived SOM has been hypothesized to be recalcitrant but our results show that even this complex biopolymer is susceptible to degradation when inputs entering soil are altered. The PLFA data indicate that changes in soil microbial community structure favored the accelerated processing of specific SOM components with littler manipulation. These results collectively reveal that the quantity and quality of plant litter inputs alters the molecular-level composition of SOM and in some cases, enhances the degradation of recalcitrant SOM. Our study also suggests that increased litterfall is unlikely to enhance soil carbon storage over the long-term in temperate forests.

Modeling long recovery early events (LOREs) produced by lightning-induced ionization of the nighttime upper mesosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotovsky, D. A.; Moore, R. C.

2017-07-01

We present results of a cylindrically symmetric, coupled electrodynamic, and photochemical model which simulates diffuse ionization of the middle atmosphere induced by strong lightning discharges (peak currents >150 kA). Scattering of subionospherically propagating, very low frequency radio waves is then evaluated using the Long-Wave Propagation Capability code. Some modeled sprite halos exhibit continued electron density growth up to timescales of seconds due to O- detachment, though it is not yet clear how this might relate to the slower onset durations (>20 ms) of some early VLF events. Modeled electron density enhancements in sprite halos, capable of strong VLF scattering, can persist for long periods of time (greater than hundreds of seconds) even at lower altitudes where their recovery is initially controlled by fast attachment processes. Consequently, our modeling results indicate that both typical recovery (20 to 240 s) and long recovery (LOREs, >300 s) VLF scattering events can be explained by scattering from conductivity changes associated with sprite halos. In contrast, modeled scattered fields resulting from elve-associated conductivity changes, though exhibiting long recovery times, are too weak to sufficiently explain typical LORE observations. Theoretical scattering from structured ionization events (e.g., sprites columns and gigantic jets) is not considered in this work.

Long-term outcomes of acute kidney injury.

PubMed

Coca, Steven G

2010-05-01

The goal of this review is to summarize the recent plethora of data that relate to long-term outcomes after acute kidney injury (AKI). Surviving patients with AKI are still at high risk for long-term adverse outcomes, even if serum creatinine returns to normal. After adjusting for potential confounders, many recent studies have demonstrated that AKI is independently associated with chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and premature death. Unfortunately, definitive evidence from randomized controlled trials demonstrating that prevention or treatment of AKI prevents long-term adverse outcomes is not yet available. AKI is clearly a prognostic marker for poor long-term outcomes, but more studies will be needed to determine whether AKI is truly causal and whether or not the risk is modifiable.

Disrupted Bone Metabolism in Long-Term Bedridden Patients

PubMed Central

Endo, Naoto; Uchiyama, Seiji; Takahashi, Yoshinori; Kawashima, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Kei

2016-01-01

Background Bedridden patients are at risk of osteoporosis and fractures, although the long-term bone metabolic processes in these patients are poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine how long-term bed confinement affects bone metabolism. Methods This study included 36 patients who had been bedridden from birth due to severe immobility. Bone mineral density and bone metabolism markers were compared to the bedridden period in all study patients. Changes in the bone metabolism markers during a follow-up of 12 years were studied in 17 patients aged <30 years at baseline. Results The bone mineral density was reduced (0.58±0.19 g/cm3), and the osteocalcin (13.9±12.4 ng/mL) and urine N-terminal telopeptide (NTX) levels (146.9±134.0 mM BCE/mM creatinine) were greater than the cutoff value for predicting fracture. Among the bone metabolism markers studied, osteocalcin and NTX were negatively associated with the bedridden period. During the follow-up, osteocalcin and parathyroid hormone were decreased, and the 25(OH) vitamin D was increased. NTX at baseline was negatively associated with bone mineral density after 12 years. Conclusions Unique bone metabolic abnormalities were found in patients who had been bedridden for long periods, and these metabolic abnormalities were altered by further bed confinement. Appropriate treatment based on the unique bone metabolic changes may be important in long-term bedridden patients. PMID:27275738

A unit-level perspective on the long-term sustainability of a nursing best practice guidelines program: An embedded multiple case study.

PubMed

Fleiszer, Andrea R; Semenic, Sonia E; Ritchie, Judith A; Richer, Marie-Claire; Denis, Jean-Louis

2016-01-01

Best practice guidelines are a tool for narrowing research-to-practice gaps and improving care outcomes. There is some empirical understanding of guideline implementation in nursing settings, yet there has been almost no consideration of the longer-term sustainability of guideline-based practice improvements. Many healthcare innovations are not sustained, underscoring the need for knowledge about how to promote their survival. To understand how a nursing best practice guidelines program was sustained on acute healthcare center nursing units. We undertook a qualitative descriptive case study of an organization-wide nursing best practice guidelines program with four embedded nursing unit subcases. The setting was a large, tertiary/quaternary urban health center in Canada. The nursing department initiated a program to enhance patient safety through the implementation of three guidelines: falls prevention, pressure ulcer prevention, and pain management. We selected four inpatient unit subcases that had differing levels of program sustainability at an average of almost seven years post initial program implementation. Data sources included 39 key informant interviews with nursing leaders/administrators and frontline nurses; site visits; and program-related documents. Data collection and content analysis were guided by a framework for the sustainability of healthcare innovations. Program sustainability was characterized by three elements: benefits, routinization, and development. Seven key factors most accounted for the differences in the level of program sustainability between subcases. These factors were: perceptions of advantages, collaboration, accountability, staffing, linked levels of leadership, attributes of formal unit leadership, and leaders' use of sustainability activities. Some prominent relationships between characteristics and factors explained long-term program sustainability. Of primary importance was the extent to which unit leaders used sustainability

Memory Reactivation Enables Long-Term Prevention of Interference.

PubMed

Herszage, Jasmine; Censor, Nitzan

2017-05-22

The ability of the human brain to successively learn or perform two competing tasks constitutes a major challenge in daily function. Indeed, exposing the brain to two different competing memories within a short temporal offset can induce interference, resulting in deteriorated performance in at least one of the learned memories [1-4]. Although previous studies have investigated online interference and its effects on performance [5-13], whether the human brain can enable long-term prevention of future interference is unknown. To address this question, we utilized the memory reactivation-reconsolidation framework [2, 12] stemming from studies at the synaptic level [14-17], according to which reactivation of a memory enables its update. In a set of experiments, using the motor sequence learning task [18] we report that a unique pairing of reactivating the original memory (right hand) in synchrony with novel memory trials (left hand) prevented future interference between the two memories. Strikingly, these effects were long-term and observed a month following reactivation. Further experiments showed that preventing future interference was not due to practice per se, but rather specifically depended on a limited time window induced by reactivation of the original memory. These results suggest a mechanism according to which memory reactivation enables long-term prevention of interference, possibly by creating an updated memory trace integrating original and novel memories during the reconsolidation time window. The opportunity to induce a long-term preventive effect on memories may enable the utilization of strategies optimizing normal human learning, as well as recovery following neurological insults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in plasma ACTH levels and corticotroph tumor size in patients with Cushing's disease during long-term treatment with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone.

PubMed

Fleseriu, Maria; Findling, James W; Koch, Christian A; Schlaffer, Sven-Martin; Buchfelder, Michael; Gross, Coleman

2014-10-01

Pituitary effects of long-term therapy with mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, in Cushing's disease (CD) patients are not well understood. Our objective was to report changes in ACTH and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings during long-term use of mifepristone in CD patients. The Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Mifepristone in the Treatment of Endogenous Cushing's Syndrome (SEISMIC) was a 24-week, open-label study of mifepristone, and its long-term extension (LTE) is a multicenter U.S. study. Forty-three CD patients (mean age 45.3 years) were enrolled in SEISMIC with 27 continuing into the LTE study. Mifepristone (300-1200 mg) was administered once daily. ACTH and pituitary MRI were assessed at baseline and at regular intervals during treatment. A ≥2-fold increase in ACTH was observed in 72% of patients treated for a median duration of 11.3 months. The mean peak increase in ACTH was 2.76 ± 1.65-fold during SEISMIC, and mean ACTH concentrations remained stable during the LTE. ACTH was directly correlated with mifepristone dose and declined to near baseline levels after mifepristone discontinuation. Tumor regressed in 2 patients and progressed in 3 patients with macroadenomas. An additional microadenoma was identified after 25 months of treatment after a baseline tumor-negative MRI. In the largest prospective study to date, long-term mifepristone treatment increased ACTH in approximately two-thirds of patients with CD. ACTH elevations were observed within the first few weeks of treatment, were dose-dependent, and generally remained stable over time. Corticotroph tumor progression and regression may occur over time, but patients may have significant increases in ACTH levels without evidence of tumor growth.

Nuclear accumulation of cyclin D1 following long-term fractionated exposures to low-dose ionizing radiation in normal human diploid cells

PubMed Central

Shimura, Tsutomu; Hamada, Nobuyuki; Sasatani, Megumi; Kamiya, Kenji; Kunugita, Naoki

2014-01-01

Cyclin D1 is a mitogenic sensor that responds to growth signals from the extracellular environment and regulates the G1-to-S cell cycle transition. When cells are acutely irradiated with a single dose of 10 Gy, cyclin D1 is degraded, causing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S checkpoint. In contrast, cyclin D1 accumulates in human tumor cells that are exposed to long-term fractionated radiation (0.5 Gy/fraction of X-rays). In this study we investigated the effect of fractionated low-dose radiation exposure on cyclin D1 localization in 3 strains of normal human fibroblasts. To specifically examine the nuclear accumulation of cyclin D1, cells were treated with a hypotonic buffer containing detergent to remove cytoplasmic cyclin D1. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunofluorescence was used to identify cells in S phase. With this approach, we observed S-phase nuclear retention of cyclin D1 following low-dose fractionated exposures, and found that cyclin D1 nuclear retention increased with exposure time. Cells that retained nuclear cyclin D1 were more likely to have micronuclei than non-retaining cells, indicating that the accumulation of nuclear cyclin D1 was associated with genomic instability. Moreover, inhibition of the v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) pathway facilitated cyclin D1 degradation and eliminated cyclin D1 nuclear retention in cells exposed to fractionated radiation. Thus, cyclin D1 may represent a useful marker for monitoring long-term effects associated with exposure to low levels of radiation. PMID:24583467

Nuclear accumulation of cyclin D1 following long-term fractionated exposures to low-dose ionizing radiation in normal human diploid cells.

PubMed

Shimura, Tsutomu; Hamada, Nobuyuki; Sasatani, Megumi; Kamiya, Kenji; Kunugita, Naoki

2014-01-01

Cyclin D1 is a mitogenic sensor that responds to growth signals from the extracellular environment and regulates the G 1-to-S cell cycle transition. When cells are acutely irradiated with a single dose of 10 Gy, cyclin D1 is degraded, causing cell cycle arrest at the G 1/S checkpoint. In contrast, cyclin D1 accumulates in human tumor cells that are exposed to long-term fractionated radiation (0.5 Gy/fraction of X-rays). In this study we investigated the effect of fractionated low-dose radiation exposure on cyclin D1 localization in 3 strains of normal human fibroblasts. To specifically examine the nuclear accumulation of cyclin D1, cells were treated with a hypotonic buffer containing detergent to remove cytoplasmic cyclin D1. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunofluorescence was used to identify cells in S phase. With this approach, we observed S-phase nuclear retention of cyclin D1 following low-dose fractionated exposures, and found that cyclin D1 nuclear retention increased with exposure time. Cells that retained nuclear cyclin D1 were more likely to have micronuclei than non-retaining cells, indicating that the accumulation of nuclear cyclin D1 was associated with genomic instability. Moreover, inhibition of the v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) pathway facilitated cyclin D1 degradation and eliminated cyclin D1 nuclear retention in cells exposed to fractionated radiation. Thus, cyclin D1 may represent a useful marker for monitoring long-term effects associated with exposure to low levels of radiation.

Long-Term Dynamics of Autonomous Fractional Differential Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tao; Xu, Wei; Xu, Yong; Han, Qun

This paper aims to investigate long-term dynamic behaviors of autonomous fractional differential equations with effective numerical method. The long-term dynamic behaviors predict where systems are heading after long-term evolution. We make some modification and transplant cell mapping methods to autonomous fractional differential equations. The mapping time duration of cell mapping is enlarged to deal with the long memory effect. Three illustrative examples, i.e. fractional Lotka-Volterra equation, fractional van der Pol oscillator and fractional Duffing equation, are studied with our revised generalized cell mapping method. We obtain long-term dynamics, such as attractors, basins of attraction, and saddles. Compared with some existing stability and numerical results, the validity of our method is verified. Furthermore, we find that the fractional order has its effect on the long-term dynamics of autonomous fractional differential equations.

Efficacy of lifestyle modification for long-term weight control.

PubMed

Wadden, Thomas A; Butryn, Meghan L; Byrne, Kirstin J

2004-12-01

A comprehensive program of lifestyle modification induces loss of approximately 10% of initial weight in 16 to 26 weeks, as revealed by a review of recent randomized controlled trials, including the Diabetes Prevention Program. Long-term weight control is facilitated by continued patient-therapist contact, whether provided in person or by telephone, mail, or e-mail. High levels of physical activity and the consumption of low-calorie, portion-controlled meals, including liquid meal replacements, can also help maintain weight loss. Additional studies are needed of the effects of macronutrient content (e.g., low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diets) on long-term changes in weight and health. Research also is needed on effective methods of providing comprehensive weight loss control to the millions of Americans who need it.

Long-Term Learning, Achievement Tests, and Learner Centered Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas, Moises F.; Kane-Johnson, Sarah E.; Vasil-Miller, Melissa A.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of achievement tests to measure long-term learning at the higher education level in traditional verses learner-centered classrooms. Volunteer instructors who use comprehensive achievement tests as an important component of their grading system were asked to complete an instrument that…

The Womanly World of Long Term Care: The Plight of the Long Term Care Worker. Gray Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Older Women's League, Washington, DC.

Long-term care workers (those who are paid to provide custodial care for long-term patients in nursing homes or at home) must care for a growing number of increasingly disabled or dependent persons. They are working for agencies and institutions under growing pressure to increase productivity. They face new training and competency requirements,…

The Effects of Long-Term Feeding of Rodent Food Bars on Lipid Peroxidation And Antioxidant Enzyme Levels In Fisher Rats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramirez, Joel; Zirkle-Yoshida, M.; Piert, S.; Barrett, J.; Yul, D.; Dalton, B.; Girten, B.

2001-01-01

A specialized rodent food bar diet has been developed and utilized successfully for short-duration shuttle missions. Recent tests conducted in preparation for experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) indicated that long-term food bar feeding for three months induced hyperlipidemia in rats. This study examined oxidative stress status in livers of these same animals. Spectrophotometric analysis of 79 Fischer rat livers (40 female and 39 male) for lipid peroxidation (LPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was conducted using Bioxytech LPO-587(TM) assay kit and SOD-525(Tm) assay kit, respectively. The treatment groups consisted of 20 male CHOW and 19 male FOOD BAR rats and 20 female CHOW and 20 female FOOD BAR rats. Statistical analysis to compare differences between groups was performed by standard analysis of variance procedures. The male FOOD BAR group LPO mean (3.6 +/- 0.2 mmol/g) was significantly (p less than or equal to 0.05) greater than that of the male CHOW group (2.1 +/-0.1 mmol/g). Moreover the female FOOD BAR group LPO mean (2.9 +/-0.1 mmol/g) was also significantly greater than the female CHOW group mean (2.2 +/-0.1 mmol/g). The mean values for SOD in both male and female groups showed no significant differences between CHOW and FOOD BAR groups. These results show that LPO levels were significantly higher in both the male and female FOOD BAR groups compared to CHOW groups and that there was no concomitant increase in SOD levels across the group. In addition, males showed a greater difference than females in terms of LPO levels. These findings suggest a need for further investigation into the use of the current food bar formulation for long-term experiments such as those planned for the ISS.

Hydrodynamic optical-field-ionized plasma channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shalloo, R. J.; Arran, C.; Corner, L.; Holloway, J.; Jonnerby, J.; Walczak, R.; Milchberg, H. M.; Hooker, S. M.

2018-05-01

We present experiments and numerical simulations which demonstrate that fully ionized, low-density plasma channels could be formed by hydrodynamic expansion of plasma columns produced by optical field ionization. Simulations of the hydrodynamic expansion of plasma columns formed in hydrogen by an axicon lens show the generation of 200 mm long plasma channels with axial densities of order ne(0 ) =1 ×1017cm-3 and lowest-order modes of spot size WM≈40 μ m . These simulations show that the laser energy required to generate the channels is modest: of order 1 mJ per centimeter of channel. The simulations are confirmed by experiments with a spherical lens which show the formation of short plasma channels with 1.5 ×1017cm-3≲ne(0 ) ≲1 ×1018cm-3 and 61 μ m ≳WM≳33 μ m . Low-density plasma channels of this type would appear to be well suited as multi-GeV laser-plasma accelerator stages capable of long-term operation at high pulse repetition rates.

Evaluation of long-term water-level declines in basalt aquifers near Mosier, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Erick R.; Morgan, David S.; Lee, Karl K.; Haynes, Jonathan V.; Conlon, Terrence D.

2012-01-01

are not sustainable, (2) well construction practices that have resulted in leakage from aquifers into springs and streams, and (3) reduction in aquifer recharge resulting from long-term climate variations. Historical well construction practices, specifically open, unlined, uncased boreholes that result in cross-connecting (or commingling) multiple aquifers, allow water to flow between these aquifers. Water flowing along the path of least resistance, through commingled boreholes, allows the drainage of aquifers that previously stored water more efficiently. The study area is in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Range in north central Oregon in a transitional zone between the High Cascades to the west and the Columbia Plateau to the east. The 78-square mile (mi2) area is defined by the drainages of three streams - Mosier Creek (51.8 mi2), Rock Creek (13.9 mi2), and Rowena Creek (6.9 mi2) - plus a small area that drains directly to the Columbia River.The three major components of the study are: (1) a 2-year intensive data collection period to augment previous streamflow and groundwater-level measurements, (2) precipitation-runoff modeling of the watersheds to determine the amount of recharge to the aquifer system, and (3) groundwater-flow modeling and analysis to evaluate the cause of groundwater-level declines and to evaluate possible water resource management strategies. Data collection included the following: 1. Water-level measurements were made in 37 wells. Bi-monthly or quarterly measurements were made in 30 wells, and continuous water-level monitoring instruments were installed in 7 wells. The measurements principally were made to capture the seasonal patterns in the groundwater system, and to augment the available long-term record. 2. Groundwater pumping was measured, reported, or estimated from irrigation, municipal and domestic wells. Flowmeters were installed on 74 percent of all high-capacity irrigation wells in the study area. 3. Borehole geophysical data

Long-term Effects of Two Levels of Caloric Restriction on Body Composition, and Diet Satisfaction in CALERIE, a One Year Randomized Controlled Trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is little information on whether the extent of dietary energy restriction in a weight loss program influences long-term weight change. We examined the effects of two levels of caloric restriction (CR) over 12 months on body weight and fat loss, total energy expenditure (TEE), resting metabolic...

Long-term studies of dopamine agonists.

PubMed

Hubble, Jean P

2002-02-26

Dopamine agonists have long been used as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). In more recent years these drugs have also been proved safe and effective as initial therapy in lieu of levodopa in the treatment of PD. Long-term levodopa therapy is associated with motor complications, including fluctuating response patterns and dyskinesia. By initially introducing a dopamine agonist as symptomatic drug therapy, it may be possible to postpone the use of levodopa and delay or prevent the development of motor complications. Recently, four clinical trials have explored this hypothesis by comparing the long-term response and side effects of levodopa with dopamine agonist therapy. The drugs studied have included ropinirole, pramipexole, cabergoline, and pergolide. In each of these projects, the occurrence of motor complications, such as wearing off and dyskinesia, was significantly less in the subjects assigned to initiation of therapy with a dopamine agonist. The addition of levodopa could be postponed by many months or even several years. Therefore, these long-term studies of dopamine agonists support the initiation of a dopamine agonist instead of levodopa in an effort to postpone levodopa-related motor complications. This therapeutic approach may be particularly appropriate in PD patients with a long treatment horizon on the basis of age and general good health. The extension phase of the long-term study comparing pramipexole with levodopa is ongoing, and follow-up information may help to establish the value of this treatment strategy.

Estimating Long-Term Survival Temperatures at the Assemblage Level in the Marine Environment: Towards Macrophysiology

PubMed Central

Richard, Joëlle; Morley, Simon Anthony; Thorne, Michael A. S.; Peck, Lloyd Samuel

2012-01-01

Defining ecologically relevant upper temperature limits of species is important in the context of environmental change. The approach used in the present paper estimates the relationship between rates of temperature change and upper temperature limits for survival in order to evaluate the maximum long-term survival temperature (Ts). This new approach integrates both the exposure time and the exposure temperature in the evaluation of temperature limits. Using data previously published for different temperate and Antarctic marine environments, we calculated Ts in each environment, which allowed us to calculate a new index: the Warming Allowance (WA). This index is defined as the maximum environmental temperature increase which an ectotherm in a given environment can tolerate, possibly with a decrease in performance but without endangering survival over seasonal or lifetime time-scales. It is calculated as the difference between maximum long-term survival temperature (Ts) and mean maximum habitat temperature. It provides a measure of how close a species, assemblage or fauna are living to their temperature limits for long-term survival and hence their vulnerability to environmental warming. In contrast to data for terrestrial environments showing that warming tolerance increases with latitude, results here for marine environments show a less clear pattern as the smallest WA value was for the Peru upwelling system. The method applied here, relating upper temperature limits to rate of experimental warming, has potential for wide application in the identification of faunas with little capacity to survive environmental warming. PMID:22509340

Long-term weather predictability: Ural case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubyshen, Alexander; Shopin, Sergey

2016-04-01

The accuracy of the state-of-the-art long-term meteorological forecast (at the seasonal level) is still low. Here it is presented approach (RAMES method) realizing different forecasting methodology. It provides prediction horizon of up to 19-22 years under equal probabilities of determination of parameters in every analyzed period [1]. Basic statements of the method are the following. 1. Long-term forecast on the basis of numerical modeling of the global meteorological process is principally impossible. Extension of long-term prediction horizon could be obtained only by the revealing and using a periodicity of meteorological situations at one point of observation. 2. Conventional calendar is unsuitable for generalization of meteorological data and revealing of cyclicity of meteorological processes. RAMES method uses natural time intervals: one day, synodic month and one year. It was developed a set of special calendars using these natural periods and the Metonic cycle. 3. Long-term time series of meteorological data is not a uniform universal set, it is a sequence of 28 universal sets appropriately superseding each other in time. The specifics of the method are: 1. Usage of the original research toolkit consisting of - a set of calendars based on the Metonic cycle; - a set of charts (coordinate systems) for the construction of sequence diagrams (of daily variability of a meteorological parameter during the analyzed year; of daily variability of a meteorological parameter using long-term dynamical time series of periods-analogues; of monthly and yearly variability of accumulated value of meteorological parameter). 2. Identification and usage of new virtual meteorological objects having several degrees of generalization appropriately located in the used coordinate systems. 3. All calculations are integrated into the single technological scheme providing comparison and mutual verification of calculation results. During the prolonged testing in the Ural region, it was

20 year long term air quality trends in Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luria, M.

2017-12-01

The Israeli air monitoring network was established in the mid 1990's with dozens of measuring sites near most populated areas. During these past 20 years the Israel economy has increased significantly. The population grew by 30%, energy consumption and power generation by more than 40% and the number of motor vehicles increased by nearly 50%. Most of the fossil energy is consumed by the electric power industry that has changed immensely during this period. Until the early 2000's the vast majority of the electricity was generated from coal and heavy oil. However, during the last ten years natural gas has gradually becomes the major source for power generation and for most of the heavy industry. In the present study we examined the impact of these economic trends on the major criteria air pollution parameters; O3, NOx, SO2 and PM10. The analyses was based on the long term trend of median value (50th percentile) and the 90th percentile. The results revealed that SO2 levels throughout the country decreased to very low levels, with the 90th percentile near the detection limit. The levels of PM10, that are relatively high compare with other global regions, did not show any trend during the 20 year period. This is consistent with the fact that most particulate matter results from long range transport of dust from the surrounding deserts. The long term trend of NOx indicates a gradual and steady increase at most measuring sites, which is consistent with the increase of fossil fuel consumption. The increase in NOx levels is most likely the cause for the significant increase in O3 levels found at most sites in a few of them to levels that are considered as an environmental hazard.

Influence of admission plasma glucose level on short- and long-term prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Mladenović, Violeta; Zdravković, Vladimir; Jović, Marina; Vucić, Rada; Irić-Cupić, Violeta; Rosić, Mirko

2010-04-01

Hyperglicemia is common in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is associated with high risk of mortality and morbidity. Relationship between admission plasma glucose (APG) levels and mortality in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with STEMI needs further investigation. The aim of this study was to analyse the short- and long-term prognostic significance of APG levels in patients with STEMI with and without diabetes. This study included 115 patients with STEMI, 86 (74.8%) nondiabetic and 29 (25.2%) dibaetic patients, in which we performed a prospective analysis of the relationship between APG levels and short- and long-term mortality. Comparison of APG levels between nondiabetic (8.32 +/- 2.4 mmol/L) and diabetic (10.09 +/- 2.5 mmol/L) patients showed statistically significantly higher average APG levels in diabetic patients (p = 0.001). In all patients observed who died either after one month or one year after STEMI, average APG values were significantly higher in comparison with those in survived patients. There was no statistical significance in average APG levels in the diabetic patients with STEMI who died after one month and those who survived (10.09 +/- 2.68 vs 10.0 +/- 2.51 mmol/L, respectively; p = 0.657), as well as those who died after one year and those who survived (10.1 +/- 1.92 vs 10.09 +/- 2.8 mmol/L, respectively; p = 0.996). There was, however, statistical significance in average APG levels in the nondiabetic patients with STEMI who died after one month and those who survived (9.97 +/- 2.97 vs 7.91 +/- 2.08 mmol/L, respectively; p = 0.001), as well as those who died after one year and those who survived (9.17 +/- 2.49 vs 7.84 +/- 2.24 mmol/L, respectively; p = 0.013). Acute hyperglicemia in the settings of STEMI worsenes the prognosis in patients with and without diabetes. Our study showed that nondiabetic patients with high APG levels are at higher risk of mortality than patients with a known history of diabetes.

Ionization Waves of Arbitrary Velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turnbull, D.; Franke, P.; Katz, J.; Palastro, J. P.; Begishev, I. A.; Boni, R.; Bromage, J.; Milder, A. L.; Shaw, J. L.; Froula, D. H.

2018-06-01

Flying focus is a technique that uses a chirped laser beam focused by a highly chromatic lens to produce an extended focal region within which the peak laser intensity can propagate at any velocity. When that intensity is high enough to ionize a background gas, an ionization wave will track the intensity isosurface corresponding to the ionization threshold. We report on the demonstration of such ionization waves of arbitrary velocity. Subluminal and superluminal ionization fronts were produced that propagated both forward and backward relative to the ionizing laser. All backward and all superluminal cases mitigated the issue of ionization-induced refraction that typically inhibits the formation of long, contiguous plasma channels.

The Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of AWE Feedback on ESL Students' Development of Grammatical Accuracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zhi; Feng, Hui-Hsien; Saricaoglu, Aysel

2017-01-01

This classroom-based study employs a mixed-methods approach to exploring both short-term and long-term effects of Criterion feedback on ESL students' development of grammatical accuracy. The results of multilevel growth modeling indicate that Criterion feedback helps students in both intermediate-high and advanced-low levels reduce errors in eight…

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria gain antibiotic resistance during long-term acclimatization.

PubMed

Zhang, Zheng-Zhe; Zhang, Qian-Qian; Guo, Qiong; Chen, Qian-Qian; Jiang, Xiao-Yan; Jin, Ren-Cun

2015-09-01

Three broad-spectrum antibiotics, amoxicillin (AMX), florfenicol (FF) and sulfamethazine (SMZ), that inhibit bacteria via different target sites, were selected to evaluate the acute toxicity and long-term effects on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) granules. The specific anammox activity (SAA) levels reduced by approximately half within the first 3 days in the presence of antibiotics but no nitrite accumulation was observed in continuous-flow experiments. However, the SAA levels and heme c content gradually recovered as the antibiotic concentrations increased. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) analysis suggested that anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria gradually developed a better survival strategy during long-term acclimatization, which reduced the antibiotic stress via increased EPS secretion that provided a protective 'cocoon.' In terms of nitrogen removal efficiency, anammox granules could resist 60 mg-AMX L(-1), 10 mg-FF L(-1) and 100 mg-SMZ L(-1). This study supported the feasibility of using anammox granules to treat antibiotic-containing wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What do short-term and long-term relationships look like? Building the relationship coordination and strategic timing (ReCAST) model.

PubMed

Eastwick, Paul W; Keneski, Elizabeth; Morgan, Taylor A; McDonald, Meagan A; Huang, Sabrina A

2018-05-01

Close relationships research has examined committed couples (e.g., dating relationships, marriages) using intensive methods that plot relationship development over time. But a substantial proportion of people's real-life sexual experiences take place (a) before committed relationships become "official" and (b) in short-term relationships; methods that document the time course of relationships have rarely been applied to these contexts. We adapted a classic relationship trajectory-plotting technique to generate the first empirical comparisons between the features of people's real-life short-term and long-term relationships across their entire timespan. Five studies compared long-term and short-term relationships in terms of the timing of relationship milestones (e.g., flirting, first sexual intercourse) and the occurrence/intensity of important relationship experiences (e.g., romantic interest, strong sexual desire, attachment). As romantic interest was rising and partners were becoming acquainted, long-term and short-term relationships were indistinguishable. Eventually, romantic interest in short-term relationships plateaued and declined while romantic interest in long-term relationships continued to rise, ultimately reaching a higher peak. As relationships progressed, participants evidenced more features characteristic of the attachment-behavioral system (e.g., attachment, caregiving) in long-term than short-term relationships but similar levels of other features (e.g., sexual desire, self-promotion, intrasexual competition). These data inform a new synthesis of close relationships and evolutionary psychological perspectives called the Relationship Coordination and Strategic Timing (ReCAST) model. ReCAST depicts short-term and long-term relationships as partially overlapping trajectories (rather than relationships initiated with distinct strategies) that differ in their progression along a normative relationship development sequence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c

Trends in Streamflow Characteristics at Long-Term Gaging Stations, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oki, Delwyn S.

2004-01-01

related to the seasons and to the EL Ni?o-Southern Oscillation phenomenon that may be partly modulated by the phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. 6. At almost all of the long-term stream-gaging stations considered in this study, average total flow (and to a lesser extent average base flow) during the winter months of January to March tended to be low following El Ni?o periods and high following La Ni?a periods, and this tendency was accentuated during positive phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. 7. The El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation phenomenon occurs at a relatively short time scale (a few to several years) and appears to be more strongly related to processes controlling rainfall and direct runoff than ground-water storage and base flow. Long-term downward trends in base flows of streams may indicate a reduction in ground-water storage and recharge. Because ground water provides about 99 percent of Hawaii's domestic drinking water, a reduction in ground-water storage and recharge has serious implications for drinking-water availability. In addition, reduction in stream base flows may reduce habitat availability for native stream fauna and water availability for irrigation purposes. Further study is needed to determine (1) whether the downward trends in base flows from 1913 to 2002 will continue or whether the observed pattern is part of a long-term cycle in which base flows may eventually return to levels measured during 1913 to the early 1940s, (2) the physical causes for the detected trends and variations in streamflow, and (3) whether regional climate indicators successfully can be used to predict streamflow trends and variations throughout the State. These needs for future study underscore the importance of maintaining a network of long-term-trend stream-gaging stations in Hawaii.

Long Term TOA - M Data and Information

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2017-09-06

... A Long-Term TOA and Constrained Surface Radiation Budget Project A Long-Term TOA and Constrained Surface Readiation ... Budget Experiment (ERBE) and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), that span nearly 30 years to date.   The ...

Long-term biological investigations in space.

PubMed

Lotz, R G; Fuchs, H; Bertsche, U

1975-01-01

Missions in space within the next two decades will be of longer duration than those carried out up to the present time, and the effects of such long-term flights on biological organisms are unknown. Results of biological experiments that have been performed to date cannot be extrapolated to results in future flights because of the unknown influence of adaptation over a long period of time. Prior experiments with Axolotl, fishes, and vertebrates by our research team (in part with sounding rockets) showed that these specimens did not appear to be suitable for long-term missions on which minimization of expense, technique, and energy is required. Subsequent investigations have shown the suitability of the leech (Hirudo medicinalis), which consumes blood of mammals up to ten times its own weight (1 g) and can live more than 2 years without further food supply. Emphasis in the experiments with Hirudo medicinalis is placed on metabolic rhythm and motility. Resorption and diffusion in tissue, development, and growth under long-term effects of cosmic proton radiation and zero-gravity are other focal points. The constancy of cellular life in the mature animals is a point in favor of these specimens. We have also taken into account the synergistic effects of the space environment on the problems just mentioned. The life-support system constructed for the leech has been tested successfully in four sounding rocket flights and, on that basis, has been prepared for a long-term mission. Long-term investigations out of the terrestrial biosphere will provide us with information concerning the degree of adaptation of certain physiological and biochemical functions and as to what extent biological readjustment or repair processes can occur under the specific stress conditions of space flight.

Long term complications following 54 consecutive lung transplants.

PubMed

Tabarelli, Walther; Bonatti, Hugo; Tabarelli, Dominique; Eller, Miriam; Müller, Ludwig; Ruttmann, Elfriede; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Larcher, Clara; Geltner, Christian

2016-06-01

Due to the complex therapy and the required high level of immunosuppression, lung recipients are at high risk to develop many different long term complications. From 1993-2000, a total of 54 lung transplantation (LuTx) were performed at our center. Complications, graft and patient survival of this cohort was retrospectively analyzed. One/five and ten-year patient survival was 71.4%, 41.2% and 25.4%; at last follow up (4/2010), twelve patients were alive. Of the 39 deceased patients, 26 died from infectious complications. Other causes of death were myocardial infarction (n=1), progressive graft failure (n=1), intracerebral bleeding (n=2), basilary vein thrombosis (n=1), pulmonary emboli (n=1), others (n=7). Surgical complication rate was 27.7% during the first year and 25% for the 12 long term survivors. Perioperative rejection rate was 35%, and 91.6% for the 12 patients currently alive. Infection incidence during first hospitalization was 79.6% (1.3 episodes per transplant) and 100% for long term survivors. Commonly isolated pathogens were cytomegalovirus (56.8%), Aspergillus (29.4%), RSV (13.7%). Other common complications were renal failure (56.8%), osteoporosis (54.9%), hypertension (45%), diabetes mellitus (19.6%). Infection and rejection remain the most common complications following LuTx with many other events to be considered.

Relationship between serum total bilirubin levels and mortality in uremia patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis: A nationwide cohort study.

PubMed

Su, Hui-Hsien; Kao, Chia-Man; Lin, Yi-Chun; Lin, Yen-Chung; Kao, Chih-Chin; Chen, Hsi-Hsien; Hsu, Chih-Cheng; Chen, Kuan-Chou; Peng, Chiung-Chi; Wu, Mai-Szu

2017-10-01

Previous studies show that serum bilirubin has potent antioxidant effect and is associated with protection from kidney damage and reduce cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to examine the association of serum total bilirubin level and mortality in uremia patients who underwent hemodialysis. This is a nationwide retrospective long-term cohort study. Patients were registered in the Taiwan Renal Registry Data System (TWRDS) from 2005 to 2012. A total of 115,535 hemodialysis patients were surveyed and those with valid baseline total bilirubin (TB) data were enrolled. All-cause mortality was the primary outcome. A total of 47,650 hemodialysis patients followed for 27.6 ± 12 months, were divided into 3 groups according to different baseline serum total bilirubin levels (0.1-0.3, 0.3-0.7, 0.7-1.2 mg/dL). Mean age was 61.4 ± 13.6 years, 50% were male, 13% were hepatitis B carriers, and 20% were hepatitis C carriers. Primary outcome was the 3-year mortality. The TB level 0.7-1.2 mg/dL group had high mortality, statistically significant hazard ratio of mortality was 1.14 (crude HR, 95% 1.07-1.20, p < 0.01), and adjusted HR was 1.18 (model 1, 95% CI 1.11-1.25), 1.21 (model 2, 95% CI 1.14-1.29, p < 0.01), 1.44 (model 3, 95% CI 1.06-1.96, p < 0.01), respectively. Sensitivity test showed that after excluding 14,899 patients with hepatitis B or C, or abnormal liver function, the highest level of TB associated with higher significant mortality was still robust. In our study, high TB level is associated with mortality in uremia patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis, but further studies of the different effects of unconjugated or conjugated bilirubin on hemodialysis patients are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Statistical analysis of long-term hydrologic records for selection of drought-monitoring sites on Long Island, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Busciolano, Ronald J.

2005-01-01

Ground water is the sole source of water supply for more than 3 million people on Long Island, New York. Large-scale ground-water pumpage, sewering systems, and prolonged periods of below-normal precipitation have lowered ground-water levels and decreased stream-discharge in western and central Long Island. No method is currently (2004) available on Long Island that can assess data from the ground-water-monitoring network to enable water managers and suppliers with the ability to give timely warning of severe water-level declines.This report (1) quantifies past drought- and human-induced changes in the ground-water system underlying Long Island by applying statistical and graphical methods to precipitation, stream-discharge, and ground-water-level data from selected monitoring sites; (2) evaluates the relation between water levels in the upper glacial aquifer and those in the underlying Magothy aquifer; (3) defines trends in stream discharge and ground-water levels that might indicate the onset of drought conditions or the effects of excessive pumping; and (4) discusses the long-term records that were used to select sites for a Long Island drought-monitoring network.Long Island’s long-term hydrologic records indicated that the available data provide a basis for development of a drought-monitoring network. The data from 36 stations that were selected as possible drought-monitoring sites—8 precipitation-monitoring stations, 8 streamflow-gaging (discharge) stations, 15 monitoring wells screened in the upper glacial aquifer under water-table (unconfined) conditions, and 5 monitoring wells screened in the underlying Magothy aquifer under semi-confined conditions—indicate that water levels in western parts of Long Island have fallen and risen markedly (more than 15 ft) in response to fluctuations in pumpage, and have declined from the increased use of sanitary- and storm-sewer systems. Water levels in the central and eastern parts, in contrast, remain relatively

Embolization of renal angiomyolipomas: short-term and long-term outcomes, complications, and tumor shrinkage.

PubMed

Lee, Shen-Yang; Hsu, Hsiang-Hao; Chen, Yung-Chang; Huang, Chen-Chih; Wong, Yon-Cheong; Wang, Li-Jen; Chuang, Cheng-Keng; Yang, Chih-Wei

2009-11-01

This study retrospectively evaluated outcomes, complications, and tumor shrinkage in renal angiomyolipomas after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). All renal angiomyolipoma patients who underwent TAE between August 2000 and December 2008 and had short-term (long-term (>6 months) follow-up images were evaluated. Complications and tumor relapse after TAE were reviewed. The sizes of embolized tumors were measured to calculate size reductions and reduction rates after TAE. Differences in tumor size, size reduction, and reduction rate between different time points (pre-TAE, short-term follow-up, and long-term follow-up) and groups (completely and incompletely embolized) were determined. Eleven renal angiomyolipoma patients who had undergone TAE were included. Seven (63.6%) patients had postembolization syndrome and one had abscess formation following TAE. Two patients had a tumor relapse (18.2%). The mean tumor size was 8.57+/-2.66 cm on pre-TAE images. The mean size reduction was 3.1 cm (33.3%) and 3.8 cm (43.0%) at short-term and long-term follow-up. Tumor sizes differed significantly between pre-TAE and short-term (p=0.004) or long-term images (p=0.022) but not between short-term and long-term images (p=0.059). Results stratified by the completeness of embolization indicate that only the short-term size reduction rate differed significantly (p=0.025), while the long-term reduction rate and short- and long-term follow-up tumor size and size reduction were comparable between the two groups. In conclusion, selective TAE is effective for tumor shrinkage in most renal angiomyolipomas, with acceptable complication and relapse rates. Tumor shrinkage occurring within 6 months after TAE may reflect the long-term effect of TAE.

Modelling the effects of trade-offs between long and short-term objectives in fisheries management.

PubMed

Mardle, Simon; Pascoe, Sean

2002-05-01

Fisheries management is typically a complex problem, from both an environmental and political perspective. The main source of conflict occurs between the need for stock conservation and the need for fishing community well-being, which is typically measured by employment and income levels. For most fisheries, overexploitation of the stock requires a reduction in the level of fishing activity. While this may lead to long-term benefits (both conservation and economic), it also leads to a short-term reduction in employment and regional incomes. In regions which are heavily dependent on fisheries, short-term consequences of conservation efforts may be considerable. The relatively high degree of scientific uncertainty with respect to the status of the stocks and the relatively short lengths of political terms of office, generally give rise to the short-run view taking the highest priority when defining policy objectives. In this paper, a multi-objective model of the North Sea is developed that incorporates both long-term and short-term objectives. Optimal fleet sizes are estimated taking into consideration different preferences between the defined short-term and long-term objectives. The subsequent results from the model give the short-term and long-term equilibrium status of the fishery incorporating the effects of the short-term objectives. As would be expected, an optimal fleet from a short-term perspective is considerably larger than an optimal fleet from a long-run perspective. Conversely, stock sizes and sustainable yields are considerably lower in the long-term if a short-term perspective is used in setting management policies. The model results highlight what is essentially a principal-agent problem, with the objectives of the policy makers not necessarily reflecting the objectives of society as a whole.

Changes in Plasma ACTH Levels and Corticotroph Tumor Size in Patients With Cushing's Disease During Long-term Treatment With the Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Mifepristone

PubMed Central

Findling, James W.; Koch, Christian A.; Schlaffer, Sven-Martin; Buchfelder, Michael; Gross, Coleman

2014-01-01

Context: Pituitary effects of long-term therapy with mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, in Cushing's disease (CD) patients are not well understood. Objective: Our objective was to report changes in ACTH and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings during long-term use of mifepristone in CD patients. Design and Setting: The Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Mifepristone in the Treatment of Endogenous Cushing's Syndrome (SEISMIC) was a 24-week, open-label study of mifepristone, and its long-term extension (LTE) is a multicenter U.S. study. Patients: Forty-three CD patients (mean age 45.3 years) were enrolled in SEISMIC with 27 continuing into the LTE study. Interventions: Mifepristone (300–1200 mg) was administered once daily. Main Outcome Measures: ACTH and pituitary MRI were assessed at baseline and at regular intervals during treatment. Results: A ≥2-fold increase in ACTH was observed in 72% of patients treated for a median duration of 11.3 months. The mean peak increase in ACTH was 2.76 ± 1.65-fold during SEISMIC, and mean ACTH concentrations remained stable during the LTE. ACTH was directly correlated with mifepristone dose and declined to near baseline levels after mifepristone discontinuation. Tumor regressed in 2 patients and progressed in 3 patients with macroadenomas. An additional microadenoma was identified after 25 months of treatment after a baseline tumor-negative MRI. Conclusions: In the largest prospective study to date, long-term mifepristone treatment increased ACTH in approximately two-thirds of patients with CD. ACTH elevations were observed within the first few weeks of treatment, were dose-dependent, and generally remained stable over time. Corticotroph tumor progression and regression may occur over time, but patients may have significant increases in ACTH levels without evidence of tumor growth. PMID:25013998

Deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins in long-term users of somatostatin analogue.

PubMed

Fiebrich, H-B; Van Den Berg, G; Kema, I P; Links, T P; Kleibeuker, J H; Van Beek, A P; Walenkamp, A M E; Sluiter, W J; De Vries, E G E

2010-12-01

Somatostatin analogues are administered to control hormone hypersecretion in acromegaly and carcinoid patients. Somatostatin analogues can increase fat in the stools, which can lead to loss of fat-soluble vitamins. The effect of long-term somatostatin analogue use on vitamin levels remains unknown. To investigate the prevalence of fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies in long-term somatostatin analogue users. All acromegaly and carcinoid patients using somatostatin analogues for ≥ 18 months visiting the University Medical Center Groningen between December 2008 and April 2009 were eligible. Vitamin levels of fat-soluble vitamins in blood, clinical and vitamin-dependent laboratory parameters were collected. In all, 19 acromegaly and 35 carcinoid patients were included. Twelve patients experienced steatorrhoea; two carcinoid patients experienced night blindness. Forty-two (78%) were deficient for one or more vitamins, and 32% (n = 17) had multiple deficiencies. Deficiencies for vitamin A, D, E, K1 and E in erythrocytes occurred in 6%, 28%, 15%, 63% and 58% of the patients. Prevalence of vitamin D, E and K1 deficiencies was similar in both patient groups. Treatment duration did not influence vitamin levels. The length of intestinal resection and age correlated negatively with vitamin A levels. Fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies are frequent during long-term somatostatin analogue treatment. Therefore, fat-soluble vitamins should be monitored in these patients. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Theory of electron-impact ionization of atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadyrov, A. S.; Mukhamedzhanov, A. M.; Stelbovics, A. T.; Bray, I.

2004-12-01

The existing formulations of electron-impact ionization of a hydrogenic target suffer from a number of formal problems including an ambiguous and phase-divergent definition of the ionization amplitude. An alternative formulation of the theory is given. An integral representation for the ionization amplitude which is free of ambiguity and divergence problems is derived and is shown to have four alternative, but equivalent, forms well suited for practical calculations. The extension to amplitudes of all possible scattering processes taking place in an arbitrary three-body system follows. A well-defined conventional post form of the breakup amplitude valid for arbitrary potentials including the long-range Coulomb interaction is given. Practical approaches are based on partial-wave expansions, so the formulation is also recast in terms of partial waves and partial-wave expansions of the asymptotic wave functions are presented. In particular, expansions of the asymptotic forms of the total scattering wave function, developed from both the initial and the final state, for electron-impact ionization of hydrogen are given. Finally, the utility of the present formulation is demonstrated on some well-known model problems.

The long-term evolution of known resonant trans-Neptunian objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saillenfest, M.; Lari, G.

2017-07-01

Aims: Numerous trans-Neptunian objects are known to be in mean-motion resonance with Neptune. We aim to describe their long-term orbital evolution (both past and future) by means of a one-degree-of-freedom secular model. In this paper, we focus only on objects with a semi-major axis larger than 50 astronomical units (au). Methods: For each resonant object considered, a 500 000-year numerical integration is performed. The output is digitally filtered to get the parameters of the resonant secular model. Their long-term (Giga-year) orbital evolution is then represented by the level curves of the secular Hamiltonian. Results: For the majority of objects considered, the mean-motion resonance has little impact on the long-term trajectories (the secular dynamics is similar to a non-resonant one). However, a subset of objects is strongly affected by the resonance, producing moderately-high-amplitude oscillations of the perihelion distance and/or libration of the argument of perihelion around a fixed centre. Moreover, the high perihelion distance of the object 2015 FJ345 is plainly explained by long-term resonant dynamics, allowing us to also deduce its orbital elements at the time of capture in resonance (at least 15 million years ago). The same type of past evolution is expected for 2014 FZ71.

Ionization Waves of Arbitrary Velocity

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

Turnbull, D.; Franke, P.; Katz, J.

The flying focus is a technique in which a chirped laser beam is focused by a chromatic lens to produce an extended focal spot within which laser intensity can propagate at any velocity. If the intensity is above the ionization threshold of a background gas, an ionization wave will track the ionization threshold intensity isosurface as it propagates. We report on the demonstration of such ionization waves of arbitrary velocity. Subluminal and superluminal ionization fronts were produced, both forward- and backward-propagating relative to the ionizing laser. In conclusion, all backward and all superluminal cases mitigated the issue of ionization-induced refractionmore » that typically challenges the formation of long, contiguous plasma channels.« less

Ionization Waves of Arbitrary Velocity

DOE PAGES

Turnbull, D.; Franke, P.; Katz, J.; ...

2018-05-31

The flying focus is a technique in which a chirped laser beam is focused by a chromatic lens to produce an extended focal spot within which laser intensity can propagate at any velocity. If the intensity is above the ionization threshold of a background gas, an ionization wave will track the ionization threshold intensity isosurface as it propagates. We report on the demonstration of such ionization waves of arbitrary velocity. Subluminal and superluminal ionization fronts were produced, both forward- and backward-propagating relative to the ionizing laser. In conclusion, all backward and all superluminal cases mitigated the issue of ionization-induced refractionmore » that typically challenges the formation of long, contiguous plasma channels.« less

Health reform: setting the agenda for long term care.

PubMed

Hatch, O G; Wofford, H; Willging, P R; Pomeroy, E

1993-06-01

The White House Task Force on National Health Care Reform, headed by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, is expected to release its prescription for health care reform this month. From the outset, Clinton's mandate was clear: to provide universal coverage while reining in costs for delivering quality health care. Before President Clinton was even sworn into office, he had outlined the major principles that would shape the health reform debate. Global budgeting would establish limits on all health care expenditures, thereby containing health costs. Under a system of managed competition, employers would form health alliances for consumers to negotiate for cost-effective health care at the community level. So far, a basic approach to health care reform has emerged. A key element is universal coverage--with an emphasis on acute, preventive, and mental health care. Other likely pieces are employer-employee contributions to health care plans, laws that guarantee continued coverage if an individual changes jobs or becomes ill, and health insurance alliances that would help assure individual access to low-cost health care. What still is not clear is the extent to which long term care will be included in the basic benefits package. A confidential report circulated by the task force last month includes four options for long term care: incremental Medicaid reform; a new federal/state program to replace Medicaid; a social insurance program for home and community-based services; or full social insurance for long term care. Some work group members have identified an additional option: prefunded long term care insurance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Long-term prescribing of antidepressants in the older population: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Dickinson, Rebecca; Knapp, Peter; House, Allan O; Dimri, Vandana; Zermansky, Arnold; Petty, Duncan; Holmes, John; Raynor, David K

2010-01-01

Background High rates of long-term antidepressant prescribing have been identified in the older population. Aims To explore the attitudes of older patients and their GPs to taking long-term antidepressant therapy, and their accounts of the influences on long-term antidepressant use. Design of study Qualitative study using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Setting One primary care trust in North Bradford. Method Thirty-six patients aged ≥75 years and 10 GPs were interviewed. Patients were sampled to ensure diversity in age, sex, antidepressant type, and home circumstances. Results Participants perceived significant benefits and expressed little apprehension about taking long-term antidepressants, despite being aware of the psychological and social factors involved in onset and persistence of depression. Barriers to discontinuation were identified following four themes: pessimism about the course and curability of depression; negative expectations and experiences of ageing; medicine discontinuation perceived by patients as a threat to stability; and passive (therapeutic momentum) and active (therapeutic maintenance) decisions to accept the continuing need for medication. Conclusion There is concern at a public health level about high rates of long-term antidepressant prescribing, but no evidence was found of a drive for change either from the patients or the doctors interviewed. Any apprehension was more than balanced by attitudes and behaviours supporting continuation. These findings will need to be incorporated into the planning of interventions aimed at reducing long-term antidepressant prescribing in older people. PMID:20353660

Doxycycline assay hair samples for testing long-term compliance treatment.

PubMed

Angelakis, Emmanouil; Armstrong, Nicholas; Nappez, Claude; Richez, Magalie; Chabriere, Eric; Raoult, Didier

2015-11-01

Many patients undergoing long-term doxycycline treatment do not regularly take their treatment because of photosensitivity. Our objective was to create an assay for determining doxycycline levels and to use hair samples for monitoring the compliance over a longer period of time. We tested sera and hair samples from patients treated with doxycycline by a suitable ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) based assay. We estimated that the speed of hair growth is roughly 1.25 cm per month and we were able to determine doxycycline levels over a 6-month period. We tested 14 patients treated with doxycycline and we found similar levels of doxycycline in the serum and the hair samples representing the last 4 months. Linear regression analysis revealed that the level of doxycycline in the serum remained stable over time (p = 0.7) but the level of doxycycline in the hair decreased significantly over time (p = 0.03) indicating a degradation of this molecule in the hair. We detected two patients who did not have antibiotic in the hair, indicating a lack of compliance that was also confirmed by interview. Hair samples can be used to test long-term compliance in patients to explain failures or relapses. Copyright © 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Innovative culture in long-term care settings: the influence of organizational characteristics.

PubMed

Nieboer, Anna P; Strating, Mathilde M H

2012-01-01

Innovative cultures have been reported to enhance the creation and implementation of new ideas and working methods in organizations. Although there is considerable research on the impact of organizational context on the innovativeness of organizations, the same is not the case for research on the organizational characteristics responsible for an innovative culture in (long-term) care settings. The aim of this study was to identify organizational characteristics that explain innovative culture in the (long-term) care sector. A large cross-sectional study in Dutch long-term care-nursing homes and/or elderly homes, care organizations for the handicapped, and long-term mental health care organizations-was conducted. A total of 432 managers and care professionals in 37 organizations participated. The Group Innovation Inventory was used to measure innovative culture in long-term care organizations. Structural characteristics of the organization were centralization and formalization, environmental dynamism and competitiveness, internal and external exchange of information, leadership style, commitment to quality improvement, and the organization's innovative strategy. The determinants of an innovative culture were estimated with a two-level random-intercepts and fixed-slopes model. Multilevel regression models were used to account for the organizational clustering of individuals within the 37 care organizations. Environmental dynamism, job codification, formal external exchange of information, transformational leadership, commitment to quality, and an exploratory and exploitative innovation strategy were all significantly correlated with an innovative culture in the multivariate multilevel analysis; the other characteristics were not. The explained organizational- and individual-level variance was 52.5% and 49.2%, respectively. The results point to substantial differences in innovative cultures between and within care organizations that can, in part, be explained by

Long-term modulation of cosmic rays during solar cycle 21

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fenton, A. G.; Fenton, K. B.; Humble, J. E.

1985-01-01

A preliminary result concerning the rigidity dependence of the longer-term solar cycle modulation is reported. The long-term modulation, using monthly mean intensities and referred to November 1977 as a normalizing level, appear to be in accordance with the exponent gamma = 1, provided only Brisbane and Hobart data are used. Darwin data do not conform to this pattern except perhaps during the early years of the cycle until about the end of 1980, since when the Darwin long-term intensity has been largely steady, apart from Forbush-type decreases and the as yet unidentified vector from the observed SI vector. The true SI vector of galactic origin can be obtained. The resultant vector has the amplitude of 0.031% and the phase of 2.3h. The present result seems to be consistent with those so far reported.

Employee experience of workplace supervisor contact and support during long-term sickness absence.

PubMed

Buys, Nicholas J; Selander, John; Sun, Jing

2017-12-07

Workplace support is an important factor in promoting successful return to work. The purpose of this article is to examine relationships between supervisor contact, perceived workplace support and demographic variables among employees on long-term sickness absence. Data were collected from 204 public employees at a municipality in Sweden who had been on long term sickness absence (60 days or more) using a 23 question survey instrument that collected information on demographic variables, supervisor contact and perceived workplace support. Most injured employees (97%) reported having contact with their supervisors during their sickness absence, with a majority (56%) reporting high levels of support, including early (58.6%) and multiple (70.7%) contacts. Most were pleased with amount of contact (68.9%) and the majority had discussed workplace accommodations (68.1%). Employees who self-initiated contact, felt the amount of contact was appropriate, had a personal meeting with their supervisors and discussed workplace adjustments reported experiencing higher levels of support from supervisors. Employees on long-term sickness absence appreciate contact from their supervisors and this is associated with perceived workplace support. However, the amount and employee experience of this contact is important. It needs to be perceived by employees as supportive, which includes a focus on strategies (e.g., work adjustment) to facilitate a return to work. Supervisor training is required in this area to support the return to work process. Implications for Rehabilitation Contact and support from workplace supervisors is important to workers on long-term sickness absence. Employees appreciate frequent contact from supervisors during long-terms sickness absence. Employees appreciate a personal meeting with supervisors and the opportunity to discuss issues related to return to work such as work adjustment. Employers should provide training to supervisors on how to communicate and

Local Government Implementation of Long-Term Stewardship at Two DOE Facilities

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

John Pendergrass; Roman Czebiniak; Kelly Mott

2003-08-13

The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for cleaning up the radioactive and chemical contamination that resulted from the production of nuclear weapons. At more than one hundred sites throughout the country DOE will leave some contamination in place after the cleanup is complete. In order to protect human health and the environment from the remaining contamination DOE, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state environmental regulatory agencies, local governments, citizens and other entities will need to undertake long-term stewardship of such sites. Long-term stewardship includes a wide range of actions needed to protect human health in the environment for asmore » long as the risk from the contamination remains above acceptable levels, such as barriers, caps, and other engineering controls and land use controls, signs, notices, records, and other institutional controls. In this report the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) examine how local governments, state environmental agencies, and real property professionals implement long-term stewardship at two DOE facilities, Losa Alamos National Laboratory and Oak Ridge Reservation.« less

42 CFR 412.536 - Special payment provisions for long-term care hospitals and satellites of long-term care...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... December 29, 2007, was co-located with an entity that is a provider-based, off-campus location of a... hospital or the satellite facility from any individual hospital not co-located with the long-term care... from any individual hospital not co-located with the long-term care hospital or with the satellite of a...

Relative phase asynchrony and long-range correlation of long-term solar magnetic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Linhua

2017-07-01

Statistical signal processing is one of the most important tasks in a large amount of areas of scientific studies, such as astrophysics, geophysics, and space physics. Phase recurrence analysis and long-range persistence are the two dynamical structures of the underlying processes for the given natural phenomenon. Linear and nonlinear time series analysis approaches (cross-correlation analysis, cross-recurrence plot, wavelet coherent transform, and Hurst analysis) are combined to investigate the relative phase interconnection and long-range correlation between solar activity and geomagnetic activity for the time interval from 1932 January to 2017 January. The following prominent results are found: (1) geomagnetic activity lags behind sunspot numbers with a phase shift of 21 months, and they have a high level of asynchronous behavior; (2) their relative phase interconnections are in phase for the periodic scales during 8-16 years, but have a mixing behavior for the periodic belts below 8 years; (3) both sunspot numbers and geomagnetic activity can not be regarded as a stochastic phenomenon because their dynamical behaviors display a long-term correlation and a fractal nature. We believe that the presented conclusions could provide further information on understanding the dynamical coupling of solar dynamo process with geomagnetic activity variation, and the crucial role of solar and geomagnetic activity in the long-term climate change.

Hippocampal Focal Knockout of CBP Affects Specific Histone Modifications, Long-Term Potentiation, and Long-Term Memory

PubMed Central

Barrett, Ruth M; Malvaez, Melissa; Kramar, Eniko; Matheos, Dina P; Arrizon, Abraham; Cabrera, Sara M; Lynch, Gary; Greene, Robert W; Wood, Marcelo A

2011-01-01

To identify the role of the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) CREB-binding protein (CBP) in neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus during memory formation, we examine the effects of a focal homozygous knockout of CBP on histone modifications, gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and long-term memory. We show that CBP is critical for the in vivo acetylation of lysines on histones H2B, H3, and H4. CBP's homolog p300 was unable to compensate for the loss of CBP. Neurons lacking CBP maintained phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB, yet failed to activate CREB:CBP-mediated gene expression. Loss of CBP in dorsal CA1 of the hippocampus resulted in selective impairments to long-term potentiation and long-term memory for contextual fear and object recognition. Together, these results suggest a necessary role for specific chromatin modifications, selectively mediated by CBP in the consolidation of memories. PMID:21508930

Toxicity of 6-thioguanine: no hepatotoxicity in a series of IBD patients treated with long-term, low dose 6-thioguanine. Some evidence for dose or metabolite level dependent effects?

PubMed

Gilissen, L P L; Derijks, L J J; Driessen, A; Bos, L P; Hooymans, P M; Stockbrügger, R W; Engels, L G J B

2007-02-01

6-Thioguanine is used in inflammatory bowel disease since 2001, with promising short-term results. In 2003, liver histology of some 6-thioguanine treated patients showed nodular regenerative hyperplasia. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging revealed nodular regenerative hyperplasia in patients with normal histology. Investigating the presence of nodular regenerative hyperplasia in long-term 6-thioguanine treated patients. Inflammatory bowel disease patients, using 6-thioguanine minimally 24 months, were asked to undergo liver biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging. Fourteen patients used 6-thioguanine minimally 24 months, 13 participated. Mean 6-thioguanine therapy duration, daily dose and 6-thioguanine nucleotide levels were: 36 months, 18.8 mg (0.28 mg/kg) and 705 pmol/8x10(8) erythrocytes, respectively. Liver histology and magnetic resonance imaging showed no nodular regenerative hyperplasia. Liver biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging showed no nodular regenerative hyperplasia in these long-term 6-thioguanine treated inflammatory bowel disease patients. 6-thioguanine dose and metabolite levels were lower compared with previous nodular regenerative hyperplasia reports, suggesting dose or metabolite level-dependent effects. Otherwise, nodular regenerative hyperplasia is related with inflammatory bowel disease itself and immunosuppressives, including azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine. 6-Thioguanine is debated due to nodular regenerative hyperplasia. We found no nodular regenerative hyperplasia in inflammatory bowel disease patients with long-term, low dosed 6-thioguanine, suggesting metabolite level-dependent effects. Therefore, 6-thioguanine still seems useful, but in selected patients, intolerant for other immunosuppressives, low dosed and under close surveillance of metabolite levels and hepatotoxity.

Exploring Spatial Variability in the Relationship between Long Term Limiting Illness and Area Level Deprivation at the City Level Using Geographically Weighted Regression

PubMed Central

Morrissey, Karyn

2015-01-01

Ecological influences on health outcomes are associated with the spatial stratification of health. However, the majority of studies that seek to understand these ecological influences utilise aspatial methods. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) is a spatial statistics tool that expands standard regression by allowing for spatial variance in parameters. This study contributes to the urban health literature, by employing GWR to uncover geographic variation in Limiting Long Term Illness (LLTI) and area level effects at the small area level in a relatively small, urban environment. Using GWR it was found that each of the three contextual covariates, area level deprivation scores, the percentage of the population aged 75 years plus and the percentage of residences of white ethnicity for each LSOA exhibited a non-stationary relationship with LLTI across space. Multicollinearity among the predictor variables was found not to be a problem. Within an international policy context, this research indicates that even at the city level, a “one-size fits all” policy strategy is not the most appropriate approach to address health outcomes. City “wide” health polices need to be spatially adaptive, based on the contextual characteristics of each area. PMID:29546118

Longitudinal associations of nursing staff turnover with patient outcomes in long-term care hospitals in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yoonseo; Han, Kihye

2018-01-10

To describe the characteristics of long-term care hospitals in 2010-2013 and to examine the longitudinal associations of nursing staff turnover with patient outcomes. The number of long-term care hospitals has exploded in Korea since the national long-term care insurance was launched in 2008. The care quality deviation across long-term care hospitals is large. This was a longitudinal secondary data analysis using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's data. From 2010 to 2013, the nursing staff turnover rate decreased. The number of patients per registered nurse increased while that per total nursing staff and skill mix decreased. All adverse patient outcomes decreased. Higher nursing staff turnover and lower RN proportions were associated with adverse patient outcomes. Since the launch of the long-term care insurance, total nursing staffing, turnover rate and patient outcomes have improved, while the skill mix has decreased. Systematic efforts to decrease nursing staff turnover should be implemented for better long-term care patient outcomes. In addition to maintaining high levels of nurse staffing and skill mix, supportive work environments and competitive wages and benefits could reduce turnover, and ultimately adverse patient outcomes. Health care policy should separate nursing staffing levels for registered nurses and certified nursing assistants. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Short-term and long-term treatment outcomes with Class III activator

PubMed Central

Ryu, Hyo-kyung; Chong, Hyun-Jeong; An, Ki-Yong

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate short-term and long-term skeletodental outcomes of Class III activator treatment. Methods A Class III activator treatment group (AG) comprised of 22 patients (9 boys, 13 girls) was compared with a Class III control group (CG) comprised of 17 patients (6 boys, 11 girls). The total treatment period was divided into three stages; the initial stage (T1), the post-activator treatment or post-mandibular growth peak stage (T2), and the long-term follow-up stage (T3). Cephalometric changes were evaluated statistically via the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Friedman test. Results The AG exhibited significant increases in the SNA angle, ANB angle, Wits appraisal, A point-N perpendicular, Convexity of A point, and proclination of the maxillary incisors, from T1 to T2. In the long-term follow-up (T1-T3), the AG exhibited significantly greater increases in the ANB angle, Wits appraisal, and Convexity of A point than the CG. Conclusions Favorable skeletal outcomes induced during the Class III activator treatment period were generally maintained until the long-term follow-up period of the post-mandibular growth peak stage. PMID:26445717

Managing soils for long-term productivity

PubMed Central

Syers, J. K.

1997-01-01

Meeting the goal of long-term agricultural productivity requires that soil degradation be halted and reversed. Soil fertility decline is a key factor in soil degradation and is probably the major cause of declining crop yields. There is evidence that the contribution of declining soil fertility to soil degradation has been underestimated.
Sensitivity to soil degradation is implicit in the assessment of the sustainability of land management practices, with wide recognition of the fact that soils vary in their ability to resist change and recover subsequent to stress. The concept of resilience in relation to sustainability requires further elaboration and evaluation.
In the context of soil degradation, a decline in soil fertility is primarily interpreted as the depletion of organic matter and plant nutrients. Despite a higher turnover rate of organic matter in the tropics there is no intrinsic difference between the organic matter content of soils from tropical and temperate regions. The level of organic matter in a soil is closely related to the above and below ground inputs. In the absence of adequate organic material inputs and where cultivation is continuous, soil organic matter declines progressively. Maintaining the quantity and quality of soil organic matter should be a guiding principle in developing management practices.
Soil microbial biomass serves as an important reservoir of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S), and regulates the cycling of organic matter and nutrients. Because of its high turnover rate, microbial biomass reacts quickly to changes in management and is a sensitive indicator for monitoring and predicting changes in soil organic matter. Modelling techniques have been reasonably successful in predicting changes in soil organic matter with different organic material inputs, but there is little information from the tropics.
Nutrient depletion through harvested crop components and residue removal, and by leaching and soil

[Psychosocial issues of long-term cancer survivors].

PubMed

Weis, J; Faller, H

2012-04-01

Although cancer incidence rates are increasing, recent statistical studies suggest that cancer patients are showing higher cure rates as well as improved overall survival rates for most cancer locations. These advances are explained by improved strategies in early diagnoses as well as improved cancer therapies. Therefore, the number of long-term cancer survivors has also increased, but only few studies, especially within the last years, have focused on psychosocial issues of this subgroup. Some studies show that overall quality of life of long-term cancer survivors is quite high and comparable to that of the normal population. Nevertheless, a substantial percentage of former patients shows reduced quality of life and suffers from various sequelae of cancer and its treatment. This review focuses on the most common psychosocial issue of long-term survivors such as reduced psychological wellbeing, neuropsychological deficits and cancer-related fatigue syndrome. Finally, recommendations for problem-oriented interventions as well as improvement of psychosocial care of long-term survivors are given.

GLAS Long-Term Archive: Preservation and Stewardship for a Vital Earth Observing Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, D. K.; Moses, J. F.; Zwally, J.; Schutz, B. E.; Hancock, D.; McAllister, M.; Webster, D.; Bond, C.

2012-12-01

Data Stewardship, preservation, and reproducibility are fast becoming principal parts of a data manager's work. In an era of distributed data and information systems, it is of vital importance that organizations make a commitment to both current and long-term goals of data management and the preservation of scientific data. Satellite missions and instruments go through a lifecycle that involves pre-launch calibration, on-orbit data acquisition and product generation, and final reprocessing. Data products and descriptions flow to the archives for distribution on a regular basis during the active part of the mission. However there is additional information from the product generation and science teams needed to ensure the observations will be useful for long term climate studies. Examples include ancillary input datasets, product generation software, and production history as developed by the team during the course of product generation. These data and information will need to be archived after product data processing is completed. NASA has developed a set of Earth science data and information content requirements for long term preservation that is being used for all the EOS missions as they come to completion. Since the ICESat/GLAS mission was one of the first to end, NASA and NSIDC, in collaboration with the science team, are collecting data, software, and documentation, preparing for long-term support of the ICESat mission. For a long-term archive, it is imperative to preserve sufficient information about how products were prepared in order to ensure future researchers that the scientific results are accurate, understandable, and useable. Our experience suggests data centers know what to preserve in most cases. That is, the processing algorithms along with the Level 0 or Level 1a input and ancillary products used to create the higher-level products will be archived and made available to users. In other cases, such as pre-launch, calibration/validation, and test

A security/safety survey of long term care facilities.

PubMed

Acorn, Jonathan R

2010-01-01

What are the major security/safety problems of long term care facilities? What steps are being taken by some facilities to mitigate such problems? Answers to these questions can be found in a survey of IAHSS members involved in long term care security conducted for the IAHSS Long Term Care Security Task Force. The survey, the author points out, focuses primarily on long term care facilities operated by hospitals and health systems. However, he believes, it does accurately reflect the security problems most long term facilities face, and presents valuable information on security systems and practices which should be also considered by independent and chain operated facilities.

Long-Term Care Financing: Lessons From France

PubMed Central

Doty, Pamela; Nadash, Pamela; Racco, Nathalie

2015-01-01

Context An aging population leads to a growing demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS). In 2002, France introduced universal, income-adjusted, public long-term care coverage for adults 60 and older, whereas the United States funds means-tested benefits only. Both countries have private long-term care insurance (LTCI) markets: American policies create alternatives to out-of-pocket spending and protect purchasers from relying on Medicaid. Sales, however, have stagnated, and the market's viability is uncertain. In France, private LTCI supplements public coverage, and sales are growing, although its potential to alleviate the long-term care financing problem is unclear. We explore whether France's very different approach to structuring public and private financing for long-term care could inform the United States’ long-term care financing reform efforts. Methods We consulted insurance experts and conducted a detailed review of public reports, academic studies, and other documents to understand the public and private LTCI systems in France, their advantages and disadvantages, and the factors affecting their development. Findings France provides universal public coverage for paid assistance with functional dependency for people 60 and older. Benefits are steeply income adjusted and amounts are low. Nevertheless, expenditures have exceeded projections, burdening local governments. Private supplemental insurance covers 11% of French, mostly middle-income adults (versus 3% of Americans 18 and older). Whether policyholders will maintain employer-sponsored coverage after retirement is not known. The government's interest in pursuing an explicit public/private partnership has waned under President François Hollande, a centrist socialist, in contrast to the previous center-right leader, President Nicolas Sarkozy, thereby reducing the prospects of a coordinated public/private strategy. Conclusions American private insurers are showing increasing interest in long-term

Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Celiac Disease Patients on a Long-Term Gluten-Free Diet

PubMed Central

Laurikka, Pilvi; Salmi, Teea; Collin, Pekka; Huhtala, Heini; Mäki, Markku; Kaukinen, Katri; Kurppa, Kalle

2016-01-01

Experience suggests that many celiac patients suffer from persistent symptoms despite a long-term gluten-free diet (GFD). We investigated the prevalence and severity of these symptoms in patients with variable duration of GFD. Altogether, 856 patients were classified into untreated (n = 128), short-term GFD (1–2 years, n = 93) and long-term GFD (≥3 years, n = 635) groups. Analyses were made of clinical and histological data and dietary adherence. Symptoms were evaluated by the validated GSRS questionnaire. One-hundred-sixty healthy subjects comprised the control group. Further, the severity of symptoms was compared with that in peptic ulcer, reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Altogether, 93% of the short-term and 94% of the long-term treated patients had a strict GFD and recovered mucosa. Untreated patients had more diarrhea, indigestion and abdominal pain than those on GFD and controls. There were no differences in symptoms between the short- and long-term GFD groups, but both yielded poorer GSRS total score than controls (p = 0.03 and p = 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, patients treated 1–2 years had more diarrhea (p = 0.03) and those treated >10 years more reflux (p = 0.04) than controls. Long-term treated celiac patients showed relatively mild symptoms compared with other gastrointestinal diseases. Based on our results, good response to GFD sustained in long-term follow-up, but not all patients reach the level of healthy individuals. PMID:27428994

Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Celiac Disease Patients on a Long-Term Gluten-Free Diet.

PubMed

Laurikka, Pilvi; Salmi, Teea; Collin, Pekka; Huhtala, Heini; Mäki, Markku; Kaukinen, Katri; Kurppa, Kalle

2016-07-14

Experience suggests that many celiac patients suffer from persistent symptoms despite a long-term gluten-free diet (GFD). We investigated the prevalence and severity of these symptoms in patients with variable duration of GFD. Altogether, 856 patients were classified into untreated (n = 128), short-term GFD (1-2 years, n = 93) and long-term GFD (≥3 years, n = 635) groups. Analyses were made of clinical and histological data and dietary adherence. Symptoms were evaluated by the validated GSRS questionnaire. One-hundred-sixty healthy subjects comprised the control group. Further, the severity of symptoms was compared with that in peptic ulcer, reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Altogether, 93% of the short-term and 94% of the long-term treated patients had a strict GFD and recovered mucosa. Untreated patients had more diarrhea, indigestion and abdominal pain than those on GFD and controls. There were no differences in symptoms between the short- and long-term GFD groups, but both yielded poorer GSRS total score than controls (p = 0.03 and p = 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, patients treated 1-2 years had more diarrhea (p = 0.03) and those treated >10 years more reflux (p = 0.04) than controls. Long-term treated celiac patients showed relatively mild symptoms compared with other gastrointestinal diseases. Based on our results, good response to GFD sustained in long-term follow-up, but not all patients reach the level of healthy individuals.

Effect of ionizing radiation on human skeletal muscle precursor cells

PubMed Central

Jurdana, Mihaela; Cemazar, Maja; Pegan, Katarina; Mars, Tomaz

2013-01-01

Background Long term effects of different doses of ionizing radiation on human skeletal muscle myoblast proliferation, cytokine signalling and stress response capacity were studied in primary cell cultures. Materials and methods Human skeletal muscle myoblasts obtained from muscle biopsies were cultured and irradiated with a Darpac 2000 X-ray unit at doses of 4, 6 and 8 Gy. Acute effects of radiation were studied by interleukin – 6 (IL-6) release and stress response detected by the heat shock protein (HSP) level, while long term effects were followed by proliferation capacity and cell death. Results Compared with non-irradiated control and cells treated with inhibitor of cell proliferation Ara C, myoblast proliferation decreased 72 h post-irradiation, this effect was more pronounced with increasing doses. Post-irradiation myoblast survival determined by measurement of released LDH enzyme activity revealed increased activity after exposure to irradiation. The acute response of myoblasts to lower doses of irradiation (4 and 6 Gy) was decreased secretion of constitutive IL-6. Higher doses of irradiation triggered a stress response in myoblasts, determined by increased levels of stress markers (HSPs 27 and 70). Conclusions Our results show that myoblasts are sensitive to irradiation in terms of their proliferation capacity and capacity to secret IL-6. Since myoblast proliferation and differentiation are a key stage in muscle regeneration, this effect of irradiation needs to be taken in account, particularly in certain clinical conditions. PMID:24294183

Long-term care financing: options for the future.

PubMed

Mulvey, Janemarie; Li, Annelise

2002-01-01

The aging of the baby boomers will have an enormous impact on the future of long-term care costs. This article projects the magnitude of that impact, discusses sources of financing, and considers the cost and feasibility of three options for financing future long-term care services. The authors investigate the alternatives of increasing personal savings, raising payroll taxes and expanding employer-sponsored private long-term care insurance coverage, respectively.

Long-Term Memory and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossland, John

2011-01-01

The English National Curriculum Programmes of Study emphasise the importance of knowledge, understanding and skills, and teachers are well versed in structuring learning in those terms. Research outcomes into how long-term memory is stored and retrieved provide support for structuring learning in this way. Four further messages are added to the…

Hepatic findings in long-term clinical trials of ximelagatran.

PubMed

Lee, William M; Larrey, Dominique; Olsson, Rolf; Lewis, James H; Keisu, Marianne; Auclert, Laurent; Sheth, Sunita

2005-01-01

In clinical trials, the efficacy and safety of the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran have been evaluated in the prevention or treatment of thromboembolic conditions known to have high morbidity and mortality. In these studies, raised aminotransferase levels were observed during long-term use (>35 days). The aim of this analysis is to review the data regarding these hepatic findings in the long-term trials of ximelagatran. The prospective analysis included 6948 patients randomised to ximelagatran and 6230 patients randomised to comparator (warfarin, low-molecular weight heparin followed by warfarin or placebo). Of these, 6931 patients received ximelagatran for a mean of 357 days and 6216 patients received comparator for a mean of 389 days. An algorithm was developed for frequent testing of hepatic enzyme levels. A panel of four hepatologists analysed all cases of potential concern with regard to causal relation to ximelagatran treatment using an established evaluation tool (Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method [RUCAM]). An elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of >3 x the upper limit of normal (ULN) was found in 7.9% of patients in the ximelagatran group versus 1.2% in the comparator group. The increase in ALT level occurred 1-6 months after initiation of therapy and data were available to confirm recovery of the ALT level to <2 x ULN in 96% of patients, whether they continued to receive ximelagatran or not. There was some variability in the incidence of ALT level elevation between indications, those with simultaneous acute illnesses (acute myocardial infarction or venous thromboembolism) having higher incidences. Combined elevations of ALT level of >3 x ULN and total bilirubin level of >2 x ULN (within 1 month of the ALT elevation), regardless of aetiology, were infrequent, occurring in 37 patients (0.5%) treated with ximelagatran, of whom one sustained a severe hepatic illness that appeared to be resolving when the patient died from a

14th-16th century Danube floods and long-term water-level changes reflected in archaeological-sedimentary evidence - in comparison with documentary evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiss, Andrea; Laszlovszky, József

2014-05-01

In the present paper an overview of published and unpublished results of archaeological and sedimentary investigations, predominantly reflect on 14th-16th-century changes, are provided and compared to documentary information on flood events and long-term changes. Long-term changes in flood behaviour and average water-level conditions had long-term detectable impacts on sedimentation and fluvio-morphological processes. Moreover, the available archaeological evidence might also provide information on the reaction of the society, in the form of changes in settlement organisation, building structures and processes. At present, information is mainly available concerning the 16th, and partly to the 14th-15th centuries. Medium and short term evidence mainly corresponds to the main flood peaks or even to single catastrophic flood events. Such processes may be identified in archaeological evidence concerning the second half of the 14th, early 15th centuries; while most of the cases listed above were connected to the flood peak (and/or generally increasing water-level conditions) of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. In other cases connections between sedimentary/archaeological evidence and the mid- and late 16th-century high flood-frequency period were presumed. Documentary evidence referring to the same period suggests that higher flood frequency and intensity periods occurred in the early and mid 16th century; a probably more prolonged flood rich period took place in the second half of the 16th century, with a peak in the late 1560s-early 1570s and maybe with another at the end of the 16th century. Earlier flood peaks in documentary evidence were detected on the Danube at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries and in the last decades of the 15th century, continuing in the early 16th century.

Long-term fundus changes in acquired partial lipodystrophy.

PubMed

Jansen, Joyce; Delaere, Lien; Spielberg, Leigh; Leys, Anita

2013-11-18

We describe long-term fundus changes in a patient with partial lipodystrophy (PL). Retinal pigment alterations, drusen and subretinal neovascularisation were seen without evidence for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Fundus alterations similar to those seen in age-related macular degeneration can occur at an earlier age in patients with PL, even without renal disease. Dysregulation of an alternative complement pathway with low serum levels of C3 has been implicated as a pathogenetic mechanism.

Long-term fundus changes in acquired partial lipodystrophy

PubMed Central

Jansen, Joyce; Delaere, Lien; Spielberg, Leigh; Leys, Anita

2013-01-01

We describe long-term fundus changes in a patient with partial lipodystrophy (PL). Retinal pigment alterations, drusen and subretinal neovascularisation were seen without evidence for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Fundus alterations similar to those seen in age-related macular degeneration can occur at an earlier age in patients with PL, even without renal disease. Dysregulation of an alternative complement pathway with low serum levels of C3 has been implicated as a pathogenetic mechanism. PMID:24248317

Planning long-term vegetation studies at landscape scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, Thomas J.

1995-01-01

Long-term ecological research is receiving more attention now than ever before. Two recent books, Long-term Studies in Ecology: Approaches and Alternatives, edited by Gene Likens (1989), and Long-term Ecological Research: An International Perspective, edited by Paul Risser (1991), prompt the question, “Why are these books so thin?” Except for data from paleoecological, retrospective studies (see below), there are exceptionally few long-term data sets in terrestrial ecology (Strayer et al. 1986; Tilman 1989; this volume). In a sample of 749 papers published in Ecology, Tilman (1989) found that only 1.7% of the studies lasted at least five field seasons. Only one chapter in each of the review books dealt specifically with expanding both the temporal and the spatial scales of ecological research (Berkowitz et al. 1989; Magnuson et al. 1991). Judging by the growing number of landscape-scale long-term studies, however, such as the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program (Callahan 1991), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP; Palmer et al. 1991), the U.S. Army’s Land Condition-Trend Analysis (LCTA) Program (Diersing et al. 1992), and various agencies’ global change research programs (CEES 1993), there is a growing interest to expand ecological research both temporally and spatially.

Zeitgeists and development trends in long-term care facility design.

PubMed

Wang, Chia-Hui; Kuo, Nai-Wen

2006-06-01

Through literature analysis, in-depth interviews, and the application of the Delphi survey, this study explored long-term care resident priorities with regard to long-term care facility design in terms of both physical and psychological needs. This study further clarified changing trends in long-term care concepts; illustrated the impact that such changes are having on long-term care facility design; and summarized zeitgeists related to the architectural design of long-term care facilities. Results of our Delphi survey indicated the following top five priorities in long-term care facility design: (1) creating a home-like feeling; (2) adhering to Universal Design concepts; (3) providing well-defined private sleeping areas; (4) providing adequate social space; and (5) decentralizing residents' rooms into clusters. The three major zeitgeists related to long-term care facility design include: (1) modern long-term care facilities should abandon their traditional "hospital" image and gradually reposition facilities into homelike settings; (2) institution-based care for the elderly should be de-institutionalized under the concept of aging-in-place; and (3) living clusters, rather than traditional hospital-like wards, should be designed into long-term care facilities.

Environmental evaluation of alternatives for long-term management of Defense high-level radioactive wastes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant

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

Not Available

1982-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the selection of a strategy for the long-term management of the defense high-level wastes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP). This report describes the environmental impacts of alternative strategies. These alternative strategies include leaving the calcine in its present form at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), or retrieving and modifying the calcine to a more durable waste form and disposing of it either at the INEL or in an offsite repository. This report addresses only the alternatives for a program to manage the high-level waste generated at the ICPP. 24more » figures, 60 tables.« less

Concerns with low-level ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Yalow, R S

1994-05-01

To clarify the effects of ionizing radiation and to dispel fear associated with the use of radioactivity in medical diagnosis and therapy. Studies of populations in geographic areas of increased cosmic radiation and high natural background radiation, radiation-exposed workers, patients with medical exposure to radioactivity, and accidental exposure are reviewed. No reproducible evidence shows harmful effects associated with increases in background radiation of 3 to 10 times the usual levels. American military personnel who participated in nuclear testing had no increase in leukemia or other cancers. Among 22,000 patients with hyperthyroidism treated with 131I (mean dose, 10 rem), no increased incidence of leukemia was found in comparison with 14,000 similar patients who received other treatment. A 20-year follow-up of 35,000 patients who underwent 131I uptake tests for evaluation of thyroid function revealed that those studied for other than a suspected tumor had only 60% of the thyroid cancers expected in a control group. Although early studies showed that high exposures to miners to radon and its daughters resulted in a substantial increase in lung cancer, no evidence exists for an increase in lung cancer among nonsmokers exposed to increased radon levels in the home. Perhaps the association of radiation with the atomic bomb has created a climate of fear about the possible dangers of radiation at any level; however, no evidence indicates that current radiation exposures associated with medical usage are harmful.

Disability in long-term care residents explained by prevalent geriatric syndromes, not long-term care home characteristics: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lane, Natasha E; Wodchis, Walter P; Boyd, Cynthia M; Stukel, Thérèse A

2017-02-10

Self-care disability is dependence on others to conduct activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating and dressing. Among long-term care residents, self-care disability lowers quality of life and increases health care costs. Understanding the correlates of self-care disability in this population is critical to guide clinical care and ongoing research in Geriatrics. This study examines which resident geriatric syndromes and chronic conditions are associated with residents' self-care disability and whether these relationships vary across strata of age, sex and cognitive status. It also describes the proportion of variance in residents' self-care disability that is explained by residents' geriatric syndromes versus long-term care home characteristics. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a health administrative cohort of 77,165 long-term care home residents residing in 614 Ontario long-term care homes. Eligible residents had their self-care disability assessed using the RAI-MDS 2.0 activities of daily living long-form score (range: 0-28) within 90 days of April 1st, 2011. Hierarchical multivariable regression models with random effects for long-term care homes were used to estimate the association between self-care disability and resident geriatric syndromes, chronic conditions and long-term care home characteristics. Differences in findings across strata of sex, age and cognitive status (cognitively intact versus cognitively impaired) were examined. Geriatric syndromes were much more strongly associated with self-care disability than chronic conditions in multivariable models. The direction and size of some of these effects were different for cognitively impaired versus cognitively intact residents. Residents' geriatric syndromes explained 50% of the variation in their self-care disability scores, while characteristics of long-term care homes explained an additional 2% of variation. Differences in long-term care residents' self-care disability are

Staffing levels in not-for-profit and for-profit long-term care facilities: Does type of ownership matter?

PubMed Central

McGregor, Margaret J.; Cohen, Marcy; McGrail, Kimberlyn; Broemeling, Anne Marie; Adler, Reva N.; Schulzer, Michael; Ronald, Lisa; Cvitkovich, Yuri; Beck, Mary

2005-01-01

Background Currently there is a lot of debate about the advantages and disadvantages of for-profit health care delivery. We examined staffing ratios for direct-care and support staff in publicly funded not-for-profit and for-profit nursing homes in British Columbia. Methods We obtained staffing data for 167 long-term care facilities and linked these to the type of facility and ownership of the facility. All staff were members of the same bargaining association and received identical wages in both not-for-profit and for-profit facilities. Similar public funding is provided to both types of facilities, although the amounts vary by the level of functional dependence of the residents. We compared the mean number of hours per resident-day provided by direct-care staff (registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and resident care aides) and support staff (housekeeping, dietary and laundry staff) in not-for-profit versus for-profit facilities, after adjusting for facility size (number of beds) and level of care. Results The nursing homes included in our study comprised 76% of all such facilities in the province. Of the 167 nursing homes examined, 109 (65%) were not-for-profit and 58 (35%) were for-profit; 24% of the for-profit homes were part of a chain, and the remaining homes were owned by a single operator. The mean number of hours per resident-day was higher in the not-for-profit facilities than in the for-profit facilities for both direct-care and support staff and for all facility levels of care. Compared with for-profit ownership, not-for-profit status was associated with an estimated 0.34 more hours per resident-day (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18–0.49, p < 0.001) provided by direct-care staff and 0.23 more hours per resident-day (95% CI 0.15–0.30, p < 0.001) provided by support staff. Interpretation Not-for-profit facility ownership is associated with higher staffing levels. This finding suggests that public money used to provide care to frail eldery

A model providing long-term data sets of energetic electron precipitation during geomagnetic storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Kamp, M.; Seppälä, A.; Clilverd, M. A.; Rodger, C. J.; Verronen, P. T.; Whittaker, I. C.

2016-10-01

The influence of solar variability on the polar atmosphere and climate due to energetic electron precipitation (EEP) has remained an open question largely due to lack of a long-term EEP forcing data set that could be used in chemistry-climate models. Motivated by this, we have developed a model for 30-1000 keV radiation belt driven EEP. The model is based on precipitation data from low Earth orbiting POES satellites in the period 2002-2012 and empirically described plasmasphere structure, which are both scaled to a geomagnetic index. This geomagnetic index is the only input of the model and can be either Dst or Ap. Because of this, the model can be used to calculate the energy-flux spectrum of precipitating electrons from 1957 (Dst) or 1932 (Ap) onward, with a time resolution of 1 day. Results from the model compare well with EEP observations over the period of 2002-2012. Using the model avoids the challenges found in measured data sets concerning proton contamination. As demonstrated, the model results can be used to produce the first ever >80 year long atmospheric ionization rate data set for radiation belt EEP. The impact of precipitation in this energy range is mainly seen at altitudes 70-110 km. The ionization rate data set, which is available for the scientific community, will enable simulations of EEP impacts on the atmosphere and climate with realistic EEP variability. Due to limitations in this first version of the model, the results most likely represent an underestimation of the total EEP effect.

A processing approach to the working memory/long-term memory distinction: evidence from the levels-of-processing span task.

PubMed

Rose, Nathan S; Craik, Fergus I M

2012-07-01

Recent theories suggest that performance on working memory (WM) tasks involves retrieval from long-term memory (LTM). To examine whether WM and LTM tests have common principles, Craik and Tulving's (1975) levels-of-processing paradigm, which is known to affect LTM, was administered as a WM task: Participants made uppercase, rhyme, or category-membership judgments about words, and immediate recall of the words was required after every 3 or 8 processing judgments. In Experiment 1, immediate recall did not demonstrate a levels-of-processing effect, but a subsequent LTM test (delayed recognition) of the same words did show a benefit of deeper processing. Experiment 2 showed that surprise immediate recall of 8-item lists did demonstrate a levels-of-processing effect, however. A processing account of the conditions in which levels-of-processing effects are and are not found in WM tasks was advanced, suggesting that the extent to which levels-of-processing effects are similar between WM and LTM tests largely depends on the amount of disruption to active maintenance processes. 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Long-Term Monitoring of Global Climate Forcings and Feedbacks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, J. (Editor); Rossow, W. (Editor); Fung, I. (Editor)

1993-01-01

A workshop on Long-Term Monitoring of Global Climate Forcings and Feedbacks was held February 3-4, 1992, at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies to discuss the measurements required to interpret long-term global temperature changes, to critique the proposed contributions of a series of small satellites (Climsat), and to identify needed complementary monitoring. The workshop concluded that long-term (several decades) of continuous monitoring of the major climate forcings and feedbacks is essential for understanding long-term climate change.

Management of long term sickness absence: a systematic realist review.

PubMed

Higgins, Angela; O'Halloran, Peter; Porter, Sam

2012-09-01

The increasing impact and costs of long term sickness absence have been well documented. However, the diversity and complexity of interventions and of the contexts in which these take place makes a traditional review problematic. Therefore, we undertook a systematic realist review to identify the dominant programme theories underlying best practice, to assess the evidence for these theories, and to throw light on important enabling or disabling contextual factors. A search of the scholarly literature from 1950 to 2011 identified 5,576 articles, of which 269 formed the basis of the review. We found that the dominant programme theories in relation to effective management related to: early intervention or referral by employers; having proactive organisational procedures; good communication and cooperation between stakeholders; and workplace-based occupational rehabilitation. Significant contextual factors were identified as the level of support for interventions from top management, the size and structure of the organisation, the level of financial and organisational investment in the management of long-term sickness absence, and the quality of relationships between managers and staff. Consequently, those with responsibility for managing absence should bear in mind the contextual factors that are likely to have an impact on interventions, and do what they can to ensure stakeholders have at least a mutual understanding (if not a common purpose) in relation to their perceptions of interventions, goals, culture and practice in the management of long term sickness absence.

Dietary potassium intake and mortality in long-term hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Noori, Nazanin; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar; Kovesdy, Csaba P; Murali, Sameer B; Bross, Rachelle; Nissenson, Allen R; Kopple, Joel D

2010-08-01

Hyperkalemia has been associated with higher mortality in long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients. There are few data concerning the relationship between dietary potassium intake and outcome. The mortality predictability of dietary potassium intake from reported food items estimated using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) at the start of the cohort was examined in a 5-year (2001-2006) cohort of 224 HD patients in Southern California using Cox proportional hazards regression. 224 long-term HD patients from 8 DaVita dialysis clinics. Dietary potassium intake ranking using the Block FFQ. 5-year survival. HD patients with higher potassium intake had greater dietary energy, protein, and phosphorus intakes and higher predialysis serum potassium and phosphorus levels. Greater dietary potassium intake was associated with significantly increased death HRs in unadjusted models and after incremental adjustments for case-mix, nutritional factors (including 3-month averaged predialysis serum creatinine, potassium, and phosphorus levels; body mass index; normalized protein nitrogen appearance; and energy, protein, and phosphorus intake) and inflammatory marker levels. HRs for death across the 3 higher quartiles of dietary potassium intake in the fully adjusted model (compared with the lowest quartile) were 1.4 (95% CI, 0.6-3.0), 2.2 (95% CI, 0.9-5.4), and 2.4 (95% CI, 1.1-7.5), respectively (P for trend = 0.03). Restricted cubic spline analyses confirmed the incremental mortality predictability of higher potassium intake. FFQs may underestimate individual potassium intake and should be used to rank dietary intake across the population. Higher dietary potassium intake is associated with increased death risk in long-term HD patients, even after adjustments for serum potassium level; dietary protein; energy, and phosphorus intake; and nutritional and inflammatory marker levels. The potential role of dietary potassium in the high mortality rate of HD patients warrants

Prolactin levels during short- and long-term cross-sex hormone treatment: an observational study in transgender persons.

PubMed

Nota, N M; Dekker, M J H J; Klaver, M; Wiepjes, C M; van Trotsenburg, M A; Heijboer, A C; den Heijer, M

2017-08-01

The cause of prolactin alterations in transgender persons is often assigned to oestrogens, but the precise cause and time course during different phases of cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) remain unclear. In this study, we prospectively examined prolactin levels in 55 female-to-males (FtMs) and 61 male-to-females (MtFs) during the first year of CHT. Because long-term prolactin data were not available in this population, we studied these levels in a retrospective population of 25 FtMs and 38 MtFs who underwent gonadectomy. FtMs were treated with testosterone and MtFs with estradiol, with or without the anti-androgen cyproterone acetate (CPA) (after gonadectomy CPA is cessated). During the first year of CHT, prolactin decreased with 25% (95CI: -33%, -12%) in FtMs and increased with 193% (95CI: 156%, 219%) in MtFs. Eighteen MtFs developed hyperprolactinemia (≥0.6 IU L -1 ). In the retrospective population, post-gonadectomy levels in FtMs were lower than baseline levels (-39%; 95CI: -51%, -20%) while in MtFs post-gonadectomy levels and baseline levels were comparable (-6%; 95CI: -24%, 15%). No hyperprolactinemia was found after gonadectomy. In conclusion, in FtMs, prolactin decreased consistently during CHT and in MtFs, prolactin increased during pre-surgical CHT but normalised after gonadectomy. It is likely that CPA induces increasing prolactin levels in MtFs. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Long Term Care Aide/Homemaker. Resource Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illerbrun, Marley

This handbook provides basic information for preparing individuals to work as long-term care aides and homemakers. It is written both for college students in long-term care aide/homemaker programs and for individuals already employed in these occupations. Health care agencies giving orientation training for new employees and inservice training for…

Developmental Dyslexia and Explicit Long-Term Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menghini, Deny; Carlesimo, Giovanni Augusto; Marotta, Luigi; Finzi, Alessandra; Vicari, Stefano

2010-01-01

The reduced verbal long-term memory capacities often reported in dyslexics are generally interpreted as a consequence of their deficit in phonological coding. The present study was aimed at evaluating whether the learning deficit exhibited by dyslexics was restricted only to the verbal component of the long-term memory abilities or also involved…

[Combined effects of benzene and chromium on navigation learning and long-term spatial memory in rats].

PubMed

Tikhonov, V V; Ermolina, E V; Miroshnichenko, I V

2009-01-01

The impact of long-term intake of drinking water containing the high level of chromium and benzene or their mixture on navigation learning and long-term spatial memory was studied in a Morris water maze. The chronic neurotoxic effect of benzene was characterized by worse long-term memory, which upon its exposure in combination with chromium remained unchanged and failed to block the realization of a positive effect of chromium on the mechanism of navigation learning.

78 FR 36449 - State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-18

... 0985-AA08 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program AGENCY: Administration on Aging, Administration for... Act, the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. This proposed rule replaces AoA's 1994 Notice of... highlighted the difficulty of determining State compliance in carrying out the Long-Term Care Ombudsman...

Advancing an ethical framework for long-term care.

PubMed

Carter, Mary Whelan

2002-02-01

This article represents an effort to formulate an ethical framework for long-term care with the explicit purpose of providing a catalyst to promote further discourse and expand consideration of what an ethic of long-term care might entail. Grounding the discussion, an introduction to traditional ethical philosophy is presented, focusing mainly on the fundamentals of deontological and teleological ethical theories. Attention then shifts to a review of the more frequently cited principles found in the long-term care ethics literature, followed by a critique of the current reliance upon principlism to resolve ethical dilemmas in long-term care. In response to this criticism, an agent-driven ethical framework stressing dignity and respect for personhood, drawn from the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, is advanced.

Long-term memory, sleep, and the spacing effect.

PubMed

Bell, Matthew C; Kawadri, Nader; Simone, Patricia M; Wiseheart, Melody

2014-01-01

Many studies have shown that memory is enhanced when study sessions are spaced apart rather than massed. This spacing effect has been shown to have a lasting benefit to long-term memory when the study phase session follows the encoding session by 24 hours. Using a spacing paradigm we examined the impact of sleep and spacing gaps on long-term declarative memory for Swahili-English word pairs by including four spacing delay gaps (massed, 12 hours same-day, 12 hours overnight, and 24 hours). Results showed that a 12-hour spacing gap that includes sleep promotes long-term memory retention similar to the 24-hour gap. The findings support the importance of sleep to the long-term benefit of the spacing effect.

Prognostic Factors and Decision Tree for Long-term Survival in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma.

PubMed

Lorenzo, Daniel; Ochoa, María; Piulats, Josep Maria; Gutiérrez, Cristina; Arias, Luis; Català, Jaum; Grau, María; Peñafiel, Judith; Cobos, Estefanía; Garcia-Bru, Pere; Rubio, Marcos Javier; Padrón-Pérez, Noel; Dias, Bruno; Pera, Joan; Caminal, Josep Maria

2017-12-04

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the existence of a bimodal survival pattern in metastatic uveal melanoma. Secondary aims were to identify the characteristics and prognostic factors associated with long-term survival and to develop a clinical decision tree. The medical records of 99 metastatic uveal melanoma patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified as either short (≤ 12 months) or long-term survivors (> 12 months) based on a graphical interpretation of the survival curve after diagnosis of the first metastatic lesion. Ophthalmic and oncological characteristics were assessed in both groups. Of the 99 patients, 62 (62.6%) were classified as short-term survivors, and 37 (37.4%) as long-term survivors. The multivariate analysis identified the following predictors of long-term survival: age ≤ 65 years (p=0.012) and unaltered serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (p=0.018); additionally, the size (smaller vs. larger) of the largest liver metastasis showed a trend towards significance (p=0.063). Based on the variables significantly associated with long-term survival, we developed a decision tree to facilitate clinical decision-making. The findings of this study demonstrate the existence of a bimodal survival pattern in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. The presence of certain clinical characteristics at diagnosis of distant disease is associated with long-term survival. A decision tree was developed to facilitate clinical decision-making and to counsel patients about the expected course of disease.

Long-term course of opioid addiction.

PubMed

Hser, Yih-Ing; Evans, Elizabeth; Grella, Christine; Ling, Walter; Anglin, Douglas

2015-01-01

Opioid addiction is associated with excess mortality, morbidities, and other adverse conditions. Guided by a life-course framework, we review the literature on the long-term course of opioid addiction in terms of use trajectories, transitions, and turning points, as well as other factors that facilitate recovery from addiction. Most long-term follow-up studies are based on heroin addicts recruited from treatment settings (mostly methadone maintenance treatment), many of whom are referred by the criminal justice system. Cumulative evidence indicates that opioid addiction is a chronic disorder with frequent relapses. Longer treatment retention is associated with a greater likelihood of abstinence, whereas incarceration is negatively related to subsequent abstinence. Over the long term, the mortality rate of opioid addicts (overdose being the most common cause) is about 6 to 20 times greater than that of the general population; among those who remain alive, the prevalence of stable abstinence from opioid use is low (less than 30% after 10-30 years of observation), and many continue to use alcohol and other drugs after ceasing to use opioids. Histories of sexual or physical abuse and comorbid mental disorders are associated with the persistence of opioid use, whereas family and social support, as well as employment, facilitates recovery. Maintaining opioid abstinence for at least five years substantially increases the likelihood of future stable abstinence. Recent advances in pharmacological treatment options (buprenorphine and naltrexone) include depot formulations offering longer duration of medication; their impact on the long-term course of opioid addiction remains to be assessed.

Long-term weight loss maintenance for obesity: a multidisciplinary approach

PubMed Central

Montesi, Luca; El Ghoch, Marwan; Brodosi, Lucia; Calugi, Simona; Marchesini, Giulio; Dalle Grave, Riccardo

2016-01-01

The long-term weight management of obesity remains a very difficult task, associated with a high risk of failure and weight regain. However, many people report that they have successfully managed weight loss maintenance in the long term. Several factors have been associated with better weight loss maintenance in long-term observational and randomized studies. A few pertain to the behavioral area (eg, high levels of physical activity, eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet; frequent self-monitoring of weight), a few to the cognitive component (eg, reduced disinhibition, satisfaction with results achieved, confidence in being able to lose weight without professional help), and a few to personality traits (eg, low novelty seeking) and patient–therapist interaction. Trials based on the most recent protocols of lifestyle modification, with a prolonged extended treatment after the weight loss phase, have also shown promising long-term weight loss results. These data should stimulate the adoption of a lifestyle modification-based approach for the management of obesity, featuring a nonphysician lifestyle counselor (also called “lifestyle trainer” or “healthy lifestyle practitioner”) as a pivotal component of the multidisciplinary team. The obesity physicians maintain a primary role in engaging patients, in team coordination and supervision, in managing the complications associated with obesity and, in selected cases, in the decision for drug treatment or bariatric surgery, as possible more intensive, add-on interventions to lifestyle treatment. PMID:27013897

Through the Eyes of Nurse Managers in Long-Term Care: Identifying Perceived Competencies and Skills.

PubMed

Dever, Kathleen H

2018-05-01

Nurse managers (NMs) in long-term care supervise health care services for individuals with high acuity levels and numerous comorbidities. There is minimal research identifying NMs' skills and competencies as unit leaders within the long-term care environment. The current mixed-methods study identified NMs' leadership skills and competencies. Nineteen NMs with ≥5 years' long-term care management experience completed the Nurse Manager Inventory Tool and were individually interviewed. They rated their clinical skills at the competent level and their financial/strategic management skills at the novice level. All other skill categories, including leadership reflective practice, diversity, human resource leadership/management, relationship management, performance improvement, and problem solving, were rated at a competent level. Emergent interview qualitative themes included their visibility on the unit, trial and error learning, a sense of "aloneness" due to the absence of other RNs, NM position being a tough job, need for peer support, role modeling, and importance of supporting the resident through their "final journey." [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(5), 32-38.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Beyond the short term : transportation asset management for long-term sustainability, accountability and performance

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

Transportation Asset Management (TAM) has long been recognized as a sound, long-term approach to managing infrastructure. It provides decision makers with a rational, long-term systematic process for making difficult and complex decisions about how t...

Long-Term Engagement in Formal Volunteering and Well-Being: An Exploratory Indian Study

PubMed Central

Elias, Jereesh K.; Sudhir, Paulomi; Mehrotra, Seema

2016-01-01

Sustained engagement in volunteering and its correlates have been examined in many studies across the globe. However, there is a dearth of research that explores the perspectives of long-term formal volunteers on the nature of changes perceived in oneself as a result of volunteering. Moreover, the linkages between psychological well-being and volunteering have been insufficiently explored. The present study was aimed at addressing these gaps. A heterogeneous sample of 20 long-term formal volunteer engaged in volunteering across different voluntary organisations in a southern metropolitan Indian city formed the primary sample for the study. In addition, a group of 21 short-term volunteers, matched on age, income and gender, was utilised for comparison with long-term volunteers on well-being indices. A semi structured interview schedule was used to explore self-perceived changes attributable to volunteering experience. In addition, a few standardised measures were used to comprehensively assess subjective well-being and psychological well-being. The interview data provided rich descriptions of perceived positive changes in self across cognitive, behavioral and emotional domains. Mirroring these patterns, the quantitative analyses indicated that long-term volunteers experienced higher levels of psychological well-being (sense of mastery and competence, self-acceptance and sense of engagement and growth) than short-term volunteers. The potential mechanisms involved in beneficial outcomes of long-term volunteering and implications for further research are highlighted. PMID:27690114

Long-Term Engagement in Formal Volunteering and Well-Being: An Exploratory Indian Study.

PubMed

Elias, Jereesh K; Sudhir, Paulomi; Mehrotra, Seema

2016-09-27

Sustained engagement in volunteering and its correlates have been examined in many studies across the globe. However, there is a dearth of research that explores the perspectives of long-term formal volunteers on the nature of changes perceived in oneself as a result of volunteering. Moreover, the linkages between psychological well-being and volunteering have been insufficiently explored. The present study was aimed at addressing these gaps. A heterogeneous sample of 20 long-term formal volunteer engaged in volunteering across different voluntary organisations in a southern metropolitan Indian city formed the primary sample for the study. In addition, a group of 21 short-term volunteers, matched on age, income and gender, was utilised for comparison with long-term volunteers on well-being indices. A semi structured interview schedule was used to explore self-perceived changes attributable to volunteering experience. In addition, a few standardised measures were used to comprehensively assess subjective well-being and psychological well-being. The interview data provided rich descriptions of perceived positive changes in self across cognitive, behavioral and emotional domains. Mirroring these patterns, the quantitative analyses indicated that long-term volunteers experienced higher levels of psychological well-being (sense of mastery and competence, self-acceptance and sense of engagement and growth) than short-term volunteers. The potential mechanisms involved in beneficial outcomes of long-term volunteering and implications for further research are highlighted.

Rural long-term care work, gender, and restructuring.

PubMed

Leach, Belinda; Joseph, Gillian

2011-06-01

Restructuring--the introduction of changes that alter the way health care is delivered for maximum efficiency and least cost--layered with rurality and with rural gender ideologies and practices, results in rural long-term care settings that have particular consequences for the women working in them, and for the residents and communities that they serve. This research investigated how rurality affects the implementation of patient classification in Ontario long-term care homes. Methods involved interviews and focus groups with front-line long-term care workers, administrators, and key participants. The findings revealed that rural long-term care delivery takes place when a restructured work environment intersects with gender ideologies and practices that take on particular characteristics when developed and sustained in a rural context. These factors shape the labor market and working conditions for rural women. We argue that this produces a uniquely rural experience for long-term care workers and conclude that those implementing classification systems must consider contextual factors as well as practical and financial exigencies.

Effects of Oxcarbazepine and Levetiracetam on Calcium, Ionized Calcium, and 25-OH Vitamin-D3 Levels in Patients with Epilepsy.

PubMed

Aksoy, Duygu; Güveli, Betül Tekin; Ak, Pelin Doğan; Sarı, Hüseyin; Ataklı, Dilek; Arpacı, Baki

2016-02-29

The primary objective of the present study was to further elucidate the effects of oxcarbazepine (OXC) and levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapies on the bone health status of patients with epilepsy. This study included 48 patients who attended our epilepsy outpatient clinic, had a diagnosis of epilepsy, and were undergoing either OXC or LEV monotherapy and 42 healthy control subjects. The demographic and clinical features of the patients, including gender, age, onset of disease, daily drug dosage, and duration of disease, were noted. Additionally, the calcium, ionized calcium, and 25-OH vitamin-D3 levels of the participants were prospectively evaluated. The 25-OH vitamin-D3, calcium, and ionized calcium levels of the patients taking OXC were significantly lower than those of the control group. These levels did not significantly differ between the patients taking LEV and the control group, but there was a significant negative relationship between daily drug dose and ionized calcium levels in the LEV patients. In the present study, anti-epileptic drugs altered the calcium, ionized calcium, and 25-OH vitamin-D3 levels of epilepsy patients and resulted in bone loss, abnormal mineralization, and fractures. These findings suggest that the calcium, ionized calcium, and 25-OH vitamin-D3 levels of patients with epilepsy should be regularly assessed.

[Long-term memory, neurogenesis and novelty signal].

PubMed

Sokolova, E N; Nezlina, N I

2003-01-01

In accordance with the advanced hypothesis the long-term memory is a collection of "gnostic units" selectively tuned to experienced events. The long-term memory is continuously supplemented by new neurons differentiated from stem cells during neurogenesis (particularly, in adults). The transformation of neuronal progenitors into event-selective gnostic units is accomplished with participation of hippocampal "novelty neurons" emphasizing information inputs to be stored in the long-term memory. The formation of the gnostic units is preceded by informational processes occurring in the ventral ("what?") and dorsal ("where?") systems. The formation of a new gnostic unit selectively tuned to a particular event is a result of combination of feature-detector excitation and novelty signal generated by hippocampal novelty neurons.

Space ventures and society long-term perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, W. M.

1985-01-01

A futuristic evaluation of mankind's potential long term future in space is presented. Progress in space will not be inhibited by shortages of the Earth's physical resources, since long term economic growth will be focused on ways to constrain industrial productivity by changing social values, management styles, or government competence. Future technological progress is likely to accelerate with an emphasis on international cooperation, making possible such large joint projects as lunar colonies or space stations on Mars. The long term future in space looks exceedingly bright even in relatively pessimistic scenarios. The principal driving forces will be technological progress, commercial and public-oriented satellites, space industrialization, space travel, and eventually space colonization.

Sublethal Ciprofloxacin Treatment Leads to Rapid Development of High-Level Ciprofloxacin Resistance during Long-Term Experimental Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PubMed Central

Jørgensen, Karin Meinike; Wassermann, Tina; Jensen, Peter Østrup; Hengzuang, Wang; Molin, Søren; Høiby, Niels

2013-01-01

The dynamics of occurrence and the genetic basis of ciprofloxacin resistance were studied in a long-term evolution experiment (940 generations) in wild-type, reference strain (PAO1) and hypermutable (PAOΔmutS and PAOMY-Mgm) P. aeruginosa populations continuously exposed to sub-MICs (1/4) of ciprofloxacin. A rapid occurrence of ciprofloxacin-resistant mutants (MIC of ≥12 μg/ml, representing 100 times the MIC of the original population) were observed in all ciprofloxacin-exposed lineages of PAOΔmutS and PAOMY-Mgm populations after 100 and 170 generations, respectively, and in one of the PAO1 lineages after 240 generations. The genetic basis of resistance was mutations in gyrA (C248T and G259T) and gyrB (C1397A). Cross-resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics was observed in the bacterial populations that evolved during exposure to sublethal concentrations of ciprofloxacin. Our study shows that mutants with high-level ciprofloxacin resistance are selected in P. aeruginosa bacterial populations exposed to sub-MICs of ciprofloxacin. This can have implications for the long-term persistence of resistant bacteria and spread of antibiotic resistance by exposure of commensal bacterial flora to low antibiotic concentrations. PMID:23774442

Ground-Level Ozone Following Astrophysical Ionizing Radiation Events: An Additional Biological Hazard?

PubMed

Thomas, Brian C; Goracke, Byron D

2016-01-01

Astrophysical ionizing radiation events such as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and solar proton events have been recognized as a potential threat to life on Earth, primarily through depletion of stratospheric ozone and subsequent increase in solar UV radiation at Earth's surface and in the upper levels of the ocean. Other work has also considered the potential impact of nitric acid rainout, concluding that no significant threat is likely. Not yet studied to date is the potential impact of ozone produced in the lower atmosphere following an ionizing radiation event. Ozone is a known irritant to organisms on land and in water and therefore may be a significant additional hazard. Using previously completed atmospheric chemistry modeling, we examined the amount of ozone produced in the lower atmosphere for the case of a gamma-ray burst and found that the values are too small to pose a significant additional threat to the biosphere. These results may be extended to other ionizing radiation events, including supernovae and extreme solar proton events.

Legislation on Long-Term Care Insurance. Report No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Legislative Council, Madison.

This report presents Wisconsin state legislation on long-term care insurance. Part I summarizes key provisions of six 1987 assembly bills concerned with long-term care insurance. Part II describes activities of the Wisconsin State Legislative Council's Special Committee on Long-Term Health Care Insurance. Part III provides background information…

Long-term salinity tolerance is accompanied by major restructuring of the coral bacterial microbiome.

PubMed

Röthig, Till; Ochsenkühn, Michael A; Roik, Anna; van der Merwe, Riaan; Voolstra, Christian R

2016-03-01

Scleractinian corals are assumed to be stenohaline osmoconformers, although they are frequently subjected to variations in seawater salinity due to precipitation, freshwater run-off and other processes. Observed responses to altered salinity levels include differences in photosynthetic performance, respiration and increased bleaching and mortality of the coral host and its algal symbiont, but a study looking at bacterial community changes is lacking. Here, we exposed the coral Fungia granulosa to strongly increased salinity levels in short- and long-term experiments to disentangle temporal and compartment effects of the coral holobiont (i.e. coral host, symbiotic algae and associated bacteria). Our results show a significant reduction in calcification and photosynthesis, but a stable microbiome after short-term exposure to high-salinity levels. By comparison, long-term exposure yielded unchanged photosynthesis levels and visually healthy coral colonies indicating long-term acclimation to high-salinity levels that were accompanied by a major coral microbiome restructuring. Importantly, a bacterium in the family Rhodobacteraceae was succeeded by Pseudomonas veronii as the numerically most abundant taxon. Further, taxonomy-based functional profiling indicates a shift in the bacterial community towards increased osmolyte production, sulphur oxidation and nitrogen fixation. Our study highlights that bacterial community composition in corals can change within days to weeks under altered environmental conditions, where shifts in the microbiome may enable adjustment of the coral to a more advantageous holobiont composition. © 2016 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Long-term Stability of the WFC3 Post-Flash LED Lamp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martlin, Catherine; Baggett, Sylvia M.

2017-06-01

We report the results of a study of the long-term stability of the LED lamp used in post-flashing WFC3/UVIS images (Martlin, C and Baggett, S., 2017). Having analyzed 644 sub-array exposures taken over the course of just over 3 years we find no significant long-term trends in the LED lamp brightness. The average percentage change per year over all FLASH level and shutter combinations is found to be 0.15% per year with an uncertainty of +/- 0.24% per year. The maximum measured percentage change per year was 0.39% for the highest FLASH level of 20 e- on shutter A which would indicate a change of less than 1 e-/pixel over the roughly 3 years since post-flashing began.There are, however, occasional short-term deviations in the LED output. The average minimum and maximum outliers over all FLASH level and shutter combination subsets are 4.1% below and 3.5% above, respectively, the mean of that subset. The maximum outlier over all the sets is 5.8% above the normalized mean value, for FLASH level 3/shutter A. The minimum outlier over all sets is also for FLASH level 3/shutter A and is 8.9% below the normalized mean value. Investigation of these outliers has revealed no systematic cause for the excursions and we recommend that users continue using the post-flash as they would have previously.

Valuing a long-term care facility.

PubMed

Mellen, C M

1992-10-01

The business valuation industry generally uses at least one of three basic approaches to value a long-term care facility: the cost approach, sales comparison approach, or income approach. The approach that is chosen and the resulting weight that is applied to it depend largely on the circumstances involved. Because a long-term care facility is a business enterprise, more weight usually is given to the income approach which factors into the estimate of value both the tangible and intangible assets of the facility.

Upregulation of CREB-mediated transcription enhances both short- and long-term memory.

PubMed

Suzuki, Akinobu; Fukushima, Hotaka; Mukawa, Takuya; Toyoda, Hiroki; Wu, Long-Jun; Zhao, Ming-Gao; Xu, Hui; Shang, Yuze; Endoh, Kengo; Iwamoto, Taku; Mamiya, Nori; Okano, Emiko; Hasegawa, Shunsuke; Mercaldo, Valentina; Zhang, Yue; Maeda, Ryouta; Ohta, Miho; Josselyn, Sheena A; Zhuo, Min; Kida, Satoshi

2011-06-15

Unraveling the mechanisms by which the molecular manipulation of genes of interest enhances cognitive function is important to establish genetic therapies for cognitive disorders. Although CREB is thought to positively regulate formation of long-term memory (LTM), gain-of-function effects of CREB remain poorly understood, especially at the behavioral level. To address this, we generated four lines of transgenic mice expressing dominant active CREB mutants (CREB-Y134F or CREB-DIEDML) in the forebrain that exhibited moderate upregulation of CREB activity. These transgenic lines improved not only LTM but also long-lasting long-term potentiation in the CA1 area in the hippocampus. However, we also observed enhanced short-term memory (STM) in contextual fear-conditioning and social recognition tasks. Enhanced LTM and STM could be dissociated behaviorally in these four lines of transgenic mice, suggesting that the underlying mechanism for enhanced STM and LTM are distinct. LTM enhancement seems to be attributable to the improvement of memory consolidation by the upregulation of CREB transcriptional activity, whereas higher basal levels of BDNF, a CREB target gene, predicted enhanced shorter-term memory. The importance of BDNF in STM was verified by microinfusing BDNF or BDNF inhibitors into the hippocampus of wild-type or transgenic mice. Additionally, increasing BDNF further enhanced LTM in one of the lines of transgenic mice that displayed a normal BDNF level but enhanced LTM, suggesting that upregulation of BDNF and CREB activity cooperatively enhances LTM formation. Our findings suggest that CREB positively regulates memory consolidation and affects memory performance by regulating BDNF expression.

Study of long term effect of Solar UV and X-ray radiation on the VLF signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Suman; Chakrabarti, Sandip Kumar; Sanki, Dipak

2016-07-01

Very Low Frequency (VLF) is one of the bands of Radio waves having frequencies lying between 3-30 KHz, with wavelengths 100-10 Km. It propagates through the Earth-ionosphere wave-guide which is formed by lower part of the ionosphere and upper part of Earth's surface. Ionosphere is the ionized component of upper atmosphere. In the present work, we have studied the long term effect of the high energy solar UV and X-ray radiation on the VLF signals. We have analyzed the VLF signal transmitted at 24 KHz from NAA (Cutler, Maine) and received at Moore Observatory in Brownsboro, Kentucky. Also we have collected X-ray and UV data to study the long term effect of UV and X-ray radiation on the VLF signal. We have analyzed the VLF signal for 2007 to 2015. We calculate the average diurnal peak amplitude of the VLF signal for each day and compare it with the UV and X-ray solar radiation. We found that the correlation coefficient of diurnal peak VLF signal amplitude with both solar X-ray and UV radiation is 0.7 indicating a strong correlation between these two phenomena.

Long-term forest ecosystem research: a programmatic view

Treesearch

Wayne Swank; James Vose

2010-01-01

Long-term research provides the building blocks of knowledge needed to address natural resource and environmental issues. "Long-term" has frequently been considered to span decades with a time frame that usually encompasses at least one generation of scientists and frequently two or more generations. In the rich history of forest science, the origin of long-...

Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Adolescent Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihalic, Sharon Wofford; Elliott, Delbert

1997-01-01

Examines the short- and long-term consequences of working during adolescence. Responses from 1,725 adolescents reveal that the negative short-term effects are in the domains of school, family and friend bonding, beliefs, and substance use. The long-term beneficial effect is that the duration of early work helps employability in adulthood. (GR)

Perceived service quality, perceived value, overall satisfaction and happiness of outlook for long-term care institution residents.

PubMed

Lin, Jesun; Hsiao, Chih-Tung; Glen, Robert; Pai, Jar-Yuan; Zeng, Sin-Huei

2014-06-01

To investigate the psychometric properties and relationships of perceived service quality, perceived value and overall satisfaction for residents with respect to their long-term care institutions. The five-point Likert scale questionnaire administered through facetoface interviews. Fourteen long-term care institutions located in central and southern Taiwan stratified according to services and accommodation population. One hundred and eighty long-term institutional care residents. Perceived service quality (the SERVPERF model), perceived value and overall satisfaction (models based on the literature on perceived value and satisfaction). Student's t-test on institutional location shows a significant difference between overall satisfaction for central and southern institution long-term care recipients. The correlation test revealed that the higher a resident's level of education, the higher the scores for perceived value. The factor loading results of confirmation factor analysis show acceptable levels of reliability and index-of-model fits for perceived service, perceived value and overall satisfaction. In addition, the results suggest that an additional construct, a positive attitude (happiness of outlook) towards long-term care institutions, is also an important factor in residents' overall satisfaction. The primary goal of long-term institutional care policy in Taiwan, as in other countries, is to provide residents with practical, cost-effective but high-quality care. On the basis of the results of in-depth interviews with long-term institutional care residents, this study suggests long-term care institutions arrange more family visit days to increase the accessibility and interaction of family and residents and thereby increase the happiness of outlook of the residents. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The interaction of short-term and long-term memory in phonetic category formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harnsberger, James D.

2002-05-01

This study examined the role that short-term memory capacity plays in the relationship between novel stimuli (e.g., non-native speech sounds, native nonsense words) and phonetic categories in long-term memory. Thirty native speakers of American English were administered five tests: categorial AXB discrimination using nasal consonants from Malayalam; categorial identification, also using Malayalam nasals, which measured the influence of phonetic categories in long-term memory; digit span; nonword span, a short-term memory measure mediated by phonetic categories in long-term memory; and paired-associate word learning (word-word and word-nonword pairs). The results showed that almost all measures were significantly correlated with one another. The strongest predictor for the discrimination and word-nonword learning results was nonword (r=+0.62) and digit span (r=+0.51), respectively. When the identification test results were partialed out, only nonword span significantly correlated with discrimination. The results show a strong influence of short-term memory capacity on the encoding of phonetic detail within phonetic categories and suggest that long-term memory representations regulate the capacity of short-term memory to preserve information for subsequent encoding. The results of this study will also be discussed with regards to resolving the tension between episodic and abstract models of phonetic category structure.

Life-long diseases need life-long treatment: long-term safety of ciclosporin in canine atopic dermatitis

PubMed Central

Nuttall, Tim; Reece, Douglas; Roberts, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Ciclosporin (Atopica; Novartis Animal Health) has been licensed for canine atopic dermatitis (AD) since 2002. Adverse events (AEs) have been reported in 55 per cent of 759 dogs in 15 clinical trials, but are rare in pharmacovigilance data (71.81 AEs/million capsules sold). Gastrointestinal reactions were most common, but were mild and rarely required intervention. Other AEs were rare (≤1 per cent in clinical trials; <10/million capsules sold). Hirsutism, gingival hyperplasia and hyperplastic dermatitis were rarely significant and resolved on dose reduction. Ciclosporin decreases staphylococcal and Malassezia infections in AD, and at the recommended dose is not a risk factor for other infections, neoplasia, renal failure or hypertension. The impact on glucose and calcium metabolism is not clinically significant for normal dogs. Concomitant treatment with most drugs is safe. Effects on cytochrome P450 and MDR1 P-glycoprotein activity may elevate plasma ciclosporin concentrations, but short-term changes are not clinically significant. Monitoring of complete blood counts, urinalysis or ciclosporin levels is not justified except with higher than recommended doses and/or long-term concurrent immunosuppressive drugs. Ciclosporin is not a contraindication for killed (including rabies) vaccines, but the licensed recommendation is that live vaccination is avoided during treatment. In conclusion, ciclosporin has a positive risk-benefit profile for the long-term management of canine AD. PMID:24682696

Long-Term Ambient Temperature and Externalizing Behaviors in Adolescents.

PubMed

Younan, Diana; Li, Lianfa; Tuvblad, Catherine; Wu, Jun; Lurmann, Fred; Franklin, Meredith; Berhane, Kiros; McConnell, Rob; Wu, Anna H; Baker, Laura A; Chen, Jiu-Chiuan

2018-05-21

The climate-violence relationship has been debated for decades, and yet most of the supportive evidence came from ecological or cross-sectional analyses with very limited long-term exposure data. We conducted an individual-level, longitudinal study to investigate the association between ambient temperature and externalizing behaviors of urban-dwelling adolescents. Participants (n = 1,287) of the Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior Study were examined in 2000-2012 (aged 9-18 years) with repeated assessments of their externalizing behaviors (aggression; delinquency). Ambient temperature data were obtained from the local Meteorological Information System. In adjusted multi-level models, aggressive behaviors significantly increased with rising average temperatures (per 1°C-increment) in preceding 1-3 years (β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.46; β = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.63; β = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.74; respectively), equivalent to 1.5-3 years of delay in age-related behavioral maturation. These associations were slightly stronger among girls and families of lower socioeconomic status, but greatly diminished in neighborhoods with higher greenspace. No significant associations were found with delinquency. Our study provides the first individual-level epidemiologic evidence supporting the adverse association of long-term ambient temperature and aggression. Similar approaches to studying meteorology and violent crimes may further inform scientific debates on climate change and collective violence.

Prediction of long-term transverse creep compliance in high-temperature IM7/LaRC-RP46 composites

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

Yuan, F.G.; Potter, B.D.

1994-12-31

An experimental study is performed which predicts long-term tensile transverse creep compliance of high-temperature IM7/LaRC-RP46 composites from short-term creep and recovery tests. The short-term tests were conducted for various stress levels at various fixed temperatures. Predictive nonlinear viscoelastic model developed by Schapery and experimental procedure were used to predict the long-term results in terms of master curve extrapolated from short-term tests.

Abstracts 1987. New Horizons in Long Term Care: A Report on the Long Term Care Research and Demonstration Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Dept. of Public Aid, Springfield.

This booklet provides a description of 14 projects which were awarded funds during fiscal year 1987 for collaborative research in long-term care to find new ways to treat long-term care patients in Illinois nursing homes. It includes the organization or institution receiving the award, an abstract of the research proposal, and the name of the…

Aluminium chloride impairs long-term memory and downregulates cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling in rats.

PubMed

Zhang, Lifeng; Jin, Cuihong; Lu, Xiaobo; Yang, Jinghua; Wu, Shengwen; Liu, Qiufang; Chen, Rong; Bai, Chunyu; Zhang, Di; Zheng, Linlin; Du, Yanqiu; Cai, Yuan

2014-09-02

Epidemiological investigations have indicated that aluminium (Al) is an important environmental neurotoxicant that may be involved in the aetiology of the cognitive dysfunction associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, exposure to Al is known to cause neurobehavioural abnormalities in animals. Previous studies demonstrated that Al impaired early-phase long-term potentiation (E-LTP) in vivo and in vitro. Our previous research revealed that Al could impair long-term memory via the impairment of late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) in vivo. However, the exact mechanism by which Al impairs long-term memory has been poorly studied thus far. This study was designed not only to observe the effects of subchronic Al treatment on long-term memory and hippocampal ultrastructure but also to explore a possible underlying mechanism (involving the cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling pathway) in the hippocampus of rats.. Pregnant Wistar rats were assigned to four groups. Neonatal rats were exposed to Al by parental lactation for 3 weeks and then fed with distilled water containing 0, 0.2%, 0.4% or 0.6% Al chloride (AlCl3) for 3 postnatal months. The levels of Al in the blood and hippocampus were quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The shuttle-box test was performed to detect long-term memory. The hippocampus was collected for ultrastructure observation, and the level of cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling was examined. The results showed that the Al concentrations in the blood and hippocampus of Al-treated rats were higher than those of the control rats. Al may impair the long-term memory of rats. Hippocampal cAMP, cPKA, pCREB, BDNF and c-jun expression decreased significantly, and the neuronal and synaptic ultrastructure exhibited pathological changes after Al treatment. These results indicated that Al may induce long-term memory damage in rats by inhibiting cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling and altering the synaptic and neuronal ultrastructure in the hippocampus. Copyright

[Participation as Target of Social Medicine and Nursing Care: - Legal Definition of Long-Term Care Dependency - Strategies to Prevent Long-Term Care Dependency].

PubMed

Nüchtern, Elisabeth; Gansweid, Barbara; Gerber, Hans; von Mittelstaedt, Gert

2017-01-01

Objective: By the "Second Bill to Strengthen Long-Term Care", a new concept of long-term care dependency will be introduced, valid from 2017. Long-term care dependency according to Social Code XI will be defined covering more aspects than today. Therefore, the working group "Nursing Care" of the division "Social Medicine in Practice and Rehabilitation" in the German Society for Social Medicine and Prevention presents their results after working on the social medicine perspective of the definition and prevention of long-term care dependency. Methods: Both the definition and strategies to prevent long-term care dependency are systematically taken into consideration from the point of view of social medicine on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), as long-term care dependency means a defined condition of disability. Results: Both the current and the new concept of long-term care dependency focus activity limitations. The perspective of social medicine considers the interactions of health condition, its effects on daily activities and personal as well as environmental factors. From this point of view approaches for social benefits concerning prevention and rehabilitation can be identified systematically so as to work against the development and progression of long-term care dependency. The reference to the ICF can facilitate the communication between different professions. The new "graduation" of long-term care dependency would allow an international "translation" referring to the ICF. Conclusion: Experts from the field of social medicine as well as those of nursing care, care-givers and nursing researchers have in common the objective that persons in need of nursing care can participate in as many aspects of life of importance to them in an autonomous and self-determined way. The point of view of social medicine on long-term care dependency is fundamental for all occupational groups that are involved and for their

A new image for long-term care.

PubMed

Wager, Richard; Creelman, William

2004-04-01

To counter widely held negative images of long-term care, managers in the industry should implement quality-improvement initiatives that include six key strategies: Manage the expectations of residents and their families. Address customers' concerns early. Build long-term customer satisfaction. Allocate resources to achieve exceptional outcomes in key areas. Respond to adverse events with compassion. Reinforce the facility's credibility.

Effects of long-term drainage on microbial community composition vary between peatland types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urbanová, Zuzana; Barta, Jiri

2016-04-01

Peatlands represent an important reservoir of carbon, but their functioning can be threatened by water level drawdown caused by climate or land use change. Knowledge of how microbial communities respond to long-term drainage in different peatland types could help improve predictions of the effect of climate change on these ecosystems. We investigated the effect of long-term drainage on microbial community composition in bog, fen and spruce swamp forests (SSF) in the Sumava Mountains (Czech Republic), using high-throughput barcoded sequencing, in relation to peat biochemical properties. Longterm drainage had substantial effects, which depended strongly on peatland type, on peat biochemical properties and microbial community composition. The effect of drainage was most apparent on fen, followed by SSF, and lowest on bog. Long-term drainage led to lower pH, reduced peat decomposability and increased bulk density, which was reflected by reduced microbial activity. Bacterial diversity decreased and Acidobacteria became the dominant phylum on drained sites, reflecting a convergence in bacterial community composition across peatlands after long-term drainage. The archaeal communities changed very strongly and became similar across drained peatlands. Overall, the characteristic differences between distinct peatland types under natural conditions were diminished by long-term drainage. Bog represented a relatively resilient system while fen seemed to be very sensitive to environmental changes.

LONG-TERM ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD MEASUREMENT AND ASSESSMENT FOR A SHOPPING MALL.

PubMed

Engiz, Begum Korunur; Kurnaz, Cetin

2017-07-01

As a result of the dense deployment of wireless devices and base stations, measuring and evaluating the electromagnetic (EM) exposure levels they emit have become important to human health especially if they exceed the limits defined in the standards. Base stations, Wi-Fi equipment and other electronic devices are used heavily, especially in densely crowded places like shopping centers. In this study, electric field strength (E) measurements were conducted at one of the largest shopping malls in Turkey. Broadband E measurements were performed using PMM 8053 EM field strength meter for 24 h a day for the duration of one week while frequency selective measurements were carried out with SRM-3006 EM field strength meter. It is concluded from the measurements that the mean measured total E in the band between 100 kHz and 3 GHz is 0.59 V/m while the maximum E is 7.88 V/m, which are both below the limit determined by International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Evolutions show that E can increase by up to 55% during the daytime. Analyses demonstrate that 71.3% of total E is caused by UMTS2100, 16.3% is produced by GSM900, 6.2% by LTE, 3.5% by Wi-Fi, and 2.7% is generated by devices that use the remaining frequency bands. Based on the detailed statistical analysis of long-term E measurement results, it can be concluded that the measured E levels are not in normal distribution and that they are statistically different with respect to days. Furthermore, distribution of E can be best modeled with the non-parametric approach. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Long-term characteristics of nuclear emulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naganawa, N.; Kuwabara, K.

2010-02-01

Long-term characteristics of the nuclear emulsion so called ``OPERA film'' used in the neutrino oscillation experiment, OPERA, has been studied for 8 years since its production or refreshing after it. In the results, it turned out to be excellent in sensitivity, amount of random noise, and refreshing characteristics. The retention capacity of latent image of tracks was also studied. The result will open the way to the recycling of 7,000,000 emulsion films which will remain not developed after 5 years of OPERA's run, and other long-term experiments with emulsion.

Very-long-term and short-term chromatic adaptation: are their influences cumulative?

PubMed

Belmore, Suzanne C; Shevell, Steven K

2011-02-09

Very-long-term (VLT) chromatic adaptation results from exposure to an altered chromatic environment for days or weeks. Color shifts from VLT adaptation are observed hours or days after leaving the altered environment. Short-term chromatic adaptation, on the other hand, results from exposure for a few minutes or less, with color shifts measured within seconds or a few minutes after the adapting light is extinguished; recovery to the pre-adapted state is complete in less than an hour. Here, both types of adaptation were combined. All adaptation was to reddish-appearing long-wavelength light. Shifts in unique yellow were measured following adaptation. Previous studies demonstrate shifts in unique yellow due to VLT chromatic adaptation, but shifts from short-term chromatic adaptation to comparable adapting light can be far greater than from VLT adaptation. The question considered here is whether the color shifts from VLT adaptation are cumulative with large shifts from short-term adaptation or, alternatively, does simultaneous short-term adaptation eliminate color shifts caused by VLT adaptation. The results show the color shifts from VLT and short-term adaptation together are cumulative, which indicates that both short-term and very-long-term chromatic adaptation affect color perception during natural viewing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nicotine, Carcinogen, and Toxin Exposure in Long-Term E-Cigarette and Nicotine Replacement Therapy Users: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Shahab, Lion; Goniewicz, Maciej L; Blount, Benjamin C; Brown, Jamie; McNeill, Ann; Alwis, K Udeni; Feng, June; Wang, Lanqing; West, Robert

2017-03-21

Given the rapid increase in the popularity of e-cigarettes and the paucity of associated longitudinal health-related data, the need to assess the potential risks of long-term use is essential. To compare exposure to nicotine, tobacco-related carcinogens, and toxins among smokers of combustible cigarettes only, former smokers with long-term e-cigarette use only, former smokers with long-term nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) use only, long-term dual users of both combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and long-term users of both combustible cigarettes and NRT. Cross-sectional study. United Kingdom. The following 5 groups were purposively recruited: combustible cigarette-only users, former smokers with long-term (≥6 months) e-cigarette-only or NRT-only use, and long-term dual combustible cigarette-e-cigarette or combustible cigarette-NRT users (n = 36 to 37 per group; total n = 181). Sociodemographic and smoking characteristics were assessed. Participants provided urine and saliva samples and were analyzed for biomarkers of nicotine, tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). After confounders were controlled for, no clear between-group differences in salivary or urinary biomarkers of nicotine intake were found. The e-cigarette-only and NRT-only users had significantly lower metabolite levels for TSNAs (including the carcinogenic metabolite 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol [NNAL]) and VOCs (including metabolites of the toxins acrolein; acrylamide; acrylonitrile; 1,3-butadiene; and ethylene oxide) than combustible cigarette-only, dual combustible cigarette-e-cigarette, or dual combustible cigarette-NRT users. The e-cigarette-only users had significantly lower NNAL levels than all other groups. Combustible cigarette-only, dual combustible cigarette-NRT, and dual combustible cigarette-e-cigarette users had largely similar levels of TSNA and VOC metabolites. Cross-sectional design with self-selected sample. Former

Long-term variability of T Tauri stars using WASP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigon, Laura; Scholz, Alexander; Anderson, David; West, Richard

2017-03-01

We present a reference study of the long-term optical variability of young stars using data from the WASP project. Our primary sample is a group of well-studied classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs), mostly in Taurus-Auriga. WASP light curves cover time-scales of up to 7 yr and typically contain 10 000-30 000 data points. We quantify the variability as a function of time-scale using the time-dependent standard deviation 'pooled sigma'. We find that the overwhelming majority of CTTSs have a low-level variability with σ < 0.3 mag dominated by time-scales of a few weeks, consistent with rotational modulation. Thus, for most young stars, monitoring over a month is sufficient to constrain the total amount of variability over time-scales of up to a decade. The fraction of stars with a strong optical variability (σ > 0.3 mag) is 21 per cent in our sample and 21 per cent in an unbiased control sample. An even smaller fraction (13 per cent in our sample, 6 per cent in the control) show evidence for an increase in variability amplitude as a function of time-scale from weeks to months or years. The presence of long-term variability correlates with the spectral slope at 3-5 μm, which is an indicator of inner disc geometry, and with the U-B band slope, which is an accretion diagnostics. This shows that the long-term variations in CTTSs are predominantly driven by processes in the inner disc and in the accretion zone. Four of the stars with long-term variations show periods of 20-60 d, significantly longer than the rotation periods and stable over months to years. One possible explanation is cyclic changes in the interaction between the disc and the stellar magnetic field.

Stable long-term chronic brain mapping at the single-neuron level.

PubMed

Fu, Tian-Ming; Hong, Guosong; Zhou, Tao; Schuhmann, Thomas G; Viveros, Robert D; Lieber, Charles M

2016-10-01

Stable in vivo mapping and modulation of the same neurons and brain circuits over extended periods is critical to both neuroscience and medicine. Current electrical implants offer single-neuron spatiotemporal resolution but are limited by such factors as relative shear motion and chronic immune responses during long-term recording. To overcome these limitations, we developed a chronic in vivo recording and stimulation platform based on flexible mesh electronics, and we demonstrated stable multiplexed local field potentials and single-unit recordings in mouse brains for at least 8 months without probe repositioning. Properties of acquired signals suggest robust tracking of the same neurons over this period. This recording and stimulation platform allowed us to evoke stable single-neuron responses to chronic electrical stimulation and to carry out longitudinal studies of brain aging in freely behaving mice. Such advantages could open up future studies in mapping and modulating changes associated with learning, aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Long-term changes in fish mercury levels in the historically impacted English-Wabigoon River system (Canada).

PubMed

Neff, Margaret R; Bhavsar, Satyendra P; Arhonditsis, George B; Fletcher, Rachael; Jackson, Donald A

2012-09-01

The English-Wabigoon River system in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, was one of the most heavily mercury-contaminated waterways in the world due to historical discharges in the 1960s from a chlor-alkali plant. This study examines long-term (1970-2010) monitoring data to assess temporal trends in mercury contamination in Walleye, Northern Pike and Lake Whitefish, three species important for sport and subsistence fishing in this region, using dynamic linear modeling and piecewise regression. For all lakes and species, there is a significant decline (36-94%) in mercury concentrations through time; however, there is evidence that this decline is either slowing down or levelling off. Concentrations in the English-Wabigoon fish are elevated, and may still present a potential health risk to humans consuming fish from this system. Various biotic and abiotic factors are examined as possible explanations to slowing rates of decline in mercury concentrations observed in the mid-1980s.

Suicide risk in long-term care facilities: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mezuk, Briana; Rock, Andrew; Lohman, Matthew C; Choi, Moon

2014-12-01

Suicide risk is highest in later life; however, little is known about the risk of suicide among older adults in long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes and assisted living facilities). The goal of this paper is to review and synthesize the descriptive and analytic epidemiology of suicide in long-term care settings over the past 25 years. Four databases (PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Web of Knowledge, and EBSCOHost Academic Search Complete) were searched for empirical studies of suicide risk in nursing homes, assisted living, and other residential facilities from 1985 to 2013. Of the 4073 unique research articles identified, 37 were selected for inclusion in this review. Of the included reports, 21 were cross-sectional, 8 cohort, 3 qualitative, and 5 intervention studies. Most studies indicate that suicidal thoughts (active and passive) are common among residents (prevalence in the past month: 5-33%), although completed suicide is rare. Correlates of suicidal thoughts among long-term care residents include depression, social isolation, loneliness, and functional decline. Most studies examined only individual-level correlates of suicide, although there is suggestive evidence that organizational characteristics (e.g., bed size and staffing) may also be relevant. Existing research on suicide risk in long-term care facilities is limited but suggests that this is an important issue for clinicians and medical directors to be aware of and address. Research is needed on suicide risk in assisted living and other non-nursing home residential settings, as well as the potential role of organizational characteristics on emotional well-being for residents. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suicide risk in long-term care facilities: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Mezuk, Briana; Rock, Andrew; Lohman, Matthew C.; Choi, Moon

2014-01-01

Objective Suicide risk is highest in later life, however, little is known about the risk of suicide among older adults in long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes, assisted living facilities). The goal of this paper is to review and synthesize the descriptive and analytic epidemiology of suicide in long-term care settings over the past 25 years. Methods Four databases (PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Web of Knowledge, and EBSCOHost) were searched for empirical studies of suicide risk in nursing homes, assisted living, and other residential facilities from 1985 to 2013. Of the 4,073 unique research articles identified, 36 were selected for inclusion in this review. Results Of the included reports, 20were cross-sectional, 10 were longitudinal, three qualitative, and five were intervention studies. Most studies indicate that suicidal thoughts (active and passive) are common among residents (prevalence in the past month: 5 – 33%), although completed suicide is rare. Correlates of suicidal thoughts among long-term care residents include depression, social isolation, loneliness, and functional decline. Most studies examined only individual-level correlates of suicide, although there is suggestive evidence that organizational characteristics (e.g., bed size, staffing) may also be relevant. Conclusions Existing research on suicide risk in long-term care facilities is limited, but suggests that this is an important issue for clinicians and medical directors to be aware of and address. Research is needed on suicide risk in assisted living and other non-nursing home residential settings, as well as the potential role of organizational characteristics on emotional well-being for residents. PMID:24854089

Plasma Aluminum Concentrations in Pediatric Patients Receiving Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition.

PubMed

Courtney-Martin, Glenda; Kosar, Christina; Campbell, Alison; Avitzur, Yaron; Wales, Paul W; Steinberg, Karen; Harrison, Debra; Chambers, Kathryn

2015-07-01

Patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) are at increased risk of aluminium (Al) toxicity because of bypass of the gastrointestinal tract during PN infusion. Complications of Al toxicity include metabolic bone disease (MBD), Al-associated encephalopathy in adults, and impaired neurological development in preterm infants. Unlike the United States, there are no regulations regarding Al content of large- and small-volume parenterals in Canada. We, therefore, aimed to present our data on plasma Al concentration and Al intake from our cohort of pediatric patients receiving long-term PN. Plasma Al concentration was retrospectively gathered from the patient charts of all 27 patients with intestinal failure (IF) receiving long-term PN at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada, and compared with age- and sex-matched controls recruited for comparison. In addition, Al concentration was measured in PN samples collected from 10 randomly selected patients with IF and used to determine their Al intake. The plasma Al concentration of patients with IF receiving long-term PN was significantly higher than that of control participants (1195 ± 710 vs 142 ± 63 nmol/L; P < .0001). In the subgroup of 10 patients for whom Al intake from their PN solution was determined, mean ± SD Al intake from PN was 15.4 ± 15 µg/kg, 3 times the Food and Drug Administration upper recommended intake level, and Al intake was significantly related to plasma Al concentration (P = .02, r (2) = 0.52). Pediatric patients receiving long-term PN for IF in Canada are at risk for Al toxicity. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Two-level cervical corpectomy-long-term follow-up reveals the high rate of material failure in patients, who received an anterior approach only.

PubMed

Bayerl, Simon Heinrich; Pöhlmann, Florian; Finger, Tobias; Prinz, Vincent; Vajkoczy, Peter

2018-06-18

In contrast to a one-level cervical corpectomy, a multilevel corpectomy without posterior fusion is accompanied by a high material failure rate. So far, the adequate surgical technique for patients, who receive a two-level corpectomy, remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term clinical outcome of patients with cervical myelopathy, who underwent a two-level corpectomy. Outcome parameters of 21 patients, who received a two-level cervical corpectomy, were retrospectively analyzed concerning reoperations and outcome scores (VAS, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Nurick scale, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (mJOAS), Short Form 36-item Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36)). The failure rate was determined using postoperative radiographs. The choice over the surgical procedures was exercised by every surgeon individually. Therefore, a distinction between two groups was possible: (1) anterior group (ANT group) with a two-level corpectomy and a cervical plate, (2) anterior/posterior group (A/P group) with two-level corpectomy, cervical plate, and additional posterior fusion. Both groups benefitted from surgery concerning pain, disability, and myelopathy. While all patients of the A/P group showed no postoperative instability, one third of the patients of the ANT group exhibited instability and clinical deterioration. Thus, a revision surgery with secondary posterior fusion was needed. Furthermore, the ANT group had worse myelopathy scores (mJOAS ANT group  = 13.5 ± 2.5, mJOAS A/P group  = 15.7 ± 2.2). Patients with myelopathy, who receive a two-level cervical corpectomy, benefitted from surgical decompression. However, patients with a sole anterior approach demonstrated a very high rate of instability (33%) and clinical deterioration in a long-term follow-up. Therefore, we recommend to routinely perform an additional posterior fusion after two-level cervical corpectomy.

Ionizing Radiation: The issue of radiation quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prise, Kevin; Schettino, Giuseppe

Types of Ionising radiations are differentiated from each other by fundamental characteristics of their energy deposition patterns when they interact with biological materials. At the level of the DNA these non-random patterns drive differences in the yields and distributions of DNA damage patterns and specifically the production of clustered damage or complex lesions. The complex radiation fields found in space bring significant challenges for developing a mechanistic understanding of radiation effects from the perspective of radiation quality as these consist of a diverse range of particle and energy types unique to the space environment. Linear energy transfer, energy deposited per unit track length in units of keV per micron, has long been used as a comparator for different types of radiation but has limitations in that it is an average value. Difference in primary core ionizations relative to secondary delta ray ranges vary significantly with particle mass and energy leading to complex interrelationships with damage production at the cellular level. At the cellular level a greater mechanistic understanding is necessary, linking energy deposition patterns to DNA damage patterns and cellular response, to build appropriate biophysical models that are predictive for different radiation qualities and mixed field exposures. Defined studies using monoenergetic beams delivered under controlled conditions are building quantitative data sets of both initial and long term changes in cells as a basis for a great mechanistic understanding of radiation quality effects of relevance to not only space exposures but clinical application of ion-beams.

Cognitive and Guided Mastery Therapies for Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia: 18-Year Long-Term Outcome and Predictors of Long-Term Change.

PubMed

Hoffart, Asle; Hedley, Liv M; Svanøe, Karol; Sexton, Harold

2016-01-01

In this study, we wished to compare the long-term outcome of (medication-free) panic disorder with agoraphobia patients randomized to cognitive or guided mastery therapy. Thirty-one (67.4%) of 46 patients who had completed treatment were followed up about 18 years after end of treatment. In the combined sample and using intent-to-follow-up analyses, there were large within-group effect sizes of -1.79 and -1.63 on the primary interview-based and self-report outcome measures of avoidance of situations when alone, and 56.5% no longer had a panic disorder and/or agoraphobia diagnosis. No outcome differences between the two treatments emerged. Guided mastery was associated with greater beneficial changes in catastrophic beliefs and self-efficacy. For two of five outcome measures, more reduction in panic-related beliefs about physical and mental catastrophes from pre- to post-treatment predicted lower level of anxiety from post-treatment to 18-year follow-up when the effect of treatment changes in (a) self-efficacy and (b) anxiety was controlled. However, for one of the outcome measures, this effect attenuated with time. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The results suggest that the very-long-term outcome of both cognitive therapy and guided mastery therapy for agoraphobia is positive. The results support the role of catastrophic beliefs as mediator of change. The pattern of results suggests that learning processes other than catastrophic beliefs may be important for long-term outcome as well. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nitric oxide coordinates development of genomic instability in realization of combined effect with ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Mikhailenko, V M; Diomina, E A; Muzalov, I I; Gerashchenko, B I

2013-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of environmental nitrogen oxides or natural nitric oxide (NO) donors to modify free radicals ba-lance and development of genomic instability alone or in combination with ionizing radiation. Genotoxicity and cytogenetic abnormalities were assessed in vitro in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) isolated from healthy humans or in vivo in rats PBL. Human PBL were treated with physiologically relevant NO donor - S-Nitrosoglutathione and X-ray irradiation. The inhalation treatment of animals with NO was carried out in chamber with purified gaseous NO mixed inside with air. Levels of S-Nitrosohemoglobin and methemoglobin in the blood were assessed with electron paramagnetic resonance. The total level of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in PBL was determined fluorometrically, and serum levels of reactive oxygen species was determined by spectrophotometric assay. DNA damages were assessed by alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations in human PBL measured with the conventional cytogenetic assay in metaphase cells on short-term (52 h) and long-term (72 h) cultures. Environmental nitrogen oxides or release of NO from stable complexes with biomolecules (such as S-Nitrosothiols) intensified generation of free radicals, DNA damage and development of genomic instability alone or in combination with ionizing radiation. Treatment of PBL by S-Nitrosoglutathione caused prevalent induction of chromatid type but irradiation - chromosome aberrations. The dose dependence of chromatid-type aberrations observed in human PBL after combined influence of S-Nitrosoglutathione and ionizing radiation indicates a crucial role of NO in the formation of chromosomal instability. NO can deregulate free radicals balance resulted in genotoxic effect, posttranslational modification of repair enzymes and thus coordinated development of genomic instability and increase of cancer risk.

Circulating complexes between tumour necrosis factor-alpha and etanercept predict long-term efficacy of etanercept in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

PubMed

Kahn, Robin; Berthold, Elisabet; Gullstrand, Birgitta; Schmidt, Tobias; Kahn, Fredrik; Geborek, Pierre; Saxne, Tore; Bengtsson, Anders A; Månsson, Bengt

2016-04-01

The relationship between tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and drug survival had not been studied in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and there were no laboratory tests to predict the long-term efficacy of biological drugs for JIA. We studied whether serum levels of TNF-α, free or bound to etanercept, could predict long-term efficacy of etanercept in children with JIA. We included 41 biologic-naïve patients with JIA who started treatment with etanercept at Skåne University Hospital between 1999 and 2010. Serum taken at the start of treatment and at the six-week follow-up were analysed for TNF-α and the long-term efficacy of etanercept was assessed using the drug survival time. Levels of TNF-α increased significantly at the six-week follow-up, and this was almost exclusively comprised of TNF-α in complex with etanercept. The increase in TNF-α showed a dose-dependent correlation to long-term drug survival (p < 0.01). Increasing levels of circulating TNF-α at treatment initiation predicted long-term efficacy of etanercept in children with JIA, which may have been due to different pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammation. Our result may provide a helpful clinical tool, as high levels of circulating TNF-α/etanercept complexes could be used as a marker for the long-term efficacy of etanercept. ©2015 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Long term stability following genioplasty: a cephalometric study.

PubMed

Kumar, B Lakshman; Raju, G Kranthi Praveen; Kumar, N Dilip; Reddy, G Vivek; Naik, B Ravindra; Achary, C Ravindranath

2015-04-01

A receding chin associated with an orthognathic mandible is a common situation and surgical changes in chin position are often required to improve the overall harmony of the face. Genioplasty is one such procedure. Stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis needs to be assessed. Studies on the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a short term basis have revealed it as a procedure with good stability. This study is done to assess the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis. Pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term post-surgical cephalograms of 15 cases treated by vertical reduction augmentation genioplasty were obtained. Paired t-test was used to compare the changes between pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term postsurgical cephalograms. Findings of this study demonstrated that genioplasty is a stable procedure. After long term follow-up period, there was a relapse of 1.5 mm at the pogonion accounting for 24% of the surgical advancement. This is attributed to the remodeling that occurs at the surgical site, but not the instability due to the surgical procedure. With the present study, it can be concluded that vertical reduction and advancement genioplasty can be considered as an adjunctive procedure that produces predictable results and the bony and soft tissue stability were generally very good.

Long-term memory, neurogenesis, and signal novelty.

PubMed

Sokolov, E N; Nezlina, N I

2004-10-01

According to our suggested hypothesis, long-term memory is a collection of "gnostic units," selectively tuned to past events. The formation of long-term memory occurs with the involvement of constantly appearing new neurons which differentiate from stem cells during the process of neurogenesis, in particular in adults. Conversion of precursor neurons into "gnostic units" selective in relation to ongoing events, supplemented by the involvement of hippocampal "novelty neurons," which increase the flow of information needing to be fixed in long-term memory. "Gnostic units" form before the informational processes occurring in the ventral ("what?") and dorsal ("where?") systems. Formation of new "gnostic units" selectively tuned to a particular event results from the combination of excitation of the detector for stimulus characteristics and the novelty signal generated by "novelty neurons" in the hippocampus.

What Legislators Need to Know about Long-Term Care Insurance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landes, David

This booklet discusses the potential importance to states of long-term care insurance, describes general policy characteristics, and summarizes state actions to both regulate and promote long-term care insurance. It is intended as a resource for legislators and others involved in long-term care financing and public policy formulation. Long-term…

Differential functions of NR2A and NR2B in short-term and long-term memory in rats.

PubMed

Jung, Ye-Ha; Suh, Yoo-Hun

2010-08-23

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate receptors implicated in synaptic plasticity and memory function. The specific functions of NMDA receptor subunits NR2A and NR2B have not yet been fully determined in the different types of memory. Nine Wistar rats (8-weeks-old) were subjected to the Morris water maze task to evaluate the memory behaviorally. Quantitative analysis of NR1, NR2A, and NR2B levels in the right and left forebrain of rats was performed and subunit associations with different types of memory were investigated using the Morris water maze task. Right forebrain NR2A expression was significantly increased and correlated with faster escape time onto a hidden platform, indicating involvement of short-term memory, because of the training time interval. Right forebrain NR2B expression was positively associated with long-term memory lasting 24-h (h). In the left forebrain, NR2B expression was positively related to 72-h long-term memory. In conclusion, the functions of NR2A and NR2B receptors were differentially specialized in short-term and long-term memory, depending on the right or left forebrain.

Comparison of Long-term Differences in Dysphagia: Cervical Arthroplasty and Anterior Cervical Fusion.

PubMed

Smucker, Joseph D; Bassuener, Scott R; Sasso, Rick C; Riew, K Daniel

2017-10-01

Retrospective cohort study. This study investigates the incidence of long-term dysphagia in cervical disc arthroplasty, and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) patients. No long-term comparison of dysphagia between cervical arthroplasty and fusion patients has been published. Widely variable short-term postsurgical dysphagia rates have been reported. Cohorts for this study are patients with single-level cervical degenerative disc disease previously enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing cervical arthroplasty and ACDF. Subjective modified Bazaz Dysphagia Severity questionnaires were distributed to each patient at a minimum of 5 years postoperative for the long-term assessment. Dysphagia severity data were pooled to compare the rate of patients with dysphagia (grade>1) to asymptomatic (grade=1). In the arthroplasty cohort, 15 of 22 (68%) patients completed long-term swallowing questionnaires with no reports of dysphagia. Eighteen of 25 (72%) ACDF patients completed questionnaires, with 5 of 18 (28%) reporting dysphagia. This is a statistically significant difference (P=0.042) favoring lower rates of long-term dysphagia after cervical arthroplasty at an average interval of 7 years postoperative (range, 5.5-8.5 y). No significant difference between rates of self-reported short-term dysphagia was noted with 12% (3/25) and 9% (2/22) in the ACDF and arthroplasty groups, respectively (P=0.56). All short-term dysphagia cases in the arthroplasty cohort reported complete resolution of symptoms within 12 months postoperative. In the ACDF cohort, persistent symptoms at 7 years were noted in all responding patients. Three ACDF patients reported new late-onset, which was not noted in the arthroplasty cohort. To date, these findings represent the longest reported follow-up interval comparing rates of dysphagia between randomized cohorts of cervical arthroplasty and fusion patients. Our study suggests that cervical arthroplasty is less likely than ACDF to

VALIDATION OF A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING LONG-TERM EXPOSURES BASED ON SHORT-TERM MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

A method for estimating long-term exposures from short-term measurements is validated using data from a recent EPA study of exposure to fine particles. The method was developed a decade ago but long-term exposure data to validate it did not exist until recently. In this paper, ...

Long-term academic stress increases the late component of error processing: an ERP study.

PubMed

Wu, Jianhui; Yuan, Yiran; Duan, Hongxia; Qin, Shaozheng; Buchanan, Tony W; Zhang, Kan; Zhang, Liang

2014-05-01

Exposure to long-term stress has a variety of consequences on the brain and cognition. Few studies have examined the influence of long-term stress on event related potential (ERP) indices of error processing. The current study investigated how long-term academic stress modulates the error related negativity (Ne or ERN) and the error positivity (Pe) components of error processing. Forty-one male participants undergoing preparation for a major academic examination and 20 non-exam participants completed a Go-NoGo task while ERP measures were collected. The exam group reported higher perceived stress levels and showed increased Pe amplitude compared with the non-exam group. Participants' rating of the importance of the exam was positively associated with the amplitude of Pe, but these effects were not found for the Ne/ERN. These results suggest that long-term academic stress leads to greater motivational assessment of and higher emotional response to errors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Energy levels of ionized vanadium (V II) (Saloman+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saloman, E. B.; Kramida, A.

2017-09-01

The energy levels, observed spectral lines, and transition probabilities of singly ionized vanadium, V II, have been compiled. The experimentally derived energy levels belong to the configurations 3d4, 3d3ns (n=4,5,6), 3d3np, and 3d3nd (n=4,5), 3d34f, 3d24s2, and 3d24s4p. Also included are values for some forbidden lines that may be of interest to the astrophysical community. Experimental Lande g-factors and leading percentages for the levels are included when available, as well as Ritz wavelengths calculated from the energy levels. Wavelengths and transition probabilities are reported for 3568 and 1896 transitions, respectively. From the list of observed wavelengths, 407 energy levels are determined. The observed intensities, normalized to a common scale, are provided. From the newly optimized energy levels, a revised value for the ionization energy is derived, 118,030(60)cm-1, corresponding to 14.634(7)eV. This is 130cm-1 higher than the previously recommended value from Iglesias+ (1988, Publ. Inst. Opt. Madrid 47 1). (3 data files).

The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development.

PubMed

Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A'Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey.

The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development

PubMed Central

Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A’Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

Purpose To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Materials and methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Results Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. Conclusion The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey. PMID:27621678

Stability of Chronic Hepatitis-Related Parameters in Serum Samples After Long-Term Storage.

PubMed

Yu, Rentao; Dan, Yunjie; Xiang, Xiaomei; Zhou, Yi; Kuang, Xuemei; Yang, Ge; Tang, Yulan; Liu, Mingdong; Kong, Weilong; Tan, Wenting; Deng, Guohong

2017-06-01

Serum samples are widely used in clinical research, but a comprehensive research of the stability of parameters relevant to chronic hepatitis and the effect of a relatively long-term (up to 10 years) storage on the stability have rarely been studied. To investigate the stability of chronic hepatitis-related parameters in serum samples after long-term storage. The storage stability of common clinical parameters such as total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin (TBIL), potassium, cholesterol, and protein parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), albumin, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and also hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10) were tested in serum samples after storing at -20°C or -70°C for 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10 years. Levels of TBA, TBIL, and protein parameters such as ALT, CK, GGT, HDL, and HBsAg decreased significantly, but levels of potassium and cholesterol increased significantly after long-term storage, whereas blood glucose and triglycerides were stable during storage. HBV DNA remained stable at -70°C but changed at -20°C, whereas HCV RNA was stable after 1-, 2-, and 3-year storage. CXCL10 was still detectable after 8-year storage. Low temperatures (-70°C/80°C) are necessary for storage of serum samples in chronic hepatitis B research after long-term storage.

Association of vascular access flow with short-term and long-term mortality in chronic haemodialysis patients: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wu, Chung-Kuan; Wu, Chia-Lin; Lin, Chia-Hsun; Leu, Jyh-Gang; Kor, Chew-Teng; Tarng, Der-Cherng

2017-09-24

To investigate the impact of vascular access flow (Qa) on vascular and all-cause mortality in chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients. Observational cohort study. Single centre. Adult chronic HD patients at the HD unit of Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2003 were recruited. Patients were excluded if they had arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft failure within 3 months before the date of Qa measurement, were aged <18 years and had Qa levels of ≥2000mL/min. A total of 378 adult chronic HD patients were eventually enrolled for the study. The selected patients were evaluated with Qa and cardiac index (CI). They were divided into four groups according to three Qa cut-off points (500, 1000 and 1500 mL/min). Short-term and long-term vascular (cardiovascular or cerebrovascular) and all-cause mortality. Qa was positively correlated with CI ( r =0.48, p<0.001). A Qa level of <1000 mL/min was independently associated with 1-year all-cause mortality (adjusted OR, 6.04; 95% CI 1.64 to 22.16; p=0.007). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the cumulative incidence rates of all-cause and vascular mortality were significantly higher in the patients with a Qa level of <1000 mL/min (log-rank test; all p<0.01). Furthermore, a Qa level of <1000 mL/min was independently associated with long-term all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.62; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.37; p=0.013); however, the risk of vascular mortality did not significantly increase after adjustment for confounders. Qa is moderately correlated with cardiac function, and a Qa level of <1000 mL/min is an independent risk factor for both short-term and long-term all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The short-term and decade-long effects of divorce on women's midlife health.

PubMed

Lorenz, Frederick O; Wickrama, K A S; Conger, Rand D; Elder, Glen H

2006-06-01

We hypothesize that divorce immediately increases psychological distress and has long-term negative consequences for the physical health of divorced people. In addition, we hypothesize that divorce indirectly causes long-term increases in distress through stressful midlife events. The hypotheses are tested using data from 416 rural Iowa women who were interviewed repeatedly in the early 1990s when they were mothers of adolescent children; the women were interviewed again in 2001. The data support the hypotheses. In the years immediately after their divorce (1991-1994), divorced women reported significantly higher levels ofpsychological distress than married women but no differences in physical illness. A decade later (in 2001), the divorced women reported significantly higher levels of illness, even after controlling for age, remarriage, education, income, and prior health. Compared to their married counterparts, divorced women reported higher levels of stressful life events between 1994 and 2000, which led to higher levels of depressive symptoms in 2001.

Acute and long-term consequences of single MDMA administration in relation to individual anxiety levels in the rat.

PubMed

Ho, Ying-Jui; Pawlak, Cornelius R; Guo, Lianghao; Schwarting, Rainer K W

2004-03-02

Our previous work has shown that normal male Wistar rats can differ systematically in their behavioral response to the elevated plus-maze (EPM), where animals with high (HA) or low anxiety (LA) levels can be identified based on the percentage of time spent in the open arms. These animals also differ in other behavioral tests (e.g. active avoidance), and in their serotonin levels in the ventral striatum. Here, we tested whether such HA and LA rats might respond differently to the amphetamine analogue 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"). This drug can affect psychomotor activation and anxiety; effects which are probably due to its pronounced serotonergic and dopaminergic impacts in the rat brain. Based on a routine screening procedure in the plus-maze, male Wistar rats were divided into HA and LA sub-groups, in which rectal temperature was measured. Thirty minutes after the i.p. injection of MDMA (7.5 or 15 mg/kg) or vehicle, they were again tested in the plus-maze. During the next 3 weeks, the animals underwent further behavioral tests (plus-maze, open field, active avoidance, forced swimming) to test for possible long-term consequences of MDMA. Rectal temperature was found to be higher in LA than HA rats and was especially increased with the higher dose of MDMA (15 mg/kg). In the acute plus-maze test, the lower dose of MDMA led to an anxiogenic-like profile, whereas the higher dose led to an anxiolytic-like profile, both in HA and LA rats. Possible long-term consequences of MDMA were only tested with 7.5 mg/kg MDMA, since the 15 mg/kg dose led to a high level of lethality. The analysis of open field, plus-maze (performed after 9-12 days), and forced swimming behavior (performed after 20-21 days) did not provide indications for lasting effects of MDMA. In contrast, active avoidance learning was impaired in LA- but not HA-rats treated with MDMA. A single injection of MDMA does not only have acute effects on anxiety and psychomotor activation, but can

Uncovering Camouflage: Amygdala Activation Predicts Long-Term Memory of Induced Perceptual Insight

PubMed Central

Ludmer, Rachel; Dudai, Yadin; Rubin, Nava

2012-01-01

What brain mechanisms underlie learning of new knowledge from single events? We studied encoding in long-term memory of a unique type of one-shot experience, induced perceptual insight. While undergoing an fMRI brain scan, participants viewed degraded images of real-world pictures where the underlying objects were hard to recognize (‘camouflage’), followed by brief exposures to the original images (‘solution’), which led to induced insight (“Aha!”). A week later, participants’ memory was tested; a solution image was classified as ‘remembered’ if detailed perceptual knowledge was elicited from the camouflage image alone. During encoding, subsequently remembered images enjoyed higher activity in mid-level visual cortex and medial frontal cortex, but most pronouncedly in the amygdala, whose activity could be used to predict which solutions will remain in long-term memory. Our findings extend the known roles of amygdala in memory to include promoting of long-term memory of the sudden reorganization of internal representations. PMID:21382558

Short-term and long-term attentional biases to frequently encountered target features.

PubMed

Sha, Li Z; Remington, Roger W; Jiang, Yuhong V

2017-07-01

It has long been known that frequently occurring targets are attended better than infrequent ones in visual search. But does this frequency-based attentional prioritization reflect momentary or durable changes in attention? Here we observed both short-term and long-term attentional biases for visual features as a function of different types of statistical associations between the targets, distractors, and features. Participants searched for a target, a line oriented horizontally or vertically among diagonal distractors, and reported its length. In one set of experiments we manipulated the target's color probability: Targets were more often in Color 1 than in Color 2. The distractors were in other colors. Participants found Color 1 targets more quickly than Color 2 targets, but this preference disappeared immediately when the target's color became random in the subsequent testing phase. In the other set of experiments, we manipulated the diagnostic values of the two colors: Color 1 was more often a target than a distractor; Color 2 was more often a distractor than a target. Participants found Color 1 targets more quickly than Color 2 targets. Importantly, and in contrast to the first set of experiments, the featural preference was sustained in the testing phase. These results suggest that short-term and long-term attentional biases are products of different statistical information. Finding a target momentarily activates its features, inducing short-term repetition priming. Long-term changes in attention, on the other hand, may rely on learning diagnostic features of the targets.

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis; Conway, Paul Maurice; Bonde, Jens Peter; Garde, Anne Helene; Gullander, Maria; Kaerlev, Linda; Persson, Roger; Rugulies, Reiner; Vammen, Marianne Agergaard; Høgh, Annie; Hansen, Åse Marie

2017-09-16

Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. Participants came from two Danish cohort studies, the "Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease" (PRISME) cohort and the "Workplace Bullying and Harassment" (WBH) cohort (n = 5418). Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points with approximately two years in between. After each data collection, all participants were followed for two years in registers, and cases with long-term sickness absence lasting 30 or more consecutive days were identified. The association between cortisol levels and subsequent sickness absence was assessed by logistic regression, while the extent to which the association between bullying and sickness absence was mediated by cortisol was quantified through natural direct and indirect effects. High evening cortisol was associated with a decreased risk of sickness absence (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68-0.99), but we did not find that high morning cortisol levels (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.81-1.18) or high morning-to-evening slope (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.82-1.18) were associated with subsequent sickness absence. We also tested for reverse causation and found that long-term sickness absence, but not salivary cortisol, was a strong risk factor for subsequent workplace bullying. There was no indication that cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We found no

Long-term care financing through Federal tax incentives.

PubMed

Moran, D W; Weingart, J M

1988-12-01

Congress and the Administration are currently exploring various methods of promoting access to long-term care. In this article, an inventory of recent legislative proposals for using the Federal tax code to expand access to long-term care services is provided. Proposals are arrayed along a functional typology that includes tax mechanisms to encourage accumulation of funds, promote purchase of long-term care insurance, or induce the diversion of funds accumulated for another purpose (such as individual retirement accounts). The proposals are evaluated against the public policy objective of encouraging risk pooling to minimize social cost.

Long-term care financing through Federal tax incentives

PubMed Central

Moran, Donald W.; Weingart, Janet M.

1988-01-01

Congress and the Administration are currently exploring various methods of promoting access to long-term care. In this article, an inventory of recent legislative proposals for using the Federal tax code to expand access to long-term care services is provided. Proposals are arrayed along a functional typology that includes tax mechanisms to encourage accumulation of funds, promote purchase of long-term care insurance, or induce the diversion of funds accumulated for another purpose (such as individual retirement accounts). The proposals are evaluated against the public policy objective of encouraging risk pooling to minimize social cost. PMID:10312964

Long-term psychosocial consequences of surgical congenital malformations.

PubMed

Diseth, Trond H; Emblem, Ragnhild

2017-10-01

Surgical congenital malformations often represent years of treatment, large number of hospital stays, treatment procedures, and long-term functional sequels affecting patients' psychosocial functioning. Both functional defects and psychosocial difficulties that occur commonly in childhood may pass through adolescence on to adulthood. This overview presents reports published over the past 3 decades to elucidate the long-term psychosocial consequences of surgical congenital malformations. Literature searches conducted on PubMed database revealed that less than 1% of all the records of surgical congenital malformations described long-term psychosocial consequences, but with diverse findings. This inconsistency may be due to methodological differences or deficiencies; especially in study design, patient sampling, and methods. Most of the studies revealed that the functional deficits may have great impact on patients' mental health, psychosocial functioning, and QoL; both short- and long-term negative consequences. Factors other than functional problems, e.g., repeated anesthesia, multiple hospitalization, traumatic treatment procedures, and parental dysfunctioning, may also predict long-term mental health and psychosocial functioning. Through multidisciplinary approach, pediatric surgeons should also be aware of deficits in emotional and psychosocial functioning. To achieve overall optimal psychosocial functioning, the challenge is to find a compromise between physically optimal treatment procedures and procedures that are not psychologically detrimental. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pediatric providers and radiology examinations: knowledge and comfort levels regarding ionizing radiation and potential complications of imaging.

PubMed

Wildman-Tobriner, Benjamin; Parente, Victoria M; Maxfield, Charles M

2017-12-01

Pediatric providers should understand the basic risks of the diagnostic imaging tests they order and comfortably discuss those risks with parents. Appreciating providers' level of understanding is important to guide discussions and enhance relationships between radiologists and pediatric referrers. To assess pediatric provider knowledge of diagnostic imaging modalities that use ionizing radiation and to understand provider concerns about risks of imaging. A 6-question survey was sent via email to 390 pediatric providers (faculty, trainees and midlevel providers) from a single academic institution. A knowledge-based question asked providers to identify which radiology modalities use ionizing radiation. Subjective questions asked providers about discussions with parents, consultations with radiologists, and complications of imaging studies. One hundred sixty-nine pediatric providers (43.3% response rate) completed the survey. Greater than 90% of responding providers correctly identified computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy and radiography as modalities that use ionizing radiation, and ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as modalities that do not. Fewer (66.9% correct, P<0.001) knew that nuclear medicine utilizes ionizing radiation. A majority of providers (82.2%) believed that discussions with radiologists regarding ionizing radiation were helpful, but 39.6% said they rarely had time to do so. Providers were more concerned with complications of sedation and cost than they were with radiation-induced cancer, renal failure or anaphylaxis. Providers at our academic referral center have a high level of basic knowledge regarding modalities that use ionizing radiation, but they are less aware of ionizing radiation use in nuclear medicine studies. They find discussions with radiologists helpful and are concerned about complications of sedation and cost.

Patient empowerment in long-term conditions: development and preliminary testing of a new measure

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Patient empowerment is viewed by policy makers and health care practitioners as a mechanism to help patients with long-term conditions better manage their health and achieve better outcomes. However, assessing the role of empowerment is dependent on effective measures of empowerment. Although many measures of empowerment exist, no measure has been developed specifically for patients with long-term conditions in the primary care setting. This study presents preliminary data on the development and validation of such a measure. Methods We conducted two empirical studies. Study one was an interview study to understand empowerment from the perspective of patients living with long-term conditions. Qualitative analysis identified dimensions of empowerment, and the qualitative data were used to generate items relating to these dimensions. Study two was a cross-sectional postal study involving patients with different types of long-term conditions recruited from general practices. The survey was conducted to test and validate our new measure of empowerment. Factor analysis and regression were performed to test scale structure, internal consistency and construct validity. Results Sixteen predominately elderly patients with different types of long-term conditions described empowerment in terms of 5 dimensions (identity, knowledge and understanding, personal control, personal decision-making, and enabling other patients). One hundred and ninety seven survey responses were received from mainly older white females, with relatively low levels of formal education, with the majority retired from paid work. Almost half of the sample reported cardiovascular, joint or diabetes long-term conditions. Factor analysis identified a three factor solution (positive attitude and sense of control, knowledge and confidence in decision making and enabling others), although the structure lacked clarity. A total empowerment score across all items showed acceptable levels of internal

Implication of Paris Agreement in the context of long-term climate mitigation goals.

PubMed

Fujimori, Shinichiro; Su, Xuanming; Liu, Jing-Yu; Hasegawa, Tomoko; Takahashi, Kiyoshi; Masui, Toshihiko; Takimi, Maho

2016-01-01

The Paris Agreement confirmed the global aim to achieve a long-term climate goal, in which the global increase in mean temperature is kept below 2 °C compared to the preindustrial level. We investigated the implications of the near-term emissions targets (for around the year 2030) in the context of the long-term climate mitigation goal using the Asia-Pacific Integrated Model framework. To achieve the 2 °C goal, a large greenhouse gas emissions reduction is required, either in the early or latter half of this century. In the mid-term (from 2030 to 2050), it may be necessary to consider rapid changes to the existing energy or socioeconomic systems, while long-term measures (after 2050) will rely on the substantial use of biomass combined with carbon capture and storage technology or afforestation, which will eventually realize so-called negative CO2 emissions. With respect to the policy context, two suggestions are provided here. The first is the review and revision of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in 2020, with an additional reduction target to the current NDCs being one workable alternative. The second suggestion is a concrete and numerical mid-term emissions reduction target, for example to be met by 2040 or 2050, which could also help to achieve the long-term climate goal.

Long-Term Muscle Fatigue After Standing Work.

PubMed

Garcia, Maria-Gabriela; Läubli, Thomas; Martin, Bernard J

2015-11-01

The aims of this study were to determine long-term fatigue effects in the lower limbs associated with standing work and to estimate possible age and gender influences. The progressive accumulation of muscle fatigue effects is assumed to lead to musculoskeletal disorders, as fatigue generated by sustained low-level exertions exhibits long-lasting effects. However, these effects have received little attention in the lower limbs. Fourteen men and 12 women from two different age groups simulated standing work for 5 hr including 5-min seated rest breaks and a 30-min lunch. The younger group was also tested in a control day. Muscle fatigue was quantified by electrically induced muscle twitches (muscle twitch force [MTF]), postural stability, and subjective evaluation of discomfort. MTF showed a significant fatigue effect after standing work that persisted beyond 30 min after the end of the workday. MTF was not affected on the control day. The center of pressure displacement speed increased significantly over time after standing work but was also affected on the control day. Subjective evaluations of discomfort indicated a significant increase in perception of fatigue immediately after the end of standing work; however, this perception did not persist 30 min after. Age and gender did not influence fatigue. Objective measures show the long-term effects of muscle fatigue after 5 hr of standing work; however, this fatigue is no longer perceived after 30 min of rest postwork. The present results suggest that occupational activities requiring prolonged standing are likely to contribute to lower-extremity and/or back disorders. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Risk of death from cardiovascular disease associated with low-level arsenic exposure among long-term smokers in a US population-based study

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

Farzan, Shohreh F.; Departments of Population Health and Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Chen, Yu

High levels of arsenic exposure have been associated with increases in cardiovascular disease risk. However, studies of arsenic's effects at lower exposure levels are limited and few prospective studies exist in the United States using long-term arsenic exposure biomarkers. We conducted a prospective analysis of the association between toenail arsenic and cardiovascular disease mortality using longitudinal data collected on 3939 participants in the New Hampshire Skin Cancer Study. Using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for potential confounders, we estimated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals associated with the risk of death from any cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and stroke,more » in relation to natural-log transformed toenail arsenic concentrations. In this US population, although we observed no overall association, arsenic exposure measured from toenail clipping samples was related to an increased risk of ischemic heart disease mortality among long-term smokers (as reported at baseline), with increased hazard ratios among individuals with ≥ 31 total smoking years (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.27), ≥ 30 pack-years (HR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.45), and among current smokers (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.75). These results are consistent with evidence from more highly exposed populations suggesting a synergistic relationship between arsenic exposure and smoking on health outcomes and support a role for lower-level arsenic exposure in ischemic heart disease mortality. - Highlights: • Arsenic (As) has been associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. • Little is known about CVD effects at lower levels of As exposure common in the US. • Few have investigated the joint effects of As and smoking on CVD in US adults. • We examine chronic low-level As exposure and smoking in relation to CVD mortality. • Arsenic exposure may increase ischemic heart disease mortality among smokers in US.« less

Association of Trajectories of Higher-Level Functional Capacity with Mortality and Medical and Long-Term Care Costs Among Community-Dwelling Older Japanese.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Yu; Kitamura, Akihiko; Nofuji, Yu; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Seino, Satoshi; Yokoyama, Yuri; Shinozaki, Tomohiro; Murayama, Hiroshi; Mitsutake, Seigo; Amano, Hidenori; Nishi, Mariko; Matsuyama, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Shinkai, Shoji

2018-03-26

Higher-level functional capacity is crucial component for independent living in later life. We used repeated-measures analysis to identify aging trajectories in higher-level functional capacity. We then determined whether these trajectories were associated with all-cause mortality and examined differences in medical and long-term care costs between trajectories among community-dwelling older Japanese. 2,675 adults aged 65-90 years participated in annual geriatric health assessments and biennial health monitoring surveys during the period from October 2001 through August 2011. The average number of follow-up assessments was 4.0, and the total number of observations was 10,609. Higher-level functional capacity, which correspond to the fourth and fifth sublevels of Lawton's hierarchical model, was assessed with the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology-Index of Competence (TMIG-IC). We identified four distinct trajectory patterns (high-stable, late-onset decreasing, early-onset decreasing, and low-decreasing) on the TMIG-IC through age 65-90 years. As compared with the high-stable trajectory group, participants in the late-onset decreasing, early-onset decreasing, and low-decreasing TMIG-IC trajectory groups had adjusted hazard ratios for mortality of 1.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.47), 1.90 (1.53-2.36), and 2.87 (2.14-3.84), respectively. Participants with high-stable and late-onset decreasing higher-level functional capacity trajectories had lower mean monthly medical costs and long-term care costs. In contrast, mean total costs were higher for those with low-decreasing trajectories, after excluding the large increase in such costs at the end of life. People with a low-decreasing aging trajectory in higher-level functional capacity had higher risks of death and had high monthly total costs.

Long-term exercise adherence after public health training in at-risk adults.

PubMed

Saida, Trine Gro Riktrup Hansen; Juul Sørensen, Tina; Langberg, Henning

2017-07-01

Sustainment of healthy exercise behavior is essential in preventing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Few studies have explored long-term exercise adherence after an exercise referral scheme. The objective of this study was to examine 12-month exercise adherence after an exercise intervention program. This was a pragmatic follow-up study in at-risk people performed between June 2012 and January 2014. The main outcome measure was self-reported single-item exercise adherence. Secondary outcomes were change in exercise level, quality of life rated on a visual analog scale and self-rated health. Predictors of long-term exercise adherence were assessed by logistic regression, estimating crude odds-ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) and adjusting for age, gender, education, smoking, moderate and vigorous exercise. In total, 214 adults (mean age 58.8±11.97 years, 71% women) participated in the study and received a 12-week training intervention: 62% had hypertension, 64% dyslipidemia and 15% impaired glucose tolerance. Attrition rate was 84% (n=179). During the 12-month follow-up, 48% (n=85) reported long-term exercise adherence. The main predictors of long-term exercise adherence were participation in sport activities at baseline (adjusted odds-ratio [aOR] 4.22, 95% CI 1.72-10.40), self-rated health (aOR 2.60, 1.00-6.75) and quality of life (aOR 2.39, 1.03-5.54). Long-term non-adherence was associated with low education (<10 years; aOR 3.27, 1.14-9.43) and age<50 years (aOR 3.53, 1.32-9.43). In this pragmatic study, long-term exercise adherence was associated with participation in sport activities and self-rated health at baseline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Egyptian rousette bats maintain long-term protective immunity against Marburg virus infection despite diminished antibody levels.

PubMed

Schuh, Amy J; Amman, Brian R; Sealy, Tara K; Spengler, Jessica R; Nichol, Stuart T; Towner, Jonathan S

2017-08-18

Although bats are natural reservoir hosts for numerous zoonotic viruses, little is known about the long-term dynamics of the host immune response following infection and how these viruses are maintained in nature. The Egyptian rousette bat (ERB) is a known reservoir host for Marburg virus (MARV). Following infection of ERBs with MARV, virus-specific IgG antibodies are induced but rapidly wane and by 3 months post-infection the bats are seronegative. To determine whether reinfection of ERBs plays a role in MARV maintenance, we challenge groups of ERBs that were "naturally" or experimentally infected with MARV 17-24 months prior. No bats in either group exhibit evidence of MARV replication or shedding and all bats develop virus-specific secondary immune responses. This study demonstrates that infection of ERBs with MARV induces long-term protective immunity against reinfection and indicates that other factors, such as host population dynamics, drive MARV maintenance in nature.

The relationship between interannual and long-term cloud feedbacks

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Chen; Zelinka, Mark D.; Dessler, Andrew E.; ...

2015-12-11

The analyses of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 simulations suggest that climate models with more positive cloud feedback in response to interannual climate fluctuations also have more positive cloud feedback in response to long-term global warming. Ensemble mean vertical profiles of cloud change in response to interannual and long-term surface warming are similar, and the ensemble mean cloud feedback is positive on both timescales. However, the average long-term cloud feedback is smaller than the interannual cloud feedback, likely due to differences in surface warming pattern on the two timescales. Low cloud cover (LCC) change in response to interannual andmore » long-term global surface warming is found to be well correlated across models and explains over half of the covariance between interannual and long-term cloud feedback. In conclusion, the intermodel correlation of LCC across timescales likely results from model-specific sensitivities of LCC to sea surface warming.« less

Assessment of genetic and epigenetic variation during long-term Taxus cell culture.

PubMed

Fu, Chunhua; Li, Liqin; Wu, Wenjuan; Li, Maoteng; Yu, Xiaoqing; Yu, Longjiang

2012-07-01

Gradual loss of secondary metabolite production is a common obstacle in the development of a large-scale plant cell production system. In this study, cell morphology, paclitaxel (Taxol®) biosynthetic ability, and genetic and epigenetic variations in the long-term culture of Taxus media cv Hicksii cells were assessed over a 5-year period to evaluate the mechanisms of the loss of secondary metabolites biosynthesis capacity in Taxus cell. The results revealed that morphological variations, gradual loss of paclitaxel yield and decreased transcriptional level of paclitaxel biosynthesis key genes occurred during long-term subculture. Genetic and epigenetic variations in these cultures were also studied at different times during culture using amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP), methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses. A total of 32 primer combinations were used in AFLP amplification, and none of the AFLP loci were found to be polymorphic, thus no major genetic rearrangements were detected in any of the tested samples. However, results from both MSAP and HPLC indicated that there was a higher level of DNA methylation in the low-paclitaxel yielding cell line after long-term culture. Based on these results, we proposed that accumulation of paclitaxel in Taxus cell cultures might be regulated by DNA methylation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of increased methylation with the prolongation of culture time in Taxus cell culture. It provides substantial clues for exploring the gradual loss of the taxol biosynthesis capacity of Taxus cell lines during long-term subculture. DNA methylation maybe involved in the regulation of paclitaxel biosynthesis in Taxus cell culture.

Neurocognitive function in clinically stable individuals with long-term bipolar I disorder: Comparisons with schizophrenia patients and controls.

PubMed

Lin, Pei-Yun; Wang, Peng-Wei; Chen, Cheng-Sheng; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2017-05-01

This study compared the levels of the five domains of neurocognitive function-executive function, attention, memory, verbal comprehension, and perceptual organization-among clinically stable individuals with long-term bipolar I disorder, individuals with long-term schizophrenia, and a group of controls. We recruited a total of 93 clinically stable individuals with bipolar I disorder, 94 individuals with schizophrenia, and 106 controls in this study. Their neurocognitive function was measured using a series of neurocognitive function tests: the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III), Line Cancellation Test, Visual Form Discrimination, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Task, and Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition. Neurocognitive function was compared among the three groups through a multivariate analysis of variance. The results indicated that when the effect of age was controlled, clinically stable individuals with bipolar I disorder and those with schizophrenia demonstrated poor neurocognitive function on all tests except for the WAIS-III Similarity and Information and the Line Cancellation Test. The individuals with bipolar I disorder had similar levels of neurocognitive function compared with the schizophrenia group, but higher levels of neurocognitive function on the WAIS-III Comprehension, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition Auditory Immediate and Delayed Index and Visual Immediate and Delayed Index. The conclusions of this study suggest that compared with controls, individuals with long-term bipolar I disorder and those with long-term schizophrenia have poorer neurocognitive function, even when clinically stable. Individuals with long-term bipolar I disorder and those with long-term schizophrenia have similar levels of deficits in several domains of neurocognitive function. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Long-term botulinum toxin treatment increases employment rate in patients with cervical dystonia.

PubMed

Skogseid, Inger Marie; Røislien, Jo; Claussen, Bjørgulf; Kerty, Emilia

2005-12-01

We examined the impact of cervical dystonia (CD) and long-term botulinum toxin (BTX) treatment on employment status. Data on employment status at onset of CD, at initiation of BTX treatment, and at evaluation of long-term treatment were obtained from 62 CD patients aged 31-66 years (median, 53 years; 61% females) who had been treated for a median of 5 years (range, 1.5-10 years). The employment rate fell from 84% at the onset of CD to 47% before initiation of BTX treatment. With long-term BTX treatment, 72% of those who worked at the initiation of treatment stayed employed, and 67% of those on sick leave returned to work. A younger age and a higher level of education increased the probability of being employed and avoiding disability benefits. Among those who were younger than 55 years at evaluation of BTX treatment (n = 40), the employment rate increased from 47% to 65% with treatment, and among the male patients, it reached the level of the general population (86%). About half of the 34% who received disability benefits did so already before the BTX treatment was initiated.

Group long-term care insurance: decision-making factors and implications for financing long-term care.

PubMed

Stum, Marlene S

2008-01-01

This study proposes and tests a systemic family decision-making framework to understand group long-term care insurance (LTCI) enrollment decisions. A random sample of public employees who were offered group LTCI as a workplace benefit were examined. Findings reveal very good predictive efficacy for the overall conceptual framework with a pseudo R2 value of .687, and reinforced the contributions of factors within the family system. Enrollees were more likely to have discussed the decision with others, used information sources, and had prior experience when compared to non-enrollees. Perceived health status, financial knowledge, attitudes regarding the role of private insurance, risk taking, and coverage features were additional factors related to enrollment decisions. The findings help to inform policymakers about the potential of LTCI as one strategy for financing long-term care.

Continuing education for staff in long-term care facilities: corporate philosophies and approaches.

PubMed

Ross, M M; Carswell, A; Dalziel, W B; Aminzadeh, F

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine corporate philosophies of continuing education and approaches to meeting the learning needs of staff who strive to provide for the increasingly challenging care requirements of seniors who reside in long-term care facilities. In-depth interviews lasting approximately 1 hour were conducted with key informants at the administrative level from nine long-term care facilities. Content analysis revealed a commitment to continuing education for staff. While recognizing the importance of organizational responsibility for continuing education, administrators placed emphasis on the individual responsibility of staff. Learning needs were identified as affective, managerial, and physical in nature. Challenges to providing continuing education programs were derived from a general lack of fiscal and human resources. A variety of measures was suggested as important to supporting the continuing learning of staff. Implications of this study point to the need for long-term care facilities to incorporate into their strategic plans measures of ensuring continuing education as a basis for the ongoing competence and development of staff. In addition, there is a need for collaboration between long-term care facilities and other institutions of a long-term care, acute care, and educational nature in the development of strategies to operationalize a philosophy of continuing learning as a basis for the provision of optimal care to residents.

Japanese public long-term care insured: preferences for future long-term care facilities, including relocation, waiting times, and individualized care.

PubMed

Sawamura, Kanae; Sano, Hiroshi; Nakanishi, Miharu

2015-04-01

Expenditures on long-term care insurance (LTCI) in Japan have been increasing with the aging of the population, which has led to an increase in premiums. To optimize resource allocation, we aim to clarify the priorities of the functions of long-term care facilities from the viewpoint of future beneficiaries. The present study was conducted using a cross-sectional study design. We conducted a mail-in survey targeting 2400 adults aged 50-65 in 8 cities in Japan, and 371 persons responded. Conjoint analysis was applied to measure participants' preferences for long-term care facility services. Participants read 1 of 2 vignettes of an 80-year-old person with either dementia or a fracture, and were asked to envision it as a possible future scenario for themselves. Participants then completed 8 or 9 tasks to select suitable long-term care facilities for the person described. The questionnaire also contained common questions on participants' personal profiles: age, gender, family situation, education, approximate yearly family income, experience as a family caregiver, dwelling status, present health status, and possibility of requiring long-term care services in the future. The results focused mainly on (1) possibilities of individual choice for daily schedules/meals; (2) availability of regular care staff; (3) room; (4) main daily interactions; (5) necessity of relocation associated with medical deterioration; 6) Waiting time; 7) distance from present residence; and (8) monthly fees. Necessity of relocation associated with medical deterioration was consistently given the greatest importance. Participants with experience as a family caregiver showed significantly greater preference for individualized care and communication. The option of avoiding relocation was highly valued by participants compared with private rooms and individualized care. The present situation of high demand for intensive care homes for the elderly, provoked by anxiety about future residence, will not

Adverse event reporting in Czech long-term care facilities.

PubMed

Hěib, Zdenřk; Vychytil, Pavel; Marx, David

2013-04-01

To describe adverse event reporting processes in long-term care facilities in the Czech Republic. Prospective cohort study involving a written questionnaire followed by in-person structured interviews with selected respondents. Long-term care facilities located in the Czech Republic. Staff of 111 long-term care facilities (87% of long-term care facilities in the Czech Republic). None. Sixty-three percent of long-term health-care facilities in the Czech Republic have adverse event-reporting processes already established, but these were frequently very immature programs sometimes consisting only of paper recording of incidents. Compared to questionnaire responses, in-person interview responses only partially tended to confirm the results of the written survey. Twenty-one facilities (33%) had at most 1 unconfirmed response, 31 facilities (49%) had 2 or 3 unconfirmed responses and the remaining 11 facilities (17%) had 4 or more unconfirmed responses. In-person interviews suggest that use of a written questionnaire to assess the adverse event-reporting process may have limited validity. Staff of the facilities we studied expressed an understanding of the importance of adverse event reporting and prevention, but interviews also suggested a lack of knowledge necessary for establishing a good institutional reporting system in long-term care.

Long-term outcomes of children undergoing video-assisted gastrostomy.

PubMed

Salö, Martin; Santimano, Ana; Helmroth, Sofia; Stenström, Pernilla; Arnbjornsson, Einar Ólafur

2017-01-01

The aims of this study were to assess the short- and long-term complication rates after video-assisted gastrostomy (VAG), the effects of age and gender on long-term complications and the effect of duration of gastrostomy tube retention on the need for gastroraphy when the gastrostomy device was removed. This was a retrospective study of children undergoing VAG at a single institution. Children who died or moved from the area were excluded. The rates of short- and long-term complications developing at 3-6 months or 2 or more years, respectively, were compared. A total of 170 children were studied, out of a cohort of 303 children. The median age at surgery was 2 years. The median duration of postoperative long-term follow-up was 5 years (2-9 years). The complications at the respective short and long-term follow-ups were as follows: granulation tissue, leakage, infection and vomiting. There were no differences in the short- versus long-term complication rates for gender and age. Children needing gastroraphy had used a gastrostomy device significantly longer compared with children with spontaneous closure. Complications after VAG decrease over time. A longer duration of gastrostomy device retention leads to increased need for gastroraphy.

Long Term Stability Following Genioplasty: A Cephalometric Study

PubMed Central

Kumar, B Lakshman; Raju, G Kranthi Praveen; Kumar, N Dilip; Reddy, G Vivek; Naik, B Ravindra; Achary, C Ravindranath

2015-01-01

Background: A receding chin associated with an orthognathic mandible is a common situation and surgical changes in chin position are often required to improve the overall harmony of the face. Genioplasty is one such procedure. Stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis needs to be assessed. Studies on the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a short term basis have revealed it as a procedure with good stability. This study is done to assess the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis. Materials and Methods: Pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term post-surgical cephalograms of 15 cases treated by vertical reduction augmentation genioplasty were obtained. Paired t-test was used to compare the changes between pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term postsurgical cephalograms. Results: Findings of this study demonstrated that genioplasty is a stable procedure. After long term follow-up period, there was a relapse of 1.5 mm at the pogonion accounting for 24% of the surgical advancement. This is attributed to the remodeling that occurs at the surgical site, but not the instability due to the surgical procedure. Conclusion: With the present study, it can be concluded that vertical reduction and advancement genioplasty can be considered as an adjunctive procedure that produces predictable results and the bony and soft tissue stability were generally very good. PMID:25954070

Ionization Spectroscopic Measurement of nP Rydberg Levels of 87Rb Cold Atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yufan; Zaheeruddin, Syed; Zhao, Dongmei; Ma, Xinwen; Yang, Jie

2018-05-01

We created an ultracold plasma via the spontaneous ionization of cold dense Rydberg atoms of 87Rb in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), and measured the nS1/2 (n = 50-80), nP1/2 (n = 16-23), nP3/2 (n = 16-98), and nD5/2 (n = 49-96) Rydberg levels by detecting the electrons in the ultracold plasma. By fitting the energy levels of Rydberg states, the first ionization potential of 33690.950(11) cm-1 and the quantum defects of S, P, and D orbitals were obtained. The absolute transition energies of nS1/2 (n = 66-80), nP1/2 (n = 16-23), nP3/2 (n = 16-98), and nD5/2 (n = 58-96) states of 87Rb, as well as the quantum defects for p1/2 and p3/2 series, are given for the first time.

Long-Acting Phospholipid Gel of Exenatide for Long-Term Therapy of Type II Diabetes.

PubMed

Hu, Mei; Zhang, Yu; Xiang, Nanxi; Zhong, Ying; Gong, Tao; Zhang, Zhi-Rong; Fu, Yao

2016-06-01

This study aimed to develop a sustained-release formulation of exenatide (EXT) for the long-term therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of type II diabetes. In this study, we present an injectable phospholipid gel by mixing biocompatible phospholipid S100, medium chain triglyceride (MCT) with 85% (w/w) ethanol. A systemic pre-formulation study has been carried out to improve the stability of EXT during formulation fabrication. With the optimized formulation, the pharmacokinetic profiles in rats were studied and two diabetic animal models were employed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of EXT phospholipid gel via a single subcutaneous injection versus repeated injections of normal saline and EXT solution. With optimized formulation, sustained release of exenatide in vivo for over three consecutive weeks was observed after one single subcutaneous injection. Moreover, the pharmacodynamic study in two diabetic models justified that the gel formulation displayed a comparable hypoglycemic effect and controlled blood glucose level compared with exenatide solution treated group. EXT-loaded phospholipid gel represents a promising controlled release system for long-term therapy of type II diabetes.

Long-term EEG in children.

PubMed

Montavont, A; Kaminska, A; Soufflet, C; Taussig, D

2015-03-01

Long-term video-EEG corresponds to a recording ranging from 1 to 24 h or even longer. It is indicated in the following situations: diagnosis of epileptic syndromes or unclassified epilepsy, pre-surgical evaluation for drug-resistant epilepsy, follow-up of epilepsy or in cases of paroxysmal symptoms whose etiology remains uncertain. There are some specificities related to paediatric care: a dedicated pediatric unit; continuous monitoring covering at least a full 24-hour period, especially in the context of pre-surgical evaluation; the requirement of presence by the parents, technician or nurse; and stronger attachment of electrodes (cup electrodes), the number of which is adapted to the age of the child. The chosen duration of the monitoring also depends on the frequency of seizures or paroxysmal events. The polygraphy must be adapted to the type and topography of movements. It is essential to have at least an electrocardiography (ECG) channel, respiratory sensor and electromyography (EMG) on both deltoids. There is no age limit for performing long-term video-EEG even in newborns and infants; nevertheless because of scalp fragility, strict surveillance of the baby's skin condition is required. In the specific context of pre-surgical evaluation, long-term video-EEG must record all types of seizures observed in the child. This monitoring is essential in order to develop hypotheses regarding the seizure onset zone, based on electroclinical correlations, which should be adapted to the child's age and the psychomotor development. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Long-term high-fat feeding induces greater fat storage in mice lacking UCP3.

PubMed

Costford, Sheila R; Chaudhry, Shehla N; Crawford, Sean A; Salkhordeh, Mahmoud; Harper, Mary-Ellen

2008-11-01

Uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) is a mitochondrial inner-membrane protein highly expressed in skeletal muscle. While UCP3's function is still unknown, it has been hypothesized to act as a fatty acid (FA) anion exporter, protecting mitochondria against lipid peroxidation and/or facilitating FA oxidation. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of long-term feeding of a 45% fat diet on whole body indicators of muscle metabolism in congenic C57BL/6 mice that were either lacking UCP3 (Ucp3(-/-)) or had a transgenically induced approximately twofold increase in UCP3 levels (UCP3tg). Mice were fed the high-fat (HF) diet for a period of either 4 or 8 mo immediately following weaning. After long-term HF feeding, UCP3tg mice weighed an average of 15% less than wild-type mice (P < 0.05) and were 20% less metabolically efficient than both wild-type and Ucp3(-/-) mice (P < 0.01). Additionally, wild-type mice had 21% lower, whereas UCP3tg mice had 36% lower, levels of adiposity compared with Ucp3(-/-) mice (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively), indicating a protective effect of UCP3 against fat gain. No differences in whole body oxygen consumption were detected following long-term HF feeding. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests revealed that both the UCP3tg and Ucp3(-/-) mice were more glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive compared with wild-type mice after short-term HF feeding, but this protection was not maintained in the long term. Findings indicate that UCP3 is involved in protection from fat gain induced by long-term HF feeding, but not in protection from insulin resistance.

Long-term prophylaxis in severe factor VII deficiency.

PubMed

Siboni, S M; Biguzzi, E; Mistretta, C; Garagiola, I; Peyvandi, F

2015-11-01

The spectrum of bleeding problems in FVII deficiency is highly variable and FVII levels and causative genetic mutations correlate poorly with the bleeding risk. Long-term prophylaxis is generally initiated in order to prevent subsequent CNS bleeding after a first event or in patients with other major/ life threatening/ frequent bleeding symptoms as gastrointestinal bleeding or hemarthrosis. However few data are available in the literature regarding FVII prophylaxis and clinical decisions cannot be based on evidence. We report the data available in the literature on FVII prophylaxis and our personal experience regarding three patients affected by severe FVII deficiency. Specific papers on long-term prophylaxis in severe FVII deficiency were identified using the database, PUBMED. The most frequent indications for long-term prophylaxis were CNS bleeding (58%), hemartrosis (15%) and GI bleeding (9%). Patients were treated with various dosages and frequency. Prophylactic treatment with 10-30U/kg (pdFVII) or 20-30mcg/kg (rFVIIa) twice or three times/weeks was described to be effective. In the literature and in our experience, prophylaxis can be considered in patients with severe FVII deficiency and severe bleeding phenotype. A dose of 10-30U/kg (pdFVII) or 20-30 microg/kg (rFVIIa) twice or three times/week is usually administrated, but dose and frequency can be tailored based on the clinical follow-up of the patients. Since hemarthrosis is a frequent manifestation, a suggestion to improve the outcomes of patients with severe FVII deficiency is to monitor joint condition in order to identify early arthropathy that could be another indication to start secondary prophylaxis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Assessing the market for long-term care services.

PubMed

Rice, J A; Taylor, S

1984-02-01