76 FR 23322 - Storage Development Partners, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-26

... total storage capacity of 5,737 acre-feet at a normal maximum operating elevation of 1,600 feet mean sea level (msl); (2) five 9,700-foot-long, 25-foot- diameter steel lined penstocks extending between the... Ocean, serving as the lower reservoir; (4) an underground powerhouse with approximate dimensions of 250...

From landscapes to soundscapes: understanding and managing natural quiet in the national parks

Treesearch

Robert Manning; William Valliere; Jeffery Hallo; Peter Newman; Ericka Pilcher; Michael Savidge; Dan Dugan

2007-01-01

Research at Muir Woods Natural Monument suggests that soundscapes are an important component of parks and outdoor recreation, that human-caused noise is a potentially important indicator of quality for park soundscapes, and that visitors have normative standards for the maximum acceptable level of human-caused noise in parks. Formulating indicators and standards of...

Psychophysically determined forces of dynamic pushing for female industrial workers: Comparison of two apparatuses.

PubMed

Ciriello, Vincent M; Maikala, Rammohan V; Dempsey, Patrick G; O'Brien, Niall V

2010-01-01

Using psychophysics, the maximum acceptable forces for pushing have been previously developed using a magnetic particle brake (MPB) treadmill at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety. The objective of this study was to investigate the reproducibility of maximum acceptable initial and sustained forces while performing a pushing task at a frequency of 1min(-1) both on a MPB treadmill and on a high-inertia pushcart. This is important because our pushing guidelines are used extensively as a ergonomic redesign strategy and we would like the information to be as applicable as possible to cart pushing. On two separate days, nineteen female industrial workers performed a 40-min MPB treadmill pushing task and a 2-hr pushcart task, in the context of a larger experiment. During pushing, the subjects were asked to select a workload they could sustain for 8h without "straining themselves or without becoming unusually tired, weakened, overheated or out of breath." The results demonstrated that maximum acceptable initial and sustained forces of pushing determined on the high inertia pushcart were 0.8% and 2.5% lower than the MPB treadmill. The results also show that the maximum acceptable sustained force of the MPB treadmill task was 0.5% higher than the maximum acceptable sustained force of Snook and Ciriello (1991). Overall, the findings confirm that the existing pushing data developed by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety still provides an accurate estimate of maximal acceptable forces for the selected combination of distance and frequency of push for female industrial workers.

76 FR 37806 - Ashton Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY [Project No. 14213-000] Ashton Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit... lands or waters owned by others without the owners' express permission. The proposed run-of-the-river... level and a maximum storage capacity of about 200 ac-ft; (3) a new intake on the upstream face of the...

76 FR 70440 - Haiwee Ridge Pumped Storage Project; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-14

... South Haiwee reservoir, near the town of Olancha, Inyo County, California. The project would affect... (Alternatives A and B) would consist of the existing South Haiwee dam. The dam has operations limited due to... the water level in the reservoir is limited to a maximum elevation of 3,742 feet msl. The applicant is...

76 FR 26280 - Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-06

...); (6) an additional steel structure measuring 28 by 48 feet attached to the original powerhouse... maximum water surface elevation of 469.5 feet mean sea level (M.S.L); (3) a gated-forebay intake structure...: A 9-foot- diameter, 460-foot-long, riveted steel penstock that decreases to 8 feet diameter; and a 7...

Estimating annual suspended-sediment loads in the northern and central Appalachian Coal region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koltun, G.F.

1985-01-01

Multiple-regression equations were developed for estimating the annual suspended-sediment load, for a given year, from small to medium-sized basins in the northern and central parts of the Appalachian coal region. The regression analysis was performed with data for land use, basin characteristics, streamflow, rainfall, and suspended-sediment load for 15 sites in the region. Two variables, the maximum mean-daily discharge occurring within the year and the annual peak discharge, explained much of the variation in the annual suspended-sediment load. Separate equations were developed employing each of these discharge variables. Standard errors for both equations are relatively large, which suggests that future predictions will probably have a low level of precision. This level of precision, however, may be acceptable for certain purposes. It is therefore left to the user to asses whether the level of precision provided by these equations is acceptable for the intended application.

Occurrence of aflatoxin M₁ in commercial pasteurized milk samples in Sari, Mazandaran province, Iran.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Hamidreza; Shokrzadeh, Mohammad; Aliabadi, Zahra; Riahi-Zanjani, Bamdad

2016-05-01

The frequency and levels of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in pasteurized milk samples in Sari, located in Mazandaran province, Iran, were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Seventy-six samples of pasteurized milk from different retail stores were randomly collected over four seasons during the year 2015. AFM1 contamination was detected in all milk samples. The mean concentration of aflatoxin M1 was 65.8 ng/l, with a range of 11.7-106.6 ng/l. The highest AFM1 level was detected in milk samples collected during spring. Forty-six (60.53 %) samples had AFM1 levels that exceeded the maximum acceptable levels (50 ng/l) recommended by the European Union (EU). Comparison of these results with previously published data for AFM1 in milk in Iran shows that the percentage of samples exceeding the EU maximum level is consistently high over the years, indicating a general problem related to AFB1 contamination in dairy feedingstuff.

Design, permitting, and construction issues associated with closure of the Panna Maria uranium tailings impoundment

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

Strachan, C.L.; Raabe, K.L.

1997-12-31

In 1992, Panna Maria Uranium Operations (PMUO) initiated licensing and engineering activities for closure of the Panna Maria mill and 150-acre tailings impoundment located in southeast Texas. Closure of the tailings impoundment is permitted by license amendment through the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC), and based on closure criteria outlined in Texas regulations. The closure plan for the Panna Maria tailings impoundment was submitted for Texas regulatory agency review in April 1993, with details of the closure plan modified in 1994, 1995, and 1996. The closure plan included a multi-layered cover over the regraded tailings surface which was designedmore » for long-term isolation of tailings, reduction of radon emanation to regulated levels, and reduction of infiltration to TNRCC-accepted levels. The cover and embankment slope surfaces and surrounding areas were designed to provide acceptable erosional stability as compared to runoff velocities from the Probable Maximum Precipitation event. Cover materials were selected from on-site materials and evaluated for suitability based on permeability, radon attenuation, and soil dispersivity characteristics. Off-site materials were used when necessary. The cover over the tailings has a maximum slope of 0.5 percent, and the regraded embankment slopes outside the perimeter of the impoundment have a maximum slope of 20 percent. All reclaimed slopes are covered with topsoil and revegetated. A riprap-lined channel is to be used to convey runoff from within the perimeter of the reclaimed impoundment to the north of the impoundment.« less

Sample size calculation in economic evaluations.

PubMed

Al, M J; van Hout, B A; Michel, B C; Rutten, F F

1998-06-01

A simulation method is presented for sample size calculation in economic evaluations. As input the method requires: the expected difference and variance of costs and effects, their correlation, the significance level (alpha) and the power of the testing method and the maximum acceptable ratio of incremental effectiveness to incremental costs. The method is illustrated with data from two trials. The first compares primary coronary angioplasty with streptokinase in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, in the second trial, lansoprazole is compared with omeprazole in the treatment of reflux oesophagitis. These case studies show how the various parameters influence the sample size. Given the large number of parameters that have to be specified in advance, the lack of knowledge about costs and their standard deviation, and the difficulty of specifying the maximum acceptable ratio of incremental effectiveness to incremental costs, the conclusion of the study is that from a technical point of view it is possible to perform a sample size calculation for an economic evaluation, but one should wonder how useful it is.

Psychophysical basis for maximum pushing and pulling forces: A review and recommendations.

PubMed

Garg, Arun; Waters, Thomas; Kapellusch, Jay; Karwowski, Waldemar

2014-03-01

The objective of this paper was to perform a comprehensive review of psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces. Factors affecting pushing and pulling forces are identified and discussed. Recent studies show a significant decrease (compared to previous studies) in maximum acceptable forces for males but not for females when pushing and pulling on a treadmill. A comparison of pushing and pulling forces measured using a high inertia cart with those measured on a treadmill shows that the pushing and pulling forces using high inertia cart are higher for males but are about the same for females. It is concluded that the recommendations of Snook and Ciriello (1991) for pushing and pulling forces are still valid and provide reasonable recommendations for ergonomics practitioners. Regression equations as a function of handle height, frequency of exertion and pushing/pulling distance are provided to estimate maximum initial and sustained forces for pushing and pulling acceptable to 75% male and female workers. At present it is not clear whether pushing or pulling should be favored. Similarly, it is not clear what handle heights would be optimal for pushing and pulling. Epidemiological studies are needed to determine relationships between psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces and risk of musculoskeletal injuries, in particular to low back and shoulders.

Psychophysical basis for maximum pushing and pulling forces: A review and recommendations

PubMed Central

Garg, Arun; Waters, Thomas; Kapellusch, Jay; Karwowski, Waldemar

2015-01-01

The objective of this paper was to perform a comprehensive review of psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces. Factors affecting pushing and pulling forces are identified and discussed. Recent studies show a significant decrease (compared to previous studies) in maximum acceptable forces for males but not for females when pushing and pulling on a treadmill. A comparison of pushing and pulling forces measured using a high inertia cart with those measured on a treadmill shows that the pushing and pulling forces using high inertia cart are higher for males but are about the same for females. It is concluded that the recommendations of Snook and Ciriello (1991) for pushing and pulling forces are still valid and provide reasonable recommendations for ergonomics practitioners. Regression equations as a function of handle height, frequency of exertion and pushing/pulling distance are provided to estimate maximum initial and sustained forces for pushing and pulling acceptable to 75% male and female workers. At present it is not clear whether pushing or pulling should be favored. Similarly, it is not clear what handle heights would be optimal for pushing and pulling. Epidemiological studies are needed to determine relationships between psychophysically determined maximum acceptable pushing and pulling forces and risk of musculoskeletal injuries, in particular to low back and shoulders. PMID:26664045

Sensor Detects Overheating Of Perishable Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dordick, Jonathan S.; Klibanov, Alexander

1990-01-01

Experimental temperature sensor changes color rapidly and irreversibly when temperature rises above pre-determined level. Based on reactions of enzymes in paraffins, blended so mixture melts at temperature considered maximum safe value. Similar devices used to detect temperature abuse, whether foods or medicines refrigerated exposed to excessive temperatures during shipment and storage. By viewing sensor, receiving clerk tells immediately whether product maintained at safe temperatures and acceptable.

76 FR 8729 - Bison Peak Pumped Storage, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

...) to be located in the Tehachapi Mountains south of Tehachapi, Kern County, California. The sole... upper dam with a height of 50 feet, a crest length of 7,128 feet, and with a reservoir having a total storage capacity of 5,500 acre-feet at a normal maximum operating elevation of 7,860 feet mean sea level...

75 FR 19632 - San Diego County Water Authority; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-15

... about each of these alternatives are described below. The sole purpose of a preliminary permit, if... being raised to a dam height of 337 feet, and a length of 1,442 feet; and (2) an existing impoundment... 247,000 acre-feet with a normal maximum water surface elevation of 767 feet above mean sea level (msl...

77 FR 66608 - New England Hydropower Company, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

... Spillway Dike with an 8-foot-long stop-log slot; (2) an existing 31-foot-long, 42-inch-diameter low level penstock; (3) an existing 0.13 acre impoundment with a normal maximum water surface elevation of 66.3 feet... transmission line connected to the NSTAR regional grid. The project would have an estimated average annual...

Characteristics of lip-mouth region in smiling position from 80 persons with acceptable faces and individual normal occlusions.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiangheng; Chen, Yangxi; Zhou, Xiukun

2002-09-01

The characteristics of lip-mouth region including the soft and hard tissues in smiling position with frontal fixed position photographic computer-aided analysis were studied. The subjects were 80 persons (40 male and 40 females, age range: 17 to approximately 25 years) with acceptable faces and individual normal occlusions. The subjects were asked to take maximum smiling position to accept photographic measurement with computer-aided analysis. The maximum smile line could be divided into 3 categories: low smile line (16.25%), average smile line (68.75%), and high smile line (15%). The method adopting maximum smiling position to study the lip-month region is reproducible and comparable. This study would be helpful to provide a quantitative reference for clinical investigation, diagnosis, treatment and efficacy appraisal.

[Scientific basis in the setting of residue limits for veterinary drugs in food of animal origin taking into account the presence of their metabolites].

PubMed

Mitsumori, K

1993-01-01

Maximum residue level (MRL) for veterinary drugs in food of animal origin has been proposed by FAO/WHO, as a new evaluation procedure taking into account the presence of metabolites for the regulation of veterinary drug residues. The MRL is the maximum concentration of residue resulting from the use of a veterinary drug that is recommended to be legally permitted as acceptable in a food. It is established from the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) obtained from the data of toxicological studies, the residue concentration of the drug when used according to good practice in the use of veterinary drugs, and the lowest level consistent with the practical analytical methods available for routine residue analysis. Among the veterinary drugs, some chemicals contain a large amount of bound residues that are neither extractable from tissues by the analytical method identical with that used in parent chemicals. Especially, the bioavailable residues which are probably absorbed when the food is ingested are of great toxicological concern. In this case, the FAO/WHO recommends that the MRL can be established after the calculation of daily intake of residues of toxicological concern by the addition of both the extractable and bioavailable bound residues.

Effect of xantham gum, steviosides, clove, and cinnamon essential oils on the sensory and microbiological quality of a low sugar tomato jam.

PubMed

Gliemmo, María F; Montagnani, María A; Schelegueda, Laura I; González, Malena M; Campos, Carmen A

2016-03-01

The partial or total decrease of sugar content in the formulation of jams affects their physical, chemical and microbiological stability. In order to minimize these technological problems, we studied the effect of xanthan gum (XG), steviosides, cinnamon (CO), and clove (CLO) essential oils on the sensory and microbiological quality of a low sugar tomato jam. Levels of 0.250 g/100 g steviosides and 0.450 g/100 g XG showed maximum score of overall acceptability of jam. The combination of essential oils produced synergistic and additive effects in vitro on growth of Z. bailii and Z. rouxii, respectively. However, in the jam, CO was more effective and CLO did not modify the CO action. Cell surface was one of the sites of action of CO since a decrease in yeast cell surface hydrophobicity was observed. From the microbiological and sensory points of view, 0.0060 g/100 g CO showed the maximum score of jam overall acceptability and did not cause yeast inactivation but it could be useful as an additional stress factor against yeast post--process contamination. The adequate levels of XG, steviosides, and CO can improve the quality of a low sugar jam formulation. © The Author(s) 2015.

Portable medical status system. [potential hazards in the use of the telecare system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsey, O. C.

1976-01-01

The hazards inherent in the Portable Medical Status System are identified, and the measures taken to reduce them to an acceptable level are described. Identification of these hazards is a prerequisite to use of the system on humans in the earth environment. One hazard which is insufficiently controlled and which is considered a constraint to use on humans is the level of current possible in the electrodes for the EEG (electroencephalograph) circuitry. It exceeds the maximum specified. A number of procedural and design recommendations for enhancement of safety are made.

[Physical workload and maximum acceptable work time among supermarket workers in Cali, Colombia].

PubMed

Ariza, Luz Elena; Idrovo, Alvaro Javier

2005-01-01

In order to guarantee safety and health conditions in labor the maximum physical workload that can be supported by a worker during a labor day, without causing fatigue, must be determined. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the physical load, expressed as relative heart rate (RHR), and the maximum acceptable work time (MAWT) in a Colombian working population (n = 30) from a tropical environment. An observational study was carried out during a typical labor day in the warehouses of a supermarket. Physiological, demographic, health and labor conditions data were collected. The resting heart rate level and the average heart rate during work were measured, and the RHR was estimated according to with the model described by Wu & Wang. Significant correlations between MAWT and RHR and other physiological variables were observed. 43% of workers didn't fulfill the MAWT. The only single variable that was associated with fulfillment was a body mass index under 18.5 Kg/m2; the other associated variables were some specific conditions of the occupational environment. Results showed a negative correlation between physiological variables and MAWT. The RHR showed its potential usefulness in the enterprise's occupational health practice. It is important for companies to diminish extended schedules and implement physical conditioning programs.

Calculation of Confidence Intervals for the Maximum Magnitude of Earthquakes in Different Seismotectonic Zones of Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salamat, Mona; Zare, Mehdi; Holschneider, Matthias; Zöller, Gert

2017-03-01

The problem of estimating the maximum possible earthquake magnitude m_max has attracted growing attention in recent years. Due to sparse data, the role of uncertainties becomes crucial. In this work, we determine the uncertainties related to the maximum magnitude in terms of confidence intervals. Using an earthquake catalog of Iran, m_max is estimated for different predefined levels of confidence in six seismotectonic zones. Assuming the doubly truncated Gutenberg-Richter distribution as a statistical model for earthquake magnitudes, confidence intervals for the maximum possible magnitude of earthquakes are calculated in each zone. While the lower limit of the confidence interval is the magnitude of the maximum observed event,the upper limit is calculated from the catalog and the statistical model. For this aim, we use the original catalog which no declustering methods applied on as well as a declustered version of the catalog. Based on the study by Holschneider et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 101(4):1649-1659, 2011), the confidence interval for m_max is frequently unbounded, especially if high levels of confidence are required. In this case, no information is gained from the data. Therefore, we elaborate for which settings finite confidence levels are obtained. In this work, Iran is divided into six seismotectonic zones, namely Alborz, Azerbaijan, Zagros, Makran, Kopet Dagh, Central Iran. Although calculations of the confidence interval in Central Iran and Zagros seismotectonic zones are relatively acceptable for meaningful levels of confidence, results in Kopet Dagh, Alborz, Azerbaijan and Makran are not that much promising. The results indicate that estimating m_max from an earthquake catalog for reasonable levels of confidence alone is almost impossible.

Scientific basis and regulatory aspects for the toxicology of plant protection products in the European Union.

PubMed

Anadón, A; Martínez-Larrañaga, M R; Martínez, M A

2001-10-01

Authorization of plant protection products/agrochemicals/pesticides in the European Union is done on the basis of their toxicological properties. This paper reviews the current legislation for placing an agrochemical on the market (ie a new substance or a existing active substance), and the toxicology studies needed for inclusion of a substance in any of the annexes of the Council Directive of the European Economic Community 91/414/ EEC. Risk analysis and its steps is discussed. The "threshold toxicity" employed to allow risk characterisation of plant protection products is described, such as acceptable daily intake, acceptable operator exposure level, acute reference dose, and maximum admissible concentration in water.

Trading Health Risks for Glory: A Reformulation of the Goldman Dilemma.

PubMed

González, Juan Marcos; Johnson, F Reed; Fedoruk, Matthew; Posner, Joshua; Bowers, Larry

2018-03-01

The Goldman dilemma presented athletes with a Faustian bargain that guaranteed winning an Olympic gold medal in their sport but resulted in certain death 5 years later. Athletes' responses to Goldman's bargain were reported from 1982 to 1995. Several studies subsequently evaluated people's willingness to accept the bargain proposed in the Goldman question. Our study updates Goldman's question using contingent-behavior questions, a preference-elicitation method widely applied in economics, marketing and psychology to understand people's choice behavior. Contingent-behavior questions ask people to evaluate hypothetical tradeoffs between outcomes when real-world decisions are unobservable, nonexistent, or unreliable. A web-enabled survey was conducted with athletes in 50 sports between June, 2012 and April, 2013. Athletes were invited by their sport governing bodies in the United States to complete the online survey. Responses from 2888 athletes were collected. Our reformulation elicited athletes' willingness to accept a performance-enhancing drug (PED) associated with the risk of a realistic fatal event, not certain death. A double-bounded dichotomous-choice question format was used to elicit athletes' maximum acceptable mortality risk (MAMR) for winning an Olympic gold medal. Data were analyzed using an interval regression model to estimate the implicit probability of accepting a continuous risk level. MAMR was defined as the mortality risk level with a 0.50 probability of acceptance. Estimated mean MAMRs varied between 7 and 14% across athletes in different ranks and sports. Elite athletes were generally the most willing to accept a fatal cardiovascular risk to win a gold medal in the Olympics. This range was similar to the levels of risk that patients accept for life-changing interventions. Results suggest that very few athletes would be expected to accept a PED in the bargain postulated by the Goldman dilemma. Risk tolerance among elite athletes suggest they may be more aware of the potential financial and nonfinancial benefits of such a win, and/or less optimistic about their potential to move up in the level of competition without the use of PEDs.

Appropriate threshold levels of cardiac beat-to-beat variation in semi-automatic analysis of equine ECG recordings.

PubMed

Flethøj, Mette; Kanters, Jørgen K; Pedersen, Philip J; Haugaard, Maria M; Carstensen, Helena; Olsen, Lisbeth H; Buhl, Rikke

2016-11-28

Although premature beats are a matter of concern in horses, the interpretation of equine ECG recordings is complicated by a lack of standardized analysis criteria and a limited knowledge of the normal beat-to-beat variation of equine cardiac rhythm. The purpose of this study was to determine the appropriate threshold levels of maximum acceptable deviation of RR intervals in equine ECG analysis, and to evaluate a novel two-step timing algorithm by quantifying the frequency of arrhythmias in a cohort of healthy adult endurance horses. Beat-to-beat variation differed considerably with heart rate (HR), and an adaptable model consisting of three different HR ranges with separate threshold levels of maximum acceptable RR deviation was consequently defined. For resting HRs <60 beats/min (bpm) the threshold level of RR deviation was set at 20%, for HRs in the intermediate range between 60 and 100 bpm the threshold was 10%, and for exercising HRs >100 bpm, the threshold level was 4%. Supraventricular premature beats represented the most prevalent arrhythmia category with varying frequencies in seven horses at rest (median 7, range 2-86) and six horses during exercise (median 2, range 1-24). Beat-to-beat variation of equine cardiac rhythm varies according to HR, and threshold levels in equine ECG analysis should be adjusted accordingly. Standardization of the analysis criteria will enable comparisons of studies and follow-up examinations of patients. A small number of supraventricular premature beats appears to be a normal finding in endurance horses. Further studies are required to validate the findings and determine the clinical significance of premature beats in horses.

TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE OF FUEL PLATES FOR RERTR FUEL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIMENTS

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

J.M. Wight; G.A. Moore; S.C. Taylor

2008-10-01

This paper discusses how candidate fuel plates for RERTR Fuel Development experiments are examined and tested for acceptance prior to reactor insertion. These tests include destructive and nondestructive examinations (DE and NDE). The DE includes blister annealing for dispersion fuel plates, bend testing of adjacent cladding, and microscopic examination of archive fuel plates. The NDE includes Ultrasonic (UT) scanning and radiography. UT tests include an ultrasonic scan for areas of “debonds” and a high frequency ultrasonic scan to determine the "minimum cladding" over the fuel. Radiography inspections include identifying fuel outside of the maximum fuel zone and measurements and calculationsmore » for fuel density. Details of each test are provided and acceptance criteria are defined. These tests help to provide a high level of confidence the fuel plate will perform in the reactor without a breach in the cladding.« less

Measurement of radiation damage on an epoxy-based optical glue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, H. C.; Peng, K. C.; Sahu, S. K.; Ueno, K.; Chang, Y. H.; Wang, C. H.; Hou, W. S.

1997-02-01

We measured the radiation damage on an optical glue called Eccobond-24, which is a candidate for CsI and BGO crystal calorimeters of the BELLE detector of the KEK B-factory. Absorption spectrophotometry in the range 300-800 nm was used to monitor the radiation damage. The maximum equivalent dose was 1.64 Mrad. The glue shows effects of damage, but is acceptable for the radiation level in the above-mentioned experiment.

Apparatus and method for classifying fuel pellets for nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Wilks, Robert S.; Sternheim, Eliezer; Breakey, Gerald A.; Sturges, Jr., Robert H.; Taleff, Alexander; Castner, Raymond P.

1984-01-01

Control for the operation of a mechanical handling and gauging system for nuclear fuel pellets. The pellets are inspected for diameters, lengths, surface flaws and weights in successive stations. The control includes, a computer for commanding the operation of the system and its electronics and for storing and processing the complex data derived at the required high rate. In measuring the diameter, the computer enables the measurement of a calibration pellet, stores that calibration data and computes and stores diameter-correction factors and their addresses along a pellet. To each diameter measurement a correction factor is applied at the appropriate address. The computer commands verification that all critical parts of the system and control are set for inspection and that each pellet is positioned for inspection. During each cycle of inspection, the measurement operation proceeds normally irrespective of whether or not a pellet is present in each station. If a pellet is not positioned in a station, a measurement is recorded, but the recorded measurement indicates maloperation. In measuring diameter and length a light pattern including successive shadows of slices transverse for diameter or longitudinal for length are projected on a photodiode array. The light pattern is scanned electronically by a train of pulses. The pulses are counted during the scan of the lighted diodes. For evaluation of diameter the maximum diameter count and the number of slices for which the diameter exceeds a predetermined minimum is determined. For acceptance, the maximum must be less than a maximum level and the minimum must exceed a set number. For evaluation of length, the maximum length is determined. For acceptance, the length must be within maximum and minimum limits.

Seawater and shellfish (Geukensia demissa) quality along the Western Coast of Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland: an area impacted by feral horses and agricultural runoff.

PubMed

Lambert, Mary S; Ozbay, Gulnihal; Richards, Gary P

2009-08-01

We evaluated the quality of seawater and ribbed mussels (Gukensia demissa) at six sites along the West Coast of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS), a barrier island popular with tourists and fishermen. Parameters evaluated were summertime temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, total ammonia nitrogen, and nitrite levels for seawater and total heterotrophic plate counts and total Vibrionaceae levels for the ribbed mussels. Approximately 150 feral horses (Equus caballus) are located on ASIS and, combined with agricultural runoff from animals and croplands, local wildlife, and anthropogenic inputs, contribute to nutrient loads affecting water and shellfish quality. The average monthly dissolved oxygen for June was 2.65 mg L(-1), below the minimum acceptable threshold of 3.0 mg L(-1). Along Chincoteague Bay, total phosphorus generally exceeded the maximum level of 0.037 mg L(-1), as set by the Maryland Coastal Bays Program management objective for seagrasses, with a high of 1.92 mg L(-1) in June, some 50-fold higher than the recommended threshold. Total ammonia nitrogen approached levels harmful to fish, with a maximum recorded value of 0.093 mg L(-1). Levels of total heterotrophic bacteria spiked to 9.5 x 10(6) cells g(-1) of mussel tissue in August in Sinepuxent Bay, leading to mussels which exceeded acceptable standards for edible bivalves by 19-fold. An average of 76% of the bacterial isolates were in the Vibrionaceae family. Together, these data suggest poor stewardship of our coastal environment and the need for new intervention strategies to reduce chemical and biological contamination of our marine resources.

Maximum acceptable weight of lift reflects peak lumbosacral extension moments in a functional capacity evaluation test using free style, stoop and squat lifting.

PubMed

Kuijer, P P F M; van Oostrom, S H; Duijzer, K; van Dieën, J H

2012-01-01

It is unclear whether the maximum acceptable weight of lift (MAWL), a common psychophysical method, reflects joint kinetics when different lifting techniques are employed. In a within-participants study (n = 12), participants performed three lifting techniques--free style, stoop and squat lifting from knee to waist level--using the same dynamic functional capacity evaluation lifting test to assess MAWL and to calculate low back and knee kinetics. We assessed which knee and back kinetic parameters increased with the load mass lifted, and whether the magnitudes of the kinetic parameters were consistent across techniques when lifting MAWL. MAWL was significantly different between techniques (p = 0.03). The peak lumbosacral extension moment met both criteria: it had the highest association with the load masses lifted (r > 0.9) and was most consistent between the three techniques when lifting MAWL (ICC = 0.87). In conclusion, MAWL reflects the lumbosacral extension moment across free style, stoop and squat lifting in healthy young males, but the relation between the load mass lifted and lumbosacral extension moment is different between techniques. Tests of maximum acceptable weight of lift (MAWL) from knee to waist height are used to assess work capacity of individuals with low-back disorders. This article shows that the MAWL reflects the lumbosacral extension moment across free style, stoop and squat lifting in healthy young males, but the relation between the load mass lifted and lumbosacral extension moment is different between techniques. This suggests that standardisation of lifting technique used in tests of the MAWL would be indicated if the aim is to assess the capacity of the low back.

Relation between measures of speech-in-noise performance and measures of efferent activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Brad; Harkrider, Ashley; Burchfield, Samuel; Nabelek, Anna

2003-04-01

Individual differences in auditory perceptual abilities in noise are well documented but the factors causing such variability are unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine if individual differences in responses measured from the auditory efferent system were correlated to individual variations in speech-in-noise performance. The relation between behavioral performance on three speech-in-noise tasks and two objective measures of the efferent auditory system were examined in thirty normal-hearing, young adults. Two of the speech-in-noise tasks measured an acceptable noise level, the maximum level of speech-babble noise that a subject is willing to accept while listening to a story. For these, the acceptable noise level was evaluated using both an ipsilateral (story and noise in same ear) and a contralateral (story and noise in opposite ears) paradigm. The third speech-in-noise task evaluated speech recognition using monosyllabic words presented in competing speech babble. Auditory efferent activity was assessed by examining the resulting suppression of click-evoked otoacoustic emissions following the introduction of a contralateral, broad-band stimulus and the activity of the ipsilateral and contralateral acoustic reflex arc was evaluated using tones and broad-band noise. Results will be discussed relative to current theories of speech in noise performance and auditory inhibitory processes.

Using SAFRAN Software to Assess Radiological Hazards from Dismantling of Tammuz-2 Reactor Core at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abed Gatea, Mezher; Ahmed, Anwar A.; jundee kadhum, Saad; Ali, Hasan Mohammed; Hussein Muheisn, Abbas

2018-05-01

The Safety Assessment Framework (SAFRAN) software has implemented here for radiological safety analysis; to verify that the dose acceptance criteria and safety goals are met with a high degree of confidence for dismantling of Tammuz-2 reactor core at Al-tuwaitha nuclear site. The activities characterizing, dismantling and packaging were practiced to manage the generated radioactive waste. Dose to the worker was considered an endpoint-scenario while dose to the public has neglected due to that Tammuz-2 facility is located in a restricted zone and 30m berm surrounded Al-tuwaitha site. Safety assessment for dismantling worker endpoint-scenario based on maximum external dose at component position level in the reactor pool and internal dose via airborne activity while, for characterizing and packaging worker endpoints scenarios have been done via external dose only because no evidence for airborne radioactivity hazards outside the reactor pool. The in-situ measurements approved that reactor core components are radiologically activated by Co-60 radioisotope. SAFRAN results showed that the maximum received dose for workers are (1.85, 0.64 and 1.3mSv/y) for activities dismantling, characterizing and packaging of reactor core components respectively. Hence, the radiological hazards remain below the low level hazard and within the acceptable annual dose for workers in radiation field

Multi-residue analysis of pesticides, plant hormones, veterinary drugs and mycotoxins using HILIC chromatography - MS/MS in various food matrices.

PubMed

Danezis, G P; Anagnostopoulos, C J; Liapis, K; Koupparis, M A

2016-10-26

One of the recent trends in Analytical Chemistry is the development of economic, quick and easy hyphenated methods to be used in a field that includes analytes of different classes and physicochemical properties. In this work a multi-residue method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 28 xenobiotics (polar and hydrophilic) using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography technique (HILIC) coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology. The scope of the method includes plant growth regulators (chlormequat, daminozide, diquat, maleic hydrazide, mepiquat, paraquat), pesticides (cyromazine, the metabolite of the fungicide propineb PTU (propylenethiourea), amitrole), various multiclass antibiotics (tetracyclines, sulfonamides quinolones, kasugamycin and mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, B2, fumonisin B1 and ochratoxin A). Isolation of the analytes from the matrix was achieved with a fast and effective technique. The validation of the multi-residue method was performed at the levels: 10 μg/kg and 100 μg/kg in the following representative substrates: fruits-vegetables (apples, apricots, lettuce and onions), cereals and pulses (flour and chickpeas), animal products (milk and meat) and cereal based baby foods. The method was validated taking into consideration EU guidelines and showed acceptable linearity (r ≥ 0.99), accuracy with recoveries between 70 and 120% and precision with RSD ≤ 20% for the majority of the analytes studied. For the analytes that presented accuracy and precision values outside the acceptable limits the method still is able to serve as a semi-quantitative method. The matrix effect, the limits of detection and quantification were also estimated and compared with the current EU MRLs (Maximum Residue Levels) and FAO/WHO MLs (Maximum Levels) or CXLs (Codex Maximum Residue Limits). The combined and expanded uncertainty of the method for each analyte per substrate, was also estimated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Value of information and pricing new healthcare interventions.

PubMed

Willan, Andrew R; Eckermann, Simon

2012-06-01

Previous application of value-of-information methods to optimal clinical trial design have predominantly taken a societal decision-making perspective, implicitly assuming that healthcare costs are covered through public expenditure and trial research is funded by government or donation-based philanthropic agencies. In this paper, we consider the interaction between interrelated perspectives of a societal decision maker (e.g. the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence [NICE] in the UK) charged with the responsibility for approving new health interventions for reimbursement and the company that holds the patent for a new intervention. We establish optimal decision making from societal and company perspectives, allowing for trade-offs between the value and cost of research and the price of the new intervention. Given the current level of evidence, there exists a maximum (threshold) price acceptable to the decision maker. Submission for approval with prices above this threshold will be refused. Given the current level of evidence and the decision maker's threshold price, there exists a minimum (threshold) price acceptable to the company. If the decision maker's threshold price exceeds the company's, then current evidence is sufficient since any price between the thresholds is acceptable to both. On the other hand, if the decision maker's threshold price is lower than the company's, then no price is acceptable to both and the company's optimal strategy is to commission additional research. The methods are illustrated using a recent example from the literature.

Distribution and stability of aflatoxin M1 during processing, ripening and storage of Telemes cheese.

PubMed

Govaris, A; Roussi, V; Koidis, P A; Botsoglou, N A

2001-05-01

Telemes cheeses were produced using milk that was artificially-contaminated with aflatoxin M1 at the levels of 0.050 and 0.100 microg/l. The cheeses produced in the two cheese-making trials were allowed to ripen for 2 months and stored for an additional 4 months to simulate commercial production of Telemes cheese. Concentrations of aflatoxin M1 in whey, curd, brine, and the produced cheeses were determined at intervals by liquid chromatography and fluorometric detection coupled with immunoaffinity column extraction. Concentrations of aflatoxin M1 in the produced curds were found to be 3.9 and 4.4 times higher than those in milk, whereas concentrations in whey were lower than those in curd and milk. Aflatoxin M1 was present in cheese at higher concentrations at the beginning than at the end of the ripening/storage period, and it declined to concentrations 2.7 and 3.4 times higher than those initially present in milk by the end of the sixth month of storage. Concentrations of aflatoxin M1 in brine started low and increased by the end of the ripening/storage period but only a portion of the amounts of aflatoxin M1 lost from cheese was found in the brine. Results showed that Telemes cheeses produced from milk containing aflatoxin M1 at a concentration close to either the maximum acceptable level of 0.05 microg/l set by the European union (EU) or at double this value, will contain the toxin at a level that is much lower or slightly higher, respectively, than the maximum acceptable level of 0.250 microg of aflatoxin M1/kg cheese set by some countries.

Health-risk based approach to setting drinking water standards for long-term space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macler, Bruce A.; Dunsky, Elizabeth C.

1992-01-01

In order to develop plausible and appropriate drinking water contaminant standards for longer-term NASA space missions, such as those planned for the Space Exploration Initiative, a human health risk characterization was performed using toxicological and exposure values typical of space operations and crew. This risk characterization showed that the greatest acute waterborne health concern was from microbial infection leading to incapacitating gastrointestinal illness. Ingestion exposure pathways for toxic materials yielded de minimus acute health risks unlikely to affect SEI space missions. Risks of chronic health problems were within acceptable public health limits. Our analysis indicates that current Space Station Freedom maximum contamination levels may be unnecessarily strict. We propose alternative environmental contaminant values consistent with both acceptable short and long-term crew health safety.

Chemical Analysis of Suspected Unrecorded Alcoholic Beverages from the States of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, Brazil

PubMed Central

Soares Neto, Julino Assunção Rodrigues

2015-01-01

Our study analyzed 152 samples of alcoholic beverages collected from the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, Brazil, using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The methanol content varied from 20 to 180 ppm in 28 samples, and the limit of the accepted level of 200 ppm was exceeded in only one sample. High content of cyanide derivatives and ethyl carbamate, above the accepted level of 150 ppb, was observed in 109 samples. Carbonyl compounds were also observed in 111 samples, showing hydroxy 2-propanone, 4-methyl-4-hepten-3-one, furfural, and 2-hydroxyethylcarbamate as main constituents. Copper was found at concentrations above 5 ppm in 26 samples; the maximum value observed was 28 ppm. This work evaluated the human health risk associated with the poor quality of suspected unrecorded alcohols beverages. PMID:26495155

49 CFR 178.345-3 - Structural integrity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... requirements and acceptance criteria. (1) The maximum calculated design stress at any point in the cargo tank wall may not exceed the maximum allowable stress value prescribed in Section VIII of the ASME Code (IBR... Code or the ASTM standard to which the material is manufactured. (3) The maximum design stress at any...

49 CFR 178.345-3 - Structural integrity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... acceptance criteria. (1) The maximum calculated design stress at any point in the cargo tank wall may not exceed the maximum allowable stress value prescribed in Section VIII of the ASME Code (IBR, see § 171.7... Code or the ASTM standard to which the material is manufactured. (3) The maximum design stress at any...

30 CFR 36.44 - Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... delivered to MSHA with the fuel-injection system adjusted by the applicant and tests of the exhaust-gas... adjustment of the fuel-injection system shall be accepted. The maximum fuel : air ratio determined from the... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio. 36.44...

30 CFR 36.44 - Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... delivered to MSHA with the fuel-injection system adjusted by the applicant and tests of the exhaust-gas... adjustment of the fuel-injection system shall be accepted. The maximum fuel : air ratio determined from the... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio. 36.44...

30 CFR 36.44 - Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... delivered to MSHA with the fuel-injection system adjusted by the applicant and tests of the exhaust-gas... adjustment of the fuel-injection system shall be accepted. The maximum fuel : air ratio determined from the... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio. 36.44...

30 CFR 36.44 - Maximum allowable fuel:air ratio.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... delivered to MSHA with the fuel-injection system adjusted by the applicant and tests of the exhaust-gas... adjustment of the fuel-injection system shall be accepted. The maximum fuel:air ratio determined from the... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Maximum allowable fuel:air ratio. 36.44 Section...

30 CFR 36.44 - Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... delivered to MSHA with the fuel-injection system adjusted by the applicant and tests of the exhaust-gas... adjustment of the fuel-injection system shall be accepted. The maximum fuel : air ratio determined from the... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maximum allowable fuel : air ratio. 36.44...

Exposure monitoring and risk assessment of biphenyl in the workplace.

PubMed

Kim, Hyeon-Yeong; Shin, Sae-Mi; Ham, Miran; Lim, Cheol-Hong; Byeon, Sang-Hoon

2015-05-13

This study was performed to assess exposure to and the risk caused by biphenyl in the workplace. Biphenyl is widely used as a heat transfer medium and as an emulsifier and polish in industry. Vapor or high levels of dust inhalation and dermal exposure to biphenyl can cause eye inflammation, irritation of respiratory organs, and permanent lesions in the liver and nervous system. In this study, the workplace environment concentrations were assessed as central tendency exposure and reasonable maximum exposure and were shown to be 0.03 and 0.12 mg/m³, respectively. In addition, the carcinogenic risk of biphenyl as determined by risk assessment was 0.14 × 10⁻⁴ (central tendency exposure) and 0.56 × 10⁻⁴ (reasonable maximum exposure), which is below the acceptable risk value of 1.0 × 10⁻⁴. Furthermore, the central tendency exposure and reasonable maximum exposure hazard quotients were 0.01 and 0.06 for oral toxicity, 0.05 and 0.23 for inhalation toxicity, and 0.08 and 0.39 for reproduction toxicity, respectively, which are all lower than the acceptable hazard quotient of 1.0. Therefore, exposure to biphenyl was found to be safe in current workplace environments. Because occupational exposure limits are based on socioeconomic assessment, they are generally higher than true values seen in toxicity experiments. Based on the results of exposure monitoring of biphenyl, the current occupational exposure limits in Korea could be reviewed.

Blue-Light Hazard From Gas Metal Arc Welding of Aluminum Alloys.

PubMed

Nakashima, Hitoshi; Takahashi, Jyunya; Fujii, Nobuyuki; Okuno, Tsutomu

2017-10-01

The objective was to quantify the blue-light hazard from gas metal arc welding (GMAW) of aluminum alloys. The exposure level is expected to depend on the welding conditions. Therefore, it is important to identify the blue-light hazard under various welding conditions. We experimentally conducted GMAW of aluminum alloys under various welding conditions and measured the spectral radiance of the arcs. The effective blue-light radiance, which the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists has defined to quantify the exposure level of blue light, was calculated from the measured spectral radiance. The maximum acceptable exposure duration per 10000 s for this effective blue-light radiance was calculated. The effective blue-light radiance measured in this study was in the range of 2.9-20.0 W cm-2·sr. The corresponding maximum acceptable exposure duration per 10000 s was only 5.0-34 s, so it is hazardous to view the welding arc. The effective blue-light radiance was higher at higher welding currents than at lower welding currents, when pulsed welding currents were used rather than steady welding currents, and when magnesium was included in the welding materials. It is very hazardous to view the arcs in GMAW of aluminum alloys. Welders and their helpers should use appropriate eye protection in arc-welding operations. They should also avoid direct light exposure when starting an arc-welding operation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Food Safety Legislation Regarding Of Aflatoxins Contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ketney, Otto

2015-09-01

The main objective of the European Union (EU) is to reduce certain contaminants in foodstuffs to acceptable levels. The occurrence of aflatoxin B1 in food was considered to be one of the most important issues of global food security to protect the health of humans and animals, over 100 nations have established maximum tolerable levels for aflatoxin in food. Although EU legislation covers many aspects of food safety was not legally establish an integrated framework that could effectively combat and cover all sectors of the food chain. Monitoring and reporting levels of aflatoxins after controls are essential actions that assist to identify potential risks to human health. The review process for aflatoxin regulations is a complex activity involving many factors and stakeholders.

Dietitians employed by health care facilities preferred a HACCP system over irradiation or chemical rinses for reducing risk of foodborne disease.

PubMed

Giamalva, J N; Redfern, M; Bailey, W C

1998-08-01

To survey dietitians in health care facilities about the acceptability of alternative meat and poultry processing methods designed to reduce the risk of foodborne disease and their willingness to pay for these processes. A geographically representative sample of 600 members of The American Dietetic Association who work in health care facilities. The response rate was 250 completed questionnaires from 592 eligible subjects (42%). A mail survey was used to gather information on the acceptability of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, chemical rinses, and irradiation for increasing the safety of food. Discrete choice contingent valuation was used to determine the acceptability at current prices and at 5, 10, and 25 cents per pound above current prices. Logistic regression was used to estimate mean willingness to pay (the maximum amount respondents are willing to pay) for each process. A simultaneous equations regression model was used to estimate the effects of other variables on acceptability. Respondents expressed a high level of concern for food safety in health care facilities. The estimated mean willingness to pay was highest for a HACCP system and lowest for chemical rinses. The successful adoption of alternative methods to increase food safety depends on their acceptance by foodservice professionals. The professionals sampled were most accepting of a HACCP system, somewhat less accepting of irradiation, and least accepting of new chemical rinses. Poultry and beef processors and government agencies concerned with food safety may want to take into account the attitudes of foodservice professionals.

40 CFR 600.007 - Vehicle acceptability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... a different maximum value for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell... 600.007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL... Administrator will judge the acceptability of a fuel economy data vehicle on the basis of the information...

40 CFR 600.007 - Vehicle acceptability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... a different maximum value for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell... 600.007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL... Administrator will judge the acceptability of a fuel economy data vehicle on the basis of the information...

40 CFR 600.007 - Vehicle acceptability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... a different maximum value for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell... 600.007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL... Administrator will judge the acceptability of a fuel economy data vehicle on the basis of the information...

Readability of patient information pamphlets in urogynecology.

PubMed

Reagan, Krista M L; O'Sullivan, David M; Harvey, David P; Lasala, Christine A

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the reading level of frequently used patient information pamphlets and documents in the field of urogynecology. Urogynecology pamphlets were identified from a variety of sources. Readability was determined using 4 different accepted formulas: the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the simple measure of gobbledygook Index, the Coleman-Liau Index, and the Gunning Fog index. The scores were calculated using an online calculator (http://www.readability-score.com). Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. The average of the 4 scores was calculated for each pamphlet. Subsequently, Z-scores were used to standardize the averages between the reading scales. Of the 40 documents reviewed, only a single pamphlet met the National Institutes of Health-recommended reading level. This document was developed by the American Urological Association and was specifically designated as a "Low-Literacy Brochure." The remainder of the patient education pamphlets, from both industry-sponsored and academic-sponsored sources, consistently rated above the recommended reading level for maximum comprehension. The majority of patient education pamphlets, from both industry-sponsored and academic-sponsored sources, are above the reading level recommended by the National Institutes of Health for maximum patient comprehension. Future work should be done to improve the educational resources available to patients by simplifying the verbiage in these documents.

Pyrethroids in human breast milk: occurrence and nursing daily intake estimation.

PubMed

Corcellas, Cayo; Feo, Maria Luisa; Torres, Joao Paulo; Malm, Olaf; Ocampo-Duque, William; Eljarrat, Ethel; Barceló, Damià

2012-10-15

There is an assumption that pyrethroid pesticides are converted to non-toxic metabolites by hydrolysis in mammals. However, some recent works have shown their bioaccumulation in human breast milk collected in areas where pyrethroids have been widely used for agriculture or malaria control. In this work, thirteen pyrethroids have been studied in human breast milk samples coming from areas without pyrethroid use for malaria control, such as Brazil, Colombia and Spain. The concentrations of pyrethroids ranged from 1.45 to 24.2 ng g⁻¹ lw. Cypermethrin, λ-cyhalothrin, permethrin and esfenvalerate/fenvalerate were present in all the studied samples. The composition of pyrethroid mixture depended on the country of origin of the samples, bifenthrin being the most abundant in Brazilian samples, λ-cyhalothrin in Colombian and permethrin in Spanish ones. When the pyrethroid concentrations were confronted against the number of gestations, an exponential decay was observed. Moreover, a time trend study was carried out in Brazil, where additional archived pool samples were analyzed, corresponding to years when pyrethroids were applied for dengue epidemic control. In these cases, total pyrethroid levels reached up to 128 ng g⁻¹ lw, and concentrations decreased when massive use was not allowed. Finally, daily intake estimation of nursing infants was calculated in each country and compared to acceptable WHO levels. The estimated daily intakes for nursing infants were always below the acceptable daily intake levels, nevertheless in certain samples the detected concentrations were very close to the maximum acceptable levels. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[New approach for managing microbial risks in food].

PubMed

Augustin, Jean-Christophe

2015-01-01

The aim of the food legislation is to ensure the protection of human health. Traditionally, the food legislation requires food business operators to apply good hygiene practices and specific procedures to control foodborne pathogens. These regulations allowed reaching a high level of health protection. The improvement of the system will require risk-based approaches. Firstly, risk assessment should allow the identification of high-risk situations where resources should be allocated for a better targeting of risk management. Then, management measures should be adapted to the health objective. In this approach, the appropriate level of protection is converted intofood safety and performance objectives on the food chain, i.e., maximum microbial contamination to fulfil the acceptable risk level. When objectives are defined, the food business operators and competent authorities can identify control options to comply with the objectives and establish microbiological criteria to verify compliance with these objectives. This approach, described for approximately 10 years, operative thanks to the development of quantitative risk assessment techniques, is still difficult to use in practical terms since it requires a commitment of competent authorities to define the acceptable risk and needs also the implementation of sometimes complex risk models.

Biomass Thermogravimetric Analysis: Uncertainty Determination Methodology and Sampling Maps Generation

PubMed Central

Pazó, Jose A.; Granada, Enrique; Saavedra, Ángeles; Eguía, Pablo; Collazo, Joaquín

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop a methodology for the determination of the maximum sampling error and confidence intervals of thermal properties obtained from thermogravimetric analysis (TG), including moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon and ash content. The sampling procedure of the TG analysis was of particular interest and was conducted with care. The results of the present study were compared to those of a prompt analysis, and a correlation between the mean values and maximum sampling errors of the methods were not observed. In general, low and acceptable levels of uncertainty and error were obtained, demonstrating that the properties evaluated by TG analysis were representative of the overall fuel composition. The accurate determination of the thermal properties of biomass with precise confidence intervals is of particular interest in energetic biomass applications. PMID:20717532

Development of Tablet Formulation of Amorphous Solid Dispersions Prepared by Hot Melt Extrusion Using Quality by Design Approach.

PubMed

Agrawal, Anjali; Dudhedia, Mayur; Deng, Weibin; Shepard, Kevin; Zhong, Li; Povilaitis, Edward; Zimny, Ewa

2016-02-01

The objective of the study was to identify the extragranular component requirements (level and type of excipients) to develop an immediate release tablet of solid dispersions prepared by hot melt extrusion (HME) process using commonly used HME polymers. Solid dispersions of compound X were prepared using polyvinyl pyrrolidone co-vinyl acetate 64 (PVP VA64), Soluplus, and hypromellose acetate succinate (HPMCAS-LF) polymers in 1:2 ratio by HME through 18 mm extruder. A mixture design was employed to study effect of type of polymer, filler (microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), lactose, and dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA)), and disintegrant (Crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium, and sodium starch glycolate (SSG)) as well as level of extrudates, filler, and disintegrant on tablet properties such as disintegration time (DT), tensile strength (TS), compactibility, and dissolution. Higher extrudate level resulted in longer DT and lower TS so 60-70% was the maximum amount of acceptable extrudate level in tablets. Fast disintegration was achieved with HPMCAS-containing tablets, whereas Soluplus- and PVP VA64-containing tablets had higher TS. Crospovidone and croscarmellose sodium were more suitable disintegrant than SSG to achieve short DT, and MCC was a suitable filler to prepare tablets with acceptable TS for each studied HME polymer. The influence of extragranular components on dissolution from tablets should be carefully evaluated while finalizing tablet composition, as it varies for each HME polymer. The developed statistical models identified suitable level of fillers and disintegrants for each studied HME polymer to achieve tablets with rapid DT (<15 min) and acceptable TS (≥1 MPa at 10-15% tablet porosity), and their predictivity was confirmed by conducting internal and external validation studies.

Modelling of Radiological Health Risks from Gold Mine Tailings in Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area, South Africa.

PubMed

Mathuthu, Manny; Kamunda, Caspah; Madhuku, Morgan

2016-06-07

Mining is one of the major causes of elevation of naturally-occurring radionuclide material (NORM) concentrations on the Earth's surface. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human risk associated with exposure to NORMs in soils from mine tailings around a gold mine. A broad-energy germanium detector was used to measure activity concentrations of these NORMs in 66 soil samples (56 from five mine tailings and 10 from the control area). The RESidual RADioactivity (RESRAD) OFFSITE modeling program (version 3.1) was then used to estimate the radiation doses and the cancer morbidity risk of uranium-238 ((238)U), thorium-232 ((232)Th), and potassium-40 ((40)K) for a hypothetical resident scenario. According to RESRAD prediction, the maximum total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) during 100 years was found to be 0.0315 mSv/year at year 30, while the maximum total excess cancer morbidity risk for all the pathways was 3.04 × 10(-5) at year 15. The US Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable for regulatory purposes a cancer risk in the range of 10(-6) to 10(-4). Therefore, results obtained from RESRAD OFFSITE code has shown that the health risk from gold mine tailings is within acceptable levels according to international standards.

Modelling of Radiological Health Risks from Gold Mine Tailings in Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area, South Africa

PubMed Central

Mathuthu, Manny; Kamunda, Caspah; Madhuku, Morgan

2016-01-01

Mining is one of the major causes of elevation of naturally-occurring radionuclide material (NORM) concentrations on the Earth’s surface. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human risk associated with exposure to NORMs in soils from mine tailings around a gold mine. A broad-energy germanium detector was used to measure activity concentrations of these NORMs in 66 soil samples (56 from five mine tailings and 10 from the control area). The RESidual RADioactivity (RESRAD) OFFSITE modeling program (version 3.1) was then used to estimate the radiation doses and the cancer morbidity risk of uranium-238 (238U), thorium-232 (232Th), and potassium-40 (40K) for a hypothetical resident scenario. According to RESRAD prediction, the maximum total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) during 100 years was found to be 0.0315 mSv/year at year 30, while the maximum total excess cancer morbidity risk for all the pathways was 3.04 × 10−5 at year 15. The US Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable for regulatory purposes a cancer risk in the range of 10−6 to 10−4. Therefore, results obtained from RESRAD OFFSITE code has shown that the health risk from gold mine tailings is within acceptable levels according to international standards. PMID:27338424

Inulin and erythritol as sucrose replacers in short-dough cookies: sensory, fracture, and acoustic properties.

PubMed

Laguna, Laura; Primo-Martín, Cristina; Salvador, Ana; Sanz, Teresa

2013-05-01

The effect of sucrose replacement by erythritol and inulin was studied in short-dough cookies using instrumental and sensory analysis. Two levels of replacement were used (25% and 50% of total sucrose content). Descriptive sensory analysis showed that the sucrose replacement affects visual and texture cookies characteristics, being the differences perceived by mouth greater than by hand. In general, sucrose substitutes produced a less crispy cookie and lower consumer acceptability, with the exception of 25% sucrose replacement by inulin. Matrix aeration attributes such as open and crumbly obtained by trained panel were important properties, and correlated positively with consumer acceptance and negatively with maximum force at break (hardness). Inulin cookies sensory properties were more similar to the control than the erythritol cookies. Also, consumer overall acceptance decreased significantly with sucrose replacement by erythritol. The analysis of texture and sound revealed that inulin cookies were softer whereas erythritol cookies were harder in comparison with control cookies; despite this difference, inulin cookies had similar sound characteristics to erythritol cookies. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Research in the Optical Sciences

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-21

concentrators are often characterized by an acceptance angle. Typically, the acceptance angle is specified in the following way. The optical throughput...function of the angle between the incident sunlight and the optical axis of the concentrator . The optical throughput is highest for an incident...shown that the maximum possible acceptance angle is given by max 1arcsin C        , where C is the optical concentration [2

An investigation of the maximum penetration level of a photovoltaic (PV) system into a traditional distribution grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chalise, Santosh

Although solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have remained the fastest growing renewable power generating technology, variability as well as uncertainty in the output of PV plants is a significant issue. This rapid increase in PV grid-connected generation presents not only progress in clean energy but also challenges in integration with traditional electric power grids which were designed for transmission and distribution of power from central stations. Unlike conventional electric generators, PV panels do not have rotating parts and thus have no inertia. This potentially causes a problem when the solar irradiance incident upon a PV plant changes suddenly, for example, when scattered clouds pass quickly overhead. The output power of the PV plant may fluctuate nearly as rapidly as the incident irradiance. These rapid power output fluctuations may then cause voltage fluctuations, frequency fluctuations, and power quality issues. These power quality issues are more severe with increasing PV plant power output. This limits the maximum power output allowed from interconnected PV plants. Voltage regulation of a distribution system, a focus of this research, is a prime limiting factor in PV penetration levels. The IEEE 13-node test feeder, modeled and tested in the MATLAB/Simulink environment, was used as an example distribution feeder to analyze the maximum acceptable penetration of a PV plant. The effect of the PV plant's location was investigated, along with the addition of a VAR compensating device (a D-STATCOM in this case). The results were used to develop simple guidelines for determining an initial estimate of the maximum PV penetration level on a distribution feeder. For example, when no compensating devices are added to the system, a higher level of PV penetration is generally achieved by installing the PV plant close to the substation. The opposite is true when a VAR compensator is installed with the PV plant. In these cases, PV penetration levels over 50% may be safely achieved.

Preliminary analysis of the implications of natural radiations on geostationary operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Denn, F. M.

1976-01-01

The natural radiations present at geostationary orbit are discussed. Low-level galactic cosmic rays are important for careers spending a year or more at geostationary altitude. Trapped radiation will on occasion require interruption of extravehicular activity (EVA). The spacesuit shield requirements are strongly affected by the number of interruptions allowed. EVA cannot proceed during a large solar event and maximum allowable doses are exceeded in a few hours unless a heavily shielded area is provided. A shelter of 10 g/sq cm with personal shielding for the eyes and testes would contain exposure to within the presently accepted exposure constraints. Since radiation levels can increase unexpectedly to serious levels, an onboard radiation monitoring system with rate and integration capabilities is required for both surface-dose and depth-dose monitoring.

Evaluation of a hydrological model based on Bidirectional Reach (BReach)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Eerdenbrugh, Katrien; Van Hoey, Stijn; Verhoest, Niko E. C.

2016-04-01

Evaluation and discrimination of model structures is crucial to ensure an appropriate use of hydrological models. When evaluating model results by aggregating their quality in (a subset of) individual observations, overall results of this analysis sometimes conceal important detailed information about model structural deficiencies. Analyzing model results within their local (time) context can uncover this detailed information. In this research, a methodology called Bidirectional Reach (BReach) is proposed to evaluate and analyze results of a hydrological model by assessing the maximum left and right reach in each observation point that is used for model evaluation. These maximum reaches express the capability of the model to describe a subset of the evaluation data both in the direction of the previous (left) and of the following data (right). This capability is evaluated on two levels. First, on the level of individual observations, the combination of a parameter set and an observation is classified as non-acceptable if the deviation between the accompanying model result and the measurement exceeds observational uncertainty. Second, the behavior in a sequence of observations is evaluated by means of a tolerance degree. This tolerance degree expresses the condition for satisfactory model behavior in a data series and is defined by the percentage of observations within this series that can have non-acceptable model results. Based on both criteria, the maximum left and right reaches of a model in an observation represent the data points in the direction of the previous respectively the following observations beyond which none of the sampled parameter sets both are satisfactory and result in an acceptable deviation. After assessing these reaches for a variety of tolerance degrees, results can be plotted in a combined BReach plot that show temporal changes in the behavior of model results. The methodology is applied on a Probability Distributed Model (PDM) of the river Grote Nete upstream of Geel-Zammel with 1 106 randomly sampled parameter sets for three separate years. Acceptable model results must fit in the 95 % uncertainty bounds of observed discharges and tolerance degrees of 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 20 % and 40 % are applied. An evaluation of BReach results with regard to other variables, such as the magnitude and the rate of change of the observed discharges enables to detect recurring patterns in model errors. This results in an augmented understanding of the model's structural deficiencies, revealing the incapability of the PDM model to simulate both high and low flow simulations with a single parameter set for this catchment. As the methodology can be applied for different hydrological model structures, it is a useful tool to gain understanding of the difference in behavior of competing models.

Trace Metal Levels in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Cultured in Net Cages in a Reservoir and Evaluation of Human Health Risks from Consumption.

PubMed

Varol, Memet; Kaya, Gülderen Kurt; Alp, Sumru Anık; Sünbül, Muhammet Raşit

2017-09-19

Although fish consumption has positive health effects, metals accumulated in fish can cause human health risks. In this study, the levels of ten metals in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farmed in the Keban Dam Reservoir, which has the biggest rainbow trout production capacity in Turkey, were determined and compared with the maximum permissible levels (MPLs). Also, human health risks associated with rainbow trout consumption were assessed. The metal concentrations in rainbow trout were found below the MPLs. The estimated daily intake of each metal was much lower than the respective tolerable daily intake. The target hazard quotient (THQ) for individual metal and total THQ for combined metals did not exceed 1, indicating no health risk for consumers. The cancer risk (CR) value for inorganic arsenic was within the acceptable lifetime risk range of 10 -6 and 10 -4 . For carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects, the maximum allowable fish consumption rates were high enough to ensure the human health. According to these results, the consumption of rainbow trout farmed in the Keban Dam Reservoir does not pose a risk on human health.

47 CFR 76.975 - Commercial leased access dispute resolution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... cable operator's maximum permitted rate from an independent accountant prior to filing a petition for... days to agree on a mutually acceptable accountant from the date on which the programmer provides the... agree on a mutually acceptable accountant within five business days of the programmer's request for a...

47 CFR 76.975 - Commercial leased access dispute resolution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... cable operator's maximum permitted rate from an independent accountant prior to filing a petition for... days to agree on a mutually acceptable accountant from the date on which the programmer provides the... agree on a mutually acceptable accountant within five business days of the programmer's request for a...

Occurrence and human dietary assessment of fluoroquinolones antibiotics in cultured fish around tai lake, China.

PubMed

Song, Chao; Zhang, Cong; Kamira, Barry; Qiu, Liping; Fan, Limin; Wu, Wei; Meng, Shunlong; Hu, Gengdong; Chen, Jiazhang

2017-11-01

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are widely used in the production of aquatic products and considered to be a significant contributing factor to the burden of both natural and aquaculture environments. However, the main types of fluoroquinolones present in aquaculture systems have not been determined. The objectives of the present study were to explore the occurrence of residual fluoroquinolone antibiotics in fish muscle tissues sampled from across the entire aquaculture season in the Tai Lake basin in China and to assess the dietary risks associated with the upcoming vendible fish in the last month of the aquaculture season. Fluoroquinolones were detected in 95.69% of all fish samples, and the concentrations ranged from the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 47 108.00 μg · kg -1 . Enrofloxacin contributed the most among the 9 fluoroquinolone antibiotics tested. Of the 4 fish species studied, enrofloxacin was present in bream at significant (p < 0.05) concentrations in August, with an average value of 321.45 μg · kg -1 , while enrofloxacin concentrations peaked in crab and shrimp in September, with average values of 6949.60 and 460.82 μg · kg -1 , respectively. However, different patterns were observed in perch, suggesting that other categories of antibiotics may be used in the production of this fish. Dietary risk assessment showed that the residual levels and estimated daily intake in bream, perch, and shrimp were far below the maximum residual level and acceptable daily intake. However, the average residual level in crab exceeded the maximum residual level, and the estimated daily intake value accounted for 78.49% of the acceptable daily intake, indicating potential consumption risk. In summary, the present study aims to guide the production and consumption of aquatic products. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2899-2905. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

The application of a Grey Markov Model to forecasting annual maximum water levels at hydrological stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Sheng; Chi, Kun; Zhang, Qiyi; Zhang, Xiangdong

2012-03-01

Compared with traditional real-time forecasting, this paper proposes a Grey Markov Model (GMM) to forecast the maximum water levels at hydrological stations in the estuary area. The GMM combines the Grey System and Markov theory into a higher precision model. The GMM takes advantage of the Grey System to predict the trend values and uses the Markov theory to forecast fluctuation values, and thus gives forecast results involving two aspects of information. The procedure for forecasting annul maximum water levels with the GMM contains five main steps: 1) establish the GM (1, 1) model based on the data series; 2) estimate the trend values; 3) establish a Markov Model based on relative error series; 4) modify the relative errors caused in step 2, and then obtain the relative errors of the second order estimation; 5) compare the results with measured data and estimate the accuracy. The historical water level records (from 1960 to 1992) at Yuqiao Hydrological Station in the estuary area of the Haihe River near Tianjin, China are utilized to calibrate and verify the proposed model according to the above steps. Every 25 years' data are regarded as a hydro-sequence. Eight groups of simulated results show reasonable agreement between the predicted values and the measured data. The GMM is also applied to the 10 other hydrological stations in the same estuary. The forecast results for all of the hydrological stations are good or acceptable. The feasibility and effectiveness of this new forecasting model have been proved in this paper.

The effect of hearing aid signal-processing schemes on acceptable noise levels: perception and prediction.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-Hsiang; Stangl, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The acceptable noise level (ANL) test determines the maximum noise level that an individual is willing to accept while listening to speech. The first objective of the present study was to systematically investigate the effect of wide dynamic range compression processing (WDRC), and its combined effect with digital noise reduction (DNR) and directional processing (DIR), on ANL. Because ANL represents the lowest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that a listener is willing to accept, the second objective was to examine whether the hearing aid output SNR could predict aided ANL across different combinations of hearing aid signal-processing schemes. Twenty-five adults with sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study. ANL was measured monaurally in two unaided and seven aided conditions, in which the status of the hearing aid processing schemes (enabled or disabled) and the location of noise (front or rear) were manipulated. The hearing aid output SNR was measured for each listener in each condition using a phase-inversion technique. The aided ANL was predicted by unaided ANL and hearing aid output SNR, under the assumption that the lowest acceptable SNR at the listener's eardrum is a constant across different ANL test conditions. Study results revealed that, on average, WDRC increased (worsened) ANL by 1.5 dB, while DNR and DIR decreased (improved) ANL by 1.1 and 2.8 dB, respectively. Because the effects of WDRC and DNR on ANL were opposite in direction but similar in magnitude, the ANL of linear/DNR-off was not significantly different from that of WDRC/DNR-on. The results further indicated that the pattern of ANL change across different aided conditions was consistent with the pattern of hearing aid output SNR change created by processing schemes. Compared with linear processing, WDRC creates a noisier sound image and makes listeners less willing to accept noise. However, this negative effect on noise acceptance can be offset by DNR, regardless of microphone mode. The hearing aid output SNR derived using the phase-inversion technique can predict aided ANL across different combinations of signal-processing schemes. These results suggest a close relationship between aided ANL, signal-processing scheme, and hearing aid output SNR.

Predicting sex offender treatment entry among individuals convicted of sexual offense crimes.

PubMed

Jones, Nicole; Pelissier, Bernadette; Klein-Saffran, Jody

2006-01-01

This study examined what factors were predictive of who volunteers for sex offender treatment (self-selection) as well as who enters treatment after volunteering (administration selection). Research participants included 404 treatment volunteers and 387 nonvolunteers to treatment who were convicted of a sexual offense involving minors within the federal prison system. Maximum likelihood probit estimation procedures indicated that when compared with nonvolunteers, treatment volunteers were more likely to be recommended by a judge to receive treatment at the time of sentencing, had received prior treatment for sexually deviant behavior, reported higher levels of motivation to change their sexually deviant behavior, and had lower rates of a substance use disorder in the year prior to incarceration. Of those persons who initially volunteered, 62% were accepted and entered treatment, 16% were denied entry to treatment by program staff, and 22% refused treatment after being accepted to the waiting list. When compared with those who were accepted and entered treatment, motivation was the only predictor of being denied admission into treatment by program staff and for refusal of treatment once accepted. The findings emphasize the need to control for selection bias in treatment outcome studies and the importance of examining the role of motivation in treatment volunteerism and treatment entry for sexual offenders.

An FDA oncology analysis of CD3 bispecific constructs and first-in-human dose selection.

PubMed

Saber, Haleh; Del Valle, Pedro; Ricks, Tiffany K; Leighton, John K

2017-11-01

We retrospectively examined the nonclinical studies conducted with 17 CD3 bispecific constructs in support of first-in-human (FIH) trials in oncology. We also collected information on the design of dose-finding clinical trials. Sponsors have used different MABEL approaches for FIH dose selection. To better assess acceptable approaches, FIH doses were computed from nonclinical studies and compared to the maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) in patients, to the highest human doses (HHDs) when an MTD was not identified, or to the recommended human dose (RHD) for blinatumomab. We concluded that approaches based on receptor occupancy, highest non-severely toxic dose, or no-observed adverse effect level are not acceptable for selecting the FIH dose as they resulted in doses close to or above the MTDs, HHDs, or the RHD. A FIH dose corresponding to 10%-30% pharmacologic activity (PA) was an acceptable approach. A FIH dose corresponding to 50% PA was acceptable for all except one construct, potentially due to its biological or structural properties. The most common toxicities in animals and patients were those related to cytokine release. Doses were better tolerated when intra-animal or intra-patient dose escalation was used. Exposing naïve patients to an MTD achieved with intra-patient dose escalation design may be unsafe. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Effects of radiation emitted from mobile phones on short- term heart rate variability parameters].

PubMed

Yıldız, Metin; Yılmaz, Derya; Güler, Inan; Akgüllü, Cağdaş

2012-08-01

In this study, the effects of radiation emitted from mobile phone (MP) on heart rate variability (HRV) which is accepted a non-invasive indicator of autonomic nervous system (ANS) were investigated with considering the deficiency of previous studies. A randomized controlled study has been designed and utilized with 30 young and healthy volunteers. During the experiment that had three periods, the electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration signals were recorded and MP was attached to subjects' right ear with a bone. Ten subjects selected randomly were exposed to high -level radiation during the second period (Experimental Group 1). Ten of others were exposed during the third period with maximum level radiation (Experimental Group 2). Ten records were also made while MP was closed as a control. Short -term HRV parameters were obtained and repeated measures ANOVA and suitable post-hoc tests applied to the results. According to the results of the repeated measures ANOVA; there were no significant main effects of groups. However, there were some significant differences in measuring time periods and groups*period interactions. The post-hoc tests showed that mean R to R interval and HF power are significantly changed by maximum radiation emitted from MP. Due to the radiation emitted from MPs at maximum power, some changes may occur in HRV parameters that are associated with increased parasympathetic activity. But, the level of these changes is similar to daily activities as excitement, and stand up.

Rotorcraft Blade Mode Damping Identification from Random Responses Using a Recursive Maximum Likelihood Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molusis, J. A.

1982-01-01

An on line technique is presented for the identification of rotor blade modal damping and frequency from rotorcraft random response test data. The identification technique is based upon a recursive maximum likelihood (RML) algorithm, which is demonstrated to have excellent convergence characteristics in the presence of random measurement noise and random excitation. The RML technique requires virtually no user interaction, provides accurate confidence bands on the parameter estimates, and can be used for continuous monitoring of modal damping during wind tunnel or flight testing. Results are presented from simulation random response data which quantify the identified parameter convergence behavior for various levels of random excitation. The data length required for acceptable parameter accuracy is shown to depend upon the amplitude of random response and the modal damping level. Random response amplitudes of 1.25 degrees to .05 degrees are investigated. The RML technique is applied to hingeless rotor test data. The inplane lag regressing mode is identified at different rotor speeds. The identification from the test data is compared with the simulation results and with other available estimates of frequency and damping.

Toxicological approach to setting spacecraft maximum allowable concentrations for carbon monoxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, K. L.; Limero, T. F.; James, J. T.

1992-01-01

The Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMACs) are exposure limits for airborne chemicals used by NASA in spacecraft. The aim of these SMACs is to protect the spacecrew against adverse health effects and performance decrements that would interfere with mission objectives. Because of the 1 and 24 hr SMACs are set for contingencies, minor reversible toxic effects that do not affect mission objectives are acceptable. The 7, 30, or 180 day SMACs are aimed at nominal operations, so they are established at levels that would not cause noncarcinogenic toxic effects and more than one case of tumor per 1000 exposed individuals over the background. The process used to set the SMACs for carbon monoxide (CO) is described to illustrate the approach used by NASA. After the toxicological literature on CO was reviewed, the data were summarized and separated into acute, subchronic, and chronic toxicity data. CO's toxicity depends on the formation of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood, reducing the blood's oxygen carrying capacity. The initial task was to estimate the COHb levels that would not produce toxic effects in the brain and heart.

[Characteristics of lip-mouth region in smiling position from 80 adults with acceptable faces and individual normal occlusions].

PubMed

Zhang, J; Chen, Y; Zhou, X

1997-07-01

The Characteristics of Lip-mouth region including the soft and hard tissues in smiling position with frontal fixed position photographic computered analysis was studied. The examples were 80 adults (40 males and 40 females) with acceptable faces and individual normal occlusions. The age was between 17-25 years of age. The method adopting maximum smiling position to study the lip-mouth region is scientific, and the maximum smile line could be divided into three categories: low smile line-a-counted for 16.25% of the total samples; average smile line--68.75%; high smile line--15%.

Retinal injury from simultaneous exposure to 532-nm and 860-nm laser irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, Kurt; Roach, William P.; Polhamus, Garrett; Notabartolo, John; DiCarlo, Cheryl; Stockton, Kevin; Stolarski, David; Carothers, Val; Rockwell, Benjamin A.; Cain, Clarence

2004-07-01

To properly assess the retinal hazards from several lasers using multiple wavelengths, the retinal effects of 10-second laser irradiation from 532 and 860 nm were determined in non-human primates for several different power combinations of these wavelengths. A total of 12 eyes were exposed using four different ratios of power levels to determine the contribution to the damage levels from each wavelength. The data are compared to the calculations resulting from use of the currently accepted method of predicting hazards from simultaneous laser. The ANSI-Z136 - 2000 standard was used to calculate the combined maximum permissible exposure (MPE) and for comparison with the measured visible lesion thresholds, i.e., ED50s.

Electromagnetic fields and the public: EMF standards and estimation of risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoriev, Yury

2010-04-01

Mobile communications are a relatively new and additional source of electromagnetic exposure for the population. Standard daily mobile-phone use is known to increase RF-EMF (radiofrequency electromagnetic field) exposure to the brains of users of all ages, whilst mobile-phone base stations, and base station units for cordless phones, can regularly increase the exposures of large numbers of the population to RF-EMF radiation in everyday life. The need to determine appropriate standards stipulating the maximum acceptable short-term and long-term RF-EMF levels encountered by the public, and set such levels as general guidelines, is of great importance in order to help preserve the general public's health and that of the next generation of humanity.

Towards a psycho-physiological model of thermal perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auliciems, A.

1981-06-01

Recommendations for indoor thermal requirements have been based upon verbalized responses on traditional assumptions that (1) minimal thermoregulatory activity may be equated to maximum subjective acceptability (2) sensations and levels of discomfort are synonymous and (3) perception of warmth is exclusively the function of thermal stimulus — physiological response. These concepts are reviewed in the light of recent researches which indicate the inadequacy of the existing physiological models and methods of research. In particular, recognition is made of higher levels of mental integration of information flows which, it is argued, must include parameters of past cultural and climatic experiences and expectations. The aim is to initiate a more holistic approach to research into human thermal environments, and, a clearer definition of concepts significant to practical application.

Sibling Family Practices: Guidelines for Healthy Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Toni Cavanagh; Huang, Bevan Emma; Simpson, Pippa M.

2009-01-01

A questionnaire was given to 500 mental health and child welfare professionals asking for maximum acceptable ages for siblings to engage jointly in certain family practices related to hygiene, affection, and privacy. A large proportion of respondents felt it was never acceptable for siblings to take showers together (40%), kiss on the mouth (37%),…

Passenger comfort technology for system decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conner, D. W.

1980-01-01

Decisions requiring passenger comfort technology were shown to depend on: the relationship between comfort and other factors (e.g., cost, urgency, alternate modes) in traveler acceptance of the systems, serving a selected market require technology to quantify effects of comfort versus offsetting factors in system acceptance. Public predict the maximum percentage of travelers who willingly accept the overall comfort of any trip ride. One or the other of these technology requirements apply to decisions on system design, operation and maintenance.

Drinking water: a major source of lead exposure in Karachi, Pakistan.

PubMed

Ul-Haq, N; Arain, M A; Badar, N; Rasheed, M; Haque, Z

2011-11-01

Excess lead in drinking water is a neglected source of lead toxicity in Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey in 2007/08 was made of water samples from drinking water sources in Karachi, a large industrial city. This study aimed to compare lead levels between untreated ground water and treated surface (tap) water in 18 different districts. Of 216 ground and surface water samples collected, 86% had lead levels higher than the World Health Organization maximum acceptable concentration of l0 ppb. Mean lead concentration in ground water [146 (SD 119) ppb] was significantly higher than in surface water [77.1 (SD 54) ppb]. None of the 18 districts had a mean lead level of ground or surface water below the WHO cut-off and ground water sources in 9 districts had a severe level of contamination (>150 ppb). Urgent action is needed to eliminate sources of contamination.

Space augmentation of military high-level waste disposal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

English, T.; Lees, L.; Divita, E.

1979-01-01

Space disposal of selected components of military high-level waste (HLW) is considered. This disposal option offers the promise of eliminating the long-lived radionuclides in military HLW from the earth. A space mission which meets the dual requirements of long-term orbital stability and a maximum of one space shuttle launch per week over a period of 20-40 years, is a heliocentric orbit about halfway between the orbits of earth and Venus. Space disposal of high-level radioactive waste is characterized by long-term predictability and short-term uncertainties which must be reduced to acceptably low levels. For example, failure of either the Orbit Transfer Vehicle after leaving low earth orbit, or the storable propellant stage failure at perihelion would leave the nuclear waste package in an unplanned and potentially unstable orbit. Since potential earth reencounter and subsequent burn-up in the earth's atmosphere is unacceptable, a deep space rendezvous, docking, and retrieval capability must be developed.

Aeroelastic Response and Protection of Space Shuttle External Tank Cable Trays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, John W.; Keller, Donald F.; Schuster, David M.; Piatak, David J.; Rausch, Russ D.; Bartels, Robert E.; Ivanco, Thomas G.; Cole, Stanley R.; Spain, Charles V.

2005-01-01

Sections of the Space Shuttle External Tank Liquid Oxygen (LO2) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) cable trays are shielded from potentially damaging airloads with foam Protuberance Aerodynamic Load (PAL) Ramps. Flight standard design LO2 and LH2 cable tray sections were tested with and without PAL Ramp models in the United States Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center s (AEDC) 16T transonic wind tunnel to obtain experimental data on the aeroelastic stability and response characteristics of the trays and as part of the larger effort to determine whether the PAL ramps can be safely modified or removed. Computational Fluid Dynamic simulations of the full-stack shuttle launch configuration were used to investigate the flow characeristics around and under the cable trays without the protective PAL ramps and to define maximum crossflow Mach numbers and dynamic pressures experienced during launch. These crossflow conditions were used to establish wind tunnel test conditions which also included conservative margins. For all of the conditions and configurations tested, no aeroelastic instabilities or unacceptable dynamic response levels were encountered and no visible structural damage was experienced by any of the tested cable tray sections. Based upon this aeroelastic characterization test, three potentially acceptable alternatives are available for the LO2 cable tray PAL Ramps: Mini-Ramps, Tray Fences, or No Ramps. All configurations were tested to maximum conditions, except the LH2 trays at -15 deg. crossflow angle. This exception is the only caveat preventing the proposal of acceptable alternative configurations for the LH2 trays as well. Structural assessment of all tray loads and tray response measurements from launches following the Shuttle Return To Flight with the existing PAL Ramps will determine the acceptability of these PAL Ramp alternatives.

12 CFR 741.204 - Maximum public unit and nonmember accounts, and low-income designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... low-income designation. 741.204 Section 741.204 Banks and Banking NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION... Unions § 741.204 Maximum public unit and nonmember accounts, and low-income designation. Any credit union...) Obtain a low-income designation in order to accept nonmember accounts, other than from public units or...

Impact of maximum levels in European legislation on exposure of mycotoxins in dried products: case of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A in nuts and dried fruits.

PubMed

Van de Perre, Evelien; Jacxsens, Liesbeth; Lachat, Carl; El Tahan, Fouad; De Meulenaer, Bruno

2015-01-01

In this study the impact of setting European criteria on exposure to aflatoxin B1 via nuts and figs and ochratoxin A via dried fruits is evaluated for the Belgian population, as an example of the European population. Two different scenarios were evaluated. In scenario 1 all collected literature data are considered, assuming that there is no border control nor legal limits in Europe. In the second scenario, contamination levels above the maximum limits are excluded. The results from scenario 1 demonstrated that if no regulation is in place, AFB1 and OTA concentrations reported in the analysed food can have potential health risk to the population. The estimated exposure of OTA for scenario 2 is below the TDI of 5 ng/kg BW⋅day, indicating that OTA concentrations accepted by EU legislation pose a low risk to the Belgian population. For AFB1, the MOE values of scenario 2 are above 10,000 and can be considered to be of low health concern, based on BDML10 for humans, except for figs (MOE = 5782). This means that for all matrices, with exception of figs, the maximum values of AFB1 in the European legislation are sufficient to be of a low health concern for consumers. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Hydrochemical and microbiological quality of groundwater in West Thrace Region of Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özler, H. Murat; Aydın, Ali

2008-03-01

The aim of this study was to do a preliminary assessment of the hydrochemical and microbial groundwater quality of the West Thrace region. Forty samples of groundwater collected from Edirne (Site 1) to Gelibolu (Site 2) were assessed for their suitability for human consumption. As3- was non-detectable in all the groundwater and Zn2+, Pb2+, F-, Cu2+, NH{4/+}, Cn- PO{4/3-} and Cl- were all below their respective European Union drinking water directive (EU-DWD) and Turkish food codex-drinking water directive (TFC-DWD). Maximum Acceptable Concentrations (MAC) Ni2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, and Ca2+ levels were detected in upper maximum acceptable concentrations 77.5, 42.5, 35.0, 50.0, 50.0, and 32.5% of the groundwater samples, respectively. However, in terms of Cr3+, Ni2+ and Pb2+, the differences between groundwaters of Sites 1 and 2 were significant ( p < 0.05). Eight water samples (20%) had HPC exceeding the EU and Turkish water directive limit 20 CFU (Colony Forming Unit)/ml in drinking water and the maximum bacteria count recorded was 44 CFU/ml. Total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, E. coli, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus spp. and P. aeruginosa were detected in 25, 17.5, 15, 47.5, 15, 27.5, and 15% of the groundwater samples, respectively. Furthermore, heavy metals and trace elements were found after chemical analyzes in most samples. The pollution of groundwater come from a variety of sources, Meric and Ergene rivers, including land application of agricultural chemicals and organics wastes, infiltration of irrigation water, septic tanks, and infiltration of effluent from sewage treatment plants, pits, lagoons and ponds used storage.

Implementation of test for quality assurance in nuclear medicine gamma camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, A. Montoya; Laguna, A. Rodríguez; Zamudio, Flavio E. Trujillo

2012-10-01

In nuclear medicine (NM) over 90% of procedures are performed for diagnostic purposes. To ensure adequate diagnostic quality of images and the optimization of the doses received by patients originated from the radioactive material is essential for regular monitoring and equipment performance through a quality assurance program (QAP). The QAP consists of 15 proposed performance tomographic and not tomographic gamma camera (GC) tests, and is based on recommendations of international organizations. We describe some results of the performance parameters of QAP applied to a GC model e.cam Siemens, of the Department of NM of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico (INCan). The results were: (1) The average intrinsic spatial resolution (Rin) was 4.67 ± 0.25 mm at the limit of acceptance criterion of 4.4 mm. (2) The sensitivity extrinsic (Sext), with maximum variations of 1.8% (less than 2% which is the criterion of acceptance). (3) Rotational Uniformity (Urot), with values of integral uniformity (IU) in the useful field of view detector (UFOV), with maximum percentage change of 0.97% and monthly variations equal angles, ranging from 0.13 to 0.99% less than 1%. (4) The displacement of the center of rotation (DCOR), indicated a maximum deviation of 0.155 ± 0.039 mm less than 4.795 mm, an absolute deviation of less than 0.5 where pixel 0.085 pixel is suggested, the criteria are assigned to low-energy collimator high resolution. (5) In tomographic uniformity (Utomo), UI values (%) and percentage noise level (rms%) were 7.54 ± 1.53 and 4.18 ± 1.69 which are consistent with the limits of acceptance of 7.0-12.0% and 3.0-6.0% respectively. The smallest cold sphere has a diameter of 11.4 mm. The implementation of a QAP allows for high quality diagnostic images, optimization of the doses given to patients, a reduction of exposure to occupationally exposed workers (POE, by its Spanish acronym), and generally improves the productivity of the service. This proposal can be used to develop a similar QAP in other facilities and may serve as a precedent for the proposed regulations for quality assurance (QA) teams in MN.

Balancing access to health data and privacy: a review of the issues and approaches for the future.

PubMed

Lane, Julia; Schur, Claudia

2010-10-01

There has been a dramatic increase in the types of microdata, and this holds great promise for health services research. However, legislative efforts to protect individual privacy have reduced the flow of health care data for research purposes and increased costs and delays, affecting the quality of analysis. This paper provides an overview of the challenges raised by concerns about data confidentiality in the context of health services research, the current methodologies used to ensure data security, and a description of one successful approach to balancing access and privacy. Materials and Methods. We analyze the issues of access and privacy using a conceptual framework based on balancing the risk of reidentification with the utility associated with data analysis. The guiding principle should be to generate released data that are as close to the maximum acceptable risk as possible. HIPAA and other privacy measures can perhaps be seen as having had the effect of lowering the "maximum acceptable risk" level and rendering some data unreleasable. We discuss the levels of risk and utility associated with different types of data used in health services research and the ability to link data from multiple sources as well as current models of data sharing and their limitations. One particularly compelling approach is to establish a remote access "data enclave," where statistical protections are applied to the data, technical protections ensure compliance with data-sharing requirements, and operational controls limit researchers' access to the data they need for their specific research questions. We recommend reducing delays in access to data for research, increasing the use of remote access data enclaves, and disseminating knowledge and promulgating standards for best practices related to data protection. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Planning factors for developing an enterprise-wide picture archiving and communication system maintenance program.

PubMed

Staley, S; Romlein, J; Chacko, A K; Wider, R

2000-05-01

Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) maintenance on an individual site basis has historically been a complex and costly challenge. With the advent of enterprise-wide PACS projects such as the Virtual Radiology Environment (VRE) project, the challenge of a maintenance program with even more complexities has presented itself. The approach of the project management team for the VRE project is not one of reactive maintenance, but one of highly proactive planning and negotiations, in hopes of capitalizing on the economies of scale of an enterprise-wide PACS maintenance program. A proactive maintenance program is one aspect of life-cycle management. As with any capital acquisition, life-cycle management may be used to manage the specific project aspects related to PACS. The purpose of an enterprise-wide warranty and maintenance life-cycle management approach is to maintain PACS at its maximum operational efficiency and utilization levels through a flexible, shared, yet symbiotic relationship between local, regional, and vendor resources. These goals include providing maximum operational performance levels on a local, regional, and enterprise basis, while maintaining acceptable costs and resource utilization levels. This goal must be achieved without negatively impacting point of care activities, regardless of changes to the clinical business environment.

[A study of the sialogogic effect of cevimeline gargle].

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Chizuko; Takamatsu, Yasushi; Ogata, Kentaro; Hara, Shuuji; Tamura, Kazuo

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to clarify the sialogogic effect iveness of cevimeline gargle. Sequential comparison tests were conducted on healthy adult males and females who received both cevimeline and a placebo. The effect was evaluated by measuring the amount of saliva using the Saxon test and Mucus, and by recording the subjects' own perceptions of oral mucosal moisture reported according to 4 levels. First, ten subjects' measurements were taken before gargling, as well as 5 minutes, 90 minutes and 3 hours after gargling. For the cevimeline treatment, the amount of saliva reached the maximum level within 5 minutes after gargling, and a significant salivary secreting effect(p<0. 05-p<0. 001)was observed up to 90 minutes after gargling. The degree of oral moisture also reached the maximum level within 5 minutes after gargling with cevimeline, and a significant moisture effect(p<0. 05-p<0. 001)persisted up to 3 hours after gargling. After safety profiles were determined to be acceptable, an additional 19 subjects entered the study and the same results were observed. The present data, indicating that cevimeline gargle increases the saliva in healthy individuals for at least 3 hours, will be useful in clinical trials of cevimeline gargle for patients with salivary secretion disorder.

Effects of Low-Dose Non-Caloric Sweetener Consumption on Gut Microbiota in Mice

PubMed Central

Uebanso, Takashi; Ohnishi, Ai; Kitayama, Reiko; Yoshimoto, Ayumi; Nakahashi, Mutsumi; Shimohata, Takaaki; Mawatari, Kazuaki; Takahashi, Akira

2017-01-01

Non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NASs) provide sweet tastes to food without adding calories or glucose. NASs can be used as alternative sweeteners for controlling blood glucose levels and weight gain. Although the consumption of NASs has increased over the past decade in Japan and other countries, whether these sweeteners affect the composition of the gut microbiome is unclear. In the present study, we examined the effects of sucralose or acesulfame-K ingestion (at most the maximum acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels, 15 mg/kg body weight) on the gut microbiome in mice. Consumption of sucralose, but not acesulfame-K, for 8 weeks reduced the relative amount of Clostridium cluster XIVa in feces. Meanwhile, sucralose and acesulfame-K did not increase food intake, body weight gain or liver weight, or fat in the epididymis or cecum. Only sucralose intake increased the concentration of hepatic cholesterol and cholic acid. Moreover, the relative concentration of butyrate and the ratio of secondary/primary bile acids in luminal metabolites increased with sucralose consumption in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that daily intake of maximum ADI levels of sucralose, but not acesulfame-K, affected the relative amount of the Clostridium cluster XIVa in fecal microbiome and cholesterol bile acid metabolism in mice. PMID:28587159

Effects of Low-Dose Non-Caloric Sweetener Consumption on Gut Microbiota in Mice.

PubMed

Uebanso, Takashi; Ohnishi, Ai; Kitayama, Reiko; Yoshimoto, Ayumi; Nakahashi, Mutsumi; Shimohata, Takaaki; Mawatari, Kazuaki; Takahashi, Akira

2017-06-01

Abstract : Non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NASs) provide sweet tastes to food without adding calories or glucose. NASs can be used as alternative sweeteners for controlling blood glucose levels and weight gain. Although the consumption of NASs has increased over the past decade in Japan and other countries, whether these sweeteners affect the composition of the gut microbiome is unclear. In the present study, we examined the effects of sucralose or acesulfame-K ingestion (at most the maximum acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels, 15 mg/kg body weight) on the gut microbiome in mice. Consumption of sucralose, but not acesulfame-K, for 8 weeks reduced the relative amount of Clostridium cluster XIVa in feces. Meanwhile, sucralose and acesulfame-K did not increase food intake, body weight gain or liver weight, or fat in the epididymis or cecum. Only sucralose intake increased the concentration of hepatic cholesterol and cholic acid. Moreover, the relative concentration of butyrate and the ratio of secondary/primary bile acids in luminal metabolites increased with sucralose consumption in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that daily intake of maximum ADI levels of sucralose, but not acesulfame-K, affected the relative amount of the Clostridium cluster XIVa in fecal microbiome and cholesterol bile acid metabolism in mice.

Functional properties of pasta enriched with variable cereal brans.

PubMed

Kaur, Gurkirat; Sharma, Savita; Nagi, H P S; Dar, Basharat N

2012-08-01

To explore the potentiality of cereal brans for preparation of fiber enriched pasta, various cereal brans (Wheat, Rice, Barley and Oat) were added at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 per cent to durum wheat semolina. The effect of cereal bran enrichment on the colour, cooking, sensory quality and shelf life of enriched pasta was assessed at ambient temperature. Pasta prepared with added fiber at 25 per cent level had the highest protein and dietary fiber content as compared to control. Enrichment with variable fiber sources improved the brightness of pasta, as colour of pasta enhanced significantly. Addition of cereal brans resulted an increase in the water absorption and cooking losses of pasta. This effect was dependent on the level and type of cereal brans. Significant correlation (r = 0.80) was obtained between water absorption and volume expansion in all types of bran enriched pasta. At 25 per cent level of supplementation, maximum solids were leached into cooking water. Bran enriched pasta required less cooking time for complete gelatinization of starch. Increasing level of cereal brans had significantly affected the overall acceptability of enriched pasta. Cooking quality of pasta remained constant during storage. Non significant effect of storage was found on water activity, free fatty acids. Enriched pasta (15 per cent level of wheat, rice and oat bran and 10 per cent barley bran) was highly acceptable upto 4 months of storage with respect to quality.

78 FR 7768 - Public Service Company of Colorado; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... project. The normal daily operation cycle involves pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper... acre upper reservoir with 1,087 acre-feet of usable storage between the maximum operating elevation of... lower reservoir with 1,221 acre-feet of usable storage between the maximum operating elevation of 10,002...

Effect of amaranth flour (Amaranthus mantegazzianus) on the technological and sensory quality of bread wheat pasta.

PubMed

Martinez, Cristina S; Ribotta, Pablo D; Añón, María Cristina; León, Alberto E

2014-03-01

The technological and sensory quality of pasta made from bread wheat flour substituted with wholemeal amaranth flour (Amaranthus mantegazzianus) at four levels, 15, 30, 40 and 50% w/w was investigated. The quality of the resulted pasta was compared to that of control pasta made from bread wheat flour. The flours were analyzed for chemical composition and pasting properties. Cooking behavior, color, raw and cooked pasta texture, scanning electron microscopy and sensory evaluation were determined on samples. The pasta obtained from amaranth flour showed some detriment of the technological and sensory quality. So, a maximum substitution level of 30% w/w was defined. This is an equilibrium point between an acceptable pasta quality and the improved nutritional and functional properties from the incorporation of amaranth flour.

Computer-generated, calligraphic, full-spectrum color system for visual simulation landing approach maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, W. D.

1975-01-01

The calligraphic chromatic projector described was developed to improve the perceived realism of visual scene simulation ('out-the-window visuals'). The optical arrangement of the projector is illustrated and discussed. The device permits drawing 2000 vectors in as many as 500 colors, all above critical flicker frequencies, and use of high scene resolution and brightness at an acceptable level to the pilot, with the maximum system capabilities of 1000 lines and 1000 fL. The device for generating the colors is discussed, along with an experiment conducted to demonstrate potential improvements in performance and pilot opinion. Current research work and future research plans are noted.

Performance capabilities of the 8-cm mercury ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantenieks, M. A.

1981-01-01

A preliminary characterization of the performance capabilities of the 8-cm thruster in order to initiate an evaluation of its application to LSS propulsion requirements is presented. With minor thruster modifications, the thrust was increased by about a factor of four while the discharge voltage was reduced from 39 to 22 volts. The thruster was operated over a range of specific impulse of 1950 to 3040 seconds and a maximum total efficiency of about 54 percent was attained. Preliminary analysis of component lifetimes, as determined by temperature and spectroscopic line intensity measurements, indicated acceptable thruster lifetimes are anticipated at the high power level operation.

Acceptability of screening for early detection of liver disease in hazardous/harmful drinkers in primary care.

PubMed

Eyles, Caroline; Moore, Michael; Sheron, Nicholas; Roderick, Paul; O'Brien, Wendy; Leydon, Geraldine M

2013-08-01

It is estimated that one-quarter of adults in the UK drink at harmful/hazardous levels leading to increased mortality and alcohol liver disease (ALD). The Alcohol Liver Disease Detection Study (ALDDeS) aimed to test out in primary care the feasibility of alcohol misuse screening in adults, using the AUDIT questionnaire, and to assess screening harmful/hazardous alcohol users for ALD using newer non-invasive serum markers of fibrosis. To explore patients' experiences of taking part in ALDDeS and understanding of the delivery and process of screening for ALD using self-report questionnaires and feedback of liver fibrosis risk using levels of non-invasive serum markers. A nested qualitative study based in five primary care practices in the UK. From a sample of patients who were identified as drinking at harmful/hazardous levels, 30 participants were identified by maximum variation sampling for qualitative in-depth interviews. Using the principles of constant comparison the transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. Receiving a postal AUDIT questionnaire was viewed as acceptable by participants. For some completing the AUDIT increased awareness of their hazardous alcohol use and a positive blood test indicating liver fibrosis was a catalyst for behaviour change. For others, a negative blood test result provided a licence to continue drinking at hazardous levels. A limited understanding of safe drinking and of ALD was common. Educational and training needs of primary care professionals must be taken into account, so that patients with marker levels indicating low risk of fibrosis are correctly informed about the likely risks of continuing to drink at the same levels.

75 FR 78985 - County of DuPage; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-17

... (upper reservoir) having a total storage capacity of 8,145 acre- feet at a normal maximum operating... reservoir) 250 feet below the bottom of the upper reservoir having a total/usable storage capacity of 7,465 acre-feet at normal maximum operation elevation of 210 feet msl; (5) a powerhouse with approximate...

75 FR 68656 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

... Shares to 99,000,000 Shares November 2, 2010. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \\1\\ of the Securities Exchange... size accepted by Floor broker systems from 25,000,000 shares to 99,000,000 shares. The text of the... systems shall accept a maximum order size of 99,000,000, an increase from the current 25,000,000 share...

Modeling adverse event counts in phase I clinical trials of a cytotoxic agent.

PubMed

Muenz, Daniel G; Braun, Thomas M; Taylor, Jeremy Mg

2018-05-01

Background/Aims The goal of phase I clinical trials for cytotoxic agents is to find the maximum dose with an acceptable risk of severe toxicity. The most common designs for these dose-finding trials use a binary outcome indicating whether a patient had a dose-limiting toxicity. However, a patient may experience multiple toxicities, with each toxicity assigned an ordinal severity score. The binary response is then obtained by dichotomizing a patient's richer set of data. We contribute to the growing literature on new models to exploit this richer toxicity data, with the goal of improving the efficiency in estimating the maximum tolerated dose. Methods We develop three new, related models that make use of the total number of dose-limiting and low-level toxicities a patient experiences. We use these models to estimate the probability of having at least one dose-limiting toxicity as a function of dose. In a simulation study, we evaluate how often our models select the true maximum tolerated dose, and we compare our models with the continual reassessment method, which uses binary data. Results Across a variety of simulation settings, we find that our models compare well against the continual reassessment method in terms of selecting the true optimal dose. In particular, one of our models which uses dose-limiting and low-level toxicity counts beats or ties the other models, including the continual reassessment method, in all scenarios except the one in which the true optimal dose is the highest dose available. We also find that our models, when not selecting the true optimal dose, tend to err by picking lower, safer doses, while the continual reassessment method errs more toward toxic doses. Conclusion Using dose-limiting and low-level toxicity counts, which are easily obtained from data already routinely collected, is a promising way to improve the efficiency in finding the true maximum tolerated dose in phase I trials.

Ground-water-quality assessment of the Central Oklahoma aquifer, Oklahoma; hydrologic, water-quality, and quality-assurance data 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferree, D.M.; Christenson, S.C.; Rea, A.H.; Mesander, B.A.

1992-01-01

This report presents data collected from 202 wells between June 1987 and September 1990 as part of the Central Oklahoma aquifer pilot study of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The report describes the sampling networks, the sampling procedures, and the results of the ground-water quality and quality-assurance sample analyses. The data tables consist of information about the wells sampled and the results of the chemical analyses of ground water and quality-assurance sampling. Chemical analyses of ground-water samples in four sampling networks are presented: A geochemical network, a low-density survey bedrock network, a low-density survey alluvium and terrace deposits network, and a targeted urban network. The analyses generally included physical properties, major ions, nutrients, trace substances, radionuclides, and organic constituents. The chemical analyses of the ground-water samples are presented in five tables: (1) Physical properties and concentrations of major ions, nutrients, and trace substances; (2) concentrations of radionuclides and radioactivities; (3) carbon isotope ratios and delta values (d-values) of selected isotopes; (4) concentrations of organic constituents; and (5) organic constituents not reported in ground-water samples. The quality of the ground water sampled varied substantially. The sum of constituents (dissolved solids) concentrations ranged from 71 to 5,610 milligrams per liter, with 38 percent of the wells sampled exceeding the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level of 500 milligrams per liter established under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Values of pH ranged from 5.7 to 9.2 units with 20 percent of the wells outside the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level of 6.5 to 8.5 units. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.1 to 85 milligrams per liter with 8 percent of the wells exceeding the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of trace substances were highly variable, ranging from below the reporting level to concentrations over the Maximum Contaminant Levels for several constituents (arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, and selenium). Radionuclide activities also were highly variable. Gross alpha radioactivity ranged from 0.1 to 210 picocuries per liter as 230thorium. Of the wells sampled, 20 percent exceeded the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level of 15 picocuries per liter for gross alpha radioactivity. Organic constituents were detected in 39 percent of the 170 wells sampled for organic constituents; in most cases concentrations were at or near the laboratory minimum reporting levels. Ten of the wells sampled for organic constituents had one or more constituents (chlordane, dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, trichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane) at concentrations equal to or greater than the Maximum Contaminant Level or acceptable concentrations as suggested in the Environmental Protection Agency's Health Advisory Summaries. Quality-assurance sampling included duplicate samples, repeated samples, blanks, spikes, and blind samples. These samples proved to be essential in evaluating the accuracy of the data, particularly in the case of volatile organic constituents.

Determining the Capacity Model of Urban Roundabouts, Considering the Drivers’ Behaviour in Accepting and Rejecting of Gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bargegol, Iraj; Hamze Hosseini, Seyyed; Jahangir Samet, Mehdi

2017-10-01

Nowadays, urban roundabouts are one of the most popular types of intersections that have grown highly all over the world. Thus, the accurate and engineering design of these types of intersections has a significant effect on improving their traffic performance. The capacity is one of the important traffic parameters in different intersections, which represents the maximum volume of vehicles entering the roundabouts. There are two general methods for determining the capacity of intersections including the use of analytical models such as gap acceptance model and the use of empirical methods (regression model). In the present paper, using the collected data such as entry and circulating volume, both accepted and rejected gaps were studied for three urban roundabouts and the capacity model have been determined by the use of analytical method. After implementation of the data, they became consistent and homogeneous in four different groups and the most optimized range of critical gaps as well as the follow up time were separately determined for each of these groups by using conventional methods such as Sigloch, Raff, Wu, and Harder and according to statistical analyses with a confidence level of 95%. From the obtained results, a range of 3.03 - 3.32 s for critical gap of the studied roundabouts and the range of 1.3 - 1.7 s for follow up time could be mentioned. It was used from the theory of gap acceptance in order to determine urban roundabouts capacity model, in which these gaps have a random nature and follow negative exponential distribution and by conducting this analysis (also has been used by Sigloch), some relations were obtained for determining the capacity of the roundabouts according to the impact of circulating volume and drivers’ behaviour. The results indicate that the maximum capacity of the roundabouts in the microscopic models is equal to 2400 veh/h, when the circulating flow rate is reached zero. Moreover, according to the obtained capacity model, the circulating flow never falls down to zero in the case that it reaches its peak value.

Heavy Metal Contents and Physical Parameters of Aegiceras corniculatum, Brassica juncea, and Litchi chinensis Honeys from Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Sarker, Nandita; Chowdhury, Muhammed Alamgir Zaman; Fakhruddin, Abu Naieum Muhammad; Fardous, Zeenath; Moniruzzaman, Mohammed; Gan, Siew Hua

2015-01-01

The present study was undertaken to determine the heavy metal levels and the physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and ash, moisture, and total sugar content) of honeys from Bangladesh. Three different floral honeys were investigated, namely, khalsi (Aegiceras corniculatum), mustard (Brassica juncea), and litchi (Litchi chinensis) honeys. The heavy metals in the honeys were determined by using a High Temperature Dry Oxidation method followed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The mean pH, EC, and ash, moisture, and total sugar contents of the investigated honeys were 3.6, 0.51 mS/cm, 0.18%, 18.83%, and 68.30%, respectively. Iron was the most abundant among all the investigated heavy metals, ranging from 13.51 to 15.44 mg/kg. The mean concentrations of Mn and Zn in the investigated honeys were 0.28 mg/kg and 2.99 mg/kg, respectively. Cd was below the detection limit, and lead was found in some honey samples, but their contents were below the recommended Maximum Acceptable Level. Cr was also found in all of the samples, but its concentration was within the limit. The physicochemical analysis of the honey samples yielded levels within the limits set by the international honey legislation, indicating that the honey samples were of good quality and had acceptable values for maturity, purity, and freshness. PMID:26618176

Heavy Metal Contents and Physical Parameters of Aegiceras corniculatum, Brassica juncea, and Litchi chinensis Honeys from Bangladesh.

PubMed

Sarker, Nandita; Chowdhury, Muhammed Alamgir Zaman; Fakhruddin, Abu Naieum Muhammad; Fardous, Zeenath; Moniruzzaman, Mohammed; Gan, Siew Hua

2015-01-01

The present study was undertaken to determine the heavy metal levels and the physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and ash, moisture, and total sugar content) of honeys from Bangladesh. Three different floral honeys were investigated, namely, khalsi (Aegiceras corniculatum), mustard (Brassica juncea), and litchi (Litchi chinensis) honeys. The heavy metals in the honeys were determined by using a High Temperature Dry Oxidation method followed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The mean pH, EC, and ash, moisture, and total sugar contents of the investigated honeys were 3.6, 0.51 mS/cm, 0.18%, 18.83%, and 68.30%, respectively. Iron was the most abundant among all the investigated heavy metals, ranging from 13.51 to 15.44 mg/kg. The mean concentrations of Mn and Zn in the investigated honeys were 0.28 mg/kg and 2.99 mg/kg, respectively. Cd was below the detection limit, and lead was found in some honey samples, but their contents were below the recommended Maximum Acceptable Level. Cr was also found in all of the samples, but its concentration was within the limit. The physicochemical analysis of the honey samples yielded levels within the limits set by the international honey legislation, indicating that the honey samples were of good quality and had acceptable values for maturity, purity, and freshness.

Daily intake and hazard index of parabens based upon 24 h urine samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank from 1995 to 2012.

PubMed

Moos, Rebecca K; Apel, Petra; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Brüning, Thomas; Koch, Holger M

2017-11-01

In recent years, exposure to parabens has become more of a concern because of evidence of ubiquitous exposure in the general population, combined with evidence of their potency as endocrine disruptors. New human metabolism data from oral exposure experiments enable us to back calculate daily paraben intakes from urinary paraben levels. We report daily intakes (DIs) for six parabens based on 660 24 h urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank collected between 1995 and 2012. Median DI values ranged between 1.1 μg/kg bw/day for iso-butyl paraben and 47.5 μg/kg bw/day for methyl paraben. The calculated DIs were compared with acceptable levels of exposure to evaluate the hazard quotients (HQs) that indicate that acceptable exposure is exceeded for values of >1. Approximately 5% of our study population exceeded this threshold for individual paraben exposure. The hazard index (HI) that takes into account the cumulative risk of adverse estrogenic effects was 1.3 at the 95th percentile and 4.4 at maximum intakes, mainly driven by n-propyl paraben exposure. HI values of >1 indicate some level of concern. However, we have to point out that we applied most conservative assumptions in the HQ/HI calculations. Also, major exposure reduction measures were enacted in the European Union after 2012.

Poster - 47: A parametrized prediction model of rectal toxicity in focal SBRT of low risk prostate cancer

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

Stevens, Todd; Bauman, Glenn

There has been a recent trend towards watchful waiting in place of intervention for early stage prostate cancer (CaP). However, this approach can allow for disease progression, and subsequent whole-gland therapies such as prostatectomy and whole gland irradiation can result in functional deficits or rectal toxicities or both. A controversial alternative approach for this patient cohort is the use of focal therapy, where the treatment is focussed on an identified dominant index lesion (DIL). This work aims to investigate the treatment parameters for focal SBRT of the prostate under which clinically acceptable rectal NTCP levels can be achieved. For eachmore » of 25 low risk CaP patients, a hypothetical 2 cc DIL was modeled in the right-posterior quadrant of the prostate, and was used to build a PTV as the target for SBRT simulation. An SBRT prescriptions of 41 Gy and 37 Gy in 5 fractions were chosen, corresponding to the boost levels used in previous CaP dose escalation studies. DVH data were exported and used to calculate rectal NTCP values based on the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) model using the QUANTEC reccommended model parameters. Rectal NTCP dependence on DIL-to-rectum separation, dose level, and DIL volume were investigated. The final goal of this ongoing work is to create a map of the maximum allowable prescription dose for a given patient geometry that achieves a clinically acceptable rectal NTCP level.« less

14 CFR 35.24 - Strength.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... STANDARDS: PROPELLERS Design and Construction § 35.24 Strength. The maximum stresses developed in the propeller may not exceed values acceptable to the Administrator considering the particular form of...

An evaluation of the emerging interventions against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)-associated acute lower respiratory infections in children.

PubMed

Nair, Harish; Verma, Vasundhara R; Theodoratou, Evropi; Zgaga, Lina; Huda, Tanvir; Simões, Eric A F; Wright, Peter F; Rudan, Igor; Campbell, Harry

2011-04-13

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in children. It is estimated to cause approximately 33.8 million new episodes of ALRI in children annually, 96% of these occurring in developing countries. It is also estimated to result in about 53,000 to 199,000 deaths annually in young children. Currently there are several vaccine and immunoprophylaxis candidates against RSV in the developmental phase targeting active and passive immunization. We used a modified CHNRI methodology for setting priorities in health research investments. This was done in two stages. In Stage I, we systematically reviewed the literature related to emerging vaccines against RSV relevant to 12 criteria of interest. In Stage II, we conducted an expert opinion exercise by inviting 20 experts (leading basic scientists, international public health researchers, international policy makers and representatives of pharmaceutical companies). The policy makers and industry representatives accepted our invitation on the condition of anonymity, due to the sensitive nature of their involvement in such exercises. They answered questions from the CHNRI framework and their "collective optimism" towards each criterion was documented on a scale from 0 to 100%. In the case of candidate vaccines for active immunization of infants against RSV, the experts expressed very low levels of optimism for low product cost, affordability and low cost of development; moderate levels of optimism regarding the criteria of answerability, likelihood of efficacy, deliverability, sustainability and acceptance to end users for the interventions; and high levels of optimism regarding impact on equity and acceptance to health workers. While considering the candidate vaccines targeting pregnant women, the panel expressed low levels of optimism for low product cost, affordability, answerability and low development cost; moderate levels of optimism for likelihood of efficacy, deliverability, sustainability and impact on equity; high levels of optimism regarding acceptance to end users and health workers. The group also evaluated immunoprophylaxis against RSV using monoclonal antibodies and expressed no optimism towards low product cost; very low levels of optimism regarding deliverability, affordability, sustainability, low implementation cost and impact on equity; moderate levels of optimism against the criteria of answerability, likelihood of efficacy, acceptance to end-users and health workers; and high levels of optimism regarding low development cost. They felt that either of these vaccines would have a high impact on reducing burden of childhood ALRI due to RSV and reduce the overall childhood ALRI burden by a maximum of about 10%. Although monoclonal antibodies have proven to be effective in providing protection to high-risk infants, their introduction in resource poor settings might be limited by high cost associated with them. Candidate vaccines for active immunization of infants against RSV hold greatest promise. Introduction of a low cost vaccine against RSV would reduce the inequitable distribution of burden due to childhood ALRI and will most likely have a high impact on morbidity and mortality due to severe ALRI.

Water- and wastewater-related disease and infection risks: what is an appropriate value for the maximum tolerable additional burden of disease?

PubMed

Mara, Duncan

2011-06-01

The maximum additional burden of water- and wastewater-related disease of 10-6 disability-adjusted life year (DALY) loss per person per year (pppy), used in the WHO Drinking-water Quality Guidelines and the WHO Guidelines for Wastewater Use in Agriculture, is based on US EPA'S acceptance of a 70-year lifetime waterborne cancer risk of 10(-5) per person, equivalent to an annual risk of 1.4x10(-7) per person which is four orders of magnitude lower than the actual all-cancer incidence in the USA in 2009 of 1.8x10(-3) pppy. A maximum additional burden of 10(-4) DALY loss pppy would reduce this risk to a more cost-effective, but still low, risk of 1.4x10(-5) pppy. It would increase the DALY loss pppy in low- and middle-income countries due to diarrhoeal diseases from the current level of 0.0119 pppy to 0.0120 pppy, and that due to ascariasis from 0.0026 pppy to 0.0027 pppy, but neither increase is of public-health significance. It is therefore recommended that the maximum additional burden of disease from these activities be increased to a DALY loss of 10(-4) pppy as this provides an adequate margin of public-health safety in relation to waterborne-cancer deaths, diarrhoeal disease and ascariasis in all countries.

The CMS High Level Trigger System: Experience and Future Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, G.; Behrens, U.; Bowen, M.; Branson, J.; Bukowiec, S.; Cittolin, S.; Coarasa, J. A.; Deldicque, C.; Dobson, M.; Dupont, A.; Erhan, S.; Flossdorf, A.; Gigi, D.; Glege, F.; Gomez-Reino, R.; Hartl, C.; Hegeman, J.; Holzner, A.; Hwong, Y. L.; Masetti, L.; Meijers, F.; Meschi, E.; Mommsen, R. K.; O'Dell, V.; Orsini, L.; Paus, C.; Petrucci, A.; Pieri, M.; Polese, G.; Racz, A.; Raginel, O.; Sakulin, H.; Sani, M.; Schwick, C.; Shpakov, D.; Simon, S.; Spataru, A. C.; Sumorok, K.

2012-12-01

The CMS experiment at the LHC features a two-level trigger system. Events accepted by the first level trigger, at a maximum rate of 100 kHz, are read out by the Data Acquisition system (DAQ), and subsequently assembled in memory in a farm of computers running a software high-level trigger (HLT), which selects interesting events for offline storage and analysis at a rate of order few hundred Hz. The HLT algorithms consist of sequences of offline-style reconstruction and filtering modules, executed on a farm of 0(10000) CPU cores built from commodity hardware. Experience from the operation of the HLT system in the collider run 2010/2011 is reported. The current architecture of the CMS HLT, its integration with the CMS reconstruction framework and the CMS DAQ, are discussed in the light of future development. The possible short- and medium-term evolution of the HLT software infrastructure to support extensions of the HLT computing power, and to address remaining performance and maintenance issues, are discussed.

Forecasting Caspian Sea level changes using satellite altimetry data (June 1992-December 2013) based on evolutionary support vector regression algorithms and gene expression programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imani, Moslem; You, Rey-Jer; Kuo, Chung-Yen

2014-10-01

Sea level forecasting at various time intervals is of great importance in water supply management. Evolutionary artificial intelligence (AI) approaches have been accepted as an appropriate tool for modeling complex nonlinear phenomena in water bodies. In the study, we investigated the ability of two AI techniques: support vector machine (SVM), which is mathematically well-founded and provides new insights into function approximation, and gene expression programming (GEP), which is used to forecast Caspian Sea level anomalies using satellite altimetry observations from June 1992 to December 2013. SVM demonstrates the best performance in predicting Caspian Sea level anomalies, given the minimum root mean square error (RMSE = 0.035) and maximum coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.96) during the prediction periods. A comparison between the proposed AI approaches and the cascade correlation neural network (CCNN) model also shows the superiority of the GEP and SVM models over the CCNN.

Application of a prospective model for calculating worker exposure due to the air pathway for operations in a laboratory.

PubMed

Grimbergen, T W M; Wiegman, M M

2007-01-01

In order to arrive at recommendations for guidelines on maximum allowable quantities of radioactive material in laboratories, a proposed mathematical model was used for the calculation of transfer fractions for the air pathway. A set of incident scenarios was defined, including spilling, leakage and failure of the fume hood. For these 'common incidents', dose constraints of 1 mSv and 0.1 mSv are proposed in case the operations are being performed in a controlled area and supervised area, respectively. In addition, a dose constraint of 1 microSv is proposed for each operation under regular working conditions. Combining these dose constraints and the transfer fractions calculated with the proposed model, maximum allowable quantities were calculated for different laboratory operations and situations. Provided that the calculated transfer fractions can be experimentally validated and the dose constraints are acceptable, it can be concluded from the results that the dose constraint for incidents is the most restrictive one. For non-volatile materials this approach leads to quantities much larger than commonly accepted. In those cases, the results of the calculations in this study suggest that limitation of the quantity of radioactive material, which can be handled safely, should be based on other considerations than the inhalation risks. Examples of such considerations might be the level of external exposure, uncontrolled spread of radioactive material by surface contamination, emissions in the environment and severe accidents like fire.

33 CFR 154.2100 - Vapor control system, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... be constructed to acceptable engineering standards and have the appropriate mechanical strength to... hazards, sources of ignition, and mechanical damage to the maximum practicable extent. Each remaining...

5 CFR 531.409 - Acceptable level of competence determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Acceptable level of competence... REGULATIONS PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE Within-Grade Increases § 531.409 Acceptable level of competence... delegated shall determine which employees are performing at an acceptable level of competence. (b) Basis for...

A Human Mixture Risk Assessment for Neurodevelopmental Toxicity Associated with Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Used as Flame Retardants

PubMed Central

Martin, Olwenn V.; Evans, Richard M.; Faust, Michael

2017-01-01

Background: The European Food Safety Authority recently concluded that the exposure of small children (1–3 y old) to brominated diphenyl ether (BDE)-99 may exceed acceptable levels defined in relation to neurodevelopmental toxicity in rodents. The flame retardant BDE-209 may release BDE-99 and other lower brominated BDEs through biotic and abiotic degradation, and all age groups are exposed not only to BDE-209 and -99 but also to a cocktail of BDE congeners with evidence of neurodevelopmental toxicity. The possible risks from combined exposures to these substances have not been evaluated. Objectives: We performed a congener-specific mixture risk assessment (MRA) of human exposure to combinations of BDE-209 and other BDEs based on estimated exposures via diet and dust intake and on measured levels in biologic samples. Methods: We employed the Hazard Index (HI) method by using BDE congener-specific reference doses for neurodevelopmental toxicity. Results: Our HI analysis suggests that combined exposures to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) may exceed acceptable levels in breastfeeding infants (0–3 mo old) and in small children (1–3 y old), even for moderate (vs. high) exposure scenarios. Our estimates also suggest that acceptable levels of combined PBDEs may be exceeded in adults whose diets are high in fish. Small children had the highest combined exposures, with some estimated body burdens that were similar to body burdens associated with developmental neurotoxicity in rodents. Conclusions: Our estimates corroborate reports from several recent epidemiological studies of associations between PBDE exposures and neurobehavioral outcomes, and they support the inclusion of BDE-209 in the persistent organic pollutant (POP) convention as well as the need for strategies to reduce exposures to PBDE mixtures, including maximum residue limits for PBDEs in food and measures for limiting the release of PBDEs from consumer waste. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP826 PMID:28886598

Acceptance of illness and satisfaction with life among malaria patients in rivers state, Nigeria

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Health condition is one of the basic factors affecting satisfaction with life, and the level of illness acceptance. The purpose of the study was to analyse the level of illness acceptance, the level of satisfaction with life among malaria patients, and the level of trust placed in the physician and the nurse. Methods The study employs the method of diagnostic survey based on standardised AIS and SWLS scales, as well as Anderson and Dedrick’s PPTS and PNTS scales. Results The average AIS level was 12 points, while the average level of SwL at the SWLS scale was 16.5 points. The average level of trust in the physician and the nurse amounted to 50.6 points and 51.4 points, respectively. The correlation between the level of illness acceptance and self-evaluated satisfaction with life was statistically significant, with R = 0.56. The marital status influenced the level of illness acceptance with p < 0.05 and the level of satisfaction with life with p < 0.05. The employment status affected the level of satisfaction with life with p < 0.05 and the level of illness acceptance with p < 0.05. Conclusions The majority of malaria patients did not accept their illness, while the level of satisfaction with life was low. The majority of respondents trusted their physician and nurse. There is a statistically significant correlation between the level of illness acceptance and the self-evaluated satisfaction with life. The marital status had a statistically significant effect on the acceptance of illness and the satisfaction with life. The individuals who had a job demonstrated higher levels of quality of life and illness acceptance. PMID:24885562

Acceptance of illness and satisfaction with life among malaria patients in rivers state, Nigeria.

PubMed

Van Damme-Ostapowicz, Katarzyna; Krajewska-Kułak, Elżbieta; Nwosu, Paul J C; Kułak, Wojciech; Sobolewski, Marek; Olszański, Romuald

2014-05-03

Health condition is one of the basic factors affecting satisfaction with life, and the level of illness acceptance. The purpose of the study was to analyse the level of illness acceptance, the level of satisfaction with life among malaria patients, and the level of trust placed in the physician and the nurse. The study employs the method of diagnostic survey based on standardised AIS and SWLS scales, as well as Anderson and Dedrick's PPTS and PNTS scales. The average AIS level was 12 points, while the average level of SwL at the SWLS scale was 16.5 points. The average level of trust in the physician and the nurse amounted to 50.6 points and 51.4 points, respectively. The correlation between the level of illness acceptance and self-evaluated satisfaction with life was statistically significant, with R = 0.56. The marital status influenced the level of illness acceptance with p < 0.05 and the level of satisfaction with life with p < 0.05. The employment status affected the level of satisfaction with life with p < 0.05 and the level of illness acceptance with p < 0.05. The majority of malaria patients did not accept their illness, while the level of satisfaction with life was low. The majority of respondents trusted their physician and nurse. There is a statistically significant correlation between the level of illness acceptance and the self-evaluated satisfaction with life. The marital status had a statistically significant effect on the acceptance of illness and the satisfaction with life. The individuals who had a job demonstrated higher levels of quality of life and illness acceptance.

Item analysis of examinations in the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis.

PubMed

Hermi, Amene; Achour, Wafa

2016-04-01

Introduction Item analysis is the process of collecting, summarizing and using information from students' responses to assess test items' quality. This study used this approach to evaluate the quality of items and examinations given in the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis (FMT).    Methods This study concerned the examinations of 2012-2013 (principal session). It analyzed 3138 items from 66 examinations, of which, 46 were multidisciplinary (187 disciplines). A total of 2515 students took the examinations. "AnItem.xls" file was used for the analysis that focused on difficulty, discrimination and internal consistency.  Results Mean difficulty for all examinations was optimum (mean difficulty index: 0.59). Majority of items (89.17%) were either easy or of acceptable difficulty. Mean discrimination for all examinations was moderate (mean item discrimination coefficient: 0.28) with poor discrimination in 23.62% of items. Maximal discrimination occurred with disciplines of difficulty index between 0.4-0.6. « Ideal » items represented 27.02%. Mean internal consistency for all examinations was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha: 0.79). Disciplines with nonacceptable internal consistency (68.45%) contained a maximum of 33 items (each one) and a positive correlation between their alpha and the number of their questions. Distributions were mostly (72.73%) platykurtic and negatively asymmetric (89.39%). First year of studies had the best parameters. Conclusion Our examinations had an acceptable internal consistency, and a good level of difficulty and discrimination. They tended to facility and discriminated basically students of medium level. Item analysis is useful as a guide to item writers to improve the overall quality of questions in the future.

Enhancement of the folate content in Egyptian pita bread.

PubMed

Hefni, Mohammed; Witthöft, Cornelia M

2012-01-01

Egypt has a high incidence of neural tube defects related to folate deficiency. One major food source for folate is pita (baladi) bread, which is consumed daily. Bioprocessing (e.g. germination) has been reported to increase the folate content in cereals. The aim was to produce pita bread with increased folate content using germinated wheat flour (GWF). Prior to milling the effects of germination and drying conditions on folate content in wheat grains were studied. Pita bread was baked from wheat flour substituted with different levels of GWF. The folate content in dough and bread and rheological properties of dough were determined. Germination of wheat grains resulted in, depending on temperature, 3- to 4-fold higher folate content with a maximum of 61 µg/100 g DM (dry matter). The folate content in both flour and bread increased 1.5 to 4-fold depending on the level of flour replacement with GWF. Pita bread baked with 50% sieved GWF was acceptable with respect to colour and layer separation, and had a folate content of 50 µg/100 g DM compared with 30 µg/100 g DM in conventional pita bread (0% GWF). Using 50% GWF, pita bread with increased folate content, acceptable for the Egyptian consumer, was produced. Consumption of this bread would increase the average daily folate intake by 75 µg.

Utilization of concentrated cheese whey for the production of protein concentrate fuel alcohol and alcoholic beverages

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

Krishnamurti, R.

The objective of this investigation was to recover the major components of whey and to develop food applications for their incorporation/conversion into acceptable products of commercial value. Reconstituted dried sweet whey with 36% solids was ultrafiltered to yield a protein concentrate (WPC) and a permeate containing 24% lactose and 3.7% ash. Orange juice fortified up to 2.07% and chocolate milks fortified up to 5.88% total protein levels with WPC containing 45% total protein were acceptable to about 90% of a panel of 24 individuals. Fermentation of demineralized permeate at 30/sup 0/C with Kluyveromyces fragilis NRRL Y 2415 adapted to 24%more » lactose levels, led to 13.7% (v/v) ethanol in the medium at the end of 34 hours. Batch productivity was 3.2 gms. ethanol per liter per hour and conversion efficiency was 84.26% of the theoretical maximum. Alcoholic fermentation of permeate and subsequent distillation produced compounds with desirable aroma characters in such products. This study suggests that there is potential for the production of protein fortified non-alcoholic products and alcoholic beverages of commercial value from whey, thus providing a cost effective solution to the whey utilization problem.« less

Optimization of Culture Conditions for Enrichment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with Dl-α-Tocopherol by Response Surface Methodology.

PubMed

Mohajeri Amiri, Morteza; Fazeli, Mohammad Reza; Amini, Mohsen; Hayati Roodbari, Nasim; Samadi, Nasrin

2017-01-01

Designing enriched probiotic supplements may have some advantages including protection of probiotic microorganism from oxidative destruction, improving enzyme activity of the gastrointestinal tract, and probably increasing half-life of micronutrient. In this study Saccharomyces cerevisiae enriched with dl-α-tocopherol was produced as an accumulator and transporter of a lipid soluble vitamin for the first time. By using one variable at the time screening studies, three independent variables were selected. Optimization of the level of dl-α-tocopherol entrapment in S. cerevisiae cells was performed by using Box-Behnken design via design expert software. A modified quadratic polynomial model appropriately fit the data. The convex shape of three-dimensional plots reveal that we could calculate the optimal point of the response in the range of parameters. The optimum points of independent parameters to maximize the response were dl-α-tocopherol initial concentration of 7625.82 µg/mL, sucrose concentration of 6.86 % w/v, and shaking speed of 137.70 rpm. Under these conditions, the maximum level of dl-α-tocopherol in dry cell weight of S. cerevisiae was 5.74 µg/g. The resemblance between the R-squared and adjusted R-squared and acceptable value of C.V% revealed acceptability and accuracy of the model.

Effects of inspiratory and expiratory resistance in divers' breathing apparatus.

PubMed

Warkander, D E; Nagasawa, G K; Lundgren, C E

2001-01-01

This study was performed to determine if inspiratory breathing resistance causes greater or smaller changes than expiratory resistance. Unacceptable inspiratory resistances were also determined. Five subjects exercised at 60% of their VO2max while immersed in a hyperbaric chamber. The chamber was pressurized to either 147 kPa (1.45 atm abs, 4.5 msw, 15 fsw) or 690 kPa (6.8 atm abs, 57 msw, 190 fsw). Breathing resistance was imposed on the inspiratory or expiratory side and was as high as 0.8-1.2 kPa liter(-1) x s(-1) (8-12 cm H2O x liter(-1) x s(-1)) at a flow of 2-3 liter x s(-1) at 1 atm abs., the other side being unloaded. The subjects reacted to the imposed load by prolonging the phase of breathing that was loaded. Inspiratory breathing resistance caused greater changes than expiratory resistance in end-tidal CO2, dyspnea scores, maximum voluntary ventilation, and respiratory duty cycle. Using previously published criteria for acceptable levels of dyspnea scores and the CO2 levels, we found that an inspiratory resistance inducing a volume-averaged pressure of 1.5 kPa is not acceptable. Similarly, an expiratory resistance should not induce a volume-averaged pressure exceeding 2.0 kPa

40 CFR 141.66 - Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for... Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.66 Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a) [Reserved] (b) MCL for combined radium-226 and -228. The maximum...

40 CFR 141.66 - Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for... Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.66 Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a) [Reserved] (b) MCL for combined radium-226 and -228. The maximum...

40 CFR 141.66 - Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for... Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.66 Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a) [Reserved] (b) MCL for combined radium-226 and -228. The maximum...

40 CFR 141.66 - Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for... Regulations: Maximum Contaminant Levels and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels § 141.66 Maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a) [Reserved] (b) MCL for combined radium-226 and -228. The maximum...

Implementation of test for quality assurance in nuclear medicine gamma camera

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

Montoya Moreno, A.; Rodriguez Laguna, A.; Trujillo Zamudio, Flavio E

2012-10-23

In nuclear medicine (NM) over 90% of procedures are performed for diagnostic purposes. To ensure adequate diagnostic quality of images and the optimization of the doses received by patients originated from the radioactive material is essential for regular monitoring and equipment performance through a quality assurance program (QAP). The QAP consists of 15 proposed performance tomographic and not tomographic gamma camera (GC) tests, and is based on recommendations of international organizations. We describe some results of the performance parameters of QAP applied to a GC model e.cam Siemens, of the Department of NM of the National Cancer Institute of Mexicomore » (INCan). The results were: (1) The average intrinsic spatial resolution (R{sub in}) was 4.67 {+-} 0.25 mm at the limit of acceptance criterion of 4.4 mm. (2) The sensitivity extrinsic (S{sub ext}), with maximum variations of 1.8% (less than 2% which is the criterion of acceptance). (3) Rotational Uniformity (U{sub rot}), with values of integral uniformity (IU) in the useful field of view detector (UFOV), with maximum percentage change of 0.97% and monthly variations equal angles, ranging from 0.13 to 0.99% less than 1%. (4) The displacement of the center of rotation (DCOR), indicated a maximum deviation of 0.155 {+-} 0.039 mm less than 4.795 mm, an absolute deviation of less than 0.5 where pixel 0.085 pixel is suggested, the criteria are assigned to low-energy collimator high resolution. (5) In tomographic uniformity (U{sub tomo}), UI values (%) and percentage noise level (rms%) were 7.54 {+-} 1.53 and 4.18 {+-} 1.69 which are consistent with the limits of acceptance of 7.0-12.0% and 3.0-6.0% respectively. The smallest cold sphere has a diameter of 11.4 mm. The implementation of a QAP allows for high quality diagnostic images, optimization of the doses given to patients, a reduction of exposure to occupationally exposed workers (POE, by its Spanish acronym), and generally improves the productivity of the service. This proposal can be used to develop a similar QAP in other facilities and may serve as a precedent for the proposed regulations for quality assurance (QA) teams in MN.« less

Clinical evaluation of a dressing with poly absorbent fibres and a silver matrix for managing chronic wounds at risk of infection: a non comparative trial.

PubMed

Dalac, S; Sigal, L; Addala, A; Chahim, M; Faivre-Carrere, C; Lemdjadi, Z; Bohbot, S

2016-09-01

To assess the efficacy, safety and acceptability of a new silver poly absorbent dressing (UrgoCleanAg) in the local management of exudative chronic wounds at risk of infection, with inflammatory signs suggesting heavy bacterial load. This prospective, multicentre, non-comparative clinical trial was conducted in French hospital wards (dermatology and vascular medicine) or specialised private-practice physicians. Patients were considered at high-risk of infection when presenting with at least three of five selected inflammatory clinical signs, suggesting a heavy bacterial load (pain between two dressing changes, erythema, oedema, malodorous wound and presence of a heavy exudate). They were treated for a maximum period of four weeks, and followed by the physician on a weekly basis, including a clinical examination, area tracings and photographs. The primary efficacy criterion of the trial was the relative wound surface area reduction at the end of the four weeks of treatment. Acceptability was documented by the nursing staff at each dressing change between the weekly evaluations. We recruited 37 patients with chronic wounds. Wound surface area, mostly covered by sloughy tissue, was reduced by 32.5% at the end of the treatment (median value), while the clinical score (maximum value of 5, based on inflammatory clinical signs) decreased from 4.0 to 2.0. Effective debridement properties were documented (62.5% relative reduction of sloughy tissue at week 4; 58.8% of debrided wounds at week 4) and improvement of the periwound skin status was noted (healthy for 28.6% of the patients at week 4 versus 2.7% at baseline). In addition, the tested wound dressing presented a good safety profile associated to a high level of acceptability, noted by both patients and nursing staff. These clinical data support that the tested dressing is a credible therapeutic alternative for the management of chronic wounds at risk of infection with inflammatory signs suggesting heavy bacterial load.

Testing students' e-learning via Facebook through Bayesian structural equation modeling.

PubMed

Salarzadeh Jenatabadi, Hashem; Moghavvemi, Sedigheh; Wan Mohamed Radzi, Che Wan Jasimah Bt; Babashamsi, Parastoo; Arashi, Mohammad

2017-01-01

Learning is an intentional activity, with several factors affecting students' intention to use new learning technology. Researchers have investigated technology acceptance in different contexts by developing various theories/models and testing them by a number of means. Although most theories/models developed have been examined through regression or structural equation modeling, Bayesian analysis offers more accurate data analysis results. To address this gap, the unified theory of acceptance and technology use in the context of e-learning via Facebook are re-examined in this study using Bayesian analysis. The data (S1 Data) were collected from 170 students enrolled in a business statistics course at University of Malaya, Malaysia, and tested with the maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. The difference between the two methods' results indicates that performance expectancy and hedonic motivation are the strongest factors influencing the intention to use e-learning via Facebook. The Bayesian estimation model exhibited better data fit than the maximum likelihood estimator model. The results of the Bayesian and maximum likelihood estimator approaches are compared and the reasons for the result discrepancy are deliberated.

Research to Support the Determination of Spacecraft Maximum Acceptable Concentrations of Potential Atmospheric Contaminants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orr, John L.

1997-01-01

In many ways, the typical approach to the handling of bibliographic material for generating review articles and similar manuscripts has changed little since the use of xerographic reproduction has become widespread. The basic approach is to collect reprints of the relevant material and place it in folders or stacks based on its dominant content. As the amount of information available increases with the passage of time, the viability of this mechanical approach to bibliographic management decreases. The personal computer revolution has changed the way we deal with many familiar tasks. For example, word processing on personal computers has supplanted the typewriter for many applications. Similarly, spreadsheets have not only replaced many routine uses of calculators but have also made possible new applications because the cost of calculation is extremely low. Objective The objective of this research was to use personal computer bibliographic software technology to support the determination of spacecraft maximum acceptable concentration (SMAC) values. Specific Aims The specific aims were to produce draft SMAC documents for hydrogen sulfide and tetrachloroethylene taking maximum advantage of the bibliographic software.

Testing students’ e-learning via Facebook through Bayesian structural equation modeling

PubMed Central

Moghavvemi, Sedigheh; Wan Mohamed Radzi, Che Wan Jasimah Bt; Babashamsi, Parastoo; Arashi, Mohammad

2017-01-01

Learning is an intentional activity, with several factors affecting students’ intention to use new learning technology. Researchers have investigated technology acceptance in different contexts by developing various theories/models and testing them by a number of means. Although most theories/models developed have been examined through regression or structural equation modeling, Bayesian analysis offers more accurate data analysis results. To address this gap, the unified theory of acceptance and technology use in the context of e-learning via Facebook are re-examined in this study using Bayesian analysis. The data (S1 Data) were collected from 170 students enrolled in a business statistics course at University of Malaya, Malaysia, and tested with the maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. The difference between the two methods’ results indicates that performance expectancy and hedonic motivation are the strongest factors influencing the intention to use e-learning via Facebook. The Bayesian estimation model exhibited better data fit than the maximum likelihood estimator model. The results of the Bayesian and maximum likelihood estimator approaches are compared and the reasons for the result discrepancy are deliberated. PMID:28886019

30 CFR 7.66 - Output energy test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Multiple-Shot Blasting Units § 7.66 Output energy... load between 3 ohms and the maximum blasting circuit resistance. (3) One ohm. (b) Acceptable...

30 CFR 7.66 - Output energy test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Multiple-Shot Blasting Units § 7.66 Output energy... load between 3 ohms and the maximum blasting circuit resistance. (3) One ohm. (b) Acceptable...

30 CFR 7.66 - Output energy test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Multiple-Shot Blasting Units § 7.66 Output energy... load between 3 ohms and the maximum blasting circuit resistance. (3) One ohm. (b) Acceptable...

30 CFR 7.66 - Output energy test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Multiple-Shot Blasting Units § 7.66 Output energy... load between 3 ohms and the maximum blasting circuit resistance. (3) One ohm. (b) Acceptable...

30 CFR 7.66 - Output energy test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Multiple-Shot Blasting Units § 7.66 Output energy... load between 3 ohms and the maximum blasting circuit resistance. (3) One ohm. (b) Acceptable...

An evaluation of respiratory administration of measles vaccine for prevention of acute lower respiratory infections in children.

PubMed

Higginson, Daisy; Theodoratou, Evropi; Nair, Harish; Huda, Tanvir; Zgaga, Lina; Jadhav, Suresh S; Omer, Saad B; Rudan, Igor; Campbell, Harry

2011-04-13

Measles was responsible for an estimated 100,000 deaths worldwide in 2008. Despite being a vaccine-preventable disease, measles remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young children. Although a safe and effective injectable measles vaccine has been available for over 50 years it has not been possible to achieve the uniformly high levels of coverage (required to achieve measles eradication) in most parts of the developing world. Aerosolised measles vaccines are now under development with the hope of challenging the delivery factors currently limiting the coverage of the existing vaccine. We used a modified CHNRI methodology for setting priorities in health research investments to assess the strengths and weaknesses of this emerging intervention to decrease the burden of childhood pneumonia. This was done in two stages. In Stage I, we systematically reviewed the literature related to emerging aerosol vaccines against measles relevant to several criteria of interest. Although there are a number of different aerosol vaccine approaches under development, for the purpose of this exercise, all were considered as one intervention. The criteria of interest were: answerability; cost of development, production and implementation; efficacy and effectiveness; deliverability, affordability and sustainability; maximum potential impact on disease burden reduction; acceptability to the end users and health workers; and effect on equity. In Stage II, we conducted an expert opinion exercise by inviting 20 experts (leading basic scientists, international public health researchers, international policy makers and representatives of pharmaceutical companies). The policy makers and industry representatives accepted our invitation on the condition of anonymity, due to the sensitive nature of their involvement in such exercises. They answered questions from the CHNRI framework and their "collective optimism" towards each criterion was documented on a scale from 0 to 100%. The panel of experts expressed mixed feelings about an aerosol measles vaccine. The group expressed low levels of optimism regarding the criteria of likelihood of efficacy and low cost of development (scores around 50%); moderate levels of optimism regarding answerability, low cost of production, low cost of implementation and affordability (score around 60%); and high levels of optimism regarding deliverability, impact on equity and acceptability to health workers and end-users (scores over 80%). Finally, the experts felt that this intervention will have a modest but nevertheless important impact on reduction of burden of disease due to childhood pneumonia (median: 5%, interquartile range 1-15%, minimum 0%, maximum 45%). Aerosol measles vaccine is at an advanced stage of development, with evidence of good immunogenicity. This new intervention will be presented as a feasible candidate strategy in the campaign for global elimination of measles. It also presents an unique opportunity to decrease the overall burden of disease due to severe pneumonia in young children.

Evaluation of performance, acceptance, and compliance of an auto-injector in healthy and rheumatoid arthritic subjects measured by a motion capture system.

PubMed

Xiao, Xiao; Li, Wei; Clawson, Corbin; Karvani, David; Sondag, Perceval; Hahn, James K

2018-01-01

The study aimed to develop a motion capture system that can track, visualize, and analyze the entire performance of self-injection with the auto-injector. Each of nine healthy subjects and 29 rheumatoid arthritic (RA) patients with different degrees of hand disability performed two simulated injections into an injection pad while six degrees of freedom (DOF) motions of the auto-injector and the injection pad were captured. We quantitatively measured the performance of the injection by calculating needle displacement from the motion trajectories. The max, mean, and SD of needle displacement were analyzed. Assessments of device acceptance and usability were evaluated by a survey questionnaire and independent observations of compliance with the device instruction for use (IFU). A total of 80 simulated injections were performed. Our results showed a similar level of performance among all the subjects with slightly larger, but not statistically significant, needle displacement in the RA group. In particular, no significant effects regarding previous experience in self-injection, grip method, pain in hand, and Cochin score in the RA group were found to have an impact on the mean needle displacement. Moreover, the analysis of needle displacement for different durations of injections indicated that most of the subjects reached their personal maximum displacement in 15 seconds and remained steady or exhibited a small amount of increase from 15 to 60 seconds. Device acceptance was high for most of the questions (ie, >4; >80%) based on a 0-5-point scale or percentage of acceptance. The overall compliance with the device IFU was high for the first injection (96.05%) and reached 98.02% for the second injection. We demonstrated the feasibility of tracking the motions of injection to measure the performance of simulated self-injection. The comparisons of needle displacement showed that even RA patients with severe hand disability could properly perform self-injection with this auto-injector at a similar level with the healthy subjects. Finally, the observed high device acceptance and compliance with device IFU suggest that the system is convenient and easy to use.

Prolonged post-hyperventilation apnea in two young adults with hyperventilation syndrome

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The prognosis of hyperventilation syndrome (HVS) is generally good. However, it is important to proceed with care when treating HVS because cases of death following hyperventilation have been reported. This paper was done to demonstrate the clinical risk of post-hyperventilation apnea (PHA) in patients with HVS. Case presentation We treated two patients with HVS who suffered from PHA. The first, a 21-year-old woman, had a maximum duration of PHA of about 3.5 minutes and an oxygen saturation (SpO2) level of 60%. The second patient, a 22-year-old woman, had a maximum duration of PHA of about 3 minutes and an SpO2 level of 66%. Both patients had loss of consciousness and cyanosis. Because there is no widely accepted regimen for treating patients with prolonged PHA related to HVS, we administered artificial ventilation to both patients using a bag mask and both recovered without any after effects. Conclusion These cases show that some patients with HVS develop prolonged PHA or severe hypoxia, which has been shown to lead to death in some cases. Proper treatment must be given to patients with HVS who develop PHA to protect against this possibility. If prolonged PHA or severe hypoxemia arises, respiratory assistance using a bag mask must be done immediately. PMID:23594702

Do fattening process and biological parameters affect the accumulation of metals in Atlantic bluefin tuna?

PubMed

Milatou, Niki; Dassenakis, Manos; Megalofonou, Persefoni

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the current levels of heavy metals and trace elements in Atlantic bluefin tuna muscle tissues and how they are influenced by the fattening process and various life history parameters to ascertain whether the concentrations in muscle tissue exceed the maximum levels defined by the European Commission Decision and to evaluate the health risk posed by fish consumption. A total of 20 bluefin tuna reared in sea cages, ranging from 160 to 295 cm in length and from 80 to 540 kg in weight, were sampled from a bluefin tuna farm in the Ionian Sea. The condition factor K of each specimen was calculated and their age was estimated. Heavy metal and trace element (Hg, Zn, Fe and Cu) contents were determined in muscle tissue using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry and flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The total Hg concentrations ranged from 0.28 to 1.28 mg kg(-1) w/w, Zn from 5.81 to 76.37 mg kg(-1) w/w, Fe from 12.14 to 39.58 mg kg(-1) w/w, and Cu from 0.36 to 0.94 mg kg(-1) w/w. Only 5% of the muscle samples of tuna contained Hg above the maximum level laid down by the European Commission Decision. Moreover, 15% of the muscle samples contained Zn above the maximum level, while Fe and Cu concentrations were within the acceptable tolerable guideline values. The reared bluefin tuna had lower concentrations of Hg than the wild ones from the Mediterranean Sea. Hg and Fe concentrations showed a positive relationship with size and age of bluefin tuna, whereas negative relationships were found for the concentrations of Zn and Cu. The estimated dietary intake values of the analysed metals were mostly below the derived guidelines.

40 CFR 141.55 - Maximum contaminant level goals for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant level goals for... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Level Goals and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goals § 141.55 Maximum contaminant level goals for radionuclides...

40 CFR 141.55 - Maximum contaminant level goals for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maximum contaminant level goals for... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Level Goals and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goals § 141.55 Maximum contaminant level goals for radionuclides...

ATLAS FTK a - very complex - custom super computer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, N.; ATLAS Collaboration

2016-10-01

In the LHC environment for high interaction pile-up, advanced techniques of analysing the data in real time are required in order to maximize the rate of physics processes of interest with respect to background processes. The Fast TracKer (FTK) is a track finding implementation at the hardware level that is designed to deliver full-scan tracks with pT above 1 GeV to the ATLAS trigger system for events passing the Level-1 accept (at a maximum rate of 100 kHz). In order to achieve this performance, a highly parallel system was designed and currently it is being commissioned within in ATLAS. Starting in 2016 it will provide tracks for the trigger system in a region covering the central part of the ATLAS detector, and will be extended to the full detector coverage. The system relies on matching hits coming from the silicon tracking detectors against one billion patterns stored in custom ASIC chips (Associative memory chip - AM06). In a first stage, coarse resolution hits are matched against the patterns and the accepted hits undergo track fitting implemented in FPGAs. Tracks with pT > 1GeV are delivered to the High Level Trigger within about 100 ps. Resolution of the tracks coming from FTK is close to the offline tracking and it will allow for reliable detection of primary and secondary vertexes at trigger level and improved trigger performance for b-jets and tau leptons. This contribution will give an overview of the FTK system and present the status of commissioning of the system. Additionally, the expected FTK performance will be briefly described.

Mercury concentrations in lean fish from the Western Mediterranean Sea: Dietary exposure and risk assessment in the population of the Balearic Islands.

PubMed

Llull, Rosa Maria; Garí, Mercè; Canals, Miquel; Rey-Maquieira, Teresa; Grimalt, Joan O

2017-10-01

The present study reports total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in 32 different lean fish species from the Western Mediterranean Sea, with a special focus on the Balearic Islands. The concentrations of THg ranged between 0.05mg/kg ww and 3.1mg/kg ww (mean 0.41mg/kg ww). A considerable number of the most frequently fish species consumed by the Spanish population exceed the maximum levels proposed by the European legislation when they originate from the Mediterranean Sea, such as dusky grouper (100% of the examined specimens), common dentex (65%), conger (45%), common sole (38%), hake (26%) and angler (15%), among others. The estimated weekly intakes (EWI) in children (7-12 years of age) and adults from the Spanish population (2.7µg/kg bw and 2.1µg/kg bw, respectively) for population only consuming Mediterranean fish were below the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of THg established by EFSA in 2012, 4µg/kg bw. However, the equivalent estimations for methylmercury, involving PTWI of 1.3µg/kg bw, were two times higher in children and above 50% in adults. For hake, sole, angler and dusky grouper, the most frequently consumed fish, the estimated weekly intakes in both children and adults were below the maximum levels accepted. These intakes correspond to maximum potential estimations because fish from non-Mediterranean origin is often consumed by the Spanish population including the one from the Balearic Islands. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of 2 Bedding Materials on Ammonia Levels in Individually Ventilated Cages

PubMed Central

Koontz, Jason M; Kumsher, David M; III, Richard Kelly; Stallings, Jonathan D

2016-01-01

This study sought to identify an optimal rodent bedding and cage-change interval to establish standard procedures for the IVC in our rodent vivarium. Disposable cages were prefilled with either corncob or α-cellulose bedding and were used to house 2 adult Sprague–Dawley rats (experimental condition) or contained no animals (control). Rats were observed and intracage ammonia levels measured daily for 21 d. Intracage ammonia accumulation became significant by day 8 in experimental cages containing α-cellulose bedding, whereas experimental cages containing corncob bedding did not reach detectable levels of ammonia until day 14. In all 3 experimental cages containing α-cellulose, ammonia exceeded 100 ppm (our maximum acceptable limit) by day 11. Two experimental corncob cages required changing at days 16 and 17, whereas the remaining cage containing corncob bedding lasted the entire 21 d without reaching the 100-ppm ammonia threshold. These data suggests that corncob bedding provides nearly twice the service life of α-cellulose bedding in the IVC system. PMID:26817976

Scaling Impacts in Life Support Architecture and Technology Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lange, Kevin

2016-01-01

For long-duration space missions outside of Earth orbit, reliability considerations will drive higher levels of redundancy and/or on-board spares for life support equipment. Component scaling will be a critical element in minimizing overall launch mass while maintaining an acceptable level of system reliability. Building on an earlier reliability study (AIAA 2012-3491), this paper considers the impact of alternative scaling approaches, including the design of technology assemblies and their individual components to maximum, nominal, survival, or other fractional requirements. The optimal level of life support system closure is evaluated for deep-space missions of varying duration using equivalent system mass (ESM) as the comparative basis. Reliability impacts are included in ESM by estimating the number of component spares required to meet a target system reliability. Common cause failures are included in the analysis. ISS and ISS-derived life support technologies are considered along with selected alternatives. This study focusses on minimizing launch mass, which may be enabling for deep-space missions.

Effect of 2 Bedding Materials on Ammonia Levels in Individually Ventilated Cages.

PubMed

Koontz, Jason M; Kumsher, David M; Kelly, Richard; Stallings, Jonathan D

2016-01-01

This study sought to identify an optimal rodent bedding and cage-change interval to establish standard procedures for the IVC in our rodent vivarium. Disposable cages were prefilled with either corncob or α-cellulose bedding and were used to house 2 adult Sprague-Dawley rats (experimental condition) or contained no animals (control). Rats were observed and intracage ammonia levels measured daily for 21 d. Intracage ammonia accumulation became significant by day 8 in experimental cages containing α-cellulose bedding, whereas experimental cages containing corncob bedding did not reach detectable levels of ammonia until day 14. In all 3 experimental cages containing α-cellulose, ammonia exceeded 100 ppm (our maximum acceptable limit) by day 11. Two experimental corncob cages required changing at days 16 and 17, whereas the remaining cage containing corncob bedding lasted the entire 21 d without reaching the 100-ppm ammonia threshold. These data suggests that corncob bedding provides nearly twice the service life of α-cellulose bedding in the IVC system.

Health risk assessment of air emissions from a municipal solid waste incineration plant--a case study.

PubMed

Cangialosi, Federico; Intini, Gianluca; Liberti, Lorenzo; Notarnicola, Michele; Stellacci, Paolo

2008-01-01

A health risk assessment of long-term emissions of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic air pollutants has been carried out for the municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) of the city of Taranto, Italy. Ground level air concentrations and soil deposition of carcinogenic (Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins/Furans and Cd) and non-carcinogenic (Pb and Hg) pollutants have been estimated using a well documented atmospheric dispersion model. Health risk values for air inhalation, dermal contact, soil and food ingestion have been calculated based on a combination of these concentrations and a matrix of environmental exposure factors. Exposure of the surrounding population has been addressed for different release scenarios based on four pollutants, four exposure pathways and two receptor groups (children and adults). Spatial risk distribution and cancer excess cases projected from plant emissions have been compared with background mortality records. Estimated results based on the MSWI emissions show: (1) individual risks well below maximum acceptable levels, (2) very small incremental cancer risk compared with background level.

Risk assessment of heavy metals in honey consumed in Zhejiang province, southeastern China.

PubMed

Ru, Qiao-Mei; Feng, Qiang; He, Jin-Zhe

2013-03-01

The levels of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) in eight types of honey collected in China were determined. The average concentrations of the six heavy metals in the honey samples were 46.18, 1329.5, 1.34, 33.98, 13.44, and 1.65 μg kg(-1), respectively. All these values were below the maximum allowable contaminant levels in foods (GB2762-2005) and honey (GB14963-2011) in China. The hazard quotients of individual heavy metals and the hazard index of all six heavy metals were far below one, indicating no chronic-toxic risk from these metals for the inhabitants of Zhejiang under the current consumption rates of honey. However, the carcinogenic risk of As for the female inhabitants in Zhejiang exceeded the acceptable level of 10(-4). Therefore, As is the most concerning heavy metal in honey. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of a proposed revision of the IESTI equation on the acute risk assessment conducted when setting maximum residue levels (MRLs) in the European Union (EU): A case study.

PubMed

Breysse, Nicolas; Vial, Gaelle; Pattingre, Lauriane; Ossendorp, Bernadette C; Mahieu, Karin; Reich, Hermine; Rietveld, Anton; Sieke, Christian; van der Velde-Koerts, Trijntje; Sarda, Xavier

2018-06-03

Proposals to update the methodology for the international estimated short-term intake (IESTI) equations were made during an international workshop held in Geneva in 2015. Changes to several parameters of the current four IESTI equations (cases 1, 2a, 2b, and 3) were proposed. In this study, the overall impact of these proposed changes on estimates of short-term exposure was studied using the large portion data available in the European Food Safety Authority PRIMo model and the residue data submitted in the framework of the European Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) review under Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. Evaluation of consumer exposure using the current and proposed equations resulted in substantial differences in the exposure estimates; however, there were no significant changes regarding the number of accepted MRLs. For the different IESTI cases, the median ratio of the new versus the current equation is 1.1 for case 1, 1.4 for case 2a, 0.75 for case 2b, and 1 for case 3. The impact, expressed as a shift in the IESTI distribution profile, indicated that the 95th percentile IESTI shifted from 50% of the acute reference dose (ARfD) with the current equations to 65% of the ARfD with the proposed equations. This IESTI increase resulted in the loss of 1.2% of the MRLs (37 out of 3110) tested within this study. At the same time, the proposed equations would have allowed 0.4% of the MRLs (14 out of 3110) that were rejected with the current equations to be accepted. The commodity groups that were most impacted by these modifications are solanacea (e.g., potato, eggplant), lettuces, pulses (dry), leafy brassica (e.g., kale, Chinese cabbage), and pome fruits. The active substances that were most affected were fluazifop-p-butyl, deltamethrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin.

Planar waveguide concentrator used with a seasonal tracker.

PubMed

Bouchard, Sébastien; Thibault, Simon

2012-10-01

Solar concentrators offer good promise for reducing the cost of solar power. Planar waveguides equipped with a microlens slab have already been proposed as an excellent approach to produce medium to high concentration levels. Instead, we suggest the use of a cylindrical microlens array to get useful concentration without tracking during the day. To use only a seasonal tracking system and get the highest possible concentration, cylindrical microlenses are placed in the east-west orientation. Our new design has an acceptance angle in the north-south direction of ±9° and ±54° in the east-west axis. Simulation of our optimized system achieves a 4.6× average concentration level from 8:30 to 16:30 with a maximum of 8.1× and 80% optical efficiency. The low-cost advantage of waveguide-based solar concentrators could support their use in roof-mounted solar panels and eliminate the need for an expensive and heavy active tracker.

Dynamic pushing on three frictional surfaces: maximum acceptable forces, cardiopulmonary and calf muscle metabolic responses in healthy men.

PubMed

Maikala, Rammohan V; Dempsey, Patrick G; Ciriello, Vincent M; O'Brien, Niall V

2009-06-01

Pushing is an important materials handling activity in many occupations; however, pushing-related physiological investigations are still in infancy. The purpose was to evaluate maximum acceptable forces and physiological responses while pushing on: treadmill (TREAD); plywood floor (PLY); and Teflon floor (TEF). Acceptable forces, cardiopulmonary and calf muscle oxygenation and blood volume responses were collected simultaneously while 12 men (age 39 +/- 13 years; height 178 +/- 6 cm; and body mass 91.5 +/- 16 kg) pushed for 2 h on each surface at their psychophysical workload. Participants selected higher forces on the PLY, resulting in higher pulmonary oxygen uptake compared to that of TEF (by approximately 9%) and TREAD (by approximately 18%). Pushing on the TEF demonstrated 50-56% lower blood volume changes and 1.5-1.8 times more oxygenation-force ratio than that for other surfaces. It is concluded that, to avoid a potential slip, participants were conservative in selecting acceptable forces to push on the slippery TEF. Part of this compensatory strategy on the TEF resulted in less muscle activity and, therefore, less demand for oxygen delivery to the calf muscle than for other surfaces. The present findings of significant force- and physiological-related differences in treadmill vs. high inertia pushcart clearly demonstrate that pushing experiments are essential to evaluate functional abilities of the workers.

Impact of natural gas extraction on PAH levels in ambient air.

PubMed

Paulik, L Blair; Donald, Carey E; Smith, Brian W; Tidwell, Lane G; Hobbie, Kevin A; Kincl, Laurel; Haynes, Erin N; Anderson, Kim A

2015-04-21

Natural gas extraction, often referred to as "fracking," has increased rapidly in the U.S. in recent years. To address potential health impacts, passive air samplers were deployed in a rural community heavily affected by the natural gas boom. Samplers were analyzed for 62 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Results were grouped based on distance from each sampler to the nearest active well. PAH levels were highest when samplers were closest to active wells. Additionally, PAH levels closest to natural gas activity were an order of magnitude higher than levels previously reported in rural areas. Sourcing ratios indicate that PAHs were predominantly petrogenic, suggesting that elevated PAH levels were influenced by direct releases from the earth. Quantitative human health risk assessment estimated the excess lifetime cancer risks associated with exposure to the measured PAHs. Closest to active wells, the risk estimated for maximum residential exposure was 2.9 in 10 000, which is above the U.S. EPA's acceptable risk level. Overall, risk estimates decreased 30% when comparing results from samplers closest to active wells to those farthest. This work suggests that natural gas extraction may be contributing significantly to PAHs in air, at levels that are relevant to human health.

Impact of natural gas extraction on Pah levels in ambient air

PubMed Central

Paulik, L. Blair; Donald, Carey E.; Smith, Brian W.; Tidwell, Lane G.; Hobbie, Kevin A.; Kincl, Laurel; Haynes, Erin N.; Anderson, Kim A.

2015-01-01

Natural gas extraction, often referred to as “fracking,” has increased rapidly in the U.S. in recent years. To address potential health impacts, passive air samplers were deployed in a rural community heavily affected by the natural gas boom. Samplers were analyzed for 62 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Results were grouped based on distance from each sampler to the nearest active well. PAH levels were highest when samplers were closest to active wells. Additionally, PAH levels closest to natural gas activity were an order of magnitude higher than levels previously reported in rural areas. Sourcing ratios indicate that PAHs were predominantly petrogenic, suggesting that elevated PAH levels were influenced by direct releases from the earth. Quantitative human health risk assessment estimated the excess lifetime cancer risks associated with exposure to the measured PAHs. Closest to active wells, the risk estimated for maximum residential exposure was 2.9 in 10,000, which is above the U.S. EPA's acceptable risk level. Overall, risk estimates decreased 30% when comparing results from samplers closest to active wells to those farthest. This work suggests that natural gas extraction may be contributing significantly to PAHs in air, at levels that are relevant to human health. PMID:25810398

Which factors influence patients' maximum acceptable waiting time for cataract surgery? - a questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Weingessel, Birgit; Richter-Mueksch, Sibylla; Vécsei-Marlovits, Pia V

2011-05-01

To evaluate patients’ maximum acceptable waiting time (MAWT) and to assess the determinants of patient perceptions of MAWT. A total of 500 consecutive patients with cataract were asked to fill out a preoperative questionnaire, addressing patients’ MAWT to undergo cataract surgery. Patients’ visual impairment (VF-14 score), education, profession and social status were evaluated, and an ophthalmologic examination was performed. Univariate analysis included Spearman’s correlation test, unpaired Student’s t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test. Univariate and multivariate associations were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. The mean MAWT was 3.17 ± 2.12 months. The mean VF-14 score was 72.10 ± 22.54. Between VF-14 score and MAWT, there was a significant correlation (r = 0.180, p = 0.004). Patients with higher education (high school, university) accepted significantly longer MAWT (3.92 ± 2.38 months versus 3.02 ± 2.00 months, p = 0.009). Patients who had self-noticed visual impairment were nearly four times (OR: 3.88, 95% CI = 2.07–7.28, p < 0.001) more likely to accept only MAWT of <3 months. Patients with low tolerance for waiting had greater self-reported difficulty with vision. Patients’ acceptance of waiting was not associated with clinical visual acuity measures. Education, ability to work, living independently and taking care of dependents were also strong predictors from patients’ perspective. Considering the implementation of standards for waiting lists, these facts should be taken into account. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Acta Ophthalmol.

Quality of red blood cells washed using the ACP 215 cell processor: assessment of optimal pre- and postwash storage times and conditions.

PubMed

Hansen, Adele; Yi, Qi-Long; Acker, Jason P

2013-08-01

Washing of red blood cell concentrates (RCCs) is required for potassium-sensitive transfusion recipients, including neonates in need of large-volume transfusions. When open, nonsterile washing systems are used, postwash outdate time is limited to 24 hours, often leading to problems providing the component to the patient before expiry. A closed, automated cell processor, the ACP 215 from Haemonetics Corporation, was used to wash RCCs and determine optimal pre- and postwash storage times. Two postwash storage solutions, additive solution (AS)-3 and saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol (SAGM), were compared. The in vitro quality of leukoreduced RCCs, prepared from citrate-phosphate-dextrose-anticoagulated whole blood, was determined postwash and compared to existing guidelines for RCC quality (hemoglobin content, hematocrit, and hemolysis) and predetermined criteria for ATP and supernatant potassium levels. A criterion for visual hemolysis was also applied. The prewash storage time, postwash storage time, and the postwash resuspension solution all contributed to RCC quality postwash. Levels of hemolysis were greater when washed RCCs were resuspended in SAGM (p = 0.01), while AS-3 proved worse at maintaining ATP levels postwash (p < 0.01). Immediately postwash, all units had supernatant K+ levels below the detection limit of the instrument (<1 mmol/L), but these increased to above acceptable levels within 14 days. Based on all acceptance criteria, a maximum 14-day prewash storage period and 7-day postwash storage period in SAGM preservative was found to be optimal. The longer outdate time postwashing should help lessen challenges in providing components to patients before expiry. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

Evaluation of mobile smartphones app as a screening tool for environmental noise monitoring.

PubMed

Ibekwe, Titus S; Folorunsho, David O; Dahilo, Enoch A; Gbujie, Ibeneche O; Nwegbu, Maxwell M; Nwaorgu, Onyekwere G

2016-01-01

Noise is a global occupational and environmental health hazard with considerable social and physiological impact and, therefore, there is a need for regular measurements to boost monitoring and regulations of environmental noise levels in our communities. This necessitates a readily available, inexpensive, and easy to use noise measuring device. We aimed to test the sensitivity and validity of mobile "smart" phones for this purpose. This was a comparative analysis of a cross sectional study done between January 2014 and February 2015. Noise levels were measured simultaneously at different locations within Abuja Nigeria at day and night hours in real time environments. A sound level meter (SLM) (Extech407730 Digital Soundmeter, serial no.: 2310135, calibration no: 91037) and three smartphones (Samsung Galaxy note3, Nokia S, and Techno Phantom Z running on Android "Apps" Androidboy1) were used. Statistical calculations were done with Pearson correlation, T-test and Consistency within American National Standards Institute acceptable standard errors. Noise level readings for both daytime and night with the SLM and the mobile phones showed equivalent values. All noise level meters measured were <100dB. The daytime readings were nearly identical in six locations and the maximum difference in values between the SLM and Smartphone instruments was 3db, noted in two locations. Readings in dBA showed strong correlation (r = 0.9) within acceptable error limits for Type 2 SLM devices and no significant difference in the values (p = 0.12 & 0.58) for both day and night. Sensitivity of the instrument yielded 92.9%. The androidboy1 "app" performance in this study showed a good correlation and comparative high sensitivity to the Standard SLM (type 2 SLM device). However there is the need for further studies.

Evaluation of an automatic segmentation algorithm for definition of head and neck organs at risk.

PubMed

Thomson, David; Boylan, Chris; Liptrot, Tom; Aitkenhead, Adam; Lee, Lip; Yap, Beng; Sykes, Andrew; Rowbottom, Carl; Slevin, Nicholas

2014-08-03

The accurate definition of organs at risk (OARs) is required to fully exploit the benefits of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head and neck cancer. However, manual delineation is time-consuming and there is considerable inter-observer variability. This is pertinent as function-sparing and adaptive IMRT have increased the number and frequency of delineation of OARs. We evaluated accuracy and potential time-saving of Smart Probabilistic Image Contouring Engine (SPICE) automatic segmentation to define OARs for salivary-, swallowing- and cochlea-sparing IMRT. Five clinicians recorded the time to delineate five organs at risk (parotid glands, submandibular glands, larynx, pharyngeal constrictor muscles and cochleae) for each of 10 CT scans. SPICE was then used to define these structures. The acceptability of SPICE contours was initially determined by visual inspection and the total time to modify them recorded per scan. The Simultaneous Truth and Performance Level Estimation (STAPLE) algorithm created a reference standard from all clinician contours. Clinician, SPICE and modified contours were compared against STAPLE by the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and mean/maximum distance to agreement (DTA). For all investigated structures, SPICE contours were less accurate than manual contours. However, for parotid/submandibular glands they were acceptable (median DSC: 0.79/0.80; mean, maximum DTA: 1.5 mm, 14.8 mm/0.6 mm, 5.7 mm). Modified SPICE contours were also less accurate than manual contours. The utilisation of SPICE did not result in time-saving/improve efficiency. Improvements in accuracy of automatic segmentation for head and neck OARs would be worthwhile and are required before its routine clinical implementation.

CEM43°C thermal dose thresholds: a potential guide for magnetic resonance radiofrequency exposure levels?

PubMed

van Rhoon, Gerard C; Samaras, Theodoros; Yarmolenko, Pavel S; Dewhirst, Mark W; Neufeld, Esra; Kuster, Niels

2013-08-01

To define thresholds of safe local temperature increases for MR equipment that exposes patients to radiofrequency fields of high intensities for long duration. These MR systems induce heterogeneous energy absorption patterns inside the body and can create localised hotspots with a risk of overheating. The MRI + EUREKA research consortium organised a "Thermal Workshop on RF Hotspots". The available literature on thresholds for thermal damage and the validity of the thermal dose (TD) model were discussed. The following global TD threshold guidelines for safe use of MR are proposed: 1. All persons: maximum local temperature of any tissue limited to 39 °C 2. Persons with compromised thermoregulation AND (a) Uncontrolled conditions: maximum local temperature limited to 39 °C (b) Controlled conditions: TD < 2 CEM43°C 3. Persons with uncompromised thermoregulation AND (a) Uncontrolled conditions: TD < 2 CEM43°C (b) Controlled conditions: TD < 9 CEM43°C The following definitions are applied: Controlled conditions A medical doctor or a dedicated trained person can respond instantly to heat-induced physiological stress Compromised thermoregulation All persons with impaired systemic or reduced local thermoregulation • Standard MRI can cause local heating by radiofrequency absorption. • Monitoring thermal dose (in units of CEM43°C) can control risk during MRI. • 9 CEM43°C seems an acceptable thermal dose threshold for most patients. • For skin, muscle, fat and bone,16 CEM43°C is likely acceptable.

Factors Potentially Influencing Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiles, Jason R.

This investigation explored scientific, religious, and otherwise nonscientific factors that may influence student acceptance of biological evolution and related concepts, how students perceived these factors to have influenced their levels of acceptance of evolution and changes therein, and what patterns arose among students' articulations of how their levels of acceptance of evolution may have changed. This exploration also measured the extent to which students' levels of acceptance changed following a treatment designed to address factors identified as potentially affecting student acceptance of evolution. Acceptance of evolution was measured using the MATE instrument (Rutledge and Warden, 1999; Rutledge and Sadler, 2007) among participants enrolled in a secondary-level academic program during the summer prior to their final year of high school and as they transitioned to the post-secondary level. Student acceptance of evolution was measured to be significantly higher than pre-treatment levels both immediately following and slightly over one year after treatment. Qualitative data from informal questionnaires, from formal course evaluations, and from semi-structured interviews of students engaged in secondary level education and former students at various stages of post-secondary education confirmed that the suspected factors were perceived by participants to have influenced their levels of acceptance of evolution. Furthermore, participant reports provided insight regarding the relative effects they perceived these factors to have had on their evolution acceptance levels. Additionally, many participants reported that their science teachers in public schools had avoided, omitted, or denigrated evolution during instruction, and several of these students expressed frustration regarding what they perceived to have been a lack of education of an important scientific principle. Finally, no students expressed feelings of being offended by having been taught about evolutionary science, and the overwhelming majority of the participants expressed enjoyment of the course and appreciation for having been taught about evolution.

Space Radiation Risks for Astronauts on Multiple International Space Station Missions

PubMed Central

Cucinotta, Francis A.

2014-01-01

Mortality and morbidity risks from space radiation exposure are an important concern for astronauts participating in International Space Station (ISS) missions. NASA’s radiation limits set a 3% cancer fatality probability as the upper bound of acceptable risk and considers uncertainties in risk predictions using the upper 95% confidence level (CL) of the assessment. In addition to risk limitation, an important question arises as to the likelihood of a causal association between a crew-members’ radiation exposure in the past and a diagnosis of cancer. For the first time, we report on predictions of age and sex specific cancer risks, expected years of life-loss for specific diseases, and probability of causation (PC) at different post-mission times for participants in 1-year or multiple ISS missions. Risk projections with uncertainty estimates are within NASA acceptable radiation standards for mission lengths of 1-year or less for likely crew demographics. However, for solar minimum conditions upper 95% CL exceed 3% risk of exposure induced death (REID) by 18 months or 24 months for females and males, respectively. Median PC and upper 95%-confidence intervals are found to exceed 50% for several cancers for participation in two or more ISS missions of 18 months or longer total duration near solar minimum, or for longer ISS missions at other phases of the solar cycle. However, current risk models only consider estimates of quantitative differences between high and low linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. We also make predictions of risk and uncertainties that would result from an increase in tumor lethality for highly ionizing radiation reported in animal studies, and the additional risks from circulatory diseases. These additional concerns could further reduce the maximum duration of ISS missions within acceptable risk levels, and will require new knowledge to properly evaluate. PMID:24759903

Space radiation risks for astronauts on multiple International Space Station missions.

PubMed

Cucinotta, Francis A

2014-01-01

Mortality and morbidity risks from space radiation exposure are an important concern for astronauts participating in International Space Station (ISS) missions. NASA's radiation limits set a 3% cancer fatality probability as the upper bound of acceptable risk and considers uncertainties in risk predictions using the upper 95% confidence level (CL) of the assessment. In addition to risk limitation, an important question arises as to the likelihood of a causal association between a crew-members' radiation exposure in the past and a diagnosis of cancer. For the first time, we report on predictions of age and sex specific cancer risks, expected years of life-loss for specific diseases, and probability of causation (PC) at different post-mission times for participants in 1-year or multiple ISS missions. Risk projections with uncertainty estimates are within NASA acceptable radiation standards for mission lengths of 1-year or less for likely crew demographics. However, for solar minimum conditions upper 95% CL exceed 3% risk of exposure induced death (REID) by 18 months or 24 months for females and males, respectively. Median PC and upper 95%-confidence intervals are found to exceed 50% for several cancers for participation in two or more ISS missions of 18 months or longer total duration near solar minimum, or for longer ISS missions at other phases of the solar cycle. However, current risk models only consider estimates of quantitative differences between high and low linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. We also make predictions of risk and uncertainties that would result from an increase in tumor lethality for highly ionizing radiation reported in animal studies, and the additional risks from circulatory diseases. These additional concerns could further reduce the maximum duration of ISS missions within acceptable risk levels, and will require new knowledge to properly evaluate.

Objective assessment of gynecologic laparoscopic skills using the LapSimGyn virtual reality simulator.

PubMed

Larsen, C R; Grantcharov, T; Aggarwal, R; Tully, A; Sørensen, J L; Dalsgaard, T; Ottesen, B

2006-09-01

Safe realistic training and unbiased quantitative assessment of technical skills are required for laparoscopy. Virtual reality (VR) simulators may be useful tools for training and assessing basic and advanced surgical skills and procedures. This study aimed to investigate the construct validity of the LapSimGyn VR simulator, and to determine the learning curves of gynecologists with different levels of experience. For this study, 32 gynecologic trainees and consultants (juniors or seniors) were allocated into three groups: novices (0 advanced laparoscopic procedures), intermediate level (>20 and <60 procedures), and experts (>100 procedures). All performed 10 sets of simulations consisting of three basic skill tasks and an ectopic pregnancy program. The simulations were carried out on 3 days within a maximum period of 2 weeks. Assessment of skills was based on time, economy of movement, and error parameters measured by the simulator. The data showed that expert gynecologists performed significantly and consistently better than intermediate and novice gynecologists. The learning curves differed significantly between the groups, showing that experts start at a higher level and more rapidly reach the plateau of their learning curve than do intermediate and novice groups of surgeons. The LapSimGyn VR simulator package demonstrates construct validity on both the basic skills module and the procedural gynecologic module for ectopic pregnancy. Learning curves can be obtained, but to reach the maximum performance for the more complex tasks, 10 repetitions do not seem sufficient at the given task level and settings. LapSimGyn also seems to be flexible and widely accepted by the users.

Design, construction and performance evaluation of the target tissue thickness measurement system in intraoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yazdani, Mohammad Reza; Setayeshi, Saeed; Arabalibeik, Hossein; Akbari, Mohammad Esmaeil

2017-05-01

Intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT), which uses electron beams for irradiating the target directly during the surgery, has the advantage of delivering a homogeneous dose to a controlled layer of tissue. Since the dose falls off quickly below the target thickness, the underlying normal tissues are spared. In selecting the appropriate electron energy, the accuracy of the target tissue thickness measurement is critical. In contrast to other procedures applied in IOERT, the routine measurement method is considered to be completely traditional and approximate. In this work, a novel mechanism is proposed for measuring the target tissue thickness with an acceptable level of accuracy. An electronic system has been designed and manufactured with the capability of measuring the tissue thickness based on the recorded electron density under the target. The results indicated the possibility of thickness measurement with a maximum error of 2 mm for 91.35% of data. Aside from system limitation in estimating the thickness of 5 mm phantom, for 88.94% of data, maximum error is 1 mm.

Modeling and testing of a knitted-sleeve fluidic artificial muscle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ball, Erick J.; Meller, Michael A.; Chipka, Jordan B.; Garcia, Ephrahim

2016-11-01

The knitted-sleeve fluidic muscle is similar in design to a traditional McKibben muscle, with a separate bladder and sleeve. However, in place of a braided sleeve, it uses a tubular-knit sleeve made from a thin strand of flexible but inextensible yarn. When the bladder is pressurized, the sleeve expands by letting the loops of fiber slide past each other, changing the dimensions of the rectangular cells in the stitch pattern. Ideally, the internal volume of the sleeve would reach a maximum when its length has contracted by 2/3 from its maximum length, and although this is not reachable in practice, preliminary tests show that free contraction greater than 50% is achievable. The motion relies on using a fiber with a low coefficient of friction in order to reduce hysteresis to an acceptable level. In addition to increased stroke length, potential advantages of this technique include slower force drop-off during the stroke, more useable energy in certain applications, and greater similarity to the force-length relationship of skeletal muscle. Its main limitation is its potentially greater effect from friction compared to other fluidic muscle designs.

Significance of metabolites in bioequivalence: losartan potassium as a case study.

PubMed

Charoo, Naseem Ahmad; Cristofoletti, Rodrigo; Khatri, Aamer Roshanali; Ali, Areeg Anwer

2014-06-01

Estimation of metabolite data as a supportive evidence of comparable therapeutic outcome is recommended by various guidance documents. However, a consensus on using it solely to establish bioequivalence (BE) is lacking as parent drug is believed to detect pharmacokinetic differences between test and reference formulations better. Four BE studies of losartan potassium reported in the literature are reviewed. In all the four studies, 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of geometric mean ratios of the test and reference formulations for maximum blood drug concentration (Cmax ) of losartan potassium were outside the acceptable range of 80%-125%, whereas, 90% CIs for its active metabolite, losartan carboxylic acid (LCA), were within the acceptance criteria. Although BE with respect to area under the plasma concentration versus time profile curve was demonstrated in all the cases, BE with respect to Cmax could not be established. However, marketing authorization in all the four cases was granted based on scientific evidence that LCA is 10-40 times more potent than losartan, LCA exhibited higher plasma concentration levels than losartan, pharmacodynamic effects correlate with LCA, and losartan shows wide therapeutic index. Further, widened CI limits for losartan were accepted. Losartan presents an opportunity in the diligence of the principles of quality risk management for selecting moiety on which BE decision must be based. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Effects of using slurry ice during transportation on the microbiological, chemical, and sensory assessments of aquacultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) stored at 4 degrees C.

PubMed

Cakli, Sukran; Kilinc, Berna; Dincer, Tolga; Tolasa, Sebnem

2006-01-01

Slurry ice, a biphasic system consisting of small spherical ice crystals surrounded by seawater at subzero temperature, was evaluated as a new chilled storage method for whole sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) a sparidae fish species of remarkable commercial interests. In this study two different group of chilling methods were used during transportation; in slurry ice packaged (Group A), and flake ice packaged (Group B). The effect of this advanced system during transportation on quality losses and the shelf life of aquacultured sea bass was evaluated. Mesophilic counts for sea bass exceeded 7 log cfu/g, which is considered the maximum level for acceptability for freshwater and marine fish after 13 days for groups A and B. On day 13 TVB-N values of groups A and B, reached the legal limits (35 mg/100 g set for TVB-N) for consumption. According to the results of sensory analyses, up to day 9 all the groups were determined as "acceptable" but on day 13 the groups A and B were no longer acceptable. The main negative aspect related to quality loss in slurry ice group corresponded to the appearance of eyes and gills. Using slurry ice during transportation did not extend the shelf life of sea bass stored at 4 degrees C.

Enrichment of wheat chips with omega-3 fatty acid by flaxseed addition: textural and some physicochemical properties.

PubMed

Yuksel, Ferhat; Karaman, Safa; Kayacier, Ahmed

2014-02-15

In the present study, wheat chips enriched with flaxseed flour were produced and response surface methodology was used for the studying the simultaneous effects of flaxseed level (10-20%), frying temperature (160-180 °C) and frying time (40-60 s) on some physicochemical, textural and sensorial properties and fatty acid composition of wheat chips. Ridge analysis was conducted to determine the optimum levels of processing variables. Predictive regression equations with adequate coefficients of determination (R² ≥ 0.705) to explain the effect of processing variables were constructed. Addition of flaxseed flour increased the dry matter and protein content of samples and increase of frying temperature decreased the hardness values of wheat chips samples. Increment in flaxseed level provided an increase in unsaturated fatty acid content namely omega-3 fatty acids of wheat chips samples. Overall acceptability of chips increased with the increase of frying temperature. Ridge analysis showed that maximum taste score would be at flaxseed level = 10%, frying temperature = 180 °C and frying time = 50 s. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Symmetry of proprioceptive sense in female soccer players.

PubMed

Iwańska, Dagmara; Karczewska, Magdalena; Madej, Anna; Urbanik, Czesław

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the symmetry of proprioceptive sense among female soccer players when trying to reproduce isometric knee extensions (right and left) and to analyze the impact of a given level of muscle force on proprioception. The study involved 12 soccer players aged 19.5 ± 2.65 years. Soccer players performed a control measurement of a maximum 3s (knee at the 90°) position in the joint. Subsequently, 70%, 50%, and 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were all calculated and then reproduced by each subject with feedback. Next, the players reproduced the predefined muscle contraction values in three sequences: A - 50%, 70%, 30%; B - 50%, 30%, 70%; C - 70%, 30%, 50% of MVC without visual control. In every sequence, the participants found obtaining the value of 30% of MVC the most difficult. The value they reproduced most accurately was 70% of MVC. Both trial II and trial III demonstrated that the symmetry index SI significantly differed from values considered acceptable (SIRa). In each successive sequence the largest asymmetry occurred while reproducing the lowest values of MVC (30%) (p < 0.05). High level of prioprioceptive sense is important to soccer players due to the extensive overload associated with dynamics stops or changes in direction while running. Special attention should be paid to develop skills in sensing force of varying levels. It was much harder to reproduce the predefined values if there was no feedback.

Breast screen new South wales generally demonstrates good radiologic viewing conditions.

PubMed

Soh, BaoLin Pauline; Lee, Warwick; Diffey, Jennifer L; McEntee, Mark F; Kench, Peter L; Reed, Warren M; Brennan, Patrick C

2013-08-01

This study measured reading workstation monitors and the viewing environment currently available within BreastScreen New South Wales (BSNSW) centres to determine levels of adherence to national and international guidelines. Thirteen workstations from four BSNSW service centres were assessed using the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 18 Quality Control test pattern. Reading workstation monitor performance and ambient light levels when interpreting screening mammographic images were assessed using spectroradiometer CS-2000 and chroma meter CL-200. Overall, radiologic monitors within BSNSW were operating at good acceptable levels. Some non-adherence to published guidelines included the percentage difference in maximum luminance between pairs of primary monitors at individual workstations (61.5 % or 30.8 % of workstations depending on specific guidelines), maximum luminance (23.1 % of workstations), luminance non-uniformity (11.5 % of workstations) and minimum luminance (3.8 % of workstations). A number of ambient light measurements did not comply with the only available evidence-based guideline relevant to the methodology used in this study. Larger ambient light variations across sites are shown when monitors were switched off, suggesting that differences in ambient lighting between sites can be masked when a standard mammogram is displayed for photometric measurements. Overall, BSNSW demonstrated good adherence to available guidelines, although some non-compliance has been shown. Recently updated United Kingdom and Australian guidelines should help reduce confusion generated by the plethora and sometimes dated nature of currently available recommendations.

Heavy metal pollution assessment, source identification, and health risk evaluation in Aibi Lake of northwest China.

PubMed

Zhaoyong, Zhang; Xiaodong, Yang; Shengtian, Yang

2018-01-08

This study sought to analyze heavy metal (Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, and Fe) pollution status in the waters of Aibi Lake in northwest China through the use of an applied comprehensive pollution index, health risk model, and multivariate statistical analyses in combination with the lake's land use types. Results showed that (1) the maximum (average) values of the heavy metals Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, and Fe were 0.0644 (0.0123), 0.0006 (0.0002), 0.0009 (0.0032), 0.1235 (0.0242), 0.0061 (0.0025), and 0.0222 (0.0080) μg/L, respectively. Among these, in all the samples, Pb and Ni exceeded the standard and acceptable values put forth by the World Health Organization by 21.13 and 25.67%, respectively. Ni also exceeded (30.16%) the third grade of the Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water of China. The levels of the six heavy metals were all within the fishery and irrigation water quality standard ranges in China. (2) The average values for single pollution index of heavy metals Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, and Fe were 1.000, 0.0006, 0.0009, 3.000, 0.060, and 0.070, respectively, among which Ni levels indicated moderate to significant pollution, while others indicated healthy levels. (3) Health risk evaluation showed that the R n values for Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Fe were 1.8 × 10 -4 , 5.33 × 10 -9 , 4.80 × 10 -7 , 1.08 × 10 -6 , and 2.51 × 10 -7  a -1 , respectively, of which, in all samples, Pb and Ni contents all exceeded the maximum acceptable risk levels according to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) as well as the U.S. Environment Protection Agency. (4) Combining with multivariate statistical analyses along with the land use distribution within the lake basin, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Mn were mainly influenced by the agriculture production and emission from urban lives and traffics, and Fe mainly originated from the natural environment. The results of this research can provide reference values for heavy metal pollution prevention in Aibi Lake as well as for environmental protection of rump lakes in the arid regions of northwest China and Central Asia.

Effect of Background Pressure on the Performance and Plume of the HiVHAc Hall Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani; Haag, Thomas

2013-01-01

During the Single String Integration Test of the NASA HiVHAc Hall thruster, a number of plasma diagnostics were implemented to study the effect of varying facility background pressure on thruster operation. These diagnostics include thrust stand, Faraday probe, ExB probe, and retarding potential analyzer. The test results indicated a rise in thrust and discharge current with background pressure. There was also a decrease in ion energy per charge, an increase in multiply-charged species production, a decrease in plume divergence, and a decrease in ion beam current with increasing background pressure. A simplified ingestion model was applied to determine the maximum acceptable background pressure for thrust measurement. The maximum acceptable ingestion percentage was found to be around 1%. Examination of the diagnostics results suggest the ionization and acceleration zones of the thruster were shifting upstream with increasing background pressure.

Development of spiral-groove self-acting face seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obrien, M.

1977-01-01

An experimental evaluation and a 100-hour endurance test were performed on a spiral groove geometry, self-acting face seal. The seal was tested and operated successfully at maximum conditions of 243.8 m/s surface speed, 199.9 N/sq cm air pressure, and 645.4K (702 F) air temperature. The maximum speed condition of 243.8 m/s was obtained at a shaft speed of 72,500 rpm. Seal wear, gas leakage, and sealing element temperature were monitored during the test. Condition of the seal at the completion of the test was documented and found acceptable for further use. The spiral groove wear rate measured during the endurance test indicates a minimum potential seal life of over 2700 hours. Seal air leakage measured during the test program is within the range considered acceptable for consideration for use in a small gas turbine engine.

Synthesis and evaluation of changes induced by solvent and substituent in electronic absorption spectra of some azo disperse dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, Asadollah; Yazdanbakhsh, Mohammad Reza; Farahnak, Lahya

2012-04-01

Five azo disperse dyes were prepared by diazotizing 4'-aminoacetophenone and p-anisidine and coupling with varies N-alkylated aromatic amines. Characterization of the dyes was carried out by using UV-vis, FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques. The electronic absorption spectra of dyes are determined at room temperature in fifteen solvents with different polarities. The solvent dependent maximum absorption band shifts, were investigated using dielectric constant (ɛ), refractive index (n) and Kamlet-Taft polarity parameters (hydrogen bond donating ability (α), hydrogen bond accepting ability (β) and dipolarity/polarizability polarity scale (π*)). Acceptable agreement was found between the maximum absorption band of dyes and solvent polarity parameters especially with π*. The effect of substituents of coupler and/or diazo component on the color of dyes was investigated. The effects of acid and base on the visible absorption maxima of the dyes are also reported.

Does health status influence acceptance of illness in patients with chronic respiratory diseases?

PubMed

Kurpas, D; Mroczek, B; Brodowski, J; Urban, M; Nitsch-Osuch, A

2015-01-01

The level of illness acceptance correlates positively with compliance to the doctor's recommendations, and negatively with the frequency and intensity of complications of chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the clinical condition on the level of illness acceptance, and to find variables which would have the most profound effect on the level of illness acceptance in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The study group consisted of 594 adult patients (mean age: 60 ± 15 years) with mixed chronic respiratory diseases, recruited from patients of 136 general practitioners. The average score in the Acceptance of Illness Scale was 26.2 ± 7.6. The low level of illness acceptance was noted in 174 (62.6 %) and high in 46 (16.6 %) patients. Analysis of multiple regressions was used to examine the influence of explanatory variables on the level of illness acceptance. The variables which shaped the level of illness acceptance in our patients included: improvement of health, intensity of symptoms, age, marital status, education level, place of residence, BMI, and the number of chronic diseases. All above mentioned variables should be considered during a design of prevention programs for patients with mixed chronic respiratory diseases.

Maximum tolerated dose of nalmefene in patients receiving epidural fentanyl and dilute bupivacaine for postoperative analgesia.

PubMed

Dougherty, T B; Porche, V H; Thall, P F

2000-04-01

This study investigated the ability of the modified continual reassessment method (MCRM) to determine the maximum tolerated dose of the opioid antagonist nalmefene, which does not reverse analgesia in an acceptable number of postoperative patients receiving epidural fentanyl in 0.075% bupivacaine. In the postanesthetic care unit, patients received a single intravenous dose of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, or 1.00 microg/kg nalmefene. Reversal of analgesia was defined as an increase in pain score of two or more integers above baseline on a visual analog scale from 0 through 10 after nalmefene administration. Patients were treated in cohorts of one, starting with the lowest dose. The maximum tolerated dose of nalmefene was defined as that dose, among the four studied, with a final mean probability of reversal of anesthesia (PROA) closest to 0.20 (ie., a 20% chance of causing reversal). The modified continual reassessment method is an iterative Bayesian statistical procedure that, in this study, selected the dose for each successive cohort as that having a mean PROA closest to the preselected target PROA of 0.20. The modified continual reassessment method repeatedly updated the PROA of each dose level as successive patients were observed for presence or absence of ROA. After 25 patients, the maximum tolerated dose of nalmefene was selected as 0.50 microg/kg (final mean PROA = 0.18). The 1.00-microg/kg dose was never tried because its projected PROA was far above 0.20. The modified continual reassessment method facilitated determination of the maximum tolerated dose ofnalmefene . Operating characteristics of the modified continual reassessment method suggest it may be an effective statistical tool for dose-finding in trials of selected analgesic or anesthetic agents.

Noise-induced annoyance from transportation noise: short-term responses to a single noise source in a laboratory.

PubMed

Kim, Jaehwan; Lim, Changwoo; Hong, Jiyoung; Lee, Soogab

2010-02-01

An experimental study was performed to compare the annoyances from civil-aircraft noise, military-aircraft noise, railway noise, and road-traffic noise. Two-way within-subjects designs were applied in this research. Fifty-two subjects, who were naive listeners, were given various stimuli with varying levels through a headphone in an anechoic chamber. Regardless of the frequency weighting network, even under the same average energy level, civil-aircraft noise was the most annoying, followed by military-aircraft noise, railway noise, and road-traffic noise. In particular, penalties in the time-averaged, A-weighted sound level (TAL) of about 8, 5, and 5 dB, respectively, were found in the civil-aircraft, military-aircraft, and railway noises. The reason could be clarified through the high-frequency component and the variability in the level. When people were exposed to sounds with the same maximum A-weighted level, a railway bonus of about 3 dB was found. However, transportation noise has been evaluated by the time-averaged A-weighted level in most countries. Therefore, in the present situation, the railway bonus is not acceptable for railway vehicles with diesel-electric engines.

A low-power, high-throughput maximum-likelihood convolutional decoder chip for NASA's 30/20 GHz program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccallister, R. D.; Crawford, J. J.

1981-01-01

It is pointed out that the NASA 30/20 GHz program will place in geosynchronous orbit a technically advanced communication satellite which can process time-division multiple access (TDMA) information bursts with a data throughput in excess of 4 GBPS. To guarantee acceptable data quality during periods of signal attenuation it will be necessary to provide a significant forward error correction (FEC) capability. Convolutional decoding (utilizing the maximum-likelihood techniques) was identified as the most attractive FEC strategy. Design trade-offs regarding a maximum-likelihood convolutional decoder (MCD) in a single-chip CMOS implementation are discussed.

The influence of tinnitus acceptance on the quality of life and psychological distress in patients with chronic tinnitus

PubMed Central

Riedl, David; Rumpold, Gerhard; Schmidt, Annette; Zorowka, Patrick G.; Bliem, Harald R.; Moschen, Roland

2015-01-01

Recent findings show the importance of acceptance in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. So far, very limited research investigating the different levels of tinnitus acceptance has been conducted. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress in patients with chronic tinnitus who reported different levels of tinnitus acceptance. The sample consisted of outpatients taking part in a tinnitus coping group (n = 97). Correlations between tinnitus acceptance, psychological distress, and QoL were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate a cutoff score for the German “Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire” (CTAQ-G) and to evaluate the screening abilities of the CTAQ-G. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare QoL and psychological distress in patients with low tinnitus acceptance and high tinnitus acceptance. A cutoff point for CTAQ-G of 62.5 was defined, differentiating between patients with “low-to-mild tinnitus acceptance” and “moderate-to-high tinnitus acceptance.” Patients with higher levels of tinnitus acceptance reported a significantly higher QoL and lower psychological distress. Tinnitus acceptance plays an important role for patients with chronic tinnitus. Increased levels of acceptance are related to better QoL and less psychological distress. PMID:26356381

Reasons for raising the maximum acceptable daily intake of EDTA and the benefits for iron fortification of foods for children 6–24 months of age

PubMed Central

Wreesmann, Carel Theo Jozef

2014-01-01

The current maximum acceptable daily intake (ADI) of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) of 1.9 mg day−1 per kilogram bodyweight (mg day−1 kgbw−1) limits the daily intake of iron as iron EDTA [ferric sodium EDTA; sodium iron(III) EDTA] to approximately 2–2.5 mg day−1 for children 6–24 months of age. This limit was defined by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1973 based on data from an animal-feed study published in 1963. Other animal studies indicate that this limit can be raised to 4.4 or possibly up to 21.7 mg day−1 kgbw−1, which is 2.3–11.4 times higher than the current value. For nearly 50 years, iron EDTA has been used in France in medicinal syrup for infants 1–6 months of age. The maximum recommended dosage of this drug is 37 times higher than the maximum ADI of EDTA. No adverse health effects have been reported as a result of this medicinal consumption of iron EDTA. Raising the maximum ADI of EDTA to only 4.4 mg day−1 kgbw−1 would enable iron EDTA, an iron fortificant with proven bioavailability in phytate-rich meals, to be added in adequate amounts to cereal-based meals for children 6–24 months of age, who are at risk of iron deficiency. PMID:24521261

Reasons for raising the maximum acceptable daily intake of EDTA and the benefits for iron fortification of foods for children 6-24 months of age.

PubMed

Wreesmann, Carel Theo Jozef

2014-10-01

The current maximum acceptable daily intake (ADI) of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) of 1.9 mg day(-1) per kilogram bodyweight (mg day(-1)  kgbw(-1) ) limits the daily intake of iron as iron EDTA [ferric sodium EDTA; sodium iron(III) EDTA] to approximately 2-2.5 mg day(-1) for children 6-24 months of age. This limit was defined by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1973 based on data from an animal-feed study published in 1963. Other animal studies indicate that this limit can be raised to 4.4 or possibly up to 21.7 mg day(-1)  kgbw(-1) , which is 2.3-11.4 times higher than the current value. For nearly 50 years, iron EDTA has been used in France in medicinal syrup for infants 1-6 months of age. The maximum recommended dosage of this drug is 37 times higher than the maximum ADI of EDTA. No adverse health effects have been reported as a result of this medicinal consumption of iron EDTA. Raising the maximum ADI of EDTA to only 4.4 mg day(-1)  kgbw(-1) would enable iron EDTA, an iron fortificant with proven bioavailability in phytate-rich meals, to be added in adequate amounts to cereal-based meals for children 6-24 months of age, who are at risk of iron deficiency. © 2014 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Possibilities of ground penetrating radar usage within acceptance tests of rigid pavements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stryk, Josef; Matula, Radek; Pospisil, Karel

2013-10-01

Within the road pavement acceptance tests, destructive as well as non-destructive tests of individual road layers are performed to verify the standard requirements. The article describes a method for providing quick, effective and sufficiently accurate measurements of both dowel and tie bar positions in concrete pavements, using a two-channel ground penetrating radar (GPR). Measurements were carried out in laboratory and in-situ conditions. A special hand cart for field measurements, set for the testing requirements, was designed. It was verified that following the correct measuring and assessment method, it is possible to reach accuracy of determining the in-built rebar up to 1 cm in vertical direction and up to 1.5 cm per 11.5 m of measured length in horizontal direction. In the in-situ tests, GPR identification of possible anomalies due to the phase of concrete pavement laying was presented. In the conclusion, a measurement report is mentioned. The standard requirements for the position of dowels and tie bars cover maximum possible deviation of the rebar position from the project documentation in vertical and horizontal direction, maximum deflection of rebar ends to each other, and maximum translation of rebar in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

Enhancement of the folate content in Egyptian pita bread

PubMed Central

Hefni, Mohammed; Witthöft, Cornelia M.

2012-01-01

Introduction Egypt has a high incidence of neural tube defects related to folate deficiency. One major food source for folate is pita (baladi) bread, which is consumed daily. Bioprocessing (e.g. germination) has been reported to increase the folate content in cereals. The aim was to produce pita bread with increased folate content using germinated wheat flour (GWF). Methods Prior to milling the effects of germination and drying conditions on folate content in wheat grains were studied. Pita bread was baked from wheat flour substituted with different levels of GWF. The folate content in dough and bread and rheological properties of dough were determined. Results Germination of wheat grains resulted in, depending on temperature, 3- to 4-fold higher folate content with a maximum of 61 µg/100 g DM (dry matter). The folate content in both flour and bread increased 1.5 to 4-fold depending on the level of flour replacement with GWF. Pita bread baked with 50% sieved GWF was acceptable with respect to colour and layer separation, and had a folate content of 50 µg/100 g DM compared with 30 µg/100 g DM in conventional pita bread (0% GWF). Conclusion Using 50% GWF, pita bread with increased folate content, acceptable for the Egyptian consumer, was produced. Consumption of this bread would increase the average daily folate intake by 75 µg. PMID:22489220

Prediction of the Maximum Number of Repetitions and Repetitions in Reserve From Barbell Velocity.

PubMed

García-Ramos, Amador; Torrejón, Alejandro; Feriche, Belén; Morales-Artacho, Antonio J; Pérez-Castilla, Alejandro; Padial, Paulino; Haff, Guy Gregory

2018-03-01

To provide 2 general equations to estimate the maximum possible number of repetitions (XRM) from the mean velocity (MV) of the barbell and the MV associated with a given number of repetitions in reserve, as well as to determine the between-sessions reliability of the MV associated with each XRM. After determination of the bench-press 1-repetition maximum (1RM; 1.15 ± 0.21 kg/kg body mass), 21 men (age 23.0 ± 2.7 y, body mass 72.7 ± 8.3 kg, body height 1.77 ± 0.07 m) completed 4 sets of as many repetitions as possible against relative loads of 60%1RM, 70%1RM, 80%1RM, and 90%1RM over 2 separate sessions. The different loads were tested in a randomized order with 10 min of rest between them. All repetitions were performed at the maximum intended velocity. Both the general equation to predict the XRM from the fastest MV of the set (CV = 15.8-18.5%) and the general equation to predict MV associated with a given number of repetitions in reserve (CV = 14.6-28.8%) failed to provide data with acceptable between-subjects variability. However, a strong relationship (median r 2  = .984) and acceptable reliability (CV < 10% and ICC > .85) were observed between the fastest MV of the set and the XRM when considering individual data. These results indicate that generalized group equations are not acceptable methods for estimating the XRM-MV relationship or the number of repetitions in reserve. When attempting to estimate the XRM-MV relationship, one must use individualized relationships to objectively estimate the exact number of repetitions that can be performed in a training set.

Acceptable range of speech level in noisy sound fields for young adults and elderly persons.

PubMed

Sato, Hayato; Morimoto, Masayuki; Ota, Ryo

2011-09-01

The acceptable range of speech level as a function of background noise level was investigated on the basis of word intelligibility scores and listening difficulty ratings. In the present study, the acceptable range is defined as the range that maximizes word intelligibility scores and simultaneously does not cause a significant increase in listening difficulty ratings from the minimum ratings. Listening tests with young adult and elderly listeners demonstrated the following. (1) The acceptable range of speech level for elderly listeners overlapped that for young listeners. (2) The lower limit of the acceptable speech level for both young and elderly listeners was 65 dB (A-weighted) for noise levels of 40 and 45 dB (A-weighted), a level with a speech-to-noise ratio of +15 dB for noise levels of 50 and 55 dB, and a level with a speech-to-noise ratio of +10 dB for noise levels from 60 to 70 dB. (3) The upper limit of the acceptable speech level for both young and elderly listeners was 80 dB for noise levels from 40 to 55 dB and 85 dB or above for noise levels from 55 to 70 dB. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

40 CFR 91.608 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 91.608 Section 91.608... with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final test...

40 CFR 89.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 89.510 Section 89.510... Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final...

40 CFR 89.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 89.510 Section 89.510... Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final...

40 CFR 91.608 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 91.608 Section 91.608... with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final test...

40 CFR 91.608 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 91.608 Section 91.608... with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed engine is one whose final test...

Solar maximum mission panel jettison analysis remote manipulator system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, R. B.

1980-01-01

A study is presented of the development of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) configurations for jettison of the solar panels on the Solar Maximum Mission/Multimission Satellite. A valid RMS maneuver between jettison configurations was developed. Arm and longeron loads and effector excursions due to the solar panel jettison were determined to see if they were within acceptable limits. These loads and end effector excursions were analyzed under two RMS modes, servos active in position hold submode, and in the brakes on mode.

Uplift of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, since the 1964 Prince William Sound earthquake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Steven; Holdahl, Sandford; Caprette, Douglas; Hilla, Stephen; Safford, Robert; Schultz, Donald

1995-01-01

Using Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, we reoccupied several leveling benchmarks on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska which had been surveyed by conventional leveling immediately following the March 27, 1964, Prince William Sound earthquake (M(sub w) = 9.3). By combining the two sets of measurements with a new, high-resolution model of the geoid in the region, we were able to determine the cumulative 1993-1964 postseismic vertical displacement. We find uplift at all of our benchmarks, relative to Seward, Alaska, a point that is stable according to tide gauge data. The maximum uplift of about 1 m occurs near the middle of the peninsula. The region of maximum uplift appears to be shifted northwest relative to the point of maximum coseismic subsidence. If we use tide gauge data at Nikishka and Seward to constrain the vertical motion, then the observed uplift has a trenchward tilt (down to the southeast) as well as an arching component. To explain the observations, we use creep-at-depth models. Most acceptable models require a fault slip of about 2.75 m, although this result is not unique. If the slip has been continuous since the 1964 earthquake, then the average slip rate is nearly 100 mm/yr, twice the plate convergence rate. Comparing the net uplift achieved in 29 years with that observed over 11 years in an adjacent region southeast of Anchorage, Alaska, we conclude that the rate of uplift is decreasing. A further decrease in the uplift rate is expected as the 29-year averaged displacement rate is about twice the plate convergence rate and therefore cannot be sustained over the entire earthquake cycle.

78 FR 7770 - Boyce Hydro Power, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

.... Description of Application: The licensee proposes to replace one of the project's three existing turbine/generator units with a new unit. The project's maximum hydraulic capacity would remain the same but the new...

Infants’ Exposure to Aflatoxin M1 from Mother’s Breast Milk in Iran

PubMed Central

Ghiasian, SA; Maghsood, AH

2012-01-01

Background The occurrence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk, especially breast milk, is a valuable biomarker for exposure determination to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). In the present study, the risk of exposure to AFM1 in infants fed breast milk was investigated. Methods: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the analysis of AFM1 in breast milk samples from 132 lactating mothers referred to four urban Mothers and Babies Care Unit of Hamadan, western Iran. Results: AFM1 was detected in eight samples (6.06%) at mean concentration of 9.45 ng/L. The minimum and maximum of concentration was 7.1 to 10.8 ng/L, respectively. Although the concentration of AFM1 in none of the samples was higher than the maximum tolerance limit accepted by USA and European Union (25 ng/kg) however, 25% had a level of AFM1 above the allowable level of Australia and Switzerland legal limit (10 ng/L). Conclusions: Lactating mothers and infants in western parts of Iran could be at risk for AFB1 and AFM1 exposure, respectively. Considering all this information, the investigation of AFM1 in lactating mothers as a biomarker for post-natal exposure of infants to this carcinogen deserves further studies in various seasons and different parts of Iran. PMID:23113156

Evaluation of communication and acceptance of the patients by medical personnel

PubMed

Włoszczak-Szubzda, Anna; Jarosz, Mirosław J; Goniewicz, Mariusz; Goniewicz, Krzysztof

The low level of patient satisfaction recorded in many studies and, at the same time, the level of frustration and burnout, disclosed by medics in the perception of the patient as a ‘problem’, incline to look for the causes of inadequate relationship between physician and patient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of acceptance of the patient by the medical personnel. The research problem was the acceptance level which was within the range of the communication skills of the nurses and doctors. Another aim was to discover the factors determining this level of acceptance. Two methods were used in the research process: 1) a diagnostic survey regarding the medical, professional communication skills; 2) testing of professional self-esteem from the medical aspect. The study population consisted of a total of 1,244 respondents divided into the following groups: registered nurses and doctors (729), students of nursing and medical faculties (515). The results of the research showed that in most cases the acceptance of the patient by the medical staff was ‘conditional’, which translated into the level of frustration or lack of satisfaction with their profession, and ultimately into the level of burnout. The level of patient acceptance by medical staff (unconditional acceptance), depended primarily on age, followed by their profession. However, the relationship between this acceptance and gender and work experience was statistically insignificant. As the method to improve this situation, the expansion of education in the field of interpersonal communication is proposed, adding issues related with both the conditional and unconditional acceptance of the patient, as well as issues regarding how to deal with the patient from the aspect of disease and the psycho-socio-spiritual area.

The effect of survivalism--self-expressionism culture on black male suicide acceptability: a cross-national analysis.

PubMed

Stack, Steven; Kposowa, Augustine J

2011-04-01

Cultural explanations of black suicide have focused on the US and stressed religiosity as a protective factor. This paper adds to this literature by (1) expanding the analysis of the impact of religiosity on black suicide to 10 nations, and (2) assessing the extent to which a broader cultural construct (self expressionism) affects black suicide acceptability. Data are from Wave 4 of the World Values Surveys 1991-2001 and refer to 3580 black males nested in ten countries. A hierarchical linear regression model determined that religiosity predicted black suicide acceptability across ten nations. Self expressionism was positively associated with individual level suicide acceptability. Further, a cross-level interaction was found wherein individual level and societal level self expressionism combined to affect suicide acceptability. The variability in suicide acceptability among black males is predicted, in part, by both individual and group levels of adherence to values contained in a major cultural axis of nations: self expressionism. These new found associations compliment the impact of a standard predictor, religiosity, on suicide acceptability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 141.11 - Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals. 141.11 Section 141.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... § 141.11 Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals. (a) The maximum contaminant level for...

40 CFR 141.11 - Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals. 141.11 Section 141.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... § 141.11 Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals. (a) The maximum contaminant level for...

40 CFR 141.11 - Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals. 141.11 Section 141.11 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... § 141.11 Maximum contaminant levels for inorganic chemicals. (a) The maximum contaminant level for...

40 CFR 142.65 - Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. 142.65 Section 142.65 Protection of Environment... Available § 142.65 Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a)(1) Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for combined radium-226 and radium-228, uranium...

40 CFR 142.65 - Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. 142.65 Section 142.65 Protection of Environment... Available § 142.65 Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a)(1) Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for combined radium-226 and radium-228, uranium...

40 CFR 142.65 - Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. 142.65 Section 142.65 Protection of Environment... Available § 142.65 Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a)(1) Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for combined radium-226 and radium-228, uranium...

40 CFR 142.65 - Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. 142.65 Section 142.65 Protection of Environment... Available § 142.65 Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for radionuclides. (a)(1) Variances and exemptions from the maximum contaminant levels for combined radium-226 and radium-228, uranium...

40 CFR Appendix I to Part 257 - Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) I Appendix I to Part 257 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES... Part 257—Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) Promulgated Under the Safe...

Psycho-vibratory evaluation of timber floors - Towards the determination of design indicators of vibration acceptability and vibration annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negreira, J.; Trollé, A.; Jarnerö, K.; Sjökvist, L.-G.; Bard, D.

2015-03-01

In timber housing constructions, vibrations can be a nuisance for inhabitants. Notably, the vibrational response of wooden floor systems is an issue in need of being dealt with more adequately in the designing of such buildings. Studies addressing human response to vibrations are needed in order to be able to better estimate what level of vibrations in dwellings can be seen as acceptable. In the present study, measurements on five different wooden floors were performed in a laboratory environment at two locations in Sweden (SP in Växjö and LU in Lund). Acceleration measurements were carried out while a person either was walking on a particular floor or was seated in a chair placed there as the test leader was walking on the floor. These participants filled out a questionnaire regarding their perception and experiencing of the vibrations in question. Independently of the subjective tests, several static and dynamic characteristics of the floors were determined through measurements. The ultimate aim was to develop indicators of human response to floor vibrations, specifically those regarding vibration acceptability and vibration annoyance, their being drawn based on relationships between the questionnaire responses obtained and the parameter values determined on the basis of the measurements carried out. To that end, use was made of multilevel regression. Although the sample of floors tested was small, certain clear trends could be noted. The first eigenfrequency (calculated in accordance with Eurocode 5) and Hu and Chui's criterion (calculated from measured quantities) proved to be the best indicators of vibration annoyance, and the Maximum Transient Vibration Value (computed on the basis of the accelerations experienced by the test subjects) to be the best indicator of vibration acceptability.

Acceptability of domestic violence against women in the European Union: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Gracia, Enrique; Herrero, Juan

2006-02-01

The acceptability of domestic violence against women (DVAW) plays an important part in shaping the social environment in which the victims are embedded, which in turn may contribute either to perpetuate or to reduce the levels of DVAW in our societies. This study analyses correlates of the acceptability of DVAW in the European Union (EU). Three level ordinal logistic regression of 13 457 people nested within 212 localities (cities), nested within 15 countries of the EU. Sampling is multistage with random probability. All interviews were face to face in people's homes. The outcome variable was acceptability of DVAW. Multiple correlates at the individual, locality, and country level were analysed. European Union, 1999. National data were used of residents 15 years old and above of all member states in 1999 (n = 13 457). Average response rate was 47%, although it varied across countries (23%-73%). Higher levels of acceptability were reported by those who perceived DVAW as less severe and less frequent. Acceptability is higher among men who know a perpetrator and lower among men who know a victim. Victim blaming attitude is associated with higher levels of acceptability. In countries with higher gender empowerment measure the difference in acceptability among those who blame and those who do not blame the victim is greater. There are still widespread attitudes in the EU such as victim blaming that condone DVAW, contributing to a climate of social acceptability of DVAW. Further efforts to reduce the acceptability of DVAW are still needed.

Defining acceptable levels for ecological indicators: an approach for considering social values.

PubMed

Smyth, Robyn L; Watzin, Mary C; Manning, Robert E

2007-03-01

Ecological indicators can facilitate an adaptive management approach, but only if acceptable levels for those indicators have been defined so that the data collected can be interpreted. Because acceptable levels are an expression of the desired state of the ecosystem, the process of establishing acceptable levels should incorporate not just ecological understanding but also societal values. The goal of this research was to explore an approach for defining acceptable levels of ecological indicators that explicitly considers social perspectives and values. We used a set of eight indicators that were related to issues of concern in the Lake Champlain Basin. Our approach was based on normative theory. Using a stakeholder survey, we measured respondent normative evaluations of varying levels of our indicators. Aggregated social norm curves were used to determine the level at which indicator values shifted from acceptable to unacceptable conditions. For seven of the eight indicators, clear preferences were interpretable from these norm curves. For example, closures of public beaches because of bacterial contamination and days of intense algae bloom went from acceptable to unacceptable at 7-10 days in a summer season. Survey respondents also indicated that the number of fish caught from Lake Champlain that could be safely consumed each month was unacceptably low and the number of streams draining into the lake that were impaired by storm water was unacceptably high. If indicators that translate ecological conditions into social consequences are carefully selected, we believe the normative approach has considerable merit for defining acceptable levels of valued ecological system components.

Defining Acceptable Levels for Ecological Indicators: An Approach for Considering Social Values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smyth, Robyn L.; Watzin, Mary C.; Manning, Robert E.

2007-03-01

Ecological indicators can facilitate an adaptive management approach, but only if acceptable levels for those indicators have been defined so that the data collected can be interpreted. Because acceptable levels are an expression of the desired state of the ecosystem, the process of establishing acceptable levels should incorporate not just ecological understanding but also societal values. The goal of this research was to explore an approach for defining acceptable levels of ecological indicators that explicitly considers social perspectives and values. We used a set of eight indicators that were related to issues of concern in the Lake Champlain Basin. Our approach was based on normative theory. Using a stakeholder survey, we measured respondent normative evaluations of varying levels of our indicators. Aggregated social norm curves were used to determine the level at which indicator values shifted from acceptable to unacceptable conditions. For seven of the eight indicators, clear preferences were interpretable from these norm curves. For example, closures of public beaches because of bacterial contamination and days of intense algae bloom went from acceptable to unacceptable at 7-10 days in a summer season. Survey respondents also indicated that the number of fish caught from Lake Champlain that could be safely consumed each month was unacceptably low and the number of streams draining into the lake that were impaired by storm water was unacceptably high. If indicators that translate ecological conditions into social consequences are carefully selected, we believe the normative approach has considerable merit for defining acceptable levels of valued ecological system components.

77 FR 66824 - City of Holyoke Gas and Electric Department; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-07

... fishlift entrance. The licensee further proposes to do an in-kind replacement of the Hadley Unit 1 turbine... capacity by 600 kilowatts, and increase the maximum hydraulic capacity by an estimated 320 cubic feet per...

78 FR 66914 - Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-07

... upper reservoir having a total/usable storage capacity of 5,399 acre-feet at normal maximum operation... penstocks connecting the upper reservoir to the Pacific Ocean; (4) a 500-foot-long, 250-foot-diameter...

Development of gluten-free fish (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) patties by response surface methodology.

PubMed

Romero, Mara C; Fogar, Ricardo A; Rolhaiser, Fabiana; Clavero, Verónica V; Romero, Ana M; Judis, María A

2018-05-01

The goal of this study was to develop a fish-based product suitable for people with celiac disease. Water and gluten-free flours (rice, corn, amaranth or quinoa) were added to improve cooking yield, texture parameters and as an aid in improving quality attributes such as taste and juiciness. Cooking yields of patties containing gluten-free flours were higher than control and maximum values ranged between 91 and 93%. Hardness was higher in patties made with amaranth or quinoa flour, whereas cohesiveness and springiness were higher in patties made with corn and rice flour, respectively. Response surface methodology was used to optimize patties formulations. Optimized formulations were prepared and evaluated showing a good agreement between predicted and experimental responses. Also, nutritional value and consumer acceptance of optimized formulations were analysed. Flours addition affected proximate composition increasing carbohydrates, total fat and mineral content compared to control. Sensory evaluation showed that no differences were found in the aroma of products. Addition of rice flour increased juiciness and tenderness whereas taste, overall acceptance and buying intention were higher in control patty, followed by patties made with corn flour. The present investigation shows good possibilities for further product development, including the scale up at an industrial level.

40 CFR 90.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 90.510 Section 90.510....510 Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Quantitative measurement of hypertrophic scar: interrater reliability and concurrent validity.

PubMed

Nedelec, Bernadette; Correa, José A; Rachelska, Grazyna; Armour, Alexis; LaSalle, Léo

2008-01-01

Research into the pathophysiology and treatment of hypertrophic scar (HSc) remains limited by the heterogeneity of scar and the imprecision with which its severity is measured. The objective of this study was to test the interrater reliability and concurrent validity of the Cutometer measurement of elasticity, the Mexameter measurement of erythema and pigmentation, and total thickness measure of the DermaScan C relative to the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS) in patient-matched normal skin, normal scar, and HSc. Three independent investigators evaluated 128 sites (severe HSc, moderate or mild HSc, donor site, and normal skin) on 32 burn survivors using all of the above measurement tools. The intraclass correlation coefficient, which was used to measure interrater reliability, reflects the inherent amount of error in the measure and is considered acceptable when it is >0.75. Interrater reliability of the totals of the height, pliability, and vascularity subscales of the mVSS fell below the acceptable limit ( congruent with0.50). The individual subscales of the mVSS fell well below the acceptable level (< or =0.3). The Cutometer reading of elasticity provided acceptable reliability (>0.89) for each study site with the exception of severe scar. Mexameter and DermaScan C reliability measurements were acceptable for all sites (>0.82). Concurrent validity correlations with the mVSS were significant except for the comparison of the mVSS pliability subscale and the Cutometer maximum deformation measure comparison in severe scar. In conclusion, the Mexameter and DermaScan C measurements of scar color and thickness of all sites, as well as the Cutometer measurement of elasticity in all but the most severe scars shows high interrater reliability. Their significant concurrent validity with the mVSS confirms that these tools are measuring the same traits as the mVSS, and in a more objective way.

Vibration Analysis of Beam and Block Precast Slab System due to Human Vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chik, T. N. T.; Kamil, M. R. H.; Yusoff, N. A.

2018-04-01

Beam and block precast slabs system are very efficient which generally give maximum structural performance where their voids based on the design of the unit soffit block allow a significant reduction of the whole slab self-weight. Initially for some combinations of components or the joint connection of the structural slab, this structural system may be susceptible to excessive vibrations that could effects the performance and also serviceability. Dynamic forces are excited from people walking and jumping which produced vibrations to the slab system in the buildings. Few studies concluded that human induced vibration on precast slabs system may be harmful to structural performance and mitigate the human comfort level. This study will investigate the vibration analysis of beam and block precast slab by using finite element method at the school building. Human activities which are excited from jumping and walking will induce the vibrations signal to the building. Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) was used to measure the dynamic responses of slab towards the vibration sources. Five different points were assigned specifically where each of location will determine the behaviour of the entire slabs. The finite element analyses were developed in ABAQUS software and the data was further processed in MATLAB ModalV to assess the vibration criteria. The results indicated that the beam and block precast systems adequate enough to the vibration serviceability and human comfort criteria. The overall vibration level obtained was fell under VC-E curve which it is generally under the maximum permissible level of vibrations. The vibration level on the slab is acceptable within the limit that have been used by Gordon.

Heavy Metals in Soils and Vegetables Irrigated with Urban Grey Waste Water in Fagge, Kano, Nigeria.

PubMed

Chiroma, T M; Ebewele, R O; Hymore, F K

2014-01-01

There is currently an increased consumption of vegetables within the local urban community. However, contamination of these vegetables with heavy metals poses a potential health hazard. Consequently, the potential contamination problem due to the effect of levels of some heavy metals (Fe, Mg, Zn, Mn, Cu and Cr) in soils and vegetables irrigated with drainage urban grey waste water were investigated. The maximum levels of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Cr in the urban grey waste waters were respectively 2.8, 2.1, 19.5, 2.3 and 143.1 times, higher than the maximum recommended concentrations of these metals: 5.0 μg/mL, 2.0 μg/mL, 0.2 μg/mL, 0.2 μg/mL and 0.1 μg/mL, respectively, for irrigation waters. The soils were found to be contaminated with these metals to levels that range between 24 to 84 percent contaminations. Although the heavy metals concentration ranking in vegetable parts vary with plant specie, the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Cr in most parts of the vegetables were above their critical concentrations of 750 - 1000 μg/g, 100 - 400 μg/g, 300 - 500 μg/g, 20 - 100 μg/g and 5 - 30 μg/g, respectively, in plants. This suggests potential toxicity of these parts of vegetables. It was however found that over 40 percent of the concentrations of Fe, Mg, Zn and Cu in Onions, Fe in Okro, Cr in Bushgreen, Cu in Roselle and Zn, Cu in Carrot leaves can be easily removed by washing the leaves with water. However, only Cu concentration in Onions and Bushgreen leaves met the acceptable permissible level in plants after washing.

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

Lippincott, W. H.; McKinsey, D. N.; Nikkel, J. A.

Using a single-phase liquid argon detector with a signal yield of 4.85 photoelectrons per keV of electronic-equivalent recoil energy (keVee), we measure the scintillation time dependence of both electronic and nuclear recoils in liquid argon down to 5 keVee. We develop two methods of pulse shape discrimination to distinguish between electronic and nuclear recoils. Using one of these methods, we measure a background- and statistics-limited level of electronic recoil contamination to be 7.6x10{sup -7} between 52 and 110 keV of nuclear recoil energy (keVr) for a nuclear recoil acceptance of 50% with no nuclear recoil-like events above 62 keVr. Finally,more » we develop a maximum likelihood method of pulse shape discrimination based on the measured scintillation time dependence.« less

Seasonal investigation of trace element contents in commercially valuable fish species from the Black sea, Turkey.

PubMed

Mendil, Durali; Demirci, Zafer; Tuzen, Mustafa; Soylak, Mustafa

2010-03-01

Fish species (Sarda sarda, Mulus barbatus ponticus, Trachurus trachurus and Merlangius merlangus) were collected from the Black sea, Turkey between 2008 and 2009 (spring, summer, autumn and winter). The samples were analyzed using flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave digestion. The maximum metal concentrations were found to be as 25.5-41.4 microg/g (Fe), 17.8-25.7 microg/g (Zn), 0.28-0.64 microg/g (Pb), 0.64-0.99 microg/g (Cr), 1.3-3.6 microg/g (Mn), 1.4-1.9 microg/g (Cu), 0.18-0.35 microg/g (Cd) and 0.25-0.42 microg/g (Co) for fish species. The concentration of trace metals in samples is depended on fish species. Some species is accumulated trace metals at high ratio. Trace element levels in analyzed fish species were acceptable to human consumption at nutritional and toxic levels. The levels of lead and cadmium in fish samples were higher than the recommended legal limits. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of agrochemical use on the drinking water quality of Agogo, a tomato growing community in Ashanti Akim, Ghana.

PubMed

Obiri-Danso, K; Adonadaga, M G; Hogarh, J N

2011-01-01

The effect of agrochemical use in agricultural activities on the drinking water quality of ground and surface water within Agogo, a prominent tomato growing area in the Ashanti region of Ghana was assessed by monitoring physicochemical parameters, trace metals and microbial quality of two water sources. Levels of contamination were greater in surface water than groundwater. Trace metal levels (mg/L) were 1.40, 0.12, 0.08 and 0.18 in surface water and 0.08, 0.10, 0.05 and 0.08 in groundwater for Fe, Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively. Lead and Cd in surface and groundwater exceeded USEPA maximum acceptable levels (MCLs) for drinking water. Bacterial indicator numbers (geometric means/100 mL) in surface water varied from 9.35 x 10⁵ to 1.57 x 10¹¹ for total coliforms, 4.15 x 10⁴ to 2.10 x 10⁷ for faecal coliforms and 2.80 x 10 to 3.25 x 10² for enterococci, but none was found in groundwater.

Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soft tissue of oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) collected from the Lengeh Port coast, Persian Gulf, Iran: a comparison with the permissible limits for public health.

PubMed

Heidari, Behnam; Riyahi Bakhtiari, Alireza; Shirneshan, Golshan

2013-12-01

This study examines concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the soft tissue of Saccostrea cucullata in the intertidal zones of Lengeh Port, Persian Gulf, Iran, to survey whether heavy metals are within the acceptable limits for public health? The results revealed that the average metal concentrations (μg/g dry weight) ranged from 10.28 to 12.03 for Cd, 294.10 to 345.80 for Cu, 20.64 to 58.23 for Pb and 735.60 to 760.40 for Zn in the soft tissue of oysters. From the human public health point of view, comparison between the mean concentrations of the metals in the soft tissue of oyster and global guidelines clearly indicates that nearly in all cases concentrations are higher than the permissible amounts for human consumption. In addition, levels of Zn, Pb and Cu were well below their recommended oral maximum residue level (MRLs), whereas levels of Cd were observed two times higher. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of a safe facility for the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of high-purity GaAs and AlGaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messham, R. L.; Tucker, W. K.

1986-09-01

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) facility designed to safely handle highly toxic and pyrophoric growth materials is described. The system concept is based on remote operation, passive flow restriction, and forced air dilution to maintain safe gas concentrations under normal running and catastrophic system failure conditions. MOCVD is a key materials technology for advanced high-frequency optical and microwave devices. At this time, the use of highly toxic arsine as an arsenic source is dictated by critical device purity, reproducibility, and doping control requirements. The handling and use of this gas is a primary feature in the design of any safe facility for MOCVD growth of high-quality GaAs/AlGaAs. After a critical review of presently available effluent treatment techniques, it was concluded that a combination of flow restriction and dilution presented the most reliable treatment. Measured flow rates through orifices from 0.002 to 0.005 inch in diameter were compared to calculated values. A 0.002 inch orifice located in the cylinder valve or CGA fitting, combined with a cylinder of pure liquid arsine (205 psi), limits the maximum gas flow to ≪1 lpm. Such a flow can then be vented through a dedicated exhaust system where an additional forced injection of diluting air reduces the gas concentration to acceptable levels. In the final Westinghouse R&D Center design, the use of low-pressure pure arsine, flow restriction, and stack air injection has reduced the maximum stack exist gas concentration to below 25% of the IDLH level for arsine under total and catastrophic MOCVD facility equipment failure conditions. The elimination of potential problems with purging behind such orifices using carefully designed purging procedures and a microprocessor-controlled purging system are described. The IDLH level is defined by the OSHA and NIOSH standards completion program and represents the maximum level from which one could escape within 30 min without any escape-impairing symptoms or irreversible health effects.

A New Energy-Critical Plane Damage Parameter for Multiaxial Fatigue Life Prediction of Turbine Blades.

PubMed

Yu, Zheng-Yong; Zhu, Shun-Peng; Liu, Qiang; Liu, Yunhan

2017-05-08

As one of fracture critical components of an aircraft engine, accurate life prediction of a turbine blade to disk attachment is significant for ensuring the engine structural integrity and reliability. Fatigue failure of a turbine blade is often caused under multiaxial cyclic loadings at high temperatures. In this paper, considering different failure types, a new energy-critical plane damage parameter is proposed for multiaxial fatigue life prediction, and no extra fitted material constants will be needed for practical applications. Moreover, three multiaxial models with maximum damage parameters on the critical plane are evaluated under tension-compression and tension-torsion loadings. Experimental data of GH4169 under proportional and non-proportional fatigue loadings and a case study of a turbine disk-blade contact system are introduced for model validation. Results show that model predictions by Wang-Brown (WB) and Fatemi-Socie (FS) models with maximum damage parameters are conservative and acceptable. For the turbine disk-blade contact system, both of the proposed damage parameters and Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) model show reasonably acceptable correlations with its field number of flight cycles. However, life estimations of the turbine blade reveal that the definition of the maximum damage parameter is not reasonable for the WB model but effective for both the FS and SWT models.

A New Energy-Critical Plane Damage Parameter for Multiaxial Fatigue Life Prediction of Turbine Blades

PubMed Central

Yu, Zheng-Yong; Zhu, Shun-Peng; Liu, Qiang; Liu, Yunhan

2017-01-01

As one of fracture critical components of an aircraft engine, accurate life prediction of a turbine blade to disk attachment is significant for ensuring the engine structural integrity and reliability. Fatigue failure of a turbine blade is often caused under multiaxial cyclic loadings at high temperatures. In this paper, considering different failure types, a new energy-critical plane damage parameter is proposed for multiaxial fatigue life prediction, and no extra fitted material constants will be needed for practical applications. Moreover, three multiaxial models with maximum damage parameters on the critical plane are evaluated under tension-compression and tension-torsion loadings. Experimental data of GH4169 under proportional and non-proportional fatigue loadings and a case study of a turbine disk-blade contact system are introduced for model validation. Results show that model predictions by Wang-Brown (WB) and Fatemi-Socie (FS) models with maximum damage parameters are conservative and acceptable. For the turbine disk-blade contact system, both of the proposed damage parameters and Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) model show reasonably acceptable correlations with its field number of flight cycles. However, life estimations of the turbine blade reveal that the definition of the maximum damage parameter is not reasonable for the WB model but effective for both the FS and SWT models. PMID:28772873

76 FR 2892 - City of Ouray; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-18

... feet of new pipeline to direct water to a new power plant. The power plant will house one Pelton turbine and induction motor generator with a maximum output of 20 kilowatt. g. Location: Ouray, Colorado...

75 FR 18826 - Mr. Howard Rosenfeld; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-13

... to; (4) an existing 25-foot-high, 22-foot-square stone-masonry building to house; (5) a new turbine generator unit, with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 5 cubic feet per second (cfs) and total installed...

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trials Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

March, John S.; Silva, Susan G.; Compton, Scott; Anthony, Ginger; DeVeaugh-Geiss, Joseph; Califf, Robert; Krishnan, Ranga

2004-01-01

Objective: The current generation of clinical trials in pediatric psychiatry often fails to maximize clinical utility for practicing clinicians, thereby diluting its impact. Method: To attain maximum clinical relevance and acceptability, the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trials Network (CAPTN) will transport to pediatric psychiatry the practical…

76 FR 36961 - Standards and Specifications for Timber Products Acceptable for Use by Rural Utilities Service...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-24

... limited to the equivalent displacement of a knot \\3/8\\ of an inch deep on one face and the maximum round.../2\\ the equivalent displacement of a round knot permitted at that location, provided that the depth...

The strategy of training staff for a new type of helicopter as an element of raising the security level of flight operations.

PubMed

Gałązkowski, Robert; Wołkowski, Władysław; Mikos, Marcin; Szajda, Sławomir; Wejnarski, Arkadiusz; Świeżewski, Stanisław Paweł

2015-01-01

In 2008, the Polish Medical Air Rescue started replacing its fleet with modern EC135 machines. To ensure the maximum possible safety of the missions performed both in the period of implementing the change and later on, the management prepared a strategy of training its crews to use the new type of helicopter. The analysis of incidents that occurred during 2006-2009 showed that both the human and the technical factors must be carefully considered. Moreover, a risk analysis was conducted to reduce the risk both during general crew training and in the course of particular flight operations. A four-stage strategy of training pilots and crew members was worked out by weighing up all the risks. The analysis of data from 2010 to 2013 confirmed that the risk connected with flying and with all the activities involved in direct support aircraft operations is under control and lowered to an acceptable level.

Neurobehavioral effects of aspartame consumption.

PubMed

Lindseth, Glenda N; Coolahan, Sonya E; Petros, Thomas V; Lindseth, Paul D

2014-06-01

Despite its widespread use, the artificial sweetener aspartame remains one of the most controversial food additives, due to mixed evidence on its neurobehavioral effects. Healthy adults who consumed a study-prepared high-aspartame diet (25 mg/kg body weight/day) for 8 days and a low-aspartame diet (10 mg/kg body weight/day) for 8 days, with a 2-week washout between the diets, were examined for within-subject differences in cognition, depression, mood, and headache. Measures included weight of foods consumed containing aspartame, mood and depression scales, and cognitive tests for working memory and spatial orientation. When consuming high-aspartame diets, participants had more irritable mood, exhibited more depression, and performed worse on spatial orientation tests. Aspartame consumption did not influence working memory. Given that the higher intake level tested here was well below the maximum acceptable daily intake level of 40-50 mg/kg body weight/day, careful consideration is warranted when consuming food products that may affect neurobehavioral health. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neurobehavioral Effects of Aspartame Consumption

PubMed Central

Lindseth, Glenda N.; Coolahan, Sonya E.; Petros, Thomas V.; Lindseth, Paul D.

2017-01-01

Despite its widespread use, the artificial sweetener aspartame remains one of the most controversial food additives, due to mixed evidence on its neurobehavioral effects. Healthy adults who consumed a study-prepared high-aspartame diet (25 mg/kg body weight/day) for 8 days and a low-aspartame diet (10 mg/kg body weight/day) for 8 days, with a 2-week washout between the diets, were examined for within-subject differences in cognition, depression, mood, and headache. Measures included weight of foods consumed containing aspartame, mood and depression scales, and cognitive tests for working memory and spatial orientation. When consuming high-aspartame diets, participants had more irritable mood, exhibited more depression, and performed worse on spatial orientation tests. Aspartame consumption did not influence working memory. Given that the higher intake level tested here was well below the maximum acceptable daily intake level of 40–50 mg/kg body weight/day, careful consideration is warranted when consuming food products that may affect neurobehavioral health. PMID:24700203

The strategy of training staff for a new type of helicopter as an element of raising the security level of flight operations

PubMed Central

Gałązkowski, Robert; Wołkowski, Władysław; Mikos, Marcin; Szajda, Sławomir; Wejnarski, Arkadiusz; Świeżewski, Stanisław Paweł

2015-01-01

In 2008, the Polish Medical Air Rescue started replacing its fleet with modern EC135 machines. To ensure the maximum possible safety of the missions performed both in the period of implementing the change and later on, the management prepared a strategy of training its crews to use the new type of helicopter. The analysis of incidents that occurred during 2006–2009 showed that both the human and the technical factors must be carefully considered. Moreover, a risk analysis was conducted to reduce the risk both during general crew training and in the course of particular flight operations. A four-stage strategy of training pilots and crew members was worked out by weighing up all the risks. The analysis of data from 2010 to 2013 confirmed that the risk connected with flying and with all the activities involved in direct support aircraft operations is under control and lowered to an acceptable level. PMID:26694009

Differences in the diurnal pattern of soil respiration under adjacent Miscanthus x giganteus and barley crops reveal potential flaws in accepted sampling strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keane, James; Ineson, Phil

2017-04-01

Soil respiration (Rs) plays an important role in the global carbon cycle and contributes ca. 30% of global ecosystem respiration.However, for convenience, measurements used to compare Rs from different land uses, crops or management practices are often made between 09:00 and 16:00, with an implicit assumption that Rs is largely controlled by temperature. Three months' continuous data presented here show distinctly different diurnal patterns of Rs between barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Miscanthus x giganteus (Miscanthus) grown on adjacent fields. Maximum Rs in barley occurred during the afternoon and correlated with soil temperature, whereas Rs peaked in Miscanthus during the night and was significantly correlated with earlier levels of solar radiation, probably due to delays in translocation of recent photosynthate. Since daily mean Rs in Miscanthus coincided with levels 40% greater than the mean in barley, it is vital to select appropriate times to measure Rs if only single daily measurements are to be made.

The acceptance of illness in lung cancer patients before and after surgical treatment.

PubMed

Nowicki, Andrzej; Graczyk, Paulina; Lemanowicz, Marzena

2017-08-31

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor in the world, as well as one of the cancers with the most fatal prognosis. The acceptance of the disease is the most important element of the adaptive process. The better the illness acceptance, the lower the stress level and the higher the self-esteem, which facilitates the adaptation to the health status. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptance of the disease in patients before and after lung cancer surgery. The study was conducted in 2016 at the Center of Oncology in Bydgoszcz and the Kuyavian and Pomeranian Pulmonology Center in Bydgoszcz. The study involved 87 patients who were assessed both before and after lung cancer surgery. The original questionnaire, as well as the Acceptance of Illness Scale, were used. Men accounted for 75% of the probands, 65% of the study population were 50-69 years old. The highest number of patients - 25 (28.7%) had a 5-pack-year history, and the lowest amount of patients - 8 (9.2%) had a 2.5-pack-year history. The level of acceptance of illness before and after surgery differed in 58 persons. In 29, the level of acceptance remained the same, in 45, the level of acceptance decreased, and in 13 - it increased. Before surgery, the mean acceptance of illness score was 26.2 points, and after surgery - 20.89 points. The patients both after and before surgery had acceptance of illness scores regardless of their gender, age, education, place of residence or occupational activity. In more than a half of the patients, the acceptance of illness decreases after surgery and is at an average level. Male patients, patients aged 50-69 years, with primary, middle or vocational education, employed persons show a significantly worse illness acceptance, regardless of their place of residence, and occupational activity do not influence the acceptance of the disease.

Post flight analysis of NASA standard star trackers recovered from the solar maximum mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, P.

1985-01-01

The flight hardware returned after the Solar Maximum Mission Repair Mission was analyzed to determine the effects of 4 years in space. The NASA Standard Star Tracker would be a good candidate for such analysis because it is moderately complex and had a very elaborate calibration during the acceptance procedure. However, the recovery process extensively damaged the cathode of the image dissector detector making proper operation of the tracker and a comparison with preflight characteristics impossible. Otherwise, the tracker functioned nominally during testing.

A discrete choice experiment to explore patients' willingness to risk disease relapse from treatment withdrawal in psoriatic arthritis.

PubMed

Rothery, Claire; Bojke, Laura; Richardson, Gerry; Bojke, Chris; Moverley, Anna; Coates, Laura; Thorp, Liz; Waxman, Robin; Helliwell, Philip

2016-12-01

The objective of this study is to assess patient preferences for treatment-related benefits and risk of disease relapse in the management of low disease states of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Focus groups with patients and a literature review were undertaken to determine the characteristics of treatment and symptoms of PsA important to patients. Patient preferences were assessed using a discrete choice experiment which compared hypothetical treatment profiles of the risk and benefits of treatment withdrawal. The risk outcome included increased risk of disease relapse, while benefit outcomes included reduced sickness/nausea from medication and changes in health-related quality of life. Each patient completed 12 choice sets comparing treatment profiles. Preference weights were estimated using a logic regression model, and the maximum acceptable risk in disease relapse for a given improvement in benefit outcomes was elicited. Final sample included 136 patients. Respondents attached the greatest importance to eliminating severe side effects of sickness/nausea and the least importance to a change in risk of relapse. Respondents were willing to accept an increase in the risk of relapse of 32.6 % in order to eliminate the side effects of sickness/nausea. For improvements in health status, the maximum acceptable risk in relapse was comparable to a movement from some to no sickness/nausea. The study suggests that patients in low disease states of PsA are willing to accept greater risks of relapse for improvements in side effects of sickness/nausea and overall health status, with the most important benefit attribute being the elimination of severe sickness or nausea.

Emissions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Natural Gas Extraction into Air.

PubMed

Paulik, L Blair; Donald, Carey E; Smith, Brian W; Tidwell, Lane G; Hobbie, Kevin A; Kincl, Laurel; Haynes, Erin N; Anderson, Kim A

2016-07-19

Natural gas extraction, often referred to as "fracking", has increased rapidly in the United States in recent years. To address potential health impacts, passive air samplers were deployed in a rural community heavily affected by the natural gas boom. Samplers were analyzed for 62 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Results were grouped based on distance from each sampler to the nearest active well. Levels of benzo[a]pyrene, phenanthrene, and carcinogenic potency of PAH mixtures were highest when samplers were closest to active wells. PAH levels closest to natural gas activity were comparable to levels previously reported in rural areas in winter. Sourcing ratios indicated that PAHs were predominantly petrogenic, suggesting that PAH levels were influenced by direct releases from the earth. Quantitative human health risk assessment estimated the excess lifetime cancer risks associated with exposure to the measured PAHs. At sites closest to active wells, the risk estimated for maximum residential exposure was 0.04 in a million, which is below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's acceptable risk level. Overall, risk estimates decreased 30% when comparing results from samplers closest to active wells to those farthest from them. This work suggests that natural gas extraction is contributing PAHs to the air, at levels that would not be expected to increase cancer risk.

Public acceptance for centralized storage and repositories of low-level waste session (Panel)

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

Lutz, H.R.

1995-12-31

Participants from various parts of the world will provide a summary of their particular country`s approach to low-level waste management and the cost of public acceptance for low-level waste management facilities. Participants will discuss the number, geographic location, and type of low-level waste repositories and centralized storage facilities located in their countries. Each will discuss the amount, distribution, and duration of funds to gain public acceptance of these facilities. Participants will provide an estimated $/meter for centralized storage facilities and repositories. The panel will include a brief discussion about the ethical aspects of public acceptance costs, approaches for negotiating acceptance,more » and lessons learned in each country. The audience is invited to participate in the discussion.« less

Nitrate and ammonia contaminations in drinking water and the affecting factors in Hailun, northeast China.

PubMed

Zhao, Xinfeng; Chen, Liding; Zhang, Haiping

2013-03-01

Drinking water samples (N = 228) from domestic tube wells (DTWs) and seven samples from public water supply wells (PWSWs) were collected and tested in Hailun, northeast China. The percentage of samples with nitrate and ammonia concentrations above the maximum acceptable concentration of nitrate, 10 mg N/L, and the maximum ensure concentration of ammonia, 1.5 mg/L, for the DTWs were significantly higher than for the PWSWs. Of the DTWs, an important observation was that the occurrence of groundwater nitrate contamination was directly related to well tube material with different joint pathways. Nitrate in seamless-tube wells was lower statistically significantly than those in multiple-section-tube wells (p < .001). Furthermore, well depth and hydrogeological setting might have some impacts on nitrogen contamination and the major sources of inorganic nitrogen contamination may be nitrogenous chemical fertilizer. Therefore, PWSWs built for all families are the best way to ensure the drinking water safety in villages. For DTWs it is necessary to use seamless tubes and to dig deep enough according to the depth of groundwater level. Improving the efficiency of chemical fertilizer use would also reduce the risk of groundwater contamination.

Evaluation of certain veterinary drug residues in food. Seventy-eighth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.

PubMed

2014-01-01

This report represents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluate the safety of residues of certain veterinary drugs in food and to recommend maximum levels for such residues of food. The first part of the report considers general principles regarding the evaluation of residues of veterinary drugs within the terms of reference of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), including extrapolation of maximum residue limits (MRLs) to minor species, MRLs for veterinary drug residues in honey, MRLs relating to fish and fish species, dietary exposure assessment methodologies, the decision-tree approach to the evaluation of residues of veterinary drugs and guidance for JECFA experts. Summaries follow of the Committee's evaluations of toxicology and residue data on a variety of veterinary drugs: two anthelminthic agents (derquantel, monepantel), three antiparasitic agents (emanectin benzoate, ivermectin, lasalocid sodium), one antibacterial, antifungal and anthelminthic agent (gentian violet), a production aid (recombinant bovine somatotropins) and an adrenoceptor agonist and growth promoter (zilpaterol hydorchloride). Annexed to the report is a summary of the Committee's recommendations on these drugs, including acceptable daily intakes (ADIs)) and proposed MRLs.

Technical note: Differences in the diurnal pattern of soil respiration under adjacent Miscanthus × giganteus and barley crops reveal potential flaws in accepted sampling strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Keane, J.; Ineson, Phil

2017-03-01

For convenience, measurements used to compare soil respiration (Rs) from different land uses, crops or management practices are often made between 09:00 and 16:00 UTC, convenience which is justified by an implicit assumption that Rs is largely controlled by temperature. Three months of continuous data presented here show distinctly different diurnal patterns of Rs between barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Miscanthus × giganteus (Miscanthus) grown on adjacent fields. Maximum Rs in barley occurred during the afternoon and correlated with soil temperature, whereas in Miscanthus after an initial early evening decline, Rs increased above the daily average during the night and in July maximum daily rates of Rs were seen at 22:00 and was significantly correlated with earlier levels of solar radiation, probably due to delays in translocation of recent photosynthate. Since the time of the daily mean Rs in Miscanthus occurred when Rs in the barley was 40 % greater than the daily mean, it is vital to select appropriate times to measure Rs especially if only single daily measurements are to be made.

Stability control for high speed tracked unmanned vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pape, Olivier; Morillon, Joel G.; Houbloup, Philippe; Leveque, Stephane; Fialaire, Cecile; Gauthier, Thierry; Ropars, Patrice

2005-05-01

The French Military Robotic Study Program (introduced in Aerosense 2003), sponsored by the French Defense Procurement Agency and managed by Thales as the prime contractor, focuses on about 15 robotic themes which can provide an immediate "operational add-on value". The paper details the "automatic speed adjustment" behavior (named SYR4), developed by Giat Industries Company, which main goal is to secure the teleoperated mobility of high speed tracked vehicles on rough grounds; more precisely, the validated low level behavior continuously adjusts the vehicle speed taking into account the teleperator wish AND the maximum speed that the vehicle can manage safely according to the commanded radius of curvature. The algorithm is based on a realistic physical model of the ground-tracks relation, taking into account many vehicle and ground parameters (such as ground adherence and dynamic specificities of tracked vehicles). It also deals with the teleoperator-machine interface, providing a balanced strategy between both extreme behaviors: a) maximum speed reduction before initiating the commanded curve; b) executing the minimum possible radius without decreasing the commanded speed. The paper presents the results got from the military acceptance tests performed on tracked SYRANO vehicle (French Operational Demonstrator).

[Distribution Characteristics of Heavy Metals in Environmental Samples Around Electroplating Factories and the Health Risk Assessment].

PubMed

Guo, Peng-ran; Lei, Yong-qian; Zhou, Qiao-li; Wang, Chang; Pan, Jia-chuan

2015-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the pollution degree and human health risk of heavy metals in soil and air samples around electroplating factories. Soil, air and waste gas samples were collected to measure 8 heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in two electroplating factories, located in Baiyun district of Guangzhou city. Geoaccumulation index and USEPA Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) were respectively carried out. Results showed that concentrations of Hg and Pb in waste gas and Cr in air samples were higher than limits of the corresponding quality standards, and concentrations of Cd, Hg and Zn in soil samples reached the moderate pollution level. The HQ and HI of exposure by heavy metals in air and soil samples were both lower than 1, indicating that there was no non-carcinogen risk. CRAs and CRCr in soil samples were beyond the maximum acceptable level of carcinogen risk (10(-4)), and the contribution rate of CRCr to TCR was over 81%. CRCr, CRNi and TCR in air samples were in range of 10(-6) - 10(-4), indicating there was possibly carcinogen risk but was acceptable risk. CR values for children were higher than adults in soils, but were higher for adults in air samples. Correlation analysis revealed that concentrations of heavy metals in soils were significantly correlated with these in waste gas samples, and PCA data showed pollution sources of Cd, Hg and Zn in soils were different from other metals.

HIV counselling and testing utilisation and attitudes of male inmates in a South African prison.

PubMed

Motshabi, Lelaka C; Pengpid, Supa; Peltzer, Karl

2011-01-01

The Department of Correctional Services Policy on the management of HIV and AIDS for offenders include voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV as one of the priorities in the rehabilitation of inmates. The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with the utilisation of VCT services in the correctional centres in terms of level of satisfaction, their experiences and expectations, and motivating factors and barriers for VCT utilisation at Losperfontein Correctional Centre, South Africa. This was a case control study (cases being those who underwent testing and controls those who did not) examining predictors of HIV VCT utilisation among 200 male adult sentenced inmates serving medium and maximum sentences. Results indicate that a poor health system (OR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.23 - 0.50) was inversely associated with HIV testing acceptance in prison, while age, educational level, population group, marital status, length of incarceration and access to HIV testing in prison were not associated with HIV testing acceptance in prison. Half of the participants (50%) agreed that VCT services are accessible and are promoted at their correctional centre. Most were satisfied with different components of VCT services, ranging from 79% (fair to very good) for 'the way he/she received you' to 62% 'clarified all your concerns'. This study demonstrated some challenges and benefits to the field of health promotion and HIV prevention in the correctional centres especially with regard to VCT services.

Effects of an Educational Experience Incorporating an Inventory of Factors Potentially Influencing Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiles, Jason R.; Alters, Brian

2011-12-01

This investigation provides an extensive review of scientific, religious, and otherwise non-scientific factors that may influence student acceptance of biological evolution. We also measure the extent to which students' levels of acceptance changed following an educational experience designed to address an inclusive inventory of factors identified as potentially affecting student acceptance of evolution (n = 81, pre-test/post-test) n = 37, one-year longitudinal). Acceptance of evolution was measured using the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument among participants enrolled in a secondary-level academic programme during the summer prior to their final year of high school and as they transitioned to the post-secondary level. Student acceptance of evolution was measured to be significantly higher than initial levels both immediately following and over one year after the educational experience. Results reported herein carry implications for future quantitative and qualitative research as well as for cross-disciplinary instruction plans related to evolutionary science and non-scientific factors which may influence student understanding of evolution.

Baseline groundwater quality in national park units within the Marcellus and Utica Shale gas plays, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eckhardt, David A.V.; Sloto, Ronald A.

2012-01-01

Groundwater samples were collected from 15 production wells and 1 spring at 9 national park units in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in July and August 2011 and analyzed to characterize the quality of these water supplies. The sample sites generally were selected to represent areas of potential effects on water quality by drilling and development of gas wells in Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale areas of the northeastern United States. The groundwater samples were analyzed for 53 constituents, including nutrients, major inorganic constituents, trace elements, chemical oxygen demand, radioactivity, and dissolved gases, including methane and radon-222. Results indicated that the groundwater used for water supply at the selected national park units is generally of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some constituents exceeded at least one drinking-water guideline at several wells. Nine analytes were detected in concentrations that exceeded Federal drinking-water standards, mostly secondary standards that define aesthetic properties of water, such as taste and odor. One sample had an arsenic concentration that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The pH, which is a measure of acidity (hydrogen ion activity), ranged from 4.8 to 8.4, and in 5 of the 16 samples, the pH values were outside the accepted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) range of 6.5 to 8.5. The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeded the SMCL of 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L) at four sites. The sulfate concentration exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L concentration in one sample, and the fluoride concentration exceeded the SMCL of 2 mg/L in one sample. Sodium concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water health advisory of 60 mg/L at four sites. Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 μg/L in two samples, and manganese concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 50 μg/L in five samples. Radon-222 concentrations exceeded the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in eight samples.

User acceptance of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) in a Saudi Arabian hospital radiology department

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Compared with the increasingly widespread use of picture archiving and communication systems (PACSs), knowledge concerning users’ acceptance of such systems is limited. Knowledge of acceptance is needed given the large (and growing) financial investment associated with the implementation of PACSs, and because the level of user acceptance influences the degree to which the benefits of the systems for healthcare can be realized. Methods A Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used to assess the level of acceptance of the host PACS by staff in the radiology department at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire survey of 89 PACS users was employed to obtain data regarding user characteristics, perceived usefulness (PU) (6 items), perceived ease of use (PEU) (4 items), a change construct (4 items), and a behavior (acceptance) construct (9 items). Respondents graded each item in each construct using five-point likert scales. Results Surveyed users reported high levels of PU (4.33/5), PEU (4.15/5), change (4.26/5), and acceptance (3.86/5). The three constructs of PU, PEU, and change explained 41 % of the variation in PACS user acceptance. PU was the most important predictor, explaining 38 % of the variation on its own. The most important single item in the explanatory constructs was that users found PACS to have improved the quality of their work in providing better patient care. Technologists had lower acceptance ratings than did clinicians/radiologists, but no influence on acceptance level was found due to gender, age, or length of experience using the PACS. Although not directly measured, there appeared to be no cultural influence on either the level of acceptance or its determinants. Conclusions User acceptance must be considered when an organization implements a PACS, in order to enhance its successful adoption. Health organizations should adopt a PACS that offers all required functions and which is likely to generate high PU on the part of its users, rather than a system that is easy to use. Training/familiarization programs should aim at establishing high levels of PU in all users, particularly technologists. Health organizations are advised to measure all the factors that influence the acceptance of a PACS by their staff, in order to optimize the productivity of the system and realize the potential benefits to the greatest extent possible. PMID:22640490

16 CFR 1505.8 - Maximum acceptable material temperatures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... heat-resistant properties, or if the insulation meets the thermal requirements. 4 40 less than melting... 105 insulation on windings or relays, solenoids, etc.: Thermocouple method 2 90 194 Resistance method 110 230 Class 130 insulation system 110 230 Insulation: Varnished-cloth insulation 85 185 Fiber used...

16 CFR 1505.8 - Maximum acceptable material temperatures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... heat-resistant properties, or if the insulation meets the thermal requirements. 4 40 less than melting... 105 insulation on windings or relays, solenoids, etc.: Thermocouple method 2 90 194 Resistance method 110 230 Class 130 insulation system 110 230 Insulation: Varnished-cloth insulation 85 185 Fiber used...

16 CFR 1505.8 - Maximum acceptable material temperatures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... heat-resistant properties, or if the insulation meets the thermal requirements. 4 40 less than melting... 105 insulation on windings or relays, solenoids, etc.: Thermocouple method 2 90 194 Resistance method 110 230 Class 130 insulation system 110 230 Insulation: Varnished-cloth insulation 85 185 Fiber used...

16 CFR 1505.8 - Maximum acceptable material temperatures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... heat-resistant properties, or if the insulation meets the thermal requirements. 4 40 less than melting... 105 insulation on windings or relays, solenoids, etc.: Thermocouple method 2 90 194 Resistance method 110 230 Class 130 insulation system 110 230 Insulation: Varnished-cloth insulation 85 185 Fiber used...

40 CFR 98.348 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Municipal Solid Waste Landfills § 98.348 Definitions. Except as specified in this... contained in landfill gas. Industrial waste landfill means any landfill other than a municipal solid waste... capacity means the maximum amount of solid waste a landfill can accept. For the purposes of this subpart...

Defining Mental Health in Later Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qualls, Sara Honn

2002-01-01

Traditional models for defining mental health have used statistical definitions and symptom-based definitions. In a lifespan psychological approach, mental health in later life is defined as acceptance of the aging self as an active being who creates meaning, maintains maximum autonomy, and sustains positive relationships. (Contains 12…

Automatic, nondestructive test monitors in-process weld quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deal, F. C.

1968-01-01

Instrument automatically and nondestructively monitors the quality of welds produced in microresistance welding. It measures the infrared energy generated in the weld as the weld is made and compares this energy with maximum and minimum limits of infrared energy values previously correlated with acceptable weld-strength tolerances.

Fuzzy analysis of serviceability limit state of slender steel beam under bending

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

Kala, Zdeněk; Valeš, Jan

In the present paper, deformations of a beam under equal end moments solved with influence of lateral buckling are studied. It has been found by numerical studies that the lateral deflection of slender beam under major axis bending can be relatively high.The acceptability of high values of lateral deflections within the framework of serviceability limit state is discussed. In the next part of the paper, the limit value of maximum deflection was introduced as a fuzzy number. The fuzzy analysis of the maximum moment which causes the maximum deflection was carried out. The slendernesses of beams for which the serviceabilitymore » limit state is the limiting state for design were identified.« less

Quality-control issues on high-resolution diagnostic monitors.

PubMed

Parr, L F; Anderson, A L; Glennon, B K; Fetherston, P

2001-06-01

Previous literature indicates a need for more data collection in the area of quality control of high-resolution diagnostic monitors. Throughout acceptance testing, which began in June 2000, stability of monitor calibration was analyzed. Although image quality on all monitors was found to be acceptable upon initial acceptance testing using VeriLUM software by Image Smiths, Inc (Germantown, MD), it was determined to be unacceptable during the clinical phase of acceptance testing. High-resolution monitors were evaluated for quality assurance on a weekly basis from installation through acceptance testing and beyond. During clinical utilization determination (CUD), monitor calibration was identified as a problem and the manufacturer returned and recalibrated all workstations. From that time through final acceptance testing, high-resolution monitor calibration and monitor failure rate remained a problem. The monitor vendor then returned to the site to address these areas. Monitor defocus was still noticeable and calibration checks were increased to three times per week. White and black level drift on medium-resolution monitors had been attributed to raster size settings. Measurements of white and black level at several different size settings were taken to determine the effect of size on white and black level settings. Black level remained steady with size change. White level appeared to increase by 2.0 cd/m2 for every 0.1 inches decrease in horizontal raster size. This was determined not to be the cause of the observed brightness drift. Frequency of calibration/testing is an issue in a clinical environment. The increased frequency required at our site cannot be sustained. The medical physics division cannot provide dedicated personnel to conduct the quality-assurance testing on all monitors at this interval due to other physics commitments throughout the hospital. Monitor access is also an issue due to radiologists' need to read images. Some workstations are in use 7 AM to 11 PM daily. An appropriate monitor calibration frequency must be established during acceptance testing to ensure unacceptable drift is not masked by excessive calibration frequency. Standards for acceptable black level and white level drift also need to be determined. The monitor vendor and hospital staff agree that currently, very small printed text is an acceptable method of determining monitor blur, however, a better method of determining monitor blur is being pursued. Although monitors may show acceptable quality during initial acceptance testing, they need to show sustained quality during the clinical acceptance-testing phase. Defocus, black level, and white level are image quality concerns, which need to be evaluated during the clinical phase of acceptance testing. Image quality deficiencies can have a negative impact on patient care and raise serious medical-legal concerns. The attention to quality control required of the hospital staff needs to be realistic and not have a significant impact on radiology workflow.

Assessing contamination of smoked sprats (Sprattus sprattus) with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and changes in its level during storage in various types of packaging.

PubMed

Kuźmicz, Kamila; Ciemniak, Artur

2018-01-02

The analysis of material used in this study demonstrated that the amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smoked sprats varies from the level below the lowest detection limit in muscles up to 9.99 µg kg -1 of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in fish skin. Such a high level of PAHs in skin was reported only in one of six batches of sprats, while mean BaP level was at 1.69 µg kg -1 . Regardless such a high BaP level in skin, its concentration in muscles did not exceed the maximum acceptable level. The study objective was to assess to what extent packaging materials adsorb PAH compounds from food. Changes in the PAH levels were monitored in fish during their storage in packages made of various materials. The storage time was from 0 to 168 hours. The obtained results varied considerably, therefore their scatter did not allow to confirm unequivocally the preliminary hypothesis about the reduction of PAHs due to their migration to packaging material. However, analysis of the packaging used in this study demonstrated a significant increase in the level of total 16 PAHs. When high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packaging was analysed, a six-fold increase in the total 16 PAHs was observed comparing to the blank sample.

Predictors of nurses' acceptance of an intravenous catheter safety device.

PubMed

Rivers, Dianna Lipp; Aday, Lu Ann; Frankowski, Ralph F; Felknor, Sarah; White, Donna; Nichols, Brenda

2003-01-01

It is important to determine the factors that predict whether nurses accept and use a new intravenous (IV) safety device because there are approximately 800,000 needlesticks per year with the risk of contracting a life-threatening bloodborne disease such as HIV or hepatitis C. To determine the predictors of nurses' acceptance of the Protectiv Plus IV catheter safety needle device at a teaching hospital in Texas. A one-time cross-sectional survey of nurses (N = 742) was conducted using a 34-item questionnaire. A framework was developed identifying organizational and individual predictors of acceptance. The three principal dimensions of acceptance were (a) satisfaction with the device, (b) extent to which the device is always used, and (c) nurse recommendations over other safety devices. Measurements included developing summary subscales for the variables of safety climate and acceptance. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear and logistic regression models were computed. The findings showed widespread acceptance of the device. Nurses who had adequate training and a positive institutional safety climate were more accepting (p

16 CFR § 1505.8 - Maximum acceptable material temperatures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... heat-resistant properties, or if the insulation meets the thermal requirements. 4 40 less than melting... 105 insulation on windings or relays, solenoids, etc.: Thermocouple method 2 90 194 Resistance method 110 230 Class 130 insulation system 110 230 Insulation: Varnished-cloth insulation 85 185 Fiber used...

Response of mountain meadows to grazing by recreational pack stock

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, David N.; Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; McClaran, Mitchel P.; Moore, Peggy E.; McDougald, Neil K.

2004-01-01

Effects of recreational pack stock grazing on mountain meadows in Yosemite National Park were assessed in a 5-year study. Yosemite is a designated wilderness, to be managed such that its natural conditions are preserved. Studies were conducted in 3 characteristic meadow types: shorthair sedge (Carex filifolia Nutt.), Brewer's reed grass (Calamagrostis breweri Thurber), and tufted hairgrass [Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) Beauv.]. Horses and mules grazed experimental plots at intensities of 15 to 69% utilization for 4 seasons. In all 3 meadows, grazing caused decreases in productivity. The mean reduction after 4 years of grazing was 18% in the shorthair sedge meadow, 17% in the Brewer's reed grass meadow, and 22% in the tufted hairgrass meadow. Grazing also caused shifts in basal groundcover (usually a reduction in vegetation cover and increase in bare soil cover), and changes in species composition. Productivity and vegetation cover decreased as percent utilization increased, while bare soil cover increased as utilization increased. Changes in species composition were less predictably related to differences in grazing intensity. Passive management of grazing is insufficient in wilderness areas that are regularly used by groups with recreational stock. Wilderness managers need to monitor meadow conditions and the grazing intensities that occur. Our study suggests that biomass and ground cover are more sensitive indicators of grazing impact than species composition. Managers must make decisions about maximum acceptable levels of grazing impact and then develop guidelines for maximum use levels, based on data such as ours that relates grazing intensity to meadow response.

40 CFR 143.3 - Secondary maximum contaminant levels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Secondary maximum contaminant levels... levels. The secondary maximum contaminant levels for public water systems are as follows: Contaminant Level Aluminum 0.05 to 0.2 mg/l. Chloride 250 mg/l. Color 15 color units. Copper 1.0 mg/l. Corrosivity...

Acceptable health and priority weighting: Discussing a reference-level approach using sufficientarian reasoning.

PubMed

Wouters, S; van Exel, N J A; Rohde, K I M; Vromen, J J; Brouwer, W B F

2017-05-01

Health care systems are challenged in allocating scarce health care resources, which are typically insufficient to fulfil all health care wants and needs. One criterion for priority setting may be the 'acceptable health' approach, which suggests that society may want to assign higher priority to health benefits in people with "unacceptable" than in people with "acceptable" health. A level of acceptable health then serves as a reference point for priority setting. Empirical research has indicated that people may be able and willing to define health states as "unacceptable" or "acceptable", but little attention has been given to the normative implications of evaluating health benefits in relation to a reference level of acceptable health. The current paper aims to address this gap by relating insights from the distributive justice literature, i.e. the sufficientarian literature, to the acceptable health approach, as we argue that these approaches are related. We specifically focus on the implications of an 'acceptability' approach for priority weighting of health benefits, derived from sufficientarian reasoning and debates, and assess the moral implications of such weighting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in Pelvic Incidence, Pelvic Tilt, and Sacral Slope in Situations of Pelvic Rotation.

PubMed

Jin, Hai-Ming; Xu, Dao-Liang; Xuan, Jun; Chen, Jiao-Xiang; Chen, Kai; Goswami, Amit; Chen, Yu; Kong, Qiu-Yan; Wang, Xiang-Yang

2017-08-01

Digitally reconstructed radiograph-based study. Using a computer-based method to determine what degree of pelvic rotation is acceptable for measuring the pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), and sacral slope (SS). The effectiveness of a geometrical formula used to calculate the angle of pelvic rotation proposed in a previous article was assessed. It is unclear whether PI, PT, and SS are valid with pelvic rotation while acquiring a radiograph. Ten 3-dimensionally reconstructed models were established with software and placed in a neutral orientation to orient all of the bones in a standing position. Next, 140 digitally reconstructed radiographs were obtained by rotating the models around the longitudinal axis of each pelvis in the software from 0 to 30 degrees at 2.5-degree intervals. PI, PT, and SS were measured. The rotation angle was considered to be acceptable when the change in the measured angle (compared with the "correct" position) was <6 degrees. The rotation angle (α) on the images was calculated by a geometrical formula. Consistency between the measured value and the set angle was assessed. The acceptable maximum angle of rotation for reliable measurements of PI was 17.5 degrees, and the changes in PT and SS were within an acceptable range (<6 degrees) when the pelvic rotation increased from 0 to 30 degrees. The effectiveness of the geometrical formula was shown by the consistency between the set and the calculated rotation angles of the pelvis (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.99). Our study provides insight into the influence of pelvic rotation on the PI, PT, and SS. PI changes with pelvic rotation. The acceptable maximum angle for reliable values of PI, PT, and SS was 17.5 degrees, and the rotation angle of the pelvis on a lateral spinopelvic radiograph can be calculated reliably.

Quantitative measurement of hypertrophic scar: intrarater reliability, sensitivity, and specificity.

PubMed

Nedelec, Bernadette; Correa, José A; Rachelska, Grazyna; Armour, Alexis; LaSalle, Léo

2008-01-01

The comparison of scar evaluation over time requires measurement tools with acceptable intrarater reliability and the ability to discriminate skin characteristics of interest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intrarater reliability and sensitivity and specificity of the Cutometer, the Mexameter, and the DermaScan C relative to the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS) in patient-matched normal skin, normal scar (donor sites), and hypertrophic scar (HSc). A single investigator evaluated four tissue types (severe HSc, less severe HSc, donor site, and normal skin) in 30 burn survivors with all four measurement tools. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the Cutometer was acceptable (> or =0.75) for the maximum deformation measure for the donor site and normal skin (>0.78) but was below the acceptable range for the HSc sites and all other parameters. The ICC for the Mexameter erythema (>0.75) and melanin index (>0.89) and the DermaScan C total thickness measurement (>0.82) were acceptable for all sites. The ICC for the total of the height, pliability, and vascularity subscales of the mVSS was acceptable (0.81) for normal scar but below the acceptable range for the scar sites. The DermaScan C was clearly able to discriminate HSc from normal scar and normal skin based on the total thickness measure. The Cutometer was less discriminating but was still able to discriminate HSc from normal scar and normal skin. The Mexameter erythema index was not a good discriminator of HSc and normal scar. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to establish the best cutoff point for the DermaScan C total thickness and the Cutometer maximum deformation, which were 2.034 and 0.387 mm, respectively. This study showed that although the Cutometer, the DermaScan C, and the Mexameter have measurement properties that make them attractive substitutes for the mVSS, caution must be used when interpreting results since the Cutometer has a ceiling effect when measuring rigid tissue such as HSc and the Mexameter erythema index does not discriminate normal scar from HSc.

Residue depletion of tilmicosin in cattle after subcutaneous administration.

PubMed

Jiang, Haiyang; Ding, Shuangyang; Li, Jiancheng; An, Dianjin; Li, Cun; Shen, Jianzhong

2006-07-12

A study of tissue residue depletion of tilmicosin in cattle was conducted after a single subcutaneous injection at the therapeutic level of 10 mg per kg body weight. Eighteen cross cattle were treated with the tilmicosin oil formulation (30%). Three treated animals (two males and one female) were selected randomly to be scarified at 1, 7, 14, 28, and 35 days withdrawal after injection. Samples of the injection site and of muscle, liver, kidney, and fat were collected. Tilmicosin residue concentrations were determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with a UV detector at 290 nm. Using a statistical method recommended by the Committee for Veterinary Medical Products of European Medical Evaluation Agency, the withdrawal time of 34 days was established when all tissue residues except samples in the injection site were below the accepted maximum residue limits.

The development of hurricane Inez, 1966, as shown by satellite nighttime radiometric and daytime television coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, L. J.

1972-01-01

A complete documentation of Numbus 2 High Resolution infrared Radiometer data and ESSA-1 and 3 television photographs is presented for the life-time of Hurricane Inez, 1966. Ten computer produced radiation charts were analyzed in order to delineate the three dimensional cloud structure during the formative, mature and dissipating stages of this tropical cyclone. Time sections were drawn throughout the storm's life cycle to relate the warm core development and upper level outflow of the storm with their respective cloud canopies, as shown by the radiation data. Aerial reconnaissance weather reports, radar photographs and conventional weather analyses were used to complement the satellite data. A computer program was utilized to accept Nimbus 2 HRIR equivalent blackbody temperatures within historical maximum and minimum sea surface temperature limits over the tropical Atlantic Ocean.

When is physician assisted suicide or euthanasia acceptable?

PubMed

Frileux, S; Lelièvre, C; Muñoz Sastre, M T; Mullet, E; Sorum, P C

2003-12-01

To discover what factors affect lay people's judgments of the acceptability of physician assisted suicide and euthanasia and how these factors interact. Participants rated the acceptability of either physician assisted suicide or euthanasia for 72 patient vignettes with a five factor design--that is, all combinations of patient's age (three levels); curability of illness (two levels); degree of suffering (two levels); patient's mental status (two levels), and extent of patient's requests for the procedure (three levels). Convenience sample of 66 young adults, 62 middle aged adults, and 66 older adults living in western France. In accordance with the functional theory of cognition of N H Anderson, main effects, and interactions among patient factors and participants' characteristics were investigated by means of both graphs and ANOVA. Patient requests were the most potent determinant of acceptability. Euthanasia was generally less acceptable than physician assisted suicide, but this difference disappeared when requests were repetitive. As their own age increased, participants placed more weight on patient age as a criterion of acceptability. People's judgments concur with legislation to require a repetition of patients' requests for a life ending act. Younger people, who frequently are decision makers for elderly relatives, place less emphasis on patient's age itself than do older people.

Examining the Moderating Effect of Individual-Level Cultural Values on Users' Acceptance of E-Learning in Developing Countries: A Structural Equation Modeling of an Extended Technology Acceptance Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarhini, Ali; Hone, Kate; Liu, Xiaohui; Tarhini, Takwa

2017-01-01

In this study, we examine the effects of individual-level culture on the adoption and acceptance of e-learning tools by students in Lebanon using a theoretical framework based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). To overcome possible limitations of using TAM in developing countries, we extend TAM to include "subjective norms" (SN)…

Whole-body vibration exposure: a comprehensive field study.

PubMed

Ozkaya, N; Willems, B; Goldsheyder, D

1994-12-01

A comprehensive field study investigated whole-body vibration exposure levels experienced by the train operators of a large metropolitan subway system. The purposes of the study were to measure mechanical vibrations transmitted to the seated train operators, to calculate daily whole-body vibration exposure levels, and to compare these levels with maximum acceptable exposure levels recommended by the international standard on whole-body vibration (ISO 2631). The study also sought to identify factors that may influence mechanical vibrations transmitted to the operators and quantify their effects on the measured vibration levels. The study was carried out by dividing the subway system into subway lines, each line into southbound and northbound directions, and each direction into station-to-station observations. Triaxial measurements were made on all subway lines and for all car types used in the system. For each line, at least two round trips of data were collected. Time-weighted averages of the two sets of data were used for final presentation. A total of 48 round trips were made and more than 100 hours of vibration data was collected and analyzed. All phases of the study were carried out in accordance with the procedures outlined in ISO 2631. It was determined that 6 out of 20 subway lines had vibration levels higher than daily exposure limits recommended by ISO 2631. It was also determined that train speed was the most significant factor influencing vibration exposure levels.

40 CFR 142.61 - Variances from the maximum contaminant level for fluoride.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... level for fluoride. 142.61 Section 142.61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... from the maximum contaminant level for fluoride. (a) The Administrator, pursuant to section 1415(a)(1... means generally available for achieving compliance with the Maximum Contaminant Level for fluoride. (1...

40 CFR 142.61 - Variances from the maximum contaminant level for fluoride.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... level for fluoride. 142.61 Section 142.61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... from the maximum contaminant level for fluoride. (a) The Administrator, pursuant to section 1415(a)(1... means generally available for achieving compliance with the Maximum Contaminant Level for fluoride. (1...

PI Passivity-Based Control for Maximum Power Extraction of a Wind Energy System with Guaranteed Stability Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cisneros, Rafael; Gao, Rui; Ortega, Romeo; Husain, Iqbal

2016-10-01

The present paper proposes a maximum power extraction control for a wind system consisting of a turbine, a permanent magnet synchronous generator, a rectifier, a load and one constant voltage source, which is used to form the DC bus. We propose a linear PI controller, based on passivity, whose stability is guaranteed under practically reasonable assumptions. PI structures are widely accepted in practice as they are easier to tune and simpler than other existing model-based methods. Real switching based simulations have been performed to assess the performance of the proposed controller.

Solid oral forms availability in children: a cost saving investigation

PubMed Central

Lajoinie, Audrey; Henin, Emilie; Kassai, Behrouz; Terry, David

2014-01-01

Aim To assess the suitability and potential cost savings, from both the hospital and community perspective, of prescribed oral liquid medicine substitution with acceptable solid forms for children over 2 years. Method Oral liquid medicines dispensed from a paediatric hospital (UK) in 1 week were assessed by screening for existence of the solid form alternative and evaluating the acceptability of the available solid form, firstly related to the prescribed dose and secondly to acceptable size depending on the child's age. Costs were calculated based on providing treatment for 28 days or prescribed duration for short term treatments. Results Over 90% (440/476) of liquid formulations were available as a marketed solid form. Considering dosage acceptability (maximum of 10% deviation from prescribed dosage or 0% for narrow therapeutic range drugs, maximum tablet divisions into quarters) 80% of liquids could be substituted with a solid form. The main limitation for liquid substitution would be solid form size. However, two-thirds of prescribed liquids could have been substituted with a suitable solid form for dosage and size, with estimated savings being of £5K and £8K in 1 week, respectively based on hospital and community costs, corresponding to a projected annual saving of £238K and £410K (single institution). Conclusion Whilst not all children over 2 years will be able to swallow tablets, drug cost savings if oral liquid formulations were substituted with suitable solid dosage forms would be considerable. Given the numerous advantages of solid forms compared with liquids, this study may provide a theoretical basis for investing in supporting children to swallow tablets/capsules. PMID:24965935

Study of colouring effect of herbal hair formulations on graying hair

PubMed Central

Singh, Vijender; Ali, Mohammed; Upadhyay, Sukirti

2015-01-01

Objective: To screen the hair colouring properties of hair colorants/ herbal hair colouring formulations. Materials and Methods: The dried aqueous herbal extracts of Gudhal leaves (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), Jatamansi rhizome (Nardostachys jatamansi), Kuth roots (Saussurea lappa), Kattha (Acacia catechu), Amla dried fruit (Embelica officinalis), were prepared. Coffee powder (Coffea arabica) and Henna powder (Lowsonia inermis) were taken in the form of powder (# 40). Fourteen herbal hair colorants were prepared from these dried aqueous herbal extracts and powders. Activities of hair colorants were observed on sheep wool fibers. On the basis of the above observation six hair colorants were selected. These six formulations were taken for trials on human beings. Observation: The formulation coded HD-3 gave maximum colouring effect on sheep wool fibers as well as on human beings and percentage of acceptance among the volunteers were in the following order: HD- 3 > HD- 4 > HD-1 > HD-13 > HD-14 > HD-11. Results and Discussion: The remarkable results were obtained from five herbal hair colorants, viz., HD-1, HD- 3, HD- 4, HD-13 and HD-14 on sheep wool fibers and human beings. Formulation HD-3, having gudhal, jatamansi, kuth, kattha, amla, coffee and henna, was the maximum accepted formulation and suggested that these herbs in combination acts synergistically in hair colouring action. It also concluded that jatamansi, present in different hair colorants, was responsible to provide maximum blackening on hair PMID:26130937

Regulatory acceptance and use of 3R models for pharmaceuticals and chemicals: expert opinions on the state of affairs and the way forward.

PubMed

Schiffelers, Marie-Jeanne W A; Blaauboer, Bas J; Bakker, Wieger E; Beken, Sonja; Hendriksen, Coenraad F M; Koëter, Herman B W M; Krul, Cyrille

2014-06-01

Pharmaceuticals and chemicals are subjected to regulatory safety testing accounting for approximately 25% of laboratory animal use in Europe. This testing meets various objections and has led to the development of a range of 3R models to Replace, Reduce or Refine the animal models. However, these models must overcome many barriers before being accepted for regulatory risk management purposes. This paper describes the barriers and drivers and options to optimize this acceptance process as identified by two expert panels, one on pharmaceuticals and one on chemicals. To untangle the complex acceptance process, the multilevel perspective on technology transitions is applied. This perspective defines influences at the micro-, meso- and macro level which need alignment to induce regulatory acceptance of a 3R model. This paper displays that there are many similar mechanisms within both sectors that prevent 3R models from becoming accepted for regulatory risk assessment and management. Shared barriers include the uncertainty about the value of the new 3R models (micro level), the lack of harmonization of regulatory requirements and acceptance criteria (meso level) and the high levels of risk aversion (macro level). In optimizing the process commitment, communication, cooperation and coordination are identified as critical drivers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two-Dimensional Bifurcated Inlet Variable Cowl Lip Test Completed in 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, T. R.

2000-01-01

Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field successfully tested a variable cowl lip inlet at simulated takeoff conditions in Glenn s 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (10x10 SWT) as part of the High-Speed Research Program. The test was a follow-on to the Two-Dimensional Bifurcated (2DB) Inlet/Engine test. At the takeoff condition for a High-Speed Civil Transport aircraft, the inlet must provide adequate airflow to the engine with an acceptable distortion level and high-pressure recovery. The test was conducted to study the effectiveness of installing two rotating lips on the 2DB Inlet cowls to increase mass flow rate and eliminate or reduce boundary layer flow separation near the lips. Hardware was mounted vertically in the test section so that it extended through the tunnel ceiling and that the 2DB Inlet was exposed to the atmosphere above the test section. The tunnel was configured in the aerodynamic mode, and exhausters were used to pump down the tunnel to vacuum levels and to provide a maximum flow rate of approximately 58 lb/sec. The test determined the (1) maximum flow in the 2DB Inlet for each variable cowl lip, (2) distortion level and pressure recovery for each lip configuration, (3) boundary layer conditions near variable lips inside the 2DB Inlet, (4) effects of a wing structure adjacent to the 2DB Inlet, and (5) effects of different 2DB Inlet exit configurations. It also employed flow visualization to generate enough qualitative data on variable lips to optimize the variable lip concept. This test was a collaborative effort between the Boeing Company and Glenn. Extensive inhouse support at Glenn contributed significantly to the progress and accomplishment of this test.

FY-2015 Methyl Iodide Deep-Bed Adsorption Test Report

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

Soelberg, Nicholas Ray; Watson, Tony Leroy

2015-09-30

Nuclear fission produces fission and activation products, including iodine-129, which could evolve into used fuel reprocessing facility off-gas systems, and could require off-gas control to limit air emissions to levels within acceptable emission limits. Deep-bed methyl iodide adsorption testing has continued in Fiscal Year 2015 according to a multi-laboratory methyl iodide adsorption test plan. Updates to the deep-bed test system have also been performed to enable the inclusion of evaporated HNO 3 and increased NO 2 concentrations in future tests. This report summarizes the result of those activities. Test results showed that iodine adsorption from gaseous methyl iodide using reducedmore » silver zeolite (AgZ) resulted in initial iodine decontamination factors (DFs, ratios of uncontrolled and controlled total iodine levels) under 1,000 for the conditions of the long-duration test performed this year (45 ppm CH3I, 1,000 ppm each NO and NO 2, very low H 2O levels [3 ppm] in balance air). The mass transfer zone depth exceeded the cumulative 5-inch depth of 4 bed segments, which is deeper than the 2-4 inch depth estimated for the mass transfer zone for adsorbing I 2 using AgZ in prior deep-bed tests. The maximum iodine adsorption capacity for the AgZ under the conditions of this test was 6.2% (6.2 g adsorbed I per 100 g sorbent). The maximum Ag utilization was 51%. Additional deep-bed testing and analyses are recommended to (a) expand the data base for methyl iodide adsorption and (b) provide more data for evaluating organic iodide reactions and reaction byproducts for different potential adsorption conditions.« less

Development of an enzyme immunoassay for the antibiotic cefquinome and its application for residue determination in cow's milk after therapeutical mastitis treatment.

PubMed

Thal, Johannes; Steffen, Monika; Meier, Bianca; Schneider, Elisabeth; Adriany, Ansgar; Usleber, Ewald

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the cephalosporin antibiotic in milk, in combination with a new microbiological test system (brilliant black reduction test, BRT-P). Polyclonal antibodies against cefquinome were produced in rabbits, using cefquinome-keyhole limpet hemocyanine as the immunogen. These antibodies and a cefquinome-glucose oxidase conjugate were used in a competitive indirect EIA. The detection limit for cefquinome in milk was 1.5 ng ml(-1), recoveries were 80-128% at 4-40 ng ml(-1). Cross-reactivities with other cephalosporins/penicillins were all <1%. The EIA was used to determine cefquinome in incurred raw milk, the BRT-P (detection limit ≈ 20 ng ml(-1)) and a receptor assay (ßeta-s.t.a.r., detection limit ≈ 15 ng ml(-1)) were used in parallel. Five lactating cows, suffering from clinical mastitis, were treated with cefquinome by simultaneous intramammary and intramuscular injection. Cefquinome residues (maximum 10-27 μg ml(-1)) were most exclusively found in the udder quarter which was treated intramammary, residue levels in the other three quarters were low (<20 ng ml(-1)). Even in milk from intramammary-dosed quarters, residue levels fell below European Union maximum residue level (MRL, 20 μg kg(-1)) 2 days before the end of the withdrawal period. EIA, BRT-P, and ßeta-s.t.a.r. results showed acceptable agreement for milk samples, but the newly developed EIA is superior in aspects of sensitivity. In conclusion, this is the first one description of immunoassay and microbiological tests capable to determine cefquinome in milk at the MRL in incurred sample material.

Reconfigurable fault tolerant avionics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, M. M.; Asami, K.; Cho, Mengu

This paper presents the design of a reconfigurable avionics system based on modern Static Random Access Memory (SRAM)-based Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to be used in future generations of nano satellites. A major concern in satellite systems and especially nano satellites is to build robust systems with low-power consumption profiles. The system is designed to be flexible by providing the capability of reconfiguring itself based on its orbital position. As Single Event Upsets (SEU) do not have the same severity and intensity in all orbital locations, having the maximum at the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) and the polar cusps, the system does not have to be fully protected all the time in its orbit. An acceptable level of protection against high-energy cosmic rays and charged particles roaming in space is provided within the majority of the orbit through software fault tolerance. Check pointing and roll back, besides control flow assertions, is used for that level of protection. In the minority part of the orbit where severe SEUs are expected to exist, a reconfiguration for the system FPGA is initiated where the processor systems are triplicated and protection through Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) with feedback is provided. This technique of reconfiguring the system as per the level of the threat expected from SEU-induced faults helps in reducing the average dynamic power consumption of the system to one-third of its maximum. This technique can be viewed as a smart protection through system reconfiguration. The system is built on the commercial version of the (XC5VLX50) Xilinx Virtex5 FPGA on bulk silicon with 324 IO. Simulations of orbit SEU rates were carried out using the SPENVIS web-based software package.

Quantifying women's stated benefit-risk trade-off preferences for IBS treatment outcomes.

PubMed

Johnson, F Reed; Hauber, A Brett; Ozdemir, Semra; Lynd, Larry

2010-01-01

The Food and Drug Administration, currently, is exploring quantitative benefit-risk methods to support regulatory decision-making. A scientifically valid method for assessing patients' benefit-risk trade-off preferences is needed to compare risks and benefits in a common metric. The study aims to quantify the maximum acceptable risk (MAR) of treatment-related adverse events (AEs) that women with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are willing to accept in exchange for symptom relief. A stated-choice survey was used to elicit trade-off preferences among constructed treatment profiles, each defined by symptom severity and treatment-related AEs. Symptom attributes included frequency of abdominal pain and discomfort, frequency of diarrhea, and frequency of urgency. AE attributes included frequency of mild-to-moderate constipation and the risk of four possible serious AEs. A Web-enabled survey was administered to 589 female US residents at least 18 years of age with a self-reported diagnosis of diarrhea-predominant IBS. Preference weights and MAR were estimated using mixed-logit methods. SUBJECTS were willing to accept higher risks of serious AEs in return for treatments offering better symptom control. For an improvement from the lowest to the highest of four benefit levels, subjects were willing to tolerate a 2.65% increase in impacted-bowel risk, but only a 1.34% increase in perforated-bowel risk. Variation in MARs across AE types is consistent with the relative seriousness of the AEs. Stated-preference methods offer a scientifically valid approach to quantifying benefit-risk trade-off preferences that can be used to inform regulatory decision-making.

Results of Surgery for Low-Grade Brain Arteriovenous Malformation Resection by Early Career Neurosurgeons: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Patel, Nirav J; Bervini, David; Eftekhar, Behzad; Davidson, Andrew Stewart; Walsh, Daniel C; Assaad, Nazih N; Morgan, Michael Kerin

2018-03-28

For sustainability of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) surgery, results from early career cerebrovascular neurosurgeons (ECCNs) must be acceptably safe. To determine whether ECCNs performance of Spetzler-Ponce Class A AVM (SPC A) resection can be acceptably safe. ECCNs completing a cerebrovascular fellowship (2004-2015) with the last author were included. Inclusion of the ECCN cases occurred if they: had a prospective database of all AVM cases since commencing independent practice; were the primary surgeon on SPC A; and had made the significant management decisions. All SPC A surgical cases from the beginning of the ECCN's independent surgical practice to a maximum of 8 yr were included. An adverse outcome was considered a complication of surgery leading to a new permanent neurological deficit with a last modified Rankin Scale score >1. A cumulative summation (Cusum) plot examined the performance of each surgery. The highest acceptable level of adverse outcomes for the Cusum was 3.3%, derived from the upper 95% confidence interval of the last author's reported series. Six ECCNs contributed 110 cases for analysis. The median number of SPC A cases operated by each ECCN was 16.5 (range 4-40). Preoperative embolization was performed in 5 (4.5%). The incidence of adverse outcomes was 1.8% (95% confidence interval: <0.01%-6.8%). At no point during the accumulated series did the combined cohort become unacceptable by the Cusum plot. ECCNs with appropriate training appointed to large-volume cerebrovascular centers can achieve results for surgery for SPC A that are not appreciably worse than those published from high-volume neurosurgeons.

40 CFR 143.3 - Secondary maximum contaminant levels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... 143.3 Section 143.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL SECONDARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS § 143.3 Secondary maximum contaminant levels. The secondary maximum contaminant levels for public water systems are as follows: Contaminant...

40 CFR 143.3 - Secondary maximum contaminant levels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... 143.3 Section 143.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL SECONDARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS § 143.3 Secondary maximum contaminant levels. The secondary maximum contaminant levels for public water systems are as follows: Contaminant...

40 CFR 143.3 - Secondary maximum contaminant levels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... 143.3 Section 143.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL SECONDARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS § 143.3 Secondary maximum contaminant levels. The secondary maximum contaminant levels for public water systems are as follows: Contaminant...

40 CFR 143.3 - Secondary maximum contaminant levels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... 143.3 Section 143.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL SECONDARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS § 143.3 Secondary maximum contaminant levels. The secondary maximum contaminant levels for public water systems are as follows: Contaminant...

On Extending the Probationary Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, James G.

2009-01-01

A number of U.S. institutions of higher education are considering multiyear extensions of the widely accepted seven-year maximum probationary period for all tenure-track faculty. Such a substantial extension is to be distinguished from, and exists in addition to, the ad hoc short-term extensions that many institutions may now grant to individual…

78 FR 62348 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 7320-042] Erie Boulevard...: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The first page... of: (1) A 201-foot-long, 32- foot-high maximum height concrete gravity-type dam having a spillway...

Five Perspectives for Teaching the Holocaust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindquist, David H.

2008-01-01

Studying the Holocaust provides an opportunity to explore a fascinating historical topic whose impact on the contemporary world cannot be overstated. As such, the topic is now an accepted part of the American secondary school curriculum. For such curricula to be of maximum benefit to students, clearly defined perspectives that direct the students'…

77 FR 59692 - 2014 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... the E-DV system. The entry will not be accepted and must be resubmitted. Group or family photographs... must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format. Image File Size: The maximum file size...). Image File Format: The image must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format. Image File...

10 CFR 100.20 - Factors to be considered when evaluating sites.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... analysis or that may have an impact upon plant design (such as maximum probable wind speed and... for Stationary Power Reactor Site Applications on or After January 10, 1997 § 100.20 Factors to be... determining the acceptability of a site for a stationary power reactor: (a) Population density and use...

10 CFR 100.20 - Factors to be considered when evaluating sites.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... analysis or that may have an impact upon plant design (such as maximum probable wind speed and... for Stationary Power Reactor Site Applications on or After January 10, 1997 § 100.20 Factors to be... determining the acceptability of a site for a stationary power reactor: (a) Population density and use...

77 FR 36277 - Academic Development of a Training Program for Good Laboratory Practices in High Containment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-18

... requirements in high and maximum biocontainment, scientists working in this environment and FDA staff who will...] Academic Development of a Training Program for Good Laboratory Practices in High Containment Environments... Containment Environments (U24).'' In this FOA, FDA announces its intention to accept and consider a single...

Ancient humans influenced the current spatial genetic structure of common walnut populations in Asia

Treesearch

Paola Pollegioni; Keith E. Woeste; Francesca Chiocchini; Stefano Del Lungo; Irene Olimpieri; Virginia Tortolano; Jo Clark; Gabriel E. Hemery; Sergio Mapelli; Maria Emilia Malvolti; Gyaneshwer Chaubey

2015-01-01

Common walnut (Juglans regia L) is an economically important species cultivated worldwide for its wood and nuts. It is generally accepted that J. regia survived and grew spontaneously in almost completely isolated stands in its Asian native range after the Last Glacial Maximum. Despite its natural geographic isolation, J....

Sustainable Design of EPA's Campus in Research Triangle Park, NC—Environmental Performance Specifications in Construction Contracts—Section 01445 Testing for Indoor Air Quality, Baseline IAQ, and Materials

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

More information on testing for maximum indoor pollutant concentrations for acceptance of the facility, as well as requirements for Independent Materials Testing of specific materials anticipated to have major impact on indoor air quality.

Maximum reasonable radioxenon releases from medical isotope production facilities and their effect on monitoring nuclear explosions.

PubMed

Bowyer, Theodore W; Kephart, Rosara; Eslinger, Paul W; Friese, Judah I; Miley, Harry S; Saey, Paul R J

2013-01-01

Fission gases such as (133)Xe are used extensively for monitoring the world for signs of nuclear testing in systems such as the International Monitoring System (IMS). These gases are also produced by nuclear reactors and by fission production of (99)Mo for medical use. Recently, medical isotope production facilities have been identified as the major contributor to the background of radioactive xenon isotopes (radioxenon) in the atmosphere (Stocki et al., 2005; Saey, 2009). These releases pose a potential future problem for monitoring nuclear explosions if not addressed. As a starting point, a maximum acceptable daily xenon emission rate was calculated, that is both scientifically defendable as not adversely affecting the IMS, but also consistent with what is possible to achieve in an operational environment. This study concludes that an emission of 5 × 10(9) Bq/day from a medical isotope production facility would be both an acceptable upper limit from the perspective of minimal impact to monitoring stations, but also appears to be an achievable limit for large isotope producers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acceptance and Avoidance Processes at Different Levels of Psychological Recovery from Enduring Mental Illness.

PubMed

Siqueira, Vinicius R; Oades, Lindsay G

2015-01-01

Objective. This study examined the use of psychological acceptance and experiential avoidance, two key concepts of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), in the psychological recovery process of people with enduring mental illness. Method. Sixty-seven participants were recruited from the metropolitan, regional, and rural areas of New South Wales, Australia. They all presented some form of chronic mental illness (at least 12 months) as reflected in DSM-IV Axis I diagnostic criteria. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-19) was used to measure the presence of psychological acceptance and experiential avoidance; the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) was used to examine the levels of psychological recovery; and the Scales of Psychological Well-Being was used to observe if there are benefits in utilizing psychological acceptance and experiential avoidance in the recovery process. Results. An analysis of objectively quantifiable measures found no clear correlation between the use of psychological acceptance and recovery in mental illness as measured by the RAS. The data, however, showed a relationship between psychological acceptance and some components of recovery, thereby demonstrating its possible value in the recovery process. Conclusion. The major contribution of this research was the emerging correlation that was observed between psychological acceptance and positive levels of psychological well-being among individuals with mental illness.

40 CFR 141.13 - Maximum contaminant levels for turbidity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... turbidity. 141.13 Section 141.13 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Levels § 141.13... part. The maximum contaminant levels for turbidity in drinking water, measured at a representative...

Acceptability of a theory of planned behaviour email-based nutrition intervention.

PubMed

Kothe, E J; Mullan, B A

2014-03-01

This study investigated feasibility and acceptability of a new email-delivered intervention promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in a university-based population of Australian young adults. The study explored whether there are differences in the reported feasibility and acceptability between demographic groups within the population of interest and at three levels of intervention intensity. The email-delivered intervention program consists of an implementation intention 'planning task' and between 3 and 15 short email messages over a 15-day study period. The intervention program was developed using the Theory of Planned Behaviour and was designed to modify perceived behavioural control. One hundred and ten participants (mean age = 19.21 years, 25.6% male) completed the feasibility and acceptability questionnaire at Day 15. This questionnaire contained items about all intervention components. High acceptability and feasibility scores were found for all intervention parts and at all levels of intervention intensity. There were few significant differences in the reported acceptability of items between key demographic sub-groups, and no differences in reported acceptability at different levels of intervention intensity. These results suggest that this email-delivered intervention is an acceptable and feasible tool for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption for participants in the target population.

Randomized, controlled, cross-over clinical trial comparing intravenous midazolam sedation with nitrous oxide sedation in children undergoing dental extractions.

PubMed

Wilson, K E; Girdler, N M; Welbury, R R

2003-12-01

The use of benzodiazepines for paediatric dental sedation has received limited attention with regard to research into clinical effectiveness. A study was therefore designed to investigate the use of midazolam, for i.v. sedation in paediatric dental patients. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of i.v. midazolam in a randomized, controlled, cross-over trial. Children aged 12-16 yr (ASA I and II), requiring two appointments for equivalent but contralateral dental extractions for orthodontic purposes, were recruited. Conscious sedation with either i.v. midazolam titrated at 0.5 mg x min(-1), to a maximum of 5 mg, or nitrous oxide/oxygen titrated to 30%/70% inhalation sedation was used at the first visit, the alternative being used at the second visit. Vital signs including blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation and ventilatory frequency, as well as sedation levels and behavioural scores, were recorded every 2 min. Forty patients, mean age 13.2 yr (range 12-16 yr), participated in the trial. A mean dose of midazolam 2.8 mg was administered in the test group. The median time to the maximum level of sedation was 8 min for midazolam compared with 6 min for nitrous oxide (P<0.001). Vital signs for both treatments were comparable and within acceptable clinical limits and communication with the patient was maintained at all times. The median (range) lowest arterial oxygen saturation level recorded for midazolam was 97 (91-99)% compared with 97 (92-100)% for nitrous oxide. The mean (range) recovery time for midazolam was 51.6 (39-65) min and 23.3 (20-34) min for nitrous oxide (P<0.0001). Fifty-one per cent said they preferred i.v. midazolam, 38% preferred nitrous oxide, and 11% had no preference. I.V. midazolam sedation (0.5 mg x min(-1) to a maximum of 5 mg) appears to be as effective as nitrous oxide sedation in 12-16-yr-old healthy paediatric dental patients.

Brief communication: the ecosystem perspective in ecotoxicology as a way forward for the ecological risk assessment of chemicals.

PubMed

De Laender, Frederik; Janssen, Colin R

2013-07-01

One of the objectives of the European Union (EU) ecological risk assessment of chemicals (ERA) is to derive maximum environmental concentrations that are not expected to cause adverse ecological effects. To this end, related EU directives list protection goals as well as guidelines that should be used to reach these goals. It is generally accepted that the individual-level endpoints on which these guidelines are based do not correspond to the listed population- and ecosystem-level protection goals. In this article, we identify 5 research topics that are key to bridging this gap: 1) the refinement of population-level effects and recovery rates by explicitly taking into account competition and 2) predation, 3) the assessment of chemical effects on biodiversity, 4) the assessment of chemical stress on ecosystem functions and services, and 5) the quantification of the effects of chemical mixtures. In addition, we illustrate why an ecosystem perspective is needed to address these topics and to inform the risk assessment process. We propose the use of existing ecotoxicological community, food web, and ecosystem models to tackle these issues and discuss why new models are needed to predict chemical effects on biodiversity. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

Is It Considered Violence? The Acceptability of Physical Punishment of Children in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gracia, Enrique; Herrero, Juan

2008-01-01

This study analyzes correlates of the acceptability of physical punishment of children in Europe. The design was a three-level ordinal logistic regression of 10,812 people nested within 208 localities (cities), nested within 14 countries of the European Union. Results showed that higher levels of acceptability were reported by men, the older, the…

Application of QC_DR software for acceptance testing and routine quality control of direct digital radiography systems: initial experiences using the Italian Association of Physicist in Medicine quality control protocol.

PubMed

Nitrosi, Andrea; Bertolini, Marco; Borasi, Giovanni; Botti, Andrea; Barani, Adriana; Rivetti, Stefano; Pierotti, Luisa

2009-12-01

Ideally, medical x-ray imaging systems should be designed to deliver maximum image quality at an acceptable radiation risk to the patient. Quality assurance procedures are employed to ensure that these standards are maintained. A quality control protocol for direct digital radiography (DDR) systems is described and discussed. Software to automatically process and analyze the required images was developed. In this paper, the initial results obtained on equipment of different DDR manufacturers were reported. The protocol was developed to highlight even small discrepancies in standard operating performance.

Multiscale Resilience of Complex Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchiguirinskaia, I.; Schertzer, D. J. M.; Giangola-Murzyn, A.; Hoang Cong, T.

2014-12-01

We first argue the need for well defined resilience metrics to better evaluate the resilience of complex systems such as (peri-)urban flood management systems. We review both the successes and limitations of resilience metrics in the framework of dynamical systems and their generalization in the framework of the viability theory. We then point out that the most important step to achieve is to define resilience across scales instead of doing it at a given scale. Our preliminary, critical analysis of the series of attempts to define an operational resilience metrics led us to consider a scale invariant metrics based on the scale independent codimension of extreme singularities. Multifractal downscaling of climate scenarios can be considered as a first illustration. We focussed on a flood scenario evaluation method with the help of two singularities γ_s and γ_Max, corresponding respectively to an effective and a probable maximum singularity, that yield an innovative framework to address the issues of flood resilience systems in a scale independent manner. Indeed, the stationarity of the universal multifractal parameters would result into a rather stable value of probable maximum singularity γ_s. By fixing the limit of acceptability for a maximum flood water depth at a given scale, with a corresponding singularity, we effectively fix the threshold of the probable maximum singularity γ_s as a criterion of the flood resilience we accept. Then various scenarios of flood resilient measures could be simulated with the help of Multi-Hydro under upcoming climat scenarios. The scenarios that result in estimates of either γ_Max or γ_s below the pre-selected γ_s value will assure the effective flood resilience of the whole modeled system across scales. The research for this work was supported, in part, by the EU FP7 SMARTesT and INTERREG IVB RainGain projects.

40 CFR 141.50 - Maximum contaminant level goals for organic contaminants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum contaminant level goals for organic contaminants. 141.50 Section 141.50 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Maximum Contaminant Level...

Immediate effects of a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint: a comparative biomechanical evaluation.

PubMed

Bellmann, Malte; Schmalz, Thomas; Ludwigs, Eva; Blumentritt, Siegmar

2012-03-01

To investigate the immediate biomechanical effects after transition to a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint. Intervention cross-over study with repeated measures. Only prosthetic knee joints were changed. Motion analysis laboratory. Men (N=11; mean age ± SD, 36.7±10.2y; Medicare functional classification level, 3-4) with unilateral transfemoral amputation. Two microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joints: C-Leg and a new prosthetic knee joint, Genium. Static prosthetic alignment, time-distance parameters, kinematic and kinetic parameters, and center of pressure. After a half-day training and an additional half-day accommodation, improved biomechanical outcomes were demonstrated by the Genium: lower ground reaction forces at weight acceptance during level walking at various velocities, increased swing phase flexion angles during walking on a ramp, and level walking with small steps. Maximum knee flexion angle during swing phase at various velocities was nearly equal for Genium. Step-over-step stair ascent with the Genium knee was more physiologic as demonstrated by a more equal load distribution between the prosthetic and contralateral sides and a more natural gait pattern. When descending stairs and ramps, knee flexion moments with the Genium tended to increase. During quiet stance on a decline, subjects using Genium accepted higher loading of the prosthetic side knee joint, thus reducing same side hip joint loading as well as postural sway. In comparision to the C-Leg, the Genium demonstrated immediate biomechanical advantages during various daily ambulatory activities, which may lead to an increase in range and diversity of activity of people with above-knee amputations. Results showed that use of the Genium facilitated more natural gait biomechanics and load distribution throughout the affected and sound musculoskeletal structure. This was observed during quiet stance on a decline, walking on level ground, and walking up and down ramps and stairs. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SU-F-T-18: The Importance of Immobilization Devices in Brachytherapy Treatments of Vaginal Cuff

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

Shojaei, M; Dumitru, N; Pella, S

2016-06-15

Purpose: High dose rate brachytherapy is a highly localized radiation therapy that has a very high dose gradient. Thus one of the most important parts of the treatment is the immobilization. The smallest movement of the patient or applicator can result in dose variation to the surrounding tissues as well as to the tumor to be treated. We will revise the ML Cylinder treatments and their localization challenges. Methods: A retrospective study of 25 patients with 5 treatments each looking into the applicator’s placement in regard to the organs at risk. Motion possibilities for each applicator intra and inter fractionationmore » with their dosimetric implications were covered and measured in regard with their dose variance. The localization immobilization devices used were assessed for the capability to prevent motion before and during the treatment delivery. Results: We focused on the 100% isodose on central axis and a 15 degree displacement due to possible rotation analyzing the dose variations to the bladder and rectum walls. The average dose variation for bladder was 15% of the accepted tolerance, with a minimum variance of 11.1% and a maximum one of 23.14% on the central axis. For the off axis measurements we found an average variation of 16.84% of the accepted tolerance, with a minimum variance of 11.47% and a maximum one of 27.69%. For the rectum we focused on the rectum wall closest to the 120% isodose line. The average dose variation was 19.4%, minimum 11.3% and a maximum of 34.02% from the accepted tolerance values Conclusion: Improved immobilization devices are recommended. For inter-fractionation, localization devices are recommended in place with consistent planning in regards with the initial fraction. Many of the present immobilization devices produced for external radiotherapy can be used to improve the localization of HDR applicators during transportation of the patient and during treatment.« less

The oxidative stress theory of aging: embattled or invincible? Insights from non-traditional model organisms

PubMed Central

Edrey, Yael H.; Yang, Ting; Mele, James

2008-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), inevitable byproducts of aerobic metabolism, are known to cause oxidative damage to cells and molecules. This, in turn, is widely accepted as a pivotal determinant of both lifespan and health span. While studies in a wide range of species support the role of ROS in many age-related diseases, its role in aging per se is questioned. Comparative data from a wide range of endotherms offer equivocal support for this theory, with many exceptions and inconclusive findings as to whether or not oxidative stress is either a correlate or a determinant of maximum species lifespan. Available data do not support the premise that metabolic rate and in vivo ROS production are determinants of lifespan, or that superior antioxidant defense contributes to species longevity. Rather, published studies often show either a negative associate or lack of correlation with species longevity. Furthermore, many long-living species such as birds, bats and mole-rats exhibit high levels of oxidative damage even at young ages. Similarly genetic manipulations altering expression of key antioxidants do not necessarily show an impact on lifespan, even though oxidative damage levels may be affected. While it is possible that these multiple exceptions to straightforward predictions of the free radical theory of aging all reflect species-specific, “private” mechanisms of aging, the preponderance of contrary data nevertheless present a challenge to this august theory. Therefore, contrary to accepted dogma, the role of oxidative stress as a determinant of longevity is still open to question. PMID:19424860

The Chinese-version of the CARE Measure reliably differentiates between doctors in primary care: a cross-sectional study in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure is a widely used patient-rated experience measure which has recently been translated into Chinese and has undergone preliminary qualitative and quantitative validation. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability of the Chinese-version of the CARE Measure in reliably differentiating between doctors in a primary care setting in Hong Kong Methods Data were collected from 984 primary care patients attending 20 doctors with differing levels of training in family medicine in 5 public clinics in Hong Kong. The acceptability of the Chinese-CARE measure to patients was assessed. The reliability of the measure in discriminating effectively between doctors was analysed by Generalisability-theory (G-Theory) Results The items in the Chinese-CARE measure were regarded as important by patients and there were few 'not applicable' responses. The measure showed high internal reliability (coefficient 0.95) and effectively differentiated between doctors with only 15-20 patient ratings per doctor (inter-rater reliability > 0.8). Doctors' mean CARE measure scores varied widely, ranging from 24.1 to 45.9 (maximum possible score 50) with a mean of 34.6. CARE Measure scores were positively correlated with level of training in family medicine (Spearman's rho 0.493, p < 0.05). Conclusion These data demonstrate the acceptability, feasibility and reliability of using the Chinese-CARE Measure in primary care in Hong Kong to differentiate between doctors interpersonal competencies. Training in family medicine appears to enhance these key interpersonal skills. PMID:21631927

Determination of heavy metals in the common smokeless tobacco afzal in oman.

PubMed

Al-Mukhaini, Nawal; Ba-Omar, Taher; Eltayeb, Elsadig; Al-Shehi, Aisha

2014-08-01

Afzal is an illegally sold smokeless tobacco product (STP) commonly used by youths and teenagers in Oman. The aim of this study was to analyse the composition of Afzal, also commonly known as sweekah, as it is believed to contain many carcinogens and toxic components. In particular, Afzal's heavy metal content includes cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni). This study was conducted between March and June 2013. Three samples of Afzal were first dried and then ground to form a homogenous powder. The powder was digested prior to the heavy metal analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Afzal was shown to have high levels of all heavy metals except for Ni and Pb, which were detected in quantities below acceptable international limits. The concentrations of the tested metals were 15.75 μg/g, 1.85 μg/g, 1.62 μg/g and 1.57 μg/g for Cr, Cd, Pb and Ni, respectively. The estimated daily intake of heavy metals from Afzal was below the maximum permissible limit accepted by the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, except for Cr and Ni which were found to be dangerously elevated when compared with international standards. The results of this study showed that Afzal contains a number of heavy metals that may cause health problems. Therefore, urgent regulation of the illegal sale of Afzal is needed at the national level in Oman along with a campaign to address public health education and awareness of Afzal and its health risks.

Determination of Heavy Metals in the Common Smokeless Tobacco Afzal in Oman

PubMed Central

Al-Mukhaini, Nawal; Ba-Omar, Taher; Eltayeb, Elsadig; Al-Shehi, Aisha

2014-01-01

Objectives: Afzal is an illegally sold smokeless tobacco product (STP) commonly used by youths and teenagers in Oman. The aim of this study was to analyse the composition of Afzal, also commonly known as sweekah, as it is believed to contain many carcinogens and toxic components. In particular, Afzal’s heavy metal content includes cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni). Methods: This study was conducted between March and June 2013. Three samples of Afzal were first dried and then ground to form a homogenous powder. The powder was digested prior to the heavy metal analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: Afzal was shown to have high levels of all heavy metals except for Ni and Pb, which were detected in quantities below acceptable international limits. The concentrations of the tested metals were 15.75 μg/g, 1.85 μg/g, 1.62 μg/g and 1.57 μg/g for Cr, Cd, Pb and Ni, respectively. The estimated daily intake of heavy metals from Afzal was below the maximum permissible limit accepted by the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, except for Cr and Ni which were found to be dangerously elevated when compared with international standards. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that Afzal contains a number of heavy metals that may cause health problems. Therefore, urgent regulation of the illegal sale of Afzal is needed at the national level in Oman along with a campaign to address public health education and awareness of Afzal and its health risks. PMID:25097770

External quality assessment of urine particle identification: a Northern European experience.

PubMed

Kouri, Timo T; Makkonen, Pirjo

2015-11-01

External quality assessment (EQA) schemes for urinalysis have been provided by Labquality Ltd, the publicly owned EQA service provider in Finland, since the 1980s. In 2014, the scheme on urine particle identification had 329 participating laboratories, out of which 60% from 19 countries were outside Finland. Each of the four annual web-based rounds were distributed with four Sternheimer-stained images from a single patient sample, as viewed both by bright-field and phase-contrast optics. Participants reported classified categories either at the basic or at the advanced level. Participating laboratories received assessment of their analytical performance as compared to their peers, including reflections from clinical data and preanalytical detail of the specimen. In general, reporting of basic urine particles succeeded in the eight schemes during the years 2013-2014 as follows: red blood cells 82%-92%, white blood cells 82%-97%, squamous epithelial cells 92%-98%, casts 84%-94%, and small epithelial cells 73%-83% (minimum and maximum of expected or accepted reports). This basic level of differentiation is used in routine laboratory reports, or as verification of results produced by automated instruments. Considerable effort is needed to standardise national procedures and reporting formats, in order to improve the shown figures internationally. Future technologies may help to alleviate limitations created by single digital images. Despite improvements, degenerating cells and casts always exhibit intermediate forms creating disputable classifications. That is why assessment of performance should encompass justified acceptable categories into the assessed outcomes. Preanalytical and clinical detail provide essential added value to morphological findings.

Ideal Standards, Acceptance, and Relationship Satisfaction: Latitudes of Differential Effects

PubMed Central

Buyukcan-Tetik, Asuman; Campbell, Lorne; Finkenauer, Catrin; Karremans, Johan C.; Kappen, Gesa

2017-01-01

We examined whether the relations of consistency between ideal standards and perceptions of a current romantic partner with partner acceptance and relationship satisfaction level off, or decelerate, above a threshold. We tested our hypothesis using a 3-year longitudinal data set collected from heterosexual newlywed couples. We used two indicators of consistency: pattern correspondence (within-person correlation between ideal standards and perceived partner ratings) and mean-level match (difference between ideal standards score and perceived partner score). Our results revealed that pattern correspondence had no relation with partner acceptance, but a positive linear/exponential association with relationship satisfaction. Mean-level match had a significant positive association with actor’s acceptance and relationship satisfaction up to the point where perceived partner score equaled ideal standards score. Partner effects did not show a consistent pattern. The results suggest that the consistency between ideal standards and perceived partner attributes has a non-linear association with acceptance and relationship satisfaction, although the results were more conclusive for mean-level match. PMID:29033876

Barriers to and facilitators of the acceptance process for individuals with serious mental illness.

PubMed

Mizock, Lauren; Russinova, Zlatka; Millner, Uma Chandrika

2014-09-01

The process of acceptance of mental illness is a central component of recovery and has been linked to functioning, illness management, and quality of life. A number of barriers and facilitators have been theorized as impacting this process. This study was conducted with 30 participants with serious mental illness (a major psychiatric disorder with impairment in multiple areas of functioning) to elicit the barriers to and facilitators of the acceptance of mental illness. Grounded theory methodology was utilized to analyze the 30 semistructured interviews. Results revealed barriers to and facilitators of acceptance of mental illness at the micro level (cognitive, emotional, behavioral, identity-related), meso level (relational), and macro level (cultural, systemic). Clinical and research implications are discussed with regard to facilitating acceptance of mental illness. © The Author(s) 2014.

Physiologic correlates to background noise acceptance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tampas, Joanna; Harkrider, Ashley; Nabelek, Anna

2004-05-01

Acceptance of background noise can be evaluated by having listeners indicate the highest background noise level (BNL) they are willing to accept while following the words of a story presented at their most comfortable listening level (MCL). The difference between the selected MCL and BNL is termed the acceptable noise level (ANL). One of the consistent findings in previous studies of ANL is large intersubject variability in acceptance of background noise. This variability is not related to age, gender, hearing sensitivity, personality, type of background noise, or speech perception in noise performance. The purpose of the current experiment was to determine if individual differences in physiological activity measured from the peripheral and central auditory systems of young female adults with normal hearing can account for the variability observed in ANL. Correlations between ANL and various physiological responses, including spontaneous, click-evoked, and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem and middle latency evoked potentials, and electroencephalography will be presented. Results may increase understanding of the regions of the auditory system that contribute to individual noise acceptance.

Pocket-depths-related effectiveness of an intrapocket anaesthesia gel in periodontal maintenance patients.

PubMed

Derman, S H M; Lowden, C E; Kaus, P; Noack, M J

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the pocket depth on the effectiveness of an intrapocket anaesthesia gel during SRP in periodontal maintenance patients. Effectiveness was measured by pain levels during SRP via visual analogue scale (VAS) and verbal rating scale (VRS). Secondary endpoint was the evaluation of patients' preferred choice of anaesthesia for SRP. A total of 638 patients undergoing the periodontal maintenance programme and with the need for SRP participated in this observational study. After SRP, patients filled in questionnaires to record pain levels experienced and anaesthesia preference for future use. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to analyse intergroup difference in pain perception and anaesthesia choice. Overall, increasing pocket depths were accompanied by higher pain levels, irrespective of maximum or commonest pocket depths (P < 0.05). For SRP procedures, patients definitely prefer the anaesthesia gel (72.4%). In this study, an effectiveness of local anaesthesia gel (lidocaine/prilocaine) related to pocket depths was found in periodontal maintenance patients during SRP. Increasing pocket depths were accompanied by increasing procedural pain levels. Nevertheless, the anaesthesia gel is well accepted and in the majority of cases was found to be the preferred option for future SRP treatments. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Criteria for acceptable levels of the Shinkansen Super Express train noise and vibration in residential areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamanaka, K.; Nakagawa, T.; Kobayashi, F.; Kanada, S.; Tanahashi, M.; Muramatsu, T.; Yamada, S.

1982-10-01

A survey of 1187 housewives living in 18 areas along the Shinkansen Super Express (bullet train) railway was conducted by means of a self-administered health questionnaire (modified Cornell Medical Index). In addition, geographically corresponding measurements of noise level and vibration intensity were taken. The relationship of noise and vibration to positive responses (health complaints) related to bodily symptoms, illness and emotional disturbances was analyzed. The factors which correlated with an increase in the average number of positive responses included noise, vibration, age and health status. Such factors as marital status, educational level, part time work, duration of inhabitancy and occupation of the head of the houshold correlated poorly with the number of positive responses. Unhealthy respondents compared to healthy respondents are more frequently affected by noise and vibration. The rate of positive responses in the visual, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems, sleep disturbances and emotional disturbances increased accordingly as noise and vibration increased. Combined effects of noise and vibration stimuli on the total number of positive responses (an indicator of general health) were found. This study has produced results indicating that the maximum permissible noise level should not exceed 70 dB(A) in the residential areas along the Shinkansen railway.

A Survey of Naturally-Occurring Steroid Hormones in Raw Milk and the Associated Health Risks in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China

PubMed Central

Qu, Xueyin; Su, Chuanyou; Zheng, Nan; Li, Songli; Meng, Lu; Wang, Jiaqi

2017-01-01

In recent years, high levels of hormone residue in food, capable of damaging the health of consumers, have been recorded frequently. In this study, 195 raw milk samples were obtained from Tangshan City, China, and the concentrations of 22 steroid hormones were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Cortisol was detected in 12.5% of raw milk samples (mean 0.61 µg/kg; range:

A compact, low jitter, nanosecond rise time, high voltage pulse generator with variable amplitude.

PubMed

Mao, Jiubing; Wang, Xin; Tang, Dan; Lv, Huayi; Li, Chengxin; Shao, Yanhua; Qin, Lan

2012-07-01

In this paper, a compact, low jitter, nanosecond rise time, command triggered, high peak power, gas-switch pulse generator system is developed for high energy physics experiment. The main components of the system are a high voltage capacitor, the spark gap switch and R = 50 Ω load resistance built into a structure to obtain a fast high power pulse. The pulse drive unit, comprised of a vacuum planar triode and a stack of avalanche transistors, is command triggered by a single or multiple TTL (transistor-transistor logic) level pulses generated by a trigger pulse control unit implemented using the 555 timer circuit. The control unit also accepts user input TTL trigger signal. The vacuum planar triode in the pulse driving unit that close the first stage switches is applied to drive the spark gap reducing jitter. By adjusting the charge voltage of a high voltage capacitor charging power supply, the pulse amplitude varies from 5 kV to 10 kV, with a rise time of <3 ns and the maximum peak current up to 200 A (into 50 Ω). The jitter of the pulse generator system is less than 1 ns. The maximum pulse repetition rate is set at 10 Hz that limited only by the gas-switch and available capacitor recovery time.

AIR POLLUTION IN A CITY STREET

PubMed Central

Waller, R. E.; Commins, B. T.; Lawther, P. J.

1965-01-01

Measurements of the concentrations of smoke, lead, and five polycyclic hydrocarbons in the air have been made in the City of London in the middle of a busy street and at two control sites. Samples were taken only throughout the daytime hours on weekdays to enable us to assess the maximum contribution made by traffic to the pollution in the street. The results showed that during these periods the air in the middle of the street contained three times as much smoke, four times as much lead, and 1·7 times as much 3:4-benzpyrene as were present in the general atmosphere of the City of London as estimated from samples taken at the control sites. One of these sites was chosen because it was only 150 feet away from the street; analyses yielded no evidence that the traffic contributed to the pollution sampled there. Sulphur dioxide concentrations were determined in the early part of the study and the results showed that traffic appeared to add little to the background level. The concentrations of lead found were below those held to be safe by many authorities. Carbon monoxide concentrations, reported in greater detail elsewhere, sometimes reached the accepted industrial maximum allowable concentration of 100 p.p.m. PMID:14278800

The Relationship between Personality Type and Acceptable Noise Levels: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Franklin, Cliff; Johnson, Laura V; White, Letitia; Franklin, Clay; Smith-Olinde, Laura

2013-01-01

Objectives. This study examined the relationship between acceptable noise level (ANL) and personality. ANL is the difference between a person's most comfortable level for speech and the loudest level of background noise they are willing to accept while listening to speech. Design. Forty young adults with normal hearing participated. ANLs were measured and two personality tests (Big Five Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) were administered. Results. The analysis revealed a correlation between ANL and the openness and conscientious personality dimensions from the Big Five Inventory; no correlation emerged between ANL and the Myers-Briggs personality types. Conclusions. Lower ANLs are correlated with full-time hearing aid use and the openness personality dimension; higher ANLs are correlated with part-time or hearing aid nonuse and the conscientious personality dimension. Current data suggest that those more open to new experiences may accept more noise and possibly be good hearing aid candidates, while those more conscientious may accept less noise and reject hearing aids, based on their unwillingness to accept background noise. Knowing something about a person's personality type may help audiologists determine if their patients will likely be good candidates for hearing aids.

The Relationship between Personality Type and Acceptable Noise Levels: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Franklin, Cliff; Johnson, Laura V.; Franklin, Clay

2013-01-01

Objectives. This study examined the relationship between acceptable noise level (ANL) and personality. ANL is the difference between a person's most comfortable level for speech and the loudest level of background noise they are willing to accept while listening to speech. Design. Forty young adults with normal hearing participated. ANLs were measured and two personality tests (Big Five Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) were administered. Results. The analysis revealed a correlation between ANL and the openness and conscientious personality dimensions from the Big Five Inventory; no correlation emerged between ANL and the Myers-Briggs personality types. Conclusions. Lower ANLs are correlated with full-time hearing aid use and the openness personality dimension; higher ANLs are correlated with part-time or hearing aid nonuse and the conscientious personality dimension. Current data suggest that those more open to new experiences may accept more noise and possibly be good hearing aid candidates, while those more conscientious may accept less noise and reject hearing aids, based on their unwillingness to accept background noise. Knowing something about a person's personality type may help audiologists determine if their patients will likely be good candidates for hearing aids. PMID:24349796

Optimum data analysis procedures for Titan 4 and Space Shuttle payload acoustic measurements during lift-off

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piersol, Allan G.

1991-01-01

Analytical expressions have been derived to describe the mean square error in the estimation of the maximum rms value computed from a step-wise (or running) time average of a nonstationary random signal. These analytical expressions have been applied to the problem of selecting the optimum averaging times that will minimize the total mean square errors in estimates of the maximum sound pressure levels measured inside the Titan IV payload fairing (PLF) and the Space Shuttle payload bay (PLB) during lift-off. Based on evaluations of typical Titan IV and Space Shuttle launch data, it has been determined that the optimum averaging times for computing the maximum levels are (1) T (sub o) = 1.14 sec for the maximum overall level, and T(sub oi) = 4.88 f (sub i) (exp -0.2) sec for the maximum 1/3 octave band levels inside the Titan IV PLF, and (2) T (sub o) = 1.65 sec for the maximum overall level, and T (sub oi) = 7.10 f (sub i) (exp -0.2) sec for the maximum 1/3 octave band levels inside the Space Shuttle PLB, where f (sub i) is the 1/3 octave band center frequency. However, the results for both vehicles indicate that the total rms error in the maximum level estimates will be within 25 percent the minimum error for all averaging times within plus or minus 50 percent of the optimum averaging time, so a precise selection of the exact optimum averaging time is not critical. Based on these results, linear averaging times (T) are recommended for computing the maximum sound pressure level during lift-off.

Detection and characterization of pulses in broadband seismometers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, David; Ringler, Adam; Hutt, Charles R.

2017-01-01

Pulsing - caused either by mechanical or electrical glitches, or by microtilt local to a seismometer - can significantly compromise the long‐period noise performance of broadband seismometers. High‐fidelity long‐period recordings are needed for accurate calculation of quantities such as moment tensors, fault‐slip models, and normal‐mode measurements. Such pulses have long been recognized in accelerometers, and methods have been developed to correct these acceleration steps, but considerable work remains to be done in order to detect and correct similar pulses in broadband seismic data. We present a method for detecting and characterizing the pulses using data from a range of broadband sensor types installed in the Global Seismographic Network. The technique relies on accurate instrument response removal and employs a moving‐window approach looking for acceleration baseline shifts. We find that pulses are present at varying levels in all sensor types studied. Pulse‐detection results compared with average daily station noise values are consistent with predicted noise levels of acceleration steps. This indicates that we can calculate maximum pulse amplitude allowed per time window that would be acceptable without compromising long‐period data analysis.

Development of extraction procedure for determination of mercury species using SPME-assisted dispersive derivative agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Md Pauzi; Khalik, Wan Mohd Afiq Wan Mohd; Othman, Mohamed Rozali

2016-11-01

The extraction procedure for determination of low level mercury using solid phase microextraction was successfully carried out. Design of experimental works using factorial design and central composite design were applied to screen and predict the optimum condition for extraction step. In this study, variables namely concentration level (5 % m/v) and volume of derivatization solution (150 µL) has depicted as main effect for controlling the suitability of derivative reagent condition. Maximum of signal response (account as total peak areas for mercury species) was obtained when extraction procedure was set up at pH of water sample (5.8), extraction time (14 min), extraction temperature (43 °C) and stirring rate (450 rpm). Reducing time required to reach equilibrium is new improvement achieved in this study. Detection limit for each species (MeHg 26.17 ngL-1; EtHg 48.84 ngL-1 and IHg 14.11 ngL-1) was calculated lower than our previous work. Recovery, repeatability and reproducibility trial were recorded varied at acceptable range and relative standard deviation was calculated below than 10 %.

Macro-economic assessment of flood risk in Italy under current and future climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrera, Lorenzo; Koks, Elco; Mysiak, Jaroslav; Aerts, Jeroen; Standardi, Gabriele

2014-05-01

This paper explores an integrated methodology for assessing direct and indirect costs of fluvial flooding to estimate current and future fluvial flood risk in Italy. Our methodology combines a Geographic Information System spatial approach, with a general economic equilibrium approach using a downscaled modified version of a Computable General Equilibrium model at NUTS2 scale. Given the level of uncertainty in the behavior of disaster-affected economies, the simulation considers a wide range of business recovery periods. We calculate expected annual losses for each NUTS2 region, and exceedence probability curves to determine probable maximum losses. Given a certain acceptable level of risk, we describe the conditions of flood protection and business recovery periods under which losses are contained within this limit. Because of the difference between direct costs, which are an overestimation of stock losses, and indirect costs, which represent the macro-economic effects, our results have different policy meanings. While the former is relevant for post-disaster recovery, the latter is more relevant for public policy issues, particularly for cost-benefit analysis and resilience assessment.

What is the acceptable hemolysis index for the measurements of plasma potassium, LDH and AST?

PubMed

Rousseau, Nathalie; Pige, Raphaëlle; Cohen, Richard; Pecquet, Matthieu

2016-06-01

Hemolysis is a cause of variability in test results for plasma potassium, LDH and AST and is a non-negligible part of measurement uncertainty. However, allowable levels of hemolysis provided by reagent suppliers take neither analytical variability (trueness and precision) nor the measurand into account. Using a calibration range of hemolysis, we measured the plasma concentrations of potassium, LDH and AST, and hemolysis indices with a Cobas C501 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics(®), Meylan, France). Based on the allowable total error (according to Ricós et al.) and the expanded measurement uncertainty equation we calculated the maximum allowable bias for two concentrations of each measurand. Finally, we determined the allowable hemolysis indices for all three measurands. We observed a linear relationship between the observed increases of concentration and hemolysis indices. The LDH measurement was the most sensitive to hemolysis, followed by AST and potassium measurements. The determination of the allowable hemolysis index depends on the targeted measurand, its concentration and the chosen level of requirement of allowable total error.

Determining the content of lead and cadmium in infant food from the Polish market.

PubMed

Winiarska-Mieczan, Anna; Kiczorowska, Bożena

2012-09-01

The present study aimed to analyse the toxic metals in the baby fruit and vegetable desserts, juices and dinners available on the Polish market, and find that these products a less are safe for infants. The average daily intake of cadmium and lead found in one jar of dessert, one bottle of juice and one jar of baby dinner is, respectively, 0.20 μg (2% of PTDI) and 0.82 μg (2.2% of PTDI), 0.15 μg (2% of PTDI) and 4.86 μg (13.6% of PTDI), and 0.98 μg (10% of PTDI) and 2.36 μg (6.7% of PTDI). It was confirmed that all the examined baby food met the requirements regarding lead and cadmium contamination, and the obtained results were lower than the maximum acceptable level of the contamination with these metals. It may be assumed that fruit and vegetable products available on the Polish market are safe for infants. However, in some products, the levels of cadmium and lead were high.

Factors influencing acceptance of disability in individuals with spinal cord injury in Neiva, Colombia, South America.

PubMed

Nicholls, Elizabeth; Lehan, Tara; Plaza, Silvia Leonor Olivera; Deng, Xiaoyan; Romero, Jose Libardo Perdomo; Pizarro, Jose Anselmo Arango; Carlos Arango-Lasprilla, Juan

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the level of acceptance of disability as measured by the Acceptance of Disability Scale (ADS) within a sample of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) from Neiva, Colombia and to examine the influence of sociodemographic variables, injury characteristics, and level of depression on ADS score. The ADS was administered to 40 adults with SCI from Nieva, Colombia who were recruited from an organization that connects individuals with disabilities to resources. Most (92.5%) participants were men, with a mean age of 34.75 years and approximately 12 years since injury. Fifty-five percent of subjects were diagnosed with paraplegia and the remainder with tetraplegia. Descriptive, linear model and multiple regression analyses were used to describe the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The mean total ADS score of this sample was 171.5, indicating overall low disability acceptance. After controlling for level of depression and time since injury, gender was significantly related to ADS score such that women reported higher acceptance of disability. After controlling for gender and time since injury, level of depression was significantly related to ADS score. Acceptance of disability is a serious problem in this group of SCI survivors in Neiva, Colombia, especially among women and individuals with higher levels of depression. Because acceptance of disability is likely a problem for many individuals living with disability in the developing world, future researchers should investigate what interventions (e.g. counseling, pharmacological intervention, social service programs) can be implemented to improve acceptance of disability in this population. © 2012 Informa UK, Ltd.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Acceptance among Pregnant Women in Zhejiang Province, China: Evidence Based on Health Belief Model.

PubMed

Hu, Yu; Wang, Ying; Liang, Hui; Chen, Yaping

2017-12-11

Background: Reasons for acceptance of seasonal influenza vaccine (SIV) vaccination among pregnant women in China are poorly understood. We assessed the intention to accept SIV among pregnant women in Zhejiang province, by using a self-administrated structured questionnaire developed on the basis of health belief model (HBM). Methods: From 1 January to 31 March 2014, pregnant women with ≥12 gestational weeks who attended antenatal clinics (ANCs) at public hospitals in 6 out of 90 districts were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire that covered knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to SIV vaccination and influenza infection. We examined the associations between the acceptance of SIV vaccination and the demographic factors and HBM constructs using the logistic regression model, calculating the adjusted odds ratio (AOR). Results: Of the 1252 participants, 76.28% were willing to receive the SIV vaccination during their current pregnancy. High levels of perceived susceptibility of influenza (AOR = 1.75 (95%CI: 1.36-2.08)), high levels of perceived severity of influenza (AOR = 1.62 (95%CI: 1.25-1.95)), high level of perceived benefits of vaccination (AOR = 1.97 (95%CI: 1.76-2.21)), and high levels of cues to action were positively associated with the acceptance of SIV vaccination among pregnant women (AOR = 2.03 (95%CI: 1.70-2.69)), while high level of perceived barriers of vaccination was a negative determinant (AOR = 0.76 (95%CI: 0.62-0.94)). Conclusions: Poor knowledge and negative attitude towards SIV were associated with the poor acceptance of SIV. Health providers' recommendations were important to pregnant women's acceptance of SIV. Health education and direct communication strategies on SIV vaccination and influenza infection are necessary to improve the acceptance of SIV vaccination among pregnant women.

Effects of light quality on main health-promoting compounds and antioxidant capacity of Chinese kale sprouts.

PubMed

Qian, Hongmei; Liu, Tianyu; Deng, Mingdan; Miao, Huiying; Cai, Congxi; Shen, Wangshu; Wang, Qiaomei

2016-04-01

The effects of different light qualities, including white, red and blue lights, on main health-promoting compounds and antioxidant capacity of Chinese kale sprouts were investigated using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source. Our results showed that blue light treatment significantly decreased the content of gluconapin, the primary compound for bitter flavor in shoots, while increased the glucoraphanin content in roots. Moreover, the maximum content of vitamin C was detected in the white-light grown sprouts and the highest levels of total phenolic and anthocyanins, as well as the strongest antioxidant capacity were observed in blue-light grown sprouts. Taken together, the application of a colorful light source is a good practice for improvement of the consumers' acceptance and the nutritional phtyochemicals of Chinese kale sprouts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated Subsystem Control for Life Support System (ASCLSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Block, Roger F.

1987-01-01

The Automated Subsystem Control for Life Support Systems (ASCLSS) program has successfully developed and demonstrated a generic approach to the automation and control of space station subsystems. The automation system features a hierarchical and distributed real-time control architecture which places maximum controls authority at the lowest or process control level which enhances system autonomy. The ASCLSS demonstration system pioneered many automation and control concepts currently being considered in the space station data management system (DMS). Heavy emphasis is placed on controls hardware and software commonality implemented in accepted standards. The approach demonstrates successfully the application of real-time process and accountability with the subsystem or process developer. The ASCLSS system completely automates a space station subsystem (air revitalization group of the ASCLSS) which moves the crew/operator into a role of supervisory control authority. The ASCLSS program developed over 50 lessons learned which will aide future space station developers in the area of automation and controls..

Improved Performance Analysis of Free Space Optics Communication Link under Rain Conditions using EDFA Pre-amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Mehtab

2018-04-01

Free Space Optics (FSO) also known as Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) is a communication technology in which free space/air is used as the propagation medium and optical signals are used as the information carriers. One of the most crucial factors which degrade the performance of FSO link is the signal attenuation due to different atmospheric weather conditions such as haze, rain, storm, and fog. In this paper, an improved performance analysis of a 2.5 Gbps FSO link under rain conditions has been reported using Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) as a pre-amplifier. The results show that the maximum link distance for an FSO link under rain weather conditions with acceptable performance levels (Q ˜6 and BER ≤ 10-9 in the absence of EDFA pre-amplifier is 1,250 m which increases to 1,675 m with the use of EDFA pre-amplifier.

Managing nursing assistants with a web-based system: an empirical investigation of the mixed-staff strategy.

PubMed

Lin, I-Chun; Hou, Ying-Hui; Huang, Hui-Ling; Chu, Tsui-Ping; Chang, Ray-E

2010-06-01

Under the global shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs), some hospitals have integrated nursing assistants (NAs) into their teams to help to provide maximum quality care for acute patients, while keeping the hospital's staff-related costs down. However, the RNs may have to shoulder an increased burden of assigning and overseeing NAs. A web-based Nursing Assistants Management System (NAMS) was developed and evaluated for a case hospital in Taiwan to compare the processes of assigning and managing NAs before and after the NAMS intervention. The results showed that NAMS saved 80% of the time needed for manual operation and there were no more complains about NAs being slow in dealing with patients after the system intervention. The satisfaction levels of all NA managers and RNs were acceptable. Based on the research findings, the implication and limitations of this study were discussed.

A Longitudinal Examination of Positive Parenting Following an Acceptance-Based Couple Intervention

PubMed Central

Morrill, Melinda Ippolito; Hawrilenko, Matt; Córdova, James V.

2015-01-01

Positive parenting practices have been shown to be essential for healthy child development, and yet have also been found to be particularly challenging for parents to enact and maintain. This paper explores an innovative approach for increasing positive parenting by targeting specific positive emotional processes within marital relationships. Couple emotional acceptance is a powerful mechanism that has repeatedly been found to improve romantic relationships, but whether these effects extend to the larger family environment is less well understood. The current longitudinal study examined the role of improved levels of acceptance in mother’s and father’s positive parenting after a couple intervention. Participants included 244 parents (122 couples) in the Marriage Checkup (MC) study, a randomized, controlled, acceptance-based, intervention study. Data indicated that both women and men experienced significantly greater felt acceptance two-weeks after the MC intervention, treatment women demonstrated greater positive parenting two weeks after the intervention, and all treatment participants’ positive parenting was better maintained than control couple’s six months later. Importantly, although mothers’ positive parenting was not influenced by different levels of felt acceptance, changes in father’s positive parenting were positively associated with changes in felt acceptance. As men felt more accepted by their wives, their levels of positive parenting changed in kind, and this effect on positive parenting was found to be mediated by felt acceptance two weeks after the MC. Overall, findings supported the potential benefits of targeting couple acceptance to generate positive cascades throughout the larger family system. PMID:26551659

Ideal heat transfer conditions for tubular solar receivers with different design constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jin-Soo; Potter, Daniel; Gardner, Wilson; Too, Yen Chean Soo; Padilla, Ricardo Vasquez

2017-06-01

The optimum heat transfer condition for a tubular type solar receiver was investigated for various receiver pipe size, heat transfer fluid, and design requirement and constraint(s). Heat transfer of a single plain receiver pipe exposed to concentrated solar energy was modelled along the flow path of the heat transfer fluid. Three different working fluids, molten salt, sodium, and supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) were considered in the case studies with different design conditions. The optimized ideal heat transfer condition was identified through fast iterative heat transfer calculations solving for all relevant radiation, conduction and convection heat transfers throughout the entire discretized tubular receiver. The ideal condition giving the best performance was obtained by finding the highest acceptable solar energy flux optimally distributed to meet different constraint(s), such as maximum allowable material temperature of receiver, maximum allowable film temperature of heat transfer fluid, and maximum allowable stress of receiver pipe material. The level of fluid side turbulence (represented by pressure drop in this study) was also optimized to give the highest net power production. As the outcome of the study gives information on the most ideal heat transfer condition, it can be used as a useful guideline for optimal design of a real receiver and solar field in a combined manner. The ideal heat transfer condition is especially important for high temperature tubular receivers (e.g. for supplying heat to high efficiency Brayton cycle turbines) where the system design and performance is tightly constrained by the receiver pipe material strength.

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Sandia National Laboratory Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

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

Gregory, Louis B.

This special analysis evaluates whether the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream (ASLA000001007, Revision 4) is suitable for disposal by shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The SNL Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream consists of debris from classified nuclear weapons components (SNL 2015). The SNL Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream required a special analysis due to tritium (3H) exceeding the NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) Action Levels (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office [NNSA/NFO] 2015). The SNL Classifiedmore » Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream had no significant effect on the maximum mean and 95th percentile results for the resident air pathway and all-pathways annual total effective dose (TED). The SNL Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream increases the mean air pathway and all-pathways annual TED from approximately 100 to 200 years after closure. Addition of the SNL Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream inventory shifts the maximum TED to approximately 100 years after closure and increases the TED for several alternative exposure scenarios. The maximum mean and the 95th percentile 222Rn flux density remain less than the performance objective throughout the compliance period. The SNL Classified Macroencapsulated Mixed Waste stream is suitable for disposal by SLB at the Area 5 RWMS. The waste stream is recommended for approval without conditions.« less

User Acceptance of Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Rost, Theresia; Stein, Janine; Löbner, Margrit; Kersting, Anette; Luck-Sikorski, Claudia

2017-01-01

Background Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) has been proven to be effective in depression care. Moreover, cCBT packages are becoming increasingly popular. A central aspect concerning the take-up and success of any treatment is its user acceptance. Objective The aim of this study was to update and expand on earlier work on user acceptance of cCBT for depression. Methods This paper systematically reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies regarding the user acceptance of cCBT for depression. The initial search was conducted in January 2016 and involved the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO. Studies were retained if they described the explicit examination of the user acceptance, experiences, or satisfaction related to a cCBT intervention, if they reported depression as a primary outcome, and if they were published in German or English from July 2007 onward. Results A total of 1736 studies were identified, of which 29 studies were eligible for review. User acceptance was operationalized and analyzed very heterogeneously. Eight studies reported a very high level of acceptance, 17 indicated a high level of acceptance, and one study showed a moderate level of acceptance. Two qualitative studies considered the positive and negative aspects concerning the user acceptance of cCBT. However, a substantial proportion of reviewed studies revealed several methodical shortcomings. Conclusions In general, people experience cCBT for depression as predominantly positive, which supports the potential role of these innovative treatments. However, methodological challenges do exist in terms of defining user acceptance, clear operationalization of concepts, and measurement. PMID:28903893

Synopsis of timing measurement techniques used in telecommunications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zampetti, George

1993-01-01

Historically, Maximum Time Interval Error (MTIE) and Maximum Relative Time Interval Error (MRTIE) have been the main measurement techniques used to characterize timing performance in telecommunications networks. Recently, a new measurement technique, Time Variance (TVAR) has gained acceptance in the North American (ANSI) standards body. TVAR was developed in concurrence with NIST to address certain inadequacies in the MTIE approach. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches are described. Real measurement examples are presented to illustrate the critical issues in actual telecommunication applications. Finally, a new MTIE measurement is proposed (ZTIE) that complements TVAR. Together, TVAR and ZTIE provide a very good characterization of network timing.

Double-tailored nonimaging reflector optics for maximum-performance solar concentration.

PubMed

Goldstein, Alex; Gordon, Jeffrey M

2010-09-01

A nonimaging strategy that tailors two mirror contours for concentration near the étendue limit is explored, prompted by solar applications where a sizable gap between the optic and absorber is required. Subtle limitations of this simultaneous multiple surface method approach are derived, rooted in the manner in which phase space boundaries can be tailored according to the edge-ray principle. The fundamental categories of double-tailored reflective optics are identified, only a minority of which can pragmatically offer maximum concentration at high collection efficiency. Illustrative examples confirm that acceptance half-angles as large as 30 mrad can be realized at a flux concentration of approximately 1000.

A Computer Solution of the Parking Lot Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumble, Richard T.

A computer program has been developed that will accept as inputs the physical description of a portion of land, and the parking design standards to be followed. The program will then give as outputs the numerical and graphical descriptions of the maximum-density parking lot for that portion of land. The problem has been treated as a standard…

76 FR 19765 - Toutant Hydropower Inc.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-08

... refurbished and re-installed small ``fire pump'' turbine direct coupled to a 120 kilowatt, 2300 volt, AC synchronous vertically mounted generator. The ``fire pump'' turbine is located in the southwest corner of the existing turbine pit. The ``fire pump'' turbine has a rated maximum hydraulic capacity of 106 cubic feet...

RISE TIME DELAY DISCRIMINATOR

DOEpatents

Johnstone, C.W.

1959-09-29

A pulse-height discriminator for generating an output pulse when the accepted input pulse is approximately at its maximum value is described. A gating tube and a negative bias generator responsive to the derivative of the input pulse and means for impressing the output of the bias generator to at least one control electrode of the gating tube are included.

7 CFR 58.137 - Excluded milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Excluded milk. 58.137 Section 58.137 Agriculture... Milk § 58.137 Excluded milk. A plant shall not accept milk from a producer if: (a) The milk has been in...) Three of the last five milk samples have exceeded the maximum bacterial estimate of 500,000 per ml...

7 CFR 58.137 - Excluded milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Excluded milk. 58.137 Section 58.137 Agriculture... Milk § 58.137 Excluded milk. A plant shall not accept milk from a producer if: (a) The milk has been in...) Three of the last five milk samples have exceeded the maximum bacterial estimate of 500,000 per ml...

On numbers of clones needed for managing risks in clonal forestry

Treesearch

J. Bishir; J.H. Roberds

1999-01-01

An important question in clonal forestry concerns the number of clones needed in plantations to protect against catastrophic failure while at the same time achieving the uniform stands, high yields, and ease of management associated with this management system. This paper looks at how the required number of clones needed to achieve a predetermined maximum acceptable...

Relationships Between Social Anxiety and Smoking-Specific Experiential Avoidance.

PubMed

Watson, Noreen L; Heffner, Jaimee L; McClure, Jennifer B; Bricker, Jonathan B

2017-01-01

Although social anxiety is associated with higher prevalence of smoking and lower cessation rates, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of these relationships. Research suggests that socially anxious smokers have higher levels of smoking-specific experiential avoidance and are inclined to smoke to avoid internal smoking cues. However, it is unknown which types of internal smoking cues they avoid. Thus, this study aimed to address this gap in the literature. Participants (N = 450) were adult smokers from a group-based trial for smoking cessation. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical linear regression models examined relationships between baseline levels of social anxiety and acceptance of internal smoking cues-physical sensations, emotions, and cognitions. Social anxiety was associated with lower levels of acceptance of thoughts, sensations, and emotions that cue smoking. After controlling for levels of nicotine dependence, depression, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety still explained unique variability in overall acceptance of internal smoking cues and in acceptance of physical sensations and emotions that serve as smoking cues. Social anxiety no longer explained unique variability in acceptance of thoughts that trigger smoking. Smokers with high levels of social anxiety are less accepting of internal smoking cues. For physical and emotional cues, this effect was independent of level of dependence and mental health comorbidity. Results help explain why smokers with social anxiety are less likely to quit and can inform the development of targeted cessation treatments for smokers with social anxiety.

Willingness of Hong Kong healthcare workers to accept pre-pandemic influenza vaccination at different WHO alert levels: two questionnaire surveys

PubMed Central

Chor, Josette S Y; Ngai, Karry LK; Goggins, William B; Wong, Martin C S; Wong, Samuel Y S; Lee, Nelson; Leung, Ting-fan; Rainer, Timothy H; Griffiths, Sian

2009-01-01

Objective To assess the acceptability of pre-pandemic influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in public hospitals in Hong Kong and the effect of escalation in the World Health Organization’s alert level for an influenza pandemic. Design Repeated cross sectional studies using self administered, anonymous questionnaires Setting Surveys at 31 hospital departments of internal medicine, paediatrics, and emergency medicine under the Hong Kong Hospital Authority from January to March 2009 and in May 2009 Participants 2255 healthcare workers completed the questionnaires in the two studies. They were doctors, nurses, or allied health professionals working in the public hospital system. Main outcome measures Stated willingness to accept pre-pandemic influenza vaccination (influenza A subtypes H5N1 or H1N1) and its associating factors. Results The overall willingness to accept pre-pandemic H5N1 vaccine was only 28.4% in the first survey, conducted at WHO influenza pandemic alert phase 3. No significant changes in the level of willingness to accept pre-pandemic H5N1 vaccine were observed despite the escalation to alert phase 5. The willingness to accept pre-pandemic H1N1 vaccine was 47.9% among healthcare workers when the WHO alert level was at phase 5. The most common reasons for an intention to accept were “wish to be protected” and “following health authority’s advice.” The major barriers identified were fear of side effects and doubts about efficacy. More than half of the respondents thought nurses should be the first priority group to receive the vaccines. The strongest positive associating factors were history of seasonal influenza vaccination and perceived risk of contracting the infection. Conclusions The willingness to accept pre-pandemic influenza vaccination was low, and no significant effect was observed with the change in WHO alert level. Further studies are required to elucidate the root cause of the low intention to accept pre-pandemic vaccination. PMID:19706937

A brief report on rape myth acceptance: differences between police officers, law students, and psychology students in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Sleath, Emma; Bull, Ray

2015-01-01

A common perception is that police officers hold very negative attitudes about rape victims. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to establish whether police officers do accept stereotypical rape myths at a higher level compared to members of other populations. There were 3 comparison samples, composed of police officers, law students, and psychology students, that completed the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance scale. Male and female police officers accepted "she lied" myths at a higher level than the student samples. Student samples were found to accept 2 types of rape myths ("she asked for it" and "he didn't meant to") at a higher level compared to police officers. No significant differences were found in the other 4 subfactors. Therefore, the pattern of results suggests that police officers do not adhere to stereotypical myths about rape victims more than do other populations.

40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results...

Effect of denture cleansers on color stability, surface roughness, and hardness of different denture base resins

PubMed Central

Porwal, Anand; Khandelwal, Meenakshi; Punia, Vikas; Sharma, Vivek

2017-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different denture cleansers on the color stability, surface hardness, and roughness of different denture base resins. Materials and Methods: Three denture base resin materials (conventional heat cure resin, high impact resin, and polyamide denture base resin) were immersed for 180 days in commercially available two denture cleansers (sodium perborate and sodium hypochlorite). Color, surface roughness, and hardness were measured for each sample before and after immersion procedure. Statistical Analysis: One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc honestly significant difference test were used to evaluate color, surface roughness, and hardness data before and after immersion in denture cleanser (α =0.05). Results: All denture base resins tested exhibited a change in color, surface roughness, and hardness to some degree in both denture cleansers. Polyamides resin immersed in sodium perborate showed a maximum change in color after immersion for 180 days. Conventional heat cure resin immersed in sodium hypochlorite showed a maximum change in surface roughness and conventional heat cure immersed in sodium perborate showed a maximum change in hardness. Conclusion: Color changes of all denture base resins were within the clinically accepted range for color difference. Surface roughness change of conventional heat cure resin was not within the clinically accepted range of surface roughness. The choice of denture cleanser for different denture base resins should be based on the chemistry of resin and cleanser, denture cleanser concentration, and duration of immersion. PMID:28216847

Fuel freeze-point investigations. Final report, September 1982-March 1984

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

Desmarais, L.A.; Tolle, F.F.

1984-07-01

The objective of this program was to conduct a detailed assessment of the low-temperature environment to which USAF aircraft are exposed for the purpose of defining a maximum acceptable fuel freeze-point and also to define any operational changes required with the use of a high freeze-point fuel. A previous study of B-52, C-141, and KC-135 operational missions indicated that the -58 C freeze point specification was too conservative. Based on recommendations resulting from the previous program, several improvements in the method of analysis were made, such as: expansion of the atmospheric temperature data base, the addition of ground temperature analysis,more » the addition of fuel-freezing analysis to the one-dimensional fuel-temperature computer program, and the examination of heat transfer in external fuel tanks, such as pylon or tip tanks. The B-52, C-141, and KC-135 mission were analyzed again, along with the operational missions of two tactical airplanes, the A-10 and F-15; -50C was determined to be the maximum allowable freeze point for a general-purpose USAF aviation turbine fuel. Higher freeze points can be tolerated if the probability of operational interference is acceptably low or if operational changes can be made. Study of atmospheric temperatures encountered for the missions of the five-study aircraft indicates that a maximum freeze point of -48 C would not likely create any operational difficulties in Northern Europe.« less

The assessment of the impact of socio-economic factors in accepting cancer using the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS).

PubMed

Czerw, Aleksandra I; Bilińska, Magdalena; Deptała, Andrzej

2016-01-01

The paper presents the results of examining the level of acceptance of the illness in cancer patients using the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). The study involved cancer patients treated at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry the Interior in Warsaw in 2014. The questionnaire comprised basic demographic questions (socio-economic factors) and the AIS test estimating the level of illness acceptance in patients. For the group of patients in the research group, the arithmetic mean amounted to 27.56 points. The period of time that elapsed between the first cancer diagnosis and the start of the study did not influence the score of accepting illness. The acceptance of illness in patients diagnosed with metastases differed from the acceptance of illness by patients diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Females obtained the average of 29.59 in the AIS test, whereas the average in male patients was 26.17. The patients' age did not impact the AIS test. There were no differences in the AIS test results between a group of people with secondary education and a group of people with higher education. There were no differences in the AIS test results between employed individuals versus pensioners. The inhabitants of cities were characterized by the highest degree of acceptance of their health condition. The lowest degree of acceptance of illness was observed in the group with the lowest average incomes. In the group of married individuals the average degree of acceptance of illness amounted to 27.37 points. The average degree of acceptance of illness in patients that declared themselves as single amounted to 25.75. The average degree of acceptance of illness in the study group was 27.56 points, which is a relatively high level of acceptance of cancer. The main socio-economic factor, which influenced the AIS test results was whether metastases were diagnosed or not. There were no differences between patients in groups where the time that elapsed from the first diagnosis of cancer varied. There were no statistical differences between female and male patients as well as patients of different age. Additionally, the level of education and patients' professional status did not impact in the AIS test results.

Children acceptance of laser dental treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazea, Andreea; Todea, Carmen

2016-03-01

Objectives: To evaluate the dental anxiety level and the degree of acceptance of laser assisted pedodontic treatments from the children part. Also, we want to underline the advantages of laser use in pediatric dentistry, to make this technology widely used in treating dental problems of our children patients. Methods: Thirty pediatric dental patients presented in the Department of Pedodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babeş", Timişoara were evaluated using the Wong-Baker pain rating scale, wich was administered postoperatory to all patients, to assess their level of laser therapy acceptance. Results: Wong-Baker faces pain rating scale (WBFPS) has good validity and high specificity; generally it's easy for children to use, easy to compare and has good feasibility. Laser treatment has been accepted and tolerated by pediatric patients for its ability to reduce or eliminate pain. Around 70% of the total sample showed an excellent acceptance of laser dental treatment. Conclusions: Laser technology is useful and effective in many clinical situations encountered in pediatric dentistry and a good level of pacient acceptance is reported during all laser procedures on hard and soft tissues.

21 CFR 176.300 - Slimicides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) cyclohexanone 1,2-Bis(monobromoacetoxy) ethane [CA Reg. No. 3785-34-0] At a maximum level of 0.10 pound per ton... Methylenebisbutanethiolsulfonate Methylenebisthiocyanate 2-Nitrobutyl bromoacetate [CA Reg. No. 32815-96-6] At a maximum level of 0...)phosphonium sulfate (CAS Reg. No. 55566-30-8) Maximum use level of 84 mg/kg in the pulp slurry. The additive...

21 CFR 176.300 - Slimicides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) cyclohexanone 1,2-Bis(monobromoacetoxy) ethane [CA Reg. No. 3785-34-0] At a maximum level of 0.10 pound per ton... Methylenebisbutanethiolsulfonate Methylenebisthiocyanate 2-Nitrobutyl bromoacetate [CA Reg. No. 32815-96-6] At a maximum level of 0...)phosphonium sulfate (CAS Reg. No. 55566-30-8) Maximum use level of 84 mg/kg in the pulp slurry. The additive...

Assessment of display performance for medical imaging systems: Executive summary of AAPM TG18 report

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

Samei, Ehsan; Badano, Aldo; Chakraborty, Dev

Digital imaging provides an effective means to electronically acquire, archive, distribute, and view medical images. Medical imaging display stations are an integral part of these operations. Therefore, it is vitally important to assure that electronic display devices do not compromise image quality and ultimately patient care. The AAPM Task Group 18 (TG18) recently published guidelines and acceptance criteria for acceptance testing and quality control of medical display devices. This paper is an executive summary of the TG18 report. TG18 guidelines include visual, quantitative, and advanced testing methodologies for primary and secondary class display devices. The characteristics, tested in conjunction withmore » specially designed test patterns (i.e., TG18 patterns), include reflection, geometric distortion, luminance, the spatial and angular dependencies of luminance, resolution, noise, glare, chromaticity, and display artifacts. Geometric distortions are evaluated by linear measurements of the TG18-QC test pattern, which should render distortion coefficients less than 2%/5% for primary/secondary displays, respectively. Reflection measurements include specular and diffuse reflection coefficients from which the maximum allowable ambient lighting is determined such that contrast degradation due to display reflection remains below a 20% limit and the level of ambient luminance (L{sub amb}) does not unduly compromise luminance ratio (LR) and contrast at low luminance levels. Luminance evaluation relies on visual assessment of low contrast features in the TG18-CT and TG18-MP test patterns, or quantitative measurements at 18 distinct luminance levels of the TG18-LN test patterns. The major acceptable criteria for primary/secondary displays are maximum luminance of greater than 170/100 cd/m{sup 2}, LR of greater than 250/100, and contrast conformance to that of the grayscale standard display function (GSDF) of better than 10%/20%, respectively. The angular response is tested to ascertain the viewing cone within which contrast conformance to the GSDF is better than 30%/60% and LR is greater than 175/70 for primary/secondary displays, or alternatively, within which the on-axis contrast thresholds of the TG18-CT test pattern remain discernible. The evaluation of luminance spatial uniformity at two distinct luminance levels across the display faceplate using TG18-UNL test patterns should yield nonuniformity coefficients smaller than 30%. The resolution evaluation includes the visual scoring of the CX test target in the TG18-QC or TG18-CX test patterns, which should yield scores greater than 4/6 for primary/secondary displays. Noise evaluation includes visual evaluation of the contrast threshold in the TG18-AFC test pattern, which should yield a minimum of 3/2 targets visible for primary/secondary displays. The guidelines also include methodologies for more quantitative resolution and noise measurements based on MTF and NPS analyses. The display glare test, based on the visibility of the low-contrast targets of the TG18-GV test pattern or the measurement of the glare ratio (GR), is expected to yield scores greater than 3/1 and GRs greater than 400/150 for primary/secondary displays. Chromaticity, measured across a display faceplate or between two display devices, is expected to render a u{sup '},v{sup '} color separation of less than 0.01 for primary displays. The report offers further descriptions of prior standardization efforts, current display technologies, testing prerequisites, streamlined procedures and timelines, and TG18 test patterns.« less

Preferred and Minimum Acceptable Listening Levels for Musicians while Using Floor and In-Ear Monitors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federman, Jeremy; Ricketts, Todd

2008-01-01

Purpose: This study examined the impact that changing on-stage music and crowd noise levels during musical performance had on preferred listening levels (PLLs) and minimum acceptable listening levels (MALLs) across both floor and in-ear monitors. Method: Participants for this study were 23- to 48-year-old musicians, with and without hearing loss,…

Sensory acceptance and survival of probiotic bacteria in ice cream produced with different overrun levels.

PubMed

Ferraz, Juliana L; Cruz, Adriano G; Cadena, Rafael S; Freitas, Monica Q; Pinto, Uelinton M; Carvalho, Celio C; Faria, Jose A F; Bolini, Helena M A

2012-01-01

The effect of different overrun levels on the sensory acceptance and survival of probiotic bacteria in ice cream was investigated. Vanilla ice creams supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus were processed with overruns of 45%, 60%, and 90%. Viable probiotic bacterial counts and sensory acceptance were assessed. All the ice creams presented a minimum count of 6 log CFU/g at the end of 60 d of frozen storage. However, higher overrun levels negatively influenced cell viability, being reported a decrease of 2 log CFU/g for the 90% overrun treatment. In addition, it was not reported an influence about acceptability with respect to appearance, aroma, and taste of the ice creams (P > 0.05). Overall, the results suggest that lower overrun levels should be adopted during the manufacture of ice cream in order to maintain its probiotic status through the shelf life. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

A Study to Develop a Scale for Determining the Social Acceptance Levels of Special-Needs Students, Participating in Inclusion Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Erdinc; Sahbaz, Umit

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to develop a scale of social acceptance for determining the social acceptance levels of special-needs students, participating in inclusion practices. The target population of the research is 8th grade students of all primary schools in the provincial center of Burdur in the 2008 to 2009 academic year and the target study…

Laboratory study of effects of sonic boom shaping on subjective loudness and acceptability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, Jack D.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

1992-01-01

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effects of sonic boom signature shaping on subjective loudness and acceptability. The study utilized the sonic boom simulator at the Langley Research Center. A wide range of symmetrical, front-shock-minimized signature shapes were investigated together with a limited number of asymmetrical signatures. Subjective loudness judgments were obtained from 60 test subjects by using an 11-point numerical category scale. Acceptability judgments were obtained using the method of constant stimuli. Results were used to assess the relative predictive ability of several noise metrics, determine the loudness benefits of detailed boom shaping, and derive laboratory sonic boom acceptability criteria. These results indicated that the A-weighted sound exposure level, the Stevens Mark 7 Perceived Level, and the Zwicker Loudness Level metrics all performed well. Significant reductions in loudness were obtained by increasing front-shock rise time and/or decreasing front-shock overpressure of the front-shock minimized signatures. In addition, the asymmetrical signatures were rated to be slightly quieter than the symmetrical front-shock-minimized signatures of equal A-weighted sound exposure level. However, this result was based on a limited number of asymmetric signatures. The comparison of laboratory acceptability results with acceptability data obtained in more realistic situations also indicated good agreement.

Trust in smart systems: sharing driving goals and giving information to increase trustworthiness and acceptability of smart systems in cars.

PubMed

Verberne, Frank M F; Ham, Jaap; Midden, Cees J H

2012-10-01

We examine whether trust in smart systems is generated analogously to trust in humans and whether the automation level of smart systems affects trustworthiness and acceptability of those systems. Trust is an important factor when considering acceptability of automation technology. As shared goals lead to social trust, and intelligent machines tend to be treated like humans, the authors expected that shared driving goals would also lead to increased trustworthiness and acceptability of adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems. In an experiment, participants (N = 57) were presented with descriptions of three ACCs with different automation levels that were described as systems that either shared their driving goals or did not. Trustworthiness and acceptability of all the ACCs were measured. ACCs sharing the driving goals of the user were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs not sharing the driving goals of the user. Furthermore, ACCs that took over driving tasks while providing information were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs that took over driving tasks without providing information. Trustworthiness mediated the effects of both driving goals and automation level on acceptability of ACCs. As when trusting other humans, trusting smart systems depends on those systems sharing the user's goals. Furthermore, based on their description, smart systems that take over tasks are judged more trustworthy and acceptable when they also provide information. For optimal acceptability of smart systems, goals of the user should be shared by the smart systems, and smart systems should provide information to their user.

User Acceptance of Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Rost, Theresia; Stein, Janine; Löbner, Margrit; Kersting, Anette; Luck-Sikorski, Claudia; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G

2017-09-13

Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) has been proven to be effective in depression care. Moreover, cCBT packages are becoming increasingly popular. A central aspect concerning the take-up and success of any treatment is its user acceptance. The aim of this study was to update and expand on earlier work on user acceptance of cCBT for depression. This paper systematically reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies regarding the user acceptance of cCBT for depression. The initial search was conducted in January 2016 and involved the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO. Studies were retained if they described the explicit examination of the user acceptance, experiences, or satisfaction related to a cCBT intervention, if they reported depression as a primary outcome, and if they were published in German or English from July 2007 onward. A total of 1736 studies were identified, of which 29 studies were eligible for review. User acceptance was operationalized and analyzed very heterogeneously. Eight studies reported a very high level of acceptance, 17 indicated a high level of acceptance, and one study showed a moderate level of acceptance. Two qualitative studies considered the positive and negative aspects concerning the user acceptance of cCBT. However, a substantial proportion of reviewed studies revealed several methodical shortcomings. In general, people experience cCBT for depression as predominantly positive, which supports the potential role of these innovative treatments. However, methodological challenges do exist in terms of defining user acceptance, clear operationalization of concepts, and measurement. ©Theresia Rost, Janine Stein, Margrit Löbner, Anette Kersting, Claudia Luck-Sikorski, Steffi G Riedel-Heller. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 13.09.2017.

The Relationship between Treatment Acceptability and Familism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pemberton, Joy R.; Borrego, Joaquin, Jr.

2005-01-01

Many studies have examined the acceptability of treatments for children with disruptive behaviors. However, few studies to date have tested the effects of home environment variables such as family support on treatment acceptability. In the current study, parents' level of familism was used to predict their willingness to accept several behavioral…

Consumer acceptance of ginseng food products.

PubMed

Chung, Hee Sook; Lee, Young-Chul; Rhee, Young Kyung; Lee, Soo-Yeun

2011-01-01

Ginseng has been utilized less in food products than in dietary supplements in the United States. Sensory acceptance of ginseng food products by U.S. consumers has not been reported. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the sensory acceptance of commercial ginseng food products and (2) assess influence of the addition of sweeteners to ginseng tea and ginseng extract to chocolate on consumer acceptance. Total of 126 consumers participated in 3 sessions for (1) 7 commercial red ginseng food products, (2) 10 ginseng teas varying in levels of sugar or honey, and (3) 10 ginseng milk or dark chocolates varying in levels of ginseng extract. Ginseng candy with vitamin C and ginseng crunchy white chocolate were the most highly accepted, while sliced ginseng root product was the least accepted among the seven commercial products. Sensory acceptance increased in proportion to the content of sugar and honey in ginseng tea, whereas acceptance decreased with increasing content of ginseng extract in milk and dark chocolates. Findings demonstrate that ginseng food product types with which consumers have been already familiar, such as candy and chocolate, will have potential for success in the U.S. market. Chocolate could be suggested as a food matrix into which ginseng can be incorporated, as containing more bioactive compounds than ginseng tea at a similar acceptance level. Future research may include a descriptive analysis with ginseng-based products to identify the key drivers of liking and disliking for successful new product development. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Contingent valuation and pharmacists' acceptable levels of compensation for medication therapy management services.

PubMed

Wang, Junling; Hong, Song Hee

2015-01-01

Pharmacists' acceptable level of compensation for medication therapy management (MTM) services needs to be determined using various economic evaluation techniques. Using contingent valuation method, determine pharmacists' acceptable levels of compensation for MTM services. A mailing survey was used to elicit Tennessee (U.S.) pharmacists' acceptable levels of compensation for a 30-minute MTM session for a new patient with 2 medical conditions, 8 medications, and an annual drug cost of $2000. Three versions of a series of double-bounded, closed-ended, binary discrete choice questions were asked of pharmacists for their willingness to accept (WTA) for an original monetary value ($30, $60, or $90) and then follow-up higher or lower value depending on their responses to the original value. A Kaplan-Meier approach was taken to analyze pharmacists' WTA, and Cox's proportional hazards model was used to examine the effects of pharmacist characteristics on their WTA. Three hundred and forty-eight pharmacists responded to the survey. Pharmacists' WTA for the given MTM session had a mean of $63.31 and median of $60. The proportions of pharmacists willing to accept $30, $60, and $90 for the given MTM session were 30.61%, 85.19%, and 91.01%, respectively. Pharmacists' characteristics had statistically significant association with their WTA rates. Pharmacists' WTA for the given MTM session is higher than current Medicare MTM programs' compensation levels of $15-$50 and patients' willingness to pay of less than $40. Besides advocating for higher MTM compensation levels by third-party payers, pharmacists also may need to charge patients to reach sufficient compensation levels for MTM services. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contingent Valuation and Pharmacists' Acceptable Levels of Compensation for Medication Therapy Management Services

PubMed Central

Wang, Junling; Hong, Song Hee

2012-01-01

Background Pharmacists' acceptable level of compensation for medication therapy management (MTM) services needs to be determined using various economic evaluation techniques. Objectives Using contingent valuation method, determine pharmacists' acceptable levels of compensation for MTM services. Methods A mailing survey was used to elicit Tennessee (US) pharmacists' acceptable levels of compensation for a 30-minute MTM session for a new patient with 2 medical conditions, 8 medications, and an annual drug cost of $2,000. Three versions of a series of double-bounded, closed-ended, binary discrete choice questions were asked of pharmacists for their willingness-to-accept (WTA) for an original monetary value ($30, $60, or $90) and then follow-up higher or lower value depending on their responses to the original value. A Kaplan-Meier approach was taken to analyze pharmacists' WTA, and Cox's proportional hazards model was used to examine the effects of pharmacist characteristics on their WTA. Results Three hundred and forty-eight pharmacists responded to the survey. Pharmacists' WTA for the given MTM session had a mean of $63.31 and median of $60. The proportions of pharmacists willing to accept $30, $60, and $90 for the given MTM session were 30.61%, 85.19%, and 91.01%, respectively. Pharmacists' characteristics had statistically significant association with their WTA rates. Conclusions Pharmacists' WTA for the given MTM session is higher than current Medicare MTM programs' compensation levels of $15 to $50 and patients' willingness-to-pay of less than $40. Besides advocating for higher MTM compensation levels by third-party payers, pharmacists also may need to charge patients to reach sufficient compensation levels for MTM services. PMID:22436583

Mycotoxins in foods in Lower Saxony (Germany): results of official control analyses performed in 2009.

PubMed

Reinhold, Lilli; Reinhardt, Katja

2011-05-01

In this presentation, the mycotoxin levels-as analysed by the analytical centre for mycotoxin surveillance of the state food laboratory (LAVES Braunschweig)-for approximately 500 food samples are reported. The samples were collected in the year 2009 at retail in the German federal state of Lower Saxony. Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A were analysed in dried fruits, spices, cereals and tree nuts. Ochratoxin A was detected in all samples of dried vine fruits, at levels up to 8.1 μg/kg. Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A were also found in nutmeg and curry powder: the maximum regulatory levels for aflatoxins were exceeded in 25% of the nutmeg samples. Nearly all samples of basmati rice contained aflatoxins, although at levels below the maximum regulatory level in all but one sample. Aflatoxins were also detected in about 50% of hazelnut samples, in 20% of the samples the maximum levels was exceeded (maximum 23.2 μg/kg). In contrast, aflatoxin contents in pistachios were surprisingly low. Fusarium toxins were analysed in cereals and cereal products such as flour, bread, and pasta. Deoxynivalenol (DON) was the predominant toxin found in these samples: DON was found in about 40% of the samples, although the maximum levels were not exceeded (max. 418 μg/kg). Fumonisins (FBs) and zearalenone (ZEA) were specifically analysed in maize products (snacks, flour and oil). Most of these samples (80%) were positive, but at levels not exceeding the maximum levels. Maximum levels were 98 μg/kg (ZEA) and 577 μg/kg (sum of FB1 and FB2). Ergot alkaloids (six major alkaloids) were analysed in rye flour, and approximately 50% were positive. The highest concentration of ergot alkaloids was 1,063 μg/kg; the predominant alkaloids were ergotamine and ergocristine. In conclusion, the results indicate that continuous and efficient control measures for mycotoxins in a wide range of critical foods are necessary to ensure compliance with maximum levels. Although the mycotoxin levels in the vast majority of samples were below maximum levels, year-to-year variation and changes in the production of relevant commodities may result in a different picture in the future.

Multi-discipline Waste Acceptance Process at the Nevada National Security Site - 13573

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

Carilli, Jhon T.; Krenzien, Susan K.

2013-07-01

The Nevada National Security Site low-level radioactive waste disposal facility acceptance process requires multiple disciplines to ensure the protection of workers, the public, and the environment. These disciplines, which include waste acceptance, nuclear criticality, safety, permitting, operations, and performance assessment, combine into the overall waste acceptance process to assess low-level radioactive waste streams for disposal at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site. Four waste streams recently highlighted the integration of these disciplines: the Oak Ridge Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators and Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project material, West Valley Melter, and classified waste. (authors)

Mediate gamma radiation effects on some packaged food items

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inamura, Patricia Y.; Uehara, Vanessa B.; Teixeira, Christian A. H. M.; del Mastro, Nelida L.

2012-08-01

For most of prepackaged foods a 10 kGy radiation dose is considered the maximum dose needed; however, the commercially available and practically accepted packaging materials must be suitable for such application. This work describes the application of ionizing radiation on several packaged food items, using 5 dehydrated food items, 5 ready-to-eat meals and 5 ready-to-eat food items irradiated in a 60Co gamma source with a 3 kGy dose. The quality evaluation of the irradiated samples was performed 2 and 8 months after irradiation. Microbiological analysis (bacteria, fungus and yeast load) was performed. The sensory characteristics were established for appearance, aroma, texture and flavor attributes were also established. From these data, the acceptability of all irradiated items was obtained. All ready-to-eat food items assayed like manioc flour, some pâtés and blocks of raw brown sugar and most of ready-to-eat meals like sausages and chicken with legumes were considered acceptable for microbial and sensory characteristics. On the other hand, the dehydrated food items chosen for this study, such as dehydrated bacon potatoes or pea soups were not accepted by the sensory analysis. A careful dose choice and special irradiation conditions must be used in order to achieve sensory acceptability needed for the commercialization of specific irradiated food items.

Guidelines for project-level traffic forecasting for Hawaii Department of Transportation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

These guidelines describe both best practice and acceptable practice for performing project-level traffic : forecasts for the State of Hawaii. The guidelines describe a number of techniques and options that are all : acceptable within their intended ...

Anatomy and dry weight yields of two Populus clones grown under intensive culture.

Treesearch

John B. Crist; David H. Dawson

1975-01-01

Two Populus clones grown for short rotations at three dense planting spacings produced some extremely high yields of material of acceptable quality. However, variation in yields and quality illustrates that selection of genetic material and the cultured regime under which a species is growth are significant factors that must be determined in maximum-yield systems....

76 FR 57727 - Notice of Competing Preliminary Permit Applications Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-16

... maximum of 725 cfs, at 4.6 feet of net head; (4) a tailrace, which would include a submerged dike to.../docs-filing/efiling.asp . Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp . You must include your...

75 FR 73062 - Qualified Hydro 27, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-29

... (Howard A. Hanson project) to be located in King County, Washington, near the town of Palmer. The sole... 675-foot-long, 235-foot-high earth and rockfill Howard A. Hanson dam; (2) the existing Howard A. Hanson reservoir, which has a maximum usable storage of 106,000 acre-feet between elevation 1,206 feet...

42 CFR 84.97 - Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... machine. An acceptable method for measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide is described in Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 6865, A Machine-Test Method for Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Inspired... of 10.5 liters. (3) A sedentary breathing machine cam will be used. (4) The apparatus will be tested...

42 CFR 84.97 - Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... machine. An acceptable method for measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide is described in Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 6865, A Machine-Test Method for Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Inspired... of 10.5 liters. (3) A sedentary breathing machine cam will be used. (4) The apparatus will be tested...

42 CFR 84.97 - Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... machine. An acceptable method for measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide is described in Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 6865, A Machine-Test Method for Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Inspired... of 10.5 liters. (3) A sedentary breathing machine cam will be used. (4) The apparatus will be tested...

40 CFR 141.131 - Analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... chromatography 300.1 D 6581-00 Ion chromatography & post column reaction 317.0 Rev 2.0 6, 326.0 6 IC/ICP-MS 321.8... sample collection. 6 Ion chromatography & post column reaction or IC/ICP-MS must be used for monitoring... study between a maximum and minimum acceptance limit of ±50% and ±15% of the study mean. (iii) Beginning...

78 FR 25069 - South Carolina Electric & Gas Company; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-29

... Murray Docks, Inc./Windward Point Yacht Club to use project waters to expand an existing boat dock facility through the addition of an 8-slip floating dock to accommodate a maximum of 12 additional boats. The proposed new structures would be for the private use of members of the Windward Point Yacht Club...

50 CFR 85.44 - Fee charges for use of facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fee charges for use of facilities. 85.44... Conditions on Use/Acceptance of Funds § 85.44 Fee charges for use of facilities. A maximum of a $5.00 fee may... with grant funds. If higher fees are charged, they must be justified before the proposal can be...

76 FR 20969 - City and Borough of Sitka, AK; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Ready for Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-14

... megawatt (MW) turbine-generator units near the existing powerhouse. Additionally, the Fish Valve Unit would be replaced with a new 1 MW turbine-generator unit and the 870 kilowatt Pulp Mill Feeder Unit would... new water intake in the reservoir 109 feet above the existing intake. The higher maximum reservoir...

Acceptability of tick control interventions to prevent Lyme disease in Switzerland and Canada: a mixed-method study.

PubMed

Aenishaenslin, Cécile; Michel, Pascal; Ravel, André; Gern, Lise; Waaub, Jean-Philippe; Milord, François; Bélanger, Denise

2016-01-05

Lyme disease control strategies may include tick control interventions in high risk areas. Public authorities may be interested to assess how these types of interventions are perceived by the public which may then impact their acceptability. The aims of this paper are to compare socio-cognitive factors associated with high acceptability of tick control interventions and to describe perceived issues that may explain their low acceptability in populations living in two different regions, one being an endemic region for LD since the last 30 years, the Neuchâtel canton, in Switzerland, and another where the disease is emerging, the Montérégie region, in Canada. A mixed methods' design was chosen. Quantitative data were collected using web-surveys conducted in both regions (n = 814). Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare socio-cognitive factors associated with high acceptability of selected interventions. Qualitative data were collected using focus group's discussions to describe perceived issues relative to these interventions. Levels of acceptability in the studied populations were the lowest for the use of acaricides and landscaping and were under 50 % in both regions for six out of eight interventions, but were higher overall in Montérégie. High perceived efficacy of the intervention was strongly associated with high acceptability of tick control interventions. A high perceived risk about LD was also associated with a high acceptability of intervention under some models. High level of knowledge about LD was negatively associated with high acceptability of the use of acaricides in Neuchâtel. Perceived issues explaining low acceptability included environmental impacts, high costs to the public system, danger of individual disempowerment and perceptions that tick control interventions were disproportionate options for the level of LD risk. This study suggests that the perceived efficacy and LD risk perception may be key factors to target to increase the acceptability of tick control interventions. Community-level issues seem to be important considerations driving low acceptability of public health interventions. Results of this study highlight the importance for decision-makers to account for socio-cognitive factors and perceived issues that may affect the acceptability of public health interventions in order to maximize the efficacy of actions to prevent and control LD.

Paving the road to maximum productivity.

PubMed

Holland, C

1998-01-01

"Job security" is an oxymoron in today's environment of downsizing, mergers, and acquisitions. Workers find themselves living by new rules in the workplace that they may not understand. How do we cope? It is the leader's charge to take advantage of this chaos and create conditions under which his or her people can understand the need for change and come together with a shared purpose to effect that change. The clinical laboratory at Arkansas Children's Hospital has taken advantage of this chaos to down-size and to redesign how the work gets done to pave the road to maximum productivity. After initial hourly cutbacks, the workers accepted the cold, hard fact that they would never get their old world back. They set goals to proactively shape their new world through reorganizing, flexing staff with workload, creating a rapid response laboratory, exploiting information technology, and outsourcing. Today the laboratory is a lean, productive machine that accepts change as a way of life. We have learned to adapt, trust, and support each other as we have journeyed together over the rough roads. We are looking forward to paving a new fork in the road to the future.

Uranium in Kosovo's drinking water.

PubMed

Berisha, Fatlume; Goessler, Walter

2013-11-01

The results of this paper are an initiation to capture the drinking water and/or groundwater elemental situation in the youngest European country, Kosovo. We aim to present a clear picture of the natural uranium concentration in drinking water and/or groundwater as it is distributed to the population of Kosovo. Nine hundred and fifty-one (951) drinking water samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The results are the first countrywide interpretation of the uranium concentration in drinking water and/or groundwater, directly following the Kosovo war of 1999. More than 98% of the samples had uranium concentrations above 0.01 μg L(-1), which was also our limit of quantification. Concentrations up to 166 μg L(-1) were found with a mean of 5 μg L(-1) and median 1.6 μg L(-1) were found. Two point six percent (2.6%) of the analyzed samples exceeded the World Health Organization maximum acceptable concentration of 30 μg L(-1), and 44.2% of the samples exceeded the 2 μg L(-1) German maximum acceptable concentrations recommended for infant food preparations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survey of Occupational Noise Exposure in CF Personnel in Selected High-Risk Trades

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-11-01

peak, maximum level , minimum level , average sound level , time weighted average, dose, projected 8-hour dose, and upper limit time were measured for...10 4.4.2 Maximum Sound Level ...11 4.4.3 Minimum Sound Level

Knowledge of appropriate acetaminophen use: A survey of college-age women.

PubMed

Stumpf, Janice L; Liao, Allison C; Nguyen, Stacy; Skyles, Amy J; Alaniz, Cesar

To evaluate college-age women's knowledge of appropriate doses and potential toxicities of acetaminophen, competency in interpreting Drug Facts label dosing information, and ability to recognize products containing acetaminophen. In this cross-sectional prospective study, a 20-item written survey was provided to female college students at a University of Michigan fundraising event in March 2015. A total of 203 female college students, 18-24 years of age, participated in the study. Pain was experienced on a daily or weekly basis by 22% of the subjects over the previous 6 months, and 83% reported taking acetaminophen. The maximum 3-gram daily dose of extra-strength acetaminophen was correctly identified by 64 participants; an additional 51 subjects indicated the generally accepted 4 grams daily as the maximum dose. When provided with the Tylenol Drug Facts label, 68.5% correctly identified the maximum amount of regular-strength acetaminophen recommended for a healthy adult. Hepatotoxicity was associated with high acetaminophen doses by 63.6% of participants, significantly more than those who selected distracter responses (P < 0.001). Knowledge of liver damage as a potential toxicity was correlated with age 20 years and older (P < 0.001) but was independent from race and ethnicity and level of alcohol consumption. Although more than one-half of the subjects (58.6%) recognized that Tylenol contained acetaminophen, fewer than one-fourth correctly identified other acetaminophen-containing products. Despite ongoing educational campaigns, a large proportion of the college-age women who participated in our study did not know and could not interpret the maximum recommended daily dose from Drug Facts labeling, did not know that liver damage was a potential toxicity of acetaminophen, and could not recognize acetaminophen-containing products. These data suggest a continued role for pharmacists in educational efforts targeted to college-age women. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rhizosphere of Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. as a landmark for polythene degrading bacteria.

PubMed

Shahnawaz, Mohd; Sangale, Manisha K; Ade, Avinash B

2016-07-01

Due to high durability, cheap cost, and ease of manufacture, 311 million tons of plastic-based products are manufactured around the globe per annum. The slow/least rate of plastic degradation leads to generation of million tons of plastic waste per annum, which is of great environmental concern. Of the total plastic waste generated, polythene shared about 64 %. Various methods are available in the literature to tackle with the plastic waste, and biodegradation is considered as the most accepted, eco-friendly, and cost-effective method of polythene waste disposal. In the present study, an attempt has been made to isolate, screen, and characterize the most efficient polythene degrading bacteria by using rhizosphere soil of Avicennia marina as a landmark. From 12 localities along the west coast of India, a total of 123 bacterial isolates were recorded. Maximum percent weight loss (% WL; 21.87 ± 6.37 %) was recorded with VASB14 at pH 3.5 after 2 months of shaking at room temperature. Maximum percent weight gain (13.87 ± 3.6 %) was reported with MANGB5 at pH 7. Maximum percent loss in tensile strength (% loss in TS; 87.50 ± 4.8 %) was documented with VASB1 at pH 9.5. The results based on the % loss in TS were only reproducible. Further, the level of degradation was confirmed by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. In SEM analysis, scions/crakes were found on the surface of the degraded polythene, and mass of bacterial cell was also recorded on the weight-gained polythene strips. Maximum reduction in carbonyl index (4.14 %) was recorded in untreated polythene strip with Lysinibacillus fusiformis strain VASB14/WL. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence homology, the most efficient polythene degrading bacteria were identified as L. fusiformis strainVASB14/WL and Bacillus cereus strain VASB1/TS.

A proposed rationale and test methodology for establishment of acceptance criteria for vacuum integrity testing of pharmaceutical freeze dryers.

PubMed

Hardwick, Lisa M; Nail, Steven L; Jarman, James; Hasler, Kai; Hense, Thomas

2013-10-01

A scientific rationale is proposed for the establishment of acceptance criteria for leak rates in pharmaceutical freeze dryers. A method was developed to determine the quantity of air that could leak into any lyophilizer from the outside while still maintaining Class 100/Grade A microbial conditions. A lyophilizing product is assumed most vulnerable to microbial contamination during secondary drying, when mass transfer of water vapor from product to condenser is minimal. Using the void volume of the dryer, calculated from change in internal pressure when a known volume of air is introduced, and the potential maximum bioburden of the leaked air (based on measured values), calculations can determine the allowable leaked volume of air, the flow rate required to admit that volume in a given time frame, and the pressure rise that would result from the leak over a given testing period. For the dryers in this study, using worst-case air quality conditions, it was determined that a leak resulting in a pressure rise of 0.027 mbar over a 30 min period would allow the dryers to remain in secondary drying conditions for 62 h before the established action level of one colony forming unit for each cubic meter of air space would be reached. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Birth Control Practices and Levels of Development in India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karan, P.P.; And Others

1978-01-01

Analyzes the spatial patterns of acceptance of birth control practices in India and examines the relationship between these patterns and levels of economic development. Suggests implications of the area differences in acceptance patterns for family planning program policymakers. (Author)

Performing the lockout/tagout risk assessment.

PubMed

Wallace, W Jon

2007-03-01

Lockout/tagout provides the greatest level routine, repetitive, and integral to the production process, a risk assessment should be performed. If the task performed poses an unacceptable risk, acceptable risk reduction methods should be implemented to reduce the risk to acceptable levels.

European consumer response to packaging technologies for improved beef safety.

PubMed

Van Wezemael, Lynn; Ueland, Øydis; Verbeke, Wim

2011-09-01

Beef packaging can influence consumer perceptions of beef. Although consumer perceptions and acceptance are considered to be among the most limiting factors in the application of new technologies, there is a lack of knowledge about the acceptability to consumers of beef packaging systems aimed at improved safety. This paper explores European consumers' acceptance levels of different beef packaging technologies. An online consumer survey was conducted in five European countries (n=2520). Acceptance levels among the sample ranged between 23% for packaging releasing preservative additives up to 73% for vacuum packaging. Factor analysis revealed that familiar packaging technologies were clearly preferred over non-familiar technologies. Four consumer segments were identified: the negative (31% of the sample), cautious (30%), conservative (17%) and enthusiast (22%) consumers, which were profiled based on their attitudes and beef consumption behaviour. Differences between consumer acceptance levels should be taken into account while optimising beef packaging and communicating its benefits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Chang, Amy T.Y., E-mail: changty@ha.org.hk; Hung, Albert W.M.; Cheung, Fion W.K.

Purpose: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is widely used to achieve a highly conformal dose and improve treatment outcome. However, plan quality and planning time are institute and planner dependent, and no standardized tool exists to recognize an optimal plan. RapidPlan, a knowledge-based algorithm, can generate constraints to assist optimization and produce high-quality IMRT plans. This report evaluated the quality and efficiency of using RapidPlan in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) IMRT planning. Methods and Materials: RapidPlan was configured using 79 radical IMRT plans for NPC; 20 consecutive NPC patients indicated for radical radiation therapy between October 2014 and May 2015 weremore » then recruited to assess its performance. The ability of RapidPlan to produce acceptable plans was evaluated. For plans that could not achieve clinical acceptance, manual touch-up was performed. The IMRT plans produced without RapidPlan (manual plans) and with RapidPlan (RP-2 plans, including those with manual touch-up) were compared in terms of dosimetric quality and planning efficiency. Results: RapidPlan by itself could produce clinically acceptable plans for 9 of the 20 patients; manual touch-up increased the number of acceptable plans (RP-2 plans) to 19. The target dose coverage and conformity were very similar. No difference was found in the maximum dose to the brainstem and optic chiasm. RP-2 plans delivered a higher maximum dose to the spinal cord (46.4 Gy vs 43.9 Gy, P=.002) but a lower dose to the parotid (mean dose to right parotid, 37.3 Gy vs 45.4 Gy; left, 34.4 Gy vs 43.1 Gy; P<.001) and the right cochlea (mean dose, 48.6 Gy vs 52.6 Gy; P=.02). The total planning time for RP-2 plans was significantly less than that for manual plans (64 minutes vs 295 minutes, P<.001). Conclusions: This study shows that RapidPlan can significantly improve planning efficiency and produce quality IMRT plans for NPC patients.« less

Prognostic Value of Thyroid Hormone Levels in Patients Evaluated for Liver Transplantation

PubMed Central

Van Thiel, David H.; Udani, Mahendra; Schade, Robert R.; Sanghvi, Agit; Starzl, Thomas E.

2010-01-01

The thyroid hormones T4, T3, rT3 and TSH were assayed in 134 adult patients evaluated and accepted as potential liver transplant candidates at the University of Pittsburgh from March, 1981 to December, 1983. The subsequent course of these patients was evaluated with respect to the levels of these hormones obtained at the time of acceptance for transplantation. T4 levels were increased significantly while their T3 levels were reduced (both p < 0.01) in those who survived and were discharged home as compared to either those who died waiting to be transplanted or died following the procedure. As a result, the ratio of T3/T4 was reduced markedly (p < 0.01) in those who were transplanted and survived as compared to those not transplanted or dying following transplantation. Importantly, the rT3 levels clearly separated (p < 0.01) those who would die prior to transplantation from those who would survive to be transplanted. Finally, the ratio rT3/T3 even more clearly separates those who will die prior to transplantation (p < 0.01) from the other two groups. These data suggest that thyroid hormone levels, particularly rT3 levels, might be useful in setting priorities for which patients referred for a transplantation evaluation should be accepted into the program and in determining who among accepted patients should be operated upon in preference to others also accepted and waiting to be transplanted. PMID:2993148

Outpatient radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer: a safe nuclear medicine procedure.

PubMed

Willegaignon, José; Sapienza, Marcelo; Ono, Carla; Watanabe, Tomoco; Guimarães, Maria Inês; Gutterres, Ricardo; Marechal, Maria Helena; Buchpiguel, Carlos

2011-06-01

To evaluate the dosimetric effect of outpatient radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer in members of a patient's family and their living environment, when using iodine-131 doses reaching 7.4 GBq. The following parameters were thus defined: (a) whole-body radiation doses to caregivers, (b) the production of contaminated solid waste, and (c) radiation potential and surface contamination within patients' living quarters. In total, 100 patients were treated on an outpatient basis, taking into consideration their acceptable living conditions, interests, and willingness to comply with medical and radiation safety guidelines. Both the caregivers and the radiation dose potentiality inside patients' residences were monitored by using thermoluminescent dosimeters. Surface contamination and contaminated solid wastes were identified and measured with a Geiger-Müller detector. A total of 90 monitored individuals received a mean dose of 0.27 (±0.28) mSv, and the maximum dose registered was 1.6 mSv. The mean value for the potential dose within all living quarters was 0.31 (±0.34) mSv, and the mean value per monitored surface was 5.58 Bq/cm(2) for all the 1659 points measured. The overall production of contaminated solid wastes was at a low level, being about 3 times less than the exemption level indicated by the International Atomic Energy Agency. This study indicates that the treatment of thyroid cancer by applying radioiodine activities up to 7.4 GBq, on an outpatient basis, is a safe procedure, especially when supervised by qualified professionals. This alternative therapy should be a topic for careful discussion considering the high potential for reducing costs in healthcare and improving patient acceptance.

Feasibility of the Nintendo WiiFit™ for improving walking in individuals with a lower limb amputation

PubMed Central

Imam, Bita; McLaren, Linda; Chapman, Paul; Finlayson, Heather

2013-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of the Nintendo WiiFit™ as an adjunct to usual therapy in individuals with a lower limb amputation. Methods: The study was a Multiple Baseline (AB) Single Subject Research Design. Subjects were ≥19 years old, had their first unilateral transtibial or transfemoral amputation  ≤12 months ago, and were participating in prosthetic training. WiiFit training was provided for 30 min, 5 times a week, for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 weeks in addition to usual therapy. Feasibility indicators were safety, post-intervention fatigue and pain levels, adherence, and subject’s acceptability of the program as measured by the Short Feedback Questionnaire–modified (SFQ-M). The primary clinical outcome was walking capacity assessed by the 2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT). The secondary clinical outcomes were the Short Physical Performance Battery, L-test, and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence. Results: Subjects (4 transtibial; 2 transfemoral) had a median age of 48.5 years (range = 45–59 years). No adverse events associated with the intervention occurred. Median pain and fatigue levels were 1.3 (range = 0.5–3.5) and 3.1 (range = 1.4–4.1), respectively. Median adherence was 80%. Subjects found the WiiFit enjoyable and acceptable (median SFQ-M = 35). Five subjects showed statistical improvement on the 2MWT and four on the secondary outcomes (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The WiiFit intervention was found to be feasible in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation. This research provides the foundation for future clinical research investigating the use of the WiiFit as a viable adjunctive therapy to improve outcomes in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation who are participating in prosthetic training. PMID:26770676

Health risks of children's cumulative and aggregative exposure to metals and metalloids in a typical urban environment in China.

PubMed

Cao, Suzhen; Duan, Xiaoli; Zhao, Xiuge; Chen, Yiting; Wang, Beibei; Sun, Chengye; Zheng, Binghui; Wei, Fusheng

2016-03-01

Rapid development of industrialization and urbanization results in serious environmental contamination by metal(loid)s, which would consequently cause deleterious health effects to the exposed people through multi-pathways. Therefore, total health risk assessment for the population in urban environment is very important. Unfortunately, few studies to date investigate the cumulative health risks of metal(loid)s through aggregative pathways in Children who are often susceptible population. 12 metal(loid)s including Lead(Pb), Cadmium(Cd), Arsenic(As), Chromium(Cr), Zinc(Zn), Copper(Cu), Nickel(Ni), Manganese(Mn), Cobalt(Co), Selenium(Se), Antimony(Se) and Vanadium(V), were analyzed in PM10, drinking water, food, soil and indoor dust in this study. The cumulative and aggregative risks of these metal(loid)s among the local children were then evaluated on a field sampling and questionnaire-survey basis. The results showed that the environments were heavily polluted by metal(loid)s. For most metal(loid)s, food ingestion accounted for more than 80% of the total daily exposure dose. The non-cancer risks were up to 30 times higher than the acceptable level due to the food ingestion via Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and Sb, and the PM10 inhalation via Cr and Mn. While, the cancer risks were mainly attributed to Cr via food ingestion and As via food and dust ingestion, and approximately 100 times of the maximum acceptable level of 1.0 × 10(-4). The study highlights the cumulative and aggregative exposure assessment, instead of pollutant investigation to evaluate the potential health risks and emphasizes concerns to improve indoor hygienic and environmental quality and to decrease the potential harmful health effects of children living in urban area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of the Nintendo WiiFit™ for improving walking in individuals with a lower limb amputation.

PubMed

Imam, Bita; Miller, William C; McLaren, Linda; Chapman, Paul; Finlayson, Heather

2013-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility of the Nintendo WiiFit™ as an adjunct to usual therapy in individuals with a lower limb amputation. The study was a Multiple Baseline (AB) Single Subject Research Design. Subjects were ≥19 years old, had their first unilateral transtibial or transfemoral amputation  ≤12 months ago, and were participating in prosthetic training. WiiFit training was provided for 30 min, 5 times a week, for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 weeks in addition to usual therapy. Feasibility indicators were safety, post-intervention fatigue and pain levels, adherence, and subject's acceptability of the program as measured by the Short Feedback Questionnaire-modified (SFQ-M). The primary clinical outcome was walking capacity assessed by the 2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT). The secondary clinical outcomes were the Short Physical Performance Battery, L-test, and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence. Subjects (4 transtibial; 2 transfemoral) had a median age of 48.5 years (range = 45-59 years). No adverse events associated with the intervention occurred. Median pain and fatigue levels were 1.3 (range = 0.5-3.5) and 3.1 (range = 1.4-4.1), respectively. Median adherence was 80%. Subjects found the WiiFit enjoyable and acceptable (median SFQ-M = 35). Five subjects showed statistical improvement on the 2MWT and four on the secondary outcomes (p < 0.05). The WiiFit intervention was found to be feasible in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation. This research provides the foundation for future clinical research investigating the use of the WiiFit as a viable adjunctive therapy to improve outcomes in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation who are participating in prosthetic training.

Application of trajectory optimization techniques to upper atmosphere sampling flights using the F4-C Phantom aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hague, D. S.; Merz, A. W.

1975-01-01

Altitude potential of an off-the-shelf F4-C aircraft is examined. It is shown that the standard F4-C has a maximum altitude capability in the region from 85000 to 95000 ft, depending on the minimum dynamic pressures deemed acceptable for adequate flight control. By using engine overspeed capability and by making use of prevailing winds in the stratosphere, it is suggested that the maximum altitude achievable by an F4-C should be in the vicinity of 95000 ft for routine flight operation. This altitude is well in excess of the minimum altitudes which must be achieved for monitoring the possible growth of suspected aerosol contaminants.

Nutritional quality and acceptability of a weekly vegetarian lunch in primary-school canteens in Ghent, Belgium: 'Thursday Veggie Day'.

PubMed

De Keyzer, Willem; Van Caneghem, Sven; Heath, Anne-Louise M; Vanaelst, Barbara; Verschraegen, Mia; De Henauw, Stefaan; Huybrechts, Inge

2012-12-01

To determine the nutritional adequacy and acceptability to children of vegetarian lunches served on 'Thursday Veggie Day' - a public health initiative in Ghent (Belgium) primary schools. A comparison of food leftovers from main courses on regular days and Thursdays was made using a visual plate waste method. The nutritional value of the vegetarian meat analogue and meat components of main courses served on five 'Thursday Veggie Days' and five comparable conventional main courses was evaluated using three criteria (maximum 30 % of energy from fat, maximum of one-third of fat as saturated fat and minimum 1.5 g of dietary fibre per 420 kJ). Two canteens from primary schools in Ghent, Belgium, participating in the 'Thursday Veggie Day' campaign. Primary-school children aged between 6 and 12 years. In total, 1242 and 472 main course plate waste observations of conventional and vegetarian menus, respectively, were evaluated. There was no significant difference in plate waste between vegetarian (16.7 %) and conventional (17.3 %) main courses. Overall, the five vegetarian components were found to be nutritionally adequate with a mean score of 2.2 out of 3, compared with 0.4 for the meat component. However, three of the vegetarian components provided >30 % of energy from fat and, in one, the amount of saturated fat exceeded one-third of total fat. Vegetarian canteen meals offered as part of 'Thursday Veggie Day' appear to be nutritionally appropriate and as acceptable as conventional main courses to children in primary schools in Ghent.

Potential of electric bicycles to improve the health of people with Type 2 diabetes: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Cooper, A R; Tibbitts, B; England, C; Procter, D; Searle, A; Sebire, S J; Ranger, E; Page, A S

2018-05-08

To explore in a feasibility study whether 'e-cycling' was acceptable to, and could potentially improve the health of, people with Type 2 diabetes. Twenty people with Type 2 diabetes were recruited and provided with an electric bicycle for 20 weeks. Participants completed a submaximal fitness test at baseline and follow-up to measure predicted maximal aerobic power, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess the acceptability of using an electric bicycle. Participants wore a heart rate monitor and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in the first week of electric bicycle use to measure their heart-rate during e-cycling. Eighteen participants completed the study, cycling a median (interquartile range) of 21.4 (5.5-37.7) km per week Predicted maximal aerobic power increased by 10.9%. Heart rate during electric bicycle journeys was 74.7% of maximum, compared with 64.3% of maximum when walking. Participants used the electric bicycles for commuting, shopping and recreation, and expressed how the electric bicycle helped them to overcome barriers to active travel/cycling, such as hills. Fourteen participants purchased an electric bicycle on study completion. There was evidence that e-cycling was acceptable, could increase fitness and elicited a heart rate that may lead to improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors in this population. Electric bicycles have potential as a health-improving intervention in people with Type 2 diabetes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 90.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 90.510 Section 90.510....510 Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective... failed engine is an engine whose final test results pursuant to § 90.509(b), for one or more of the...

40 CFR 86.610-98 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for Selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. 86.610-98 Section 86.610-98... and passing and failing criteria for Selective Enforcement Audits. (a) The prescribed acceptable quality level is 40 percent. (b) A failed vehicle is one whose final deteriorated test results pursuant to...

40 CFR 90.510 - Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... level and passing and failing criteria for selective enforcement audits. 90.510 Section 90.510....510 Compliance with acceptable quality level and passing and failing criteria for selective... failed engine is an engine whose final test results pursuant to § 90.509(b), for one or more of the...

The analysis and kinetic energy balance of an upper-level wind maximum during intense convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuelberg, H. E.; Jedlovec, G. J.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the formation and maintenance of the upper-level wind maximum which formed between 1800 and 2100 GMT, April 10, 1979, during the AVE-SESAME I period, when intense storms and tornadoes were experienced (the Red River Valley tornado outbreak). Radiosonde stations participating in AVE-SESAME I are plotted (centered on Oklahoma). National Meteorological Center radar summaries near the times of maximum convective activity are mapped, and height and isotach plots are given, where the formation of an upper-level wind maximum over Oklahoma is the most significant feature at 300 mb. The energy balance of the storm region is seen to change dramatically as the wind maximum forms. During much of its lifetime, the upper-level wind maximum is maintained by ageostrophic flow that produces cross-contour generation of kinetic energy and by the upward transport of midtropospheric energy. Two possible mechanisms for the ageostrophic flow are considered.

Effects of castration age, protein level and lysine/methionine ratio in the diet on colour, lipid oxidation and meat acceptability of intensively reared Friesian steers.

PubMed

Prado, I N; Campo, M M; Muela, E; Valero, M V; Catalan, O; Olleta, J L; Sañudo, C

2015-08-01

A total of 64 intensively reared Friesian steers were used in a 2×2×2 design to study the effects of age of castration (15 days old v. 5 months old), dietary protein level (14.6% v. 16.8%; DM basis) and lysine/methionine (lys/met) ratio (3.0 v. 3.4) on meat quality. The lys/met ratio of 3.0 was reached with supplementation of protected methionine. Animals were slaughtered at a live weight of 443.5 ± 26.2 kg at around 12 months of age. Colour and lipid oxidation were measured in the longissimus thoracis muscle throughout the 14 days of display under modified atmospheric and commercial display conditions. A panel of 17 consumers assessed daily the visual acceptability of the meat on display. A consumer acceptability eating test was also performed with 120 consumers in meat aged for 7 days under vacuum conditions. Lipid oxidation was not influenced by castration age and the protein level in the diet. Castration age did not affect meat colour, but meat from the low protein level diet and the low lys/met ratio showed higher redness (a*) from 3 days of display onwards. Nevertheless, from 6 days onwards, consumer visual acceptability was below the level of acceptance in all treatments, and even from 5 days onwards in those animals that underwent early castration and were fed either a high protein diet or a combination diet low in protein content and high in lys/met ratio. The best accepted treatments throughout the display period were those from late castrated animals fed a low protein diet, probably related to other visual aspects. However, the best accepted meat after consumption was that from late castrated animals fed high protein and high lys/met. The addition of protected methionine to reach lys/met levels of 3.0 did not improve beef acceptability, with the high protein diet being preferred by consumers in terms of palatability in late castrated animals.

36 CFR 3.15 - What is the maximum noise level for the operation of a vessel?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What is the maximum noise... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BOATING AND WATER USE ACTIVITIES § 3.15 What is the maximum noise level for the operation of a vessel? (a) A person may not operate a vessel at a noise level exceeding...

21 CFR 176.300 - Slimicides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...(monobromoacetoxy) ethane [CA Reg. No. 3785-34-0] At a maximum level of 0.10 pound per ton of dry weight fiber. Bis... Methylenebisthiocyanate 2-Nitrobutyl bromoacetate [CA Reg. No. 32815-96-6] At a maximum level of 0.15 pound per ton of dry.... No. 55566-30-8) Maximum use level of 84 mg/kg in the pulp slurry. The additive may also be added to...

36 CFR 3.15 - What is the maximum noise level for the operation of a vessel?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the maximum noise... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BOATING AND WATER USE ACTIVITIES § 3.15 What is the maximum noise level for the operation of a vessel? (a) A person may not operate a vessel at a noise level exceeding...

Physician and Staff Acceptance of Care Managers in Primary Care Offices.

PubMed

Malouin, Jean M; Malouin, Rebecca A; Sarinopoulos, Issidoros; Beisel, Marie; Bechel-Marriot, Diane; First, Amanda; Gamble, Ginger M; Tanner, Clare

2017-01-01

Embedded care managers are increasingly implemented as part of the care team within primary care practices, yet previous studies have indicated variability in acceptance by physicians and staff. This study assesses the acceptability of care managers among staff and physicians within the Michigan Primary Care Transformation (MiPCT) demonstration. Care manager acceptance was measured using a web-based survey distributed to practices participating in the MiPCT demonstration. Both physicians and staff reported high levels of care manager acceptance. Longer length of care manager employment at the practice, higher care manager FTE dedicated to care management, and care manager employed by practice were all significantly associated with care manager acceptance. The MiPCT demonstration found high care manager acceptance across all care team members. The high level of acceptance may be due to the structures and processes developed by MiPCT to support implementation of care managers and the length of the intervention period. The MiPCT demonstration confirms that following three years of implementation, embedded care managers are acceptable to both physicians and staff within primary care practices. Importantly, embeddedness, or the amount of time care managers are located within practices, is associated with increased acceptance. © Copyright 2017 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Low NOx Heavy Fuel Combustor Concept Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Novick, A. S.; Troth, D. L.

1981-01-01

The development of the technology required to operate an industrial gas turbine combustion system on minimally processed, heavy petroleum or residual fuels having high levels of fuel-bound nitrogen (FBN) while producing acceptable levels of exhaust emissions is discussed. Three combustor concepts were designed and fabricated. Three fuels were supplied for the combustor test demonstrations: a typical middle distillate fuel, a heavy residual fuel, and a synthetic coal-derived fuel. The primary concept was an air staged, variable-geometry combustor designed to produce low emissions from fuels having high levels of FBN. This combustor used a long residence time, fuel-rich primary combustion zone followed by a quick-quench air mixer to rapidly dilute the fuel rich products for the fuel-lean final burnout of the fuel. This combustor, called the rich quench lean (RQL) combustor, was extensively tested using each fuel over the entire power range of the model 570 K engine. Also, a series of parameteric tests was conducted to determine the combustor's sensitivity to rich-zone equivalence ratio, lean-zone equivalence ratio, rich-zone residence time, and overall system pressure drop. Minimum nitrogen oxide emissions were measured at 50 to 55 ppmv at maximum continuous power for all three fuels. Smoke was less than a 10 SAE smoke number.

Exposure of Polish children to Southampton food colours.

PubMed

Gajda-Wyrębek, J; Kuźma, K; Świtka, A; Jarecka, J; Beresińska, M; Postupolski, J

2017-01-01

A study published in 2007 showed that the intake of six food colours (the so-called 'Southampton colours') may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. The present study set out to assess the exposure of Polish children (3 and 8-9 years old, n = 149) to six of the target colours. Two methods were used to evaluate colour consumption by children: scenario 1 using the maximum permitted levels (MPLs) and actual food consumption data; and scenario 2 using the actual levels in food and actual food consumption data. The data on the actual consumption of food containing the colours was collected using a 7-day questionnaire survey. The results of laboratory analysis of food consumed by children provided data on the actual levels of the colours in food. Consumption of the colours estimated by scenario 1 in any case did not exceed the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) of the colours in both age groups of children. For more refined colour intake (scenario 2), isolated cases exceeding the ADI were recorded for four colours, but assuming that manufacturers comply with the current legislation on MPL of colours in food, the intake of the colours assessed in scenario 2 should not be a reason for exceeding of ADIs for the target food colours.

Plio-Pleistocene climate sensitivity evaluated using high-resolution CO2 records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Botí, M. A.; Foster, G. L.; Chalk, T. B.; Rohling, E. J.; Sexton, P. F.; Lunt, D. J.; Pancost, R. D.; Badger, M. P. S.; Schmidt, D. N.

2015-02-01

Theory and climate modelling suggest that the sensitivity of Earth's climate to changes in radiative forcing could depend on the background climate. However, palaeoclimate data have thus far been insufficient to provide a conclusive test of this prediction. Here we present atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) reconstructions based on multi-site boron-isotope records from the late Pliocene epoch (3.3 to 2.3 million years ago). We find that Earth's climate sensitivity to CO2-based radiative forcing (Earth system sensitivity) was half as strong during the warm Pliocene as during the cold late Pleistocene epoch (0.8 to 0.01 million years ago). We attribute this difference to the radiative impacts of continental ice-volume changes (the ice-albedo feedback) during the late Pleistocene, because equilibrium climate sensitivity is identical for the two intervals when we account for such impacts using sea-level reconstructions. We conclude that, on a global scale, no unexpected climate feedbacks operated during the warm Pliocene, and that predictions of equilibrium climate sensitivity (excluding long-term ice-albedo feedbacks) for our Pliocene-like future (with CO2 levels up to maximum Pliocene levels of 450 parts per million) are well described by the currently accepted range of an increase of 1.5 K to 4.5 K per doubling of CO2.

Evaluation of chlorpyrifos transferred from contaminated feed to duck commodities and dietary risks to Chinese consumers.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Ji, Xiaofeng; He, Liang; Liu, Zhiqiang; Wei, Wei; Qiang, Mingrong; Wang, Qiang; Yuan, Yuwei

2015-06-03

The present study describes chlorpyrifos residues in duck commodities through the duck food chain, transfer factors, and dietary risks to Chinese consumers. After duck feeding experiments with pellet feed that lasted for 42 days, chlorpyrifos residues found in all samples collected from the ducks on maximum estimated dose group (3.20 mg/kg level) were from <0.0005 to 0.019 mg/kg. The residue levels of the fat, intestine, and tongue were obviously higher than those of the meat and other edible tissues. The transfer factors of all duck commodities were from 0.0001 to 0.0049 among different contamination levels, which indicated that chlorpyrifos had a low persistency in duck meat and metabolism organs. The chronic exposure assessment revealed that only 0.034-0.150% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI; 0-0.01 mg/kg/bw/day) of chlorpyrifos was consumed via the duck commodities for different age and gender groups in China. The acute exposure assessments of different age and gender groups were only 0.019-0.082% of the acute reference dose (ARfD; 0-0.1 mg/kg/bw). The results show that the single dietary exposure risk of chlorpyrifos raised by the intake of duck commodities was quite low in China.

Emotional and rational disease acceptance in patients with depression and alcohol addiction.

PubMed

Büssing, Arndt; Matthiessen, Peter F; Mundle, Götz

2008-01-21

The concept of a rational respectively emotional acceptance of disease is highly valued in the treatment of patients with depression or addiction. Due to the importance of this concept for the long-term course of disease, there is a strong interest to develop a tool to identify the levels and factors of acceptance. We thus intended to test an instrument designed to assess the level of positive psychological wellbeing and coping, particularly emotional disease acceptance and life satisfaction In an anonymous cross-sectional survey enrolling 115 patients (51% female, 49% male; mean age 47.6 +/- 10.0 years) with depression and/or alcohol addiction, the ERDA questionnaire was tested. Factor analysis of the 29-item construct (Cronbach's alpha = 0.933) revealed a 4-factor solution, which explained 59.4% of variance: (1) Positive Life Construction, Contentedness and Well-Being; (2) Conscious Dealing with Illness; (3) Rejection of an Irrational Dealing with Disease; (4) Disease Acceptance. Two factors could be ascribed to a rational, and two to an emotional acceptance. All factors correlated negatively with Depression and Escape, while several aspects of Life Satisfaction" (i.e. myself, overall life, where I live, and future prospects) correlated positively. The highest factor scores were found for the rational acceptance styles (i.e. Conscious Dealing with Illness; Disease Acceptance). Emotional acceptance styles were not valued in a state of depression. Escape from illness was the strongest predictor for several acceptance aspects, while life satisfaction was the most relevant predictor for "Positive Life Construction, Contentedness and Well-Being". The ERDA questionnaire was found to be a reliable and valid assessment of disease acceptance strategies in patients with depressive disorders and drug abuses. The results indicate the preferential use of rational acceptance styles even in depression. Disease acceptance should not be regarded as a coping style with an attitude of fatalistic resignation, but as a complex and active process of dealing with a chronic disease. One may assume that an emotional acceptance of disease will result in a therapeutic coping process associated with higher level of life satisfaction and overall quality of life.

A high and low noise model for strong motion accelerometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clinton, J. F.; Cauzzi, C.; Olivieri, M.

2010-12-01

We present reference noise models for high-quality strong motion accelerometer installations. We use continuous accelerometer data acquired by the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) since 2006 and other international high-quality accelerometer network data to derive very broadband (50Hz-100s) high and low noise models. The proposed noise models are compared to the Peterson (1993) low and high noise models designed for broadband seismometers; the datalogger self-noise; background noise levels at existing Swiss strong motion stations; and typical earthquake signals recorded in Switzerland and worldwide. The standard strong motion station operated by the SED consists of a Kinemetrics Episensor (2g clip level; flat acceleration response from 200 Hz to DC; <155dB dynamic range) coupled with a 24-bit Nanometrics Taurus datalogger. The proposed noise models are based on power spectral density (PSD) noise levels for each strong motion station computed via PQLX (McNamara and Buland, 2004) from several years of continuous recording. The 'Accelerometer Low Noise Model', ALNM, is dominated by instrument noise from the sensor and datalogger. The 'Accelerometer High Noise Model', AHNM, reflects 1) at high frequencies the acceptable site noise in urban areas, 2) at mid-periods the peak microseismal energy, as determined by the Peterson High Noise Model and 3) at long periods the maximum noise observed from well insulated sensor / datalogger systems placed in vault quality sites. At all frequencies, there is at least one order of magnitude between the ALNM and the AHNM; at high frequencies (> 1Hz) this extends to 2 orders of magnitude. This study provides remarkable confirmation of the capability of modern strong motion accelerometers to record low-amplitude ground motions with seismic observation quality. In particular, an accelerometric station operating at the ALNM is capable of recording the full spectrum of near source earthquakes, out to 100 km, down to M2. Of particular interest for the SED, this study provides acceptable noise limits for candidate sites for the on-going Strong Motion Network modernisation.

Why does Japan use the probability method to set design flood?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, S.; Oki, T.

2015-12-01

Design flood is hypothetical flood to make flood prevention plan. In Japan, a probability method based on precipitation data is used to define the scale of design flood: Tone River, the biggest river in Japan, is 1 in 200 years, Shinano River is 1 in 150 years, and so on. It is one of important socio-hydrological issue how to set reasonable and acceptable design flood in a changing world. The method to set design flood vary among countries. Although the probability method is also used in Netherland, but the base data is water level or discharge data and the probability is 1 in 1250 years (in fresh water section). On the other side, USA and China apply the maximum flood method which set the design flood based on the historical or probable maximum flood. This cases can leads a question: "what is the reason why the method vary among countries?" or "why does Japan use the probability method?" The purpose of this study is to clarify the historical process which the probability method was developed in Japan based on the literature. In the late 19the century, the concept of "discharge" and modern river engineering were imported by Dutch engineers, and modern flood prevention plans were developed in Japan. In these plans, the design floods were set based on the historical maximum method. Although the historical maximum method had been used until World War 2, however, the method was changed to the probability method after the war because of limitations of historical maximum method under the specific socio-economic situations: (1) the budget limitation due to the war and the GHQ occupation, (2) the historical floods: Makurazaki typhoon in 1945, Kathleen typhoon in 1947, Ione typhoon in 1948, and so on, attacked Japan and broke the record of historical maximum discharge in main rivers and the flood disasters made the flood prevention projects difficult to complete. Then, Japanese hydrologists imported the hydrological probability statistics from the West to take account of socio-economic situation in design flood, and they applied to Japanese rivers in 1958. The probability method was applied Japan to adapt the specific socio-economic and natural situation during the confusion after the war.

Implied Maximum Dose Analysis of Standard Values of 25 Pesticides Based on Major Human Exposure Pathways

PubMed Central

Li, Zijian; Jennings, Aaron A.

2017-01-01

Worldwide jurisdictions are making efforts to regulate pesticide standard values in residential soil, drinking water, air, and agricultural commodity to lower the risk of pesticide impacts on human health. Because human may exposure to pesticides from many ways, such as ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, it is important to examine pesticide standards by considering all major exposure pathways. Analysis of implied maximum dose limits for commonly historical and current used pesticides was adopted in this study to examine whether worldwide pesticide standard values are enough to prevent human health impact or not. Studies show that only U.S. has regulated pesticides standard in the air. Only 4% of the total number of implied maximum dose limits is based on three major exposures. For Chlorpyrifos, at least 77.5% of the total implied maximum dose limits are above the acceptable daily intake. It also shows that most jurisdictions haven't provided pesticide standards in all major exposures yet, and some of the standards are not good enough to protect human health. PMID:29546224

Longitudinal Relations Between Adolescent and Parental Behaviors, Parental Knowledge, and Internalizing Behaviors Among Urban Adolescents

PubMed Central

Garthe, Rachel C.; Sullivan, Terri; Kliewer, Wendy

2018-01-01

High prevalence rates of depression and anxiety among adolescents underscore the importance of identifying parental and adolescent behaviors that may lessen the risk for these outcomes. Previous research has shown that parental acceptance, parental knowledge, and child disclosure are negatively associated with internalizing behaviors. It is also important to explore the impact of internalizing behaviors on these parental and child constructs. The current study examined longitudinal relationships between parental acceptance, parental knowledge, child disclosure, and internalizing symptoms across a one-year time period. Participants were 358 adolescents (54 % female) and their primary caregivers, who were primarily African American (92 %). Parents and adolescents provided data through face-to-face interviews. Results showed that parental knowledge and parental acceptance predicted child disclosure, and child disclosure predicted parental knowledge one year later. Higher levels of parental acceptance predicted lower levels of adolescent-reported depressive symptoms, while higher levels of parental report of adolescents’ internalizing symptoms predicted lower levels of parental knowledge. No differences in the strength of these relationships were found across grade or gender. These findings highlight the role of the adolescent’s perceived acceptance by parents in promoting children’s disclosure, and the benefits of parental acceptance in decreasing depressive symptoms over time. Overall, these results show the impact that both adolescent and parental behaviors and internalizing behaviors have on each other across time. PMID:24609843

Activity interference and noise annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, F. L.; Taylor, S. M.; Birnie, S. E.

1985-11-01

Debate continues over differences in the dose-response functions used to predict the annoyance at different sources of transportation noise. This debate reflects the lack of an accepted model of noise annoyance in residential communities. In this paper a model is proposed which is focussed on activity interference as a central component mediating the relationship between noise exposure and annoyance. This model represents a departure from earlier models in two important respects. First, single event noise levels (e.g., maximum levels, sound exposure level) constitute the noise exposure variables in place of long-term energy equivalent measures (e.g., 24-hour Leq or Ldn). Second, the relationships within the model are expressed as probabilistic rather than deterministic equations. The model has been tested by using acoustical and social survey data collected at 57 sites in the Toronto region exposed to aircraft, road traffic or train noise. Logit analysis was used to estimate two sets of equations. The first predicts the probability of activity interference as a function of event noise level. Four types of interference are included: indoor speech, outdoor speech, difficulty getting to sleep and awakening. The second set predicts the probability of annoyance as a function of the combination of activity interferences. From the first set of equations, it was possible to estimate a function for indoor speech interference only. In this case, the maximum event level was the strongest predictor. The lack of significant results for the other types of interference is explained by the limitations of the data. The same function predicts indoor speech interference for all three sources—road, rail and aircraft noise. The results for the second set of equations show strong relationships between activity interference and the probability of annoyance. Again, the parameters of the logit equations are similar for the three sources. A trial application of the model predicts a higher probability of annoyance for aircraft than for road traffic situations with the same 24-hour Leq. This result suggests that the model may account for previously reported source differences in annoyance.

Efficacy and safety of alirocumab in reducing lipids and cardiovascular events.

PubMed

Robinson, Jennifer G; Farnier, Michel; Krempf, Michel; Bergeron, Jean; Luc, Gérald; Averna, Maurizio; Stroes, Erik S; Langslet, Gisle; Raal, Frederick J; El Shahawy, Mahfouz; Koren, Michael J; Lepor, Norman E; Lorenzato, Christelle; Pordy, Robert; Chaudhari, Umesh; Kastelein, John J P

2015-04-16

Alirocumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), has been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in patients who are receiving statin therapy. Larger and longer-term studies are needed to establish safety and efficacy. We conducted a randomized trial involving 2341 patients at high risk for cardiovascular events who had LDL cholesterol levels of 70 mg per deciliter (1.8 mmol per liter) or more and were receiving treatment with statins at the maximum tolerated dose (the highest dose associated with an acceptable side-effect profile), with or without other lipid-lowering therapy. Patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive alirocumab (150 mg) or placebo as a 1-ml subcutaneous injection every 2 weeks for 78 weeks. The primary efficacy end point was the percentage change in calculated LDL cholesterol level from baseline to week 24. At week 24, the difference between the alirocumab and placebo groups in the mean percentage change from baseline in calculated LDL cholesterol level was -62 percentage points (P<0.001); the treatment effect remained consistent over a period of 78 weeks. The alirocumab group, as compared with the placebo group, had higher rates of injection-site reactions (5.9% vs. 4.2%), myalgia (5.4% vs. 2.9%), neurocognitive events (1.2% vs. 0.5%), and ophthalmologic events (2.9% vs. 1.9%). In a post hoc analysis, the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke, or unstable angina requiring hospitalization) was lower with alirocumab than with placebo (1.7% vs. 3.3%; hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.31 to 0.90; nominal P=0.02). Over a period of 78 weeks, alirocumab, when added to statin therapy at the maximum tolerated dose, significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels. In a post hoc analysis, there was evidence of a reduction in the rate of cardiovascular events with alirocumab. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; ODYSSEY LONG TERM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01507831.).

12 CFR 563b.630 - When is a state-chartered savings bank eligible for a voluntary supervisory conversion?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... conditions: (1) Your liabilities exceed your assets, as calculated under generally accepted accounting... FDIC determines that you will achieve an acceptable capital level within an acceptable time period. [67...

Understanding and avoiding potential problems in implementing automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouse, W. B.; Morris, N. M.

1985-11-01

Technology-driven efforts to implement automation often encounter problems due to lack of acceptance or begrudging acceptance by the personnel involved. It is argued in this paper that the level of automation perceived by an individual heavily influences whether or not the automation is accepted by that individual. The factors that appear to affect perceived level of automation are discussed. Issues considered include the impact of automation on the system and the individual, correlates of acceptance, problems and risks of automation, and factors influencing alienation. Based on an understanding of these issues, a set of eight guidelines is proposed as a possible means of avoiding problems in implementing automation.

Understanding and avoiding potential problems in implementing automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, W. B.; Morris, N. M.

1985-01-01

Technology-driven efforts to implement automation often encounter problems due to lack of acceptance or begrudging acceptance by the personnel involved. It is argued in this paper that the level of automation perceived by an individual heavily influences whether or not the automation is accepted by that individual. The factors that appear to affect perceived level of automation are discussed. Issues considered include the impact of automation on the system and the individual, correlates of acceptance, problems and risks of automation, and factors influencing alienation. Based on an understanding of these issues, a set of eight guidelines is proposed as a possible means of avoiding problems in implementing automation.

The role of maternal acceptance in the relation between community violence exposure and child functioning.

PubMed

Bailey, Beth Nordstrom; Hannigan, John H; Delaney-Black, Virginia; Covington, Chandice; Sokol, Robert J

2006-02-01

Children in the United States are exposed to considerable community violence that has been linked to child functioning. However, not all those exposed, experience negative outcomes. Recent research has focused on factors that "buffer" or protect children from negative consequences of violence exposure. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the potential buffering or moderating role of maternal acceptance in the relationship between community violence exposure and internalizing and externalizing problems. Subjects were 268 urban African American first graders. Community violence exposure was significantly related to symptoms of post-traumatic stress, but did not correlate with either internalizing or externalizing problems for all children, after control for demographics, maternal mental health, and general life stress. However, children's perceptions of maternal acceptance moderated the relationship between violence exposure and internalizing and externalizing problems which included being withdrawn, anxious-depressed, and demonstrating delinquent behavior. Children with the lowest levels of self-reported maternal acceptance were most impacted by community violence. In this sample of urban first graders, low levels of maternal acceptance placed children at greater risk for adverse outcomes associated with community violence exposure compared to moderate and high levels of maternal acceptance.

Intimate relationship quality, self-concept and illness acceptance in those with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Wright, Thomas M; Kiropoulos, Litza A

2017-02-01

Lower levels of Intimate Relationship Quality (IRQ) have been found in those with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) compared to the general population. This study examined an MS sample to see whether IRQ was positively associated with self-concept, whether IRQ was positively associated with MS illness acceptance and whether IRQ was predicted by self-concept and illness acceptance. In this cross-sectional study, 115 participants with MS who were in an intimate relationship completed an online survey advertised on MS related websites. The survey assessed demographic variables, MS illness variables and levels of IRQ, self-concept and illness acceptance. Results revealed that IRQ was significantly positively associated with self-concept and with illness acceptance. Multiple hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that, after controlling for illness duration and level of disability, self-concept significantly predicted IRQ but illness acceptance did not significantly predict IRQ. This study addressed several gaps and methodological flaws in the literature and was the first known to assess predictors of IRQ in those with MS. The results suggest that self-concept could be a potential target for individual and couple psychological interventions to improve IRQ and contribute to improved outcomes for those with MS.

Effect of beef tenderness on consumer satisfaction with steaks consumed in the home and restaurant.

PubMed

Huffman, K L; Miller, M F; Hoover, L C; Wu, C K; Brittin, H C; Ramsey, C B

1996-01-01

Loin steaks were eaten by 67 consumers over a 15-wk period (n = 739 consumer observations) to determine the consumer acceptability of beef tenderness in the home and a "white table cloth" restaurant. Steaks were rated for tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall palatability on an 8-point scale. The acceptability levels for tenderness were established based on Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force values, tenderness ratings, and a chisquare analysis of the judgment of tenderness and overall acceptability by the same consumers in both the home and restaurant. Results based only on observations from consumers in Lubbock, TX indicated that the beef industry should target production of beef steaks that have a Warner-Bratzler shear force value of 4.1 kg or less to ensure high levels (98%) of consumer acceptability. Results suggest that an acceptable level of beef tenderness for consumers can be determined and WBS values can be used as criteria for determining which steaks will be considered acceptably tender to consumers before distribution to retail outlets. The beef industry needs to conduct a nationwide research study to determine whether the results from this study will apply to all U.S. beef consumers.

The performance of the jet trigger for the ATLAS detector during 2011 data taking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; Abdinov, O.; Abeloos, B.; Aben, R.; Abolins, M.; AbouZeid, O. S.; Abraham, N. L.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Abreu, R.; Abulaiti, Y.; Acharya, B. S.; Adamczyk, L.; Adams, D. L.; Adelman, J.; Adomeit, S.; Adye, T.; Affolder, A. A.; Agatonovic-Jovin, T.; Agricola, J.; Aguilar-Saavedra, J. A.; Ahlen, S. P.; Ahmadov, F.; Aielli, G.; Akerstedt, H.; Åkesson, T. P. A.; Akimov, A. V.; Alberghi, G. L.; Albert, J.; Albrand, S.; Verzini, M. J. Alconada; Aleksa, M.; Aleksandrov, I. N.; Alexa, C.; Alexander, G.; Alexopoulos, T.; Alhroob, M.; Aliev, M.; Alimonti, G.; Alison, J.; Alkire, S. P.; Allbrooke, B. M. M.; Allen, B. W.; Allport, P. P.; Aloisio, A.; Alonso, A.; Alonso, F.; Alpigiani, C.; Gonzalez, B. Alvarez; Piqueras, D. Álvarez; Alviggi, M. G.; Amadio, B. T.; Amako, K.; Coutinho, Y. Amaral; Amelung, C.; Amidei, D.; Santos, S. P. Amor Dos; Amorim, A.; Amoroso, S.; Amram, N.; Amundsen, G.; Anastopoulos, C.; Ancu, L. S.; Andari, N.; Andeen, T.; Anders, C. F.; Anders, G.; Anders, J. K.; Anderson, K. J.; Andreazza, A.; Andrei, V.; Angelidakis, S.; Angelozzi, I.; Anger, P.; Angerami, A.; Anghinolfi, F.; Anisenkov, A. V.; Anjos, N.; Annovi, A.; Antonelli, M.; Antonov, A.; Antos, J.; Anulli, F.; Aoki, M.; Bella, L. Aperio; Arabidze, G.; Arai, Y.; Araque, J. P.; Arce, A. T. H.; Arduh, F. A.; Arguin, J.-F.; Argyropoulos, S.; Arik, M.; Armbruster, A. J.; Armitage, L. J.; Arnaez, O.; Arnold, H.; Arratia, M.; Arslan, O.; Artamonov, A.; Artoni, G.; Artz, S.; Asai, S.; Asbah, N.; Ashkenazi, A.; Åsman, B.; Asquith, L.; Assamagan, K.; Astalos, R.; Atkinson, M.; Atlay, N. B.; Augsten, K.; Avolio, G.; Axen, B.; Ayoub, M. K.; Azuelos, G.; Baak, M. A.; Baas, A. E.; Baca, M. J.; Bachacou, H.; Bachas, K.; Backes, M.; Backhaus, M.; Bagiacchi, P.; Bagnaia, P.; Bai, Y.; Baines, J. T.; Baker, O. K.; Baldin, E. M.; Balek, P.; Balestri, T.; Balli, F.; Balunas, W. K.; Banas, E.; Banerjee, Sw.; Bannoura, A. A. E.; Barak, L.; Barberio, E. 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B.; Sioli, M.; Siragusa, G.; Sivoklokov, S. Yu.; Sjölin, J.; Sjursen, T. B.; Skinner, M. B.; Skottowe, H. P.; Skubic, P.; Slater, M.; Slavicek, T.; Slawinska, M.; Sliwa, K.; Slovak, R.; Smakhtin, V.; Smart, B. H.; Smestad, L.; Smirnov, S. Yu.; Smirnov, Y.; Smirnova, L. N.; Smirnova, O.; Smith, M. N. K.; Smith, R. W.; Smizanska, M.; Smolek, K.; Snesarev, A. A.; Snidero, G.; Snyder, S.; Sobie, R.; Socher, F.; Soffer, A.; Soh, D. A.; Sokhrannyi, G.; Sanchez, C. A. Solans; Solar, M.; Soldatov, E. Yu.; Soldevila, U.; Solodkov, A. A.; Soloshenko, A.; Solovyanov, O. V.; Solovyev, V.; Sommer, P.; Son, H.; Song, H. Y.; Sood, A.; Sopczak, A.; Sopko, V.; Sorin, V.; Sosa, D.; Sotiropoulou, C. L.; Soualah, R.; Soukharev, A. M.; South, D.; Sowden, B. C.; Spagnolo, S.; Spalla, M.; Spangenberg, M.; Spanò, F.; Sperlich, D.; Spettel, F.; Spighi, R.; Spigo, G.; Spiller, L. A.; Spousta, M.; Denis, R. D. St.; Stabile, A.; Stahlman, J.; Stamen, R.; Stamm, S.; Stanecka, E.; Stanek, R. W.; Stanescu, C.; Stanescu-Bellu, M.; Stanitzki, M. M.; Stapnes, S.; Starchenko, E. A.; Stark, G. H.; Stark, J.; Staroba, P.; Starovoitov, P.; Stärz, S.; Staszewski, R.; Steinberg, P.; Stelzer, B.; Stelzer, H. J.; Stelzer-Chilton, O.; Stenzel, H.; Stewart, G. A.; Stillings, J. A.; Stockton, M. C.; Stoebe, M.; Stoicea, G.; Stolte, P.; Stonjek, S.; Stradling, A. R.; Straessner, A.; Stramaglia, M. E.; Strandberg, J.; Strandberg, S.; Strandlie, A.; Strauss, M.; Strizenec, P.; Ströhmer, R.; Strom, D. M.; Stroynowski, R.; Strubig, A.; Stucci, S. A.; Stugu, B.; Styles, N. A.; Su, D.; Su, J.; Subramaniam, R.; Suchek, S.; Sugaya, Y.; Suk, M.; Sulin, V. V.; Sultansoy, S.; Sumida, T.; Sun, S.; Sun, X.; Sundermann, J. E.; Suruliz, K.; Susinno, G.; Sutton, M. R.; Suzuki, S.; Svatos, M.; Swiatlowski, M.; Sykora, I.; Sykora, T.; Ta, D.; Taccini, C.; Tackmann, K.; Taenzer, J.; Taffard, A.; Tafirout, R.; Taiblum, N.; Takai, H.; Takashima, R.; Takeda, H.; Takeshita, T.; Takubo, Y.; Talby, M.; Talyshev, A. A.; Tam, J. Y. C.; Tan, K. G.; Tanaka, J.; Tanaka, R.; Tanaka, S.; Tannenwald, B. B.; Araya, S. Tapia; Tapprogge, S.; Tarem, S.; Tartarelli, G. F.; Tas, P.; Tasevsky, M.; Tashiro, T.; Tassi, E.; Delgado, A. Tavares; Tayalati, Y.; Taylor, A. C.; Taylor, G. N.; Taylor, P. T. E.; Taylor, W.; Teischinger, F. A.; Teixeira-Dias, P.; Temming, K. K.; Temple, D.; Kate, H. Ten; Teng, P. K.; Teoh, J. J.; Tepel, F.; Terada, S.; Terashi, K.; Terron, J.; Terzo, S.; Testa, M.; Teuscher, R. J.; Theveneaux-Pelzer, T.; Thomas, J. P.; Thomas-Wilsker, J.; Thompson, E. N.; Thompson, P. D.; Thompson, R. J.; Thompson, A. S.; Thomsen, L. A.; Thomson, E.; Thomson, M.; Tibbetts, M. J.; Torres, R. E. Ticse; Tikhomirov, V. O.; Tikhonov, Yu. A.; Timoshenko, S.; Tipton, P.; Tisserant, S.; Todome, K.; Todorov, T.; Todorova-Nova, S.; Tojo, J.; Tokár, S.; Tokushuku, K.; Tolley, E.; Tomlinson, L.; Tomoto, M.; Tompkins, L.; Toms, K.; Tong, B.; Torrence, E.; Torres, H.; Pastor, E. Torró; Toth, J.; Touchard, F.; Tovey, D. R.; Trefzger, T.; Tricoli, A.; Trigger, I. M.; Trincaz-Duvoid, S.; Tripiana, M. F.; Trischuk, W.; Trocmé, B.; Trofymov, A.; Troncon, C.; Trottier-McDonald, M.; Trovatelli, M.; Truong, L.; Trzebinski, M.; Trzupek, A.; Tseng, J. C.-L.; Tsiareshka, P. V.; Tsipolitis, G.; Tsirintanis, N.; Tsiskaridze, S.; Tsiskaridze, V.; Tskhadadze, E. G.; Tsui, K. M.; Tsukerman, I. I.; Tsulaia, V.; Tsuno, S.; Tsybychev, D.; Tudorache, A.; Tudorache, V.; Tuna, A. N.; Tupputi, S. A.; Turchikhin, S.; Turecek, D.; Turgeman, D.; Turra, R.; Turvey, A. J.; Tuts, P. M.; Tyndel, M.; Ucchielli, G.; Ueda, I.; Ueno, R.; Ughetto, M.; Ukegawa, F.; Unal, G.; Undrus, A.; Unel, G.; Ungaro, F. C.; Unno, Y.; Unverdorben, C.; Urban, J.; Urquijo, P.; Urrejola, P.; Usai, G.; Usanova, A.; Vacavant, L.; Vacek, V.; Vachon, B.; Valderanis, C.; Santurio, E. Valdes; Valencic, N.; Valentinetti, S.; Valero, A.; Valery, L.; Valkar, S.; Vallecorsa, S.; Ferrer, J. A. Valls; Van Den Wollenberg, W.; Van Der Deijl, P. C.; van der Geer, R.; van der Graaf, H.; van Eldik, N.; van Gemmeren, P.; Van Nieuwkoop, J.; van Vulpen, I.; van Woerden, M. C.; Vanadia, M.; Vandelli, W.; Vanguri, R.; Vaniachine, A.; Vankov, P.; Vardanyan, G.; Vari, R.; Varnes, E. W.; Varol, T.; Varouchas, D.; Vartapetian, A.; Varvell, K. E.; Vasquez, J. G.; Vazeille, F.; Schroeder, T. Vazquez; Veatch, J.; Veloce, L. M.; Veloso, F.; Veneziano, S.; Ventura, A.; Venturi, M.; Venturi, N.; Venturini, A.; Vercesi, V.; Verducci, M.; Verkerke, W.; Vermeulen, J. C.; Vest, A.; Vetterli, M. C.; Viazlo, O.; Vichou, I.; Vickey, T.; Boeriu, O. E. Vickey; Viehhauser, G. H. A.; Viel, S.; Vigani, L.; Vigne, R.; Villa, M.; Perez, M. Villaplana; Vilucchi, E.; Vincter, M. G.; Vinogradov, V. B.; Vittori, C.; Vivarelli, I.; Vlachos, S.; Vlasak, M.; Vogel, M.; Vokac, P.; Volpi, G.; Volpi, M.; von der Schmitt, H.; von Toerne, E.; Vorobel, V.; Vorobev, K.; Vos, M.; Voss, R.; Vossebeld, J. H.; Vranjes, N.; Milosavljevic, M. Vranjes; Vrba, V.; Vreeswijk, M.; Vuillermet, R.; Vukotic, I.; Vykydal, Z.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, W.; Wahlberg, H.; Wahrmund, S.; Wakabayashi, J.; Walder, J.; Walker, R.; Walkowiak, W.; Wallangen, V.; Wang, C.; Wang, C.; Wang, F.; Wang, H.; Wang, H.; Wang, J.; Wang, J.; Wang, K.; Wang, R.; Wang, S. M.; Wang, T.; Wang, T.; Wang, X.; Wanotayaroj, C.; Warburton, A.; Ward, C. P.; Wardrope, D. R.; Washbrook, A.; Watkins, P. M.; Watson, A. T.; Watson, I. J.; Watson, M. F.; Watts, G.; Watts, S.; Waugh, B. M.; Webb, S.; Weber, M. S.; Weber, S. W.; Webster, J. S.; Weidberg, A. R.; Weinert, B.; Weingarten, J.; Weiser, C.; Weits, H.; Wells, P. S.; Wenaus, T.; Wengler, T.; Wenig, S.; Wermes, N.; Werner, M.; Werner, P.; Wessels, M.; Wetter, J.; Whalen, K.; Whallon, N. L.; Wharton, A. M.; White, A.; White, M. J.; White, R.; White, S.; Whiteson, D.; Wickens, F. J.; Wiedenmann, W.; Wielers, M.; Wienemann, P.; Wiglesworth, C.; Wiik-Fuchs, L. A. M.; Wildauer, A.; Wilk, F.; Wilkens, H. G.; Williams, H. H.; Williams, S.; Willis, C.; Willocq, S.; Wilson, J. A.; Wingerter-Seez, I.; Winklmeier, F.; Winston, O. J.; Winter, B. T.; Wittgen, M.; Wittkowski, J.; Wollstadt, S. J.; Wolter, M. W.; Wolters, H.; Wosiek, B. K.; Wotschack, J.; Woudstra, M. J.; Wozniak, K. W.; Wu, M.; Wu, M.; Wu, S. L.; Wu, X.; Wu, Y.; Wyatt, T. R.; Wynne, B. M.; Xella, S.; Xu, D.; Xu, L.; Yabsley, B.; Yacoob, S.; Yakabe, R.; Yamaguchi, D.; Yamaguchi, Y.; Yamamoto, A.; Yamamoto, S.; Yamanaka, T.; Yamauchi, K.; Yamazaki, Y.; Yan, Z.; Yang, H.; Yang, H.; Yang, Y.; Yang, Z.; Yao, W.-M.; Yap, Y. C.; Yasu, Y.; Yatsenko, E.; Wong, K. H. Yau; Ye, J.; Ye, S.; Yeletskikh, I.; Yen, A. L.; Yildirim, E.; Yorita, K.; Yoshida, R.; Yoshihara, K.; Young, C.; Young, C. J. S.; Youssef, S.; Yu, D. R.; Yu, J.; Yu, J. M.; Yu, J.; Yuan, L.; Yuen, S. P. Y.; Yusuff, I.; Zabinski, B.; Zaidan, R.; Zaitsev, A. M.; Zakharchuk, N.; Zalieckas, J.; Zaman, A.; Zambito, S.; Zanello, L.; Zanzi, D.; Zeitnitz, C.; Zeman, M.; Zemla, A.; Zeng, J. C.; Zeng, Q.; Zengel, K.; Zenin, O.; Ženiš, T.; Zerwas, D.; Zhang, D.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, G.; Zhang, H.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, R.; Zhang, R.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, X.; Zhao, Y.; Zhao, Z.; Zhemchugov, A.; Zhong, J.; Zhou, B.; Zhou, C.; Zhou, L.; Zhou, L.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, N.; Zhu, C. G.; Zhu, H.; Zhu, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zhuang, X.; Zhukov, K.; Zibell, A.; Zieminska, D.; Zimine, N. I.; Zimmermann, C.; Zimmermann, S.; Zinonos, Z.; Zinser, M.; Ziolkowski, M.; Živković, L.; Zobernig, G.; Zoccoli, A.; Nedden, M. zur; Zurzolo, G.; Zwalinski, L.

2016-10-01

The performance of the jet trigger for the ATLAS detector at the LHC during the 2011 data taking period is described. During 2011 the LHC provided proton-proton collisions with a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and heavy ion collisions with a 2.76 TeV per nucleon-nucleon collision energy. The ATLAS trigger is a three level system designed to reduce the rate of events from the 40 MHz nominal maximum bunch crossing rate to the approximate 400 Hz which can be written to offline storage. The ATLAS jet trigger is the primary means for the online selection of events containing jets. Events are accepted by the trigger if they contain one or more jets above some transverse energy threshold. During 2011 data taking the jet trigger was fully efficient for jets with transverse energy above 25 GeV for triggers seeded randomly at Level 1. For triggers which require a jet to be identified at each of the three trigger levels, full efficiency is reached for offline jets with transverse energy above 60 GeV. Jets reconstructed in the final trigger level and corresponding to offline jets with transverse energy greater than 60 GeV, are reconstructed with a resolution in transverse energy with respect to offline jets, of better than 4 % in the central region and better than 2.5 % in the forward direction.

Comparison of the produced and perceived voice range profiles in untrained and trained classical singers.

PubMed

Hunter, Eric J; Svec, Jan G; Titze, Ingo R

2006-12-01

Frequency and intensity ranges (in true decibel sound pressure level, 20 microPa at 1 m) of voice production in trained and untrained vocalists were compared with the perceived dynamic range (phons) and units of loudness (sones) of the ear. Results were reported in terms of standard voice range profiles (VRPs), perceived VRPs (as predicted by accepted measures of auditory sensitivities), and a new metric labeled as an overall perceptual level construct. Trained classical singers made use of the most sensitive part of the hearing range (around 3-4 kHz) through the use of the singer's formant. When mapped onto the contours of equal loudness (depicting nonuniform spectral and dynamic sensitivities of the auditory system), the formant is perceived at an even higher sound level, as measured in phons, than a flat or A-weighted spectrum would indicate. The contributions of effects like the singer's formant and the sensitivities of the auditory system helped the trained singers produce 20% to 40% more units of loudness, as measured in sones, than the untrained singers. Trained male vocalists had a maximum overall perceptual level construct that was 40% higher than the untrained male vocalists. Although the A-weighted spectrum (commonly used in VRP measurement) is a reasonable first-order approximation of auditory sensitivities, it misrepresents the most salient part of the sensitivities (where the singer's formant is found) by nearly 10 dB.

A noncontacting scanning photoelectron emission technique for bonding surface cleanliness inspection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gause, Raymond L.

1989-01-01

Molecular contamination of bonding surfaces can drastically affect the bond strength that can be achieved and therefore the structural integrity and reliability of the bonded part. The presence of thin contaminant films on bonding surfaces can result from inadequate or incomplete cleaning methods, from oxide growth during the time between cleaning (such as grit blasting) and bonding, or from failure to properly protect cleaned surfaces from oils, greases, fingerprints, release agents, or deposition of facility airborne molecules generated by adjacent manufacturing or processing operations. Required cleanliness levels for desired bond performance can be determined by testing to correlate bond strength with contaminant type and quantity, thereby establishing the degree of contamination that can be tolerated based on the strength that is needed. Once the maximum acceptable contaminant level is defined, a method is needed to quantitatively measure the contaminant level on the bonding surface prior to bonding to verify that the surface meets the established cleanliness requirement. A photoelectron emission technique for the nondestructive inspection of various bonding surfaces, both metallic and nonmetallic, to provide quantitative data on residual contaminant levels is described. The technique can be used to scan surfaces at speeds of at least 30 ft/min using a servo system to maintain required sensor to surface spacing. The fundamental operation of the photoelectron emission sensor system is explained and the automated scanning system and computer data acquisition hardware and software are described.

Peer Acceptance and Self-Concept of Students with Disabilities in Regular Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pijl, Sip Jan; Frostad, Per

2010-01-01

This study addresses the relationship between the acceptance of students with disabilities by their peers and their self-concept. Research shows that level of acceptance and self-concept are moderately related. Students with disabilities not accepted by their peers in regular classrooms thus run the risk of developing low self-concept. It is…

Certified Rehabilitation Counselors Role in the Acceptance of Disability of Returning Afghanistan and Iraq Military Veterans with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frain, Michael; Torres, Ayse; Bishop, Malachy; Sakala, Kelly; Khan-Jordan, Cindy; Schoen, Barbara

2016-01-01

Purpose: To understand the level of acceptance of disability by veterans and rehabilitation counselor's role in that acceptance. Method: The Acceptance of Disability Scale-Revised was given to 117 veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who acquired disabilities. Their experiences working with certified rehabilitation counselors was also…

Measuring Technology Acceptance Level of Turkish Pre-Service English Teachers by Using Technology Acceptance Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirmizi, Özkan

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate technology acceptance of prospective English teachers by using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in Turkish context. The study is based on Structural Equation Model (SEM). The participants of the study from English Language Teaching Departments of Hacettepe, Gazi and Baskent Universities. The participants…

Apollo experience report environmental acceptance testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laubach, C. H. M.

1976-01-01

Environmental acceptance testing was used extensively to screen selected spacecraft hardware for workmanship defects and manufacturing flaws. The minimum acceptance levels and durations and methods for their establishment are described. Component selection and test monitoring, as well as test implementation requirements, are included. Apollo spacecraft environmental acceptance test results are summarized, and recommendations for future programs are presented.

Microwave emissions from police radar.

PubMed

Fink, J M; Wagner, J P; Congleton, J J; Rock, J C

1999-01-01

This study evaluated police officers' exposures to microwaves emitted by traffic radar units. Exposure measurements were taken at approximated ocular and testicular levels of officers seated in patrol vehicles. Comparisons were made of the radar manufacturers' published maximum power density specifications and actual measured power densities taken at the antenna faces of those units. Four speed-enforcement agencies and one transportation research institute provided 54 radar units for evaluation; 17 different models, encompassing 4 frequency bands and 3 antenna configurations, were included. Four of the 986 measurements taken exceeded the 5 mW/cm2 limit accepted by the International Radiation Protection Association and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement, though none exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, American National Standards Institute, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard of 10 mW/cm2. The four high measurements were maximum power density readings taken directly in front of the radar. Of the 812 measurements taken at the officers' seated ocular and testicular positions, none exceeded 0.04 mW/cm2; the highest of these (0.034 mW/cm2) was less than 1% of the most conservative current safety standards. High exposures in the limited region directly in front of the radar aperture are easily avoided with proper training. Results of this study indicate that police officer exposure to microwave radiation is apparently minimal. However, because of uncertainty in the medical and scientific communities concerning nonionizing radiation, it is recommended that law enforcement agencies implement a policy of prudent avoidance, including purchasing units with the lowest published maximum power densities, purchasing dash/rear deck-mounted units with antennae mounted outside the patrol vehicle, and training police officers to use the "stand-by" mode when not actually using radar.

Low-level nocturnal wind maximum over the Central Amazon Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greco, Steven; Ulanski, Stanley; Garstang, Michael; Houston, Samuel

1992-01-01

A low-level nocturnal wind maximum is shown to exist over extensive and nearly undisturbed rainforest near the central Amazon city of Manaus. Meteorological data indicate the presence of this nocturnal wind maximum during both the wet and dry seasons of the Central Amazon Basin. Daytime wind speeds which are characteristically 3-7 m/s between 300 and 1000 m increase to 10-15 m/s shortly after sunset. The wind-speed maximum is reached in the early evening, with wind speeds remaining high until several hours after sunrise. The nocturnal wind maximum is closely linked to a strong low-level inversion formed by radiational cooling of the rainforest canopy. Surface and low-level pressure gradients between the undisturbed forest and the large Amazon river system and the city of Manaus are shown to be responsible for much of the nocturnal wind increase. The pressure gradients are interpreted as a function of the thermal differences between undisturbed forest and the river/city. The importance of both the frictional decoupling and the horizontal pressure gradient suggest that the nocturnal wind maximum does not occur uniformly over all Amazonia. Low-level winds are thought to be pervasive under clear skies and strong surface cooling and that, in many places (i.e., near rivers), local pressure gradients enhance the low-level nocturnal winds.

Artificial neural network model for ozone concentration estimation and Monte Carlo analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Meng; Yin, Liting; Ning, Jicai

2018-07-01

Air pollution in urban atmosphere directly affects public-health; therefore, it is very essential to predict air pollutant concentrations. Air quality is a complex function of emissions, meteorology and topography, and artificial neural networks (ANNs) provide a sound framework for relating these variables. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using ANN model with meteorological parameters as input variables to predict ozone concentration in the urban area of Jinan, a metropolis in Northern China. We firstly found that the architecture of network of neurons had little effect on the predicting capability of ANN model. A parsimonious ANN model with 6 routinely monitored meteorological parameters and one temporal covariate (the category of day, i.e. working day, legal holiday and regular weekend) as input variables was identified, where the 7 input variables were selected following the forward selection procedure. Compared with the benchmarking ANN model with 9 meteorological and photochemical parameters as input variables, the predicting capability of the parsimonious ANN model was acceptable. Its predicting capability was also verified in term of warming success ratio during the pollution episodes. Finally, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were also performed based on Monte Carlo simulations (MCS). It was concluded that the ANN could properly predict the ambient ozone level. Maximum temperature, atmospheric pressure, sunshine duration and maximum wind speed were identified as the predominate input variables significantly influencing the prediction of ambient ozone concentrations.

Compressed storage of arterial pressure waveforms by selection of significant points.

PubMed

de Graaf, P M; van Goudoever, J; Wesseling, K H

1997-09-01

Continuous records of arterial blood pressure can be obtained non-invasively with Finapres, even for periods of 24 hours. Increasingly, storage of such records is done digitally, requiring large disc capacities. It is therefore necessary to find methods to store blood pressure waveforms in compressed form. The method of selection of significant points known from ECG data compression is adapted. Points are selected as significant wherever the first derivative of the pressure wave changes sign. As a second stage recursive partitioning is used to select additional points such that the difference between the selected points, linearly interpolated, and the original curve remains below a maximum. This method is tested on finger arterial pressure waveform epochs of 60 s duration taken from 32 patients with a wide range of blood pressures and heart rates. An average compression factor of 4.6 (SD 1.0) is obtained when accepting a maximum difference of 3 mmHg. The root mean squared error is 1 mmHg averaged over the group of patient waveforms. Clinically relevant parameters such as systolic, diastolic and mean pressure are reproduced with an offset error of less than 0.5 (0.3) mmHg and scatter less than 0.6 (0.1) mmHg. It is concluded that a substantial compression factor can be achieved with a simple and computationally fast algorithm and little deterioration in waveform quality and pressure level accuracy.

Interannual variation in land-use intensity enhances grassland multidiversity

PubMed Central

Allan, Eric; Bossdorf, Oliver; Dormann, Carsten F.; Prati, Daniel; Gossner, Martin M.; Tscharntke, Teja; Blüthgen, Nico; Bellach, Michaela; Birkhofer, Klaus; Boch, Steffen; Böhm, Stefan; Börschig, Carmen; Chatzinotas, Antonis; Christ, Sabina; Daniel, Rolf; Diekötter, Tim; Fischer, Christiane; Friedl, Thomas; Glaser, Karin; Hallmann, Christine; Hodac, Ladislav; Hölzel, Norbert; Jung, Kirsten; Klein, Alexandra Maria; Klaus, Valentin H.; Kleinebecker, Till; Krauss, Jochen; Lange, Markus; Morris, E. Kathryn; Müller, Jörg; Nacke, Heiko; Pašalić, Esther; Rillig, Matthias C.; Rothenwöhrer, Christoph; Schall, Peter; Scherber, Christoph; Schulze, Waltraud; Socher, Stephanie A.; Steckel, Juliane; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf; Türke, Manfred; Weiner, Christiane N.; Werner, Michael; Westphal, Catrin; Wolters, Volkmar; Wubet, Tesfaye; Gockel, Sonja; Gorke, Martin; Hemp, Andreas; Renner, Swen C.; Schöning, Ingo; Pfeiffer, Simone; König-Ries, Birgitta; Buscot, François; Linsenmair, Karl Eduard; Schulze, Ernst-Detlef; Weisser, Wolfgang W.; Fischer, Markus

2014-01-01

Although temporal heterogeneity is a well-accepted driver of biodiversity, effects of interannual variation in land-use intensity (LUI) have not been addressed yet. Additionally, responses to land use can differ greatly among different organisms; therefore, overall effects of land-use on total local biodiversity are hardly known. To test for effects of LUI (quantified as the combined intensity of fertilization, grazing, and mowing) and interannual variation in LUI (SD in LUI across time), we introduce a unique measure of whole-ecosystem biodiversity, multidiversity. This synthesizes individual diversity measures across up to 49 taxonomic groups of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria from 150 grasslands. Multidiversity declined with increasing LUI among grasslands, particularly for rarer species and aboveground organisms, whereas common species and belowground groups were less sensitive. However, a high level of interannual variation in LUI increased overall multidiversity at low LUI and was even more beneficial for rarer species because it slowed the rate at which the multidiversity of rare species declined with increasing LUI. In more intensively managed grasslands, the diversity of rarer species was, on average, 18% of the maximum diversity across all grasslands when LUI was static over time but increased to 31% of the maximum when LUI changed maximally over time. In addition to decreasing overall LUI, we suggest varying LUI across years as a complementary strategy to promote biodiversity conservation. PMID:24368852

Enhancing the estimation of blood pressure using pulse arrival time and two confounding factors.

PubMed

Baek, Hyun Jae; Kim, Ko Keun; Kim, Jung Soo; Lee, Boreom; Park, Kwang Suk

2010-02-01

A new method of blood pressure (BP) estimation using multiple regression with pulse arrival time (PAT) and two confounding factors was evaluated in clinical and unconstrained monitoring situations. For the first analysis with clinical data, electrocardiogram (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG) and invasive BP signals were obtained by a conventional patient monitoring device during surgery. In the second analysis, ECG, PPG and non-invasive BP were measured using systems developed to obtain data under conditions in which the subject was not constrained. To enhance the performance of BP estimation methods, heart rate (HR) and arterial stiffness were considered as confounding factors in regression analysis. The PAT and HR were easily extracted from ECG and PPG signals. For arterial stiffness, the duration from the maximum derivative point to the maximum of the dicrotic notch in the PPG signal, a parameter called TDB, was employed. In two experiments that normally cause BP variation, the correlation between measured BP and the estimated BP was investigated. Multiple-regression analysis with the two confounding factors improved correlation coefficients for diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure to acceptable confidence levels, compared to existing methods that consider PAT only. In addition, reproducibility for the proposed method was determined using constructed test sets. Our results demonstrate that non-invasive, non-intrusive BP estimation can be obtained using methods that can be applied in both clinical and daily healthcare situations.

Dosimetric comparison between VMAT with different dose calculation algorithms and protons for soft-tissue sarcoma radiotherapy.

PubMed

Fogliata, Antonella; Scorsetti, Marta; Navarria, Piera; Catalano, Maddalena; Clivio, Alessandro; Cozzi, Luca; Lobefalo, Francesca; Nicolini, Giorgia; Palumbo, Valentina; Pellegrini, Chiara; Reggiori, Giacomo; Roggio, Antonella; Vanetti, Eugenio; Alongi, Filippo; Pentimalli, Sara; Mancosu, Pietro

2013-04-01

To appraise the potential of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT, RapidArc) and proton beams to simultaneously achieve target coverage and enhanced sparing of bone tissue in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma with adequate target coverage. Ten patients presenting with soft-tissue sarcoma of the leg were collected for the study. Dose was prescribed to 66.5 Gy in 25 fractions to the planning target volume (PTV) while significant maximum dose to the bone was constrained to 50 Gy. Plans were optimised according to the RapidArc technique with 6 MV photon beams or for intensity modulated protons. RapidArc photon plans were computed with: 1) AAA; 2) Acuros XB as dose to medium; and 3) Acuros XB as dose to water. All plans acceptably met the criteria of target coverage (V95% >90-95%) and bone sparing (D(1 cm3) <50 Gy). Significantly higher PTV dose homogeneity was found for proton plans. Near-to-maximum dose to bone was similar for RapidArc and protons, while volume receiving medium/low dose levels was minimised with protons. Similar results were obtained for the remaining normal tissue. Dose distributions calculated with the dose to water option resulted ~5% higher than corresponding ones computed as dose to medium. High plan quality was demonstrated for both VMAT and proton techniques when applied to soft-tissue sarcoma.

Acceptance of disease and the quality of life in patients with enteric stoma.

PubMed

Szpilewska, Katarzyna; Juzwiszyn, Jan; Bolanowska, Zofia; Bolanowska, Zofia; Milan, Magdalena; Chabowski, Mariusz; Janczak, Dariusz

2018-02-28

The main reason of the emergence of enteric stoma is colorectal cancer. Enteric stoma is a serious health, as well as life problem. In Poland, there are about 6,000 stoma surgeries yearly. It changes the functioning of patients, restricts their daily activity and influences their quality of life significantly. Therefore, in the modern treatment process, all spheres of human life and its surroundings are considered. The evaluation of the quality of life and the level of acceptance of the disease enables us to identify the regions in which patients require attention and help, as well as places to which health promotion among patients with a stoma should be directed. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the acceptance of the disease and the quality of life in patients with colostomy. The study conducted between February 2015 and February 2016 included101 patients with enteric stoma of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wrocław at Kamieńskiego St. in the departments of General Surgery with the Subdivision of Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery, Subdivision of Metabolic Surgery, Subdivision of Endocrine Surgery and Oncological Surgery . Two anonymous questionnaires, i.e., health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and acceptance of illness scale (AIS), were used. 60% (61 people) were women, and 40% (40 people) were men. The mean age was 48; the youngest respondent was 20 years old, and the oldest was 79 years old. 17% of the respondents had primary education, 25% - vocational, 33% - secondary and 26% - university-level. The most common reason for the emergence of a stoma among the respondents was colon cancer (44%), followed by: mechanical bowel onstruction (26%), intestinal damage following injuries (25%), inflammatory bowel disease (6%). The quality of life of patients with colostomy was evaluated in view of their health condition, postoperative recovery, everyday limitations, and self-evaluation. The majority of participants pointed to the deterioration of their quality of life. A higher level of acceptance of the disease was revealed in men as 75% of men, and 61% of women acceptted their health status. The education level also influences the acceptance of the disease, as 41% participants with higher education, and only 6% participants with primary education did not accept their health status. We revealed some social factors influencing the quality of life and the acceptance of the disease, i.e., gender, age, education, job, and place of living. Gender and education have an impact on the level of the acceptance of the disease, but they do not influence the quality of life. The acceptance of the disease is connected with the quality of life in patients with a stoma. The higher the level of acceptance of the disease, the better the quality of life. Research indicates the need to deepen patients' education regarding their functioning in society.

The unrealized potential for heavy balloon payloads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winker, J. A.

1993-02-01

Knowing that properties of new polyethylene films are superior to previous types, one would believe that heavier payloads can now be safely carried. Some experimentation has already been done to verify that assumption. Future expectations are discussed. We believe that with present-day materials, and with only limited changes in design philosophies, maximum payload weights can be increased by 50 to 75% from presently accepted maxima.

Global Ray Tracing Simulations of the SABER Gravity Wave Climatology

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

atmosphere , the residual temperature profiles are analyzed by a combi- nation of maximum entropy method (MEM) and harmonic analysis, thus providing the...accepted 24 February 2009; published 30 April 2009. [1] Since February 2002, the SABER (sounding of the atmosphere using broadband emission radiometry...satellite instrument has measured temperatures throughout the entire middle atmosphere . Employing the same techniques as previously used for CRISTA

76 FR 23799 - Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-28

... seasonal flash boards; (2) a 168-acre reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 3,234 acre-feet and a...; (2) a 159-acre reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 2,646 acre-feet and a normal maximum pool... reservoir, with concrete core walls and partially equipped with 10-inch-high flashboards; (3) a 79.2- acre...

Proton Therapy Dose Characterization and Verification

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

than recommended as these patients are on a separate UPENN research study where dose maximum accepted was 6700 cGy. 15... Research Protection Office. 8.0 Data Handling and Record Keeping All patients must have a signed Informed Consent Form and an On - study (confirmation...this award. Phase 1 concentrated on designing and building a Multi-leaf collimator for use in proton therapy. Phase 2 focused on studying the

77 FR 47618 - Algonquin Power Company; Notice of Application Accepted for Amendment of License and Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-09

... more information on how to submit these types of filings, please go to the Commission's Web site.... The project Lower Beaver Falls project works consist of: (1) A 4-acre reservoir formed by a 400-foot long concrete gravity dam with a maximum height of 14 feet, and a head pond elevation of 769.3 feet...

A Polio Immunization Pamphlet with Increased Appeal and Simplified Language Does Not Improve Comprehension to an Acceptable Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Terry C.; Fredrickson, Doren D.; Arnold, Connie; Murphy, Peggy W.; Herbst, Melissa; Bocchini, Joseph A.

1998-01-01

Two polio-vaccine pamphlets written on a sixth-grade level were compared for readability, comprehension, and preference among a broad range of parents. The easy-to-read version was widely preferred, and comprehension was significantly higher. However, the use of instructional graphics was required to achieve an acceptable level of comprehension.…

Public acceptability of financial incentives to reward pregnant smokers who quit smoking: a United Kingdom-France comparison.

PubMed

Berlin, Noémi; Goldzahl, Léontine; Bauld, Linda; Hoddinott, Pat; Berlin, Ivan

2018-06-01

A substantial amount of research has been conducted on financial incentives to increase abstinence from smoking among pregnant smokers. If demonstrated to be effective, financial incentives could be proposed as part of health care interventions to help pregnant smokers quit. Public acceptability is important; as such interventions could be publicly funded. Concerns remain about the acceptability of these interventions in the general population. We aimed to assess the acceptability of financial incentives to reward pregnant smokers who stop smoking using a survey conducted in the UK and then subsequently in France, two developed countries with different cultural and social backgrounds. More French than British respondents agreed with financial incentives for rewarding quitting smoking during pregnancy, not smoking after delivery, keeping a smoke-free household, health service payment for meeting target and the maximum amount of the reward. However, fully adjusted models showed significant differences only for the two latter items. More British than French respondents were neutral toward financial incentives. Differences between the representative samples of French and British individuals demonstrate that implementation of financial incentive policies may not be transferable from one country to another.

Causal Attributions and Parents' Acceptance of Their Homosexual Sons.

PubMed

Belsky, Yael; Diamond, Gary M

2015-01-01

This Internet-based study examined the association between Israeli parents' attributions regarding the cause of their son's homosexuality and their level of acceptance of their homosexual son. The sample (N = 57) was recruited via Internet Web sites (gay forums and support groups). Findings suggest that more essentialist (versus constructivist) causal attributions were associated with higher levels of parental acceptance. Length of time parents knew of their son's homosexual orientation predicted the degree to which their attributions were essentialist. Implications are discussed.

A 3-year survey of Italian honey bee-collected pollen reveals widespread contamination by agricultural pesticides.

PubMed

Tosi, Simone; Costa, Cecilia; Vesco, Umberto; Quaglia, Giancarlo; Guido, Giovanni

2018-02-15

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health is compromised by complex interactions between multiple stressors, among which pesticides play a major role. To better understand the extent of honey bee colonies' exposure to pesticides in time and space, we conducted a survey by collecting corbicular pollen from returning honey bee foragers in 53 Italian apiaries during the active beekeeping season of 3 subsequent years (2012-2014). Of 554 pollen samples analysed for pesticide residues, 62% contained at least one pesticide. The overall rate of multiresidual samples (38%) was higher than the rate of single pesticide samples (24%), reaching a maximum of 7 pesticides per sample (1%). Over 3years, 18 different pesticides were detected (10 fungicides and 8 insecticides) out of 66 analysed. Pesticide concentrations reached the level of concern for bee health (Hazard Quotient (HQ) higher than 1000) at least once in 13% of the apiaries and exceeded the thresholds of safety for human dietary intake (Acute Reference Dose (ARfD), the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), and the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)) in 39% of the analysis. The pesticide which was most frequently detected was the insecticide chlorpyrifos (30% of the samples overall, exceeding ARfD, ADI, or MRL in 99% of the positive ones), followed by the fungicides mandipropamid (19%), metalaxyl (16%), spiroxamine (15%), and the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (12%). Imidacloprid had also the highest HQ level (5054, with 12% of its positive samples with HQ higher than 1000). This 3year survey provides further insights on the contamination caused by agricultural pesticide use on honey bee colonies. Bee-collected pollen is shown to be a valuable tool for environmental monitoring, and for the detection of illegal uses of pesticides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of long-term wastewater irrigation impacts on the soil geochemical properties and the bioaccumulation of heavy metals to the agricultural products.

PubMed

Christou, Anastasis; Eliadou, Elena; Michael, Costas; Hapeshi, Evroula; Fatta-Kassinos, Despo

2014-08-01

An extensive field survey was employed for assessing the impacts of long-term wastewater irrigation of forage crops and orange orchards in three suburban agricultural areas in Cyprus (areas I, II, and III), as compared to rainfed agriculture, on the soil geochemical properties and the bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Zn, Ni, Mn, Cu, Co) to the agricultural products. Both ryegrass fields and orange orchards in areas I and II were continuously wastewater irrigated for 10 years, whereas clover fields in area III for 0.5, 4, and 8 years. The results revealed that wastewater reuse for irrigation caused a slight increase in soil salinity and Cl(-) content in areas I and II, and a remarkable increase, having strong correlation with the period in which wastewater irrigation was practiced, in area III. Soil salinization in area III was due to the high electrical conductivity (EC) of the wastewater applied for irrigation, attributed to the influx of seawater to the sewage collection network in area III. In addition, the wastewater irrigation practice resulted in a slight decrease of the soil pH values in area III, while a subtle impact was identified regarding the CaCO3, Fe, and heavy metal content in the three areas surveyed. The heavy metal content quantified in the forage plants' above-ground parts was below the critical levels of phytotoxicity and the maximum acceptable concentration in dairy feed, whereas heavy metals quantified in orange fruit pulp were below the maximum permissible levels (MPLs). Heavy metal phytoavailability was confined due to soil properties (high pH and clay content), as evidenced by the calculated low transfer factor (TF).

Longitudinal performance of a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis for lower-extremity exercise, standing, and transfers after spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Triolo, Ronald J; Bailey, Stephanie Nogan; Miller, Michael E; Rohde, Loretta M; Anderson, James S; Davis, John A; Abbas, James J; DiPonio, Lisa A; Forrest, George P; Gater, David R; Yang, Lynda J

2012-05-01

To investigate the longitudinal performance of a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis for lower-extremity exercise, standing, and transfers after spinal cord injury. Case series. Research or outpatient physical therapy departments of 4 academic hospitals. Subjects (N=15) with thoracic or low cervical level spinal cord injuries who had received the 8-channel neuroprosthesis for exercise and standing. After completing rehabilitation with the device, the subjects were discharged to unrestricted home use of the system. A series of assessments were performed before discharge and at a follow-up appointment approximately 1 year later. Neuroprosthesis usage, maximum standing time, body weight support, knee strength, knee fatigue index, electrode stability, and component survivability. Levels of maximum standing time, body weight support, knee strength, and knee fatigue index were not statistically different from discharge to follow-up (P>.05). Additionally, neuroprosthesis usage was consistent with subjects choosing to use the system on approximately half of the days during each monitoring period. Although the number of hours using the neuroprosthesis remained constant, subjects shifted their usage to more functional standing versus more maintenance exercise, suggesting that the subjects incorporated the neuroprosthesis into their lives. Safety and reliability of the system were demonstrated by electrode stability and a high component survivability rate (>90%). This group of 15 subjects is the largest cohort of implanted lower-extremity neuroprosthetic exercise and standing system users. The safety and efficiency data from this group, and acceptance of the neuroprosthesis as demonstrated by continued usage, indicate that future efforts toward commercialization of a similar device may be warranted. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Depletion study, withdrawal period calculation and bioaccumulation of sulfamethazine in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) treated with medicated feed.

PubMed

Nunes, Kátia S D; Vallim, José H; Assalin, Márcia R; Queiroz, Sonia C N; Paraíba, Lourival C; Jonsson, Claudio M; Reyes, Felix G R

2018-04-01

The residue depletion of sulfamethazine (SMZ) was evaluated in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after 11 days of administration of medicated feed containing SMZ, at the dose of 422 mg/kg body weight (bw). The determination of SMZ in feed and tilapia fillet was carried out using the QuEChERS approach for sample preparation, and high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF-MS) for quantitation, respectively. Both methods were validated based on international and Brazilian guidelines and shown to be suitable for the intended purposes. The withdrawal period to reach the maximum residue level (MRL) of 100 μg/kg, according to the European Union (EU) legislative framework to all substances belonging to the sulfonamide (SA) group (EU, 2010), was 10 days (260 °C-day). After treatment, the maximum level of SMZ accumulation in the tilapia muscle was 1.6 mg/kg. SMZ was shown to be quickly excreted by tilapia. Thus, considering the acceptable daily intake of SMZ established by the Codex Commission (0-0.05 mg/kg bw), and a factor of 5 times the upper amount of fish consumption in Brazil (38 kg/year), this study showed that there is a low risk of adverse effects to consumers. This study offers subsidies not only for the establishment of public policies with regard to the use of veterinary drugs currently not allowed in a country by their legal legislative framework for fish farming, but also to fish producers for the proper handling to ensure safe fish fillets. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors in the intestinal absorption of oral cholecystopaques.

PubMed

Amberg, J R; Thompson, W M; Golberger, L; Williamson, S; Alexander, R; Bates, M

1980-01-01

Interest in the pharmacokinetics of cholecystopaques initially centered on transport from blood to bile. The data obtained in this effort have been valuable and have shown that the maximal iodine concentration achievable in the bile is quite similar for all of the currently available compounds. This concentration is, of course, dose dependent. the transport of contrast material from the bowel to the blood has been shown to be quite variable. Considerable progress was made in understanding this. The tremendous differences in absorption of iopanoic acid depending upon the pH of the administered solution was an initial revelation. The development of the concept that there is a water layer through which the cholecystopaque must pass before reaching the lipid membrane of the intestinal cell has added clarity to understanding the difference in absorption between water-soluble and water-insoluble cholecystopaques. A complete knowledge of what might enhance or inhibit absorption is not known. There is beginning to be an understanding of how intestinal dose relates to plasma levels. This should lead to an optimal dose-timing scheme for each cholecystopaque. The basic assumption is that the highest iodine concentration in the gallbladder leads to the most accurate cholecystography. If this is true, the gallbladder needs to be offered bile at the maximum concentrations during the period preceding filming. To accomplish this, the appropriate plasma level necessary for maximum excretion is needed. Experimental data suggest that our current clinical methods in regard to dose and dose timing need revision to optimize cholecystography. This revision needs to take place with a careful look at toxicity. Accepting the present premise that oral cholecystography can be improved, perhaps without a significant increase in morbidity, a fundamental question to be asked is: is it worth it?

People’s willingness to accept overdetection in cancer screening: population survey

PubMed Central

Jones, Caroline; Yang, Yaling; Oke, Jason; Hewitson, Paul

2015-01-01

Objectives To describe the level of overdetection people would find acceptable in screening for breast, prostate, and bowel cancer and whether acceptability is influenced by the magnitude of the benefit from screening and the cancer specific harms from overdetection. Design Online survey. Women were presented with scenarios on breast and bowel cancer, men with scenarios on prostate and bowel cancer. For each particular cancer, we presented epidemiological information and described the treatment and its consequences. Secondly, we presented two different scenarios of benefit: one indicating a 10% reduction in cancer specific mortality and the second indicating a 50% reduction. Setting Online survey of the population in the United Kingdom. Participants Respondents were part of an existing panel of people who volunteer for online research and were invited by email or online marketing. We recruited 1000 respondents, representative for age and sex for the UK population. Main outcome measures Number of cases of overdetection people were willing to accept, ranging from 0-1000 (complete screened population) for each cancer modality and each scenario of benefit. Results There was large variability between respondents in the level of overdetection they would find acceptable, with medians ranging from 113 to 313 cases of overdetection per 1000 people screened. Across all scenarios, 4-7% of respondents indicated they would accept no overdetection at all compared with 7-14% who thought that it would be acceptable for the entire screened population to be overdetected. Acceptability in screening for bowel cancer was significantly lower than for breast and prostate cancer. People aged 50 or over accepted significantly less overdetection, whereas people with higher education levels accepted more; 29% of respondents had heard of overdetection before. Conclusions Acceptability of overdetection in cancer screening is variable. Invitations for screening should include clear information on the likelihood and consequences of overdetection to allow people to make an informed choice. PMID:25736617

People's willingness to accept overdetection in cancer screening: population survey.

PubMed

Van den Bruel, Ann; Jones, Caroline; Yang, Yaling; Oke, Jason; Hewitson, Paul

2015-03-03

To describe the level of overdetection people would find acceptable in screening for breast, prostate, and bowel cancer and whether acceptability is influenced by the magnitude of the benefit from screening and the cancer specific harms from overdetection. Online survey. Women were presented with scenarios on breast and bowel cancer, men with scenarios on prostate and bowel cancer. For each particular cancer, we presented epidemiological information and described the treatment and its consequences. Secondly, we presented two different scenarios of benefit: one indicating a 10% reduction in cancer specific mortality and the second indicating a 50% reduction. Online survey of the population in the United Kingdom. Respondents were part of an existing panel of people who volunteer for online research and were invited by email or online marketing. We recruited 1000 respondents, representative for age and sex for the UK population. Number of cases of overdetection people were willing to accept, ranging from 0-1000 (complete screened population) for each cancer modality and each scenario of benefit. There was large variability between respondents in the level of overdetection they would find acceptable, with medians ranging from 113 to 313 cases of overdetection per 1000 people screened. Across all scenarios, 4-7% of respondents indicated they would accept no overdetection at all compared with 7-14% who thought that it would be acceptable for the entire screened population to be overdetected. Acceptability in screening for bowel cancer was significantly lower than for breast and prostate cancer. People aged 50 or over accepted significantly less overdetection, whereas people with higher education levels accepted more; 29% of respondents had heard of overdetection before. Acceptability of overdetection in cancer screening is variable. Invitations for screening should include clear information on the likelihood and consequences of overdetection to allow people to make an informed choice. © Van den Bruel et al 2015.

Systems Security Engineering Capability Maturity Model SSE-CMM Model Description Document

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-04-01

management is the process of accessing and quantifying risk , and establishing an acceptable level of risk for the organization. Managing risk is an...Process of assessing and quantifying risk and establishing acceptable level of risk for the organization. [IEEE 13335-1:1996] Security Engineering

Enhanced Oceanic Operations Human-In-The-Loop In-Trail Procedure Validation Simulation Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murdoch, Jennifer L.; Bussink, Frank J. L.; Chamberlain, James P.; Chartrand, Ryan C.; Palmer, Michael T.; Palmer, Susan O.

2008-01-01

The Enhanced Oceanic Operations Human-In-The-Loop In-Trail Procedure (ITP) Validation Simulation Study investigated the viability of an ITP designed to enable oceanic flight level changes that would not otherwise be possible. Twelve commercial airline pilots with current oceanic experience flew a series of simulated scenarios involving either standard or ITP flight level change maneuvers and provided subjective workload ratings, assessments of ITP validity and acceptability, and objective performance measures associated with the appropriate selection, request, and execution of ITP flight level change maneuvers. In the majority of scenarios, subject pilots correctly assessed the traffic situation, selected an appropriate response (i.e., either a standard flight level change request, an ITP request, or no request), and executed their selected flight level change procedure, if any, without error. Workload ratings for ITP maneuvers were acceptable and not substantially higher than for standard flight level change maneuvers, and, for the majority of scenarios and subject pilots, subjective acceptability ratings and comments for ITP were generally high and positive. Qualitatively, the ITP was found to be valid and acceptable. However, the error rates for ITP maneuvers were higher than for standard flight level changes, and these errors may have design implications for both the ITP and the study's prototype traffic display. These errors and their implications are discussed.

The readability of American Academy of Pediatrics patient education brochures.

PubMed

Freda, Margaret Comerford

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the readability of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) patient education brochures. Seventy-four brochures were analyzed using two readability formulas. Mean readability for all 74 brochures was grade 7.94 using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, and grade 10.1 with SMOG formula (P = .001). Using the SMOG formula, no brochures were of acceptably low (< or =8th grade) readability levels (range 8.3 to 12.7). Using the Flesch-Kincaid formula, 41 of the 74 had acceptable readability levels (< or =8th grade). The SMOG formula routinely assessed brochures 2 to 3 grade levels higher than did the Flesch-Kincaid formula. Some AAP patient education brochures have acceptably low levels of readability, but at least half are written at higher than acceptable readability levels for the general public. This study also demonstrated statistically significant variability between the two different readability formulas; had only the SMOG formula been used, all of the brochures would have had unacceptably high readability levels. Readability is an essential concept for patient education materials. Professional associations that develop and market patient education materials should test for readability and publish those readability levels on each piece of patient education so health care providers will know if the materials are appropriate for their patients.

Assessment of dietary exposure in the French population to 13 selected food colours, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers and sweeteners.

PubMed

Bemrah, Nawel; Leblanc, Jean-Charles; Volatier, Jean-Luc

2008-01-01

The results of French intake estimates for 13 food additives prioritized by the methods proposed in the 2001 Report from the European Commission on Dietary Food Additive Intake in the European Union are reported. These 13 additives were selected using the first and second tiers of the three-tier approach. The first tier was based on theoretical food consumption data and the maximum permitted level of additives. The second tier used real individual food consumption data and the maximum permitted level of additives for the substances which exceeded the acceptable daily intakes (ADI) in the first tier. In the third tier reported in this study, intake estimates were calculated for the 13 additives (colours, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers and sweeteners) according to two modelling assumptions corresponding to two different food habit scenarios (assumption 1: consumers consume foods that may or may not contain food additives, and assumption 2: consumers always consume foods that contain additives) when possible. In this approach, real individual food consumption data and the occurrence/use-level of food additives reported by the food industry were used. Overall, the results of the intake estimates are reassuring for the majority of additives studied since the risk of exceeding the ADI was low, except for nitrites, sulfites and annatto, whose ADIs were exceeded by either children or adult consumers or by both populations under one and/or two modelling assumptions. Under the first assumption, the ADI is exceeded for high consumers among adults for nitrites and sulfites (155 and 118.4%, respectively) and among children for nitrites (275%). Under the second assumption, the average nitrites dietary exposure in children exceeds the ADI (146.7%). For high consumers, adults exceed the nitrite and sulfite ADIs (223 and 156.4%, respectively) and children exceed the nitrite, annatto and sulfite ADIs (416.7, 124.6 and 130.6%, respectively).

Gene expression profiling gut microbiota in different races of humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lei; Zhang, Yu-Hang; Huang, Tao; Cai, Yu-Dong

2016-03-01

The gut microbiome is shaped and modified by the polymorphisms of microorganisms in the intestinal tract. Its composition shows strong individual specificity and may play a crucial role in the human digestive system and metabolism. Several factors can affect the composition of the gut microbiome, such as eating habits, living environment, and antibiotic usage. Thus, various races are characterized by different gut microbiome characteristics. In this present study, we studied the gut microbiomes of three different races, including individuals of Asian, European and American races. The gut microbiome and the expression levels of gut microbiome genes were analyzed in these individuals. Advanced feature selection methods (minimum redundancy maximum relevance and incremental feature selection) and four machine-learning algorithms (random forest, nearest neighbor algorithm, sequential minimal optimization, Dagging) were employed to capture key differentially expressed genes. As a result, sequential minimal optimization was found to yield the best performance using the 454 genes, which could effectively distinguish the gut microbiomes of different races. Our analyses of extracted genes support the widely accepted hypotheses that eating habits, living environments and metabolic levels in different races can influence the characteristics of the gut microbiome.

The Clinch River study--An investigation of the fate of radionuclides released to a surface stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pickering, R.J.; Carrigan, P.H.; Parker, F.L.

1965-01-01

The Clinch River Study is a multiagency effort to evaluate the physical, chemical, and biological effects of the release to de Clinch River of low-level radioactive wastes from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The major radionuclides released are ruthenium-106, cesium-137, cobalt-60, and strontium-90. Hydrologic and biologic studies have indicated that the radiation doses in the river are well below maximum acceptable levels. Radionuclide concentrations in river water have been measured at seven sampling stations on the Clinch and Tennessee Rivers. Mass-balance calculations for 44 weeks of sampling indicate that losses of radionuclides from the water phase to the river-bottom sediments represent only a very small part of the total radioactivity released to the river. A study of the Clinch River bottom-sediment cores collected in 1962 has disclosed a recurring pattern of variation in radioactivity with depth which may reflect past events in waste-disposal operations at the laboratory. Current investigations are expected to provide information about the chemical forms in which the major radionuclides exist and the mechanisms by which they were incorporated in the sediments.

Gene expression profiling gut microbiota in different races of humans

PubMed Central

Chen, Lei; Zhang, Yu-Hang; Huang, Tao; Cai, Yu-Dong

2016-01-01

The gut microbiome is shaped and modified by the polymorphisms of microorganisms in the intestinal tract. Its composition shows strong individual specificity and may play a crucial role in the human digestive system and metabolism. Several factors can affect the composition of the gut microbiome, such as eating habits, living environment, and antibiotic usage. Thus, various races are characterized by different gut microbiome characteristics. In this present study, we studied the gut microbiomes of three different races, including individuals of Asian, European and American races. The gut microbiome and the expression levels of gut microbiome genes were analyzed in these individuals. Advanced feature selection methods (minimum redundancy maximum relevance and incremental feature selection) and four machine-learning algorithms (random forest, nearest neighbor algorithm, sequential minimal optimization, Dagging) were employed to capture key differentially expressed genes. As a result, sequential minimal optimization was found to yield the best performance using the 454 genes, which could effectively distinguish the gut microbiomes of different races. Our analyses of extracted genes support the widely accepted hypotheses that eating habits, living environments and metabolic levels in different races can influence the characteristics of the gut microbiome. PMID:26975620

Acceptance threshold theory can explain occurrence of homosexual behaviour.

PubMed

Engel, Katharina C; Männer, Lisa; Ayasse, Manfred; Steiger, Sandra

2015-01-01

Same-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) has been documented in a wide range of animals, but its evolutionary causes are not well understood. Here, we investigated SSB in the light of Reeve's acceptance threshold theory. When recognition is not error-proof, the acceptance threshold used by males to recognize potential mating partners should be flexibly adjusted to maximize the fitness pay-off between the costs of erroneously accepting males and the benefits of accepting females. By manipulating male burying beetles' search time for females and their reproductive potential, we influenced their perceived costs of making an acceptance or rejection error. As predicted, when the costs of rejecting females increased, males exhibited more permissive discrimination decisions and showed high levels of SSB; when the costs of accepting males increased, males were more restrictive and showed low levels of SSB. Our results support the idea that in animal species, in which the recognition cues of females and males overlap to a certain degree, SSB is a consequence of an adaptive discrimination strategy to avoid the costs of making rejection errors. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Altering user' acceptance of automation through prior automation exposure.

PubMed

Bekier, Marek; Molesworth, Brett R C

2017-06-01

Air navigation service providers worldwide see increased use of automation as one solution to overcome the capacity constraints imbedded in the present air traffic management (ATM) system. However, increased use of automation within any system is dependent on user acceptance. The present research sought to determine if the point at which an individual is no longer willing to accept or cooperate with automation can be manipulated. Forty participants underwent training on a computer-based air traffic control programme, followed by two ATM exercises (order counterbalanced), one with and one without the aid of automation. Results revealed after exposure to a task with automation assistance, user acceptance of high(er) levels of automation ('tipping point') decreased; suggesting it is indeed possible to alter automation acceptance. Practitioner Summary: This paper investigates whether the point at which a user of automation rejects automation (i.e. 'tipping point') is constant or can be manipulated. The results revealed after exposure to a task with automation assistance, user acceptance of high(er) levels of automation decreased; suggesting it is possible to alter automation acceptance.

Attitudes toward jaguars and pumas and the acceptability of killing big cats in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: An application of the Potential for Conflict Index2.

PubMed

Engel, Monica T; Vaske, Jerry J; Bath, Alistair J; Marchini, Silvio

2017-09-01

We explored the overall acceptability of killing jaguars and pumas in different scenarios of people-big cat interactions, the influence of attitudes toward big cats on acceptability, and the level of consensus on the responses. Data were obtained from 326 self-administered questionnaires in areas adjacent to Intervales State Park and Alto Ribeira State Park. Overall, people held slightly positive attitudes toward jaguars and pumas and viewed the killing of big cats as unacceptable. However, individuals that held negative attitudes were more accepting of killing. As the severity of people-big cat interactions increased, the level of consensus decreased. Knowing whether killing a big cat is acceptable or unacceptable in specific situations allows managers to anticipate conflict and avoid illegal killing of big cats.

76 FR 78256 - Request for Nominations of Experts for the Review of Approaches To Derive a Maximum Contaminant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-16

... Approaches To Derive a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for Perchlorate AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) for perchlorate. DATES: Nominations should be submitted by January... perchlorate. In 2011, EPA announced its decision (76 FR 7762-7767) to regulate perchlorate under the Safe...

A computational biomechanical analysis to assess the trade-off between chest deflection and spine translation in side impact.

PubMed

Pipkorn, Bengt; Subit, Damien; Donlon, John Paul; Sunnevång, Cecilia

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate how the impact energy is apportioned between chest deflection and translation of the vehicle occupant for various side impact conditions. The Autoliv Total Human Model for Safety (modified THUMS v1.4) was subjected to localized lateral constant velocity impacts to the upper body. First, the impact tests performed on postmortem human subjects (PMHS) were replicated to evaluate THUMS biofidelity. In these tests, a 75-mm-tall flat probe impacted the thorax at 3 m/s at 3 levels (shoulder, upper chest, and mid-chest) and 3 angles (lateral, +15° posterolateral, and -15° anterolateral), for a stroke of 72 mm. Second, a parametric analysis was performed: the Autoliv THUMS response to a 250-mm impact was evaluated for varying impact levels (shoulder to mid-thorax by 50-mm increments), obliquity (0° [pure lateral] to +20° [posterior impacts] and to -20° [anterior impacts], by 5° steps), and impactor pitch (from 0 to 25° by 5° steps). A total of 139 simulations were run. The impactor force, chest deflection, spine displacement, and spine velocity were calculated for each simulation. The Autoliv THUMS biofidelity was found acceptable. Overall, the predictions from the model were in good agreement with the PMHS results. The worst ratings were observed for the anterolateral impacts. For the parametric analysis, maximum chest deflection (MCD) and maximum spine displacement (MSD) were found to consistently follow opposite trends with increasing obliquity. This trend was level dependent, with greater MCD (lower MSD) for the higher impact levels. However, the spine velocity for the 250-mm impactor stroke followed an independent trend that could not be linked to MCD or MSD. This suggests that the spine velocity, which can be used as a proxy for the thorax kinetic energy, needs to be included in the design parameters of countermeasures for side impact protection. The parametric analysis reveals a trade-off between the deformation of the chest (and therefore the risk of rib fracture) and the lateral translation of the spine: reducing the maximum chest deflection comes at the cost of increasing the occupant lateral displacement. The trade-off between MCD and MSD is location dependent, which suggests that an optimum point of loading on the chest for the action of a safety system can be found.

40 CFR 63.490 - Batch front-end process vents-performance test methods and procedures to determine compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... limitation is not dependent upon any past production or activity level. (1) If the expected mix of products... acceptable if the response from the high-level calibration gas is at least 20 times the standard deviation of..., appendix A is acceptable if the response from the high-level calibration gas is at least 20 times the...

Facial Attractiveness and Self-Esteem in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mares, Suzanne H. W.; de Leeuw, Rebecca N. H.; Scholte, Ron H. J.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.

2010-01-01

Facial attractiveness has been associated with many (social) advantages in life, like greater popularity, acceptance, and social competence. Because social evaluations and acceptance are important factors contributing to self-esteem (SE), we hypothesized that high levels of attractiveness would be related to increased levels of SE. To test this…

Hungry for an intervention? Adolescents' ratings of acceptability of eating-related intervention strategies.

PubMed

Stok, F Marijn; de Ridder, Denise T D; de Vet, Emely; Nureeva, Liliya; Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Wardle, Jane; Gaspar, Tania; de Wit, John B F

2016-01-05

Effective interventions promoting healthier eating behavior among adolescents are urgently needed. One factor that has been shown to impact effectiveness is whether the target population accepts the intervention. While previous research has assessed adults' acceptance of eating-related interventions, research on the opinion of adolescents is lacking. The current study addressed this gap in the literature. Two thousand seven hundred sixty four adolescents (aged 10-17 years) from four European countries answered questions about individual characteristics (socio-demographics, anthropometrics, and average daily intake of healthy and unhealthy foods) and the acceptability of ten eating-related intervention strategies. These strategies varied in type (either promoting healthy eating or discouraging unhealthy eating), level of intrusiveness, setting (home, school, broader out-of-home environment), and change agent (parents, teacher, policy makers). Based on adolescents' acceptability ratings, strategies could be clustered into two categories, those promoting healthy eating and those discouraging unhealthy eating, with acceptability rated significantly higher for the former. Acceptability of intervention strategies was rated moderate on average, but higher among girls, younger, overweight and immigrant adolescents, and those reporting healthier eating. Polish and Portuguese adolescents were overall more accepting of strategies than UK and Dutch adolescents. Adolescents preferred intervention strategies that promote healthy eating over strategies that discourage unhealthy eating. Level of intrusiveness affected acceptability ratings for the latter type of strategies only. Various individual and behavioral characteristics were associated with acceptability. These findings provide practical guidance for the selection of acceptable intervention strategies to improve adolescents' eating behavior.

Heavy Metal, Religiosity, and Suicide Acceptability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stack, Steven

1998-01-01

Reports on data taken from the General Social Survey that found a link between "heavy metal" rock fanship and suicide acceptability. Finds that relationship becomes nonsignificant once level of religiosity is controlled. Heavy metal fans are low in religiosity, which contributes to greater suicide acceptability. (Author/JDM)

Divergent Perceptions: Parental Acceptance and Adolescents' Psychosocial Adjustment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eguia, Maria E.

This study examined whether divergent parent-adolescent perceptions regarding parental acceptance predicted adolescent adjustment when the level of parental acceptance (as perceived by the adolescent) was held constant, a methodological and theoretical issue largely ignored by previous research. Subjects were 192 intact, primarily dual-earner…

Adaptation to illness in relation to pain perceived by patients after surgery.

PubMed

Chabowski, Mariusz; Junke, Michał; Juzwiszyn, Jan; Milan, Magdalena; Malinowski, Maciej; Janczak, Dariusz

2017-01-01

Pain is one of the factors that decrease quality of life. Undergoing surgery is inevitably associated with the sensation of pain, which can affect a patient's level of acceptance of an illness. The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of acceptance of illness in patients undergoing surgical treatment with relation to the pain perceived by them during surgical treatment and to determine other factors that affect adaptation to illness among patients subjected to invasive treatment. The study was conducted on a group of 100 patients with mean age of 51.27 (SD=18.98) hospitalized in surgery departments in the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Poland, in April 2016. The Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain were used. The mean score of VAS was 3.86 (SD =2.02). The mean score of AIS was 24.42 (SD =7.35). The level of acceptance of illness was significantly negatively correlated with the intensity of pain ( p <0.001; r =-0.498), the number of coexisting diseases ( p =0.002; r =-0.31), age ( p <0.001; r =-0.391), and the period of time since the operation ( p =0.007; r =-0.266). Patients taking analgesics showed a significantly lower acceptance of illness than those who did not ( p =0.009). A patient's place of living, education, and sex had no significant impact on their acceptance of illness. A higher level of pain translates into a lower adaptation to illness despite the use of analgesics, which may indicate that inadequate pain control leads to a decrease in the acceptance of illness. Further research on monitoring postoperative pain, as well as the development of postoperative prevention programs, is required.

Advantages of binaural amplification to acceptable noise level of directional hearing aid users.

PubMed

Kim, Ja-Hee; Lee, Jae Hee; Lee, Ho-Ki

2014-06-01

The goal of the present study was to examine whether Acceptable Noise Levels (ANLs) would be lower (greater acceptance of noise) in binaural listening than in monaural listening condition and also whether meaningfulness of background speech noise would affect ANLs for directional microphone hearing aid users. In addition, any relationships between the individual binaural benefits on ANLs and the individuals' demographic information were investigated. Fourteen hearing aid users (mean age, 64 years) participated for experimental testing. For the ANL calculation, listeners' most comfortable listening levels and background noise level were measured. Using Korean ANL material, ANLs of all participants were evaluated under monaural and binaural amplification with a counterbalanced order. The ANLs were also compared across five types of competing speech noises, consisting of 1- through 8-talker background speech maskers. Seven young normal-hearing listeners (mean age, 27 years) participated for the same measurements as a pilot testing. The results demonstrated that directional hearing aid users accepted more noise (lower ANLs) with binaural amplification than with monaural amplification, regardless of the type of competing speech. When the background speech noise became more meaningful, hearing-impaired listeners accepted less amount of noise (higher ANLs), revealing that ANL is dependent on the intelligibility of the competing speech. The individuals' binaural advantages in ANLs were significantly greater for the listeners with longer experience of hearing aids, yet not related to their age or hearing thresholds. Binaural directional microphone processing allowed hearing aid users to accept a greater amount of background noise, which may in turn improve listeners' hearing aid success. Informational masking substantially influenced background noise acceptance. Given a significant association between ANLs and duration of hearing aid usage, ANL measurement can be useful for clinical counseling of binaural hearing aid candidates or unsuccessful users.

Factors Related to Medicaid Payment Acceptance at Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

PubMed Central

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M; Chriqui, Jamie F; McBride, Duane C

2011-01-01

Objective To examine factors associated with Medicaid acceptance for substance abuse (SA) services by outpatient SA treatment programs. Data Sources Secondary analysis of 2003–2006 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services data combined with state Medicaid policy and usage measures and other publicly available data. Study Design We used cross-sectional analyses, including state fixed effects, to assess relationships between SA treatment program Medicaid acceptance and (1) program-level factors, (2) county-level sociodemographics and treatment program density, and (3) state-level population characteristics, SA treatment-related factors, and Medicaid policy and usage. Data Extraction Methods State Medicaid policy data were compiled based on reviews of state Medicaid-related statutes/regulations and Medicaid plans. Other data were publicly available. Principal Findings Medicaid acceptance was significantly higher for programs: (a) that were publicly funded and in states with Medicaid policy allowing SA treatment coverage; (b) with accreditation/licensure and nonprofit/government ownership, as well as mental- and general-health focused programs; and (c) in counties with lower household income. Conclusions SA treatment program Medicaid acceptance related to program-, county, and state-level factors. The data suggest the importance of state policy and licensure/accreditation requirements in increasing SA program Medicaid access. PMID:21105870

Maximum entropy, fluctuations and priors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caticha, A.

2001-05-01

The method of maximum entropy (ME) is extended to address the following problem: Once one accepts that the ME distribution is to be preferred over all others, the question is to what extent are distributions with lower entropy supposed to be ruled out. Two applications are given. The first is to the theory of thermodynamic fluctuations. The formulation is exact, covariant under changes of coordinates, and allows fluctuations of both the extensive and the conjugate intensive variables. The second application is to the construction of an objective prior for Bayesian inference. The prior obtained by following the ME method to its inevitable conclusion turns out to be a special case (α=1) of what are currently known under the name of entropic priors. .

"Sisters, Mothers, Daughters and Aunties": HIV vaccine acceptability among African, Caribbean and other Black women in Toronto.

PubMed

Weaver, James; Newman, Peter A; Williams, Charmaine C; Massaquoi, Notisha; Brown, Marsha

2013-08-20

Black women in Canada are at disproportionately high risk for HIV. We assessed HIV vaccine acceptability and correlates of acceptability among Black women from African and Caribbean communities in Toronto. "Sisters, Daughters, Mothers, and Aunties" was a community-based research project. Black women of African and Caribbean descent were recruited using venue-based sampling across diverse community organizations in Toronto. We used a structured questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and acceptability of 8 future HIV vaccines, each defined by a set of 7 dichotomous attributes. Conjoint analysis was used to quantify the relative impact of vaccine attributes on acceptability, with multiple regression to adjust for socio-demographic characteristics associated with overall acceptability. Mean vaccine acceptability was 58.8 (SD=17.2) on the 100-point scale. Efficacy had the greatest impact on acceptability, followed by side effects, cost, duration of protection, and number of doses. Acceptability of a high (99%) efficacy vaccine (70.1/100) was significantly greater than for a 50% efficacy vaccine (47.6/100). Vaccine acceptability was significantly higher among women of Caribbean versus African descent, ever married versus single women, and women with full-time versus part-time employment. Black women in Toronto indicated a modest level of acceptability for future HIV vaccines. Educational interventions that address the benefits of partially efficacious vaccines and clearly explain potential side effects, as well as vaccine cost subsidies may promote HIV vaccine uptake. Differences in acceptability within Black communities suggest that tailored multi-level interventions may mitigate barriers to uptake.

HPV vaccine acceptability in HIV-infected and HIV negative men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ireland.

PubMed

Sadlier, C; Lynam, A; O'Dea, S; Delamere, S; Quinlan, M; Clarke, S; Sheils, O; Bergin, C

2016-06-02

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly HIV-infected MSM are disproportionately affected by HPV infection and associated disease. The HPV vaccine has potential to greatly reduce the burden of HPV-associated disease including anal cancer in MSM. The efficacy of the HPV vaccine is dependent on high levels of vaccine uptake. The aim of this study was to examine HPV vaccine acceptability and factors influencing vaccine acceptability in MSM in Ireland. Methods A self-administered survey was distributed to HIV-infected and HIV negative MSM examining HPV vaccine acceptability and factors associated with vaccine acceptability. Logistic regression was used to identify key variables and predictors of HPV vaccine acceptability. Results 302 MSM participated in the study. Acceptability of HPV vaccine was 31% (unconditional), 51% (conditional on stated efficacy and a cost of €300), 65% (conditional on stated efficacy and a cost of €100) and 78% (conditional on stated efficacy and no cost). Cost was negatively associated with HPV vaccine acceptability (p<0.01) while knowledge of HPV vaccine efficacy was significantly associated with vaccine acceptability, even in the context of associated cost (p<0.01). Conclusions Acceptability of HPV vaccine in MSM in Ireland is high based on no cost vaccine and on stated vaccine efficacy (78%). Cost is negatively associated with vaccine acceptability. Understanding levels of knowledge of HPV infection, HPV associated disease and attitudes toward HPV vaccination are important as they will contribute to HPV vaccine acceptability among MSM and will help guide effective preventive programs.