Distributed acoustic sensing technique and its field trial in SAGD well

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Li; He, Xiangge; Pan, Yong; Liu, Fei; Yi, Duo; Hu, Chengjun; Zhang, Min; Gu, Lijuan

2017-10-01

Steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is a very promising way for the development of heavy oil, extra heavy oil and tight oil reservoirs. Proper monitoring of the SAGD operations is essential to avoid operational issues and improve efficiency. Among all the monitoring techniques, micro-seismic monitoring and related interpretation method can give useful information about the steam chamber development and has been extensively studied. Distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) based on Rayleigh backscattering is a newly developed technique that can measure acoustic signal at all points along the sensing fiber. In this paper, we demonstrate a DAS system based on dual-pulse heterodyne demodulation technique and did field trial in SAGD well located in Xinjiang Oilfield, China. The field trail results validated the performance of the DAS system and indicated its applicability in steam-chamber monitoring and hydraulic monitoring.

Factor structure and convergent validity of the Derriford Appearance Scale-24 using standard scoring versus treating ‘not applicable’ responses as missing data: a Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) cohort study

PubMed Central

Merz, Erin L; Kwakkenbos, Linda; Carrier, Marie-Eve; Gholizadeh, Shadi; Mills, Sarah D; Fox, Rina S; Jewett, Lisa R; Williamson, Heidi; Harcourt, Diana; Assassi, Shervin; Furst, Daniel E; Gottesman, Karen; Mayes, Maureen D; Moss, Tim P; Thombs, Brett D; Malcarne, Vanessa L

2018-01-01

Objective Valid measures of appearance concern are needed in systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rare, disfiguring autoimmune disease. The Derriford Appearance Scale-24 (DAS-24) assesses appearance-related distress related to visible differences. There is uncertainty regarding its factor structure, possibly due to its scoring method. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Participants with SSc were recruited from 27 centres in Canada, the USA and the UK. Participants who self-identified as having visible differences were recruited from community and clinical settings in the UK. Participants Two samples were analysed (n=950 participants with SSc; n=1265 participants with visible differences). Primary and secondary outcome measures The DAS-24 factor structure was evaluated using two scoring methods. Convergent validity was evaluated with measures of social interaction anxiety, depression, fear of negative evaluation, social discomfort and dissatisfaction with appearance. Results When items marked by respondents as ‘not applicable’ were scored as 0, per standard DAS-24 scoring, a one-factor model fit poorly; when treated as missing data, the one-factor model fit well. Convergent validity analyses revealed strong correlations that were similar across scoring methods. Conclusions Treating ‘not applicable’ responses as missing improved the measurement model, but did not substantively influence practical inferences that can be drawn from DAS-24 scores. Indications of item redundancy and poorly performing items suggest that the DAS-24 could be improved and potentially shortened. PMID:29511009

Phase I Project: Fiber Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Periodic Hydraulic Tests

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

Becker, Matthew

The extraction of heat from hot rock requires circulation of fluid through fracture networks. Because the geometry and connectivity of these fractures determines the efficiency of fluid circulation, many tools are used to characterize fractures before and after development of the reservoir. Under this project, a new tool was developed that allows hydraulic connectivity between geothermal boreholes to be identified. Nanostrain in rock fractures is measured using fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). This strain is measured in one borehole in response to periodic pressure pulses induced in another borehole. The strain in the fractures represents hydraulic connectivity between wells.more » DAS is typically used at frequencies of Hz to kHz, but strain at mHz frequencies were measured for this project. The tool was demonstrated in the laboratory and in the field. In the laboratory, strain in fiber optic cables was measured in response to compression due to oscillating fluid pressure. DAS recorded strains as small as 10 picometer/m in response to 1 cm of water level change. At a fractured crystalline rock field site, strain was measured in boreholes. Fiber-optic cable was mechanically coupled borehole walls using pressured flexible liners. In one borehole 30 m from the oscillating pumping source, pressure and strain were measured simultaneously. The DAS system measured fracture displacement at frequencies of less than 1 mHz (18 min periods) and amplitudes of less than 1 nm, in response to fluid pressure changes of less 20 Pa (2 mm of water). The attenuation and phase shift of the monitored strain signal is indicative of the permeability and storage (compliance) of the fracture network that connects the two wells. The strain response as a function of oscillation frequency is characteristic of the hydraulic structure of the formation. This is the first application of DAS to the measurement of low frequency strain in boreholes. It has enormous potential for monitoring geothermal reservoirs for purposes of understanding reservoir compliance and for assuring security of injection fluids. Periodic pressure pulses can be induced by oscillating injection or pumping during operation so the system could provide real time reservoir data. DAS cable may already be installed at a site as it is becoming increasingly used for seismic observation. Simulations conducted for this project indicate that strain should be propagated through borehole cements, so observations can be made outside of well casing. In uncased holes, the cable would need to be mechanically coupled to the borehole wall to provide measurements. One option would be to install fiber into cemented and abandoned boreholes to extend their utility.« less

Measuring the Value of Earth Observation Information with the Gravity Research and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernknopf, R.; Kuwayama, Y.; Brookshire, D.; Macauley, M.; Zaitchik, B.; Pesko, S.; Vail, P.

2014-12-01

Determining how much to invest in earth observation technology depends in part on the value of information (VOI) that can be derived from the observations. We design a framework and then evaluate the value-in-use of the NASA Gravity Research and Climate Experiment (GRACE) for regional water use and reliability in the presence of drought. As a technology that allows measurement of water storage, the GRACE Data Assimilation System (DAS) provides information that is qualitatively different from that generated by other water data sources. It provides a global, reproducible grid of changes in surface and subsurface water resources on a frequent and regular basis. Major damages from recent events such as the 2012 Midwest drought and the ongoing drought in California motivate the need to understand the VOI from remotely sensed data such as that derived from GRACE DAS. Our conceptual framework models a dynamic risk management problem in agriculture. We base the framework on information from stakeholders and subject experts. The economic case for GRACE DAS involves providing better water availability information. In the model, individuals have a "willingness to pay" (wtp) for GRACE DAS - essentially, wtp is an expression of savings in reduced agricultural input costs and for costs that are influenced by regional policy decisions. Our hypothesis is that improvements in decision making can be achieved with GRACE DAS measurements of water storage relative to data collected from groundwater monitoring wells and soil moisture monitors that would be relied on in the absence of GRACE DAS. The VOI is estimated as a comparison of outcomes. The California wine grape industry has features that allow it to be a good case study and a basis for extrapolation to other economic sectors. We model water use in this sector as a sequential decision highlighting the attributes of GRACE DAS input as information for within-season production decisions as well as for longer-term water reliability.

Mixing in the Extratropical Stratosphere: Model-measurements Comparisons using MLM Diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, Jun; Waugh, Darryn W.; Douglass, Anne R.; Kawa, Stephan R.; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We evaluate transport processes in the extratropical lower stratosphere for both models and measurements with the help of equivalent length diagnostic from the modified Lagrangian-mean (MLM) analysis. This diagnostic is used to compare measurements of long-lived tracers made by the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) with simulated tracers. Simulations are produced in Chemical and Transport Models (CTMs), in which meteorological fields are taken from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS), the Middle Atmosphere Community Climate Model (MACCM2), and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) "SKYHI" model, respectively. Time series of isentropic equivalent length show that these models are able to capture major mixing and transport properties observed by CLAES, such as the formation and destruction of polar barriers, the presence of surf zones in both hemispheres. Differences between each model simulation and the observation are examined in light of model performance. Among these differences, only the simulation driven by GEOS DAS shows one case of the "top-down" destruction of the Antarctic polar vortex, as observed in the CLAES data. Additional experiments of isentropic advection of artificial tracer by GEOS DAS winds suggest that diabatic movement might have considerable contribution to the equivalent length field in the 3D CTM diagnostics.

easyDAS: Automatic creation of DAS servers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) has proven to be a successful way to publish and share biological data. Although there are more than 750 active registered servers from around 50 organizations, setting up a DAS server comprises a fair amount of work, making it difficult for many research groups to share their biological annotations. Given the clear advantage that the generalized sharing of relevant biological data is for the research community it would be desirable to facilitate the sharing process. Results Here we present easyDAS, a web-based system enabling anyone to publish biological annotations with just some clicks. The system, available at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/panda-srv/easydas is capable of reading different standard data file formats, process the data and create a new publicly available DAS source in a completely automated way. The created sources are hosted on the EBI systems and can take advantage of its high storage capacity and network connection, freeing the data provider from any network management work. easyDAS is an open source project under the GNU LGPL license. Conclusions easyDAS is an automated DAS source creation system which can help many researchers in sharing their biological data, potentially increasing the amount of relevant biological data available to the scientific community. PMID:21244646

User Manual for the AZ-101 Data Acquisition System (AS-101 DAS)

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

BRAYTON, D.D.

2000-02-17

User manual for the TK AZ-101 Waste Retrieval System Data Acquisition System. The purpose of this document is to describe use of the AZ-101 Data Acquisition System (AZ-101 DAS). The AZ-101 DAS is provided to fulfill the requirements for data collection and monitoring as defined in Letters of Instruction (LOI) from Numatec Hanford Corporation (NHC) to Fluor Federal Services (FFS). For a complete description of the system, including design, please refer to the AZ-101 DAS System Description document, RPP-5572.

System Description for Tank 241-AZ-101 Waste Retrieval Data Acquisition System

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

ROMERO, S.G.

2000-02-14

The proposed activity provides the description of the Data Acquisition System for Tank 241-AZ-101. This description is documented in HNF-5572, Tank 241-AZ-101 Waste Retrieval Data Acquisition System (DAS). This activity supports the planned mixer pump tests for Tank 241-AZ-101. Tank 241-AZ-101 has been selected for the first full-scale demonstration of a mixer pump system. The tank currently holds over 960,000 gallons of neutralized current acid waste, including approximately 12.7 inches of settling solids (sludge) at the bottom of the tank. As described in Addendum 4 of the FSAR (LMHC 2000a), two 300 HP mixer pumps with associated measurement and monitoringmore » equipment have been installed in Tank 241-AZ-101. The purpose of the Tank 241-AZ-101 retrieval system Data Acquisition System (DAS) is to provide monitoring and data acquisition of key parameters in order to confirm the effectiveness of the mixer pumps utilized for suspending solids in the tank. The suspension of solids in Tank 241-AZ-101 is necessary for pretreatment of the neutralized current acid waste and eventual disposal as glass via the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant. HNF-5572 provides a basic description of the Tank 241-AZ-101 retrieval system DAS, including the field instrumentation and application software. The DAS is provided to fulfill requirements for data collection and monitoring. This document is not an operations procedure or is it intended to describe the mixing operation. This USQ screening provides evaluation of HNF-5572 (Revision 1) including the changes as documented on ECN 654001. The changes include (1) add information on historical trending and data backup, (2) modify DAS I/O list in Appendix E to reflect actual conditions in the field, and (3) delete IP address in Appendix F per Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. request.« less

The measurement of cognitive reactivity to sad mood in patients remitted from major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Figueroa, Caroline A; Mocking, Roel J T; Mahmoud, Gelera A; Koeter, Maarten W; Bockting, Claudi L; van der Does, Willem; Ruhe, Henricus G; Schene, Aart H

2018-02-27

Cognitive reactivity (CR) to sad mood is a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD). CR is usually measured by assessing change on the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS-change) after sad mood-induction. It has, however, been suggested that the versions of the DAS (A/B) are not interchangeable, impacting the reliability and validity of the change score. The Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised (LEIDS-R) is an alternative self-report measure of CR. Studies examining the relationship between LEIDS-R and DAS-change have shown mixed results. We examined whether scores of these CR measures differed between remitted MDD and controls, the relationship between these CR measures, and the effect of order of DAS administration on DAS-change. Cross-sectional design with two groups (remitted MDD and controls). Sixty-eight MDD patients remitted from ≥2 previous episodes, not taking antidepressants, and 43 never-depressed controls participated in a mood-induction and filled in the DAS-A/B in randomized order before and after mood-induction, and LEIDS-R separately. LEIDS-R scores and pre-mood-induction DAS scores were significantly higher in remitted MDD than controls (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.48; p = .001, Cohen's d = 0.66, respectively). DAS-change did not differ between these groups (p = .67, Cohen's d = 0.08). LEIDS-R correlated with DAS-change (r = .30, p = .042), but only in the group that filled in DAS-B before DAS-A. In remitted MDD, DAS-change was dependent on the order of DAS versions before and after mood-induction (10.6 ± 19.0 vs. -1.2 ± 10.5, for order B-A and A-B, respectively), with a significant group × order interaction (p = .012). Existing DAS versions are not interchangeable, which compromises the usefulness of mood-inductions in clinical practice. The LEIDS-R seems a valid measure of cognitive vulnerability to depression. Clinical implications: Cognitive reactivity (CR) is a risk factor of depressive recurrence. The current measurement of CR, by assessing change on the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS) after mood-induction, is not reliable. The Leiden Index Depression Sensitivity-Revised (LEIDS-R) is an alternative CR measure. In contrast to mood-induction, it reliably assesses depression vulnerability. The use of mood-inductions for clinical/research purposes is unnecessary. We were not able to examine the effect of previous treatment, which could have affected results as psychological treatments probably have differential effects on CR. Examining un-medicated patients may have led to selection of a sample not completely representative for the general MDD population. We did not administer both parallel versions of the DAS (A/B) before and after mood-induction. This might have provided better understanding of their differential sensitivity to change. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Design and implementation of new control room system in Damavand tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasouli, H.; Zamanian, H.; Gheidi, M.; Kheiri-Fard, M.; Kouhi, A.

2017-07-01

The aim of this paper is design and implementation of an up-to-date control room. The previous control room had a lot of constraints and it was not apposite to the sophisticated diagnostic systems as well as to the modern control and multivariable systems. Although it provided the best output for the considered experiments and implementing offline algorithms among all similar plants, it needed to be developed to provide more capability for complex algorithm mechanisms and this work introduces our efforts in this area. Accordingly, four leading systems were designed and implemented, including real-time control system, online Data Acquisition System (DAS), offline DAS, monitoring and data transmission system. In the control system, three real-time control modules were established based on Digital Signal Processor (DSP). Thanks to them, implementation of the classic and linear and nonlinear intelligent controllers was possible to control the plasma position and its elongation. Also, online DAS was constructed in two modules. Using them, voltages and currents of charge for the capacitor banks and pressure of different parts in vacuum vessel were measured and monitored. Likewise, by real-time processing of the online data, the safety protocol of plant performance was accomplished. In addition, the offline DAS was organized in 13 modules based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This system can be used for gathering all diagnostic, control, and performance data in 156 channels. Data transmission system and storing mechanism in the server was provided by data transmitting network and MDSplus standard protocol. Moreover, monitoring software was designed so that it could display the required plots for physical analyses. Taking everything into account, this new platform can improve the quality and quantity of research activities in plasma physics for Damavand tokamak.

The distributed annotation system.

PubMed

Dowell, R D; Jokerst, R M; Day, A; Eddy, S R; Stein, L

2001-01-01

Currently, most genome annotation is curated by centralized groups with limited resources. Efforts to share annotations transparently among multiple groups have not yet been satisfactory. Here we introduce a concept called the Distributed Annotation System (DAS). DAS allows sequence annotations to be decentralized among multiple third-party annotators and integrated on an as-needed basis by client-side software. The communication between client and servers in DAS is defined by the DAS XML specification. Annotations are displayed in layers, one per server. Any client or server adhering to the DAS XML specification can participate in the system; we describe a simple prototype client and server example. The DAS specification is being used experimentally by Ensembl, WormBase, and the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project. Continued success will depend on the readiness of the research community to adopt DAS and provide annotations. All components are freely available from the project website http://www.biodas.org/.

Waste retrieval sluicing system data acquisition system acceptance test report

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

Bevins, R.R.

1998-07-31

This document describes the test procedure for the Project W-320 Tank C-106 Sluicing Data Acquisition System (W-320 DAS). The Software Test portion will test items identified in the WRSS DAS System Description (SD), HNF-2115. Traceability to HNF-2115 will be via a reference that follows in parenthesis, after the test section title. The Field Test portion will test sensor operability, analog to digital conversion, and alarm setpoints for field instrumentation. The W-320 DAS supplies data to assist thermal modeling of tanks 241-C-106 and 241-AY-102. It is designed to be a central repository for information from sources that would otherwise have tomore » be read, recorded, and integrated manually. Thus, completion of the DAS requires communication with several different data collection devices and output to a usable PC data formats. This test procedure will demonstrate that the DAS functions as required by the project requirements stated in Section 3 of the W-320 DAS System Description, HNF-2115.« less

Assessment of activity limitations with the health assessment questionnaire predicts the need for support measures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter observational study.

PubMed

Janssens, Xavier; Decuman, Saskia; De Keyser, Filip

2014-01-01

This study investigated whether the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) can be used as an instrument to assess the need for social support measures that address activity limitations and participation issues in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This multicenter observational study included patients with RA and disease duration of at least one year, consulting their rheumatologist for routine evaluation of disease activity. In the single study visit data on demographics, disease history and current treatment were collected. DAS28 values were collected to evaluate current RA disease activity. Patients were asked to fill out the HAQ and SF-36 questionnaires. Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the performance of the HAQ, SF-36 and DAS28 in predicting the need for nine supporting measures available for chronically ill patients in the Belgian social security system. The expert opinion of the treating rheumatologist was used as a reference. The study included 316 patients with a mean age of 59.8 ± 12.6 years, disease duration of 11.4 ± 9.3 years, mean DAS28 values of 2.83 ± 1.17. Mean HAQ score was 0.95 ± 0.73, mean SF-36 score 56.5 ± 21.3. HAQ scores >1 were observed in 39.4% of patients. The area under the HAQ ROC curve was consistently >0.7 and higher for the HAQ than for SF-36 or DAS28 for all support measures. Rheumatologists on average recommended 3.67 support measures. The HAQ score was found to be a good predictor of the need for social support measures in patients with RA.

High Definition Seismic and Microseismic Data Acquisition Using Distributed and Engineered Fiber Optic Acoustic Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, T.; Farhadiroushan, M.; Clarke, A.; Miller, D.; Gillies, A.; Shatalin, S.; Naldrett, G.; Milne, C.

2016-12-01

The benefits of Distributed Acoustic Sensors (DAS) have been demonstrated in number of seismic applications. Over the past few years Silixa have successfully used DAS to record microseismic events during hydraulic fracturing and re-fracking operations. Detection has been successful in a number of configurations, where the fibre has been in a horizontal treatment well, horizontal well adjacent to the treatment, or vertical observation well. We will discuss the sensitivity of the measurement, range of measurement, ability to localise the events and characteristics of the microseismic event. In addition to discussing the theory we will present case studies showing the detection and localisation and how these compare to conventional microseismic detection techniques.We also discuss the benefit of the low frequency response of DAS for measuring the strain field induced along the sensing fibre cable during the treatment and while monitoring the adjacent wells. In addition a step change in performance can be offered by the new engineered Carina fibre optic sensing system developed by Silixa. The Carina sensing system is being tested and it has been demonstrated that an improvement in signal-to-noise performance by a factor of hundred (100x) can be achieved. The initial results demonstrate the potential for acquiring high definition seismic data in the most challenging environments beyond the capabilities of current geophones.

High Definition Seismic and Microseismic Data Acquisition Using Distributed and Engineered Fiber Optic Acoustic Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, T.; Farhadiroushan, M.; Clarke, A.; Miller, D.; Gillies, A.; Shatalin, S.; Naldrett, G.; Milne, C.

2017-12-01

The benefits of Distributed Acoustic Sensors (DAS) have been demonstrated in number of seismic applications. Over the past few years Silixa have successfully used DAS to record microseismic events during hydraulic fracturing and re-fracking operations. Detection has been successful in a number of configurations, where the fibre has been in a horizontal treatment well, horizontal well adjacent to the treatment, or vertical observation well. We will discuss the sensitivity of the measurement, range of measurement, ability to localise the events and characteristics of the microseismic event. In addition to discussing the theory we will present case studies showing the detection and localisation and how these compare to conventional microseismic detection techniques.We also discuss the benefit of the low frequency response of DAS for measuring the strain field induced along the sensing fibre cable during the treatment and while monitoring the adjacent wells. In addition a step change in performance can be offered by the new engineered Carina fibre optic sensing system developed by Silixa. The Carina sensing system is being tested and it has been demonstrated that an improvement in signal-to-noise performance by a factor of hundred (100x) can be achieved. The initial results demonstrate the potential for acquiring high definition seismic data in the most challenging environments beyond the capabilities of current geophones.

Proceedings of the ISTVS (International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems) Workshop on Measurement and Evaluation of Tire Performance under Winter Conditions, Alta, Utah, 11-14 April 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

Transducers capable of measuring electro-hydraulic control system which fore-aft and vertical load on a driven controls the brake system to deactivate tire...power. * axle allows design of all load-carrying - System logic power. ENGINE I EXTERNAL COMPARTMENT COMPONENTS CAB Brake Levelin system I trans... brake con- The TWS DAS was designed to 1) pro- trol system . vide onboard data sampling and filtering, A simplified truck operational flow chart 2) make

A New High Channel-Count, High Scan-Rate, Data Acquisition System for the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivanco, Thomas G.; Sekula, Martin K.; Piatak, David J.; Simmons, Scott A.; Babel, Walter C.; Collins, Jesse G.; Ramey, James M.; Heald, Dean M.

2016-01-01

A data acquisition system upgrade project, known as AB-DAS, is underway at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. AB-DAS will soon serve as the primary data system and will substantially increase the scan-rate capabilities and analog channel count while maintaining other unique aeroelastic and dynamic test capabilities required of the facility. AB-DAS is configurable, adaptable, and enables buffet and aeroacoustic tests by synchronously scanning all analog channels and recording the high scan-rate time history values for each data quantity. AB-DAS is currently available for use as a stand-alone data system with limited capabilities while development continues. This paper describes AB-DAS, the design methodology, and the current features and capabilities. It also outlines the future work and projected capabilities following completion of the data system upgrade project.

Comparison of composite measures of disease activity in an early seropositive rheumatoid arthritis cohort

PubMed Central

Ranganath, Veena K; Yoon, Jeonglim; Khanna, Dinesh; Park, Grace S; Furst, Daniel E; Elashoff, David A; Jawaheer, Damini; Sharp, John T; Gold, Richard H; Keystone, Edward C; Paulus, Harold E

2007-01-01

Objective To evaluate concordance and agreement of the original DAS44/ESR‐4 item composite disease activity status measure with nine simpler derivatives when classifying patient responses by European League of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) criteria, using an early rheumatoid factor positive (RF+) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient cohort. Methods Disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drug‐naïve RF+ patients (n = 223; mean duration of symptoms, 6 months) were categorised as ACR none/20/50/70 responders. One‐way analysis of variance and two‐sample t tests were used to investigate the relationship between the ACR response groups and each composite measure. EULAR reached/change cut‐point scores were calculated for each composite measure. EULAR (good/moderate/none) responses for each composite measure and the degree of agreement with the DAS44/ESR‐4 item were calculated for 203 patients. Results Patients were mostly female (78%) with moderate to high disease activity. A centile‐based nomogram compared equivalent composite measure scores. Changes from baseline in the composite measures in patients with ACRnone were significantly less than those of ACR20/50/70 responders, and those for ACR50 were significantly different from those for ACR70. EULAR reached/change cut‐point scores for our cohort were similar to published cut‐points. When compared with the DAS44/ESR‐4 item, EULAR (good/moderate/none) percentage agreements were 92 with the DAS44/ESR‐3 item, 74 with the Clinical Disease Activity Index, and 80 with the DAS28/ESR‐4 item, the DAS28/CRP‐4 item and the Simplified Disease Activity Index. Conclusion The relationships of nine different RA composite measures against the DAS44/ESR‐4 item when applied to a cohort of seropositive patients with early RA are described. Each of these simplified status and response measures could be useful in assessing patients with RA, but the specific measure selected should be pre‐specified and described for each study. PMID:17472996

DAS: A Data Management System for Instrument Tests and Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frailis, M.; Sartor, S.; Zacchei, A.; Lodi, M.; Cirami, R.; Pasian, F.; Trifoglio, M.; Bulgarelli, A.; Gianotti, F.; Franceschi, E.; Nicastro, L.; Conforti, V.; Zoli, A.; Smart, R.; Morbidelli, R.; Dadina, M.

2014-05-01

The Data Access System (DAS) is a and data management software system, providing a reusable solution for the storage of data acquired both from telescopes and auxiliary data sources during the instrument development phases and operations. It is part of the Customizable Instrument WorkStation system (CIWS-FW), a framework for the storage, processing and quick-look at the data acquired from scientific instruments. The DAS provides a data access layer mainly targeted to software applications: quick-look displays, pre-processing pipelines and scientific workflows. It is logically organized in three main components: an intuitive and compact Data Definition Language (DAS DDL) in XML format, aimed for user-defined data types; an Application Programming Interface (DAS API), automatically adding classes and methods supporting the DDL data types, and providing an object-oriented query language; a data management component, which maps the metadata of the DDL data types in a relational Data Base Management System (DBMS), and stores the data in a shared (network) file system. With the DAS DDL, developers define the data model for a particular project, specifying for each data type the metadata attributes, the data format and layout (if applicable), and named references to related or aggregated data types. Together with the DDL user-defined data types, the DAS API acts as the only interface to store, query and retrieve the metadata and data in the DAS system, providing both an abstract interface and a data model specific one in C, C++ and Python. The mapping of metadata in the back-end database is automatic and supports several relational DBMSs, including MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL.

Single-Event Transgene Product Levels Predict Levels in Genetically Modified Breeding Stacks.

PubMed

Gampala, Satyalinga Srinivas; Fast, Brandon J; Richey, Kimberly A; Gao, Zhifang; Hill, Ryan; Wulfkuhle, Bryant; Shan, Guomin; Bradfisch, Greg A; Herman, Rod A

2017-09-13

The concentration of transgene products (proteins and double-stranded RNA) in genetically modified (GM) crop tissues is measured to support food, feed, and environmental risk assessments. Measurement of transgene product concentrations in breeding stacks of previously assessed and approved GM events is required by many regulatory authorities to evaluate unexpected transgene interactions that might affect expression. Research was conducted to determine how well concentrations of transgene products in single GM events predict levels in breeding stacks composed of these events. The concentrations of transgene products were compared between GM maize, soybean, and cotton breeding stacks (MON-87427 × MON-89034 × DAS-Ø15Ø7-1 × MON-87411 × DAS-59122-7 × DAS-40278-9 corn, DAS-81419-2 × DAS-44406-6 soybean, and DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 × MON-88913-8 × DAS-81910-7 cotton) and their component single events (MON-87427, MON-89034, DAS-Ø15Ø7-1, MON-87411, DAS-59122-7, and DAS-40278-9 corn, DAS-81419-2, and DAS-44406-6 soybean, and DAS-21023-5, DAS-24236-5, SYN-IR102-7, MON-88913-8, and DAS-81910-7 cotton). Comparisons were made within a crop and transgene product across plant tissue types and were also made across transgene products in each breeding stack for grain/seed. Scatter plots were generated comparing expression in the stacks to their component events, and the percent of variability accounted for by the line of identity (y = x) was calculated (coefficient of identity, I 2 ). Results support transgene concentrations in single events predicting similar concentrations in breeding stacks containing the single events. Therefore, food, feed, and environmental risk assessments based on concentrations of transgene products in single GM events are generally applicable to breeding stacks composed of these events.

M-DAS: System for multispectral data analysis. [in Saginaw Bay, Michigan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. H.

1975-01-01

M-DAS is a ground data processing system designed for analysis of multispectral data. M-DAS operates on multispectral data from LANDSAT, S-192, M2S and other sources in CCT form. Interactive training by operator-investigators using a variable cursor on a color display was used to derive optimum processing coefficients and data on cluster separability. An advanced multivariate normal-maximum likelihood processing algorithm was used to produce output in various formats: color-coded film images, geometrically corrected map overlays, moving displays of scene sections, coverage tabulations and categorized CCTs. The analysis procedure for M-DAS involves three phases: (1) screening and training, (2) analysis of training data to compute performance predictions and processing coefficients, and (3) processing of multichannel input data into categorized results. Typical M-DAS applications involve iteration between each of these phases. A series of photographs of the M-DAS display are used to illustrate M-DAS operation.

Developing defensive aids suite technology on a virtual battlefield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapanotti, John L.; DeMontigny-Leboeuf, Annie; Palmarini, Marc; Cantin, Andre

2002-07-01

Modern anti-tank missiles and the requirement of rapid deployment are limiting the use of passive armour in protecting land vehicles. Vehicle survivability is becoming more dependent on sensors, computers and countermeasures to detect and avoid threats. The integration of various technologies into a Defensive Aids Suite (DAS) can be designed and analyzed by combining field trials and laboratory data with modeling and simulation. MATLAB is used as a quick prototyping tool to model DAS systems and facilitate transfer to other researchers. The DAS model can be transferred from MATLAB or programmed directly in ModSAF (Modular Semi-Automated Forces), which is used to construct the virtual battlefield. Through scripted input files, a fixed battle approach ensures implementation and analysis meeting the requirements of three different interests. These three communities include the scientists and engineers, military and operations research. This approach ensures the modelling of processes known to be important regardless of the level of information available about the system. A system can be modelled phenomenologically until more information is available. Further processing of the simulation can be used to optimize the vehicle for a specific mission. ModSAF will be used to analyze and plan trials and develop DAS technology for future vehicles. Survivability of a DAS-equipped vehicle can be assessed relative to a basic vehicle without a DAS. In later stages, more complete DAS systems will be analyzed to determine the optimum configuration of the DAS components and the effectiveness of a DAS-equipped vehicle for specific missions. These concepts and approach will be discussed in the paper.

Data Acquisition System(DAS) Sustaining Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

This paper presents general information describing the Data Acquisition System contract, a summary of objectives, tasks performed and completed. The hardware deliverables which are comprised of: 1) Two ground DAS units; 2) Two flight DAS units; 3) Logistic spares; and 4) Shipping containers are described. Also included are the data requirements and scope of the contract.

Test Operations Procedure (TOP) 02-1-100 Anthropomorphic Test Device Operation and Setup

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-09

using the Data Acquisition for Anthropomorphic Test Devices (D4D) in vehicle vulnerability testing. The D4D is an onboard data acquisition system ( DAS ...for Anthropomorphic Test Devices (D4D)** in vehicle vulnerability testing. The D4D is an onboard data acquisition system ( DAS ) that is intended for...use with the Hybrid II/III ATD’s. The D4D was developed to augment the existing DAS system, the legacy Versatile Information Systems Integrated On

Measuring Primary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Teaching Science: Development of the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra; Walma van der Molen, Juliette

2013-03-01

In this article, we present a valid and reliable instrument which measures the attitude of in-service and pre-service primary teachers toward teaching science, called the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument. Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers toward teaching science is of fundamental importance to the professionalization of these teachers in the field of primary science education. With the development of this instrument, we sought to fulfill the need for a statistically and theoretically valid and reliable instrument to measure pre-service and in-service teachers' attitudes. The DAS Instrument is based on a comprehensive theoretical framework for attitude toward (teaching) science. After pilot testing, the DAS was revised and subsequently validated using a large group of respondents (pre-service and in-service primary teachers) (N = 556). The theoretical underpinning of the DAS combined with the statistical data indicate that the DAS possesses good construct validity and that it proves to be a promising instrument that can be utilized for research purposes, and also as a teacher training and coaching tool. This instrument can therefore make a valuable contribution to progress within the field of science education.

Web-based data acquisition and management system for GOSAT validation Lidar data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Hiroshi; Takubo, Shoichiro; Kawasaki, Takeru; Abdullah, Indra N.; Uchino, Osamu; Morino, Isamu; Yokota, Tatsuya; Nagai, Tomohiro; Sakai, Tetsu; Maki, Takashi; Arai, Kohei

2012-11-01

An web-base data acquisition and management system for GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observation SATellite) validation lidar data analysis is developed. The system consists of data acquisition sub-system (DAS) and data management sub-system (DMS). DAS written in Perl language acquires AMeDAS ground-level meteorological data, Rawinsonde upper-air meteorological data, ground-level oxidant data, skyradiometer data, skyview camera images, meteorological satellite IR image data and GOSAT validation lidar data. DMS written in PHP language demonstrates satellite-pass date and all acquired data.

Stress-oriented driver assistance system for electric vehicles.

PubMed

Athanasiou, Georgia; Tsotoulidis, Savvas; Mitronikas, Epaminondas; Lymberopoulos, Dimitrios

2014-01-01

Stress is physiological and physical reaction that appears in highly demanding situations and affects human's perception and reaction capability. Occurrence of stress events within highly dynamic road environment could lead to life-threatening situation. With the perspective of safety and comfort driving provision to anxious drivers, in this paper a stress-oriented Driver Assistance System (DAS) is proposed. The DAS deployed on Electric Vehicle. This novel DAS customizes driving command signal in respect to road context, when stress is detected. The effectiveness of this novel DAS is verified by simulation in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment.

Two-Year Operational Evaluation Of A Consumer Electronics-Based Data Acquisition System For Equipment Monitoring

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

Van Hoy, Blake W.; Phillips, Larry D.; Wetherington Jr, G Randall

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has performed a two-year evaluation of the performance of an in-house developed consumer electronics-based data acquisition system (DAS). The main advantage of this approach compared to conventional instrumentation grade systems is cost; instrument grade data acquisition systems average costs range from $800 to $2,000 per channel compared to a range of $200 - $400 per channel for a consumer electronics-based system. The DAS is operated as a full-time in-situ vibration monitor. The resulting data stream is streamed over the ORNL network, at an aggregate rate of approximately 2 megabytes/s, to a Linux server. The servermore » includes the capability to implement event-triggered data stores, as well as real-time files for the implementation of continuous display monitoring of the spectra. Detailed spectral analysis is performed post event. The DAS is installed on a large industrial chiller and cooling water pump associated with ORNL’s Titan supercomputer. These mechanical systems include rotating components that operate at fundamental frequencies within the range of 30 Hz to over 3 KHz. Evaluation of the DAS data over a two-year operating period leads to the conclusion that for many industrial processes this system could form the basis for a cost effective means of obtaining operating health data in real time from rotating machinery. The deployment has also shown that the DAS technology is reliable. Furthermore, because the cost of the DAS is low, the other significant advantage of this approach is that the DAS can be deployed in a dedicated manner and operated on a full-time basis.« less

Power of national economy, disease control and employment status in patients with RA-an analytical multi-site ecological study.

PubMed

Pieringer, Herwig; Puchner, Rudolf; Pohanka, Erich; Danninger, Kathrin

2016-02-01

In rheumatology, sufficient disease control is a central part of the treatment concept. However, modern treatment strategies are associated with a substantial economic burden for health care systems. Ecological studies offer the unique opportunity to analyse differences between groups as well as group level effects. In the present analytical multi-site ecological study, we investigated whether more powerful national economies as measured by the gross domestic product per capita (GDPpc) are associated with better disease control in RA patients as measured by the disease activity score 28 (DAS28). We used aggregated data on RA patients from the recently published COMORA study as well as the World Health Organization database. There was a strong negative correlation between DAS28 and GDPpc (r = -0.815; p = 0.0002). Adjustment for sex, smoking status, disease duration or current employment status did not significantly change this association. There was a strong, negative correlation between DAS28 and age (r = -0.870; p < 0.001) and a strong, positive correlation between GDPpc and age (r = 0.737; p = 0.002). Adjustment for age reduced the regression coefficient (DAS28/GDPpc) to -0.000018 (p = 0.054). There was a negative correlation between DAS28 and current employment status (r = -0.642; p = 0.008) and a positive correlation between GDPpc and employment status (r = 0.722; p = 0.002). In conclusion, there is evidence of an association between disease control and GDPpc. This association is alleviated after adjustment for age. Of note, in countries with higher GDPpc, a higher proportion of RA patients are currently employed. This is true despite the fact that RA patients in countries with higher GDPpc are also older.

Development and operation of a real-time data acquisition system for the NASA-LaRC differential absorption lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, C.

1985-01-01

Computer hardware and software of the NASA multipurpose differential absorption lidar (DIAL) sysatem were improved. The NASA DIAL system is undergoing development and experimental deployment for remote measurement of atmospheric trace gas concentration from ground and aircraft platforms. A viable DIAL system was developed with the capability of remotely measuring O3 and H2O concentrations from an aircraft platform. Test flights were successfully performed on board the NASA/Goddard Flight Center Electra aircraft from 1980 to 1984. Improvements on the DIAL data acquisition system (DAS) are described.

Patient and clinician reported outcomes for patients with new presentation of inflammatory arthritis: observations from the National Clinical Audit for Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis

PubMed Central

Ledingham, JM; Snowden, N; Rivett, A; Galloway, J; Firth, J; Ide, Z; MacPhie, E; Kandala, N; Dennison, EM; Rowe, I

2017-01-01

Objectives Our aim was to conduct a national audit assessing the impact and experience of early management of inflammatory arthritis by English and Welsh rheumatology units. The audit enables rheumatology services to measure for the first time their performance, patient outcomes and experience, benchmarked to regional and national comparators. Methods All individuals >16 years of age presenting to English and Welsh rheumatology services with suspected new-onset inflammatory arthritis were included in the audit. Clinician- and patient-derived outcome and patient-reported experience measures were collected. Results Data are presented for the 6354 patients recruited from 1 February 2014 to 31 January 2015. Ninety-seven per cent of English and Welsh trusts participated. At the first specialist assessment, the 28-joint DAS (DAS28) was calculated for 2659 (91%) RA patients [mean DAS28 was 5.0 and mean Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease (RAID) score was 5.6]. After 3 months of specialist care, the mean DAS28 was 3.5 and slightly >60% achieved a meaningful DAS28 reduction. The average RAID score and reduction in RAID score were 3.6 and 2.4, respectively. Of the working patients ages 16–65 years providing data, 7, 5, 16 and 37% reported that they were unable to work, needed frequent time off work, occasionally and rarely needed time off work due to their arthritis, respectively; only 42% reported being asked about their work. Seventy-eight per cent of RA patients providing data agreed with the statement ‘Overall in the last 3 months I have had a good experience of care for my arthritis’; <2% disagreed. Conclusion This audit demonstrates that most RA patients have severe disease at the time of presentation to rheumatology services and that a significant number continue to have high disease activity after 3 months of specialist care. There is a clear need for the National Health Service to develop better systems for capturing, coding and integrating information from outpatient clinics, including measures of patient experience and outcome and measures of ability to work. PMID:27694336

A Low Cost Concept for Data Acquisition Systems Applied to Decentralized Renewable Energy Plants

PubMed Central

Jucá, Sandro C. S.; Carvalho, Paulo C. M.; Brito, Fábio T.

2011-01-01

The present paper describes experiences of the use of monitoring and data acquisition systems (DAS) and proposes a new concept of a low cost DAS applied to decentralized renewable energy (RE) plants with an USB interface. The use of such systems contributes to disseminate these plants, recognizing in real time local energy resources, monitoring energy conversion efficiency and sending information concerning failures. These aspects are important, mainly for developing countries, where decentralized power plants based on renewable sources are in some cases the best option for supplying electricity to rural areas. Nevertheless, the cost of commercial DAS is still a barrier for a greater dissemination of such systems in developing countries. The proposed USB based DAS presents a new dual clock operation philosophy, in which the acquisition system contains two clock sources for parallel information processing from different communication protocols. To ensure the low cost of the DAS and to promote the dissemination of this technology in developing countries, the proposed data acquisition firmware and the software for USB microcontrollers programming is a free and open source software, executable in the Linux and Windows® operating systems. PMID:22346600

The planning and implementation of a demand-side management/distribution automation system at Taiwan Power Company

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

Liu, S.S.; Chen, Yun-Wu

1994-12-31

This paper would describe the Taipower`s experience of DSM/DAS development. For the past 5 years, the demand of electricity has maintained a high annual growth rate of 8.45% due to economic prosperity in Taiwan. As the environmental protection consciousness has recently made Taipower difficult to develope and construct new power plants, substations, transmission and distribution lines, and our power grid is an independent system, we do need to concern how to do DSM to manage the load problems. Since 1984, Taipower has established two pilot systems and these systems performed the functions of fault detect and isolation certainly good formore » Distribution Automation. With the rapid development of computer, communication and control technology, the concept of the DAS has gradually been implemented in real cases. Taipower organized an engineering task group to study DAS several years ago, and based on the operation experience of the existing systems, today Taipower is planning to launch a new DAS project for Tai-Chung area. According to Taipower requirements, the DAS will have the functions of feeder automation, automatic meter reading, load management and disteibution system analysis.« less

A low cost concept for data acquisition systems applied to decentralized renewable energy plants.

PubMed

Jucá, Sandro C S; Carvalho, Paulo C M; Brito, Fábio T

2011-01-01

The present paper describes experiences of the use of monitoring and data acquisition systems (DAS) and proposes a new concept of a low cost DAS applied to decentralized renewable energy (RE) plants with an USB interface. The use of such systems contributes to disseminate these plants, recognizing in real time local energy resources, monitoring energy conversion efficiency and sending information concerning failures. These aspects are important, mainly for developing countries, where decentralized power plants based on renewable sources are in some cases the best option for supplying electricity to rural areas. Nevertheless, the cost of commercial DAS is still a barrier for a greater dissemination of such systems in developing countries. The proposed USB based DAS presents a new dual clock operation philosophy, in which the acquisition system contains two clock sources for parallel information processing from different communication protocols. To ensure the low cost of the DAS and to promote the dissemination of this technology in developing countries, the proposed data acquisition firmware and the software for USB microcontrollers programming is a free and open source software, executable in the Linux and Windows® operating systems.

A preliminary psychometric evaluation of Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS).

PubMed

McDermott, Orii; Orgeta, Vasiliki; Ridder, Hanne Mette; Orrell, Martin

2014-06-01

Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS), an observational outcome measure for music therapy with people with moderate to severe dementia, was developed from qualitative data of focus groups and interviews. Expert and peer consultations were conducted at each stage of the scale development to maximize its content validity. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of MiDAS. Care home residents with dementia attended weekly group music therapy for up to ten sessions. Music therapists and care home staff were requested to complete weekly MiDAS ratings. The Quality of Life Scale (QoL-AD) was completed at three time-points. A total of 629 (staff = 306, therapist = 323) MiDAS forms were completed. The statistical analysis revealed that MiDAS has high therapist inter-rater reliability, low staff inter-rater reliability, adequate staff test-retest reliability, adequate concurrent validity, and good construct validity. High factor loadings between the five MiDAS Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) items, levels of Interest, Response, Initiation, Involvement, and Enjoyment, were found. This study indicates that MiDAS has good psychometric properties despite the small sample size. Future research with a larger sample size could provide a more in-depth psychometric evaluation, including further exploration of the underlying factors. MiDAS provides a measure of engagement with musical experience and offers insight into who is likely to benefit on other outcomes such as quality of life or reduction in psychiatric symptoms.

Global Gridded Data from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-DAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-DAS) timeseries is a globally gridded atmospheric data set for use in climate research. This near real-time data set is produced by the Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in direct support of the operational EOS instrument product generation from the Terra (12/1999 launch), Aqua (05/2002 launch) and Aura (01/2004 launch) spacecrafts. The data is archived in the EOS Core System (ECS) at the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center/Distributed Active Archive Center (GES DISC DAAC). The data is only a selection of the products available from the GEOS-DAS. The data is organized chronologically in timeseries format to facilitate the computation of statistics. GEOS-DAS data will be available for the time period January 1, 2000, through present.

Strain and ground-motion monitoring at magmatic areas: ultra-long and ultra-dense networks using fibre optic sensing systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jousset, Philippe; Reinsch, Thomas; Henninges, Jan; Blanck, Hanna; Ryberg, Trond

2016-04-01

The fibre optic distributed acoustic sensing technology (DAS) is a "new" sensing system for exploring earth crustal elastic properties and monitoring both strain and seismic waves with unprecedented acquisition characteristics. The DAS technology principle lies in sending successive and coherent pulses of light in an optical fibre and measuring the back-scattered light issued from elastic scattering at random defaults within the fibre. The read-out unit includes an interferometer, which measures light interference patterns continuously. The changes are related to the distance between such defaults and therefore the strain within the fibre can be detected. Along an optical fibre, DAS can be used to acquire acoustic signals with a high spatial (every meter over kilometres) and high temporal resolution (thousand of Hz). Fibre optic technologies were, up to now, mainly applied in perimeter surveillance applications and pipeline monitoring and in boreholes. Previous experiments in boreholes have shown that the DAS technology is well suited for probing subsurface elastic properties, showing new ways for cheaper VSP investigations of the Earth crust. Here, we demonstrate that a cable deployed at ground surface can also help in exploring subsurface properties at crustal scale and monitor earthquake activity in a volcanic environment. Within the framework of the EC funded project IMAGE, we observed a >15 km-long fibre optic cable at the surface connected to a DAS read-out unit. Acoustic data was acquired continuously for 9 days. Hammer shots were performed along the surface cable in order to locate individual acoustic traces and calibrate the spatial distribution of the acoustic information. During the monitoring period both signals from on- and offshore explosive sources and natural seismic events could be recorded. We compare the fibre optic data to conventional seismic records from a dense seismic network deployed on Reykjanes. We show that we can probe and monitor earth crust subsurface with dense acquisition of the ground motion, both in space and in time and over a broad band frequency range.

Correlation of rheumatoid arthritis activity indexes (Disease Activity Score 28 measured with ESR and CRP, Simplified Disease Activity Index and Clinical Disease Activity Index) and agreement of disease activity states with various cut-off points in a Northeastern Brazilian population.

PubMed

Medeiros, Marta Maria das Chagas; de Oliveira, Brenda Maria Gurgel Barreto; de Cerqueira, João Victor Medeiros; Quixadá, Raquel Telles de Souza; de Oliveira, Ídila Mont'Alverne Xavier

2015-01-01

The Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and its versions have been used to measure rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity, but there is no consensus about which one is the best. Determine the correlation among indexes (DAS28 ESR, DAS28 CRP, SDAI and CDAI) and evaluate agreement of activity strata using different cutoff points. Rheumatoid arthritis patients were cross-sectionally evaluated with data collection to calculate the DAS28 (ESR and CRP), SDAI and CDAI, using different cut-offs for defining remission, mild, moderate and high activity. Pearson correlations were calculated for continuous measures and agreement (kappa test) for the strata (remission, mild, moderate and high activity). Of 111 patients included, 108 were women, age 55.6 years, 11-year disease duration. DAS28 (ESR) was significantly higher than DAS28 (CRP) (4.0 vs. 3.5; p<0.001) and the values remained higher after stratification by age, gender, disease duration, rheumatoid factor and HAQ. Correlations among indexes ranged from 0.84 to 0.99, with better correlation between SDAI and CDAI. Agreements among activity strata ranged from 46.8% to 95.8%. DAS28 (CRP) with cut-off point for the remission of 2.3 underestimated disease activity by 45.8% compared with DAS28 (ESR). SDAI and CDAI showed agreement of 95.8%. The four indexes were associated with disease duration and HAQ. Although the activity indexes show good correlation, they show discrepancies in activity strata, thus requiring more researches to define a better index and better cutoff points. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Detecting Changes Following the Provision of Assistive Devices: Utility of the WHO-DAS II

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raggi, Alberto

2010-01-01

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II) is a non-disease-specific International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-based disability assessment instrument developed to measure activity limitations and restrictions to participation. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate WHO-DAS II…

Challenges in Locating Microseismic Events Using Distributed Acoustic Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, A.; Kendall, J. M.; Clarke, A.; Verdon, J.

2017-12-01

Microseismic monitoring is an important method of assessing the behaviour of subsurface fluid processes, and is commonly acquired using geophone arrays in boreholes or on the surface. A new alternative technology has been recently developed - fibre-optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) - using strain along a fibre-optic cable as a measure of seismic signals. DAS can offer high density arrays and full-well coverage from the surface to bottom, with less overall disruption to operations, so there are many exciting possible applications in monitoring both petroleum and other subsurface industries. However, there are challenges in locating microseismic events recorded using current DAS systems, which only record seismic data in one-component and consequently omit the azimuthal information provided by a three-component geophone. To test the impact of these limitations we used finite difference modelling to generate one-component synthetic DAS datasets and investigated the impact of picking solely P-wave or both P- and S-wave arrivals and the impact of different array geometries. These are then compared to equivalent 3-component synthetic geophone datasets. In simple velocity models, P-wave arrivals along linear arrays cannot be used to constrain locations using DAS, without further a priori information. We then tested the impact of straight cables vs. L-shaped arrays and found improved locations when the cable is deviated, especially when both P- and S-wave picks are included. There is a trade-off between the added coverage of DAS cables versus sparser 3C geophone arrays where particle motion helps constrains locations, which cannot be assessed without forward modelling.

Diagnostic Studies With GLA Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salstein, David A.

1997-01-01

Assessments of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System-1 Data Assimilation System (GEOS-1 DAS) regarding heating rates, energetics and angular momentum quantities were made. These diagnostics can be viewed as measures of climate variability. Comparisons with the NOAA/NCEP reanalysis system of momentum and energetics diagnostics are included. Water vapor and angular momentum are diagnosed in many models, including those of NASA, as part of the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project. Relevant preprints are included herein.

The Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS): Development and Validation of a 58-Item Measure

PubMed Central

Maxwell-McCaw, Deborah; Zea, Maria Cecilia

2011-01-01

This study involved the development and validation of the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS), a new measure of cultural identity for Deaf and hard-of-hearing (hh) populations. Data for this study were collected online and involved a nation-wide sample of 3,070 deaf/hh individuals. Results indicated strong internal reliabilities for all the subscales, and construct validity was established by demonstrating that the DAS could discriminate groups based on parental hearing status, school background, and use of self-labels. Construct validity was further demonstrated through factorial analyses, and findings resulted in a final 58-item measure. Directions for future research are discussed. PMID:21263041

Quasar 2175 Å dust absorbers - II. Correlation analysis and relationship with other absorption line systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jingzhe; Ge, Jian; Prochaska, J. Xavier; Zhang, Shaohua; Ji, Tuo; Zhao, Yinan; Zhou, Hongyan; Lu, Honglin; Schneider, Donald P.

2018-03-01

We present the cold neutral content (H I and C I gas) of 13 quasar 2175 Å dust absorbers (2DAs) at z = 1.6-2.5 to investigate the correlation between the presence of the UV extinction bump with other physical characteristics. These 2DAs were initially selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys I-III and followed up with the Keck-II telescope and the Multiple Mirror Telescope as detailed in our Paper I. We perform a correlation analysis between metallicity, redshift, depletion level, velocity width, and explore relationships between 2DAs and other absorption line systems. The 2DAs on average have higher metallicity, higher depletion levels, and larger velocity widths than Damped Lyman α absorbers (DLAs) or subDLAs. The correlation between [Zn/H] and [Fe/Zn] or [Zn/H] and logΔV90 can be used as alternative stellar mass estimators based on the well-established mass-metallicity relation. The estimated stellar masses of the 2DAs in this sample are in the range of ˜109 to ˜2 × 1011 M⊙ with a median value of ˜2 × 1010 M⊙. The relationship with other quasar absorption line systems can be described as (1) 2DAs are a subset of Mg II and Fe II absorbers, (2) 2DAs are preferentially metal-strong DLAs/subDLAs, (3) More importantly, all of the 2DAs show C I detections with logN(C I) > 14.0 cm-2, and (4) 2DAs can be used as molecular gas tracers. Their host galaxies are likely to be chemically enriched, evolved, massive (more massive than typical DLA/subDLA galaxies), and presumably star-forming galaxies.

Improvement of web-based data acquisition and management system for GOSAT validation lidar data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Hiroshi; Takubo, Shoichiro; Kawasaki, Takeru; Abdullah, Indra Nugraha; Uchino, Osamu; Morino, Isamu; Yokota, Tatsuya; Nagai, Tomohiro; Sakai, Tetsu; Maki, Takashi; Arai, Kohei

2013-01-01

A web-base data acquisition and management system for GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observation SATellite) validation lidar data-analysis has been developed. The system consists of data acquisition sub-system (DAS) and data management sub-system (DMS). DAS written in Perl language acquires AMeDAS (Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System) ground-level local meteorological data, GPS Radiosonde upper-air meteorological data, ground-level oxidant data, skyradiometer data, skyview camera images, meteorological satellite IR image data and GOSAT validation lidar data. DMS written in PHP language demonstrates satellite-pass date and all acquired data. In this article, we briefly describe some improvement for higher performance and higher data usability. GPS Radiosonde upper-air meteorological data and U.S. standard atmospheric model in DAS automatically calculate molecule number density profiles. Predicted ozone density prole images above Saga city are also calculated by using Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) chemistry-climate model version 2 for comparison to actual ozone DIAL data.

Establishment of feeder-free culture system for human induced pluripotent stem cell on DAS nanocrystalline graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunah; Nam, Donggyu; Choi, Jae-Kyung; Araúzo-Bravo, Marcos J.; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Zaehres, Holm; Lee, Taehee; Park, Chan Young; Kang, Hyun-Wook; Schöler, Hans R.; Kim, Jeong Beom

2016-02-01

The maintenance of undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) under xeno-free condition requires the use of human feeder cells or extracellular matrix (ECM) coating. However, human-derived sources may cause human pathogen contamination by viral or non-viral agents to the patients. Here we demonstrate feeder-free and xeno-free culture system for hPSC expansion using diffusion assisted synthesis-grown nanocrystalline graphene (DAS-NG), a synthetic non-biological nanomaterial which completely rule out the concern of human pathogen contamination. DAS-NG exhibited advanced biocompatibilities including surface nanoroughness, oxygen containing functional groups and hydrophilicity. hPSC cultured on DAS-NG could maintain pluripotency in vitro and in vivo, and especially cell adhesion-related gene expression profile was comparable to those of cultured on feeders, while hPSC cultured without DAS-NG differentiated spontaneously with high expression of somatic cell-enriched adhesion genes. This feeder-free and xeno-free culture method using DAS-NG will facilitate the generation of clinical-grade hPSC.

Incorporating Parallel Computing into the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larson, Jay W.

1998-01-01

Atmospheric data assimilation is a method of combining actual observations with model forecasts to produce a more accurate description of the earth system than the observations or forecast alone can provide. The output of data assimilation, sometimes called the analysis, are regular, gridded datasets of observed and unobserved variables. Analysis plays a key role in numerical weather prediction and is becoming increasingly important for climate research. These applications, and the need for timely validation of scientific enhancements to the data assimilation system pose computational demands that are best met by distributed parallel software. The mission of the NASA Data Assimilation Office (DAO) is to provide datasets for climate research and to support NASA satellite and aircraft missions. The system used to create these datasets is the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The core components of the the GEOS DAS are: the GEOS General Circulation Model (GCM), the Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS), the Observer, the on-line Quality Control (QC) system, the Coupler (which feeds analysis increments back to the GCM), and an I/O package for processing the large amounts of data the system produces (which will be described in another presentation in this session). The discussion will center on the following issues: the computational complexity for the whole GEOS DAS, assessment of the performance of the individual elements of GEOS DAS, and parallelization strategy for some of the components of the system.

DASMiner: discovering and integrating data from DAS sources

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background DAS is a widely adopted protocol for providing syntactic interoperability among biological databases. The popularity of DAS is due to a simplified and elegant mechanism for data exchange that consists of sources exposing their RESTful interfaces for data access. As a growing number of DAS services are available for molecular biology resources, there is an incentive to explore this protocol in order to advance data discovery and integration among these resources. Results We developed DASMiner, a Matlab toolkit for querying DAS data sources that enables creation of integrated biological models using the information available in DAS-compliant repositories. DASMiner is composed by a browser application and an API that work together to facilitate gathering of data from different DAS sources, which can be used for creating enriched datasets from multiple sources. The browser is used to formulate queries and navigate data contained in DAS sources. Users can execute queries against these sources in an intuitive fashion, without the need of knowing the specific DAS syntax for the particular source. Using the source's metadata provided by the DAS Registry, the browser's layout adapts to expose only the set of commands and coordinate systems supported by the specific source. For this reason, the browser can interrogate any DAS source, independently of the type of data being served. The API component of DASMiner may be used for programmatic access of DAS sources by programs in Matlab. Once the desired data is found during navigation, the query is exported in the format of an API call to be used within any Matlab application. We illustrate the use of DASMiner by creating integrative models of histone modification maps and protein-protein interaction networks. These enriched datasets were built by retrieving and integrating distributed genomic and proteomic DAS sources using the API. Conclusion The support of the DAS protocol allows that hundreds of molecular biology databases to be treated as a federated, online collection of resources. DASMiner enables full exploration of these resources, and can be used to deploy applications and create integrated views of biological systems using the information deposited in DAS repositories. PMID:19919683

Wind-Forced Modeling Studies of Currents, Meanders, Eddies, and Filaments of the Canary Current System

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-06-01

infra-red images from NOAA7 and NOAA9 and numerous in- situ measurements reveal the existence of a surface poleward flow off the northern coast of...dinamica das Aguas costeiras de Portugal. Dissertacao apresentada a Universidade de Lisboa para obtencao do grau de Doutor em Fisica, especializacao

Wie die Sonne ins Kraftwerk kommt: Solarthermische Kraftwerke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitz-Paal, Robert

2004-01-01

Solarthermische Kraftwerke sammeln wie riesige Brenngläser die Sonnenstrahlung und treiben damit eine Wärmekraftmaschine an. Drei Konstruktionsprinzipien haben sich heute durchgesetzt. Bereits im kommerziellen Einsatz sind Systeme mit schwenkbaren, verspiegelten Parabolrinnen, die das Sonnenlicht auf ein zentrales Absorberrohr konzentrieren. Durch dieses fließt ein Wärmetransportmedium. Beim Zentral-Receiver-System fokussiert ein Feld verstellbarer Spiegel das Sonnenlicht auf die Spitze eines Turms. Dort sitzt ein Receiver, den ein Wärmetransportmedium durchströmt. Für kleine, dezentrale Anlagen eignen sich Dish-Stirling-Systeme. Das sind schwenkbare, paraboloide Spiegelschüsseln mit einem Stirling-Motor im Brennpunkt. Zentral-Receiver- und Dish-Stirling-Systeme sind noch im Entwicklungsstadium.

78 FR 4391 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-22

... current management system based on days-at-sea (DAS) and trip limits. These changes may include adoption of a DAS leasing program, and in that context, the NMFS Regional Office staff will give a presentation on the DAS leasing program adopted in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. The...

Using Fiber Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing to Measure Hydromechanics in a Crystalline Rock Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciervo, C.; Becker, M.; Cole, M. C.; Coleman, T.; Mondanos, M.

2016-12-01

Measuring hydromechanical behavior in fractured rock is important for hydraulic fracturing and stimulation in petroleum reservoirs, predicting thermal effects in geothermal fields, and monitoring geologic carbon sequestration injection. We present a new method for measuring geomechanical response to fluid pressure in fractures that employs fiber optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). DAS was designed to measure acoustic and seismic signals, often in petroleum wells. DAS seismic monitoring has been proposed as a particularly useful tool for performing seismic testing for carbon sequestration and geothermal projects because fiber optic cable is able to withstand high temperatures and pressures. DAS measures seismic vibration in the Hz to kHz frequency range by measuring strain rate in the fiber optic cable. We adapted this technology to measure rock strain in response to periodic hydraulic pulses in the mHz frequency range. A field experiment was conducted in a low-permeability fractured crystalline bedrock to test the ability of DAS to measure hydromechanical response to periodic pumping and injection. The fiber optic cable was coupled to the borehole wall using a flexible liner designed with an air coupled transducer to measure fluid pressure. Both strain and pressure were measured across a known fracture zone hydraulically connected to the pumping/injection well 30 m away. Periodic strain with amplitudes as small as 50 nm were measured in response to head amplitudes of 2 mm. Clean strain signals were detected at all tested periods of hydraulic oscillation ranging from 2 to 18 minutes. A non-linear relationship was found between opening and closing of the fracture (as measured by cable strain) and fluid pressure in the fracture. The response was also sensitive to the fiber optic cable design. This field test suggests potential for measuring hydraulic connectivity and hydromechanical behavior in fractured formations through cementing fiber optic cable in wellbores outside of well casings.

Cedar Avenue driver assist system evaluation report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-01

This paper summarizes an evaluation of the Driver Assist System (DAS) used by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MTVA) for bus shoulder operations. The DAS is a GPS-based technology suite that provides lane-position feedback to the driver via a ...

DAS Microseismic and Strain Monitoring During Hydraulic Fracturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahn, D.; Karrenbach, M. H.; Cole, S.; Boone, K.; Ridge, A.; Rich, J.; Langton, D.; Silver, K.

2017-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing operations in unconventional subsurface reservoirs are typically monitored using geophones located either at the surface or in adjacent wellbores. A novel approach to record hydraulic stimulations utilizes fiber-optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). A fiber-optic cable was installed in a treatment well in a subsurface reservoir (Meramec formation). DAS data were recorded during fluid injection of same fibered well and also during injection into a nearby treatment well at a distance of 350m. For both scenarios the DAS sensing array consisted of approximately 1000 channels at a fine spatial and temporal sampling and with a large sensing aperture. Thus, the full strain wave field is measured along the borehole over its entire length. A variety of physical effects, such as temperature, low-frequency strain and microseismicity were measured and correlated with the treatment program during hydraulic fracturing of the wells. These physical effects occur at various frequency scales and produce complementary measurements. Microseismic events in the magnitude range of -0.5 and -2.0 at a maximum distance of 500m were observed and analyzed for recordings from the fiber-equipped treatment well and also neighboring treatment well. The analysis of this DAS data set demonstrates that current fiber-optic sensing technology can provide enough sensitivity to detect a significant number of microseismic events and that these events can be integrated with temperature and strain measurements for an improved subsurface reservoir description.

Connecting the Dots in DAS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Tracy

2012-01-01

Many institutions implement a distributed antenna system (DAS) as part of a holistic approach to providing better wireless coverage and capacity on campus. A DAS provides wireless service within a particular area or structure via a network of separate antenna nodes that are connected to a common source through fiber or coaxial cable. Because DAS…

Patient- and clinician-reported outcomes for patients with new presentation of inflammatory arthritis: observations from the National Clinical Audit for Rheumatoid and Early Inflammatory Arthritis.

PubMed

Ledingham, Joanna M; Snowden, Neil; Rivett, Ali; Galloway, James; Ide, Zoe; Firth, Jill; MacPhie, Elizabeth; Kandala, Ngianga; Dennison, Elaine M; Rowe, Ian

2017-02-01

Our aim was to conduct a national audit assessing the impact and experience of early management of inflammatory arthritis by English and Welsh rheumatology units. The audit enables rheumatology services to measure for the first time their performance, patient outcomes and experience, benchmarked to regional and national comparators. All individuals >16 years of age presenting to English and Welsh rheumatology services with suspected new-onset inflammatory arthritis were included in the audit. Clinician- and patient-derived outcome and patient-reported experience measures were collected. Data are presented for the 6354 patients recruited from 1 February 2014 to 31 January 2015. Ninety-seven per cent of English and Welsh trusts participated. At the first specialist assessment, the 28-joint DAS (DAS28) was calculated for 2659 (91%) RA patients [mean DAS28 was 5.0 and mean Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease (RAID) score was 5.6]. After 3 months of specialist care, the mean DAS28 was 3.5 and slightly >60% achieved a meaningful DAS28 reduction. The average RAID score and reduction in RAID score were 3.6 and 2.4, respectively. Of the working patients ages 16-65 years providing data, 7, 5, 16 and 37% reported that they were unable to work, needed frequent time off work, occasionally and rarely needed time off work due to their arthritis, respectively; only 42% reported being asked about their work. Seventy-eight per cent of RA patients providing data agreed with the statement 'Overall in the last 3 months I have had a good experience of care for my arthritis'; <2% disagreed. This audit demonstrates that most RA patients have severe disease at the time of presentation to rheumatology services and that a significant number continue to have high disease activity after 3 months of specialist care. There is a clear need for the National Health Service to develop better systems for capturing, coding and integrating information from outpatient clinics, including measures of patient experience and outcome and measures of ability to work. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Measuring Primary Teachers' Attitudes toward Teaching Science: Development of the Dimensions of Attitude toward Science (DAS) Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra; Walma van der Molen, Juliette

2013-01-01

In this article, we present a valid and reliable instrument which measures the attitude of in-service and pre-service primary teachers toward teaching science, called the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument. Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers toward teaching science is of fundamental importance to the…

Telescience operations with the solar array module plasma interaction experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wald, Lawrence W.; Bibyk, Irene K.

1995-01-01

The Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) is a flight experiment that flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-62) in March 1994, as part of the OAST-2 mission. The overall objective of SAMPIE was to determine the adverse environmental interactions within the space plasma of low earth orbit (LEO) on modern solar cells and space power system materials which are artificially biased to high positive and negative direct current (DC) voltages. The two environmental interactions of interest included high voltage arcing from the samples to the space plasma and parasitic current losses. High voltage arcing can cause physical damage to power system materials and shorten expected hardware life. parasitic current losses can reduce power system efficiency because electric currents generated in a power system drain into the surrounding plasma via parasitic resistance. The flight electronics included two programmable high voltage DC power supplies to bias the experiment samples, instruments to measure the surrounding plasma environment in the STS cargo bay, and the on-board data acquisition system (DAS). The DAS provided in-flight experiment control, data storage, and communications through the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Hitchhiker flight avionics to the GSFC Payload Operations Control Center (POCC). The DAS and the SAMPIE POCC computer systems were designed for telescience operations; this paper will focus on the experiences of the SAMPIE team regarding telescience development and operations from the GSFC POCC during STS-62. The SAMPIE conceptual development, hardware design, and system verification testing were accomplished at the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). SAMPIE was developed under the In-Space Technology Experiment Program (IN-STEP), which sponsors NASA, industry, and university flight experiments designed to enable and enhance space flight technology. The IN-STEP Program is sponsored by the Office of Space Access and Technology (OSAT).

A Wind-Forced Modeling Study of the Canary Current System from 30 Degrees N to 42.5 Degrees N

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-01

and Haynes and Barton (1990), using high resolution infra-red images from NOAA7 and NOAA9 and numerous in- situ measurements, reveal the existence of...dinamica das Aguas costeiras de Portugal. Dissertacao apresentada a Universidade de Lisboa para obtencao do grau de Doutor em Fisica, especializacao

Walkaway-VSP survey using distributed optical fiber in China oilfield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Junjun; Yu, Gang; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yanpeng; Cai, Zhidong; Chen, Yuanzhong; Liu, Congwei; Zhao, Haiying; Li, Fei

2017-10-01

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a new type of replacement technology for geophysical geophone. DAS system is similar to high-density surface seismic geophone array. In the stage of acquisition, DAS can obtain the full well data with one shot. And it can provide enhanced vertical seismic profile (VSP) imaging and monitor fluids and pressures changes in the hydrocarbon production reservoir. Walkaway VSP data acquired over a former producing well in north eastern China provided a rich set of very high quality data. A standard VSP data pre-processing workflow was applied, followed by pre-stack Kirchhoff time migration. In the DAS pre-processing step we were faced with additional and special challenges: strong coherent noise due to cable slapping and ringing along the borehole casing. The single well DAS Walkaway VSP images provide a good result with higher vertical and lateral resolution than the surface seismic in the objective area. This paper reports on lessons learned in the handling of the wireline cable and subsequent special DAS data processing steps developed to remediate some of the practical wireline deployment issues. Optical wireline cable as a conveyance of fiber optic cables for VSP in vertical wells will open the use of the DAS system to much wider applications.

Defensive aids suite prototype for light armored vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantin, Andre; Fortin, Jean; Venter, Johan; Philip, Brian G.; Hagen, Russell; Krieger, Dietmar; Greenley, Mike

2001-09-01

The Defence Research Establishment Valcartier has initiated in 1998 R&D work to investigate and to demonstrate key technologies required for future Defensive Aid Suite to protect Light Armoured Vehicles. A basic Defensive Aid Suite demonstrator (Phase I) was built and integrated into the LAV vetronics by Litton Systems Canada and his consortium. The Defensive Aid Suite consisted of a 2-band HARLIDTM-based laser detection head, a processor capable to control and deploy countermeasures and a DAS touch-screen display all integrated in a Light Armored Vehicle. The crew was able to select the operation mode for direct fire or smoke deployment by pushing one of the pair of buttons available at the bottom of the display. This system was successfully demonstrated in October 1999 during an international trial. This article gives an overview of the results obtained in the field as well as some of the lessons learnt. It also describes laboratory and field measurements made on the Laser Warning Receiver unit itself. The results of the DAS tactical use and of Human factor evaluation will illustrate its performance within typical laser threat scenarios. This work will serve as the basis for the recommendation of a future DAS demonstrator (Phase II) integrating more sensors and countermeasures.

Validation of the Land-Surface Energy Budget and Planetary Boundary Layer for Several Intensive field Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosilovich, Michael G.; Schubert, Siegfried; Molod, Andrea; Houser, Paul R.

1999-01-01

Land-surface processes in a data assimilation system influence the lower troposphere and must be properly represented. With the recent incorporation of the Mosaic Land-surface Model (LSM) into the GEOS Data Assimilation System (DAS), the detailed land-surface processes require strict validation. While global data sources can identify large-scale systematic biases at the monthly timescale, the diurnal cycle is difficult to validate. Moreover, global data sets rarely include variables such as evaporation, sensible heat and soil water. Intensive field experiments, on the other hand, can provide high temporal resolution energy budget and vertical profile data for sufficiently long periods, without global coverage. Here, we evaluate the GEOS DAS against several intensive field experiments. The field experiments are First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE, Kansas, summer 1987), Cabauw (as used in PILPS, Netherlands, summer 1987), Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM, Southern Great Plains, winter and summer 1998) and the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA, Arctic ice sheet, winter and summer 1998). The sites provide complete surface energy budget data for periods of at least one year, and some periods of vertical profiles. This comparison provides a detailed validation of the Mosaic LSM within the GEOS DAS for a variety of climatologic and geographic conditions.

A bismuth activation counter for high sensitivity pulsed 14 MeV neutrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, E. J. T.; Thacher, P. D.; Hassig, G. J.; Decker, R. D.; Romero, J. A.; Barrett, K. P.

2011-08-01

We have built a fast neutron bismuth activation counter that measures activation counts from pulsed 14-MeV neutron generators for incident neutron fluences between 30 and 300 neutrons/cm2 at 15.2 cm (6 in.). The activation counter consists of a large bismuth germanate (BGO) detector surrounded by a bismuth metal shield in front of and concentric with the cylindrical detector housing. The 14 MeV neutrons activate the 2.6-millisecond (ms) isomer in the shield and the detector by the reaction 209Bi (n,2nγ) 208mBi. The use of millisecond isomers and activation counting times minimizes the background from other activated materials and the environment. In addition to activation, the bismuth metal shields against other outside radiation sources. We have tested the bismuth activation counter, simultaneously, with two data acquisition systems (DASs) and both give similar results. The two-dimensional (2D) DAS and three dimensional (3D) DAS both consist of pulse height analysis (PHA) systems that can be used to discriminate against gamma radiations below 300 keV photon energy, so that the detector can be used strictly as a counter. If the counting time is restricted to less than 25 ms after the neutron pulse, there are less than 10 counts of background for single pulse operation in all our operational environments tested so far. High-fluence neutron generator operations are restricted by large dead times and pulse height saturation. When we operate our 3D DAS PHA system in list mode acquisition (LIST), real-time corrections to dead time or live time can be made on the scale of 1 ms time windows or dwell times. The live time correction is consistent with nonparalyzable models for dead time of 1.0±0.2 μs for our 3D DAS and 1.5±0.3 μs for our 2D DAS dominated by our fixed time width analog to digital converters (ADCs). With the same solid angle, we have shown that the bismuth activation counter has a factor of 4 increase in sensitivity over our lead activation counter, because of higher counts and negligible backgrounds.

Integrating sequence and structural biology with DAS

PubMed Central

Prlić, Andreas; Down, Thomas A; Kulesha, Eugene; Finn, Robert D; Kähäri, Andreas; Hubbard, Tim JP

2007-01-01

Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) is a network protocol for exchanging biological data. It is frequently used to share annotations of genomes and protein sequence. Results Here we present several extensions to the current DAS 1.5 protocol. These provide new commands to share alignments, three dimensional molecular structure data, add the possibility for registration and discovery of DAS servers, and provide a convention how to provide different types of data plots. We present examples of web sites and applications that use the new extensions. We operate a public registry of DAS sources, which now includes entries for more than 250 distinct sources. Conclusion Our DAS extensions are essential for the management of the growing number of services and exchange of diverse biological data sets. In addition the extensions allow new types of applications to be developed and scientific questions to be addressed. The registry of DAS sources is available at PMID:17850653

The Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS): Development and Validation of a 58-Item Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell-McCaw, Deborah; Zea, Maria Cecilia

2011-01-01

This study involved the development and validation of the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS), a new measure of cultural identity for Deaf and hard-of-hearing (hh) populations. Data for this study were collected online and involved a nation-wide sample of 3,070 deaf/hh individuals. Results indicated strong internal reliabilities for all the subscales,…

First International Diagnosis Competition - DXC'09

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtoglu, tolga; Narasimhan, Sriram; Poll, Scott; Garcia, David; Kuhn, Lukas; deKleer, Johan; vanGemund, Arjan; Feldman, Alexander

2009-01-01

A framework to compare and evaluate diagnosis algorithms (DAs) has been created jointly by NASA Ames Research Center and PARC. In this paper, we present the first concrete implementation of this framework as a competition called DXC 09. The goal of this competition was to evaluate and compare DAs in a common platform and to determine a winner based on diagnosis results. 12 DAs (model-based and otherwise) competed in this first year of the competition in 3 tracks that included industrial and synthetic systems. Specifically, the participants provided algorithms that communicated with the run-time architecture to receive scenario data and return diagnostic results. These algorithms were run on extended scenario data sets (different from sample set) to compute a set of pre-defined metrics. A ranking scheme based on weighted metrics was used to declare winners. This paper presents the systems used in DXC 09, description of faults and data sets, a listing of participating DAs, the metrics and results computed from running the DAs, and a superficial analysis of the results.

What Changes in Cognitive Therapy for Depression? An Examination of Cognitive Therapy Skills and Maladaptive Beliefs

PubMed Central

Adler, Abby D.; Strunk, Daniel R.; Fazio, Russell H.

2015-01-01

This study examined effortful cognitive skills and underlying maladaptive beliefs among patients treated with Cognitive Therapy for depression (CT). Depressed patients (n = 44) completed cognitive measures before and after 16 weeks of CT. Measures included: an assessment of CT skills (Ways of Responding Scale, WOR), an implicit test of maladaptive beliefs (Implicit Association Test, IAT), and a self-report questionnaire of maladaptive beliefs (Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, DAS). A matched sample of never-depressed participants (n = 44) also completed study measures. Prior to treatment, depressed patients endorsed significantly more undesirable cognitions on the WOR, IAT, and DAS compared to never-depressed participants. Patients displayed improvement on the WOR and DAS over the course of treatment, but showed no change on the IAT. Additionally, improvements on the WOR and DAS were each related to greater reductions in depressive symptoms. Results suggest that the degree of symptom reduction among patients participating in CT is related to changes in patients’ acquisition of coping skills requiring deliberate efforts and reflective thought, but not related to reduced endorsement of implicitly-assessed maladaptive beliefs. PMID:25526838

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Data for Periodic Hydraulic Tests

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

Coleman, Thomas; Becker, Matthew

California State University Long Beach evaluated hydraulic connectivity among geothermal wells using Periodic Hydraulic Testing (PHT) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). The principal was to create a pressure signal in one well and observe the responding pressure signals in one or more observation wells to assess the permeability and storage of the fracture network that connects the two wells. DAS measured strain at mHz frequency in monitoring wells in response to PHT.

A Safety Evaluation of DAS181, a Sialidase Fusion Protein, in Rodents

PubMed Central

Larson, Jeffrey L.; Kang, Seong-Kwi; Choi, Bo In; Hedlund, Maria; Aschenbrenner, Laura M.; Cecil, Beth; Machado, GloriaMay; Nieder, Matthew; Fang, Fang

2011-01-01

DAS181 is a novel inhaled drug candidate blocking influenza virus (IFV) and parainfluenza virus (PIV) infections through removal of sialic acid receptors from epithelial surface of the respiratory tract. To support clinical development, a 28-day Good Laboratory Practices inhalation toxicology study was conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats. In this study, achieved average daily doses based on exposure concentrations were 0.47, 0.90, 1.55, and 3.00 mg/kg/day of DAS181 in a dry powder formulation. DAS181 was well tolerated at all dose levels, and there were no significant toxicological findings. DAS181 administration did not affect animal body weight, food consumption, clinical signs, ophthalmology, respiratory parameters, or organ weight. Gross pathology evaluations were unremarkable. Histological examination of the lungs was devoid of pulmonary tissue damage, and findings were limited to mild and transient changes indicative of exposure and clearance of a foreign protein. DAS181 did not show any cytotoxic effects on human and animal primary cells, including hepatocytes, skeletal muscle cells, osteoblasts, or respiratory epithelial cells. DAS181 did not cause direct or indirect hemolysis. A laboratory abnormality observed in the 28-day toxicology study was mild and transient anemia in male rats at the 3.00 mg/kg dose, which is an expected outcome of enhanced clearance of desialylated red blood cells resulting from systemic exposure with DAS181. Another laboratory observation was a transient dose-dependent elevation in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which can be attributed to reduced ALP clearance resulting from increased protein desialylation due to DAS181 systemic exposure. These laboratory parameters returned to normal at the end of the recovery period. PMID:21572096

Surface Hydrology in Global River Basins in the Off-Line Land-Surface GEOS Assimilation (OLGA) System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosilovich, Michael G.; Yang, Runhua; Houser, Paul R.

1998-01-01

Land surface hydrology for the Off-line Land-surface GEOS Analysis (OLGA) system and Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-1) Data Assimilation System (DAS) has been examined using a river routing model. The GEOS-1 DAS land-surface parameterization is very simple, using an energy balance prediction of surface temperature and prescribed soil water. OLGA uses near-surface atmospheric data from the GEOS-1 DAS to drive a more comprehensive parameterization of the land-surface physics. The two global systems are evaluated using a global river routing model. The river routing model uses climatologic surface runoff from each system to simulate the river discharge from global river basins, which can be compared to climatologic river discharge. Due to the soil hydrology, the OLGA system shows a general improvement in the simulation of river discharge compared to the GEOS-1 DAS. Snowmelt processes included in OLGA also have a positive effect on the annual cycle of river discharge and source runoff. Preliminary tests of a coupled land-atmosphere model indicate improvements to the hydrologic cycle compared to the uncoupled system. The river routing model has provided a useful tool in the evaluation of the GCM hydrologic cycle, and has helped quantify the influence of the more advanced land surface model.

Upgrades at the NASA Langley Research Center National Transonic Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paryz, Roman W.

2012-01-01

Several projects have been completed or are nearing completion at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) National Transonic Facility (NTF). The addition of a Model Flow-Control/Propulsion Simulation test capability to the NTF provides a unique, transonic, high-Reynolds number test capability that is well suited for research in propulsion airframe integration studies, circulation control high-lift concepts, powered lift, and cruise separation flow control. A 1992 vintage Facility Automation System (FAS) that performs the control functions for tunnel pressure, temperature, Mach number, model position, safety interlock and supervisory controls was replaced using current, commercially available components. This FAS upgrade also involved a design study for the replacement of the facility Mach measurement system and the development of a software-based simulation model of NTF processes and control systems. The FAS upgrades were validated by a post upgrade verification wind tunnel test. The data acquisition system (DAS) upgrade project involves the design, purchase, build, integration, installation and verification of a new DAS by replacing several early 1990's vintage computer systems with state of the art hardware/software. This paper provides an update on the progress made in these efforts. See reference 1.

[Reliability and validity of Driving Anger Scale in professional drivers in China].

PubMed

Li, Z; Yang, Y M; Zhang, C; Li, Y; Hu, J; Gao, L W; Zhou, Y X; Zhang, X J

2017-11-10

Objective: To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Driving Anger Scale (DAS) in professional drivers in China and provide a scientific basis for the application of the scale in drivers in China. Methods: Professional drivers, including taxi drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers and school bus drivers, were selected to complete the questionnaire. Cronbach's α and split-half reliability were calculated to evaluate the reliability of DAS, and content, contract, discriminant and convergent validity were performed to measure the validity of the scale. Results: The overall Cronbach's α of DAS was 0.934 and the split-half reliability was 0.874. The correlation coefficient of each subscale with the total scale was 0.639-0.922. The simplified version of DAS supported a presupposed six-factor structure, explaining 56.371% of the total variance revealed by exploratory factor analysis. The DAS had good convergent and discriminant validity, with the success rate of calibration experiment of 100%. Conclusion: DAS has a good reliability and validity in professional drivers in China, and the use of DAS is worth promoting in divers.

Annotation and visualization of endogenous retroviral sequences using the Distributed Annotation System (DAS) and eBioX

PubMed Central

Martínez Barrio, Álvaro; Lagercrantz, Erik; Sperber, Göran O; Blomberg, Jonas; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik

2009-01-01

Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) is a widely used network protocol for sharing biological information. The distributed aspects of the protocol enable the use of various reference and annotation servers for connecting biological sequence data to pertinent annotations in order to depict an integrated view of the data for the final user. Results An annotation server has been devised to provide information about the endogenous retroviruses detected and annotated by a specialized in silico tool called RetroTector. We describe the procedure to implement the DAS 1.5 protocol commands necessary for constructing the DAS annotation server. We use our server to exemplify those steps. Data distribution is kept separated from visualization which is carried out by eBioX, an easy to use open source program incorporating multiple bioinformatics utilities. Some well characterized endogenous retroviruses are shown in two different DAS clients. A rapid analysis of areas free from retroviral insertions could be facilitated by our annotations. Conclusion The DAS protocol has shown to be advantageous in the distribution of endogenous retrovirus data. The distributed nature of the protocol is also found to aid in combining annotation and visualization along a genome in order to enhance the understanding of ERV contribution to its evolution. Reference and annotation servers are conjointly used by eBioX to provide visualization of ERV annotations as well as other data sources. Our DAS data source can be found in the central public DAS service repository, , or at . PMID:19534743

Developments in Test Facility and Data Networking for the Altitude Test Stand at the John C. Stennis Space Center, MS - A General Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebert, Phillip W., Sr.

2008-01-01

May 2007, NASA's Constellation Program selected John C Stennis Space Center (SSC) near Waveland Mississippi as the site to construct an altitude test facility for the developmental and qualification testing of the Ares1 upper stage (US) engine. Test requirements born out of the Ares1 US propulsion system design necessitate exceptional Data Acquisition System (DAS) design solutions that support facility and propellant systems conditioning, test operations control and test data analysis. This paper reviews the new A3 Altitude Test Facility's DAS design requirements for real-time deterministic digital data, DAS technology enhancements, system trades, technology validation activities, and the current status of this system's new architecture. Also to be discussed will be current network technologies to improve data transfer.

I/O Parallelization for the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucchesi, Rob; Sawyer, W.; Takacs, L. L.; Lyster, P.; Zero, J.

1998-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has developed the GEOS DAS, a data assimilation system that provides production support for NASA missions and will support NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) in the coming years. The GEOS DAS will be used to provide background fields of meteorological quantities to EOS satellite instrument teams for use in their data algorithms as well as providing assimilated data sets for climate studies on decadal time scales. The DAO has been involved in prototyping parallel implementations of the GEOS DAS for a number of years and is now embarking on an effort to convert the production version from shared-memory parallelism to distributed-memory parallelism using the portable Message-Passing Interface (MPI). The GEOS DAS consists of two main components, an atmospheric General Circulation Model (GCM) and a Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS). The GCM operates on data that are stored on a regular grid while PSAS works with observational data that are scattered irregularly throughout the atmosphere. As a result, the two components have different data decompositions. The GCM is decomposed horizontally as a checkerboard with all vertical levels of each box existing on the same processing element(PE). The dynamical core of the GCM can also operate on a rotated grid, which requires communication-intensive grid transformations during GCM integration. PSAS groups observations on PEs in a more irregular and dynamic fashion.

77 FR 75612 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-21

..., focusing on the section pertaining to modifications to the current days-at-sea (DAS) trip limit management system, including alternatives for establishing a monkfish DAS leasing program. The recommendations of...

77 FR 42699 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-20

... such, this meeting will focus on potential modifications to the current days-at-sea (DAS) management system, including alternatives to enable DAS leasing, and on approaches to integrate monkfish into the...

DasPy – Open Source Multivariate Land Data Assimilation Framework with High Performance Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Xujun; Li, Xin; Montzka, Carsten; Kollet, Stefan; Vereecken, Harry; Hendricks Franssen, Harrie-Jan

2015-04-01

Data assimilation has become a popular method to integrate observations from multiple sources with land surface models to improve predictions of the water and energy cycles of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum. In recent years, several land data assimilation systems have been developed in different research agencies. Because of the software availability or adaptability, these systems are not easy to apply for the purpose of multivariate land data assimilation research. Multivariate data assimilation refers to the simultaneous assimilation of observation data for multiple model state variables into a simulation model. Our main motivation was to develop an open source multivariate land data assimilation framework (DasPy) which is implemented using the Python script language mixed with C++ and Fortran language. This system has been evaluated in several soil moisture, L-band brightness temperature and land surface temperature assimilation studies. The implementation allows also parameter estimation (soil properties and/or leaf area index) on the basis of the joint state and parameter estimation approach. LETKF (Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter) is implemented as the main data assimilation algorithm, and uncertainties in the data assimilation can be represented by perturbed atmospheric forcings, perturbed soil and vegetation properties and model initial conditions. The CLM4.5 (Community Land Model) was integrated as the model operator. The CMEM (Community Microwave Emission Modelling Platform), COSMIC (COsmic-ray Soil Moisture Interaction Code) and the two source formulation were integrated as observation operators for assimilation of L-band passive microwave, cosmic-ray soil moisture probe and land surface temperature measurements, respectively. DasPy is parallelized using the hybrid MPI (Message Passing Interface) and OpenMP (Open Multi-Processing) techniques. All the input and output data flow is organized efficiently using the commonly used NetCDF file format. Online 1D and 2D visualization of data assimilation results is also implemented to facilitate the post simulation analysis. In summary, DasPy is a ready to use open source parallel multivariate land data assimilation framework.

The Impact of British Airways Wind Observations on the Goddard Earth Observing System Analyses and Forecasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rukhovets, Leonid; Sienkiewicz, M.; Tenenbaum, J.; Kondratyeva, Y.; Owens, T.; Oztunali, M.; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

British Airways flight data recorders can provide valuable meteorological information, but they are not available in real-time on the Global Telecommunication System. Information from the flight recorders was used in the Global Aircraft Data Set (GADS) experiment as independent observations to estimate errors in wind analyses produced by major operational centers. The GADS impact on the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS) analyses was investigated using GEOS-1 DAS version. Recently, a new Data Assimilation System (fvDAS) has been developed at the Data Assimilation Office, NASA Goddard. Using fvDAS , the, GADS impact on analyses and forecasts was investigated. It was shown the GADS data intensify wind speed analyses of jet streams for some cases. Five-day forecast anomaly correlations and root mean squares were calculated for 300, 500 hPa and SLP for six different areas: Northern and Southern Hemispheres, North America, Europe, Asia, USA These scores were obtained as averages over 21 forecasts from January 1998. Comparisons with scores for control experiments without GADS showed a positive impact of the GADS data on forecasts beyond 2-3 days for all levels at the most areas.

Obesity and rates of clinical remission and low MRI inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

George, Michael D; Østergaard, Mikkel; Conaghan, Philip G; Emery, Paul; Baker, Daniel G; Baker, Joshua F

2017-10-01

Obesity has been proposed as a risk factor for refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We evaluated the impact of obesity on achieving clinical and imaging definitions of low disease activity. This study evaluated 470 patients with RA from GO-BEFORE and GO-FORWARD randomised clinical trials. Included patients had blinded clinical disease activity measures and MRI at baseline, 24 and 52 weeks. Synovitis, osteitis and total inflammation scores were determined using the RA MRI scoring system. Multivariable logistic regression analyses compared odds of achieving Disease Activity Score using 28 joints and C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) remission, low component measures, or low MRI inflammation measures at 24 weeks in patients with obesity versus no obesity. At 24 weeks, patients with obesity were significantly less likely to achieve DAS28(CRP) remission (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.92, p=0.03). In contrast, patients with obesity had similar odds of achieving low synovitis (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.51 to 1.72, p=0.84) and inflammation scores (OR 1.16; 95% CI 0.61 to 2.22, p=0.64) and greater odds of achieving low osteitis scores (OR 2.06; 95% CI 1.10 to 3.84, p=0.02) versus normal weight patients. Patients with RA and obesity have lower rates of DAS28 remission but similar rates of low MRI activity compared with patients without obesity, suggesting that obesity and its associated comorbidities can bias clinical disease activity measures. NCT00361335 and NCT00264550; Post-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Validity and Agreement between the 28-Joint Disease Activity Score Based on C-Reactive Protein and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Nielung, Louise; Christensen, Robin; Danneskiold-Samsøe, Bente; Bliddal, Henning; Holm, Christian Cato; Ellegaard, Karen; Slott Jensen, Hanne; Bartels, Else Marie

2015-01-01

Objective. To validate the agreement between the 28-joint disease activity score based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) and the 28-joint disease activity score based on C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) in a group of Danish patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Data from 109 Danish RA patients initiating biologic treatment were analysed at baseline and following one year of treatment. Participants were retrospectively enrolled from a previous cohort study and were considered eligible for this project if CRP and ESR were measured at baseline and at the follow-up visit. To assess the extent of agreement between the two DAS28 definitions, the “European League Against Rheumatism” (EULAR) response criteria based on each definition were calculated with cross-classification. Weighted Kappa (κ) coefficients were calculated, and Bland-Altman plots were used to illustrate degree of agreement between DAS28 definitions. Results. The 75 eligible patients were classified as EULAR good, moderate, and nonresponders with good agreement (61/75; 81%) between DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR (κ = 0.75 (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.88)). Conclusions. According to our findings, DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR are interchangeable when assessing RA patients and the two versions of DAS28 are comparable between studies. PMID:25632353

Full wave field recording of the vertical strain at SAFOD from local, regional and teleseismic earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellsworth, W. L.; Karrenbach, M. H.; Zumberge, M. A.

2017-12-01

The main borehole at the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) contains optical fibers cemented in place in between casing strings from the surface to just below the top of the basement. The fibers are under tension of approximately 1 N and are housed in a 0.9 mm diameter stainless steel tube. Earth strain is transmitted to the fiber by frictional contact with the tube wall. One fiber has been in use as a vertical strainmeter since 2005, measuring the total strain between 9 and 740 m by laser interferometry. In June 2017 we attached an OptaSense Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) system, model ODH3.1, to a second fiber that terminates at 864 m depth. The DAS laser interrogator measures the strain over a gauge length with a set spacing between gauge intervals. For this experiment we set the gauge length to 10 m with 1 m spacing between gauges. Including the surface run of the fiber, this gives us 936 channels measuring the vertical strain at a sample interval of 0.4 msec (2500 samples/s). Continuous recording of the string produces approximately 1 TB/day. During one month of data collection, we recorded local, regional and teleseismic earthquakes. With this recording geometry, the DAS system captures the full vertical wavefield between the basement interface and free surface, revealing direct, converted and refracted waves. Both P- and S- strain waves are clearly visible in the data, even for 10 km deep earthquakes located almost directly below the well (see figure). The incident and surface reflected wavefields can be separated by frequency-wavenumber filtering due to the large-aperture and fine spatial and temporal sampling. Up- and downgoing strain waves illuminate the subsurface within the sensor array's depth range. Accurate arrival time determinations of the initial arrival phase are possible due to consistent wave forms recorded at 1 m spatial intervals that can be used for fine-scale shallow velocity model estimation.

WRATS Integrated Data Acquisition System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piatak, David J.

2008-01-01

The Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Test System (WRATS) data acquisition system (DAS) is a 64-channel data acquisition display and analysis system specifically designed for use with the WRATS 1/5-scale V-22 tiltrotor model of the Bell Osprey. It is the primary data acquisition system for experimental aeroelastic testing of the WRATS model for the purpose of characterizing the aeromechanical and aeroelastic stability of prototype tiltrotor configurations. The WRATS DAS was also used during aeroelastic testing of Bell Helicopter Textron s Quad-Tiltrotor (QTR) design concept, a test which received international attention. The LabVIEW-based design is portable and capable of powering and conditioning over 64 channels of dynamic data at sampling rates up to 1,000 Hz. The system includes a 60-second circular data archive, an integrated model swashplate excitation system, a moving block damping application for calculation of whirl flutter mode subcritical damping, a loads and safety monitor, a pilot-control console display, data analysis capabilities, and instrumentation calibration functions. Three networked computers running custom-designed LabVIEW software acquire data through National Instruments data acquisition hardware. The aeroelastic model (see figure) was tested with the DAS at two facilities at NASA Langley, the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) and the Rotorcraft Hover Test Facility (RHTF). Because of the need for seamless transition between testing at these facilities, DAS is portable. The software is capable of harmonic analysis of periodic time history data, Fast Fourier Transform calculations, power spectral density calculations, and on-line calibration of test instrumentation. DAS has a circular buffer archive to ensure critical data is not lost in event of model failure/incident, as well as a sample-and-hold capability for phase-correct time history data.

The SeaDAS Processing and Analysis System: SeaWiFS, MODIS, and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, M. D.; Ruebens, M.; Wang, L.; Franz, B. A.

2005-12-01

The SeaWiFS Data Analysis System (SeaDAS) is a comprehensive software package for the processing, display, and analysis of ocean data from a variety of satellite sensors. Continuous development and user support by programmers and scientists for more than a decade has helped to make SeaDAS the most widely used software package in the world for ocean color applications, with a growing base of users from the land and sea surface temperature community. Full processing support for past (CZCS, OCTS, MOS) and present (SeaWiFS, MODIS) sensors, and anticipated support for future missions such as NPP/VIIRS, enables end users to reproduce the standard ocean archive product suite distributed by NASA's Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG), as well as a variety of evaluation and intermediate ocean, land, and atmospheric products. Availability of the processing algorithm source codes and a software build environment also provide users with the tools to implement custom algorithms. Recent SeaDAS enhancements include synchronization of MODIS processing with the latest code and calibration updates from the MODIS Calibration Support Team (MCST), support for all levels of MODIS processing including Direct Broadcast, a port to the Macintosh OS X operating system, release of the display/analysis-only SeaDAS-Lite, and an extremely active web-based user support forum.

Reisen im freien Fall - Teil 2: Das Zwillingsparadoxon aus dem Blickwinkel der ART

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonne, Bernd; Weiß, Reinhard

2013-07-01

Nachdem wir uns mit den Prinzipien der ART und einigen Beispielen vertraut gemacht haben, kommen wir nun zur Berechnung des Zwillingsparadoxons aus Sicht des reisenden Zwillings. Dabei spielt das Äquivalenzprinzip eine große Rolle. Deshalb wird die Bewegungssituation noch einmal erläutert, diesmal aus Sicht von Katrin. Sie befindet sich in ihrem System S'in Ruhe. In ihrem System läuft die Zeit t'ab. Nach dem Start fühlt Katrin jedoch eine Kraft, die sie als Gravitationskraft interpretieren kann. Sie merkt es daran, dass sie in den Sitz gedrückt wird. Nach einiger Zeit werden die Triebwerke abgeschaltet, und das Raumschiff fliegt mit konstanter Geschwindigkeit weiter, Phase 2. Anschließend wird der Schub der Triebwerke solange umgekehrt, bis das Raumschiff irgendwo mit der Geschwindigkeit null am Umkehrpunkt U landet, Phase 3 (Abb. 15.1). Die Erde, auf der sich Michael befindet, bewegt sich mit x'(t') aus Sicht von Katrin im freien Fall von ihr weg, s. das Experiment mit dem steigenden Fahrstuhl in Abschn. 13.2.1.

What changes in cognitive therapy for depression? An examination of cognitive therapy skills and maladaptive beliefs.

PubMed

Adler, Abby D; Strunk, Daniel R; Fazio, Russell H

2015-01-01

This study examined effortful cognitive skills and underlying maladaptive beliefs among patients treated with cognitive therapy (CT) for depression. Depressed patients (n=44) completed cognitive measures before and after 16 weeks of CT. Measures included an assessment of CT skills (Ways of Responding Scale; WOR), an implicit test of maladaptive beliefs (Implicit Association Test; IAT), and a self-report questionnaire of maladaptive beliefs (Dysfunctional Attitude Scale; DAS). A matched sample of never-depressed participants (n=44) also completed study measures. Prior to treatment, depressed patients endorsed significantly more undesirable cognitions on the WOR, IAT, and DAS compared with never-depressed participants. Patients displayed improvement on the WOR and DAS over the course of treatment, but showed no change on the IAT. Additionally, improvements on the WOR and DAS were each related to greater reductions in depressive symptoms. Results suggest that the degree of symptom reduction among patients participating in CT is related to changes in patients' acquisition of coping skills requiring deliberate efforts and reflective thought, but not related to reduced endorsement of implicitly assessed maladaptive beliefs. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

GenExp: an interactive web-based genomic DAS client with client-side data rendering.

PubMed

Gel Moreno, Bernat; Messeguer Peypoch, Xavier

2011-01-01

The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) offers a standard protocol for sharing and integrating annotations on biological sequences. There are more than 1000 DAS sources available and the number is steadily increasing. Clients are an essential part of the DAS system and integrate data from several independent sources in order to create a useful representation to the user. While web-based DAS clients exist, most of them do not have direct interaction capabilities such as dragging and zooming with the mouse. Here we present GenExp, a web based and fully interactive visual DAS client. GenExp is a genome oriented DAS client capable of creating informative representations of genomic data zooming out from base level to complete chromosomes. It proposes a novel approach to genomic data rendering and uses the latest HTML5 web technologies to create the data representation inside the client browser. Thanks to client-side rendering most position changes do not need a network request to the server and so responses to zooming and panning are almost immediate. In GenExp it is possible to explore the genome intuitively moving it with the mouse just like geographical map applications. Additionally, in GenExp it is possible to have more than one data viewer at the same time and to save the current state of the application to revisit it later on. GenExp is a new interactive web-based client for DAS and addresses some of the short-comings of the existing clients. It uses client-side data rendering techniques resulting in easier genome browsing and exploration. GenExp is open source under the GPL license and it is freely available at http://gralggen.lsi.upc.edu/recerca/genexp.

GenExp: An Interactive Web-Based Genomic DAS Client with Client-Side Data Rendering

PubMed Central

Gel Moreno, Bernat; Messeguer Peypoch, Xavier

2011-01-01

Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) offers a standard protocol for sharing and integrating annotations on biological sequences. There are more than 1000 DAS sources available and the number is steadily increasing. Clients are an essential part of the DAS system and integrate data from several independent sources in order to create a useful representation to the user. While web-based DAS clients exist, most of them do not have direct interaction capabilities such as dragging and zooming with the mouse. Results Here we present GenExp, a web based and fully interactive visual DAS client. GenExp is a genome oriented DAS client capable of creating informative representations of genomic data zooming out from base level to complete chromosomes. It proposes a novel approach to genomic data rendering and uses the latest HTML5 web technologies to create the data representation inside the client browser. Thanks to client-side rendering most position changes do not need a network request to the server and so responses to zooming and panning are almost immediate. In GenExp it is possible to explore the genome intuitively moving it with the mouse just like geographical map applications. Additionally, in GenExp it is possible to have more than one data viewer at the same time and to save the current state of the application to revisit it later on. Conclusions GenExp is a new interactive web-based client for DAS and addresses some of the short-comings of the existing clients. It uses client-side data rendering techniques resulting in easier genome browsing and exploration. GenExp is open source under the GPL license and it is freely available at http://gralggen.lsi.upc.edu/recerca/genexp. PMID:21750706

Integriertes Informationsmanagement an der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster - Das Projekt MIRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogl, Raimund; Gildhorn, Antje; Labitzke, Jörg; Wibberg, Michael

An der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU) wurde bereits 1996 ein tragfähiges, kooperativ ausgerichtetes System der IT-Governance im Zusammenspiel zentraler und dezentraler IT-Leistungserbringer etabliert. Um den Anforderungen an ein integriertes Informationsmanagement im Überlappungsfeld von Information, Kommunikation und Medien (IKM) durch das Zusammenspiel der zentralen Einrichtungen Universitätsverwaltung (UniV), Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek (ULB) und Zentrum für Informationsverarbeitung (ZIV) gerecht zu werden, wurde 2003 der IKM-Service institutionalisiert. In diesem Rahmen wurde das Projekt Münster Information System for Research and Organization (MIRO) entwickelt, das als Leistungszentrum für Forschungsinformation von der DFG gefördert wird. Die bisherigen Projekterfahrungen, erreichten Ziele und verbleibenden Aufgaben werden dargestellt. Im Projektverlauf haben sich insbesondere die etablierten IT-Governance und Versorgungs-Strukturen sowie die Unterstützung der Hochschulleitung als essentielle Erfolgskriterien erwiesen.

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

Dong, Lei; Yu, Yajun; Li, Chunguang

A ppb-level formaldehyde (H 2CO) sensor was developed using a thermoelectrically cooled (TEC), continuous-wave (CW) room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL) emitting at 3.59 μm and a miniature dense pattern multipass gas cell with >50 m optical path length. Performance of the sensor was investigated with two measurement schemes: direct absorption (DAS) and wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS). With an integration time of less than 1.5 second, a detection limit of ~3 ppbv for H 2CO measurement with precision of 1.25 ppbv for DAS and 0.58 ppbv for WMS, respectively, was achieved without zero air based background subtraction. An Allan-Werle variancemore » analysis indicated that the precisions can be further improved to 0.26 ppbv @ 300s for DAS and 69 pptv @ 90 s for WMS, respectively. Finally, a side-by-side comparison between two measurement schemes is also discussed in detail.« less

Interplay among Coating Thickness, Strip Size, and Thermal and Solidification Characteristics in A356 Lost Foam Casting Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabestari, S. G.; Divandari, M.; Ghoncheh, M. H.; Jamali, V.

2017-10-01

The aim of this research was evaluation of the solidification parameters of A356 alloy, e.g., dendrite arm spacing (DAS), correlation between cooling rate (CR) and DAS, hot tearing, and microstructural analysis at different coating thicknesses and strip sizes during the lost foam casting process (LFC). To achieve this goal, the DAS was measured at six coating thicknesses and six different strip sizes. In addition, thermal characteristics, such as the CR, temperatures of start and finish points of solidification, recalescence undercooling, and hot tearing susceptibility (HCSC), at five coating thicknesses were recognized from the cooling curves and their first derivative and the solid fraction curves, which have been plotted through the thermal analysis technique. The pouring temperature and strip size were fixed at 1063 K (790 °C) and 12 mm, respectively. Besides, to derive a numerical equation to predict the CR by measuring the DAS in this alloy, a microstructural evaluation was carried out on samples cast through 12-mm strip size. The results showed that both coating thickness and strip size had similar influences on the DAS, in which, by retaining one parameter at a constant value and simultaneous enhancement in the other parameter, the DAS increased significantly. Furthermore, at thinner coating layer, the higher amount of the CR was observed, which caused reduction in the temperatures of both the start and finish points of solidification. Also, increasing the CR caused a nonlinear increase in both the recalescence undercooling and the HCSC.

Changing clinical patterns in rheumatoid arthritis management over two decades: sequential observational studies.

PubMed

Mian, Aneela N; Ibrahim, Fowzia; Scott, Ian C; Bahadur, Sardar; Filkova, Maria; Pollard, Louise; Steer, Sophia; Kingsley, Gabrielle H; Scott, David L; Galloway, James

2016-01-27

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment paradigms have shifted over the last two decades. There has been increasing emphasis on combination disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy, newer biologic therapies have become available and there is a greater focus on achieving remission. We have evaluated the impact of treatment changes on disease activity scores for 28 joints (DAS28) and disability measured by the health assessment questionnaire scores (HAQ). Four cross-sectional surveys between 1996 and 2014 in two adjacent secondary care rheumatology departments in London evaluated changes in drug therapy, DAS28 and its component parts and HAQ scores (in three surveys). Descriptive statistics used means and standard deviations (SD) or medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) to summarise changes. Spearman's correlations assessed relationships between assessments. 1324 patients were studied. Gender ratios, age and mean disease duration were similar across all cohorts. There were temporal increases in the use of any DMARDs (rising from 61% to 87% of patients from 1996-2014), combination DMARDs (1% to 41%) and biologic (0 to 32%). Mean DAS28 fell (5.2 to 3.7), active disease (DAS28 > 5.1) declined (50% to 18%) and DAS28 remission (DAS28 < 2.6) increased (8% to 28%). In contrast HAQ scores were unchanged (1.30 to 1.32) and correlations between DAS28 and HAQ weakened (Spearman's rho fell from 0.56 to 0.44). Treatment intensity has increased over time, disease activity has fallen and there are more remissions. However, these improvements in controlling synovitis have not resulted in comparable reductions in disability measured by HAQ. As a consequence the relationship between DAS28 and HAQ has become weaker over time. Although the reasons for this divergence between disease activity and disability are uncertain, focussing treatment entirely in suppressing synovitis may be insufficient.

Processing Approaches for DAS-Enabled Continuous Seismic Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, S.; Wood, T.; Freifeld, B. M.; Robertson, M.; McDonald, S.; Pevzner, R.; Lindsey, N.; Gelvin, A.; Saari, S.; Morales, A.; Ekblaw, I.; Wagner, A. M.; Ulrich, C.; Daley, T. M.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.

2017-12-01

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is creating a "field as laboratory" capability for seismic monitoring of subsurface changes. By providing unprecedented spatial and temporal sampling at a relatively low cost, DAS enables field-scale seismic monitoring to have durations and temporal resolutions that are comparable to those of laboratory experiments. Here we report on seismic processing approaches developed during data analyses of three case studies all using DAS-enabled seismic monitoring with applications ranging from shallow permafrost to deep reservoirs: (1) 10-hour downhole monitoring of cement curing at Otway, Australia; (2) 2-month surface monitoring of controlled permafrost thaw at Fairbanks, Alaska; (3) multi-month downhole and surface monitoring of carbon sequestration at Decatur, Illinois. We emphasize the data management and processing components relevant to DAS-based seismic monitoring, which include scalable approaches to data management, pre-processing, denoising, filtering, and wavefield decomposition. DAS has dramatically increased the data volume to the extent that terabyte-per-day data loads are now typical, straining conventional approaches to data storage and processing. To achieve more efficient use of disk space and network bandwidth, we explore improved file structures and data compression schemes. Because noise floor of DAS measurements is higher than that of conventional sensors, optimal processing workflow involving advanced denoising, deconvolution (of the source signatures), and stacking approaches are being established to maximize signal content of DAS data. The resulting workflow of data management and processing could accelerate the broader adaption of DAS for continuous monitoring of critical processes.

Multi-wavelength differential absorption measurements of chemical species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, David M.

The probability of accurate detection and quantification of airborne species is enhanced when several optical wavelengths are used to measure the differential absorption of molecular spectral features. Characterization of minor atmospheric constituents, biological hazards, and chemical plumes containing multiple species is difficult when using current approaches because of weak signatures and the use of a limited number of wavelengths used for identification. Current broadband systems such as Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) have either limitations for long-range propagation, or require transmitter power levels that are unsafe for operation in urban environments. Passive hyperspectral imaging systems that utilize absorption of solar scatter at visible and infrared wavelengths, or use absorption of background thermal emission, have been employed routinely for detection of airborne chemical species. Passive approaches have operational limitations at various ranges, or under adverse atmospheric conditions because the source intensity and spectrum is often an unknown variable. The work presented here describes a measurement approach that uses a known source of a low transmitted power level for an active system, while retaining the benefits of broadband and extremely long-path absorption operations. An optimized passive imaging system also is described that operates in the 3 to 4 mum window of the mid-infrared. Such active and passive instruments can be configured to optimize the detection of several hydrocarbon gases, as well as many other species of interest. Measurements have provided the incentive to develop algorithms for the calculations of atmospheric species concentrations using multiple wavelengths. These algorithms are used to prepare simulations and make comparisons with experimental results from absorption data of a supercontinuum laser source. The MODTRAN model is used in preparing the simulations, and also in developing additional algorithms to select filters for use with a MWIR (midwave infrared) imager for detection of plumes of methane, propane, gasoline vapor, and diesel vapor. These simulations were prepared for system designs operating on a down-looking airborne platform. A data analysis algorithm for use with a hydrocarbon imaging system extracts regions of interest from the field-of-view for further analysis. An error analysis is presented for a scanning DAS (Differential Absorption Spectroscopy) lidar system operating from an airborne platform that uses signals scattered from topographical targets. The analysis is built into a simulation program for testing real-time data processing approaches, and to gauge the effects on measurements of path column concentration due to ground reflectivity variations. An example simulation provides a description of the data expected for methane. Several accomplishments of this research include: (1) A new lidar technique for detection and measurement of concentrations of atmospheric species is demonstrated that uses a low-power supercontinuum source. (2) A new multi-wavelength algorithm, which demonstrates excellent performance, is applied to processing spectroscopic data collected by a longpath supercontinuum laser absorption instrument. (3) A simulation program for topographical scattering of a scanning DAS system is developed, and it is validated with aircraft data from the ITT Industries ANGEL (Airborne Natural Gas Emission Lidar) 3-lambda lidar system. (4) An error analysis procedure for DAS is developed, and is applied to measurements and simulations for an airborne platform. (5) A method for filter selection is developed and tested for use with an infrared imager that optimizes the detection for various hydrocarbons that absorb in the midwave infrared. (6) The development of a Fourier analysis algorithm is described that allows a user to rapidly separate hydrocarbon plumes from the background features in the field of view of an imaging system.

DasPy 1.0 - the Open Source Multivariate Land Data Assimilation Framework in combination with the Community Land Model 4.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, X.; Li, X.; He, G.; Kumbhar, P.; Montzka, C.; Kollet, S.; Miyoshi, T.; Rosolem, R.; Zhang, Y.; Vereecken, H.; Franssen, H.-J. H.

2015-08-01

Data assimilation has become a popular method to integrate observations from multiple sources with land surface models to improve predictions of the water and energy cycles of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum. Multivariate data assimilation refers to the simultaneous assimilation of observation data from multiple model state variables into a simulation model. In recent years, several land data assimilation systems have been developed in different research agencies. Because of the software availability or adaptability, these systems are not easy to apply for the purpose of multivariate land data assimilation research. We developed an open source multivariate land data assimilation framework (DasPy) which is implemented using the Python script language mixed with the C++ and Fortran programming languages. LETKF (Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter) is implemented as the main data assimilation algorithm, and uncertainties in the data assimilation can be introduced by perturbed atmospheric forcing data, and represented by perturbed soil and vegetation parameters and model initial conditions. The Community Land Model (CLM) was integrated as the model operator. The implementation allows also parameter estimation (soil properties and/or leaf area index) on the basis of the joint state and parameter estimation approach. The Community Microwave Emission Modelling platform (CMEM), COsmic-ray Soil Moisture Interaction Code (COSMIC) and the Two-Source Formulation (TSF) were integrated as observation operators for the assimilation of L-band passive microwave, cosmic-ray soil moisture probe and land surface temperature measurements, respectively. DasPy has been evaluated in several assimilation studies of neutron count intensity (soil moisture), L-band brightness temperature and land surface temperature. DasPy is parallelized using the hybrid Message Passing Interface and Open Multi-Processing techniques. All the input and output data flows are organized efficiently using the commonly used NetCDF file format. Online 1-D and 2-D visualization of data assimilation results is also implemented to facilitate the post simulation analysis. In summary, DasPy is a ready to use open source parallel multivariate land data assimilation framework.

Theory and operation of the real-time data acquisition system for the NASA-LaRC differential absorption lidar (DIAL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, C.

1986-01-01

The improvement of computer hardware and software of the NASA Multipurpose Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system is documented. The NASA DIAL system is undergoing development and experimental deployment at NASA Langley Research Center for the remote measurement of atmospheric trace gas concentrations from ground and aircraft platforms. A viable DIAL system was developed capable of remotely measuring O3 and H2O concentrations from an aircraft platform. Test flights of the DIAL system were successfully performed onboard the NASA Goddard Flight Center Electra aircraft from 1980 to 1985. The DIAL Data Acquisition System has undergone a number of improvements over the past few years. These improvements have now been field tested. The theory behind a real time computer system as it applies to the needs of the DIAL system is discussed. This report is designed to be used as an operational manual for the DIAL DAS.

The Relationship Between Function and Disease Activity as Measured by the HAQ and DAS28 Varies Over Time and by Rheumatoid Factor Status in Early Inflammatory Arthritis (EIA). Results from the CATCH Cohort.

PubMed

Boyd, Tristan A; Bonner, A; Thorne, C; Boire, G; Hitchon, C; Haraoui, B P; Keystone, E C; Bykerk, V P; Pope, J E

2013-01-01

To investigate the relationship between function and disease activity in early inflammatory arthritis (EIA). Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) (n=1143) is a multi-site EIA cohort. Correlations between the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ) and DAS28 were done at every 3 months for the first year and then at 18 and 24 months. We also investigated the relationship between HAQ and DAS28 by age (<65 versus ≥65) and RF (positive vs negative). Mean HAQ and DAS28 scores were highest at the initial visit with HAQ decreasing over 24 months from a baseline of 0.94 to 0.40 and DAS28 scores decreasing from 4.54 to 2.29. All correlations between HAQ and DAS28 were significant at all time points (p<0.01). The correlations between HAQ and DAS28 were variable over time. The strongest correlation between HAQ and DAS28 occurred at initial visit (most DMARD naive) (n=1,143) and 18 months (r=0.57, n=321) and 24 months (r=0.59, n=214). The baseline correlation between HAQ and DAS28 was significantly different than correlations obtained at 3, 6, and 12 months (p=0.02, 0.01, and 0.01, respectively). Age did not change the association between HAQ and DAS28 {<65 years old (r=0.50, n=868) versus ≥65 (r=0.48, n=254), p=0.49}. The correlation between HAQ and DAS28 was stronger with RF+ patients (r=0.63, n=636) vs RF negative (r=0.47, n=477), p=0.0043. Over 2 years in EIA, HAQ and DAS both improved; correlations at time points were different over 2 years and RF status affected the correlations.

MyDas, an Extensible Java DAS Server

PubMed Central

Jimenez, Rafael C.; Quinn, Antony F.; Jenkinson, Andrew M.; Mulder, Nicola; Martin, Maria; Hunter, Sarah; Hermjakob, Henning

2012-01-01

A large number of diverse, complex, and distributed data resources are currently available in the Bioinformatics domain. The pace of discovery and the diversity of information means that centralised reference databases like UniProt and Ensembl cannot integrate all potentially relevant information sources. From a user perspective however, centralised access to all relevant information concerning a specific query is essential. The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) defines a communication protocol to exchange annotations on genomic and protein sequences; this standardisation enables clients to retrieve data from a myriad of sources, thus offering centralised access to end-users. We introduce MyDas, a web server that facilitates the publishing of biological annotations according to the DAS specification. It deals with the common functionality requirements of making data available, while also providing an extension mechanism in order to implement the specifics of data store interaction. MyDas allows the user to define where the required information is located along with its structure, and is then responsible for the communication protocol details. PMID:23028496

MyDas, an extensible Java DAS server.

PubMed

Salazar, Gustavo A; García, Leyla J; Jones, Philip; Jimenez, Rafael C; Quinn, Antony F; Jenkinson, Andrew M; Mulder, Nicola; Martin, Maria; Hunter, Sarah; Hermjakob, Henning

2012-01-01

A large number of diverse, complex, and distributed data resources are currently available in the Bioinformatics domain. The pace of discovery and the diversity of information means that centralised reference databases like UniProt and Ensembl cannot integrate all potentially relevant information sources. From a user perspective however, centralised access to all relevant information concerning a specific query is essential. The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) defines a communication protocol to exchange annotations on genomic and protein sequences; this standardisation enables clients to retrieve data from a myriad of sources, thus offering centralised access to end-users.We introduce MyDas, a web server that facilitates the publishing of biological annotations according to the DAS specification. It deals with the common functionality requirements of making data available, while also providing an extension mechanism in order to implement the specifics of data store interaction. MyDas allows the user to define where the required information is located along with its structure, and is then responsible for the communication protocol details.

Efficient Delivery and Visualization of Long Time-Series Datasets Using Das2 Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piker, C.; Granroth, L.; Faden, J.; Kurth, W. S.

2017-12-01

For over 14 years the University of Iowa Radio and Plasma Wave Group has utilized a network transparent data streaming and visualization system for most daily data review and collaboration activities. This system, called Das2, was originally designed in support of the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) investigation, but is now relied on for daily review and analysis of Voyager, Polar, Cluster, Mars Express, Juno and other mission results. In light of current efforts to promote automatic data distribution in space physics it seems prudent to provide an overview of our open source Das2 programs and interface definitions to the wider community and to recount lessons learned. This submission will provide an overview of interfaces that define the system, describe the relationship between the Das2 effort and Autoplot and will examine handling Cassini RPWS Wideband waveforms and dynamic spectra as examples of dealing with long time-series data sets. In addition, the advantages and limitations of the current Das2 tool set will be discussed, as well as lessons learned that are applicable to other data sharing initiatives. Finally, plans for future developments including improved catalogs to support 'no-software' data sources and redundant multi-server fail over, as well as new adapters for CSV (Comma Separated Values) and JSON (Javascript Object Notation) output to support Cassini closeout and the HAPI (Heliophysics Application Programming Interface) initiative are outlined.

Analysis of 11C-methionine uptake in low-grade gliomas and correlation with proliferative activity.

PubMed

Kato, T; Shinoda, J; Oka, N; Miwa, K; Nakayama, N; Yano, H; Maruyama, T; Muragaki, Y; Iwama, T

2008-11-01

The relationship of (11)C-methionine (MET) uptake and tumor activity in low-grade gliomas (those meeting the criteria for World Health Organization [WHO] grade II gliomas) remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to compare MET uptake in low-grade gliomas and to analyze whether MET positron-emission tomography (PET) can estimate tumor viability and provide evidence of malignant transformation. We studied glioma metabolic activity in 49 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed grade II gliomas by using MET PET before surgical resection. On MET PET, we measured tumor/normal brain uptake ratio (T/N ratio) in 21 diffuse astrocytomas (DAs), 12 oligodendrogliomas (ODs), and 16 oligoastrocytomas (OAs). We compared MET T/N ratio among these 3 tumors and investigated possible correlation with proliferative activity, as measured by Mib-1 labeling index (LI). MET T/N ratios of DA, OD, and OA were 2.11 +/- 0.87, 3.75 +/- 1.43, and 2.76 +/- 1.27, respectively. The MET T/N ratio of OD was significantly higher than that of DA (P < .005). In comparison of MET T/N ratios with the Mib-1 LI, a significant correlation was shown in DA (r = 0.63; P < .005) but not in OD and OA. MET uptake in DAs may be closely associated with tumor viability, which depends on increased amino acid transport by an activated carrier-mediated system. DAs with lower MET uptake were considered more quiescent lesions, whereas DA with higher MET uptake may act more aggressively.

Numerical study of anomalous dynamic scaling behaviour of (1+1)-dimensional Das Sarma-Tamborenea model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xun, Zhi-Peng; Tang, Gang; Han, Kui; Hao, Da-Peng; Xia, Hui; Zhou, Wei; Yang, Xi-Quan; Wen, Rong-Ji; Chen, Yu-Ling

2010-07-01

In order to discuss the finite-size effect and the anomalous dynamic scaling behaviour of Das Sarma-Tamborenea growth model, the (1+1)-dimensional Das Sarma-Tamborenea model is simulated on a large length scale by using the kinetic Monte-Carlo method. In the simulation, noise reduction technique is used in order to eliminate the crossover effect. Our results show that due to the existence of the finite-size effect, the effective global roughness exponent of the (1+1)-dimensional Das Sarma-Tamborenea model systematically decreases with system size L increasing when L > 256. This finding proves the conjecture by Aarao Reis[Aarao Reis F D A 2004 Phys. Rev. E 70 031607]. In addition, our simulation results also show that the Das Sarma-Tamborenea model in 1+1 dimensions indeed exhibits intrinsic anomalous scaling behaviour.

Correction for Thermal EMFs in Thermocouple Feedthroughs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziemke, Robert A.

2006-01-01

A straightforward measurement technique provides for correction of thermal-electromotive-force (thermal-EMF) errors introduced by temperature gradients along the pins of non-thermocouple-alloy hermetic feedthrough connectors for thermocouple extension wires that must pass through bulkheads. This technique is an alternative to the traditional technique in which the thermal-EMF errors are eliminated by use of custom-made multipin hermetic feedthrough connectors that contain pins made of the same alloys as those of the thermocouple extension wires. One disadvantage of the traditional technique is that it is expensive and time-consuming to fabricate multipin custom thermocouple connectors. In addition, the thermocouple-alloy pins in these connectors tend to corrode easily and/or tend to be less rugged compared to the non-thermocouple-alloy pins of ordinary connectors. As the number of thermocouples (and thus pins) is increased in a given setup, the magnitude of these disadvantages increases accordingly. The present technique is implemented by means of a little additional hardware and software, the cost of which is more than offset by the savings incurred through the use of ordinary instead of thermocouple connectors. The figure schematically depicts a typical measurement setup to which the technique is applied. The additional hardware includes an isothermal block (made of copper) instrumented with a reference thermocouple and a compensation thermocouple. The reference thermocouple is connected to an external data-acquisition system (DAS) through a two-pin thermocouple-alloy hermetic feedthrough connector, but this is the only such connector in the apparatus. The compensation thermocouple is connected to the DAS through two pins of the same ordinary multipin connector that connects the measurement thermocouples to the DAS.

Control and automation of multilayered integrated microfluidic device fabrication.

PubMed

Kipper, Sarit; Frolov, Ludmila; Guy, Ortal; Pellach, Michal; Glick, Yair; Malichi, Asaf; Knisbacher, Binyamin A; Barbiro-Michaely, Efrat; Avrahami, Dorit; Yavets-Chen, Yehuda; Levanon, Erez Y; Gerber, Doron

2017-01-31

Integrated microfluidics is a sophisticated three-dimensional (multi layer) solution for high complexity serial or parallel processes. Fabrication of integrated microfluidic devices requires soft lithography and the stacking of thin-patterned PDMS layers. Precise layer alignment and bonding is crucial. There are no previously reported standards for alignment of the layers, which is mostly performed using uncontrolled processes with very low alignment success. As a result, integrated microfluidics is mostly used in academia rather than in the many potential industrial applications. We have designed and manufactured a semiautomatic Microfluidic Device Assembly System (μDAS) for full device production. μDAS comprises an electrooptic mechanical system consisting of four main parts: optical system, smart media holder (for PDMS), a micropositioning xyzθ system and a macropositioning XY mechanism. The use of the μDAS yielded valuable information regarding PDMS as the material for device fabrication, revealed previously unidentified errors, and enabled optimization of a robust fabrication process. In addition, we have demonstrated the utilization of the μDAS technology for fabrication of a complex 3 layered device with over 12 000 micromechanical valves and an array of 64 × 64 DNA spots on a glass substrate with high yield and high accuracy. We increased fabrication yield from 25% to about 85% with an average layer alignment error of just ∼4 μm. It also increased our protein expression yields from 80% to over 90%, allowing us to investigate more proteins per experiment. The μDAS has great potential to become a valuable tool for both advancing integrated microfluidics in academia and producing and applying microfluidic devices in the industry.

The Taiwanese Derriford Appearance Scale: The translation and validation of a scale to measure individual responses to living with problems of appearance.

PubMed

Moss, Timothy Peter; Lawson, Victoria; Liu, Chiu Ying

2015-09-01

The extent of concern about physical appearance is increasingly the subject of scientific study, interventions by health professionals, and media attention. To enable carefully evaluated studies exploring the psychosocial antecedents of appearance distress, and to determine the success of interventions, the Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS24) was developed. This psychometrically sound measure is well used and cited in the appearance psychology field. Outside of a Western context, the extent and impact of appearance distress is less well known. This paper describes the adaptation of the DAS24 for use in Taiwan. A formal translation protocol was followed to adapt the DAS24 into Taiwanese/Cantonese. Two hundred and eight participants from a general population and a visibly different population were recruited in Taipei, Taiwan. These participants completed a test pack administered comprising the translated DAS24, and established measures of anxiety and depression. The scale was analyzed on the basis of classical test theory. A translated DAS Scale comprising 19 items and including three clear factors was the best solution. The scale had good internal consistency, clear convergent validity, and good test-retest reliability. The three factors that emerged were appearance-related social avoidance, social distress, and negative affect. Consistent with expectations, (a) women scored higher than men (greater appearance distress), (b) the cause of appearance difference (burns, cleft lip/palate, etc.) was unrelated to appearance distress, and (c) those with visible differences were more concerned about their appearance than those without. The Taiwanese DAS19 is a user-friendly and psychometrically sound scale that fulfils an important clinical and scientific need. The items that were omitted from the translated version were considered in relation to cultural differences in the experience and expression of shame between Western countries and Taiwan/China, which demands a careful future analysis. © 2015 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

CLAES Product Improvement by use of GSFC Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumer, J. B.; Douglass, Anne (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Recent development in chemistry transport models (CTM) and in data assimilation systems (DAS) indicate impressive predictive capability for the movement of airparcels and the chemistry that goes on within these. This project was aimed at exploring the use of this capability to achieve improved retrieval of geophysical parameters from remote sensing data. The specific goal was to improve retrieval of the CLAES CH4 data obtained during the active north high latitude dynamics event of 18 to 25 February 1992. The model capabilities would be used: (1) rather than climatology to improve on the first guess and the a-priori fields, and (2) to provide horizontal gradients to include in the retrieval forward model. The retrieval would be implemented with the first forward DAS prediction. The results would feed back to the DAS and a second DAS prediction for first guess, a-priori and gradients would feed to the retrieval. The process would repeat to convergence and then proceed to the next day.

Ocean Color Measurements from Landsat-8 OLI using SeaDAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franz, Bryan Alden; Bailey, Sean W.; Kuring, Norman; Werdell, P. Jeremy

2014-01-01

The Operational Land Imager (OLI) is a multi-spectral radiometer hosted on the recently launched Landsat-8 satellite. OLI includes a suite of relatively narrow spectral bands at 30-meter spatial resolution in the visible to shortwave infrared that make it a potential tool for ocean color radiometry: measurement of the reflected spectral radiance upwelling from beneath the ocean surface that carries information on the biogeochemical constituents of the upper ocean euphotic zone. To evaluate the potential of OLI to measure ocean color, processing support was implemented in SeaDAS, which is an open-source software package distributed by NASA for processing, analysis, and display of ocean remote sensing measurements from a variety of satellite-based multi-spectral radiometers. Here we describe the implementation of OLI processing capabilities within SeaDAS, including support for various methods of atmospheric correction to remove the effects of atmospheric scattering and absorption and retrieve the spectral remote-sensing reflectance (Rrs; sr exp 1). The quality of the retrieved Rrs imagery will be assessed, as will the derived water column constituents such as the concentration of the phytoplankton pigment chlorophyll a.

Factorial invariance of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale across gender.

PubMed

South, Susan C; Krueger, Robert F; Iacono, William G

2009-12-01

The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; G. B. Spanier, 1976) is the most widely used inventory of relationship satisfaction in the social sciences, yet the question of whether it is measuring the same concept in men and women has never been addressed. In the current study, the authors examined the factor structure of the DAS in a sample of 900 currently married couples who participated in the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to a second-order factor solution with Spanier's four factors (Dyadic Consensus, Dyadic Satisfaction, Dyadic Cohesion, Affectional Expression) loading on one higher order factor (Relationship Adjustment), to test for measurement invariance across gender. The second-order solution was relatively invariant across gender, even when taking into account the nonindependent nature of the data. This suggests that the best conceptualization of the DAS is one of a gender-invariant measure of marital adjustment with four distinct subfactors and that differences between men and women on any of these constructs can be interpreted by both clinicians and researchers as true mean differences rather than measurement bias.

What information is used in treatment decision aids? A systematic review of the types of evidence populating health decision aids.

PubMed

Clifford, Amanda M; Ryan, Jean; Walsh, Cathal; McCurtin, Arlene

2017-02-23

Patient decision aids (DAs) are support tools designed to provide patients with relevant information to help them make informed decisions about their healthcare. While DAs can be effective in improving patient knowledge and decision quality, it is unknown what types of information and evidence are used to populate such decision tools. Systematic methods were used to identify and appraise the relevant literature and patient DAs published between 2006 and 2015. Six databases (Academic Search Complete, AMED, CINAHL, Biomedical Reference Collection, General Sciences and MEDLINE) and reference list searching were used. Articles evaluating the effectiveness of the DAs were appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The content, quality and sources of evidence in the decision aids were evaluated using the IPDASi-SF and a novel classification system. Findings were synthesised and a narrative analysis was performed on the results. Thirteen studies representing ten DAs met the inclusion criteria. The IPDASI-SF score ranged from 9 to 16 indicating many of the studies met the majority of quality criteria. Sources of evidence were described but reports were sometimes generic or missing important information. The majority of DAs incorporated high quality research evidence including systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Patient and practice evidence was less commonly employed, with only a third of included DAs using these to populate decision aid content. The quality of practice and patient evidence ranged from high to low. Contextual factors were addressed across all DAs to varying degrees and covered a range of factors. This is an initial study examining the information and evidence used to populate DAs. While research evidence and contextual factors are well represented in included DAs, consideration should be given to incorporating high quality information representing all four pillars of evidence based practice when developing DAs. Further, patient and expert practice evidence should be acquired rigorously and DAs should report the means by which such evidence is obtained with citations clearly provided.

Shared decision making and patient decision aids: knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Hawai'i physicians.

PubMed

Alden, Dana L; Friend, John; Chun, Maria B J

2013-11-01

As the health care field moves toward patient-centered care (PCC), increasing emphasis has been placed on the benefits of patient decision aids for promoting shared decision making (SDM). This study provides a baseline measure of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among Hawai'i's physicians with respect to patient decision aids (DAs). Physicians throughout the State of Hawai'i were invited to complete a survey assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and practices with respect to the clinical use of DAs. One hundred and seventy four valid surveys were analyzed. Reported awareness and use of DAs were low, but recognition of the benefits of SDM and openness to the use of DAs were very high. The leading perceived barriers to the implementation of DAs were lack of awareness, lack of resources, and limited physician time to learn about DA technology. However, a significant majority of the respondents reported that DAs could empower patients by improving knowledge (88%), increasing satisfaction with the consultation process (81%), and increasing compliance (74%). Among physicians currently employing DAs, use of brochures or options matrix sheets was the most common aid tool. However, leading recommended DA formats were paper-based brochures for clinic use (75%) and interactive online website programs for outside clinic use (73.5%). Given growing emphasis on the PCC model and the recognized desire of many patients to participate in the medical decision making process, positive responses toward SDM and the use of DAs by Hawai'i physicians are promising.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Array near a Highway for Traffic Monitoring and Near-Surface Shear-Wave Velocity Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H. F.; Fratta, D.; Lancelle, C.; Ak, E. Ms; Lord, N. E.

2017-12-01

Monitoring traffic is important for many technical reasons. It allows for better design of future roads and assessment of the state of current roads. The number, size, weight, and speed of vehicles control deterioration rate. Also, real-time information supplies data to intelligent information systems to help control traffic. Recently there have been studies looking at monitoring traffic seismically as vibrations from traffic are not sensitive to weather and poor visibility. Furthermore, traffic noise can be used to image S-wave velocity distribution in the near surface by capturing and interpreting Rayleigh and Love waves (Nakata, 2016; Zeng et al. 2016). The capability of DAS for high spatial sampling (1 m), temporal sampling (up to 10 kHz), and distributed nature (tens of kilometers) allows for a closer look at the traffic as it passes and how the speed of the vehicle may change over the length of the array. The potential and difficulties of using DAS for these objectives were studied using two DAS arrays. One at Garner Valley in Southern California (a 700-meter array adjacent to CA Highway 74) and another in Brady Hot Springs, Nevada (an 8700-meter array adjacent to Interstate 80). These studies experimentally evaluated the use of DAS data for monitoring traffic and assessing the use of traffic vibration as non-localized sources for seismic imaging. DAS arrays should also be resilient to issues with lighting conditions that are problematic for video monitoring and it may be sensitive to the weight of a vehicle. This study along a major interstate provides a basis for examining DAS' potential and limitations as a key component of intelligent highway systems.

Ppb-level formaldehyde detection using a CW room-temperature interband cascade laser and a miniature dense pattern multipass gas cell

DOE PAGES

Dong, Lei; Yu, Yajun; Li, Chunguang; ...

2015-07-27

A ppb-level formaldehyde (H 2CO) sensor was developed using a thermoelectrically cooled (TEC), continuous-wave (CW) room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL) emitting at 3.59 μm and a miniature dense pattern multipass gas cell with >50 m optical path length. Performance of the sensor was investigated with two measurement schemes: direct absorption (DAS) and wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS). With an integration time of less than 1.5 second, a detection limit of ~3 ppbv for H 2CO measurement with precision of 1.25 ppbv for DAS and 0.58 ppbv for WMS, respectively, was achieved without zero air based background subtraction. An Allan-Werle variancemore » analysis indicated that the precisions can be further improved to 0.26 ppbv @ 300s for DAS and 69 pptv @ 90 s for WMS, respectively. Finally, a side-by-side comparison between two measurement schemes is also discussed in detail.« less

76 FR 23940 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Framework Adjustment 22

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

... measures based on updated scallop biomass projections. The proposed FY 2013 DAS allocations would be set at a precautionary level (i.e., 75 percent of what current biomass levels project would be the DAS... of what current biomass projections indicate could be allocated to each LA scallop vessel for the...

Drugs of abuse in urban groundwater. A case study: Barcelona.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurado, A.; Mastroianni, N.; Vazquez-Suñe, E.; Carrera, J.; Tubau, I.; Pujades, E.; Postigo, C.; Lopez de Alda, M.; Barceló, D.

2012-04-01

This study is concerned with drugs of abuse (DAs) and their metabolites in urban groundwater at field scale in relation to (1) the spatial distribution of the groundwater samples, (2) the depth of the groundwater sample, (3) the presence of DAs in recharge sources, and (4) the identification of processes affecting the fate of DAs in groundwater. To this end, urban groundwater samples were collected in the city of Barcelona and a total of 21 drugs were analyzed including cocainics, amphetamine-like compounds, opioids, lysergics and cannabinoids and the prescribed drugs benzodiazepines. Overall, the highest groundwater concentrations and the largest number of detected DAs were found in zones basically recharged by a river that receives large amounts of effluents from waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). In contrast, the urbanized areas yielded not only lower concentrations but also a much smaller number of drugs, which suggests a local origin. In fact, cocaine and its metabolite were dominant in more prosperous neighbourhoods, whereas the cheaper (MDMA) was the dominant DA in poorer districts. Concentrations of DAs estimated mainly from the waste water fraction in groundwater samples were consistently higher than the measured ones, suggesting that DAs undergo removal processes in both reducing and oxidizing conditions.

The Computational Complexity, Parallel Scalability, and Performance of Atmospheric Data Assimilation Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyster, Peter M.; Guo, J.; Clune, T.; Larson, J. W.; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The computational complexity of algorithms for Four Dimensional Data Assimilation (4DDA) at NASA's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) is discussed. In 4DDA, observations are assimilated with the output of a dynamical model to generate best-estimates of the states of the system. It is thus a mapping problem, whereby scattered observations are converted into regular accurate maps of wind, temperature, moisture and other variables. The DAO is developing and using 4DDA algorithms that provide these datasets, or analyses, in support of Earth System Science research. Two large-scale algorithms are discussed. The first approach, the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS), uses an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) and an observation-space based analysis system, the Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS). GEOS DAS is very similar to global meteorological weather forecasting data assimilation systems, but is used at NASA for climate research. Systems of this size typically run at between 1 and 20 gigaflop/s. The second approach, the Kalman filter, uses a more consistent algorithm to determine the forecast error covariance matrix than does GEOS DAS. For atmospheric assimilation, the gridded dynamical fields typically have More than 10(exp 6) variables, therefore the full error covariance matrix may be in excess of a teraword. For the Kalman filter this problem can easily scale to petaflop/s proportions. We discuss the computational complexity of GEOS DAS and our implementation of the Kalman filter. We also discuss and quantify some of the technical issues and limitations in developing efficient, in terms of wall clock time, and scalable parallel implementations of the algorithms.

An external validation study reporting poor correlation between the claims-based index for rheumatoid arthritis severity and the disease activity score.

PubMed

Desai, Rishi J; Solomon, Daniel H; Weinblatt, Michael E; Shadick, Nancy; Kim, Seoyoung C

2015-04-13

We conducted an external validation study to examine the correlation of a previously published claims-based index for rheumatoid arthritis severity (CIRAS) with disease activity score in 28 joints calculated by using C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) and the multi-dimensional health assessment questionnaire (MD-HAQ) physical function score. Patients enrolled in the Brigham and Women's Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study (BRASS) and Medicare were identified and their data from these two sources were linked. For each patient, DAS28-CRP measurement and MD-HAQ physical function scores were extracted from BRASS, and CIRAS was calculated from Medicare claims for the period of 365 days prior to the DAS28-CRP measurement. Pearson correlation coefficient between CIRAS and DAS28-CRP as well as MD-HAQ physical function scores were calculated. Furthermore, we considered several additional pharmacy and medical claims-derived variables as predictors for DAS28-CRP in a multivariable linear regression model in order to assess improvement in the performance of the original CIRAS algorithm. In total, 315 patients with enrollment in both BRASS and Medicare were included in this study. The majority (81%) of the cohort was female, and the mean age was 70 years. The correlation between CIRAS and DAS28-CRP was low (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.07, P = 0.24). The correlation between the calculated CIRAS and MD-HAQ physical function scores was also found to be low (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.08, P = 0.17). The linear regression model containing additional claims-derived variables yielded model R(2) of 0.23, suggesting limited ability of this model to explain variation in DAS28-CRP. In a cohort of Medicare-enrolled patients with established RA, CIRAS showed low correlation with DAS28-CRP as well as MD-HAQ physical function scores. Claims-based algorithms for disease activity should be rigorously tested in distinct populations in order to establish their generalizability before widespread adoption.

Implementation of protocolized tight control and biological dose optimization in daily clinical practice: results of a pilot study.

PubMed

Lesuis, N; Verhoef, L M; Nieboer, L M; Bruyn, G A; Baudoin, P; van Vollenhoven, R F; Hulscher, Mejl; van den Hoogen, Fhj; den Broeder, A A

2017-03-01

To assess the effects of education, guideline development, and individualized treatment advice on rheumatologist adherence to tight control-based treatment and biological dose optimization in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and spondyloarthropathy (SpA) patients. This pilot study, among two rheumatologists and two specialized nurses in a general hospital, combined education, feedback, local guideline development, and individualized treatment advice. Outcomes (baseline and 1 year post-intervention) were the percentage of patients with a Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) or Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) measured during the visit, mean DAS28/BASDAI, and the percentage of patients using a reduced biological dose. DAS28 outcomes only applied to RA and PsA patients, BASDAI outcomes only applied to SpA patients whereas outcomes on biological dose applied to all patients. A total of 232 patients (67% RA, 15% PsA, 18% SpA; 58% female, mean age 56 ± 15 years) were included in the study. The percentage of DAS28 and BASDAI measurements performed increased after the intervention [DAS28 15-51%, odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-5.5; BASDAI 23-50%, OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-5.5], with mean DAS28 and BASDAI scores remaining similar (DAS28: mean difference 0.1, 95% CI -0.3 to 0.5; BASDAI: mean difference 0.03, 95% CI -1.8 to 1.9). Use of a reduced biological dose increased from 10% to 61% (OR 3.9, 95% CI 2.4-6.5). A multicomponent intervention strategy aimed at rheumatologists can lead to improved adherence to tight control-based treatment and a reduction in the use of biologicals in RA, SpA, and PsA patients.

Earthquake recording at the Stanford DAS Array with fibers in existing telecomm conduits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondi, B. C.; Martin, E. R.; Yuan, S.; Cole, S.; Karrenbach, M. H.

2017-12-01

The Stanford Distributed Acoustic Sensing Array (SDASA-1) has been continuously recording seismic data since September 2016 on 2.5 km of single mode fiber optics in existing telecommunications conduits under Stanford's campus. The array is figure-eight shaped and roughly 600 m along its widest side with a channel spacing of roughly 8 m. This array is easy to maintain and is nonintrusive, making it well suited to urban environments, but it sacrifices some cable-to-ground coupling compared to more traditional seismometers. We have been testing its utility for earthquake recording, active seismic, and ambient noise interferometry. This talk will focus on earthquake observations. We will show comparisons between the strain rates measured throughout the DAS array and the particle velocities measured at the nearby Jasper Ridge Seismic Station (JRSC). In some of these events, we will point out directionality features specific to DAS that can require slight modifications in data processing. We also compare repeatability of DAS and JRSC recordings of blasts from a nearby quarry. Using existing earthquake databases, we have created a small catalog of DAS earthquake observations by pulling records of over 700 Northern California events spanning Sep. 2016 to Jul. 2017 from both the DAS data and JRSC. On these events we have tested common array methods for earthquake detection and location including beamforming and STA/LTA analysis in time and frequency. We have analyzed these events to approximate thresholds on what distances and magnitudes are clearly detectible by the DAS array. Further analysis should be done on detectability with methods tailored to small events (for example, template matching). In creating this catalog, we have developed open source software available for free download that can manage large sets of continuous seismic data files (both existing files, and files as they stream in). This software can both interface with existing earthquake networks, and efficiently extract earthquake recordings from many continuous recordings saved on the users machines.

MiDAS: the field guide to the microbes of activated sludge.

PubMed

McIlroy, Simon Jon; Saunders, Aaron Marc; Albertsen, Mads; Nierychlo, Marta; McIlroy, Bianca; Hansen, Aviaja Anna; Karst, Søren Michael; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund; Nielsen, Per Halkjær

2015-01-01

The Microbial Database for Activated Sludge (MiDAS) field guide is a freely available online resource linking the identity of abundant and process critical microorganisms in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems to available data related to their functional importance. Phenotypic properties of some of these genera are described, but most are known only from sequence data. The MiDAS taxonomy is a manual curation of the SILVA taxonomy that proposes a name for all genus-level taxa observed to be abundant by large-scale 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of full-scale activated sludge communities. The taxonomy can be used to classify unknown sequences, and the online MiDAS field guide links the identity to the available information about their morphology, diversity, physiology and distribution. The use of a common taxonomy across the field will provide a solid foundation for the study of microbial ecology of the activated sludge process and related treatment processes. The online MiDAS field guide is a collaborative workspace intended to facilitate a better understanding of the ecology of activated sludge and related treatment processes--knowledge that will be an invaluable resource for the optimal design and operation of these systems. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

MiDAS: the field guide to the microbes of activated sludge

PubMed Central

McIlroy, Simon Jon; Saunders, Aaron Marc; Albertsen, Mads; Nierychlo, Marta; McIlroy, Bianca; Hansen, Aviaja Anna; Karst, Søren Michael; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund; Nielsen, Per Halkjær

2015-01-01

The Microbial Database for Activated Sludge (MiDAS) field guide is a freely available online resource linking the identity of abundant and process critical microorganisms in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems to available data related to their functional importance. Phenotypic properties of some of these genera are described, but most are known only from sequence data. The MiDAS taxonomy is a manual curation of the SILVA taxonomy that proposes a name for all genus-level taxa observed to be abundant by large-scale 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of full-scale activated sludge communities. The taxonomy can be used to classify unknown sequences, and the online MiDAS field guide links the identity to the available information about their morphology, diversity, physiology and distribution. The use of a common taxonomy across the field will provide a solid foundation for the study of microbial ecology of the activated sludge process and related treatment processes. The online MiDAS field guide is a collaborative workspace intended to facilitate a better understanding of the ecology of activated sludge and related treatment processes—knowledge that will be an invaluable resource for the optimal design and operation of these systems. Database URL: http://www.midasfieldguide.org PMID:26120139

Review of Army Analysis. Volume 1. Main Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-04-01

and noubs r• of analytical personnel was deferred pending review by DM and DAS. Upon completion of review, DAS will present ravived recommendations to...continen- tal US cotvtands of the Arvy. The one major exception to this was the establ islment of the US Army Training and Doctriae Cotivand Systems...for these developmen- tal systems were established on the average about five years ago. At that time, the analysis supporting the requirement was con

CLAES Product Improvement by Use of the GSFC Data Assimilation System (DAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumer, J. B.; Douglass, Anne (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

This report presents the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES) product improvement by use of the GSFC Data Assimilation System (DAS). The first task is to plug line of sight gradients derived from the CTM for 2/20/92 into the forward model of our retrieval software (RSW) in order to assess the impact on the retrieved quantities. The reporting period covers 12 May 2000 - 21 December 2000.

Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale Perfectionism: A Predictor and Partial Mediator of Acute Treatment Outcome among Clinically Depressed Adolescents

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Rachel H.; Silva, Susan G.; Reinecke, Mark A.; Curry, John F.; Ginsburg, Golda S.; Kratochvil, Christopher J.; March, John S.

2009-01-01

The effect of perfectionism on acute treatment outcomes was explored in a randomized controlled trial of 439 clinically depressed adolescents (12–17 years of age) enrolled in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) who received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), fluoxetine, a combination of CBT and FLX, or pill placebo. Measures included the Children’s Depression Rating Scale–Revised, the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire–Grades 7–9, and the perfectionism subscale from the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS). Predictor results indicate that adolescents with higher versus lower DAS perfectionism scores at baseline, regardless of treatment, continued to demonstrate elevated depression scores across the acute treatment period. In the case of suicidality, DAS perfectionism impeded improvement. Treatment outcomes were partially mediated by the change in DAS perfectionism across the 12-week period. PMID:20183664

Using DAS for reflection seismology - lessons learned from three field studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freifeld, B. M.; Dou, S.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Robertson, M.; Wood, T.; Daley, T. M.; White, D. J.; Worth, K.; Pevzner, R.; Yavuz, S.; dos Santos Maia Correa, J.; McDonald, S.

2017-12-01

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has rapidly gained recognition for its potential for seismic imaging. For surface reflection seismology, the wide spatial aperture afforded by DAS is a primary motivation for its application, however the lower SNR of DAS has proven to be a significant impediment to acquiring data that can replace conventional receiver arrays. A further limitation of DAS cables is that the strain-dependent response is insensitive to acoustic energy which arrives orthogonal to the cable axis, reducing its effectiveness at seeing energy reflected from the deep subsurface. To enhance the sensitivity of DAS cables for reflection seismology, we have trialed at three field sites DAS cables with helical construction in which there is a significant component of optical fiber that is coincident with arriving broadside energy. We have installed helically wound DAS cables at the PTRC Aquistore Project in Saskatchewan, Canada and the CO2CRC Otway Project in Nirranda South, Victoria, Australia in shallow trenches. For the ADM Intelligent Monitoring Systems Project in Decatur, Illinois, USA we used a horizontal directional drilling method to install DAS cables at a depth that is greater than can be achieved using trenched installation. At the Otway and ADM sites we operated surface orbital vibrators (SOVs) at fixed locations to enhance sensitivity by stacking large numbers of sweeps. We present survey results from the three sites. Analysis of both vibroseis survey and SOV results show that the helical cable design achieves its primary objective of improving sensitivity to reflected energy, with further gains needed to achieve the sensitivity of conventional geophones.

Conceptual design of the CZMIL data acquisition system (DAS): integrating a new bathymetric lidar with a commercial spectrometer and metric camera for coastal mapping applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Eran; Tuell, Grady

2010-04-01

The CZMIL system is a new generation airborne bathymetric and topographic remote sensing platform composed of an active lidar, passive hyperspectral imager, high resolution frame camera, navigation system, and storage media running on a linux-based Gigabit Ethernet network. The lidar is a hybrid scanned-flash system employing a 10 KHz green laser and novel circular scanner, with a large aperture receiver (0.20m) having multiple channels. A PMT-based segmented detector is used on one channel to support simultaneous topographic and bathymetric data collection, and multiple fields-of- view are measured to support bathymetric measurements. The measured laser returns are digitized at 1 GHz to produce the waveforms required for ranging measurements, and unique data compression and storage techniques are used to address the large data volume. Simulated results demonstrate CZMIL's capability to discriminate bottom and surface returns in very shallow water conditions without compromising performance in deep water. Simulated waveforms are compared with measured data from the SHOALS system and show promising expected results. The system's prototype is expected to be completed by end of 2010, and ready for initial calibration tests in the spring of 2010.

The association of immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies with disease activity in seronegative rheumatoid arthritis patients.

PubMed

Karimifar, Mansoor; Moussavi, Hamidreza; Babaei, Mehran; Akbari, Mojtaba

2014-09-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease that is associated with progressive disability, systemic complications, and early death. The present study was aimed to investigate the level of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA isotypes and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody and to assess their association with disease severity based on disease activity score (DAS-28) in patients with IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) negative RA. In this cross-sectional study, 62 RA patients with IgM-RF negative were assessed. Radiographs were obtained for all RA patients. The RF (IgG, and IgA) and anti-CCP were measured by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Values of cut-off points over 15 UI/mL for IgA IgA-RF, 20 UI/mL for IgG-RF and over 20 units for anti-CCP were considered positive. DAS-28 score was compared in regard to the IgA-RF and IgG-RF and anti-CCP positivity using Mann-Whitney test. DAS-28 score in IgA-RF positive was significantly higher than IgA-RF negative (mean score, 6.03 ± 0.33 vs. 5.44 ± 0.76 respectively, P = 0.035). In IgG-RF positive patients, DAS-28 score was similar to patients with IgG-RF negative (5.64 ± 0.59 vs. 5.46 ± 0.78 respectively, P = 0.396). Furthermore, in patients with anti-CCP positive DAS-28 score was significantly higher than patients with anti-CCP negative (5.72 ± 0.61 vs. 5.38 ± 0.79 respectively, P = 0.049). Findings indicated that there was a significant association between the amounts of IgA and anti-CCP with severity of disease in RF negative RA patients while there was no significant association between the amounts of IgG and severity of RA disease.

Common Mental Disorder Diagnosis and Need for Treatment are Not the Same: Findings from the NEMESIS Study.

PubMed

Wang, Yunqiao; Henriksen, Christine A; Ten Have, Margreet; de Graaf, Ron; Stein, Murray B; Enns, Murray W; Sareen, Jitender

2017-07-01

The study aimed to determine whether some depressive, anxiety, and substance-use (DAS) disorders are mild, transient cases that remit without treatment. The first two waves of the first Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study were used (age 18-64 years at baseline; wave two N = 5618). Mental disorders were assessed using CIDI 1.1. Past-year and past-month measures of DAS disorders, health service use, and quality of life were assessed at both waves. Individuals with a past-year DAS disorder who received no prior lifetime treatment were significantly more likely than those who received treatment to: (1) remit from their index disorder(s) without subsequent treatment, (2) be free of comorbid disorders, and (3) not have attempted suicide during follow-up (remission rates: 68.5 versus 32.0 %, respectively, p < 0.001). However, these individuals had lower quality of life compared to healthy individuals. Results were similar for past-month measures. Results show that many people who meet criteria for a DAS disorder remit without treatment. However, the lowered quality of life scores in this group nonetheless underscores the negative impact on the presence of residual symptoms.

Uncertainty analysis of thermocouple measurements used in normal and abnormal thermal environment experiments at Sandia's Radiant Heat Facility and Lurance Canyon Burn Site.

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

Nakos, James Thomas

2004-04-01

It would not be possible to confidently qualify weapon systems performance or validate computer codes without knowing the uncertainty of the experimental data used. This report provides uncertainty estimates associated with thermocouple data for temperature measurements from two of Sandia's large-scale thermal facilities. These two facilities (the Radiant Heat Facility (RHF) and the Lurance Canyon Burn Site (LCBS)) routinely gather data from normal and abnormal thermal environment experiments. They are managed by Fire Science & Technology Department 09132. Uncertainty analyses were performed for several thermocouple (TC) data acquisition systems (DASs) used at the RHF and LCBS. These analyses apply tomore » Type K, chromel-alumel thermocouples of various types: fiberglass sheathed TC wire, mineral-insulated, metal-sheathed (MIMS) TC assemblies, and are easily extended to other TC materials (e.g., copper-constantan). Several DASs were analyzed: (1) A Hewlett-Packard (HP) 3852A system, and (2) several National Instrument (NI) systems. The uncertainty analyses were performed on the entire system from the TC to the DAS output file. Uncertainty sources include TC mounting errors, ANSI standard calibration uncertainty for Type K TC wire, potential errors due to temperature gradients inside connectors, extension wire uncertainty, DAS hardware uncertainties including noise, common mode rejection ratio, digital voltmeter accuracy, mV to temperature conversion, analog to digital conversion, and other possible sources. Typical results for 'normal' environments (e.g., maximum of 300-400 K) showed the total uncertainty to be about {+-}1% of the reading in absolute temperature. In high temperature or high heat flux ('abnormal') thermal environments, total uncertainties range up to {+-}2-3% of the reading (maximum of 1300 K). The higher uncertainties in abnormal thermal environments are caused by increased errors due to the effects of imperfect TC attachment to the test item. 'Best practices' are provided in Section 9 to help the user to obtain the best measurements possible.« less

The Impact of Withholding Observations from TOMS or SBUV Instruments on the GEOS Ozone Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stajner, Ovanka; Riishojgaard, Lars Peter; Rood, Richard B.

2000-01-01

In a data assimilation system (DAS), model forecast atmospheric fields, observations and their respective statistics are combined in an attempt to produce the best estimate of these fields. Ozone observations from two instruments are assimilated in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) ozone DAS: the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument. The assimilated observations are complementary; TOMS provides a global daily coverage of total column ozone, without profile information, while SBUV measures ozone profiles and total column ozone at nadir only. The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of the ozone assimilation system in the absence of observations from one of the instruments as it can happen in the event of a failure of an instrument or when there are problems with an instrument for a limited time. Our primary concern is for the performance of the GEOS ozone DAS when it is used in the operational mode to provide near real time analyzed ozone fields in support of instruments on the Terra satellite. In addition, we are planning to produce a longer term ozone record by assimilating historical data. We want to quantify the differences in the assimilated ozone fields that are caused by the changes in the TOMS or SBUV observing network. Our primary interest is in long term and large scale features visible in global statistics of analysis fields, such as differences in the zonal mean of assimilated ozone fields or comparisons with independent observations, While some drifts in assimilated fields occur immediately, after assimilating just one day of different observations, the others develop slowly over several months. Thus, we are also interested in the length of time, which is determined from time series, that is needed for significant changes to take place.

A comparative evaluation of dried activated sludge and mixed dried activated sludge with rice husk silica to remove hydrogen sulfide

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of dried activated sludge (DAS) and mixed dried activated sludge with rice husk silica (DAS & RHS) for removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Two laboratory-scale filter columns (packed one litter) were operated. Both systems were operated under different conditions of two parameters, namely different inlet gas concentrations and different inlet flow rates. The DAS & RHS packed filter showed more than 99.96% removal efficiency (RE) with empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 45 to 90 s and 300 mg/L inlet concentration of H2S. However, the RE decreased to 96.87% with the EBRT of 30 s. In the same condition, the DAS packed filter showed 99.37% RE. Nonetheless, the RE was shown to have dropped to 82.09% with the EBRT of 30 s. The maximum elimination capacity (EC) was obtained in the DAS & RHS packed filter up to 52.32 g/m3h, with the RE of 96.87% and H2S mass loading rate of 54 g/m3h. The maximum EC in the DAS packed filter was obtained up to 44.33 g/m3h with the RE of 82.09% and the H2S mass loading rate of 54 g/m3h. After 53 days of operating time and 54 g/m3h of loading rates, the maximum pressure drop reached to 3.0 and 8.0 (mm H2O) for the DAS & RHS packed and DAS packed filters, respectively. Based on the findings of this study, the DAS & RHS could be considered as a more suitable packing material to remove H2S. PMID:23497048

A Data System for a Rapid Evaluation Class of Subscale Aerial Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hogge, Edward F.; Quach, Cuong C.; Vazquez, Sixto L.; Hill, Boyd L.

2011-01-01

A low cost, rapid evaluation, test aircraft is used to develop and test airframe damage diagnosis algorithms at Langley Research Center as part of NASA's Aviation Safety Program. The remotely operated subscale aircraft is instrumented with sensors to monitor structural response during flight. Data is collected for good and compromised airframe configurations to develop data driven models for diagnosing airframe state. This paper describes the data acquisition system (DAS) of the rapid evaluation test aircraft. A PC/104 form factor DAS was developed to allow use of Matlab, Simulink simulation code in Langley's existing subscale aircraft flight test infrastructure. The small scale of the test aircraft permitted laboratory testing of the actual flight article under controlled conditions. The low cost and modularity of the DAS permitted adaptation to various flight experiment requirements.

Dielectric Constant of Undercooled Water.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

can or radiation shield, and the experimental stage. The two cans are evacu- -3 ated to about 10 3 mm Hg. The outer can is made of aluminum and is...wrapped with aluminum tubing through which a commercial circulator-cooler pumps a circulating fluid with its tempera- ture controlled to 20 mK between...Control and Measurement System" Strem, R.B., Das, B.K., and Greer, S.C., Rev. Sci. Instrum., in press. 17 Type S-1, Thermometrics , Inc., Ediaon, N.J. 183

Advanced data acquisition and display techniques for laser velocimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kjelgaard, Scott O.; Weston, Robert P.

1991-01-01

The Basic Aerodynamics Research Tunnel (BART) has been equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for acquiring the data needed for code validation. This paper describes the three-component LDV and the workstation-based data-acquisition system (DAS) which has been developed for the BART. The DAS allows the use of automation and the quick integration of advanced instrumentation, while minimizing the software development time required between investigations. The paper also includes a description of a graphics software library developed to support the windowing environment of the DAS. The real-time displays generated using the graphics library help the researcher ensure the test is proceeding properly. The graphics library also supports the requirements of posttest data analysis. The use of the DAS and graphics libraries is illustrated by presenting examples of the real-time and postprocessing display graphics for LDV investigations.

The trigger and data acquisition for the NEMO-Phase 2 tower

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

Pellegrino, C.; Biagi, S.; Fusco, L. A.

In the framework of the Phase 2 of the NEMO neutrino telescope project, a tower with 32 optical modules is being operated since march 2013. A new scalable Trigger and Data Acquisition System (TriDAS) has been developed and extensively tested with the data from this tower. Adopting the all-data-to-shore concept, the NEMO TriDAS is optimized to deal with a continuous data-stream from off-shore to on-shore with a large bandwidth. The TriDAS consists of four computing layers: (i) data aggregation of isochronal hits from all optical modules; (ii) data filtering by means of concurrent trigger algorithms; (iii) composition of the filteredmore » events into post-trigger files; (iv) persistent data storage. The TriDAS implementation is reported together with a review of dedicated on-line monitoring tools.« less

Choosing treatment and screening options congruent with values: Do decision aids help? Sub-analysis of a systematic review.

PubMed

Munro, Sarah; Stacey, Dawn; Lewis, Krystina B; Bansback, Nick

2016-04-01

To understand how well patients make value congruent decisions with and without patient decision aids (PtDAs) for screening and treatment options, and identify issues with its measurement and evaluation. A sub-analysis of trials included in the 2014 Cochrane Review of Decision Aids. Eligible trials measured value congruence with chosen option. Two reviewers independently screened 115 trials. Among 18 included trials, 8 (44%) measured value congruence using the Multidimensional Measure of Informed Choice (MMIC), 7 (39%) used heterogeneous methods, and 3 (17%) used unclear methods. Pooled results of trials that used heterogeneous measures were statistically non-significant (n=3). Results from trials that used the MMIC suggest patients are 48% more likely to make value congruent decisions when exposed to a PtDA for a screening decision (RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.16, n=8). Patients struggle to make value congruent decisions, but PtDAs may help. While the absolute improvement is relatively small it may be underestimated due to sample size issues, definitions, and heterogeneity of measures. Current approaches are inadequate to support patients making decisions that are consistent with their values. There is some evidence that PtDAs support patients with achieving values congruent decisions for screening choices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review and empirical study of the composite scales of the Das-Naglieri cognitive assessment system.

PubMed

McCrea, Simon M

2009-01-01

Alexander Luria's model of the working brain consisting of three functional units was formulated through the examination of hundreds of focal brain-injury patients. Several psychometric instruments based on Luria's syndrome analysis and accompanying qualitative tasks have been developed since the 1970s. In the mid-1970s, JP Das and colleagues defined a specific cognitive processes model based directly on Luria's two coding units termed simultaneous and successive by studying diverse cross-cultural, ability, and socioeconomic strata. The cognitive assessment system is based on the PASS model of cognitive processes and consists of four composite scales of Planning-Attention-Simultaneous-Successive (PASS) devised by Naglieri and Das in 1997. Das and colleagues developed the two new scales of planning and attention to more closely model Luria's theory of higher cortical functions. In this paper a theoretical review of Luria's theory, Das and colleagues elaboration of Luria's model, and the neural correlates of PASS composite scales based on extant studies is summarized. A brief empirical study of the neuropsychological specificity of the PASS composite scales in a sample of 33 focal cortical stroke patients using cluster analysis is then discussed. Planning and simultaneous were sensitive to right hemisphere lesions. These findings were integrated with recent functional neuroimaging studies of PASS scales. In sum it was found that simultaneous is strongly dependent on dual bilateral occipitoparietal interhemispheric coordination whereas successive demonstrated left frontotemporal specificity with some evidence of interhemispheric coordination across the prefrontal cortex. Hence, support for the validity of the PASS composite scales was found as well as for the axiom of the independence of code content from code type originally specified in 1994 by Das, Naglieri, and Kirby.

Integration of DAS (distributed acoustic sensing) vertical seismic profile and geostatistically modeled lithology data to characterize an enhanced geothermal system.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronin, S. P.; Trainor Guitton, W.; Team, P.; Pare, A.; Jreij, S.; Powers, H.

2017-12-01

In March 2016, a 4-week field data acquisition took place at Brady's Natural Lab (BNL), an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) in Fallan, NV. During these 4 weeks, a vibe truck executed 6,633 sweeps, recorded by nodal seismometers, horizontal distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) cable, and 400 meters of vertical DAS cable. DAS provides lower signal to noise ratio than traditional geophones but better spatial resolution. The analysis of DAS VSP included Fourier transform, and filtering to remove all up-going energy. Thus, allowing for accurate first arrival picking. We present an example of the Gradual Deformation Method (GDM) using DAS VSP and lithological data to produce a distribution of valid velocity models of BNL. GDM generates continuous perturbations of prior model realizations seeking the best match to the data (i.e. minimize the misfit). Prior model realizations honoring the lithological data were created using sequential Gaussian simulation, a commonly used noniterative geostatistical method. Unlike least-squares-based methods of inversion, GDM readily incorporates a priori information, such as a variogram calculated from well-based lithology information. Additionally, by producing a distribution of models, as opposed to one optimal model, GDM allows for uncertainty quantification. This project aims at assessing the integrated technologies ability to monitor changes in the water table (possibly to one meter resolution) by exploiting the dependence of seismic wave velocities on water saturation of the subsurface. This project, which was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, is a part of the PoroTomo project, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Joint Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Differential Ability Scales and the "Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities--Third Edition"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Sarah; McIntosh, David E.; Dunham, Mardis; Rothlisberg, Barbara A.; Finch, Holmes

2007-01-01

This study examined the underlying constructs measured by the "Differential Ability Scales" ("DAS"; C.D. Elliott, 1990a) as they relate to the "Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Theory" (K.S. McGrew, 1997) of cognitive abilities. The "DAS" and "Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities" ("WJ-III COG"; R.W.Woodcock, K.S. McGrew, & N. Mather, 2001)…

Using Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing to Monitor Large Scale Permafrost Transitions: Preliminary Results from a Controlled Thaw Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Wagner, A. M.; Lindsey, N.; Dou, S.; Bjella, K.; Daley, T. M.; Freifeld, B. M.; Ulrich, C.; Gelvin, A.; Morales, A.; James, S. R.; Saari, S.; Ekblaw, I.; Wood, T.; Robertson, M.; Martin, E. R.

2016-12-01

In a warming world, permafrost landscapes are being rapidly transformed by thaw, yielding surface subsidence and groundwater flow alteration. The same transformations pose a threat to arctic infrastructure and can induce catastrophic failure of the roads, runways, and pipelines on which human habitation depends. Scalable solutions to monitoring permafrost thaw dynamics are required to both quantitatively understand biogeochemical feedbacks as well as to protect built infrastructure from damage. Unfortunately, permafrost alteration happens over the time scale of climate change, years to decades, a decided challenge for testing new sensing technologies in a limited context. One solution is to engineer systems capable of rapidly thawing large permafrost units to allow short duration experiments targeting next-generation sensing approaches. We present preliminary results from a large-scale controlled permafrost thaw experiment designed to evaluate the utility of different geophysical approaches for tracking the cause, precursors, and early phases of thaw subsidence. We focus on the use of distributed fiber optic sensing for this challenge and deployed distributed temperature (DTS), strain (DSS), and acoustic (DAS) sensing systems in a 2D array to detect thaw signatures. A 10 x 15 x 1 m section of subsurface permafrost was heated using an array of 120 downhole heaters (60 w) at an experimental site near Fairbanks, AK. Ambient noise analysis of DAS datasets collected at the plot, coupled to shear wave inversion, was utilized to evaluate changes in shear wave velocity associated with heating and thaw. These measurements were confirmed by seismic surveys collected using a semi-permanent orbital seismic source activated on a daily basis. Fiber optic measurements were complemented by subsurface thermistor and thermocouple arrays, timelapse total station surveys, LIDAR, secondary seismic measurements (geophone and broadband recordings), timelapse ERT, borehole NMR, soil moisture measurements, hydrologic measurements, and multi-angle photogrammetry. This unusually dense combination of measurement techniques provides an excellent opportunity to characterize the geophysical signatures of permafrost thaw in a controlled environment.

Evaluation of Transport in the Lower Tropical Stratosphere in a Global Chemistry and Transport Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, Anne R.; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Rood, Richard B.; Pawson, Steven; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Off-line models of the evolution of stratospheric constituents use meteorological information from a general circulation model (GCM) or from a data assimilation system (DAS). Here we focus on transport in the tropics and between the tropics and middle latitudes. Constituent fields from two simulations are compared with each other and with observations. One simulation uses winds from a GCM and the second uses winds from a DAS that has the same GCM at its core. Comparisons of results from the two simulations with observations from satellite, aircraft, and sondes are used to judge the realism of the tropical transport. Faithful comparisons between simulated fields and observations for O3, CH4, and the age-of-air are found for the simulation using the GCM fields. The same comparisons for the simulation using DAS fields show rapid upward tropical transport and excessive mixing between the tropics and middle latitudes. The unrealistic transport found in the DAS fields may be due to the failure of the GCM used in the assimilation system to represent the quasi-biennial oscillation. The assimilation system accounts for differences between the observations and the GCM by requiring implicit forcing to produce consistency between the GCM and observations. These comparisons suggest that the physical consistency of the GCM fields is more important to transport characteristics in the lower tropical stratosphere than the elimination bias with respect to meteorological observations that is accomplished by the DAS. The comparisons presented here show that GCM fields are more appropriate for long-term calculations to assess the impact of changes in stratospheric composition because the balance between photochemical and transport terms is likely to be represented correctly.

Development of a Multi-Biomarker Disease Activity Test for Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Shen, Yijing; Ramanujan, Saroja; Knowlton, Nicholas; Swan, Kathryn A.; Turner, Mary; Sutton, Chris; Smith, Dustin R.; Haney, Douglas J.; Chernoff, David; Hesterberg, Lyndal K.; Carulli, John P.; Taylor, Peter C.; Shadick, Nancy A.; Weinblatt, Michael E.; Curtis, Jeffrey R.

2013-01-01

Background Disease activity measurement is a key component of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management. Biomarkers that capture the complex and heterogeneous biology of RA have the potential to complement clinical disease activity assessment. Objectives To develop a multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) test for rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Candidate serum protein biomarkers were selected from extensive literature screens, bioinformatics databases, mRNA expression and protein microarray data. Quantitative assays were identified and optimized for measuring candidate biomarkers in RA patient sera. Biomarkers with qualifying assays were prioritized in a series of studies based on their correlations to RA clinical disease activity (e.g. the Disease Activity Score 28-C-Reactive Protein [DAS28-CRP], a validated metric commonly used in clinical trials) and their contributions to multivariate models. Prioritized biomarkers were used to train an algorithm to measure disease activity, assessed by correlation to DAS and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for classification of low vs. moderate/high disease activity. The effect of comorbidities on the MBDA score was evaluated using linear models with adjustment for multiple hypothesis testing. Results 130 candidate biomarkers were tested in feasibility studies and 25 were selected for algorithm training. Multi-biomarker statistical models outperformed individual biomarkers at estimating disease activity. Biomarker-based scores were significantly correlated with DAS28-CRP and could discriminate patients with low vs. moderate/high clinical disease activity. Such scores were also able to track changes in DAS28-CRP and were significantly associated with both joint inflammation measured by ultrasound and damage progression measured by radiography. The final MBDA algorithm uses 12 biomarkers to generate an MBDA score between 1 and 100. No significant effects on the MBDA score were found for common comorbidities. Conclusion We followed a stepwise approach to develop a quantitative serum-based measure of RA disease activity, based on 12-biomarkers, which was consistently associated with clinical disease activity levels. PMID:23585841

Development of a multi-biomarker disease activity test for rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Centola, Michael; Cavet, Guy; Shen, Yijing; Ramanujan, Saroja; Knowlton, Nicholas; Swan, Kathryn A; Turner, Mary; Sutton, Chris; Smith, Dustin R; Haney, Douglas J; Chernoff, David; Hesterberg, Lyndal K; Carulli, John P; Taylor, Peter C; Shadick, Nancy A; Weinblatt, Michael E; Curtis, Jeffrey R

2013-01-01

Disease activity measurement is a key component of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management. Biomarkers that capture the complex and heterogeneous biology of RA have the potential to complement clinical disease activity assessment. To develop a multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) test for rheumatoid arthritis. Candidate serum protein biomarkers were selected from extensive literature screens, bioinformatics databases, mRNA expression and protein microarray data. Quantitative assays were identified and optimized for measuring candidate biomarkers in RA patient sera. Biomarkers with qualifying assays were prioritized in a series of studies based on their correlations to RA clinical disease activity (e.g. the Disease Activity Score 28-C-Reactive Protein [DAS28-CRP], a validated metric commonly used in clinical trials) and their contributions to multivariate models. Prioritized biomarkers were used to train an algorithm to measure disease activity, assessed by correlation to DAS and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for classification of low vs. moderate/high disease activity. The effect of comorbidities on the MBDA score was evaluated using linear models with adjustment for multiple hypothesis testing. 130 candidate biomarkers were tested in feasibility studies and 25 were selected for algorithm training. Multi-biomarker statistical models outperformed individual biomarkers at estimating disease activity. Biomarker-based scores were significantly correlated with DAS28-CRP and could discriminate patients with low vs. moderate/high clinical disease activity. Such scores were also able to track changes in DAS28-CRP and were significantly associated with both joint inflammation measured by ultrasound and damage progression measured by radiography. The final MBDA algorithm uses 12 biomarkers to generate an MBDA score between 1 and 100. No significant effects on the MBDA score were found for common comorbidities. We followed a stepwise approach to develop a quantitative serum-based measure of RA disease activity, based on 12-biomarkers, which was consistently associated with clinical disease activity levels.

Ground Motion Response to a ML 4.3 Earthquake Using Co-Located Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Seismometer Arrays

DOE PAGES

Wang, Herbert F.; Zeng, Xiangfang; Miller, Douglas E.; ...

2018-03-17

The PoroTomo research team deployed two arrays of seismic sensors in a natural laboratory at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016. The 1500 m (length) by 500 m (width) by 400 m (depth) volume of the laboratory overlies a geothermal reservoir. The surface Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) array consisted of 8700 m of fiber-optic cable in a shallow trench, including 340 m in a well. The conventional seismometer array consisted of 238 three- component geophones. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100 meters in length and geophones were spaced atmore » approximately 60- meter intervals. Both DAS and conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 days during which a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on March 21, 2016. Its epicenter was approximately 150-km south-southeast of the laboratory. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to compare signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios in both time and frequency domains and to test relationships between DAS and geophone data. The ratios were typically within a factor of five of each other with DAS SNR often greater for P-wave but smaller for S-wave relative to geophone SNR. The SNRs measured for an earthquake can be better than for active sources, because the earthquake signal contains more low frequency energy and the noise level is also lower at those lower frequencies. Amplitudes of the sum of several DAS strain-rate waveforms matched the finite difference of two geophone waveforms reasonably well, as did the amplitudes of DAS strain waveforms with particle-velocity waveforms recorded by geophones. Similar agreement was found between DAS and geophone observations and synthetic strain seismograms. In conclusion, the combination of good SNR in the seismic frequency band, high-spatial density, large N, and highly accurate time control among individual sensors suggests that DAS arrays have potential to assume a role in earthquake seismology.« less

Ground Motion Response to a ML 4.3 Earthquake Using Co-Located Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Seismometer Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Herbert F.; Zeng, Xiangfang; Miller, Douglas E.; Fratta, Dante; Feigl, Kurt L.; Thurber, Clifford H.; Mellors, Robert J.

2018-03-01

The PoroTomo research team deployed two arrays of seismic sensors in a natural laboratory at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016. The 1500 m (length) by 500 m (width) by 400 m (depth) volume of the laboratory overlies a geothermal reservoir. The surface Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) array consisted of 8700 m of fiber-optic cable in a shallow trench, including 340 m in a well. The conventional seismometer array consisted of 238 three-component geophones. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100 meters in length and geophones were spaced at approximately 60-m intervals. Both DAS and conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 days during which a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on March 21, 2016. Its epicenter was approximately 150-km south-southeast of the laboratory. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to compare signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios in both time and frequency domains and to test relationships between DAS and geophone data. The ratios were typically within a factor of five of each other with DAS SNR often greater for P-wave but smaller for S-wave relative to geophone SNR. The SNRs measured for an earthquake can be better than for active sources, because the earthquake signal contains more low frequency energy and the noise level is also lower at those lower frequencies. Amplitudes of the sum of several DAS strain-rate waveforms matched the finite difference of two geophone waveforms reasonably well, as did the amplitudes of DAS strain waveforms with particle-velocity waveforms recorded by geophones. Similar agreement was found between DAS and geophone observations and synthetic strain seismograms. The combination of good SNR in the seismic frequency band, high-spatial density, large N, and highly accurate time control among individual sensors suggests that DAS arrays have potential to assume a role in earthquake seismology.

Ground Motion Response to a ML 4.3 Earthquake Using Co-Located Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Seismometer Arrays

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

Wang, Herbert F.; Zeng, Xiangfang; Miller, Douglas E.

The PoroTomo research team deployed two arrays of seismic sensors in a natural laboratory at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016. The 1500 m (length) by 500 m (width) by 400 m (depth) volume of the laboratory overlies a geothermal reservoir. The surface Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) array consisted of 8700 m of fiber-optic cable in a shallow trench, including 340 m in a well. The conventional seismometer array consisted of 238 three- component geophones. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100 meters in length and geophones were spaced atmore » approximately 60- meter intervals. Both DAS and conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 days during which a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on March 21, 2016. Its epicenter was approximately 150-km south-southeast of the laboratory. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to compare signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios in both time and frequency domains and to test relationships between DAS and geophone data. The ratios were typically within a factor of five of each other with DAS SNR often greater for P-wave but smaller for S-wave relative to geophone SNR. The SNRs measured for an earthquake can be better than for active sources, because the earthquake signal contains more low frequency energy and the noise level is also lower at those lower frequencies. Amplitudes of the sum of several DAS strain-rate waveforms matched the finite difference of two geophone waveforms reasonably well, as did the amplitudes of DAS strain waveforms with particle-velocity waveforms recorded by geophones. Similar agreement was found between DAS and geophone observations and synthetic strain seismograms. In conclusion, the combination of good SNR in the seismic frequency band, high-spatial density, large N, and highly accurate time control among individual sensors suggests that DAS arrays have potential to assume a role in earthquake seismology.« less

Ground motion response to an ML 4.3 earthquake using co-located distributed acoustic sensing and seismometer arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Herbert F.; Zeng, Xiangfang; Miller, Douglas E.; Fratta, Dante; Feigl, Kurt L.; Thurber, Clifford H.; Mellors, Robert J.

2018-06-01

The PoroTomo research team deployed two arrays of seismic sensors in a natural laboratory at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016. The 1500 m (length) × 500 m (width) × 400 m (depth) volume of the laboratory overlies a geothermal reservoir. The distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) array consisted of about 8400 m of fiber-optic cable in a shallow trench and 360 m in a well. The conventional seismometer array consisted of 238 shallowly buried three-component geophones. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100 m in length and geophones were spaced at approximately 60 m intervals. Both DAS and conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 d during which a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on 2016 March 21. Its epicentre was approximately 150 km south-southeast of the laboratory. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to compare signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in both time and frequency domains and to test relationships between DAS and geophone data. The ratios were typically within a factor of five of each other with DAS SNR often greater for P-wave but smaller for S-wave relative to geophone SNR. The SNRs measured for an earthquake can be better than for active sources because the earthquake signal contains more low-frequency energy and the noise level is also lower at those lower frequencies. Amplitudes of the sum of several DAS strain-rate waveforms matched the finite difference of two geophone waveforms reasonably well, as did the amplitudes of DAS strain waveforms with particle-velocity waveforms recorded by geophones. Similar agreement was found between DAS and geophone observations and synthetic strain seismograms. The combination of good SNR in the seismic frequency band, high-spatial density, large N and highly accurate time control among individual sensors suggests that DAS arrays have potential to assume a role in earthquake seismology.

Increased disease activity, severity and autoantibody positivity in rheumatoid arthritis patients with co-existent bronchiectasis.

PubMed

Perry, Elizabeth; Eggleton, Paul; De Soyza, Anthony; Hutchinson, David; Kelly, Clive

2017-12-01

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and co-existent bronchiectasis (BRRA) have a five-fold increased mortality compared to rheumatoid arthritis alone. Yet previous studies have found no difference in clinical and serological markers of RA disease severity between BRRA patients and RA alone. However, RA disease activity measures such as Disease Activity Score of 28 joints - C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) have not been studied, so we assessed these parameters in patients with BRRA and RA alone. BRRA patients (n = 53) had high-resolution computed tomography proven bronchiectasis without any interstitial lung disease and ≥ 2 respiratory infections/year. RA alone patients (n = 50) had no clinical or radiological evidence of lung disease. DAS28-CRP, rheumatoid factor (immunoglobulin M) and anti-CCP were measured in all patients, together with detailed clinical and radiology records. In BRRA, bronchiectasis predated RA in 58% of patients. BRRA patients had higher DAS28 scores (3.51 vs. 2.59), higher levels of anti-CCP (89% vs. 46%) and rheumatoid factor (79% vs. 52%) (P = 0.003) compared to RA alone. Where hand and foot radiology findings were recorded, 29/37 BRRA (78%) and 13/30 (43%) RA alone had evidence of erosive change (P = 0.003). There were no significant differences between groups in smoking history or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug/biologic therapy. Increased levels of RA disease activity, severity and RA autoantibodies are demonstrated in patients with RA and co-existent bronchiectasis compared to patients with RA alone, despite lower tobacco exposure. This study demonstrates that BRRA is a more severe systemic disease than RA alone. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The Alabama VIP older driver study rationale and design: examining the relationship between vision impairment and driving using naturalistic driving techniques.

PubMed

Owsley, Cynthia; McGwin, Gerald; Antin, Jonathan F; Wood, Joanne M; Elgin, Jennifer

2018-02-07

Older drivers aged ≥70 years old have among the highest rates of motor vehicle collisions (MVC) compared to other age groups. Driving is a highly visual task, and older adults have a high prevalence of vision impairment compared to other ages. Most studies addressing visual risk factors for MVCs by older drivers utilize vehicle accident reports as the primary outcome, an approach with several methodological limitations. Naturalistic driving research methods overcome these challenges and involve installing a high-tech, unobtrusive data acquisition system (DAS) in an older driver's own vehicle. The DAS continuously records multi-channel video of driver and roadway, sensor-based kinematics, GPS location, and presence of nearby objects in front of the vehicle, providing an objective measure of driving exposure. In this naturalistic driving study, the purpose is to examine the relationship between vision and crashes and near-crashes, lane-keeping, turning at intersections, driving performance during secondary tasks demands, and the role of front-seat passengers. An additional aim is to compare results of the on-road driving evaluation by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist to objective indicators of driving performance derived from the naturalistic data. Drivers ≥70 years old are recruited from ophthalmology clinics and a previous population-based study of older drivers, with the goal of recruiting persons with wide ranging visual function. Target samples size is 195 drivers. At a baseline visit, the DAS is installed in the participant's vehicle and a battery of health and functional assessments are administered to the driver including visual-sensory and visual-cognitive tests. The DAS remains installed in the vehicle for six months while the participant goes about his/her normal driving with no imposed study restrictions. After six months, the driver returns for DAS de-installation, repeat vision testing, and an on-road driving evaluation by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist (CDRS). The data streams recorded by the DAS are uploaded to the data coordinating center for analysis. The Alabama VIP Older Driver Study is the first naturalistic older driver study specifically focused on the enrollment of drivers with vision impairment in order to study the relationship between visual dysfunction and driver safety and performance.

Sensitivity of Assimilated Tropical Tropospheric Ozone to the Meteorological Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayashi, Hiroo; Stajner, Ivanka; Pawson, Steven; Thompson, Anne M.

2002-01-01

Tropical tropospheric ozone fields from two different experiments performed with an off-line ozone assimilation system developed in NASA's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) are examined. Assimilated ozone fields from the two experiments are compared with the collocated ozone profiles from the Southern Hemispheric Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ) network. Results are presented for 1998. The ozone assimilation system includes a chemistry-transport model, which uses analyzed winds from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System (DAS). The two experiments use wind fields from different versions of GEOS DAS: an operational version of the GEOS-2 system and a prototype of the GEOS-4 system. While both versions of the DAS utilize the Physical-space Statistical Analysis System and use comparable observations, they use entirely different general circulation models and data insertion techniques. The shape of the annual-mean vertical profile of the assimilated ozone fields is sensitive to the meteorological analyses, with the GEOS-4-based ozone being closest to the observations. This indicates that the resolved transport in GEOS-4 is more realistic than in GEOS-2. Remaining uncertainties include quantification of the representation of sub-grid-scale processes in the transport calculations, which plays an important role in the locations and seasons where convection dominates the transport.

Can the combined use of an ensemble based modelling approach and the analysis of measured meteorological trends lead to increased confidence in climate change impact assessments?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gädeke, Anne; Koch, Hagen; Pohle, Ina; Grünewald, Uwe

2014-05-01

In anthropogenically heavily impacted river catchments, such as the Lusatian river catchments of Spree and Schwarze Elster (Germany), the robust assessment of possible impacts of climate change on the regional water resources is of high relevance for the development and implementation of suitable climate change adaptation strategies. Large uncertainties inherent in future climate projections may, however, reduce the willingness of regional stakeholder to develop and implement suitable adaptation strategies to climate change. This study provides an overview of different possibilities to consider uncertainties in climate change impact assessments by means of (1) an ensemble based modelling approach and (2) the incorporation of measured and simulated meteorological trends. The ensemble based modelling approach consists of the meteorological output of four climate downscaling approaches (DAs) (two dynamical and two statistical DAs (113 realisations in total)), which drive different model configurations of two conceptually different hydrological models (HBV-light and WaSiM-ETH). As study area serve three near natural subcatchments of the Spree and Schwarze Elster river catchments. The objective of incorporating measured meteorological trends into the analysis was twofold: measured trends can (i) serve as a mean to validate the results of the DAs and (ii) be regarded as harbinger for the future direction of change. Moreover, regional stakeholders seem to have more trust in measurements than in modelling results. In order to evaluate the nature of the trends, both gradual (Mann-Kendall test) and step changes (Pettitt test) are considered as well as both temporal and spatial correlations in the data. The results of the ensemble based modelling chain show that depending on the type (dynamical or statistical) of DA used, opposing trends in precipitation, actual evapotranspiration and discharge are simulated in the scenario period (2031-2060). While the statistical DAs simulate a strong decrease in future long term annual precipitation, the dynamical DAs simulate a tendency towards increasing precipitation. The trend analysis suggests that precipitation has not changed significantly during the period 1961-2006. Therefore, the decrease simulated by the statistical DAs should be interpreted as a rather dry future projection. Concerning air temperature, measured and simulated trends agree on a positive trend. Also the uncertainty related to the hydrological model within the climate change modelling chain is comparably low when long-term averages are considered but increases significantly during extreme events. This proposed framework of combining an ensemble based modelling approach with measured trend analysis is a promising approach for regional stakeholders to gain more confidence into the final results of climate change impact assessments. However, climate change impact assessments will remain highly uncertain. Thus, flexible adaptation strategies need to be developed which should not only consider climate but also other aspects of global change.

Modeling the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II using non-parametric item response models.

PubMed

Galindo-Garre, Francisca; Hidalgo, María Dolores; Guilera, Georgina; Pino, Oscar; Rojo, J Emilio; Gómez-Benito, Juana

2015-03-01

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II) is a multidimensional instrument developed for measuring disability. It comprises six domains (getting around, self-care, getting along with others, life activities and participation in society). The main purpose of this paper is the evaluation of the psychometric properties for each domain of the WHO-DAS II with parametric and non-parametric Item Response Theory (IRT) models. A secondary objective is to assess whether the WHO-DAS II items within each domain form a hierarchy of invariantly ordered severity indicators of disability. A sample of 352 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder is used in this study. The 36 items WHO-DAS II was administered during the consultation. Partial Credit and Mokken scale models are used to study the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the WHO-DAS II scale are satisfactory for all the domains. However, we identify a few items that do not discriminate satisfactorily between different levels of disability and cannot be invariantly ordered in the scale. In conclusion the WHO-DAS II can be used to assess overall disability in patients with schizophrenia, but some domains are too general to assess functionality in these patients because they contain items that are not applicable to this pathology. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An engineering methodology for implementing and testing VLSI (Very Large Scale Integrated) circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corliss, Walter F., II

1989-03-01

The engineering methodology for producing a fully tested VLSI chip from a design layout is presented. A 16-bit correlator, NPS CORN88, that was previously designed, was used as a vehicle to demonstrate this methodology. The study of the design and simulation tools, MAGIC and MOSSIM II, was the focus of the design and validation process. The design was then implemented and the chip was fabricated by MOSIS. This fabricated chip was then used to develop a testing methodology for using the digital test facilities at NPS. NPS CORN88 was the first full custom VLSI chip, designed at NPS, to be tested with the NPS digital analysis system, Tektronix DAS 9100 series tester. The capabilities and limitations of these test facilities are examined. NPS CORN88 test results are included to demonstrate the capabilities of the digital test system. A translator, MOS2DAS, was developed to convert the MOSSIM II simulation program to the input files required by the DAS 9100 device verification software, 91DVS. Finally, a tutorial for using the digital test facilities, including the DAS 9100 and associated support equipments, is included as an appendix.

Development and Psychometric Validation of the Dementia Attitudes Scale

PubMed Central

O'Connor, Melissa L.; McFadden, Susan H.

2010-01-01

This study employed qualitative construct mapping and factor analysis to construct a scale to measure attitudes toward dementia. Five family caregivers, five professionals, and five college students participated in structured interviews. Qualitative analysis of the interviews led to a 46-item scale, which was reduced to 20 items following principal axis factoring with two different samples: college students (N = 302) and certified nursing assistant students (N = 145). Confirmatory factor analysis was then conducted with another sample of college students (N = 157). The final scale, titled the Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS), essentially had a two-factor structure; the factors were labeled “dementia knowledge” and “social comfort.” Total-scale Cronbach's alphas ranged 0.83–0.85. Evidence for convergent validity was promising, as the DAS correlated significantly with scales that measured ageism and attitudes toward disabilities (range of correlations = 0.44–0.55; mean correlation = 0.50). These findings demonstrate the reliability and validity of the DAS, supporting its use as a research tool.

Factors associated with sustained remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Martire, María Victoria; Marino Claverie, Lucila; Duarte, Vanesa; Secco, Anastasia; Mammani, Marta

2015-01-01

To find out the factors that are associated with sustained remission measured by DAS28 and boolean ACR EULAR 2011 criteria at the time of diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Medical records of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in sustained remission according to DAS28 were reviewed. They were compared with patients who did not achieved values of DAS28<2.6 in any visit during the first 3 years after diagnosis. We also evaluated if patients achieved the boolean ACR/EULAR criteria. Variables analyzed: sex, age, smoking, comorbidities, rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP, ESR, CRP, erosions, HAQ, DAS28, extra-articular manifestations, time to initiation of treatment, involvement of large joints, number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, pharmacological treatment. Forty five patients that achieved sustained remission were compared with 44 controls. The variables present at diagnosis that significantly were associated with remission by DAS28 were: lower values of DAS28, HAQ, ESR, NTJ, NSJ, negative CRP, absence of erosions, male sex and absence of involvement of large joints. Only 24.71% achieved the boolean criteria. The variables associated with sustained remission by these criteria were: lower values of DAS28, HAQ, ESR, number of tender joints and number of swollen joints, negative CRP and absence of erosions. The factors associated with sustained remission were the lower baseline disease activity, the low degree of functional disability and lower joint involvement. We consider it important to recognize these factors to optimize treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients with active disease and no history of cardiac pathology have higher brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels than patients with inactive disease or healthy control subjects.

PubMed

Armstrong, D J; Gardiner, P V; O'Kane, M J

2010-05-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased incidence cardiac failure. It is yet unclear how much the increased incidence is secondary to ischaemic damage, or whether inflammatory cytokines might have a direct effect on the myocardium. To establish if patients with active rheumatoid arthritis but no history of cardiac disease have higher serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), than patients with less active RA, or disease-free controls. 90 patients with RA and 31 healthy control subjects were recruited. Each was screened to exclude previous history of cardiac disease. RA disease activity was measured using the DAS28 assessment, and other demographic, physical and laboratory tests performed. Serum BNP levels were measured in all subjects. There was no difference in the age, percentage females or BMI between the RA and control subjects. Median BNP in the RA patients was 80.0 pg/ml (IQR 38.0-132.0) compared with 48.5 (26.0-86.0) in the control subjects (p=0.017). There was a significant correlation between DAS28 and serum BNP in the RA group, r=0.37, p<0.01. RA patients were divided into three groups according to DAS28 scores. Patients with very active disease (DAS28>5.1) had significantly higher BNP levels than patients with moderately active disease (3.2

The development of Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS)

PubMed Central

McDermott, Orii; Orrell, Martin; Ridder, Hanne Mette

2015-01-01

There is a need to develop an outcome measure specific to music therapy in dementia that reflects a holistic picture of the therapy process and outcome. This study aimed to develop a clinically relevant and scientifically robust music therapy outcome measure incorporating the values and views of people with dementia. Focus groups and interviews were conducted to obtain qualitative data on what music meant to people with dementia and the observed effects of music. Expert and peer consultations were conducted at each stage of the measure development to maximise its content validity. The new measure was field-tested by clinicians in a care home. Feedback from the clinicians and music therapy experts were incorporated during the review and refinement process of the measure. A review of the existing literature, the experiential results and the consensus process enabled the development of the new outcome measure “Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS)”. Analysis of the qualitative data identified five key areas of the impact of music on people with dementia and they were transformed as the five Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) items: levels of Interest, Response, Initiation, Involvement and Enjoyment. MiDAS comprises the five VAS items and a supplementary checklist of notable positive and negative reactions from the individual. This study demonstrates that it is possible to design and develop an easy to apply and rigorous quantitative outcome measure which has a high level of clinical relevance for people with dementia, care home staff and music therapists. PMID:26246670

The development of Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS).

PubMed

McDermott, Orii; Orrell, Martin; Ridder, Hanne Mette

2015-07-03

There is a need to develop an outcome measure specific to music therapy in dementia that reflects a holistic picture of the therapy process and outcome. This study aimed to develop a clinically relevant and scientifically robust music therapy outcome measure incorporating the values and views of people with dementia. Focus groups and interviews were conducted to obtain qualitative data on what music meant to people with dementia and the observed effects of music. Expert and peer consultations were conducted at each stage of the measure development to maximise its content validity. The new measure was field-tested by clinicians in a care home. Feedback from the clinicians and music therapy experts were incorporated during the review and refinement process of the measure. A review of the existing literature, the experiential results and the consensus process enabled the development of the new outcome measure "Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS)". Analysis of the qualitative data identified five key areas of the impact of music on people with dementia and they were transformed as the five Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) items: levels of Interest, Response, Initiation, Involvement and Enjoyment. MiDAS comprises the five VAS items and a supplementary checklist of notable positive and negative reactions from the individual. This study demonstrates that it is possible to design and develop an easy to apply and rigorous quantitative outcome measure which has a high level of clinical relevance for people with dementia, care home staff and music therapists.

Systeme mit veränderlicher Teilchenzahl, Gasentartung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heintze, Joachim

Bisher haben wir die Zustandsgrößen ν (Zahl der Mole) und N (Zahl der Teilchen im System) als konstant betrachtet. In diesem Kapitel wollen wir untersuchen, wie sich Veränderungen von ν bzw. von N beschreiben lassen. Dazu werden wir eine neue thermodynamische Größe einführen, das chemische Potential μ. Als Beispiele für die Veränderung von Teilchenzahlen werden wir diffusive Prozesse und chemische Reaktionen betrachten. Am Ende des Kapitels werden wir die quantenmechanische Gasentartung diskutieren, bei der das chemische Potential ebenfalls eine Rolle spielt. Wir werden feststellen, dass es nicht schwierig ist, einige Eigenschaften dieses interessanten Materiezustands zu verstehen. Wir behandeln das Thema bereits hier und nicht erst in der Quantenphysik am Ende des Buches, weil es in die Wärmelehre gehört und weil auf dieser Grundlage die elektrischen Eigenschaften von Metallen in Bd. III/9 leicht diskutiert werden können.

Short-term monitoring of a gas seep field in the Katakolo bay (Western Greece) using Raman spectra DTS and DAS fibre-optic methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chalari, A.; Mondanos, M.; Finfer, D.; Christodoulou, D.; Kordella, S.; Papatheodorou, G.; Geraga, M.; Ferentinos, G.

2012-12-01

A wide submarine seep of thermogenic gas in the Katakolo bay, Western Greece, was monitored passively using the intelligent Distributed Acoustic Sensor (iDAS) and Ultima Raman spectra Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS), in order to study the thermal and noise signal of the bubble plumes released from the seafloor. Katakolo is one one of the most prolific thermogenic gas seepage zones in Europe and the biggest methane seep ever reported in Greece. Very detailed repetitive offshore gas surveys, including marine remote sensing (sub-bottom profiling, side scan sonar), underwater exploration by a towed instrumented system (MEDUSA), long-term monitoring benthic station (GMM), compositional and isotopic analyses, and flux measurements of gas, showed that: (a) gas seepage takes place over an extended area in the Katakolo harbour and along two main normal faults off the harbour; (b) at least 823 gas bubble ( 10-20 cm in diameter) plumes escaping over an area of 94,200 m2, at depths ranging from 5.5 to 16 m; (c) the gas consists mainly of methane and has H2S levels of hundreds to thousands ppmv, and shows significant amounts of other light hydrocarbons like ethane, propane, iso-butane and C6 alkanes, (d) offshore and onshore seeps release the same type of thermogenic gas; (e) due to the shallow depth, more than 90 % of CH4 released at the seabed enters the atmosphere, and (f) the gas seeps may produce severe geohazards for people, buildings and construction facilities due to the explosive and toxicological properties of methane and hydrogen sulfide, respectively. For the short-term monitoring, the deployment took place on a site located inside the harbour of Katakolo within a thermogenic gas seepage area where active faults are intersected. The iDAS system makes it possible to observe the acoustical signal along the entire length of an unmodified optical cable without introducing any form of point sensors such as Bragg gratings. When the bubble plumes are released by the seabed into the water column, they ring at their resonance frequency in a manner consistent with standard bubble acoustics. This bubble ringing can be detected by iDAS allowing for both seepage detection, quantification and relationship with seismic activity. The DTS system makes it possible to observe temporal variations of the gas plumes and its relationship with the meteorological factors of the area. Moreover, DTS and iDAS data interpretation needs a detailed examination in comparison with the long-term GMM monitoring data (O2, CH4, H2S, temperature, pressure and conductivity) which was collected from the same location. The processing chain used to observe this phenomenon can have applications in both industrial and environmental monitoring capacities.

Calibration of Helmholtz Coils for the characterization of MEMS magnetic sensor using fluxgate magnetometer with DAS1 magnetic range data acquisition system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Farooq; Dennis, John Ojur; Md Khir, Mohd Haris; Hamid, Nor Hisham

2012-09-01

This paper presents the calibration of Helmholtz coils for the characterization of MEMS Magnetic sensor using Fluxgate magnetometer with DAS1 Magnetic Range Data Acquisition System. The Helmholtz coils arrangement is often used to generate a uniform magnetic field in space. In the past, standard magnets were used to calibrate the Helmholtz coils. A method is presented here for calibrating these coils using a Fluxgate magnetometer and known current source, which is easier and results in greater accuracy.

Security analysis and enhancements of an effective biometric-based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards.

PubMed

An, Younghwa

2012-01-01

Recently, many biometrics-based user authentication schemes using smart cards have been proposed to improve the security weaknesses in user authentication system. In 2011, Das proposed an efficient biometric-based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards that can provide strong authentication and mutual authentication. In this paper, we analyze the security of Das's authentication scheme, and we have shown that Das's authentication scheme is still insecure against the various attacks. Also, we proposed the enhanced scheme to remove these security problems of Das's authentication scheme, even if the secret information stored in the smart card is revealed to an attacker. As a result of security analysis, we can see that the enhanced scheme is secure against the user impersonation attack, the server masquerading attack, the password guessing attack, and the insider attack and provides mutual authentication between the user and the server.

Security Analysis and Enhancements of an Effective Biometric-Based Remote User Authentication Scheme Using Smart Cards

PubMed Central

An, Younghwa

2012-01-01

Recently, many biometrics-based user authentication schemes using smart cards have been proposed to improve the security weaknesses in user authentication system. In 2011, Das proposed an efficient biometric-based remote user authentication scheme using smart cards that can provide strong authentication and mutual authentication. In this paper, we analyze the security of Das's authentication scheme, and we have shown that Das's authentication scheme is still insecure against the various attacks. Also, we proposed the enhanced scheme to remove these security problems of Das's authentication scheme, even if the secret information stored in the smart card is revealed to an attacker. As a result of security analysis, we can see that the enhanced scheme is secure against the user impersonation attack, the server masquerading attack, the password guessing attack, and the insider attack and provides mutual authentication between the user and the server. PMID:22899887

A dual-adaptive support-based stereo matching algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yin; Zhang, Yun

2017-07-01

Many stereo matching algorithms use fixed color thresholds and a rigid cross skeleton to segment supports (viz., Cross method), which, however, does not work well for different images. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel dual adaptive support (viz., DAS)-based stereo matching method, which uses both appearance and shape information of a local region to segment supports automatically, and, then, integrates the DAS-based cost aggregation with the absolute difference plus census transform cost, scanline optimization and disparity refinement to develop a stereo matching system. The performance of the DAS method is also evaluated in the Middlebury benchmark and by comparing with the Cross method. The results show that the average error for the DAS method 25.06% lower than that for the Cross method, indicating that the proposed method is more accurate, with fewer parameters and suitable for parallel computing.

The Relations of Cognitive, Behavioral, and Physical Activity Variables to Depression Severity in Traumatic Brain Injury: Reanalysis of Data From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Bombardier, Charles H; Fann, Jesse R; Ludman, Evette J; Vannoy, Steven D; Dyer, Joshua R; Barber, Jason K; Temkin, Nancy R

To explore the relations of cognitive, behavioral, and physical activity variables to depression severity among people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) undergoing a depression treatment trial. Community. Adults (N = 88) who sustained complicated mild to severe TBI within the past 10 years, met criteria for major depressive disorder, and completed study measures. Randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to cognitive-behavioral therapy (n = 58) or usual care (n = 42). Outcomes were measured at baseline and 16 weeks. We combined the groups and used regressions to explore the relations among theoretical variables and depression outcomes. Depression severity was measured with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Symptom Checklist-20. Theory-based measures were the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), Environmental Rewards Observation Scale (EROS), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Compared with non-TBI norms, baseline DAS and ATQ scores were high and EROS and IPAQ scores were low. All outcomes improved from baseline to 16 weeks except the DAS. The ATQ was an independent predictor of baseline depression. An increase in EROS scores was correlated with decreased depression. Increasing participation in meaningful roles and pleasant activities may be a promising approach to treating depression after TBI.

Relationship of the 24-item dysfunctional attitude scale with the temperament and character inventory in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Otani, Koichi; Suzuki, Akihito; Matsumoto, Yoshihiko; Shibuya, Naoshi; Sadahiro, Ryoichi; Enokido, Masanori; Kamata, Mitsuhiro

2013-12-01

The 24-item Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS-24) has three subscales to evaluate dysfunctional attitudes predisposing to depression in the areas of achievement, dependency and self-control. The purpose of the present investigation was to characterize the three subscales in relation to broad dimensions of personality. The subjects were 528 healthy Japanese volunteers. Personality assessment was conducted by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which has seven dimensions. The correlations of the DAS-24 subscales with the TCI dimensions were examined by the multiple regression analysis. All DAS-24 subscales had negative correlations with the self-directedness dimension. However, the three subscales had differential patterns of correlations with the reward dependence, persistence, cooperativeness and harm avoidance dimensions. The present study suggests that dysfunctional attitudes measured by the DAS-24 are closely related to low self-directedness of the TCI. Also, the differential patterns of correlations with some TCI dimensions support the content-specificity of the three subscales.

Measurement of $W$ -Boson Helicity-Fractions in Top-Quark Decays with the CDF II Experiment and Prospects for an Early $$t\\overline{t}$$ Cross-Section Measurement with the CMS Experiment (in German)

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

Chwalek, Thorsten

2010-12-02

Aus was besteht die Welt? Die Frage nach den fundamentalen Bausteinen der Materie beschaftigte Wissenschaftler und Gelehrte zu allen Zeiten. Ausgehend von abstrakten philosophischen Uberlegungen wurde das Konzept von kleinsten, nicht weiter zerteilbaren Grundbausteinen der Materie bereits einige Jahrhunderte vor Christus von indischen und griechischen Philosophieschulen entwickelt. Etwa 450 v. Chr. pragte Demokrit den Begriff ´atomos, das “Unzerschneidbare”, fur die diskreten Grundbausteine der Materie. Doch erst in der jungeren Vergangenheit konnte dieses philosophische Konzept auch experimentell uberpruft werden.

Evaluation of Transport in the Lower Tropical Stratosphere in a Global Chemistry and Transport Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, Anne R.; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Rood, Richard B.; Pawson, Steven

2002-01-01

A general circulation model (GCM) relies on various physical parameterizations and provides a solution to the atmospheric equations of motion. A data assimilation system (DAS) combines information from observations with a GCM forecast and produces analyzed meteorological fields that represent the observed atmospheric state. An off-line chemistry and transport model (CTM) can use winds and temperatures from a either a GCM or a DAS. The latter application is in common usage for interpretation of observations from various platforms under the assumption that the DAS transport represents the actual atmospheric transport. Here we compare the transport produced by a DAS with that produced by the particular GCM that is combined with observations to produce the analyzed fields. We focus on transport in the tropics and middle latitudes by comparing the age-of-air inferred from observations of SF6 and CO2 with the age-of-air calculated using GCM fields and DAS fields. We also compare observations of ozone, total reactive nitrogen, and methane with results from the two simulations. These comparisons show that DAS fields produce rapid upward tropical transport and excessive mixing between the tropics and middle latitudes. The unrealistic transport produced by the DAS fields may be due to implicit forcing that is required by the assimilation process when there is bias between the GCM forecast and observations that are combined to produce the analyzed fields. For example, the GCM does not produce a quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). The QBO is present in the analyzed fields because it is present in the observations, and systematic implicit forcing is required by the DAS. Any systematic bias between observations and the GCM forecast used to produce the DAS analysis is likely to corrupt the transport produced by the analyzed fields. Evaluation of transport in the lower tropical stratosphere in a global chemistry and transport model.

Research of aerial imaging spectrometer data acquisition technology based on USB 3.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Junze; Wang, Yueming; He, Daogang; Yu, Yanan

2016-11-01

With the emergence of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) platform for aerial imaging spectrometer, research of aerial imaging spectrometer DAS(data acquisition system) faces new challenges. Due to the limitation of platform and other factors, the aerial imaging spectrometer DAS requires small-light, low-cost and universal. Traditional aerial imaging spectrometer DAS system is expensive, bulky, non-universal and unsupported plug-and-play based on PCIe. So that has been unable to meet promotion and application of the aerial imaging spectrometer. In order to solve these problems, the new data acquisition scheme bases on USB3.0 interface.USB3.0 can provide guarantee of small-light, low-cost and universal relying on the forward-looking technology advantage. USB3.0 transmission theory is up to 5Gbps.And the GPIF programming interface achieves 3.2Gbps of the effective theoretical data bandwidth.USB3.0 can fully meet the needs of the aerial imaging spectrometer data transmission rate. The scheme uses the slave FIFO asynchronous data transmission mode between FPGA and USB3014 interface chip. Firstly system collects spectral data from TLK2711 of high-speed serial interface chip. Then FPGA receives data in DDR2 cache after ping-pong data processing. Finally USB3014 interface chip transmits data via automatic-dma approach and uploads to PC by USB3.0 cable. During the manufacture of aerial imaging spectrometer, the DAS can achieve image acquisition, transmission, storage and display. All functions can provide the necessary test detection for aerial imaging spectrometer. The test shows that system performs stable and no data lose. Average transmission speed and storage speed of writing SSD can stabilize at 1.28Gbps. Consequently ,this data acquisition system can meet application requirements for aerial imaging spectrometer.

A comparison of two approaches for representing AAC vocabulary for young children.

PubMed

Worah, Smita; McNaughton, David; Light, Janice; Benedek-Wood, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Young children with complex communication needs often experience difficulty in using currently available graphic symbol systems as a method of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Information on young children's performance with graphic representations based on this population's conceptualizations of these vocabulary items may assist in the development of more effective AAC systems. This study developed Developmentally Appropriate Symbols (DAS) for 10 early emerging vocabulary concepts using procedures designed to address both conceptual and appeal issues for graphic representations for young children. Using a post-test only, between-subjects comparison group design, 40 typically-developing 2.5-3.5-year-old children were randomly assigned to receive a brief training in either of two different types of graphic symbol sets: (a) DAS or (b) Picture Communication Symbols (PCS), a, commercially available graphic symbol system. Results of a two sample independent t-test provide evidence that children in the DAS condition correctly identified more symbols than children trained with the PCS symbols. There was no evidence of a preference between the symbol sets. The results provide support for careful consideration of children's use and understanding of language in developing AAC systems for young children.

Das Problem der Ubersetzbarkeit von Phraseologismen am Beispiel von Isabel Allendes Roman "Das Geisterhaus" (The Problem of the Translatability of Idioms using the Example of Isabel Allende's novel "The House of the Spirits").

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Luz

1996-01-01

Using the translation of Isabel Allende's novel "The House of the Spirits," this essay demonstrates that the mastery of a foreign language does not guarantee a translation true to the original. The Spanish of the Latin American countries exhibits numerous differences and does not always share a uniform vocabulary. Concrete measures are…

Detection and Mapping of the September 2017 Mexico Earthquakes Using DAS Fiber-Optic Infrastructure Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karrenbach, M. H.; Cole, S.; Williams, J. J.; Biondi, B. C.; McMurtry, T.; Martin, E. R.; Yuan, S.

2017-12-01

Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) uses conventional telecom fibers for a wide variety of monitoring purposes. Fiber-optic arrays can be located along pipelines for leak detection; along borders and perimeters to detect and locate intruders, or along railways and roadways to monitor traffic and identify and manage incidents. DAS can also be used to monitor oil and gas reservoirs and to detect earthquakes. Because thousands of such arrays are deployed worldwide and acquiring data continuously, they can be a valuable source of data for earthquake detection and location, and could potentially provide important information to earthquake early-warning systems. In this presentation, we show that DAS arrays in Mexico and the United States detected the M8.1 and M7.2 Mexico earthquakes in September 2017. At Stanford University, we have deployed a 2.4 km fiber-optic DAS array in a figure-eight pattern, with 600 channels spaced 4 meters apart. Data have been recorded continuously since September 2016. Over 800 earthquakes from across California have been detected and catalogued. Distant teleseismic events have also been recorded, including the two Mexican earthquakes. In Mexico, fiber-optic arrays attached to pipelines also detected these two events. Because of the length of these arrays and their proximity to the event locations, we can not only detect the earthquakes but also make location estimates, potentially in near real time. In this presentation, we review the data recorded for these two events recorded at Stanford and in Mexico. We compare the waveforms recorded by the DAS arrays to those recorded by traditional earthquake sensor networks. Using the wide coverage provided by the pipeline arrays, we estimate the event locations. Such fiber-optic DAS networks can potentially play a role in earthquake early-warning systems, allowing actions to be taken to minimize the impact of an earthquake on critical infrastructure components. While many such fiber-optic networks are already in place, new arrays can be created on demand, using existing fiber-optic telecom cables, for specific monitoring situations such as recording aftershocks of a large earthquake or monitoring induced seismicity.

Validation of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS II) in Greek and its added value to the Short Form 36 (SF-36) in a sample of people with or without disabilities.

PubMed

Xenouli, Georgia; Xenoulis, Kostis; Sarafis, Pavlos; Niakas, Dimitris; Alexopoulos, Evangelos C

2016-07-01

There is controversy and ongoing interest on the measurement of functionality in the personal and social level. (1) to validate the Greek version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO DAS II) and (2) to determine its added value to the physical and psychological health subscales of the Short Form 36 (SF-36). In a cross-sectional design, data were collected between December 2014 and March 2015 by using three questionnaires (WHO DAS II, SF-36, PSS-14) in a sample of people with disabilities (n = 101) and without disabilities (n = 109) in Athens, Greece. WHO DAS II internal consistency, construct and criterion-related validity were assessed by Cronbach alpha, exploratory factor analysis and correlations; its added value by multivariable linear regression. Cronbach Alpha's were satisfactory for the WHO DAS II, PSS-14 and SF-36 (0.85, 0.88 and 0.96 respectively). Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the existence of one or two factors in people with or without disabilities, respectively. WHO DAS II score showed significant negative correlation with the physical and mental health scale of SF-36 score, especially strong for physical health while was positively related to PSS-14 score. In multivariate analysis mental health appraisal was related to perceived stress in both groups. This study support the validity of the Greek version of WHO DAS II and warranted its use in assessment and follow up of people with disabilities, contributing to the development of suitable policies to cover their needs and providing comparable data with other surveys using the same instrument. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Treat-to-target Strategies Aiming at Remission of Arterial Stiffness in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Tam, Lydia Ho-Pui; Shang, Qing; Li, Edmund Kwok-Ming; Wong, Priscilla Ching-Han; Kwok, Kitty Yan; Kun, Emily Wai-Lin; Yim, Isaac Cheuk-Wan; Lee, Violet Ka-Lai; Yip, Ronald Man-Lung; Pang, Steve Hin-Ting; Lao, Virginia Weng-Nga; Mak, Queenie Wah-Yan; Cheng, Isaac Tsz-Ho; Lau, Xerox Sze-Lok; Li, Tena Ka-Yan; Zhu, Tracy Yaner; Lee, Alex Pui-Wai; Tam, Lai-Shan

2018-05-15

To determine the efficacy of 2 tight control treatment strategies aiming at Simplified Disease Activity Score (SDAI) remission (SDAI ≤ 3.3) compared to 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) remission (DAS28 < 2.6) in the prevention of arterial stiffness in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This was an open-label study in which 120 patients with early RA were randomized to receive 1 year of tight control treatment. Group 1 (n = 60) aimed to achieve SDAI ≤ 3.3 and Group 2 (n = 60), DAS28 < 2.6. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx) were measured at baseline and 12 months. A posthoc analysis was also performed to ascertain whether achieving sustained remission could prevent progression in arterial stiffness. The proportions of patients receiving methotrexate monotherapy were significantly lower in Group 1 throughout the study period. At 12 months, the proportions of patients achieving DAS28 and SDAI remission, and the change in PWV and AIx, were comparable between the 2 groups. In view of the lack of differences between the 2 groups, a posthoc analysis was performed at Month 12, including all 110 patients with PWV, to elucidate the independent predictors associated with the change in PWV. Multivariate analysis revealed that achieving sustained DAS28 remission at months 6, 9, and 12 and a shorter disease duration were independent explanatory variables associated with less progression of PWV. With limited access to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, treatment efforts toward DAS28 and SDAI remission had similar effects in preventing the progression of arterial stiffness at 1 year. However, achieving sustained DAS28 remission was associated with a significantly greater improvement in PWV. [Clinical Trial registration: Clinicaltrial.gov NCT01768923.].

The GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System-Documentation of Versions 5.0.1, 5.1.0, and 5.2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, Max J.; Rienecker, M. M.; Todling, R.; Bacmeister, J.; Takacs, L.; Liu, H. C.; Gu, W.; Sienkiewicz, M.; Koster, R. D.; Gelaro, R.;

Restoration of Motion-Blurred Image Based on Border Deformation Detection: A Traffic Sign Restoration Model

PubMed Central

Zeng, Yiliang; Lan, Jinhui; Ran, Bin; Wang, Qi; Gao, Jing

2015-01-01

Due to the rapid development of motor vehicle Driver Assistance Systems (DAS), the safety problems associated with automatic driving have become a hot issue in Intelligent Transportation. The traffic sign is one of the most important tools used to reinforce traffic rules. However, traffic sign image degradation based on computer vision is unavoidable during the vehicle movement process. In order to quickly and accurately recognize traffic signs in motion-blurred images in DAS, a new image restoration algorithm based on border deformation detection in the spatial domain is proposed in this paper. The border of a traffic sign is extracted using color information, and then the width of the border is measured in all directions. According to the width measured and the corresponding direction, both the motion direction and scale of the image can be confirmed, and this information can be used to restore the motion-blurred image. Finally, a gray mean grads (GMG) ratio is presented to evaluate the image restoration quality. Compared to the traditional restoration approach which is based on the blind deconvolution method and Lucy-Richardson method, our method can greatly restore motion blurred images and improve the correct recognition rate. Our experiments show that the proposed method is able to restore traffic sign information accurately and efficiently. PMID:25849350

Restoration of motion-blurred image based on border deformation detection: a traffic sign restoration model.

PubMed

Zeng, Yiliang; Lan, Jinhui; Ran, Bin; Wang, Qi; Gao, Jing

2015-01-01

Due to the rapid development of motor vehicle Driver Assistance Systems (DAS), the safety problems associated with automatic driving have become a hot issue in Intelligent Transportation. The traffic sign is one of the most important tools used to reinforce traffic rules. However, traffic sign image degradation based on computer vision is unavoidable during the vehicle movement process. In order to quickly and accurately recognize traffic signs in motion-blurred images in DAS, a new image restoration algorithm based on border deformation detection in the spatial domain is proposed in this paper. The border of a traffic sign is extracted using color information, and then the width of the border is measured in all directions. According to the width measured and the corresponding direction, both the motion direction and scale of the image can be confirmed, and this information can be used to restore the motion-blurred image. Finally, a gray mean grads (GMG) ratio is presented to evaluate the image restoration quality. Compared to the traditional restoration approach which is based on the blind deconvolution method and Lucy-Richardson method, our method can greatly restore motion blurred images and improve the correct recognition rate. Our experiments show that the proposed method is able to restore traffic sign information accurately and efficiently.

Global assimilation of X Project Loon stratospheric balloon observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coy, L.; Schoeberl, M. R.; Pawson, S.; Candido, S.; Carver, R. W.

2017-12-01

Project Loon has an overall goal of providing worldwide internet coverage using a network of long-duration super-pressure balloons. Beginning in 2013, Loon has launched over 1600 balloons from multiple tropical and middle latitude locations. These GPS tracked balloon trajectories provide lower stratospheric wind information over the oceans and remote land areas where traditional radiosonde soundings are sparse, thus providing unique coverage of lower stratospheric winds. To fully investigate these Loon winds we: 1) compare the Loon winds to winds produced by a global data assimilation system (DAS: NASA GEOS) and 2) assimilate the Loon winds into the same comprehensive DAS. Results show that in middle latitudes the Loon winds and DAS winds agree well and assimilating the Loon winds have only a small impact on short-term forecasting of the Loon winds, however, in the tropics the loon winds and DAS winds often disagree substantially (8 m/s or more in magnitude) and in these cases assimilating the loon winds significantly improves the forecast of the loon winds. By highlighting cases where the Loon and DAS winds differ, these results can lead to improved understanding of stratospheric winds, especially in the tropics.

Global Assimilation of X Project Loon Stratospheric Balloon Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coy, Lawrence; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Pawson, Steven; Candido, Salvatore; Carver, Robert W.

2017-01-01

Project Loon has an overall goal of providing worldwide internet coverage using a network of long-duration super-pressure balloons. Beginning in 2013, Loon has launched over 1600 balloons from multiple tropical and middle latitude locations. These GPS tracked balloon trajectories provide lower stratospheric wind information over the oceans and remote land areas where traditional radiosonde soundings are sparse, thus providing unique coverage of lower stratospheric winds. To fully investigate these Loon winds we: 1) compare the Loon winds to winds produced by a global data assimilation system (DAS: NASA GEOS) and 2) assimilate the Loon winds into the same comprehensive DAS. Results show that in middle latitudes the Loon winds and DAS winds agree well and assimilating the Loon winds have only a small impact on short-term forecasting of the Loon winds, however, in the tropics the loon winds and DAS winds often disagree substantially (8 m/s or more in magnitude) and in these cases assimilating the loon winds significantly improves the forecast of the loon winds. By highlighting cases where the Loon and DAS winds differ, these results can lead to improved understanding of stratospheric winds, especially in the tropics.

A Global Aerosol Model Forecast for the ACE-Asia Field Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Ginoux, Paul; Lucchesi, Robert; Huebert, Barry; Weber, Rodney; Anderson, Tad; Masonis, Sarah; Blomquist, Byron; Bandy, Alan; Thornton, Donald

2003-01-01

We present the results of aerosol forecast during the Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-Asia) field experiment in spring 2001, using the Georgia Tech/Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model and the meteorological forecast fields from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The aerosol model forecast provides direct information on aerosol optical thickness and concentrations, enabling effective flight planning, while feedbacks from measurements constantly evaluate the model, making successful model improvements. We verify the model forecast skill by comparing model predicted total aerosol extinction, dust, sulfate, and SO2 concentrations with those quantities measured by the C-130 aircraft during the ACE-Asia intensive operation period. The GEOS DAS meteorological forecast system shows excellent skills in predicting winds, relative humidity, and temperature for the ACE-Asia experiment area as well as for each individual flight, with skill scores usually above 0.7. The model is also skillful in forecast of pollution aerosols, with most scores above 0.5. The model correctly predicted the dust outbreak events and their trans-Pacific transport, but it constantly missed the high dust concentrations observed in the boundary layer. We attribute this missing dust source to the desertification regions in the Inner Mongolia Province in China, which have developed in recent years but were not included in the model during forecasting. After incorporating the desertification sources, the model is able to reproduce the observed high dust concentrations at low altitudes over the Yellow Sea. Two key elements for a successful aerosol model forecast are correct source locations that determine where the emissions take place, and realistic forecast winds and convection that determine where the aerosols are transported. We demonstrate that our global model can not only account for the large-scale intercontinental transport, but also produce the small-scale spatial and temporal variations that are adequate for aircraft measurements planning.

Psychological morbidity and facial volume in HIV lipodystrophy: quantification of treatment outcome.

PubMed

Nelson, Lisa; Stewart, Kenneth J

2012-04-01

HIV lipoatrophy is a stigmatizing condition associated with significant psychological morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate change in facial volume and psychological morbidity following treatment with autologous fat, Sculptra and Bio-alcamid. HIV LD patients were treated based on a clinical assessment in a prospective, observational study. 3-D images were obtained pre-operatively then at 2, 6 and 12 months post-operatively using the DI3D system. Volume changes were measured using DI3D software. The DAS-24 and HADS were used to assess psychological morbidity at similar time intervals. Forty-eight patients with HIV LD were treated: 16 patients had Bio-alcamid, 20 patients received Sculptra and 12 patients underwent fat transfer. The mean injected volume of Bio-alcamid was 25.5 cc which was comparable to the measured volume change at follow-up. The mean injected volume of fat was 20.1 cc, which did not differ from the measured volumes at 2 months. There was a mean reduction in measured volume change to11.2 cc at 6 months and 10 cc at 12 months. For Sculptra, the mean volume change compared to baseline was 8.7 cc at 2 months, increasing to 12.6 cc at 6 months and 12.3 cc at 12 months. ANOVA tests demonstrated no difference in psychological outcomes between groups. There was a significant improvement in DAS-24 scores compared to baseline for all 3 groups. No correlation between change in facial volume and psychological measures was demonstrated. Change in 3-D measured facial volume for all 3 groups was seen. Treatment was associated with improved body image perception. Copyright © 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brief Report: Remission Rates With Tofacitinib Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Comparison of Various Remission Criteria.

PubMed

Smolen, Josef S; Aletaha, Daniel; Gruben, David; Zwillich, Samuel H; Krishnaswami, Sriram; Mebus, Charles

2017-04-01

Tofacitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor that is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In previous clinical trials of tofacitinib, a Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28)-based analysis was used to assess outcomes. In this study, remission rates according to various remission criteria were evaluated across 5 phase III randomized controlled studies. In all 5 studies, tofacitinib was administered at a dosage of 5 mg twice daily or 10 mg twice daily, either as monotherapy or with background methotrexate or other conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. One of the studies included adalimumab 40 mg once every 2 weeks. In addition to the 4-variable DAS28 using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-4[ESR]), a primary efficacy variable used in the phase III studies, disease activity was assessed post hoc by the 4-variable DAS28 using the C-reactive protein level (DAS28-4[CRP]), the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), and Boolean-based assessment. A total of 3,306 patients were analyzed (1,213 of these patients received tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily, 1,212 received tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily, 679 received placebo, and 202 received adalimumab 40 mg every 2 weeks). Remission rates varied according to the criteria used, with higher rates in the active-treatment groups for the DAS28-4(CRP) than for other scores. At month 3, remission rates with tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily were 18-22% using the DAS28-4(CRP), 5-10% using the DAS28-4(ESR), 4-7% using the SDAI, 5-6% using the CDAI, and 2-7% using the Boolean-based method. In contrast, the remission rates with placebo varied from 0% to 7%, with small differences between the DAS28-4(ESR) and the DAS28-4(CRP). Although tofacitinib at dosages of 5 mg twice daily and 10 mg twice daily was effective compared with placebo in achieving disease remission, regardless of the disease activity measure, remission rates were substantially higher when the DAS28-4(CRP) was used. The presence or absence and type of acute-phase reactants in remission criteria were significant contributors to remission rates across treatment groups. This finding has important consequences for trial design and clinical practice. © 2016, The Authors. Arthritis & Rheumatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Rheumatology.

Inhibition of DES-induced DNA adducts by diallyl sulfide: implications in liver cancer prevention.

PubMed

Green, Mario; Thomas, Ronald; Gued, Lisa; Sadrud-Din, Sakeenah

2003-01-01

Diethylstilbesterol (DES) is known to cause cancer in humans and animals. Diallyl sulfide (DAS), a component of garlic, has been shown to prevent various types of cancer, presumably via metabolic modulation. Previously, we have demonstrated that DAS prevents the oxidation and reduction of DES in vitro. We hypothesize that DAS will inhibit the metabolism of DES in vivo thus preventing the formation of DES-induced DNA adducts. To test this hypothesis, five groups of five male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated as follows: the control received 0.5 ml of corn oil daily for four days. The second group received 50 mg/kg DAS daily for four days. The third group received 50 mg/kg DAS daily for four days followed by 150 mg/kg DES on day five. The fourth group received 400 mg/kg DAS on day five followed by 150 mg/kg DES. The fifth group received 150 mg/kg DES on day five. All of the rats were sacrificed on day five, 4 h after DES treatment. DNA was isolated from the liver and analyzed by 32P-post-labeling for DNA adducts. The in vitro study was performed utilizing four reactions described as follows: the control reaction contained 200 microg DNA, microsomes (346 microg protein/ml), and 10 mM DES; no oxidation co-factor (cumen hydroperoxide) was added. The second reaction, a complete oxidation system, contained 200 microg DNA, microsomes (346 microg protein/ml), 30 mM cumen hydroperoxide, and 10 mM DES. The third reaction contained 200 microg DNA, microsomes (346 microg protein/ml), 30 mM cumen hydroperoxide, 50 mM DAS, and 10 mM DES. The fourth reaction contained 200 microg DNA, microsomes (346 microg protein/ml), 30 mM cumen hydroperoxide, 100 mM DAS, and 10 mM DES. All of the in vitro reactions were buffered with 100 mM KPO4 pH 7.4 and incubated for 30 min at 37 degrees C. DNA was extracted and analyzed by 32P-post-labeling. We found that DAS inhibited the formation of DES-induced DNA adducts in a dose-dependent fashion. We have shown that DES-induced DNA adducts were inhibited in rats that received DAS pre-treatment and co-treatment with DES. These results suggest that DAS directly inhibits the metabolism of DES thus preventing the formation of DNA adducts. In addition to directly inhibiting the metabolism of DES, DAS appears to alter the expression of the metabolic machinery such that DES-induced adducts are inhibited. The inhibition of DES-induced DNA adducts by DAS may prevent the initiation of estrogen-induced cancer.

Monitoring Aquifer Depletion from Space: Case Studies from the Saharan and Arabian Aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, M.; Sultan, M.; Wahr, J. M.; Yan, E.

2013-12-01

Access to potable fresh water resources is a human right and a basic requirement for economic development in any society. In arid and semi-arid areas, the characterization and understanding of the geologic and hydrologic settings of, and the controlling factors affecting, these resources is gaining increasing importance due to the challenges posed by increasing population. In these areas, there is immense natural fossil fresh water resources stored in large extensive aquifers, the transboundary aquifers. Yet, natural phenomena (e.g., rainfall patterns and climate change) together with human-related factors (e.g., population growth, unsustainable over-exploitation, and pollution) are threatening the sustainability of these resources. In this study, we are developing and applying an integrated cost-effective approach to investigate the nature (i.e., natural and anthropogenic) and the controlling factors affecting the hydrologic settings of the Saharan (i.e., Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System [NSAS], Northwest Sahara Aquifer System [NWSA]) and Arabian (i.e., Arabian Peninsula Aquifer System [APAS]) aquifer systems. Analysis of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)-derived Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) inter-annual trends over the NSAS and the APAS revealed two areas of significant TWS depletions; the first correlated with the Dakhla Aquifer System (DAS) in the NSAS and second with the Saq Aquifer System (SAS) in the APAS. Annual depletion rates were estimated at 1.3 × 0.66 × 109 m3/yr and 6.95 × 0.68 × 109 m3/yr for DAS and SAS, respectively. Findings include (1) excessive groundwater extraction, not climatic changes, is responsible for the observed TWS depletions ;(2) the DAS could be consumed in 350 years if extraction rates continue to double every 50 years and the APAS available reserves could be consumed within 60-140 years at present extraction (7.08 × 109 m3/yr) and depletion rates; and (3) observed depletions over DAS and SAS and their absence across the remaining segments of the NSAS and the APAS suggest the aquifers are at near-steady conditions except for the DAS and SAS that are witnessing unsteady transient conditions. Implications for applying the methodologies advocated for assessment and optimum management of a large suite of fossil aquifers worldwide are clear.

Implementation of Coupled Skin Temperature Analysis and Bias Correction in a Global Atmospheric Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radakovich, Jon; Bosilovich, M.; Chern, Jiun-dar; daSilva, Arlindo

2004-01-01

The NASA/NCAR Finite Volume GCM (fvGCM) with the NCAR CLM (Community Land Model) version 2.0 was integrated into the NASA/GMAO Finite Volume Data Assimilation System (fvDAS). A new method was developed for coupled skin temperature assimilation and bias correction where the analysis increment and bias correction term is passed into the CLM2 and considered a forcing term in the solution to the energy balance. For our purposes, the fvDAS CLM2 was run at 1 deg. x 1.25 deg. horizontal resolution with 55 vertical levels. We assimilate the ISCCP-DX (30 km resolution) surface temperature product. The atmospheric analysis was performed 6-hourly, while the skin temperature analysis was performed 3-hourly. The bias correction term, which was updated at the analysis times, was added to the skin temperature tendency equation at every timestep. In this presentation, we focus on the validation of the surface energy budget at the in situ reference sites for the Coordinated Enhanced Observation Period (CEOP). We will concentrate on sites that include independent skin temperature measurements and complete energy budget observations for the month of July 2001. In addition, MODIS skin temperature will be used for validation. Several assimilations were conducted and preliminary results will be presented.

Quality of life, disability, and body mass index are related in obese patients.

PubMed

Sirtori, Anna; Brunani, Amelia; Liuzzi, Antonio; Pasqualinotto, Lucia; Villa, Valentina; Leonardi, Matilde; Raggi, Alberto

2011-09-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between health-related quality of life (QoL), disability, and degree of obesity. Adult obese patients (BMI>30) were consecutively enrolled in this cross-sectional observational study. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS II) and the short version of the impact of weight on QoL (IWQoL-Lite) were administered. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed. A P value of less than 0.01 was used to set the statistical significance. A total of 117 patients (mean age: 47.4 years, mean BMI: 43.7) were enrolled. Correlations between WHO-DAS II and IWQoL-Lite were between 0.21 and 0.78. BMI between 0.19 and 0.26 correlated with WHO-DAS II and BMI between 0.23 and 0.49 correlated with IWQoL-Lite. In conclusion, low/moderate correlations between BMI index, disability, and health-related QoL measures, and a low association between the two outcome measures are reported, supporting the idea that they underline different and not transposable dimensions.

DASMI: exchanging, annotating and assessing molecular interaction data.

PubMed

Blankenburg, Hagen; Finn, Robert D; Prlić, Andreas; Jenkinson, Andrew M; Ramírez, Fidel; Emig, Dorothea; Schelhorn, Sven-Eric; Büch, Joachim; Lengauer, Thomas; Albrecht, Mario

2009-05-15

Ever increasing amounts of biological interaction data are being accumulated worldwide, but they are currently not readily accessible to the biologist at a single site. New techniques are required for retrieving, sharing and presenting data spread over the Internet. We introduce the DASMI system for the dynamic exchange, annotation and assessment of molecular interaction data. DASMI is based on the widely used Distributed Annotation System (DAS) and consists of a data exchange specification, web servers for providing the interaction data and clients for data integration and visualization. The decentralized architecture of DASMI affords the online retrieval of the most recent data from distributed sources and databases. DASMI can also be extended easily by adding new data sources and clients. We describe all DASMI components and demonstrate their use for protein and domain interactions. The DASMI tools are available at http://www.dasmi.de/ and http://ipfam.sanger.ac.uk/graph. The DAS registry and the DAS 1.53E specification is found at http://www.dasregistry.org/.

Quantum cascade laser based sensor for open path measurement of atmospheric trace gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Hao; Sun, Juan; Liu, Ningwu; Ding, Junya; Chao, Zhou; Zhang, Lei; Li, Jingsong

2017-02-01

A sensitive open-path gas sensor employing a continuous-wave (CW) distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL) and direct absorption spectroscopy (DAS) was demonstrated for simultaneously measurements of atmospheric CO and N2O. Two interference free absorption lines located at 2190.0175 cm-1 and 2190.3498 cm-1 were selected for CO and N2O concentration measurements, respectively. The Allan variance analysis technique was performed to investigate the long-term performance of the QCL sensor system. The results indicate that a detection limit of 9.92 ppb for CO and 7.7 ppb for N2O with 1-s integration time were achieved, which can be further improved to 1.5 ppb and 1.1 ppb by increasing the average time up to 80 s.

Patient Needs for an Ambulant Dislocation Alert System Following Total Hip Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Huis In't Veld, Rianne; Peters, Anil; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam; Hermens, Hermie; van den Hoven, Carmen

2018-05-01

One of the major complications in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is dislocation of the prosthesis. To prevent early dislocation, patients are instructed with movement restrictions. The first goal in this development is to obtain insight in the movement restrictions that are reported to have low levels of self-efficacy during activities of daily life. The second goal is to reveal the design needs for an ambulant hip dislocation alert system (HipDas) and the third goal is to explore its usability among patients. Patient-centered experiences with THA were explored by the use of a questionnaire and a semistructured focus group. The questionnaire was administered among n = 32 THA patients at 1 week preoperative and at 3 and 6 weeks postoperative. The questions addressed self-efficacy, performance and effort expectancy, and usefulness and social influence. The focus group consisted of patient journeys and scenario composition. The usability of a prototype version of the HipDas system was evaluated (n = 5). Flexion of the hip >90°, bending over while sitting in a chair, and sleeping in a supine position are the restrictions that have the lowest self-efficacy. The majority of patients (>86.6%) believe that a future HipDas is useful. Focus group outcomes suggest there is a gradual decrease in the threshold for feedback. The system is preferably used in the first 6 weeks after surgery and appeared to be usable and highly clinically relevant. HipDas is considered an interesting concept that can accelerate functional recovery of patients following THA by providing support on how to properly apply postoperative movement restrictions to prevent a dislocation.

Seismic Monitoring of Permafrost During Controlled Thaw: An Active-Source Experiment Using a Surface Orbital Vibrator and Fiber-Optic DAS Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, S.; Wood, T.; Lindsey, N.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Freifeld, B. M.; Gelvin, A.; Morales, A.; Saari, S.; Ekblaw, I.; Wagner, A. M.; Daley, T. M.; Robertson, M.; Martin, E. R.; Ulrich, C.; Bjella, K.

2016-12-01

Thawing of permafrost can cause ground deformations that threaten the integrity of civil infrastructure. It is essential to develop early warning systems that can identify critically warmed permafrost and issue warnings for hazard prevention and control. Seismic methods can play a pivotal role in such systems for at least two reasons: First, seismic velocities are indicative of mechanical strength of the subsurface and thus are directly relevant to engineering properties; Second, seismic velocities in permafrost systems are sensitive to pre-thaw warming, which makes it possible to issue early warnings before the occurrence of hazardous subsidence events. However, several questions remain: What are the seismic signatures that can be effectively used for early warning of permafrost thaw? Can seismic methods provide enough warning times for hazard prevention and control? In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using permanently installed seismic networks for early warnings of permafrost thaw. We conducted continuous active-source seismic monitoring of permafrost that was under controlled heating at CRREL's Fairbanks permafrost experiment station. We used a permanently installed surface orbital vibrator (SOV) as source and surface-trenched DAS arrays as receivers. The SOV is characterized by its excellent repeatability, automated operation, high energy level, and the rich frequency content (10-100 Hz) of the generated wavefields. The fiber-optic DAS arrays allow continuous recording of seismic data with dense spatial sampling (1-meter channel spacing), low cost, and low maintenance. This combination of SOV-DAS provides unique seismic datasets for observing time-lapse changes of warming permafrost at the field scale, hence providing an observational basis for design and development of early warning systems for permafrost thaw.

Strategies for distributing cancer screening decision aids in primary care.

PubMed

Brackett, Charles; Kearing, Stephen; Cochran, Nan; Tosteson, Anna N A; Blair Brooks, W

2010-02-01

Decision aids (DAs) have been shown to facilitate shared decision making about cancer screening. However, little data exist on optimal strategies for dissemination. Our objective was to compare different decision aid distribution models. Eligible patients received video decision aids for prostate cancer (PSA) or colon cancer screening (CRC) through 4 distribution methods. Outcome measures included DA loans (N), % of eligible patients receiving DA, and patient and provider satisfaction. Automatically mailing DAs to all age/gender appropriate patients led to near universal receipt by screening-eligible patients, but also led to ineligible patients receiving DAs. Three different elective (non-automatic) strategies led to low rates of receipt. Clinician satisfaction was higher when patients viewed the DA before the visit, and this model facilitated implementation of the screening choice. Regardless of timing or distribution method, patient satisfaction was high. An automatic DA distribution method is more effective than relying on individual initiative. Enabling patients to view the DA before the visit is preferred. Systematically offering DAs to all eligible patients before their appointments is the ideal strategy, but may be challenging to implement. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of shared decision making and decision aids among rural primary care clinicians.

PubMed

King, Valerie J; Davis, Melinda M; Gorman, Paul N; Rugge, J Bruin; Fagnan, L J

2012-01-01

Shared decision making (SDM) and decision aids (DAs) increase patients' involvement in health care decisions and enhance satisfaction with their choices. Studies of SDM and DAs have primarily occurred in academic centers and large health systems, but most primary care is delivered in smaller practices, and over 20% of Americans live in rural areas, where poverty, disease prevalence, and limited access to care may increase the need for SDM and DAs. To explore perceptions and practices of rural primary care clinicians regarding SDM and DAs. Cross-sectional survey. Setting and Participants Primary care clinicians affiliated with the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network. Surveys were returned by 181 of 231 eligible participants (78%); 174 could be analyzed. Two-thirds of participants were physicians, 84% practiced family medicine, and 55% were male. Sixty-five percent of respondents were unfamiliar with the term shared decision making, but following definition, 97% reported that they found the approach useful for conditions with multiple treatment options. Over 90% of clinicians perceived helping patients make decisions regarding chronic pain and health behavior change as moderate/hard in difficulty. Although 69% of respondents preferred that patients play an equal role in making decisions, they estimate that this happens only 35% of the time. Time was reported as the largest barrier to engaging in SDM (63%). Respondents were receptive to using DAs to facilitate SDM in print- (95%) or web-based formats (72%), and topic preference varied by clinician specialty and decision difficulty. Rural clinicians recognized the value of SDM and were receptive to using DAs in multiple formats. Integration of DAs to facilitate SDM in routine patient care may require addressing practice operation and reimbursement.

[Evaluation of the resolving power of different angles in MPR images of 16DAS-MDCT].

PubMed

Kimura, Mikio; Usui, Junshi; Nozawa, Takeo

2007-03-20

In this study, we evaluated the resolving power of three-dimensional (3D) multiplanar reformation (MPR) images with various angles by using 16 data acquisition system multi detector row computed tomography (16DAS-MDCT) . We reconstructed the MPR images using data with a 0.75 mm slice thickness of the axial image in this examination. To evaluate resolving power, we used an original new phantom (RC phantom) that can be positioned at any slice angle in MPR images. We measured the modulation transfer function (MTF) by using the methods of measuring pre-sampling MTF, and used Fourier transform of image data of the square wave chart. The scan condition and image reconstruction condition that were adopted in this study correspond to the condition that we use for three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography (3D-CTA) examination of the head in our hospital. The MTF of MPR images showed minimum values at slice angles in parallel with the axial slice, and showed maximum values at the sagittal slice and coronal slice angles that are parallel to the Z-axis. With an oblique MPR image, MTF did not change with angle changes in the oblique sagittal slice plane, but in the oblique coronal slice plane, MTF increased as the tilt angle increased from the axial plane to the Z plane. As a result, we could evaluate the resolving power of a head 3D image by measuring the MTF of the axial image and sagittal image or the coronal image.

A data acquisition system for coincidence imaging using a conventional dual head gamma camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewellen, T. K.; Miyaoka, R. S.; Jansen, F.; Kaplan, M. S.

1997-06-01

A low cost data acquisition system (DAS) was developed to acquire coincidence data from an unmodified General Electric Maxxus dual head scintillation camera. A high impedance pick-off circuit provides position and energy signals to the DAS without interfering with normal camera operation. The signals are pulse-clipped to reduce pileup effects. Coincidence is determined with fast timing signals derived from constant fraction discriminators. A charge-integrating FERA 16 channel ADC feeds position and energy data to two CAMAC FERA memories operated as ping-pong buffers. A Macintosh PowerPC running Labview controls the system and reads the CAMAC memories. A CAMAC 12-channel scaler records singles and coincidence rate data. The system dead-time is approximately 10% at a coincidence rate of 4.0 kHz.

4-D permafrost thaw observations from ambient road traffic noise and a very dense distributed fiber optic sensing array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsey, N.; Dou, S.; Martin, E. R.; Wagner, A. M.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.

2017-12-01

How does frozen soil thaw? The answer to this question affects hydrology, ecology, climate, and human infrastructure. We are using the local ambient noise field from a road recorded on a distributed fiber optic acoustic sensing (DAS) array to monitor the evolution in seismic parameters related to the top-down permafrost thaw process in the upper 10 m. Our field experiment demonstrates the advantages of "Large N" ambient noise studies using DAS, particularly to probe near surface critical zone dynamics. Over 60 days beginning in August 2016, we made continuous seismic recordings with a >4000 channel trenched fiber optic DAS dataset above a controlled permafrost warming demonstration experiment in Fairbanks, AK. The warming experiment accelerated the state of permafrost degradation by approximately two decades in a small 15 m x 20 m area, deepening the permafrost table from 4 m to 5.5 m. Continuous seismic DAS recording of high frequency surface waves (5-30 Hz) generated by vehicles traveling along a nearby road enables our investigation of hypothesized shear wave speed and attenuation changes, which lab measurements suggest may result from decreasing shear modulus and increasing saturation. We develop daily auto- and crosscorrelation function estimates using combinations of horizontal inline, collinear, and crossline DAS sensor orientations and vertical component geophone data, and then invert for maps of Love and Rayleigh wave speed that are sensitive to the upper 30 m. Many issues related to the accuracy, stability, and repeatability of the recovered empirical Green's tensor, as well as the sensitivity of the DAS sensor network will be considered.

Effective co-delivery of doxorubicin and dasatinib using a PEG-Fmoc nanocarrier for combination cancer chemotherapy.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Li, Jiang; Ghazwani, Mohammed; Zhao, Wenchen; Huang, Yixian; Zhang, Xiaolan; Venkataramanan, Raman; Li, Song

2015-10-01

A simple PEGylated peptidic nanocarrier, PEG5000-lysyl-(α-Fmoc-ε-Cbz-lysine)2 (PLFCL), was developed for effective co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and dasatinib (DAS) for combination chemotherapy. Significant synergy of DOX and DAS in inhibition of cancer cell proliferation was demonstrated in various types of cancer cells, including breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Co-encapsulation of the two agents was facilitated by incorporation of 9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) and carboxybenzyl (Cbz) groups into a nanocarrier for effective carrier-drug interactions. Spherical nanomicelles with a small size of ∼30 nm were self-assembled by PLFCL. Strong carrier/drug intermolecular π-π stacking was demonstrated in fluorescence quenching and UV absorption. Fluorescence study showed more effective accumulation of DOX in nuclei of cancer cells following treatment with DOX&DAS/PLFCL in comparison with cells treated with DOX/PLFCL. DOX&DAS/PLFCL micelles were also more effective than other treatments in inhibiting the proliferation and migration of cultured cancer cells. Finally, a superior anti-tumor activity was demonstrated with DOX&DAS/PLFCL. A tumor growth inhibition rate of 95% was achieved at a respective dose of 5 mg/kg for DOX and DAS in a murine breast cancer model. Our nanocarrier may represent a simple and effective system that could facilitate clinical translation of this promising multi-agent regimen in combination chemotherapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of Land-Surface Mosaic Heterogeneity in the GEOS DAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosilovich, Michael G.; Molod, Andrea; Houser, Paul R.; Schubert, Siegfried

1999-01-01

The Mosaic Land-surface Model (LSM) has been included into the current GEOS Data Assimilation System (DAS). The LSM uses a more advanced representation of physical processes than previous versions of the GEOS DAS, including the representation of sub-grid heterogeneity of the land-surface through the Mosaic approach. As a first approximation, Mosaic assumes that all similar surface types within a grid-cell can be lumped together as a single'tile'. Within one GCM grid-cell, there might be 1 - 5 different tiles or surface types. All tiles are subjected to the grid-scale forcing (radiation, air temperature and specific humidity, and precipitation), and the sub-grid variability is a function of the tile characteristics. In this paper, we validate the LSM sub-grid scale variability (tiles) using a variety of surface observing stations from the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. One of the primary goals of SGP ARM is to study the variability of atmospheric radiation within a G,CM grid-cell. Enough surface data has been collected by ARM to extend this goal to sub-grid variability of the land-surface energy and water budgets. The time period of this study is the Summer of 1998 (June I - September 1). The ARM site data consists of surface meteorology, energy flux (eddy correlation and bowen ratio), soil water observations spread over an area similar to the size of a G-CM grid-cell. Various ARM stations are described as wheat and alfalfa crops, pasture and range land. The LSM tiles considered at the grid-space (2 x 2.5) nearest the ARM site include, grassland, deciduous forests, bare soil and dwarf trees. Surface energy and water balances for each tile type are compared with observations. Furthermore, we will discuss the land-surface sub-grid variability of both the ARM observations and the DAS.

Usefulness of Patients-Reported Outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis Focus Group

PubMed Central

Amaya-Amaya, Jenny; Botello-Corzo, Diana; Calixto, Omar-Javier; Calderón-Rojas, Rolando; Domínguez, Aura-Maria; Cruz-Tapias, Paola; Montoya-Ortiz, Gladis; Mantilla, Ruben-Dario; Anaya, Juan-Manuel; Rojas-Villarraga, Adriana

2012-01-01

Objective. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become an essential part of the assessment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to evaluate the agreement and correlation between PROs and the physician's measurements. Methods. This was a cross-sectional analytical study in which 135 patients with RA were clinically evaluated during two different sessions of focus group interviews. Rheumatologist recorded 28 swollen (SJCs) and tender joint counts (TJCs). The patients filled out the PROs instruments (MDHAQ, RADAI, RAPID3, 4, and 5 and self-report articular index (SAI) diagram for pain and joint swelling). DAS28 was calculated (C-reactive protein). An adjusted multiple lineal regression model was done (DAS28 as dependent variable). Results. Highly significant agreements were found between SJC and TJC registered by the physician and patient. There was moderate correlation between DAS28 with patient SJC (r = 0.52), patient TJC (r = 0.55), RADAI (r = 0.56), RAPID3 (r = 0.52), RAPID4 (r = 0.56), RAPID5 (r = 0.66), and VAS-Global (r = 0.51). Likewise, we found moderate to high correlations between CDAI and SDAI with all variable measurements done by the patients. The resulting predictive equation was DAS28(CRP) = 2.02 + 0.037 × RAPID4 + 0.042× patient SJC. Conclusion. PROs applied in focus groups interview are a useful tool for managing patients with RA regardless of gender, educational level, and duration of disease. PMID:23097701

Challenges in Ocean Data Assimilation for the US West Coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z.; Chao, Y.; Farrara, J.; Wang, X.

2006-12-01

A three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system has been developed for the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), and it is called ROMS-DAS. This system provides a capability of predicting meso- to small-scale variations with temporal scales from hours to days in the coastal oceans. To cope with the particular difficulties that result from complex coastlines and bottom topography, unbalanced flows and sparse observations, ROMS-DAS utilizes several novel strategies. These strategies include the implementation of three-dimensional anisotropic and inhomogeneous error correlations, application of particular weak dynamic constraints, and implementation of efficient and reliable algorithms for minimizing the cost function. The ROMS-DAS system was applied in field experiments for Monterey Bay during both 2003 (Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network - AOSN) and 2006 (MB06). These two experiments included intensive data collection from a variety of observational platforms, including satellites, airplanes, High Frequency radars, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, ships, drifters, buoys, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), and particularly a fleet of undersea gliders. Using these data sets, various data assimilation experiments were performed to address several major data assimilation challenges that arise from multi-scales structures, inhomogeneous properties, dynamical imbalance of the flow, and tides. Basing on these experiments, a set of strategies were formulated to deal with those challenges.

Analysis of PD-1 and Tim-3 expression on CD4+ T cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis; negative association with DAS28.

PubMed

Koohini, Zohreh; Hossein-Nataj, Hadi; Mobini, Maryam; Hosseinian-Amiri, Aref; Rafiei, Alireza; Asgarian-Omran, Hossein

2018-04-07

Expression of T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (Tim-3) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) was studied on CD4 + T cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Association of Tim-3 and PD-1 expression with disease activity of RA patients was also addressed. A total of 37 RA patients and 31 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Disease activity of RA patients was determined by Disease Activity Score of 28 joints scoring system (DAS28). A three-color flow cytometry method was applied to determine the frequency of Tim-3 + /PD-1 + /CD4 + T cells. To measure the cytokine production, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with PMA/ionomycin. Concentrations of IL-17, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were measured in culture supernatants by ELISA. The frequency of PD-1 + /CD4 + and Tim-3 + /PD-1 + /CD4 + T cells was significantly higher in patients with RA compared to that in controls (p = 0.0013 and p = 0.050, respectively). The percentage of Tim-3 + /CD4 + T cells was similar in patients and controls (p = 0.4498). The RA patients have produced significant higher levels of TNF-α, IL-17, and IFN-γ than those of healthy controls (p = 0.0121, p = 0.0417, and p = 0.0478, respectively). Interestingly, an inverse correlation was found between the frequency of Tim-3 + /CD4 + cells and DAS28 of RA patients (r = - 0.4696, p = 0.0493). Similarly, the percentage of Tim-3 + /PD-1 + /CD4 + T cells was also revealed an inverse correlation with DAS28 (r = - 0.5268, p = 0.0493). Moreover, significant positive correlations were detected between the concentrations of TNF-α (r = 0.6418, p = 0.0023) and IL-17 (r = 0.4683, p = 0.0373) with disease activity of RA patients. Our results indicate that Tim-3 and PD-1 are involved in immune dysregulation mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis and could be considered as useful biomarkers for determination of disease activity and progression.

A review and empirical study of the composite scales of the Das–Naglieri cognitive assessment system

PubMed Central

McCrea, Simon M

2009-01-01

Alexander Luria’s model of the working brain consisting of three functional units was formulated through the examination of hundreds of focal brain-injury patients. Several psychometric instruments based on Luria’s syndrome analysis and accompanying qualitative tasks have been developed since the 1970s. In the mid-1970s, JP Das and colleagues defined a specific cognitive processes model based directly on Luria’s two coding units termed simultaneous and successive by studying diverse cross-cultural, ability, and socioeconomic strata. The cognitive assessment system is based on the PASS model of cognitive processes and consists of four composite scales of Planning–Attention–Simultaneous–Successive (PASS) devised by Naglieri and Das in 1997. Das and colleagues developed the two new scales of planning and attention to more closely model Luria’s theory of higher cortical functions. In this paper a theoretical review of Luria’s theory, Das and colleagues elaboration of Luria’s model, and the neural correlates of PASS composite scales based on extant studies is summarized. A brief empirical study of the neuropsychological specificity of the PASS composite scales in a sample of 33 focal cortical stroke patients using cluster analysis is then discussed. Planning and simultaneous were sensitive to right hemisphere lesions. These findings were integrated with recent functional neuroimaging studies of PASS scales. In sum it was found that simultaneous is strongly dependent on dual bilateral occipitoparietal interhemispheric coordination whereas successive demonstrated left frontotemporal specificity with some evidence of interhemispheric coordination across the prefrontal cortex. Hence, support for the validity of the PASS composite scales was found as well as for the axiom of the independence of code content from code type originally specified in 1994 by Das, Naglieri, and Kirby. PMID:22110322

Comparison of the disease activity score using erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein in African Americans with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Tamhane, Ashutosh; Redden, David T; McGwin, Gerald; Brown, Elizabeth E; Westfall, Andrew O; Reynolds, Richard J; Hughes, Laura B; Conn, Doyt L; Callahan, Leigh F; Jonas, Beth L; Smith, Edwin A; Brasington, Richard D; Moreland, Larry W; Bridges, S Louis

2013-11-01

The Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints (DAS28) has been increasingly used in clinical practice and research studies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Studies have reported discordance between DAS28 based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) versus C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with RA. However, such comparison is lacking in African Americans with RA. This analysis included participants from the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) registry, which enrolls self-declared African Americans with RA. Using tender and swollen joint counts, separate ESR-based and CRP-based DAS28 scores (DAS28-ESR3 and DAS28-CRP3) were calculated, as were DAS28-ESR4 and DAS28-CRP4, which included the patient's assessment of disease activity. The scores were compared using paired t-test, simple agreement and κ, correlation coefficient, and Bland-Altman plots. Of the 233 included participants, 85% were women, mean age at enrollment was 52.6 years, and median disease duration at enrollment was 21 months. Mean DAS28-ESR3 was significantly higher than DAS28-CRP3 (4.8 vs 3.9; p < 0.001). Similarly, mean DAS28-ESR4 was significantly higher than DAS28-CRP4 (4.7 vs 3.9; p < 0.001). ESR-based DAS28 remained higher than CRP-based DAS28 even when stratified by age, sex, and disease duration. Overall agreement was not high between DAS28-ESR3 and DAS28-CRP3 (50%) or between DAS28-ESR4 and DAS28-CRP4 (59%). DAS28-CRP3 underestimated disease activity in 47% of the participants relative to DAS28-ESR3 and DAS28-CRP4 in 40% of the participants relative to DAS28-ESR4. There was significant discordance between the ESR-based and CRP-based DAS28, a situation that could affect clinical treatment decisions for African Americans with RA.

Umsetzung der Unternehmensstrategie mit der Balanced Scorecard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crespo, Isabel; Bergmann, Lars; Portmann, Stefan; Lacker, Thomas; Lacker, Michael; Fleischmann, Jürgen; Kozó, Hans

Die Balanced Scorecard (BSC) ist ein Ansatz zum strategischen Management, der neben der Ausrichtung des Unternehmens auf finanzielle Zielwerte ebenso großes Gewicht auf so genannte weiche Faktoren legt, die den wirtschaftlichen Erfolg eines Unternehmens erst ermöglichen. Das entscheidende Merkmal der Balanced Scorecard ist dabei, dass sie ein ausgewogenes System strategischer Ziele herstellt, welches das Unternehmen hinsichtlich der vier Perspektiven Finanzen, Kunden, interne Prozesse und Mitarbeiter und Potenziale strategisch ausrichtet (Kaplan u. Norton 1997).

Assimilation of SBUV Version 8 Radiances into the GEOS Ozone DAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Martin D.; Stajner, Ivanka; Bhartia, Pawan K.

2004-01-01

In operational weather forecasting, the assimilation of brightness temperatures from satellite sounders, instead of assimilation of 1D-retrievals has become increasingly common practice over the last two decades. Compared to these systems, assimilation of trace gases is still at a relatively early stage of development, and efforts to directly assimilate radiances instead of retrieved products have just begun a few years ago, partially because it requires much more computation power due to the employment of a radiative transport forward model (FM). This paper will focus on a method to assimilate SBUV/2 radiances (albedos) into the Global Earth Observation System Ozone Data Assimilation Scheme (GEOS-03DAS). While SBUV-type instruments cannot compete with newer sensors in terms of spectral and horizontal resolution, they feature a continuous data record back to 1978, which makes them very valuable for trend studies. Assimilation can help spreading their ground coverage over the whole globe, as has been previously demonstrated with the GEOS-03DAS using SBUV Version 6 ozone profiles. Now, the DAS has been updated to use the newly released SBUV Version 8 data. We will compare pre]lmlnarv results of SBUV radiance assimilation with the assimilation of retrieved ozone profiles, discuss methods to deal with the increased computational load, and try to assess the error characteristics and future potential of the new approach.

A Review of Hybrid Fiber-Optic Distributed Simultaneous Vibration and Temperature Sensing Technology and Its Geophysical Applications

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Distributed sensing systems can transform an optical fiber cable into an array of sensors, allowing users to detect and monitor multiple physical parameters such as temperature, vibration and strain with fine spatial and temporal resolution over a long distance. Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems have been developed for various applications with varied spatial resolution, and spectral and sensing range. Rayleigh scattering-based phase optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) for vibration and Raman/Brillouin scattering-based OTDR for temperature and strain measurements have been developed over the past two decades. The key challenge has been to find a methodology that would enable the physical parameters to be determined at any point along the sensing fiber with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, yet within acceptable frequency range for dynamic vibration, and temperature detection. There are many applications, especially in geophysical and mining engineering where simultaneous measurements of vibration and temperature are essential. In this article, recent developments of different hybrid systems for simultaneous vibration, temperature and strain measurements are analyzed based on their operation principles and performance. Then, challenges and limitations of the systems are highlighted for geophysical applications. PMID:29104259

A Review of Hybrid Fiber-Optic Distributed Simultaneous Vibration and Temperature Sensing Technology and Its Geophysical Applications.

PubMed

Miah, Khalid; Potter, David K

2017-11-01

Distributed sensing systems can transform an optical fiber cable into an array of sensors, allowing users to detect and monitor multiple physical parameters such as temperature, vibration and strain with fine spatial and temporal resolution over a long distance. Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems have been developed for various applications with varied spatial resolution, and spectral and sensing range. Rayleigh scattering-based phase optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) for vibration and Raman/Brillouin scattering-based OTDR for temperature and strain measurements have been developed over the past two decades. The key challenge has been to find a methodology that would enable the physical parameters to be determined at any point along the sensing fiber with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, yet within acceptable frequency range for dynamic vibration, and temperature detection. There are many applications, especially in geophysical and mining engineering where simultaneous measurements of vibration and temperature are essential. In this article, recent developments of different hybrid systems for simultaneous vibration, temperature and strain measurements are analyzed based on their operation principles and performance. Then, challenges and limitations of the systems are highlighted for geophysical applications.

Parallel Grid Manipulations in Earth Science Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, W.; Lucchesi, R.; daSilva, A.; Takacs, L. L.

1999-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at the Goddard Space Flight Center is moving its data assimilation system to massively parallel computing platforms. This parallel implementation of GEOS DAS will be used in the DAO's normal activities, which include reanalysis of data, and operational support for flight missions. Key components of GEOS DAS, including the gridpoint-based general circulation model and a data analysis system, are currently being parallelized. The parallelization of GEOS DAS is also one of the HPCC Grand Challenge Projects. The GEOS-DAS software employs several distinct grids. Some examples are: an observation grid- an unstructured grid of points at which observed or measured physical quantities from instruments or satellites are associated- a highly-structured latitude-longitude grid of points spanning the earth at given latitude-longitude coordinates at which prognostic quantities are determined, and a computational lat-lon grid in which the pole has been moved to a different location to avoid computational instabilities. Each of these grids has a different structure and number of constituent points. In spite of that, there are numerous interactions between the grids, e.g., values on one grid must be interpolated to another, or, in other cases, grids need to be redistributed on the underlying parallel platform. The DAO has designed a parallel integrated library for grid manipulations (PILGRIM) to support the needed grid interactions with maximum efficiency. It offers a flexible interface to generate new grids, define transformations between grids and apply them. Basic communication is currently MPI, however the interfaces defined here could conceivably be implemented with other message-passing libraries, e.g., Cray SHMEM, or with shared-memory constructs. The library is written in Fortran 90. First performance results indicate that even difficult problems, such as above-mentioned pole rotation- a sparse interpolation with little data locality between the physical lat-lon grid and a pole rotated computational grid- can be solved efficiently and at the GFlop/s rates needed to solve tomorrow's high resolution earth science models. In the subsequent presentation we will discuss the design and implementation of PILGRIM as well as a number of the problems it is required to solve. Some conclusions will be drawn about the potential performance of the overall earth science models on the supercomputer platforms foreseen for these problems.

Study of Opacity Effects on Emission Lines at EXTRAP T2R RFP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stancalie, Viorica; Rachlew, Elisabeth

We have investigated the influence of opacity on hydrogen (H-α and Ly-β) and Li-like oxygen emission lines from the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch. We used the Atomic Data Analysis System (AzDAS) based on the escape factor approximation for radiative transfer to calculate metastable and excited population densities via a collisional-radiative model. Population escape factor, emergent escape factor and modified line profiles are plotted vs. optical depth. The simulated emission line ratios in the density/temperature plane are in good agreement with experimental data for electron density and temperature measurements.

A Hash Based Remote User Authentication and Authenticated Key Agreement Scheme for the Integrated EPR Information System.

PubMed

Li, Chun-Ta; Weng, Chi-Yao; Lee, Cheng-Chi; Wang, Chun-Cheng

2015-11-01

To protect patient privacy and ensure authorized access to remote medical services, many remote user authentication schemes for the integrated electronic patient record (EPR) information system have been proposed in the literature. In a recent paper, Das proposed a hash based remote user authentication scheme using passwords and smart cards for the integrated EPR information system, and claimed that the proposed scheme could resist various passive and active attacks. However, in this paper, we found that Das's authentication scheme is still vulnerable to modification and user duplication attacks. Thereafter we propose a secure and efficient authentication scheme for the integrated EPR information system based on lightweight hash function and bitwise exclusive-or (XOR) operations. The security proof and performance analysis show our new scheme is well-suited to adoption in remote medical healthcare services.

Planar millimeter wave radar frontend for automotive applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grubert, J.; Heyen, J.; Metz, C.; Stange, L. C.; Jacob, A. F.

2003-05-01

A fully integrated planar sensor for 77 GHz automotive applications is presented. The frontend consists of a transceiver multichip module and an electronically steerable microstrip patch array. The antenna feed network is based on a modified Rotman-lens and connected to the array in a multilayer approach offering higher integration. Furthermore, the frontend comprises a phase lock loop to allow proper frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar operation. The latest experimental results verify the functionality of this advanced frontend design featuring automatic cruise control, precrash sensing and cut-in detection. These promising radar measurements give reason to a detailed theoretical investigation of system performance. Employing commercially available MMIC various circuit topologies are compared based on signal-tonoise considerations. Different scenarios for both sequential and parallel lobing hint to more advanced sensor designs and better performance. These improvements strongly depend on the availability of suitable MMIC and reliable packaging technologies. Within our present approach possible future MMIC developments are already considered and, thus, can be easily adapted by the flexible frontend design. Es wird ein integrierter planarer Sensor für 77 GHz Radaranwendungen vorgestellt. Das Frontend besteht aus einem Sende- und Empfangs-Multi-Chip-Modul und einer elektronisch schwenkbaren Antenne. Das Speisenetzwerk der Antenne basiert auf einer modifizierten Rotman- Linse. Für eine kompakte Bauweise sind Antenne und Speisenetzwerk mehrlagig integriert. Weiterhin umfasst das Frontend eine Phasenregelschleife für eine präzise Steuerung des frequenzmodulierten Dauerstrichradars. Die aktuellen Messergebnisse bestätigen die Funktionalit¨at dieses neuartigen Frontend-Designs, das automatische Geschwindigkeitsregelung, Kollisionswarnung sowie Nahbereichsüberwachung ermöglicht. Die Qualität der Messergebnisse hat weiterführende theoretische Untersuchungen über die potenzielle Systemleistungsfähigkeit motiviert. Unter Berücksichtigung von kommerziell erhältlichenMMICs werden verschiedene Schaltungstopologien auf der Grundlage des Signal-Rausch-Verhältnisses verglichen. Sowohl für sequenzielle als auch für parallele Ansteuerung der Antennenkeulen wird eine deutliche Leistungssteigerung ermittelt. Diese Verbesserungen hängen maßgeblich von der Verfügbarkeit geeigneter MMICs und einer zuverlässigen Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik ab. Das vorliegende Frontend-Konzept kann auf Grund seiner Flexibilität leicht an derlei zukünftige Entwicklungen angepasst werden.

Comparison of the Utility and Validity of Three Scoring Tools to Measure Skin Involvement in Patients With Juvenile Dermatomyositis

PubMed Central

Campanilho‐Marques, Raquel; Almeida, Beverley; Deakin, Claire; Arnold, Katie; Gallot, Natacha; de Iorio, Maria; Nistala, Kiran; Pilkington, Clarissa A.; Armon, Kate; Ellis‐Gage, Joe; Roper, Holly; Briggs, Vanja; Watts, Joanna; McCann, Liza; Roberts, Ian; Baildam, Eileen; Hanna, Louise; Lloyd, Olivia; Riley, Phil; McGovern, Ann; Ryder, Clive; Scott, Janis; Thomas, Beverley; Southwood, Taunton; Al‐Abadi, Eslam; Wyatt, Sue; Jackson, Gillian; Amin, Tania; Wood, Mark; VanRooyen, Vanessa; Burton, Deborah; Davidson, Joyce; Gardner‐Medwin, Janet; Martin, Neil; Ferguson, Sue; Waxman, Liz; Browne, Michael; Friswell, Mark; Foster, Helen; Swift, Alison; Jandial, Sharmila; Stevenson, Vicky; Wade, Debbie; Sen, Ethan; Smith, Eve; Qiao, Lisa; Watson, Stuart; Venning, Helen; Satyapal, Rangaraj; Stretton, Elizabeth; Jordan, Mary; Mosley, Ellen; Frost, Anna; Crate, Lindsay; Warrier, Kishore; Wedderburn, Lucy; Pilkington, Clarissa; Hasson, Nathan; Nistala, Kiran; Maillard, Sue; Halkon, Elizabeth; Brown, Virginia; Juggins, Audrey; Smith, Sally; Lunt, Sian; Enayat, Elli; Varsani, Hemlata; Kassoumeri, Laura; Beard, Laura; Arnold, Katie; Glackin, Yvonne; Simou, Stephanie; Campanilho‐Marques, Raquel; Almeida, Beverley; Murray, Kevin; Ioannou, John; Suffield, Linda; Al‐Obaidi, Muthana; Lee, Helen; Leach, Sam; Smith, Helen; Wilkinson, Nick; Inness, Emma; Kendall, Eunice; Mayers, David; Clinch, Jacqui; Pluess‐Hall, Helen

2016-01-01

Objective To compare the abbreviated Cutaneous Assessment Tool (CAT), Disease Activity Score (DAS), and Myositis Intention to Treat Activity Index (MITAX) and correlate them with the physician's 10‐cm skin visual analog scale (VAS) in order to define which tool best assesses skin disease in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis. Methods A total of 71 patients recruited to the UK Juvenile Dermatomyositis Cohort and Biomarker Study were included and assessed for skin disease using the CAT, DAS, MITAX, and skin VAS. The Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS), manual muscle testing of 8 groups (MMT8), muscle enzymes, inflammatory markers, and physician's global VAS were recorded. Relationships were evaluated using Spearman's correlations and predictors with linear regression. Interrater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients. Results All 3 tools showed correlation with the physician's global VAS and skin VAS, with DAS skin showing the strongest correlation with skin VAS. DAS skin and CAT activity were inversely correlated with CMAS and MMT8, but these correlations were moderate. No correlations were found between the skin tools and inflammatory markers or muscle enzymes. DAS skin and CAT were the quickest to complete (mean ± SD 0.68 ± 0.1 minutes and 0.63 ± 0.1 minutes, respectively). Conclusion The 3 skin tools were quick and easy to use. The DAS skin correlated best with the skin VAS. The addition of CAT in a bivariate model containing the physician's global VAS was a statistically significant estimator of skin VAS score. We propose that there is scope for a new skin tool to be devised and tested, which takes into account the strengths of the 3 existing tools. PMID:26881696

Theoretical and experimental comparative analysis of beamforming methods for loudspeaker arrays under given performance constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivieri, Ferdinando; Fazi, Filippo Maria; Nelson, Philip A.; Shin, Mincheol; Fontana, Simone; Yue, Lang

2016-07-01

Methods for beamforming are available that provide the signals used to drive an array of sources for the implementation of systems for the so-called personal audio. In this work, performance of the delay-and-sum (DAS) method and of three widely used methods for optimal beamforming are compared by means of computer simulations and experiments in an anechoic environment using a linear array of sources with given constraints on quality of the reproduced field at the listener's position and limit to input energy to the array. Using the DAS method as a benchmark for performance, the frequency domain responses of the loudspeaker filters can be characterized in three regions. In the first region, at low frequencies, input signals designed with the optimal methods are identical and provide higher directivity performance than that of the DAS. In the second region, performance of the optimal methods are similar to the DAS method. The third region starts above the limit due to spatial aliasing. A method is presented to estimate the boundaries of these regions.

Evaluation of an EIT reconstruction algorithm using finite difference human thorax models as phantoms.

PubMed

Patterson, Robert P; Zhang, Jie

2003-05-01

A finite difference model of the human thorax with 113,400 control volumes (nodes) based on ECG gated MRI images was used to evaluate the Sheffield DAS-01P EIT system. Sixteen simulated electrode positions equally spaced around the thorax model at approximately the fourth intercostals space level were selected. Pairs of adjacent positions were excited sequentially by injecting current in a manner similar to that used by the Sheffield DAS-01P EIT system. The resulting voltages on the non-excited electrode positions were calculated and used to reconstruct the image using the Sheffield filtered back projection algorithm. By changing the resistivities of the lungs, the ventricles and the atria over a range of 1% to 40%, the resulting changes in the images were quantified by measuring the average resistivity change over a region defined automatically by two thresholds, 40% or 80% of the average of the first four pixels with the largest change. The results show that the changes observed in the images are consistently less than the changes in the model, but changed in a nearly linear manner as a function of resistivity in the model. For 40% resistivity changes in the model for right lung, right ventricle and right atrium, the observed resistivity changes in the region of interest (ROI, defined by the 80% threshold) of the images are 32% for the right lung, 11% for the right ventricle and 5.5% for the right atrium, which suggests strong volume dependence of EIT imaging. The effect of structural (size) change between end diastole and end systole was also studied, which showed large resistivity changes caused in the heart region of the constructed image. The study demonstrates that the Sheffield DAS-01P EIT reconstruction algorithm tracks the change occurring in the lungs most closely and with proper scaling may be used to observe physiological changes.

Regional Climate Simulation with a Variable Resolution Stretched Grid GCM: The Regional Down-Scaling Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox-Rabinovitz, Michael S.; Takacs, Lawrence L.; Suarez, Max; Sawyer, William; Govindaraju, Ravi C.

1999-01-01

The results obtained with the variable resolution stretched grid (SG) GEOS GCM (Goddard Earth Observing System General Circulation Models) are discussed, with the emphasis on the regional down-scaling effects and their dependence on the stretched grid design and parameters. A variable resolution SG-GCM and SG-DAS using a global stretched grid with fine resolution over an area of interest, is a viable new approach to REGIONAL and subregional CLIMATE studies and applications. The stretched grid approach is an ideal tool for representing regional to global scale interactions. It is an alternative to the widely used nested grid approach introduced a decade ago as a pioneering step in regional climate modeling. The GEOS SG-GCM is used for simulations of the anomalous U.S. climate events of 1988 drought and 1993 flood, with enhanced regional resolution. The height low level jet, precipitation and other diagnostic patterns are successfully simulated and show the efficient down-scaling over the area of interest the U.S. An imitation of the nested grid approach is performed using the developed SG-DAS (Data Assimilation System) that incorporates the SG-GCM. The SG-DAS is run with withholding data over the area of interest. The design immitates the nested grid framework with boundary conditions provided from analyses. No boundary condition buffer is needed for the case due to the global domain of integration used for the SG-GCM and SG-DAS. The experiments based on the newly developed versions of the GEOS SG-GCM and SG-DAS, with finer 0.5 degree (and higher) regional resolution, are briefly discussed. The major aspects of parallelization of the SG-GCM code are outlined. The KEY OBJECTIVES of the study are: 1) obtaining an efficient DOWN-SCALING over the area of interest with fine and very fine resolution; 2) providing CONSISTENT interactions between regional and global scales including the consistent representation of regional ENERGY and WATER BALANCES; 3) providing a high computational efficiency for future SG-GCM and SG-DAS versions using PARALLEL codes.

Diagnostic Studies with GLA Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salstein, David A.

1997-01-01

Assessments of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System-1 Data Assimilation System(GEOS-1 DAS), regarding heating rates, energetics, and angular momentum quantities were made. These diagnostics can be viewed as measures of climate variability. Comparisons with the NOAA/NCEP reanalysis system of momentum and energetics diagnostics are included. Water vapor and angular momentum are diagnosed in many models, including those of NASA, as part of the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project. 'Me GEOS-I and NOAA/NCEP global atmospheric angular momentum values are coherent on time scales down to about three days. Furthermore, they agree with the series of Earth angular momentum, as measured by tiny fluctuations in the rotation rate of the Earth, as variations in the length of day. The torques that effect such changes in atmospheric and Earth momentum are dominated by the influence of particular mountain systems, including the Rockies, Himalayas, and Andes, upon mountain torques on time scales shorter than about two weeks. Other project areas included collaboration with Goddard Space Flight Center to examine the impact of mountainous areas and the treatments of parameterizations on diagnoses of the atmosphere. Relevant preprints are included herein.

Connected commercial vehicles-integrated truck project : data acquisition system (DAS) documentation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-08-01

The report documents work performed under the FTA Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) Program, a program structured to undertake research and development of innovative applications of advanced navigation, information, and communication tech...

AZ-101 Mixer Pump Demonstration Data Acquisition System and Gamma Cart Data Acquisition Control System Software Configuration Management Plan

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

WHITE, D.A.

1999-12-29

This Software Configuration Management Plan (SCMP) provides the instructions for change control of the AZ1101 Mixer Pump Demonstration Data Acquisition System (DAS) and the Sludge Mobilization Cart (Gamma Cart) Data Acquisition and Control System (DACS).

Fracture hydromechanical response measured by fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing at milliHertz frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, M. W.; Ciervo, C.; Cole, M.; Coleman, T.; Mondanos, M.

2017-07-01

A new method of measuring dynamic strain in boreholes was used to record fracture displacement in response to head oscillation. Fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) was used to measure strain at mHz frequencies, rather than the Hz to kHz frequencies typical for seismic and acoustic monitoring. Fiber optic cable was mechanically coupled to the wall of a borehole drilled into fractured crystalline bedrock. Oscillating hydraulic signals were applied at a companion borehole 30 m away. The DAS instrument measured fracture displacement at frequencies of less than 1 mHz and amplitudes of less than 1 nm, in response to fluid pressure changes of less 20 Pa (2 mm H2O). Displacement was linearly related to the log of effective stress, a relationship typically explained by the effect of self-affine fracture roughness on fracture closure. These results imply that fracture roughness affects closure even when displacement is a million times smaller than the fracture aperture.

Prediction of the therapeutic response to methotrexate at 24 weeks by methotrexate-polyglutamates concentration in erythrocytes at 8 weeks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Murosaki, Takamasa; Nagatani, Katsuya; Sato, Takeo; Akiyama, Yoichiro; Ushijima, Kentaro; Lefor, Alan Kawarai; Fujimura, Akio; Minota, Seiji

2017-05-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methotrexate-polyglutamates (MTX-PGs) in erythrocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and correlate them with the efficacy. MTX-PG concentrations in erythrocytes were measured in 42 MTX-naïve patients repeatedly for 24 weeks by high-performance liquid chromatography. In 56 patients receiving stable MTX doses for at least 12 weeks, the correlation between MTX doses and MTX-PG concentrations was examined. The efficacy was measured by the change of DAS28CRP (ΔDAS28CRP). There were moderate correlations between MTX dose and MTX-PG 3, 4, and 5. At 24 weeks, MTX-PG2, 3, 4, and 1-5 were higher in patients with ΔDAS28CRP >1.2 than in those with ≤1.2. The cutoff value of MTX-PG1-5 to discriminate ΔDAS28CRP >1.2 from ≤1.2 at 24 weeks was 68.7 nM. Among 20 patients with MTX-PG1-5 > 50.6 nM at 8 weeks, seven already improved at 8 weeks and additional 11 improved at 24 weeks (p < 0.001). On the contrary, among the nine patients with MTX-PG1-5 ≤ 50.6 nM at 8 weeks, none improved at 8 weeks and only one improved at 24 weeks (p = 0.500). Erythrocyte MTX-PGs might be a potential indicator and predictor of MTX efficacy.

Relief of Injection Pain During Delivery of Local Anesthesia by Computer-Controlled Anesthetic Delivery System for Periodontal Surgery: Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Chang, Hyeyoon; Noh, Jiyoung; Lee, Jungwon; Kim, Sungtae; Koo, Ki-Tae; Kim, Tae-Il; Seol, Yang-Jo; Lee, Yong-Moo; Ku, Young; Rhyu, In-Chul

2016-07-01

Pain from local anesthetic injection makes patients anxious when visiting a dental clinic. This study aims to determine differences in pain according to types of local anesthetizing methods and to identify the possible contributing factors (e.g., dental anxiety, stress, and sex). Thirty-one patients who underwent open-flap debridement in maxillary premolar and molar areas during treatment for chronic periodontitis were evaluated for this study. A randomized, split-mouth, single-masked clinical trial was implemented. The dental anxiety scale (DAS) and perceived stress scale (PSS) were administered before surgery. Two lidocaine ampules for each patient were used for local infiltration anesthesia (supraperiosteal injection). Injection pain was measured immediately after local infiltration anesthesia using the visual analog pain scale (VAS) questionnaire. Results from the questionnaire were used to assess degree of pain patients feel when a conventional local anesthetic technique (CNV) is used compared with a computer-controlled anesthetic delivery system (CNR). DAS and PSS did not correlate to injection pain. VAS scores were lower for CNR than for CNV regardless of the order in which anesthetic procedures were applied. VAS score did not differ significantly with sex. Pearson coefficient for correlation between VAS scores for the two procedures was 0.80, also indicating a strong correlation. Within the limitations of the present study, relief from injection pain is observed using CNR.

Comparison of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) from Fiber-Optic Cable to Three Component Geophones in an Underground Mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speece, M. A.; Nesladek, N. J.; Kammerer, C.; Maclaughlin, M.; Wang, H. F.; Lord, N. E.

2017-12-01

We conducted experiments in the Underground Education Mining Center on the Montana Tech campus, Butte, Montana, to make a direct comparison between Digital Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and three-component geophones in a mining setting. The sources used for this project where a vertical sledgehammer, oriented shear sledgehammer, and blasting caps set off in both unstemmed and stemmed drillholes. Three-component Geospace 20DM geophones were compared with three different types of fiber-optic cable: (1) Brugg strain, (2) Brugg temperature, and (3) Optical Cable Corporation strain. We attached geophones to the underground mine walls and on the ground surface above the mine. We attached fiber-optic cables to the mine walls and placed fiber-optic cable in boreholes drilled through an underground pillar. In addition, we placed fiber-optic cables in a shallow trench at the surface of the mine. We converted the DAS recordings from strain rate to strain prior to comparison with the geophone data. The setup of the DAS system for this project led to a previously unknown triggering problem that compromised the early samples of the DAS traces often including the first-break times on the DAS records. Geophones clearly recorded the explosives; however, the large amount of energy and its close distance from the fiber-optic cables seemed to compromise the entire fiber loop. The underground hammer sources produced a rough match between the DAS records and the geophone records. However, the sources on the surface of the mine, specifically the sources oriented inline with the fiber-optic cables, produced a close match between the fiber-optic traces and the geophone traces. All three types of fiber-optic cable that were in the mine produced similar results, and one type did not clearly outperform the others. Instead, the coupling of the cable to rock appears to be the most important factor determining DAS data quality. Moreover, we observed the importance of coupling in the boreholes, where fiber-optic cables that were pressed against the rock face with a spacer outperformed fiber-optic cables that were fully embedded within the grout filling the inside of the borehole.

MiDAS 2.0: an ecosystem-specific taxonomy and online database for the organisms of wastewater treatment systems expanded for anaerobic digester groups

PubMed Central

McIlroy, Simon Jon; Kirkegaard, Rasmus Hansen; McIlroy, Bianca; Nierychlo, Marta; Kristensen, Jannie Munk; Karst, Søren Michael; Albertsen, Mads

2017-01-01

Abstract Wastewater is increasingly viewed as a resource, with anaerobic digester technology being routinely implemented for biogas production. Characterising the microbial communities involved in wastewater treatment facilities and their anaerobic digesters is considered key to their optimal design and operation. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene allows high-throughput monitoring of these systems. The MiDAS field guide is a public resource providing amplicon sequencing protocols and an ecosystem-specific taxonomic database optimized for use with wastewater treatment facility samples. The curated taxonomy endeavours to provide a genus-level-classification for abundant phylotypes and the online field guide links this identity to published information regarding their ecology, function and distribution. This article describes the expansion of the database resources to cover the organisms of the anaerobic digester systems fed primary sludge and surplus activated sludge. The updated database includes descriptions of the abundant genus-level-taxa in influent wastewater, activated sludge and anaerobic digesters. Abundance information is also included to allow assessment of the role of emigration in the ecology of each phylotype. MiDAS is intended as a collaborative resource for the progression of research into the ecology of wastewater treatment, by providing a public repository for knowledge that is accessible to all interested in these biotechnologically important systems. Database URL: http://www.midasfieldguide.org PMID:28365734

Can Questionnaire Reports Correctly Classify Relationship Distress and Partner Physical Abuse?

PubMed Central

Heyman, Richard E.; Feldbau-Kohn, Shari R.; Ehrensaft, Miriam K.; Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Jennifer; O’Leary, K. Daniel

2006-01-01

Relationship adjustment (e.g., Dyadic Adjustment Scale; DAS) and physical aggression (e.g., Conflict Tactics Scale) measures are used both as screening tools and as the sole criterion for classification. This study created face valid diagnostic interviews for relationship distress and physical abuse, through which one could compare preliminarily the classification properties of questionnaire reports. The DAS (and a global measure of relationship satisfaction) had modest agreement with a structured diagnostic interview; both questionnaires tended to overdiagnose distress compared with the interview. Results for partner abuse reiterated the need to go beyond occurrence of aggression as the sole diagnostic criterion, because men’s aggression was more likely than women’s to rise to the level of “abuse” when diagnostic criteria (injury or substantial fear) were applied. PMID:11458637

Campus Single Sign-On und hochschulübergreifendes Identity Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hommel, Wolfgang

Das im Rahmen von IntegraTUM für die TUM geschaffene Identity & Access Management System setzt das Paradigma unified login um, d. h. ein Benutzer kann alle für ihn relevanten Dienste innerhalb der Hochschule mit derselben Loginname-/Passwortkombination nutzen. Dieser Artikel zeigt, wie auf Basis der Software Shibboleth und der deutschlandweiten Hochschulföderation DFN-AAI als weitere Mehrwerte das campusweite web single sign-on und die nahtlose Nutzung zahlreicher externer Web-Anwendungen erreicht werden. Als Beispiel für die Abläufe bei der Erschließung neuer Dienste für die hochschulübergreifende Nutzung wird die Anbindung von Learning Management Systemen auf Basis des DFN-AAI E-Learning-Profils diskutiert. Den umfassenden Vorteilen werden schließlich die aktuellen technischen Grenzen bei der Umsetzung des hochschulübergreifenden Identity Management gegenübergestellt.

Distributed autonomous systems: resource management, planning, and control algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, James F., III; Nguyen, ThanhVu H.

2005-05-01

Distributed autonomous systems, i.e., systems that have separated distributed components, each of which, exhibit some degree of autonomy are increasingly providing solutions to naval and other DoD problems. Recently developed control, planning and resource allocation algorithms for two types of distributed autonomous systems will be discussed. The first distributed autonomous system (DAS) to be discussed consists of a collection of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are under fuzzy logic control. The UAVs fly and conduct meteorological sampling in a coordinated fashion determined by their fuzzy logic controllers to determine the atmospheric index of refraction. Once in flight no human intervention is required. A fuzzy planning algorithm determines the optimal trajectory, sampling rate and pattern for the UAVs and an interferometer platform while taking into account risk, reliability, priority for sampling in certain regions, fuel limitations, mission cost, and related uncertainties. The real-time fuzzy control algorithm running on each UAV will give the UAV limited autonomy allowing it to change course immediately without consulting with any commander, request other UAVs to help it, alter its sampling pattern and rate when observing interesting phenomena, or to terminate the mission and return to base. The algorithms developed will be compared to a resource manager (RM) developed for another DAS problem related to electronic attack (EA). This RM is based on fuzzy logic and optimized by evolutionary algorithms. It allows a group of dissimilar platforms to use EA resources distributed throughout the group. For both DAS types significant theoretical and simulation results will be presented.

A Variable-Resolution Stretched-Grid General Circulation Model and Data Assimilation System with Multiple Areas of Interest: Studying the Anomalous Regional Climate Events of 1998

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox-Rabinovitz, Michael S.; Takacs, Lawrence; Govindaraju, Ravi C.; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The new stretched-grid design with multiple (four) areas of interest, one at each global quadrant, is implemented into both a stretched-grid GCM (general circulation model) and a stretched-grid data assimilation system (DAS). The four areas of interest include: the U.S./Northern Mexico, the El Nino area/Central South America, India/China, and the Eastern Indian Ocean/Australia. Both the stretched-grid GCM and DAS annual (November 1997 through December 1998) integrations are performed with 50 km regional resolution. The efficient regional down-scaling to mesoscales is obtained for each of the four areas of interest while the consistent interactions between regional and global scales and the high quality of global circulation, are preserved. This is the advantage of the stretched-grid approach. The global variable resolution DAS incorporating the stretched-grid GCM has been developed and tested as an efficient tool for producing regional analyses and diagnostics with enhanced mesoscale resolution. The anomalous regional climate events of 1998 that occurred over the U.S., Mexico, South America, China, India, African Sahel, and Australia are investigated in both simulation and data assimilation modes. Tree assimilated products are also used, along with gauge precipitation data, for validating the simulation results. The obtained results show that the stretched-grid GCM and DAS are capable of producing realistic high quality simulated and assimilated products at mesoscale resolution for regional climate studies and applications.

77 FR 12055 - Comment Sought on Petition for Declaratory Ruling Interpreting the Definition of “Commercial...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-28

... Networks of California, Inc.'s Distributed Antenna Systems and Other ``Small-Cell'' Solutions AGENCY.... Petitioner states that it provides telecommunications service via Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and other...

Validation of a novel multibiomarker test to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity.

PubMed

Curtis, Jeffrey R; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H; Knevel, Rachel; Huizinga, Tom W; Haney, Douglas J; Shen, Yijing; Ramanujan, Saroja; Cavet, Guy; Centola, Michael; Hesterberg, Lyndal K; Chernoff, David; Ford, Kerri; Shadick, Nancy A; Hamburger, Max; Fleischmann, Roy; Keystone, Edward; Weinblatt, Michael E

2012-12-01

Quantitative assessment of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is important for patient management, and additional objective information may aid rheumatologists in clinical decision making. We validated a recently developed multibiomarker disease activity (MBDA) test relative to clinical disease activity in diverse RA cohorts. Serum samples were obtained from the Index for Rheumatoid Arthritis Measurement, Brigham and Women's Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study, and Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic cohorts. Levels of 12 biomarkers were measured and combined according to a prespecified algorithm to generate the composite MBDA score. The relationship of the MBDA score to clinical disease activity was characterized separately in seropositive and seronegative patients using Pearson's correlations and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) to discriminate between patients with low and moderate/high disease activity. Associations between changes in MBDA score and clinical responses 6-12 weeks after initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor or methotrexate treatment were evaluated by the AUROC. The MBDA score was significantly associated with the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the C-reactive protein level (DAS28-CRP) in both seropositive (AUROC 0.77, P < 0.001) and seronegative (AUROC 0.70, P < 0.001) patients. In subgroups based on age, sex, body mass index, and treatment, the MBDA score was associated with the DAS28-CRP (P < 0.05) in all seropositive and most seronegative subgroups. Changes in the MBDA score at 6-12 weeks could discriminate both American College of Rheumatology criteria for 50% improvement responses (P = 0.03) and DAS28-CRP improvement (P = 0.002). Changes in the MBDA score at 2 weeks were also associated with subsequent DAS28-CRP response (P = 0.02). Our findings establish the criterion and discriminant validity of a novel multibiomarker test as an objective measure of RA disease activity to aid in the management of RA in patients with this condition. Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Rheumatology.

Validation of a novel multibiomarker test to assess rheumatoid arthritis disease activity

PubMed Central

Curtis, Jeffrey R; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H; Knevel, Rachel; Huizinga, Tom W; Haney, Douglas J; Shen, Yijing; Ramanujan, Saroja; Cavet, Guy; Centola, Michael; Hesterberg, Lyndal K; Chernoff, David; Ford, Kerri; Shadick, Nancy A; Hamburger, Max; Fleischmann, Roy; Keystone, Edward; Weinblatt, Michael E

2012-01-01

Objective Quantitative assessment of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is important for patient management, and additional objective information may aid rheumatologists in clinical decision making. We validated a recently developed multibiomarker disease activity (MBDA) test relative to clinical disease activity in diverse RA cohorts. Methods Serum samples were obtained from the Index for Rheumatoid Arthritis Measurement, Brigham and Women's Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study, and Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic cohorts. Levels of 12 biomarkers were measured and combined according to a prespecified algorithm to generate the composite MBDA score. The relationship of the MBDA score to clinical disease activity was characterized separately in seropositive and seronegative patients using Pearson's correlations and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) to discriminate between patients with low and moderate/high disease activity. Associations between changes in MBDA score and clinical responses 6–12 weeks after initiation of anti–tumor necrosis factor or methotrexate treatment were evaluated by the AUROC. Results The MBDA score was significantly associated with the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the C-reactive protein level (DAS28-CRP) in both seropositive (AUROC 0.77, P < 0.001) and seronegative (AUROC 0.70, P < 0.001) patients. In subgroups based on age, sex, body mass index, and treatment, the MBDA score was associated with the DAS28-CRP (P < 0.05) in all seropositive and most seronegative subgroups. Changes in the MBDA score at 6–12 weeks could discriminate both American College of Rheumatology criteria for 50% improvement responses (P = 0.03) and DAS28-CRP improvement (P = 0.002). Changes in the MBDA score at 2 weeks were also associated with subsequent DAS28-CRP response (P = 0.02). Conclusion Our findings establish the criterion and discriminant validity of a novel multibiomarker test as an objective measure of RA disease activity to aid in the management of RA in patients with this condition. PMID:22736476

An automated system to simulate the River discharge in Kyushu Island using the H08 model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maji, A.; Jeon, J.; Seto, S.

2015-12-01

Kyushu Island is located in southwestern part of Japan, and it is often affected by typhoons and a Baiu front. There have been severe water-related disasters recorded in Kyushu Island. On the other hand, because of high population density and for crop growth, water resource is an important issue of Kyushu Island.The simulation of river discharge is important for water resource management and early warning of water-related disasters. This study attempts to apply H08 model to simulate river discharge in Kyushu Island. Geospatial meteorological and topographical data were obtained from Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The number of the observation stations of AMeDAS is limited and is not quite satisfactory for the application of water resources models in Kyushu. It is necessary to spatially interpolate the point data to produce grid dataset. Meteorological grid dataset is produced by considering elevation dependence. Solar radiation is estimated from hourly sunshine duration by a conventional formula. We successfully improved the accuracy of interpolated data just by considering elevation dependence and found out that the bias is related to geographical location. The rain/snow classification is done by H08 model and is validated by comparing estimated and observed snow rate. The estimates tend to be larger than the corresponding observed values. A system to automatically produce daily meteorological grid dataset is being constructed.The geospatial river network data were produced by ArcGIS and they were utilized in the H08 model to simulate the river discharge. Firstly, this research is to compare simulated and measured specific discharge, which is the ratio of discharge to watershed area. Significant error between simulated and measured data were seen in some rivers. Secondly, the outputs by the coupled model including crop growth module and reservoir operation module were analyzed. However, there are differences between the simulated value and measured value. We need to improve dam operation, artificial water intake, and parameters such as depth of the soil and flow velocity in the river.

50 CFR 648.55 - Framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... establish OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, DAS allocations, rotational area management programs, percentage allocations... measures will be adjusted. (c) OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, and AMs. The Council shall specify OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT... derive specifications for ABC, ACL, and ACT, as specified in paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(5) of this...

50 CFR 648.55 - Framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... establish OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, DAS allocations, rotational area management programs, percentage allocations... measures will be adjusted. (c) OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, and AMs. The Council shall specify OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT... derive specifications for ABC, ACL, and ACT, as specified in paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(5) of this...

50 CFR 648.55 - Framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... establish OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, DAS allocations, rotational area management programs, percentage allocations... measures will be adjusted. (c) OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, and AMs. The Council shall specify OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT... derive specifications for ABC, ACL, and ACT, as specified in paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(5) of this...

50 CFR 648.55 - Framework adjustments to management measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... establish OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, DAS allocations, rotational area management programs, percentage allocations... measures will be adjusted. (c) OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT, and AMs. The Council shall specify OFL, ABC, ACL, ACT... derive specifications for ABC, ACL, and ACT, as specified in paragraphs (a)(2) through (5) of this...

Hinderniserkennung und -verfolgung mit einer PMD-kamera im automobil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schamm, Thomas; Vacek, Stefan; Natroshvilli, Koba; Marius Zöllner, J.; Dillmann, Rüdiger

Die Detektion von Hindernissen vor dem Automobil ist eine Hauptanforderung an moderne Fahrerassistenzsysteme (FAS). In dieser Arbeit wird ein System vorgestellt, das mit Hilfe einer PMDKamera (Photomischdetektor) Hindernisse auf der Fahrspur erkennt und deren relevante Parameter bestimmt. Durch die PMD-Kamera werden zunächst 3D-Tiefenbilder der Fahrzeugumwelt generiert. Nach einem initialen Filterprozess werden im Tiefenbild mit Hilfe eines Bereichswachstumsverfahrens Hindernisse gesucht. Zur Stabilisierung des Verfahrens und zur Parameterberechnung wird ein Kaiman Filter eingesetzt. Das Ergebnis ist eine Liste aller Hindernisse im Fahrbereich des Automobils.

PubMed

Wildner, Manfred

2018-06-01

„Ich habe doch nur mit dem Finger gedroht“, sagte der Angeklagte, und unterließ es unfairerweise darauf hinzuweisen, dass dieser am Abzug einer Pistole gelegen hatte. Der Bezug dieses Bonmots zum Gesundheitswesen soll im Folgenden weniger auf die konkreten gesundheitlichen Risiken durch Schusswaffen gelegt werden, sondern vielmehr auf die nicht weniger bedeutsame Rolle des Kontextes für Gesundheit, Krankheit und Wohlbefinden. Dass der „Kontext“, verstanden als System- und Sinnzusammenhang, sowohl das objektive Auftreten von Krankheiten in ihrer Häufigkeit und Schwere als auch das subjektive Erleben von Gesundheitszuständen beeinflusst, ist hinreichend bekannt.

78 FR 65971 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Monkfish Fisheries Management Plan; Reallocation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... DAS as RSA DAS to be used to conduct monkfish research. Amendment 2 also established the Monkfish Exemption Program, which requires NMFS to make any unallocated RSA DAS available as exempted DAS. These exempted DAS [[Page 65972

Das baden-württembergische Innovationssystem im Wandel:. Akteure vor neuen Herausforderungen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahlecker, Thomas; Zenker, Andrea

2017-09-01

Recently, new forms of innovation, new actors and actor constellations can be observed, especially in "mature" innovation systems like Baden-Wuerttemberg, that are flanked by new instruments of innovation support. Against the backdrop of an evolved innovation system heuristics, this paper outlines these new developments in Baden-Wuerttemberg. It uses examples to describe characteristic innovation actors, actors from the research landscape, education and the intermediary function of mediators, social actors as well as the aspect of innovation financing and to reveal current tendencies and trends. It becomes clear that the innovation system in Baden-Wuerttemberg has continuously evolved and become more differentiated. Its industries' research efforts and modernization activities as well as innovation-friendly policies contribute to the adaptability of the system and are major influencing factors for the ongoing success of the innovation system. This is supplemented by diverse innovations at the level of actors, institutions and measures. The question concerns the governance and capacity of this complex system given dynamic changing global circumstances.

Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome.

PubMed

Li, Huan; Shang, Xiao-Jun; Dong, Qi-Rong

2015-10-01

To investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at local or distant acupuncture points in a rat model of the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, model plus local acupuncture point stimulation at BL23 (model+LAS) and model plus distant acupuncture point stimulation at ST36 (model+DAS) groups. All rats except controls underwent surgical third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome modelling on day 2. Thereafter, rats in the model+LAS and model+DAS groups were treated daily with TENS for a total of six treatments (2/100 Hz, 30 min/day) from day 16 to day 29. Thermal pain thresholds were measured once a week during treatment and were continued until day 57, when local muscle tissue was sampled for RT-PCR and histopathological examination after haematoxylin and eosin staining. mRNA expression of interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined. Thermal pain thresholds of all model rats decreased relative to the control group. Both LAS and DAS significantly increased the thermal pain threshold at all but one point during the treatment period. Histopathological assessment revealed that the local muscle tissues around the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process recovered to some degree in both the model+LAS and model+DAS groups; however, LAS appeared to have a greater effect. mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and iNOS in the local muscle tissues was increased after modelling and attenuated in both model+LAS and model+DAS groups. The beneficial effect was greater after LAS than after DAS. TENS at both local (BL23) and distant (ST36) acupuncture points had a pain-relieving effect in rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome, and LAS appeared to have greater anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects than DAS. 09073. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Effective Treatment for Rapid Improvement of Both Disease Activity and Self-Reported Physical Activity in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Konijn, Nicole P C; van Tuyl, Lilian H D; Boers, Maarten; den Uyl, Debby; Ter Wee, Marieke M; Kerstens, Pit; Voskuyl, Alexandre E; Nurmohamed, Michael; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Lems, Willem F

2016-02-01

To investigate the longitudinal relationship between disease activity and self-reported physical activity (PA) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis during the first year of treatment with combination therapy. PA was measured with the Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-Enhancing Physical Activity at baseline, 13 weeks, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks after start of treatment in the context of the Combinatietherapie Bij Reumatoïde Artritis-Light trial. The reported PA classified patients as meeting or not meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) PA guideline (cutoff: 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense activity per week). Other measurements included the Disease Activity Score (DAS). Since both treatment arms showed equal treatment effect, these were analyzed as 1 group with simple before-after analyses and generalized estimating equations (GEE). In these analyses, 140 patients (86% of the trial population, 66% women, mean age 52 years) with complete data were included. At entry, 69% of the patients met the WHO PA guideline, increasing to 90% at week 13, and remaining stable at 89% after 1 year (P < 0.001). Mean DAS improved from 4.0 to 1.8 during the first year of treatment (P < 0.001). In GEE analyses, DAS decreases were significantly associated with PA increases (P = 0.008). Patients with clinically relevant responses (expressed as DAS remission, European League Against Rheumatism good response or American College of Rheumatology criteria for 70% improvement response) showed higher PA levels compared to nonresponders, regardless of the definition of response, for both the WHO and Dutch PA guideline. Early rheumatoid arthritis patients using combination therapy improved both disease activity and PA, a beneficial effect persisting for at least 1 year. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Expressing Anger Is More Dangerous than Feeling Angry when Driving

PubMed Central

Qu, Weina; Dai, Mengnuo; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan

2016-01-01

Anger is an emotion that drivers often feel and express while driving, and it is believed by researchers to be an important cause of dangerous driving behavior. In this study, the relationships between driving trait anger, driving anger expression, and dangerous driving behaviors were analyzed. The Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to measure driving trait anger, whereas the Driving Anger Expression (DAX) Inventory was used to measure expressions of driving anger. A sample of 38 drivers completed the DAS, DAX, and a driving simulation session on a simulator where their driving behaviors were recorded. Correlation analysis showed that the higher scores on the DAS were associated with longer durations of speeding in the simulator. The more participants expressed their anger in verbal and physical ways, the more likely they were to crash the virtual vehicle during the simulation. Regression analyses illustrated the same pattern. The findings suggest that, although trait anger is related to speeding, the passive expression of anger is the real factor underling traffic accidents. This study extends findings about the predictive effects of self-report scales of driving behaviors to behaviors recorded on a simulator. Thus, if in traffic safety propaganda, guiding drivers to use positive ways to cope with driving anger is recommended by our findings. PMID:27258144

Expressing Anger Is More Dangerous than Feeling Angry when Driving.

PubMed

Qu, Weina; Dai, Mengnuo; Zhao, Wenguo; Zhang, Kan; Ge, Yan

2016-01-01

Anger is an emotion that drivers often feel and express while driving, and it is believed by researchers to be an important cause of dangerous driving behavior. In this study, the relationships between driving trait anger, driving anger expression, and dangerous driving behaviors were analyzed. The Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to measure driving trait anger, whereas the Driving Anger Expression (DAX) Inventory was used to measure expressions of driving anger. A sample of 38 drivers completed the DAS, DAX, and a driving simulation session on a simulator where their driving behaviors were recorded. Correlation analysis showed that the higher scores on the DAS were associated with longer durations of speeding in the simulator. The more participants expressed their anger in verbal and physical ways, the more likely they were to crash the virtual vehicle during the simulation. Regression analyses illustrated the same pattern. The findings suggest that, although trait anger is related to speeding, the passive expression of anger is the real factor underling traffic accidents. This study extends findings about the predictive effects of self-report scales of driving behaviors to behaviors recorded on a simulator. Thus, if in traffic safety propaganda, guiding drivers to use positive ways to cope with driving anger is recommended by our findings.

Nextgen Navy eLearning Tracking

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

ELEARNING TRACKING by William E. Miller December 2014 Thesis Advisor: Man-Tak Shing Co-Advisor: Arijit Das THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT......Navy’s eLearning (NeL) computer-based learning system relies on a Learning Management System (LMS) for content delivery and tracking learning

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of influenza virus mutants selected with the sialidase fusion protein DAS181

PubMed Central

Triana-Baltzer, Gallen B.; Sanders, Rebecca L.; Hedlund, Maria; Jensen, Kellie A.; Aschenbrenner, Laura M.; Larson, Jeffrey L.; Fang, Fang

2011-01-01

Background Influenza viruses (IFVs) frequently achieve resistance to antiviral drugs, necessitating the development of compounds with novel mechanisms of action. DAS181 (Fludase®), a sialidase fusion protein, may have a reduced potential for generating drug resistance due to its novel host-targeting mechanism of action. Methods IFV strains B/Maryland/1/59 and A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2) were subjected to >30 passages under increasing selective pressure with DAS181. The DAS181-selected IFV isolates were characterized in vitro and in mice. Results Despite extensive passaging, DAS181-selected viruses exhibited a very low level of resistance to DAS181, which ranged between 3- and 18-fold increase in EC50. DAS181-selected viruses displayed an attenuated phenotype in vitro, as exhibited by slower growth, smaller plaque size and increased particle to pfu ratios relative to wild-type virus. Further, the DAS181 resistance phenotype was unstable and was substantially reversed over time upon DAS181 withdrawal. In mice, the DAS181-selected viruses exhibited no greater virulence than their wild-type counterparts. Genotypic and phenotypic analysis of DAS181-selected viruses revealed mutations in the haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) molecules and also changes in HA and NA function. Conclusions Results indicate that resistance to DAS181 is minimal and unstable. The DAS181-selected IFV isolates exhibit reduced fitness in vitro, likely due to altered HA and NA functions. PMID:21097900

Reasons and Determinants for Perceiving Unmet Needs for Mental Health in Primary Care in Quebec

PubMed Central

Dezetter, Anne; Duhoux, Arnaud; Menear, Matthew; Roberge, Pasquale; Chartrand, Elise; Fournier, Louise

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the mental health care needs perceived as unmet by adults in Quebec who had experienced depressive and (or) anxious symptomatology (DAS) in the previous 2 years and who used primary care services, and to identify the reasons associated with different types of unmet needs for care (UNCs) and the determinants of reporting UNCs. Method: Longitudinal data from the Dialogue Project were used. The sample consisted of 1288 adults who presented a common mental disorder and who consulted a general practitioner. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to measure DAS, and the Perceived Need for Care Questionnaire facilitated the assessment of the different types of UNCs and their motives. Results: About 40% of the participants perceived UNCs. Psychotherapy, help to improve ability to work, as well as general information on mental health and services were the most mentioned UNCs. The main reasons associated with reporting UNCs for psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions are “couldn’t afford to pay” and “didn’t know how or where to get help,” respectively. The factors associated with mentioning UNCs (compared with met needs) are to present a high DAS or a DAS that increased during the past 12 months, to perceive oneself as poor or to not have private health insurance. Conclusions: To reduce the UNCs and, further, to reduce DAS, it is necessary to improve the availability and affordability of psychotherapy and psychosocial intervention services, and to inform users on the types of services available and how to access them. PMID:26175326

Statistical Quality Control of Moisture Data in GEOS DAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dee, D. P.; Rukhovets, L.; Todling, R.

1999-01-01

A new statistical quality control algorithm was recently implemented in the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The final step in the algorithm consists of an adaptive buddy check that either accepts or rejects outlier observations based on a local statistical analysis of nearby data. A basic assumption in any such test is that the observed field is spatially coherent, in the sense that nearby data can be expected to confirm each other. However, the buddy check resulted in excessive rejection of moisture data, especially during the Northern Hemisphere summer. The analysis moisture variable in GEOS DAS is water vapor mixing ratio. Observational evidence shows that the distribution of mixing ratio errors is far from normal. Furthermore, spatial correlations among mixing ratio errors are highly anisotropic and difficult to identify. Both factors contribute to the poor performance of the statistical quality control algorithm. To alleviate the problem, we applied the buddy check to relative humidity data instead. This variable explicitly depends on temperature and therefore exhibits a much greater spatial coherence. As a result, reject rates of moisture data are much more reasonable and homogeneous in time and space.

Prevalence of Asymptomatic Arterial Hypertension and Its Correlation with Inflammatory Activity in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Bajraktari, Ismet H; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Berisha, Idriz; Lahu, Ali; Kryeziu, Avni; Durmishi, Bastri; Bajraktari, Halit; Bahtiri, Elton

2017-08-15

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that worsens during the course of the disease and can cause disability. Early RA refers to the onset of symptoms within the past 3 months. In RA, increased levels of mediators of inflammation may cause arterial stiffness consequently leading to arterial hypertension. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic arterial hypertension in early RA patients as well as the correlation with parameters of inflammation. One hundred and seventy-nine early RA patients diagnosed in agreement with ACR/EULAR (American College of Rheumatology/ European League against Rheumatism) 2010 criteria were consecutively included in the study. CRP (C-reactive protein) and anti CCP (Antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides) serum levels, WBC (white blood cells) count and ESR (Erythrocyte sedimentation rate), likewise DAS-28 (28-joint disease activity score) were determined in all included patients. Parametric tests were used to compare the characteristics of the groups and to test the correlation of the variables. Statistical data analysis revealed that a majority of the patients were females (n = 141; 78.7%); the mean age at RA onset was 49.13 ± 12.13 years. Overall prevalence of hypertension was 44.13 % (n = 79). In comparison with the normotensive patients, the hypertensive patients were older and had significantly higher values of CRP, ESR, anti-CCP and DAS-28. A highly significant positive correlation between all the study parameters and systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed. Presence of significantly higher values of CRP, ESR, anti-CCP and DAS-28 in hypertensive patients indicate that inflammation is associated with an increased risk of hypertension. In this context, early screening for arterial hypertension and adequate therapeutic measures should be considered in early RA patients.

MiDAS 2.0: an ecosystem-specific taxonomy and online database for the organisms of wastewater treatment systems expanded for anaerobic digester groups.

PubMed

McIlroy, Simon Jon; Kirkegaard, Rasmus Hansen; McIlroy, Bianca; Nierychlo, Marta; Kristensen, Jannie Munk; Karst, Søren Michael; Albertsen, Mads; Nielsen, Per Halkjær

2017-01-01

Wastewater is increasingly viewed as a resource, with anaerobic digester technology being routinely implemented for biogas production. Characterising the microbial communities involved in wastewater treatment facilities and their anaerobic digesters is considered key to their optimal design and operation. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene allows high-throughput monitoring of these systems. The MiDAS field guide is a public resource providing amplicon sequencing protocols and an ecosystem-specific taxonomic database optimized for use with wastewater treatment facility samples. The curated taxonomy endeavours to provide a genus-level-classification for abundant phylotypes and the online field guide links this identity to published information regarding their ecology, function and distribution. This article describes the expansion of the database resources to cover the organisms of the anaerobic digester systems fed primary sludge and surplus activated sludge. The updated database includes descriptions of the abundant genus-level-taxa in influent wastewater, activated sludge and anaerobic digesters. Abundance information is also included to allow assessment of the role of emigration in the ecology of each phylotype. MiDAS is intended as a collaborative resource for the progression of research into the ecology of wastewater treatment, by providing a public repository for knowledge that is accessible to all interested in these biotechnologically important systems. http://www.midasfieldguide.org. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Benchmarking Diagnostic Algorithms on an Electrical Power System Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtoglu, Tolga; Narasimhan, Sriram; Poll, Scott; Garcia, David; Wright, Stephanie

2009-01-01

Diagnostic algorithms (DAs) are key to enabling automated health management. These algorithms are designed to detect and isolate anomalies of either a component or the whole system based on observations received from sensors. In recent years a wide range of algorithms, both model-based and data-driven, have been developed to increase autonomy and improve system reliability and affordability. However, the lack of support to perform systematic benchmarking of these algorithms continues to create barriers for effective development and deployment of diagnostic technologies. In this paper, we present our efforts to benchmark a set of DAs on a common platform using a framework that was developed to evaluate and compare various performance metrics for diagnostic technologies. The diagnosed system is an electrical power system, namely the Advanced Diagnostics and Prognostics Testbed (ADAPT) developed and located at the NASA Ames Research Center. The paper presents the fundamentals of the benchmarking framework, the ADAPT system, description of faults and data sets, the metrics used for evaluation, and an in-depth analysis of benchmarking results obtained from testing ten diagnostic algorithms on the ADAPT electrical power system testbed.

The Effect of Reduced or Withdrawn Etanercept-methotrexate Therapy on Patient-reported Outcomes in Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Wiland, Piotr; Dudler, Jean; Veale, Douglas; Tahir, Hasan; Pedersen, Ron; Bukowski, Jack; Vlahos, Bonnie; Williams, Theresa; Gaylord, Stefanie; Kotak, Sameer

2016-07-01

An analysis of a clinical trial to assess the effects of treatment reduction and withdrawal on patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in patients with early, moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieved 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) low disease activity (LDA) or remission with etanercept (ETN) plus methotrexate (MTX) therapy. During treatment induction, patients received open-label ETN 50 mg weekly plus MTX for 52 weeks. In the reduced-treatment phase, patients with DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) ≤ 3.2 at Week 39 and DAS28-ESR < 2.6 at Week 52 in the open-label phase were randomized to double-blind treatment with ETN 25 mg plus MTX, MTX, or placebo (PBO) for 39 weeks (weeks 0-39). In the third phase, patients who achieved DAS28 remission (DAS28-ESR < 2.6) or LDA (2.6 ≤ DAS28-ESR ≤ 3.2) at Week 39 in the double-blind phase had all treatment withdrawn and were observed for an additional 26 weeks (weeks 39-65). Of the 306 patients enrolled, 193 were randomized in the double-blind phase and 131 participated in the treatment-withdrawal phase. After reduction or withdrawal of ETN 50 mg/MTX, patients reduced to ETN 25 mg/MTX experienced slight, nonsignificant declines in the majority of PRO measures, whereas switching to PBO or MTX alone caused significant declines. Presenteeism and activity impairment scores were significantly better in the ETN reduced-dose group versus MTX monotherapy and PBO at Week 39 (p ≤ 0.05). In patients with early RA who achieved remission while receiving full-dose ETN/MTX, continuing combination therapy at a lower dose did not cause a significant worsening of PRO response, but switching to MTX alone or PBO did. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00913458.

Three out of four disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug-naïve rheumatoid arthritis patients meet 28-joint Disease Activity Score remission at 12 months: results from the FIN-ERA cohort.

PubMed

Rannio, T; Asikainen, J; Hannonen, P; Yli-Kerttula, T; Ekman, P; Pirilä, L; Kuusalo, L; Mali, M; Puurtinen-Vilkki, M; Kortelainen, S; Paltta, J; Taimen, K; Kauppi, M; Laiho, K; Nyrhinen, S; Mäkinen, H; Isomäki, P; Uotila, T; Aaltonen, K; Kautiainen, H; Sokka, T

2017-11-01

To assess what proportion of patients with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)-naïve early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) reach 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) remission over 1 year, and remission variability across clinics in Finland. Patients with DMARD-naïve newly diagnosed inflammatory arthritis were recruited. The proportion of patients in 28-joint Disease Activity Score with three variables (DAS28-3) remission was compared across sites. Repeated measures were analysed using a mixed models approach with appropriate distribution and link function. In total, 611 patients were recruited at five sites: 67% were female; the mean (sd) age was 57 (16) years; 71% and 68% were positive for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides, respectively; and 23% had radiographic erosions. A total of 506 (83%) fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis for further analyses. DAS28-3 remission was met by 68% and 75% at 3 and 12 months, respectively. The clinical site had no effect on remission when adjusted for confounders. At baseline, 68% used methotrexate-based combination therapy, and 31% used triple therapy with methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and sulphasalazine (the Fin-RACo regimen). In multivariate analysis, the only independent predictors of DAS28-3 remission at 12 months were lower baseline DAS28-3 and triple therapy as the initial treatment. Three out of four DMARD-naïve ERA patients in Finland are in remission during the first year from the diagnosis. High remission rates were achieved for most patients with the use of conventional synthetic DMARDs in combination. Treatment of DMARD-naïve ERA patients with the FIN-RACo regimen is a predictor of DAS28-3 remission in real-life rheumatology settings.

Decision aids for second-line palliative chemotherapy: a randomised phase II multicentre trial.

PubMed

Oostendorp, Linda J M; Ottevanger, Petronella B; Donders, A Rogier T; van de Wouw, Agnes J; Schoenaker, Ivonne J H; Smilde, Tineke J; van der Graaf, Winette T A; Stalmeier, Peep F M

2017-08-31

There is increasing recognition of the delicate balance between the modest benefits of palliative chemotherapy and the burden of treatment. Decision aids (DAs) can potentially help patients with advanced cancer with these difficult treatment decisions, but providing detailed information could have an adverse impact on patients' well-being. The objective of this randomised phase II study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DAs for patients with advanced cancer considering second-line chemotherapy. Patients with advanced breast or colorectal cancer considering second-line treatment were randomly assigned to usual care (control group) or usual care plus a DA (intervention group) in a 1:2 ratio. A nurse offered a DA with information on adverse events, tumour response and survival. Outcome measures included patient-reported well-being (primary outcome: anxiety) and quality of the decision-making process and the resulting choice. Of 128 patients randomised, 45 were assigned to the control group and 83 to the intervention group. Median age was 62 years (range 32-81), 63% were female, and 73% had colorectal cancer. The large majority of patients preferred treatment with chemotherapy (87%) and subsequently commenced treatment with chemotherapy (86%). No adverse impact on patients' well-being was found and nurses reported that consultations in which the DAs were offered went well. Being offered the DA was associated with stronger treatment preferences (3.0 vs. 2.5; p=0.030) and increased subjective knowledge (6.7 vs. 6.3; p=0.022). Objective knowledge, risk perception and perceived involvement were comparable between the groups. DAs containing detailed risk information on second-line palliative treatment could be delivered to patients with advanced cancer without having an adverse impact on patient well-being. Surprisingly, the DAs only marginally improved the quality of the decision-making process. The effectiveness of DAs for palliative treatment decisions needs further exploration. Netherlands Trial Registry (NTR): NTR1113 (registered on 2 November 2007).

76 FR 11737 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Monkfish; Amendment 5

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-03

... proposed rule also proposes three management measures in Amendment 5 to promote efficiency and reduce waste: Automatic days-at- sea (DAS) adjustment for trip limit overages; authorization to land monkfish heads; and... intended to promote efficiency and reduce waste in the monkfish fishery. First, a measure is being proposed...

Drug safety analyses in a rheumatoid arthritis registry: application of different approaches regarding timing of exposure and confounder measurement.

PubMed

Solomon, Daniel H; Shadick, Nancy A; Weinblatt, Michael E; Zak, Agnes; Frits, Michelle; Franklin, Jessica M

2017-06-13

Patient registry data serves an increasing role in drug safety and comparative effectiveness research, but registry databases often do not contain confounder information measured at the same time that treatments begin. This study evaluated a set of approaches for estimating confounder values at treatment initiation using actual data from a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) registry to examine the risk of infection associated with different biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs). We examined the risk of infection associated with starting a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) versus any of the other non-TNFi bDMARDs. Different confounder assessment approaches were tested. All approaches were tested in Cox proportional hazard regression models that used a propensity score (PS). The confounder of interest was the disease activity score (DAS28-CRP). The confounder assessment approaches utilized different temporal relationships between the DAS28-CRP measurement and the start of the treatments of interest. We included 219 subjects with RA with 269 initiations of either a TNFi or a different bDMARD or both. Among this group, 305 infections were reported and confirmed through chart review. The hazard ratio (HR) for the risk of infection associated with use of a non-TNFi bDMARD ranged from 1.17 to 3.03 using 13 different approaches; only the approach with the highest HR produced results significantly different than one, but this approach included the fewest subjects and infections. The relative risk of infection for TNFi and other non-TNFi bDMARDs was similar using various approaches regarding which DAS28-CRP score should be used as the baseline measure in adjusted analyses.

Experimental verification of a new Bell-type inequality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jia-Qiang; Cao, Lian-Zhen; Yang, Yang; Li, Ying-De; Lu, Huai-Xin

2018-05-01

Arpan Das et al. proposed a set of new Bell inequalities (Das et al., 2017 [16]) for a three-qubit system and claimed that each inequality within this set is violated by all generalized Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GGHZ) states. We investigate experimentally the new inequalities in the three-photon GGHZ class states. Since the inequalities are symmetric under the identical particles system, we chose one Bell-type inequality from the set arbitrarily. The experimental data well verified the theoretical prediction. Moreover, the experimental results show that the amount of violation of the new Bell inequality against locality realism increases monotonically following the increase of the tangle of the GGHZ state. The most profound physical essence revealed by the results is that the nonlocality of GGHZ state correlate with three tangles directly.

Renewable energy systems in Mexico: Installation of a hybrid system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pate, Ronald C.

1993-05-01

Sandia has been providing technical leadership on behalf of DOE and CORECT on a working level cooperative program with Mexico on renewable energy (PROCER). As part of this effort, the Sandia Design Assistance Center (DAC) and the solar energy program staff at Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) in Cuernavaca, Mexico, recently reached agreement on a framework for mutually beneficial technical collaboration on the monitoring and field evaluation of renewable energy systems in Mexico, particularly village-scale hybrid systems. This trip was made for the purpose of planning the details for the joint installation of a data acquisition system (DAS) on a recently completed PV/Wind/Diesel hybrid system in the village of Xcalac on the Southeast coast of the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The DAS installation will be made during the week of March 15, 1993. While in Mexico, discussions were also held with personnel from.the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Solar Energy Laboratory and several private sector companies with regard to renewable energy project activities and technical and educational support needs in Mexico.

75 FR 102 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Framework Adjustment 4 to the Monkfish Fishery...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-04

... their days-at-sea (DAS) declaration through their VMS from a Northeast (NE) multispecies Category A DAS to a monkfish DAS while at sea, i.e., before crossing the VMS demarcation line upon the vessel's... DAS in the NFMA enables NMFS to monitor the overall fishing effort, in the form of monkfish DAS usage...

AIRS Impact on the Analysis and Forecast Track of Tropical Cyclone Nargis in a Global Data Assimilation and Forecasting System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reale, O.; Lau, W.K.; Susskind, J.; Brin, E.; Liu, E.; Riishojgaard, L. P.; Rosenburg, R.; Fuentes, M.

2009-01-01

Tropical cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean pose serious challenges to operational weather forecasting systems, partly due to their shorter lifespan and more erratic track, compared to those in the Atlantic and the Pacific. Moreover, the automated analyses of cyclones over the northern Indian Ocean, produced by operational global data assimilation systems (DASs), are generally of inferior quality than in other basins. In this work it is shown that the assimilation of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) temperature retrievals under partial cloudy conditions can significantly impact the representation of the cyclone Nargis (which caused devastating loss of life in Myanmar in May 2008) in a global DAS. Forecasts produced from these improved analyses by a global model produce substantially smaller track errors. The impact of the assimilation of clear-sky radiances on the same DAS and forecasting system is positive, but smaller than the one obtained by ingestion of AIRS retrievals, possibly due to poorer coverage.

Check Calibration of the NASA Glenn 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (2014 Test Entry)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Aaron; Pastor-Barsi, Christine; Arrington, E. Allen

2016-01-01

A check calibration of the 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT) was conducted in May/June 2014 using an array of five supersonic wedge probes to verify the 1999 Calibration. This check calibration was necessary following a control systems upgrade and an integrated systems test (IST). This check calibration was required to verify the tunnel flow quality was unchanged by the control systems upgrade prior to the next test customer beginning their test entry. The previous check calibration of the tunnel occurred in 2007, prior to the Mars Science Laboratory test program. Secondary objectives of this test entry included the validation of the new Cobra data acquisition system (DAS) against the current Escort DAS and the creation of statistical process control (SPC) charts through the collection of series of repeated test points at certain predetermined tunnel parameters. The SPC charts secondary objective was not completed due to schedule constraints. It is hoped that this effort will be readdressed and completed in the near future.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Supramolecular Anticancer Nanotubes.

PubMed

Kang, Myungshim; Chakraborty, Kaushik; Loverde, Sharon M

2018-06-25

We report here on long-time all-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of functional supramolecular nanotubes composed by the self-assembly of peptide-drug amphiphiles (DAs). These DAs have been shown to possess an inherently high drug loading of the hydrophobic anticancer drug camptothecin. We probe the self-assembly mechanism from random with ∼0.4 μs molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, we also computationally characterize the interfacial structure, directionality of π-π stacking, and water dynamics within several peptide-drug nanotubes with diameters consistent with the reported experimental nanotube diameter. Insight gained should inform the future design of these novel anticancer drug delivery systems.

Konsistente Verknüpfung von Aktivitäts-, Sequenz- und Zustandsdiagrammen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrecht, Lars; Lemmer, Karsten

Der folgende Beitrag stellt eine formale, generische Verhaltensstruktur und Semantik vor, die die Basis für die konsistente Verknüpfung der drei wichtigsten UML Verhaltensdiagramme bildet. Es wird gezeigt, wie sich das grobe und übersichtliche Verhalten in Aktivitätsdiagrammen, das detaillierte Schnittstellenverhalten in Sequenzdiagrammen und detaillierte Verhaltensmodelle in Zustandsdiagrammen mit Hilfe der Semantik konsistent miteinander verknüpfen lassen und die Inhalte der drei genannten Verhaltensdiagramme eindeutig miteinander in Beziehung gebracht werden können. Als Anwendungsbeispiel wird die komplexe, sicherheits- und echtzeitkritische zugseitige Komponente des Europäischen Leit- und Sicherungstechnik Systems (ETCS) verwendet.

Integrated development of light armored vehicles based on wargaming simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmarini, Marc; Rapanotti, John

2004-08-01

Vehicles are evolving into vehicle networks through improved sensors, computers and communications. Unless carefully planned, these complex systems can result in excessive crew workload and difficulty in optimizing the use of the vehicle. To overcome these problems, a war-gaming simulator is being developed as a common platform to integrate contributions from three different groups. The simulator, OneSAF, is used to integrate simplified models of technology and natural phenomena from scientists and engineers with tactics and doctrine from the military and analyzed in detail by operations analysts. This approach ensures the modelling of processes known to be important regardless of the level of information available about the system. Vehicle survivability can be improved as well with better sensors, computers and countermeasures to detect and avoid or destroy threats. To improve threat detection and reliability, Defensive Aids Suite (DAS) designs are based on three complementary sensor technologies including: acoustics, visible and infrared optics and radar. Both active armour and softkill countermeasures are considered. In a typical scenario, a search radar, providing continuous hemispherical coverage, detects and classifies the threat and cues a tracking radar. Data from the tracking radar is processed and an explosive grenade is launched to destroy or deflect the threat. The angle of attack and velocity from the search radar can be used by the soft-kill system to carry out an infrared search and track or an illuminated range-gated scan for the threat platform. Upon detection, obscuration, countermanoeuvres and counterfire can be used against the threat. The sensor suite is completed by acoustic detection of muzzle blast and shock waves. Automation and networking at the platoon level contribute to improved vehicle survivability. Sensor data fusion is essential in avoiding catastrophic failure of the DAS. The modular DAS components can be used with Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) variants including: armoured personnel carriers and direct-fire support vehicles. OneSAF will be used to assess the performance of these DAS-equipped vehicles on a virtual battlefield.

Double-Stage Delay Multiply and Sum Beamforming Algorithm: Application to Linear-Array Photoacoustic Imaging.

PubMed

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-01-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging medical imaging modality capable of providing high spatial resolution of Ultrasound (US) imaging and high contrast of optical imaging. Delay-and-Sum (DAS) is the most common beamforming algorithm in PAI. However, using DAS beamformer leads to low resolution images and considerable contribution of off-axis signals. A new paradigm namely delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS), which was originally used as a reconstruction algorithm in confocal microwave imaging, was introduced to overcome the challenges in DAS. DMAS was used in PAI systems and it was shown that this algorithm results in resolution improvement and sidelobe degrading. However, DMAS is still sensitive to high levels of noise, and resolution improvement is not satisfying. Here, we propose a novel algorithm based on DAS algebra inside DMAS formula expansion, double stage DMAS (DS-DMAS), which improves the image resolution and levels of sidelobe, and is much less sensitive to high level of noise compared to DMAS. The performance of DS-DMAS algorithm is evaluated numerically and experimentally. The resulted images are evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using established quality metrics including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) and contrast ratio (CR). It is shown that DS-DMAS outperforms DAS and DMAS at the expense of higher computational load. DS-DMAS reduces the lateral valley for about 15 dB and improves the SNR and FWHM better than 13% and 30%, respectively. Moreover, the levels of sidelobe are reduced for about 10 dB in comparison with those in DMAS.

Higher-Order Factor Structure of the Differential Ability Scales-II: Consistency across Ages 4 to 17

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, Timothy Z.; Low, Justin A.; Reynolds, Matthew R.; Patel, Puja G.; Ridley, Kristen P.

2010-01-01

The recently published second edition of the Differential Abilities Scale (DAS-II) is designed to measure multiple broad and general abilities from Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory. Although the technical manual presents information supporting the test's structure, additional research is needed to determine the constructs measured by the test and…

Towards Noise Tomography and Passive Monitoring Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paitz, P.; Fichtner, A.

2017-12-01

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has the potential to revolutionize the field of seismic data acquisition. Thanks to their cost-effectiveness, fiber-optic cables may have the capability of complementing conventional geophones and seismometers by filling a niche of applications utilizing large amounts of data. Therefore, DAS may serve as an additional tool to investigate the internal structure of the Earth and its changes over time; on scales ranging from hydrocarbon or geothermal reservoirs to the entire globe. An additional potential may be in the existence of large fibre networks deployed already for telecommunication purposes. These networks that already exist today could serve as distributed seismic antennas. We investigate theoretically how ambient noise tomography may be used with DAS data. For this we extend the theory of seismic interferometry to the measurement of strain. With numerical, 2D finite-difference examples we investigate the impact of source and receiver effects. We study the effect of heterogeneous source distributions and the cable orientation by assessing similarities and differences to the Green's function. We also compare the obtained interferometric waveforms from strain interferometry to displacement interferometric wave fields obtained with existing methods. Intermediate results show that the obtained interferometric waveforms can be connected to the Green's Functions and provide consistent information about the propagation medium. These simulations will be extended to reservoir scale subsurface structures. Future work will include the application of the theory to real-data examples. The presented research depicts the early stage of a combination of theoretical investigations, numerical simulations and real-world data applications. We will therefore evaluate the potentials and shortcomings of DAS in reservoir monitoring and seismology at the current state, with a long-term vision of global seismic tomography utilizing DAS data from existing fiber-optic cable networks.

Evaluation of different methods used to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: analyses of abatacept clinical trial data

PubMed Central

Dougados, M; Schmidely, N; Le Bars, M; Lafosse, C; Schiff, M; Smolen, J S; Aletaha, D; van Riel, P; Wells, G

2009-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate different methods of reporting response to treatment or disease status for their ability to discriminate between active therapy and placebo, or to reflect structural progression or patient satisfaction with treatment using an exploratory analysis of the Abatacept in Inadequate Responders to Methotrexate (AIM) trial. Methods: 424 active (abatacept ∼10 mg/kg) and 214 placebo-treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were evaluated. Methods of reporting included: (1) response (American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria) versus state (disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) criteria); (2) stringency (ACR20 vs 50 vs 70; moderate disease activity state (MDAS; DAS28 <5.1) vs low disease activity state (LDAS; DAS28 ⩽3.2) vs DAS28-defined remission (DAS28 <2.6)); (3) time to onset (time to first ACR50/LDAS) and (4) sustainability of ACR50/LDAS for consecutive visits. Methods were assessed according to: (1) discriminatory capacity (number of patients needed to study (NNS)); (2) structural progression (Genant-modified Sharp score) and (3) patient satisfaction with treatment. Positive likelihood ratios (LR) evaluated the ability of the above methods to reflect structural damage and patient satisfaction. Results: MDAS and ACR20 had the highest discriminatory capacity (NNS 49 and 69). Sustained LDAS best reflected no radiographic progression (positive LR ⩾2). More stringent criteria (at least ACR50/LDAS), faster onset (⩽3 months) and sustainability (>3 visits) of ACR50/LDAS best reflected patient satisfaction (positive LR >10). Conclusions: The optimal method for reporting a measure of disease activity may differ depending on the outcome of interest. Time to onset and sustainability can be important factors when evaluating treatment response and disease status in patients with RA. PMID:19074177

Safety and effectiveness of certolizumab pegol in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Interim analysis of post-marketing surveillance.

PubMed

Kameda, Hideto; Nishida, Keiichiro; Nannki, Toshihiro; Watanabe, Akira; Oshima, Yukiya; Momohara, Shigaki

2017-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of certolizumab pegol (CZP) in a real-world setting among Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Post-marketing surveillance data from 2,579 patients treated with CZP were analyzed. Adverse events (AEs) observed during the 24-week CZP treatment period were recorded. Disease activity was evaluated using DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP at baseline, Week 12, Week 24, or at withdrawal. The total period of exposure to CZP was 1313.8 patient-years (PY). AEs were reported in 658 (25.5%) patients, at an event rate (ER) of 73.68/100 PY. The most frequent serious AEs were pneumonia, herpes zoster, and interstitial lung disease, at ER per 100 PY of 2.06, 1.29, and 1.22, respectively. Mean disease activity scores at baseline, as measured by DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP, were 4.77 ± 1.34 and 4.21 ± 1.27, respectively. Mean changes from baseline at the last observation were -1.29 ± 1.46 and -1.30 ± 1.42, respectively. EULAR good or moderate responses were achieved in 65% of patients. Longer disease duration, prior biologics use, and treatment without MTX co-therapy were associated with EULAR no response. In this interim analysis, no new safety signals were observed. Clinical response to CZP was observed in approximately two thirds of patients.

Comment on "Protecting bipartite entanglement by quantum interferences"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, Anjali N.; Arun, R.

2018-03-01

In an interesting article [Phys. Rev. A 81, 052341 (2010), 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.052341], Das and Agarwal have discussed the preservation of bipartite entanglement in three-level atoms employing the coherences induced by spontaneous emission. The authors considered various initially entangled qubits prepared from two V -type three-level atoms and showed that more than 50 % of the initial (bipartite) entanglement can be preserved in steady state due to vacuum-induced coherence. In this Comment, we point out that their analytical formulas for the entanglement measure contain errors affecting all the numerical results of that article. We substantiate our claim by giving correct analytical results for the time evolution of the two-atom system.

Nonuniform distribution of phase noise in distributed acoustic sensing based on phase-sensitive OTDR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhijie; Lu, Yang; Meng, Zhou

2017-10-01

A phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (∅-OTDR) implements distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) due to its ability for high sensitivity vibration measurement. Phase information of acoustic vibration events can be acquired by interrogation of the vibration-induced phase change between coherent Rayleigh scattering light from two points of the sensing fiber. And DAS can be realized when applying phase generated carrier (PGC) algorithm to the whole sensing fiber while the sensing fiber is transformed into a series of virtual sensing channels. Minimum detectable vibration of a ∅-OTDR is limited by phase noise level. In this paper, nonuniform distribution of phase noise of virtual sensing channels in a ∅-OTDR is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Correspondence between the intensity of Rayleigh scattering light and interference fading as well as polarization fading is analyzed considering inner interference of coherent Rayleigh light scattered from a multitude of scatters within pulse duration, and intensity noise related to the intensity of Rayleigh scattering light can be converted to phase noise while measuring vibration-induced phase change. Experiments are performed and the results confirm the predictions of the theoretical analysis. This study is essential for acquiring insight into nonuniformity of phase noise in DAS based on a ∅-OTDR, and would put forward some feasible methods to eliminate the effect of interference fading and polarization fading and optimize the minimum detectable vibration of a ∅-OTDR.

50 CFR 648.90 - NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and specifications, and flexible area action...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., and DAS baselines, adjustments for steaming time, etc.; modifications to capacity measures, such as... affect the implementation of AMs based upon the distribution in effect at the time of the overage that...

Clinical management of seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: A comparative study.

PubMed

Choi, Sang-Tae; Lee, Kwang-Hoon

2018-01-01

Both rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) are associated with poor radiologic outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In general, RA patients positive for RF or ACPA (SPRA) are considered to manifest an aggressive disease course compared with seronegative RA patients (SNRA). However, the relationship between seropositivity and measures of disease severity other than radiologic outcome is disputed. In this study, we sought to compare the clinical presentations and treatment outcomes of SNRA and SPRA patients. A total of 241 patients diagnosed with DMARD-naïve RA under either 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria or 2010 ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria were identified (40 with SNRA and 201 with SPRA). We investigated the disease activity measures including ESR, CRP, patient VAS, 28 tender/swollen joint count (28 TJC, 28 SJC) and DAS28 as well as radiologic outcomes at baseline, 1 and 2 years after conventional treatment with DMARD. Age, sex and disease duration were similar between SNRA and SPRA. However, the baseline 28 TJC (4.7±2.9 vs. 3.3±2.7, p = 0.004), 28 SJC (4.3±3.0 vs. 2.9±2.3, p = 0.001) and DAS28 (5.1±1.0 vs. 4.7±1.0, p = 0.043) components were significantly higher in SNRA than in SPRA. Over 2 years of similar treatment with DMARDs, all disease activity measures significantly improved in both groups. Comparison among populations matched for baseline disease activity showed that ΔDAS28 at 1 year was greater in SNRA than in SPRA (-2.84±1.32 vs. -3.70±1.29, p = 0.037) in high disease activity population (DAS28-ESR>5.1). Radiologic outcomes at baseline and at 1- or 2-year follow-up were similar between the 2 groups. In conclusion, SNRA patients manifested more active disease at baseline, but showed a better response to treatment compared with SPRA. SNRA does not appear to be a benign subtype of RA.

Control system for 5 MW neutral beam ion source for SST1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, G. B.; Onali, Raja; Sharma, Vivek; Suresh, S.; Tripathi, V.; Bandyopadhyay, M.; Singh, N. P.; Thakkar, Dipal; Gupta, L. N.; Singh, M. J.; Patel, P. J.; Chakraborty, A. K.; Baruah, U. K.; Mattoo, S. K.

2006-01-01

This article describes the control system for a 5MW ion source of the NBI (neutral beam injector) for steady-state superconducting tokamak-1 (SST-1). The system uses both hardware and software solutions. It comprises a DAS (data acquisition system) and a control system. The DAS is used to read the voltage and current signals from eight filament heater power supplies and 24 discharge power supplies. The control system is used to adjust the filament heater current in order to achieve an effective control on the discharge current in the plasma box. The system consists of a VME (Verse Module Eurocard) system and C application program running on a VxWorks™ real-time operating system. A PID (proportional, integral, and differential) algorithm is used to control the filament heater current. Experiments using this system have shown that the discharge current can be controlled within 1% accuracy for a PID loop time of 20ms. Response of the control system to the pressure variation of the gas in the chamber has also been studied and compared with the results obtained from those of an uncontrolled system. The present approach increases the flexibility of the control system. It not only eases the control of the plasma but also allows an easy changeover to various operation scenarios.

The psychological impact of facial changes in scleroderma.

PubMed

Amin, Kavit; Clarke, A; Sivakumar, B; Puri, A; Fox, Z; Brough, V; Denton, C P; Peter, E M; Butler, P; Butler, M D

2011-05-01

The physical disabilities associated with scleroderma are well known but the psychological impact of the condition has received less attention. Few studies have examined appearance related issues, most notably of the face. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychological impact of facial, aesthetic and functional changes in scleroderma. One hundred seventy-one patients with a clinical diagnosis of scleroderma were recruited into the study. Digital photographs were objectively graded into groups based on severity of disfigurement as judged by an observer. Facial movement was recorded using a modified House-Brackmann Grading Scale. Psychological evaluation comprised the Derriford Appearance Scale short-form (DAS), the Noticeability and Worry score and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Severity of disfigurement predicted decreased mouth opening, the extent to which participants judged their appearance as noticeable to others, and the level of appearance-related concern as measured by the DAS24. There was an inverse relationship with age. Facial changes were ranked as the most worrying aspect of the condition. This study shows facial disfigurement impacts on patient with scleroderma independent of functional changes related to systemic disease. The major difficulty is with the perceived noticeably of the condition to other people and the resulting self-consciousness in social encounters. © 2011 Taylor & Francis

Vitamin C activity of dehydroascorbic acid in humans--association between changes in the blood vitamin C concentration or urinary excretion after oral loading.

PubMed

Tsujimura, Masaru; Higasa, Shizu; Nakayama, Kazuhiro; Yanagisawa, Yoshiko; Iwamoto, Sadahiko; Kagawa, Yasuo

2008-08-01

We performed oral loading of AsA or DAsA (1 mmol) in subjects who had consumed a diet low in vitamin C (C) (C< or =5 mg/d) for 3 d before loading, and measured urinary and blood vitamin C. Since the crossover method was used, the same experiment was repeated after an interval of about 1 mo in each subject. The results of the experiment including a total of 17 subjects for 2005 and 2006, were as follows. (1) There were marked individual differences in urinary C excretion. (2) The C level in 24-h urine after C loading did not differ between the two orally administered C forms (AsA and DAsA). (3) C excretion between 0 and 3 h after C loading was significantly higher (p<0.05) for the DAsA group, while those between 3 and 6, 6 and 9, 9 and 12, and 12 and 24 h after C loading were significantly higher (p<0.05 or p<0.01) for the AsA group. (4) The blood C concentration and the increase in C 1 h after C loading were significantly higher (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) in the DAsA than in the AsA group. (5) Evaluation of the association between C metabolism and the single nucleotide polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase P (GSTP) 1-1 showed a lower urinary C excretion and a significantly lower C level in 24-h urine (p<0.05) after AsA loading, and a significantly lower urinary C excretion between 0 and 3 h after DAsA loading (p<0.05) for the GA heterozygotes than for the AA homozygotes. Considering the activity of C as DAsA in humans, based on urinary and blood C levels after a single loading of C, the utilization of DAsA is equivalent to that of AsA, although the metabolic turnover time is different. The involvement of polymorphisms in the xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme, GSTP1-1, in C metabolism, particularly urinary C excretion, was also clarified. This demonstrates the necessity of considering gene polymorphisms in determining individual C requirements. An abstract of this paper was reported by the Vitamin C Research Committee (Ochanomizu University) in 2007.

Revision of an automated microseismic location algorithm for DAS - 3C geophone hybrid array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuno, T.; LeCalvez, J.; Raymer, D.

2017-12-01

Application of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has been studied in several areas in seismology. One of the areas is microseismic reservoir monitoring (e.g., Molteni et al., 2017, First Break). Considering the present limitations of DAS, which include relatively low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and no 3C polarization measurements, a DAS - 3C geophone hybrid array is a practical option when using a single monitoring well. Considering the large volume of data from distributed sensing, microseismic event detection and location using a source scanning type algorithm is a reasonable choice, especially for real-time monitoring. The algorithm must handle both strain rate along the borehole axis for DAS and particle velocity for 3C geophones. Only a small quantity of large SNR events will be detected throughout a large aperture encompassing the hybrid array; therefore, the aperture is to be optimized dynamically to eliminate noisy channels for a majority of events. For such hybrid array, coalescence microseismic mapping (CMM) (Drew et al., 2005, SPE) was revised. CMM forms a likelihood function of location of event and its origin time. At each receiver, a time function of event arrival likelihood is inferred using an SNR function, and it is migrated to time and space to determine hypocenter and origin time likelihood. This algorithm was revised to dynamically optimize such a hybrid array by identifying receivers where a microseismic signal is possibly detected and using only those receivers to compute the likelihood function. Currently, peak SNR is used to select receivers. To prevent false results due to small aperture, a minimum aperture threshold is employed. The algorithm refines location likelihood using 3C geophone polarization. We tested this algorithm using a ray-based synthetic dataset. Leaney (2014, PhD thesis, UBC) is used to compute particle velocity at receivers. Strain rate along the borehole axis is computed from particle velocity as DAS microseismic synthetic data. The likelihood function formed by both DAS and geophone behaves as expected with the aperture dynamically selected depending on the SNR of the event. We conclude that this algorithm can be successfully applied for such hybrid arrays to monitor microseismic activity. A study using a recently acquired dataset is planned.

Building inclusive health innovation systems: lessons from India.

PubMed

Abrol, Dinesh; Sundararaman, T; Madhavan, Harilal; Joseph, K J

2016-11-03

This article presents an overview of the changes that are taking place within the public and private health innovation systems in India including delivery of medical care, pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and Indian traditional medicine. The nature of the flaws that exist in the health innovation system is pinpointed. The response by the government, the health, technology and medical institutions, and the evolving industry is addressed on a national level. The article also discusses how the alignment of policies and institutions was developed within the scope of national health innovation systems, and how the government and the industry are dealing with the challenges to integrate health system, industry, and social policy development processes. Resumo: O artigo apresenta um panorama das mudanças atualmente em curso dentro dos sistemas público e privado de inovação em saúde na Índia, incluindo a prestação de serviços médicos, produtos farmacêuticos, dispositivos médicos e medicina tradicional indiana. É destacada a natureza das falhas que existem nos sistemas de inovação em saúde. As respostas do governo, das instituições médicas, de saúde e tecnologia e indústrias envolvidas, são abordadas em nível nacional. O artigo também discute como foi desenvolvido o alinhamento de políticas e instituições no escopo dos sistemas nacionais de inovação em saúde, e como governo e indústria estão lidando com os desafios para integrar o sistema de saúde, a indústria e o desenvolvimento de políticas sociais.

In Vitro Efficacy of Diallyl Sulfides against the Periodontopathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

PubMed Central

Ganeshnarayan, Krishnaraj; Velusamy, Senthil Kumar; Fine, Daniel H.

2012-01-01

The in vitro antibacterial effects of diallyl sulfide (DAS) against the Gram-negative periodontopathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, the key etiologic agent of the severe form of localized aggressive periodontitis and other nonoral infections, were studied. A. actinomycetemcomitans was treated with garlic extract, allicin, or DAS, and the anti-A. actinomycetemcomitans effects of the treatment were evaluated. Garlic extract, allicin, and DAS significantly inhibited the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans (greater than 3 log; P < 0.01) compared to control cells. Heat inactivation of the garlic extracts significantly reduced the protein concentration; however, the antimicrobial effect was retained. Purified proteins from garlic extract did not exhibit antimicrobial activity. Allicin lost all its antimicrobial effect when it was subjected to heat treatment, whereas DAS demonstrated an antimicrobial effect similar to that of the garlic extract, suggesting that the antimicrobial activity of garlic extract is mainly due to DAS. An A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilm-killing assay performed with DAS showed a significant reduction in biofilm cell numbers, as evidenced by both confocal microscopy and culture. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of DAS-treated A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilms showed alterations of colony architecture indicating severe stress. Flow cytometry analysis of OBA9 cells did not demonstrate apoptosis or cell cycle arrest at therapeutic concentrations of DAS (0.01 and 0.1 μg/ml). DAS-treated A. actinomycetemcomitans cells demonstrated complete inhibition of glutathione (GSH) S-transferase (GST) activity. However, OBA9 cells, when exposed to DAS at similar concentrations, showed no significant differences in GST activity, suggesting that DAS-induced GST inhibition might be involved in A. actinomycetemcomitans cell death. These findings demonstrate that DAS exhibits significant antibacterial activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans and that this property might be utilized for exploring its therapeutic potential in treatment of A. actinomycetemcomitans-associated oral and nonoral infections. PMID:22330917

Distributed acoustic sensing system based on continuous wide-band ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jianguan; Li, Liang; Guo, Huiyong; Yu, Haihu; Wen, Hongqiao; Yang, Minghong

2017-04-01

A distributed acoustic sensing system (DAS) with low-coherence ASE and Michelson interferometer based on continuous width-band ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating (UW-FBG) array is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The experimental result shows that the proposed system has better performance in detecting acoustic waves than the conventional hydrophone.

The Value of Information from a GRACE-Enhanced Drought Severity Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwayama, Y.; Bernknopf, R.; Macauley, M.; Brookshire, D.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Rodell, M.

2013-12-01

Water storage anomalies derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Data Assimilation System (GRACE-DAS) have been used to enhance the information contained in drought indicators. The potential value of this information is to inform local and regional decisions to improve economic welfare in the face of drought. Based on a characterization of current drought evaluations, a modeling framework has been structured to analyze the contributed value of the Earth observations in the assessment of the onset and duration of droughts and their regional impacts. The analysis focuses on (1) characterizing how GRACE-DAS provides Earth observation information for a drought warning, (2) assessing how a GRACE-DAS-enhanced U.S. Drought Monitor would improve economic outcomes in a region, and (3) applying this enhancement process in a decision framework to illustrate the potential role of GRACE data products in a recent drought and response scenario for a value-of-information (VOI) analysis. The VOI analysis quantifies the relative contribution of enhanced understanding and communication of the societal benefits associated with GRACE Earth observation science. Our emphasis is to illustrate the role of an enhanced National Integrated Drought Information System outlook on three key societal outcomes: effects on particular economic sectors, changes in land management decisions, and reductions in damages to ecosystem services.

Stratospheric Analysis and Forecasting in the Northern Winter of 1999/2000: The NASA DAO's GEOS-3 System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pawson, Steven; Lamich, David; Ledvina, Andrea; Lucchesi, Robert; Owens, Tommy; Newman, Paul A.; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An evaluation is presented of the performance in the northern winter 1999/2000 of the GEOS-3 troposphere-stratosphere data assimilation system (DAS). The impacts of the two main input data types are assessed: upper-air soundings (sondes) provide wind and temperature information and satellite-based (Tiros Operational Vertical Sounders: TOVS) give estimates of the thermal structure. It is shown that in the low stratosphere (300-70hPa) the analyses are generally slightly warmer than the sonde data, but colder than the TOVS data; this relationship reverses between 70 and 10 hPa. There are geographical biases, related to the spatial and temporal coverage of the observation types and to the statistical weights assigned to them in the DAS. Forecasts show a tendency to reduce zonal asymmetries in the atmospheric flow and to suppress stratospheric temperature minima. In the DAS, the analysis increments compensate for this, but it leads to important biases in the multi-day forecasts. The analysis increments are as large as the diabatic forcing in the lower polar stratosphere, indicating a substantial model bias. The results provide important insights into the roles of different data types and the circulation model in producing accurate analyses for studies of polar chemistry and physical processes.

Improving Forecast Skill by Assimilation of AIRS Cloud Cleared Radiances RiCC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susskind, Joel; Rosenberg, Robert I.; Iredell, Lena

2015-01-01

ECMWF, NCEP, and GMAO routinely assimilate radiosonde and other in-situ observations along with satellite IR and MW Sounder radiance observations. NCEP and GMAO use the NCEP GSI Data Assimilation System (DAS).GSI DAS assimilates AIRS, CrIS, IASI channel radiances Ri on a channel-by-channel, case-by-case basis, only for those channels i thought to be unaffected by cloud cover. This test excludes Ri for most tropospheric sounding channels under partial cloud cover conditions. AIRS Version-6 RiCC is a derived quantity representative of what AIRS channel i would have seen if the AIRS FOR were cloud free. All values of RiCC have case-by-case error estimates RiCC associated with them. Our experiments present to the GSI QCd values of AIRS RiCC in place of AIRS Ri observations. GSI DAS assimilates only those values of RiCC it thinks are cloud free. This potentially allows for better coverage of assimilated QCd values of RiCC as compared to Ri.

A simple reduction-sensitive micelles co-delivery of paclitaxel and dasatinib to overcome tumor multidrug resistance

PubMed Central

Lu, Xiao; He, Jing; Jin, Shidai

2017-01-01

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the major obstacles in successful chemotherapy. The combination of chemotherapy drugs and multidrug-resistant reversing agents for treating MDR tumor is a good strategy to overcome MDR. In this work, we prepared the simple redox-responsive micelles based on mPEG-SS-C18 as a co-delivery system to load the paclitaxel (PTX) and dasatinib (DAS) for treatment of MCF-7/ADR cells. The co-loaded micelles had a good dispersity and a spherical shape with a uniform size distribution, and they could quickly disassemble and rapidly release drugs under the reduction environment. Compared with MCF-7 cells, the DAS and PTX co-loaded redox-sensitive micelle (SS-PDNPs) showed stronger cytotoxicity and a more improving intracellular drug concentration than other drug formulations in MCF-7/ADR cells. In summary, the results suggested that the simple co-delivery micelles of PTX and DAS possessed significant potential to overcome drug resistance in cancer therapy. PMID:29138561

The temperature measurement research for high-speed flow based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di, Yue; Jin, Yi; Jiang, Hong-liang; Zhai, Chao

2013-09-01

Due to the particularity of the high-speed flow, in order to accurately obtain its' temperature, the measurement system should has some characteristics of not interfereing with the flow, non-contact measurement and high time resolution. The traditional measurement method cannot meet the above requirements, however the measurement method based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technology can meet the requirements for high-speed flow temperature measurement. When the near-infared light of a specific frequency is through the media to be measured, it will be absorbed by the water vapor molecules and then the transmission light intensity is detected by the detector. The temperature of the water vapor which is also the high-speed flow temperature, can be accurately obtained by the Beer-Lambert law. This paper focused on the research of absorption spectrum method for high speed flow temperature measurement with the scope of 250K-500K. Firstly, spectral line selection method for low temperature measurement of high-speed flow is discussed. Selected absorption lines should be isolated and have a high peak absorption within the range of 250-500K, at the same time the interference of the other lines should be avoided, so that a high measurement accuracy can be obtained. According to the near-infrared absorption spectra characteristics of water vapor, four absorption lines at the near 1395 nm and 1409 nm are selected. Secondly, a system for the temperature measurement of the water vapor in the high-speed flow is established. Room temperature are measured through two methods, direct absorption spectroscopy (DAS) and wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) ,the results show that this system can realize on-line measurement of the temperature and the measurement error is about 3%. Finally, the system will be used for temperature measurement of the high-speed flow in the shock tunnel, its feasibility of measurement is analyzed.

Comparison of the disease activity score using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels in Koreans with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Son, Kyeong Min; Kim, Suk Yeon; Lee, Sun Ho; Yang, Chung Mi; Seo, Young Il; Kim, Hyun Ah

2016-12-01

The Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints (DAS28) has been widely used in clinical practice and research studies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this study was to evaluate the discordance in the DAS28 based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) versus C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in Korean patients with RA. From August to December 2011, 540 patients with RA who visited two rheumatology clinics affiliated with Hallym University (Korea) and had at least one DAS28 evaluation were examined. The mean age of the included patients was 53 years, and 82% were female. The mean duration of disease was 32.9 ± 41.2 months. The mean DAS28-ESR was higher than the DAS28-CRP (3.65 vs. 3.44; P < 0.001). In the DAS28-ESR group, 126 patients (23.3%) satisfied the criteria for remission versus 134 (24.8%) in the DAS28-CRP group. High disease activity was determined in 80 (14.8%) patients in the DAS28-ESR group and in 43 (8.0%) in the DAS28-CRP group. A comparison of the two groups with respect to four DAS28 disease activity categories showed agreement in 344 patients (63.7%; κ = 0.45). In classifying patients as European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) responders, agreement between the two methods was shown in 56 patients (71.8%; κ = 0.76). When disagreements between the two scores occurred, more patients had a better EULAR response based on the DAS28-ESR than on the DAS28-CRP (19.2% vs. 8.9%, respectively). The discordance between the ESR-based and CRP-based DAS28 could affect clinical treatment decisions for patients with RA. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Assessment of operative times of multiple surgical specialties in a public university hospital.

PubMed

Costa, Altair da Silva

2017-01-01

To evaluate the indicators duration of anesthesia, operative time and time patients stay in the operating rooms of different surgical specialties at a public university hospital. It was done by a descriptive cross-sectional study based on the operating room database. The following stages were measured: duration of anesthesia, procedure time and patient length of stay in the room of the various specialties. We included surgeries carried out in sequence in the same room, between 7:00 a.m. and 5 p.m., either elective or emergency. We calculated the 80th percentile of the stages, where 80% of procedures were below this value. The study measured 8,337 operations of 12 surgical specialties performed within one year. The overall mean duration of anesthesia of all specialties was 178.12±110.46 minutes, and the 80th percentile was 252 minutes. The mean operative time was 130.45±97.23 minutes, and the 80th percentile was 195 minutes. The mean total time of the patient in the operating room was 197.30±113.71 minutes, and the 80th percentile was 285 minutes. Thus, the variation of the overall mean compared to the 80th percentile was 41% for anesthesia, 49% for surgeries and 44% for operating room time. In average, anesthesia took up 88% of the operating room period, and surgery, 61%. This study identified patterns in the duration of surgery stages. The mean values of the specialties can assist with operating room planning and reduce delays. Avaliar os indicadores de tempo da anestesia, da operação e da permanência do paciente em sala de diversas especialidades do centro cirúrgico de um hospital universitário. Foi realizado em estudo descritivo transversal a partir da base de dados do centro cirúrgico e mensuradas as seguintes etapas: duração de anestesia, tempo do procedimento e tempo de permanência do paciente em sala das diversas especialidades. Foram incluídas as operações realizadas em sequência na mesma sala, das 7h às 17h, eletivas ou de urgências. Realizamos o calculo do percentil 80 da duração das etapas, onde 80% dos procedimentos ficaram abaixo deste valor obtido. O estudo incluiu 8.337 operações realizadas no período de 1 ano de 12 especialidades cirúrgicas. A média geral da duração da anestesia de todas as especialidades foi de 178,12±110,46 minutos, e o percentil 80 foi de 252 minutos. A média do tempo operatório foi 130,45±97,23 minutos, e o percentil 80 foi de 195 minutos. A média do tempo total do paciente em sala operatória foi de 197,30±113,71 minutos, e o percentil 80 foi de 285 minutos. A variação da média geral em relação ao percentil 80 foi de 41% na anestesia, 49% nas operações e 44% no tempo de sala. Na média geral, a anestesia ocupou 88% do tempo de sala e a operação, 61%. Este estudo identificou padrões nas durações das etapas das operações. A informação das médias históricas das especialidades pode auxiliar no planejamento do centro cirúrgico e diminuir os atrasos.

RAPID3 scores and hand outcome measurements in RA patients: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Qorolli, Merita; Hundozi-Hysenaj, Hajrije; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rehxepi, Blerta; Grazio, Simeon

2017-06-01

The Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) is a patient-reported disease activity measure used to assess physical function, pain, and global health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) without formal joint counts. Since hand involvement and its decreased function are hallmarks of RA, the aim of our study was to investigate the performance of RAPID3 scores with regard to hand function and to confirm previous findings that the RAPID3 score as a disease activity measure is strongly correlated with the DAS28 score. Sixty-eight consecutive patients with RA (85% female), aged 18-75 years, were included in the study and were recruited during their outpatient visit. Apart from demographic and clinical data, the obtained parameters of interest included RAPID3 scores and assessments of the function of the hand, namely, the signal of functional impairment (SOFI)-hand, grip strength, and pulp-to-palm distance, as well the Health Assessment Questionnaire- Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and DAS28 scores. Pearson's correlation coefficient, Student's t test and linear regression were used in the statistical analysis of the results. The significance was set to p < 0.05. A positive correlation was found between RAPID3 scores and HAQ-DI scores, SOFI-hand scores, and pulp-to-palm distance, and negative correlation was observed between RAPID3 scores and grip strength. The order regarding the strength of correlations between RAPID3 scores and other variables (from the strongest to the weakest) was as follows: HAQ-DI, grip strength, SOFI-hand and pulp-to-palm distance. The hand assessment variables had stronger correlations with RAPID3 scores than with DAS28 scores. Our preliminary study showed that RAPID3 scores were strongly correlated with measurements of the functional ability of the hand, demonstrating that RAPID3 can be used as a measure of disease activity in clinical practice and to characterize hand function. Further studies are needed to confirm this result.

24 CFR 17.109 - Review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Secretary (DAS) or designee conducts the hearing. The DAS or designee will take steps necessary to ensure that the hearing is conducted in a fair and expeditious manner. If necessary, the DAS or designee may administer oaths of affirmations. (2) The DAS or designee does not use the formal rules of evidence with...

A computer-based instrumentation system for measurement of breath-by-breath oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.

PubMed

Sharma, C; Gallagher, R R

1994-01-01

Improvements are implemented (Version 4) in a Computer-Based Respiratory Measurement System (CBRMS) identified as Version 3. The programming language has been changed from Pascal to C. A Gateway 2000 desktop computer with 486 DX2/50MHz CPU and a plug-in data I/O board (KEITHLEY METRABYTE/ASYST/DAC's DAS-HRES 16-bit Analog and Digital I/O board) replaces an HP 9836 system used in Version 3. The breath-by-breath system consists of a mass spectrometer for measuring fractional concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide and the accommodation of a turbine or pneumotachometer for measuring inspiratory and expiratory flows. The temperature of the inspiratory and expiratory gases can be monitored if temperature corrections are necessary for the flow measurement device. These signals are presented to the PC via the data acquisition module. To compare the two Versions, ten significant respiratory parameters were investigated and compared for physiological resting states and steady states obtained during an exercise forcing. Both graphical and statistical (analysis of variance, regression, and correlation) tests were carried out on the data. The results from the two versions compared well for all ten parameters. Also, no evidence of a statistically significant difference was found between the resting and steady-state results of the present CBRMS (Version 4) and the previous CBRMS (Version 3). This evidence suggests that Version 3 (Pascal) has been successfully converted to Version 4 (C). Implementation of the CBRMS in C on a PC has several advantages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sample data from a Distributed Acoustic Sensing experiment at Garner Valley, California (PoroTomo Subtask 3.2)

DOE Data Explorer

Lancelle, Chelsea

2013-09-10

In September 2013, an experiment using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) was conducted at Garner Valley, a test site of the University of California Santa Barbara (Lancelle et al., 2014). This submission includes one 45 kN shear shaker (called “large shaker” on the basemap) test for three different measurement systems. The shaker swept from a rest, up to 10 Hz, and back down to a rest over 60 seconds. Lancelle, C., N. Lord, H. Wang, D. Fratta, R. Nigbor, A. Chalari, R. Karaulanov, J. Baldwin, and E. Castongia (2014), Directivity and Sensitivity of Fiber-Optic Cable Measuring Ground Motion using a Distributed Acoustic Sensing Array (abstract # NS31C-3935), AGU Fall Meeting. https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm1/meetingapp.cgi#Paper/19828 The e-poster is available at: https://agu.confex.com/data/handout/agu/fm14/Paper_19828_handout_696_0.pdf

Mapping health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI) score, pain visual analog scale (VAS), and disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) onto the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) utility score with the KORean Observational study Network for Arthritis (KORONA) registry data.

PubMed

Kim, Hye-Lin; Kim, Dam; Jang, Eun Jin; Lee, Min-Young; Song, Hyun Jin; Park, Sun-Young; Cho, Soo-Kyung; Sung, Yoon-Kyoung; Choi, Chan-Bum; Won, Soyoung; Bang, So-Young; Cha, Hoon-Suk; Choe, Jung-Yoon; Chung, Won Tae; Hong, Seung-Jae; Jun, Jae-Bum; Kim, Jinseok; Kim, Seong-Kyu; Kim, Tae-Hwan; Kim, Tae-Jong; Koh, Eunmi; Lee, Hwajeong; Lee, Hye-Soon; Lee, Jisoo; Lee, Shin-Seok; Lee, Sung Won; Park, Sung-Hoon; Shim, Seung-Cheol; Yoo, Dae-Hyun; Yoon, Bo Young; Bae, Sang-Cheol; Lee, Eui-Kyung

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the mapping model for EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) utility values using the health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI), pain visual analog scale (VAS), and disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) in a large, nationwide cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in Korea. The KORean Observational study Network for Arthritis (KORONA) registry data on 3557 patients with RA were used. Data were randomly divided into a modeling set (80 % of the data) and a validation set (20 % of the data). The ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit, and two-part model methods were employed to construct a model to map to the EQ-5D index. Using a combination of HAQ-DI, pain VAS, and DAS28, four model versions were examined. To evaluate the predictive accuracy of the models, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were calculated using the validation dataset. A model that included HAQ-DI, pain VAS, and DAS28 produced the highest adjusted R (2) as well as the lowest Akaike information criterion, RMSE, and MAE, regardless of the statistical methods used in modeling set. The mapping equation of the OLS method is given as EQ-5D = 0.95-0.21 × HAQ-DI-0.24 × pain VAS/100-0.01 × DAS28 (adjusted R (2) = 57.6 %, RMSE = 0.1654 and MAE = 0.1222). Also in the validation set, the RMSE and MAE were shown to be the smallest. The model with HAQ-DI, pain VAS, and DAS28 showed the best performance, and this mapping model enabled the estimation of an EQ-5D value for RA patients in whom utility values have not been measured.

A Comparison of the Age-Spectra from Data Assimilation Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoeberl, Mark R.; Douglass, Anne R.; Zhu, Zheng-Xin; Pawson, Steven; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We use kinematic and diabatic back trajectory calculations, driven by winds from a general circulation model (GCM) and two different data assimilation systems (DAS), to compute the age spectrum at three latitudes in the lower stratosphere. The age-spectra are compared to chemical transport model (CTM) calculations, and the mean ages from all of these studies are compared to observations. The age spectra computed using the GCM winds show a reasonably well-isolated tropics in good agreement with observations; however, the age spectra determined from the DAS differ from the GCM spectra. For the diabatic trajectory calculations, the age spectrum is too broad as a result of too much exchange between the tropics and mid-latitudes. The age spectrum determined using the kinematic trajectory calculation is less broad and lacks an age offset; both of these features are due to excessive vertical dispersion of parcels. The tropical and mid-latitude mean age difference between the diabatically and kinematically determined age-spectra is about one year, the former being older. The CTM calculation of the age spectrum using the DAS winds shows the same dispersive characteristics of the kinematic trajectory calculation. These results suggest that the current DAS products will not give realistic trace gas distributions for long integrations; they also help explain why the mean ages determined in a number of previous DAS driven CTM's are too young compared with observations. Finally, we note trajectory-generated age spectra show significant age anomalies correlated with the seasonal cycles, and these anomalies can be linked to year-to-year variations in the tropical heating rate. These anomalies are suppressed in the CTM spectra suggesting that the CTM transport is too diffusive.

4D-Var Developement at GMAO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelc, Joanna S.; Todling, Ricardo; Akkraoui, Amal El

2014-01-01

The Global Modeling and Assimilation Offce (GMAO) is currently using an IAU-based 3D-Var data assimilation system. GMAO has been experimenting with a 3D-Var-hybrid version of its data assimilation system (DAS) for over a year now, which will soon become operational and it will rapidly progress toward a 4D-EnVar. Concurrently, the machinery to exercise traditional 4DVar is in place and it is desirable to have a comparison of the traditional 4D approach with the other available options, and evaluate their performance in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) DAS. This work will also explore the possibility for constructing a reduced order model (ROM) to make traditional 4D-Var computationally attractive for increasing model resolutions. Part of the research on ROM will be to search for a suitably acceptable space to carry on the corresponding reduction. This poster illustrates how the IAU-based 4D-Var assimilation compares with our currently used IAU-based 3D-Var.

14 CFR 21.451 - Limits of applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Limits of applicability. (a) DAS authorizations apply only to products— (1) Covered by the ratings of the... authority under § 43.3(i) of this subchapter. (b) DAS authorizations may be used for— (1) The issue of... by the DAS under a supplemental type certificate issued by the DAS; and (ii) Require flight tests in...

Use of a web-based survey to facilitate shared decision making for patients eligible for cancer screening.

PubMed

Brackett, Charles D; Kearing, Stephen

2015-04-01

Our aim was to facilitate shared decision making (SDM) during preventive visits by utilizing a web-based survey system to offer colorectal cancer (CRC) and prostate cancer screening decision aids (DAs) to appropriately identified patients prior to the visit. Patients completed a web-based questionnaire before their preventive medicine appointment. Age- and gender-appropriate patients completed additional questions to determine eligibility for CRC or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. Eligible patients were offered a choice of video or print DA, and completed questions assessing their knowledge, values, and preferences regarding the screening decision. Responses were summarized and fed forward to clinician and patient reports. Overall, 11,493 CRC and 4,384 PSA questionnaires were completed. Patient responses were used to identify those eligible for cancer-screening DAs: 2,187 (19 %) for CRC and 2,962 (68 %) for PSA; 15 % of eligible patients requested a DA. Many patients declined a DA because they indicated they "already know enough to make their decision" (34 % for CRC, 46 % for PSA). A web-based questionnaire provides an efficient means to identify patients eligible for cancer screening decisions and to offer them DAs before an appointment. Pre-visit use of DAs along with reports giving feedback to patients and clinicians provides an opportunity for SDM to occur at the visit.

Zymographic analysis using gelatin-coated film of the effect of etanercept on the extracellular matrix-degrading activity in synovial fluids of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

PubMed

Kamataki, Akihisa; Ishida, Mutsuko; Komagamine, Masataka; Yoshida, Masaaki; Ando, Takanobu; Sawai, Takashi

2016-04-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Most RA patients develop cartilage and bone destruction, and various proteinases are involved in the destruction of extracellular matrix of cartilage and bone. The aim of this study is to evaluate the utility of our newly developed method to measure total gelatinolytic activity. We adopted this method for measurement in synovial fluid from RA patients treated by the anti-rheumatic drug etanercept (ETN), a recombinant human soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor fusion protein, and compared the findings with clinical and laboratory data. Enzymatic activity of synovial fluid was analyzed by zymography using gelatin-coated film, and compared with the index of Disease Activity Score of 28 joints - C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), CRP and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 level before and after ETN therapy. Synovial fluids of 19 patients were collected before and after administration of ETN therapy. In nine of 19 patients, who showed a decrease in gelatin-degrading activity in synovial fluid, the index of DAS28-CRP (4.85-2.85, ΔDAS = -2.00) and CRP (3.30-0.94 mg/dL, ΔCRP = -2.36) was alleviated after ETN therapy, while cases with no change or an increase in gelatin-degrading activity showed a modest improvement in clinical data: DAS28-CRP (4.23-3.38, ΔDAS = -0.85) and CRP (1.70-0.74 mg/dL, ΔCRP = -0.96). Our newly developed method for measurement of gelatin-degrading activity in synovial fluid from RA patients is highly practicable and useful for predicting the effect of ETN therapy. © 2013 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Efficacy of tocilizumab on MRI-determined bone oedema in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Bensaoud, Nada; Rostom, Samira; Bahiri, Rachid; Hajjaj-Hassouni, Najia

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of tocilizumab on bone oedema in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this longitudinal study, patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2009 criteria with inadequate response or intolerance to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), treated with tocilizumab, were included. Sociodemographic characteristics and clinical and laboratory data for the disease were collected at baseline (M0) and 06 months (M6) of treatment. Disease activity was assessed using disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI). MRI of the dominant hand was performed at baseline and M6 of treatment. The primary outcome measure was the assessment of bone oedema by rheumatoid arthritis MRI scoring system (RAMRIS) bone oedema. Secondary outcomes included RAMRIS synovitis, DAS28, C-reactive protein (CRP) and SDAI at baseline and M6. Twenty-two patients with RA were included, 19 females (86.4 %), with a mean of age 42 ± 13.7. The mean disease duration was 8 ± 5.2 years. The mean DAS28 was 5.78 ± 0.87. The median CRP was 16 mg/l (6.7 to 36.3). The average SDAI was 90 ± 34. Three patients were excluded from the study for serious side effects. At baseline, bone oedema was present in 41 % of patients (N = 9), with a median bone oedema RAMRIS 0 (0 to 7.2). At M6, bone oedema decreased or disappeared in 32 % (N = 7) with a significant improvement in the RAMRIS bone oedema score (p = 0.04). Moreover, there is a significant improvement in RAMRIS synovitis (p < 0.0001) as well as in activity parameters: DAS28 (p < 0.0001), CRP (p < 0.0001) and SDAI (p < 0.0001). This study suggests that tocilizumab is associated with a significant improvement on MRI-determined bone oedema in the short term. This improvement in bone oedema is correlated with improved parameters of disease activity, in which early structural effect could be discussed. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.

50 CFR 648.95 - Offshore Fishery Program in the SFMA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... DAS. (2) When not fishing on a monkfish DAS, a Category F vessel may fish under the regulations... fishing on a NE multispecies DAS in the NFMA, a Category F vessel that also possesses a NE multispecies... monkfish DAS program during that fishing year. If such a request is not received within 45 days, the vessel...

The Distribution of Carbon Monoxide in the GOCART Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fan, Xiaobiao; Chin, Mian; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an important trace gas because it is a significant source of tropospheric Ozone (O3) as well as a major sink for atmospheric hydroxyl radical (OH). The distribution of CO is set by a balance between the emissions, transport, and chemical processes in the atmosphere. The Georgia Tech/Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model is used to simulate the atmospheric distribution of CO. The GOCART model is driven by the assimilated meteorological data from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS) in an off-line mode. We study the distribution of CO on three time scales: (1) day to day fluctuation produced by the synoptic waves; (2) seasonal changes due to the annual cycle of CO sources and sinks; and (3) interannual variability induced by dynamics. Comparison of model results with ground based and remote sensing measurements will also be presented.

Regional Data Assimilation Using a Stretched-Grid Approach and Ensemble Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox-Rabinovitz, M. S.; Takacs, L. L.; Govindaraju, R. C.; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The global variable resolution stretched grid (SG) version of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System (DAS) incorporating the GEOS SG-GCM (Fox-Rabinovitz 2000, Fox-Rabinovitz et al. 2001a,b), has been developed and tested as an efficient tool for producing regional analyses and diagnostics with enhanced mesoscale resolution. The major area of interest with enhanced regional resolution used in different SG-DAS experiments includes a rectangle over the U.S. with 50 or 60 km horizontal resolution. The analyses and diagnostics are produced for all mandatory levels from the surface to 0.2 hPa. The assimilated regional mesoscale products are consistent with global scale circulation characteristics due to using the SG-approach. Both the stretched grid and basic uniform grid DASs use the same amount of global grid-points and are compared in terms of regional product quality.

NDAS Hardware Translation Layer Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nazaretian, Ryan N.; Holladay, Wendy T.

2011-01-01

The NASA Data Acquisition System (NDAS) project is aimed to replace all DAS software for NASA s Rocket Testing Facilities. There must be a software-hardware translation layer so the software can properly talk to the hardware. Since the hardware from each test stand varies, drivers for each stand have to be made. These drivers will act more like plugins for the software. If the software is being used in E3, then the software should point to the E3 driver package. If the software is being used at B2, then the software should point to the B2 driver package. The driver packages should also be filled with hardware drivers that are universal to the DAS system. For example, since A1, A2, and B2 all use the Preston 8300AU signal conditioners, then the driver for those three stands should be the same and updated collectively.

Brief report: cognitive performance in autism and Asperger's syndrome: what are the differences?

PubMed

Taddei, Stefano; Contena, Bastianina

2013-12-01

Autism spectrum disorders include autistic and Asperger's Syndrome (AS), often studied in terms of executive functions (EF), with controversial results. Using Planning Attention Simultaneous Successive theory (PASS; Das et al. in Assessment of cognitive processes: the PASS theory of intelligence. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA, 1994), this research compares the cognitive profiles obtained by the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS; Naglieri and Das in Cognitive assessment system. Riverside, Itasca, IL, 1997) of 15 subjects with typical development, 18 with autistic disorder and 20 with AS. Results highlight lower profiles for children with autistic and AS compared with typical development and even lower Planning and Attention processes for the group with autistic disorders than that with Asperger's. Subjects with Asperger's diagnosis do not differ from those with typical development as regards Simultaneous and Successive processes. Results are discussed in the light of current studies about EF.

48 CFR 309.403 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Acquisition Policy and Accountability (DAS/GAPA). Initiating official means the Contracting Officer, the HCA, the Associate DAS for Acquisition, or the Inspector General (IG). Suspending official means the DAS...

Asbestos in toys: an exemplary case.

PubMed

Silvestri, Stefano; Di Benedetto, Francesco; Raffaell, Corrado; Veraldi, Angela

2016-01-01

DAS was an artificial clay which, once molded, hardened at room temperature. It was largely used as a toy between 1963 and 1975 in Italy, Netherlands, Germany, UK and Norway. This case report describes and reports the presence of asbestos in DAS. We investigated the presence of asbestos in DAS using light and electron microscopy on samples of the original material. We searched administrative documents at the State Archive of Turin and conducted interviews with past employees on annual production, suppliers, and purchasers. The analytical tests confirmed the presence of asbestos fibers in DAS: about 30% of its composition. The documents found at the State Archive confirmed the annual purchase of hundreds tons of raw asbestos from the Amiantifera di Balangero, the Italian asbestos mine. DAS was found to be used also within craftsmanship. Asbestos fibers in DAS may have caused exposure to production workers and a variety of users, including artists, teachers, and children. Over 13 years, about 55 million packs of DAS were produced and sold. The number of users is difficult to estimate but may have been in the order of millions. In Italy, a specific question on the use of DAS has been included in a routinely used mesothelioma questionnaire. As DAS was exported to other countries, our findings suggest that mesothelioma patients should be asked about their past use of DAS, in particular individuals not reporting a clear past asbestos exposure. Additionally, this discovery shows the incompleteness of records on asbestos uses and suggests to test items, including toys, imported from countries where asbestos is not forbidden.

Effects of the tricothecene mycotoxin diacetoxyscirpenol on egg production of broiler breeders.

PubMed

Brake, J; Hamilton, P B; Kittrell, R S

2002-12-01

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of 4,15-diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) on egg quality and egg production of broiler breeders. In Experiment 1, feed containing 0, 1.25, 2.5, or 5.0 mg DAS/ kg was fed from 67 to 69 wk of age followed by a 3-wk recovery period on a slat-litter floor. In Experiment 2, individually caged broiler breeder females were studied from 23 to 31 wk of age. The basal diet containing 0, 5, 10, or 20 mg DAS/kg was fed from 25 to 27 wk of age. In Experiment 3, individually caged broiler breeder hens were studied from 23 to 32 wk of age. DAS was fed at levels of 0 (basal), 5, 10, and 20 mg DAS/kg for 2 wk beginning at Week 24, followed by the basal breeder diet for 7 wk. Egg production was not affected by levels of up to 5 mg DAS/kg in the older hens of Experiment 1. When fed from 25 to 27 wk of age in Experiment 2, DAS decreased egg production at the 20 mg/kg level only. When fed from 24 to 25 wk of age in Experiment 3, DAS had no significant effect on egg production or egg quality. Short-term consumption of DAS at levels that might naturally occur appears to have little effect on broiler breeder egg production.

Crosslinking effect of dialdehyde starch (DAS) on decellularized porcine aortas for tissue engineering.

PubMed

Wang, Xu; Gu, Zhipeng; Qin, Huanhuan; Li, Li; Yang, Xu; Yu, Xixun

2015-08-01

Biological tissue-derived biomaterials must be chemically modified to avoid immediate degradation and immune response before being implanted in human body to replace malfunctioning organs. DAS with active aldehyde groups was employed to replace glutaraldehyde (GA), a most common synthetic crosslinking reagent in clinical practice, to fix bioprostheses for lower cytotoxicity. The aim of this research was to evaluate fixation effect of DAS. The tensile strength, crosslinking stability, cytotoxicity especially the anti-calcification capability of DAS-fixed tissues were investigated. The tensile strength and resistance to enzymatic degradation of samples were increased after DAS fixation, the values maintained stably in D-Hanks solution for several days. Meanwhile, ultrastructure of samples preserved well and the anti-calcification capability of samples were improved, the amount of positive staining points in the whole visual field of 15% DAS-fixed samples was only 0.576 times to GA-fixed ones. Moreover, both unreacted DAS and its hydrolytic products were nontoxic in cytotoxicity study. The results demonstrated DAS might be an effective crosslinking reagent to fix biological tissue-derived biomaterials in tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of web-based decision aids in neurological patients.

PubMed

van Til, Janine A; Drossaert, Constance H C; Renzenbrink, Gerbert J; Snoek, Govert J; Dijkstra, Evelien; Stiggelbout, Anne M; Ijzerman, Maarten J

2010-01-01

Decision aids (DAs) may be helpful in improving patients' participation in medical decision-making. We investigated the potential for web-based DAs in a rehabilitation population. Two self-administered DAs focused on the treatment of acquired ankle-foot impairment in stroke and the treatment of arm-hand function in cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Data collection comprised a telephone interview and a self-reported paper questionnaire. Of the patients who agreed to participate, 39 stroke patients (44%) and 38 patients with SCI (78%) returned a questionnaire. More than 75% of patients expressed a need for more information about the treatment of disease-related impairment. The DAs were highly appreciated by both patient groups. Nearly all patients expressed a positive attitude towards the use of the web-based DAs in general practice. The DAs had a positive effect on the knowledge about the treatment alternatives in the stroke patients (P = 0.001), although not in the patients with SCI. The DAs reduced patients' conflict about treatment (P < 0.05). The effect of the DAs on patients' desired role in decision-making was limited. Web-based aids are feasible in the rehabilitation population with access to a computer and can improve the knowledge gaps in patients.

"Das Konkrete ist das Abstrakte, an das man sich schließlich gewöhnt hat." (Laurent Schwartz) Über den Ablauf des mathematischen Verstehens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowsky, Martin

Die im Titel genannte Aussage findet sich in den Lebenserinnerungen von Laurent Schwartz (1915-2002), einem der fruchtbarsten Mathematiker, Mitglied der Gruppe Bourbaki. Im Original lautet die Aussage: "un objet concret est un objet abstrait auquel on a fini par s'habituer." Schwartz erläutert sie am Beispiel des Integrals über {e^{-1/2{x^2}}} , das den Wert Wurzel aus 2π hat und in dem sich also die Zahlen e und π verknüpfen. Was Schwartz aber vor allem ausdrücken will, ist dies: Das mathematische Verständnisd geht langsam vor sich und es bedarf der Anstrengung. "Es ist eine Frage der Zeit und der Energie", sagt Schwartz, und gerade dies mache es so schwer, die höhere Mathematik unter das Volk zu bringen. Das Lernen und Lehren von Mathematik laufe eben mühevoll und langsam ab.

Immune response profiling in early rheumatoid arthritis: discovery of a novel interaction of treatment response with viral immunity

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction It remains challenging to predict the outcomes of therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this study was to identify immune response signatures that correlate with clinical treatment outcomes in patients with RA. Methods A cohort of 71 consecutive patients with early RA starting treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) was recruited. Disease activity at baseline and after 21 to 24 weeks of follow-up was measured using the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28). Immune response profiling was performed by analyzing multi-cytokine production from peripheral blood cells following incubation with a panel of stimuli, including a mixture of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lysates. Profiles identified via principal components analysis (PCA) for each stimulus were then correlated with the ΔDAS28 from baseline to follow-up. A clinically meaningful improvement in the DAS28 was defined as a decrease of ≥1.2. Results A profile of T-cell cytokines (IL-13, IL-4, IL-5, IL-2, IL-12, and IFN-γ) produced in response to CMV/EBV was found to correlate with the ΔDAS28 from baseline to follow-up. At baseline, a higher magnitude of the CMV/EBV immune response profile predicted inadequate DAS28 improvement (mean PCA-1 scores: 65.6 versus 50.2; P = 0.029). The baseline CMV/EBV response was particularly driven by IFN-γ (P = 0.039) and IL-4 (P = 0.027). Among patients who attained clinically meaningful DAS28 improvement, the CMV/EBV PCA-1 score increased from baseline to follow-up (mean +11.6, SD 25.5), whereas among patients who responded inadequately to DMARD therapy, the CMV/EBV PCA-1 score decreased (mean -12.8, SD 25.4; P = 0.002). Irrespective of the ΔDAS28, methotrexate use was associated with up-regulation of the CMV/EBV response. The CMV/EBV profile was associated with positive CMV IgG (P <0.001), but not EBV IgG (P = 0.32), suggesting this response was related to CMV exposure. Conclusions A profile of T-cell immunity associated with CMV exposure influences the clinical response to DMARD therapy in patients with early RA. Because CMV latency is associated with greater joint destruction, our findings suggest that changes in T-cell immunity mediated by viral persistence may affect treatment response and possibly long-term outcomes of RA. PMID:24267267

Prevalence of Asymptomatic Arterial Hypertension and Its Correlation with Inflammatory Activity in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Bajraktari, Ismet H.; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Berisha, Idriz; Lahu, Ali; Kryeziu, Avni; Durmishi, Bastri; Bajraktari, Halit; Bahtiri, Elton

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that worsens during the course of the disease and can cause disability. Early RA refers to the onset of symptoms within the past 3 months. In RA, increased levels of mediators of inflammation may cause arterial stiffness consequently leading to arterial hypertension. AIM: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic arterial hypertension in early RA patients as well as the correlation with parameters of inflammation. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-nine early RA patients diagnosed in agreement with ACR/EULAR (American College of Rheumatology/ European League against Rheumatism) 2010 criteria were consecutively included in the study. CRP (C-reactive protein) and anti CCP (Antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides) serum levels, WBC (white blood cells) count and ESR (Erythrocyte sedimentation rate), likewise DAS-28 (28-joint disease activity score) were determined in all included patients. Parametric tests were used to compare the characteristics of the groups and to test the correlation of the variables. RESULTS: Statistical data analysis revealed that a majority of the patients were females (n = 141; 78.7%); the mean age at RA onset was 49.13 ± 12.13 years. Overall prevalence of hypertension was 44.13 % (n = 79). In comparison with the normotensive patients, the hypertensive patients were older and had significantly higher values of CRP, ESR, anti-CCP and DAS-28. A highly significant positive correlation between all the study parameters and systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed. CONCLUSION: Presence of significantly higher values of CRP, ESR, anti-CCP and DAS-28 in hypertensive patients indicate that inflammation is associated with an increased risk of hypertension. In this context, early screening for arterial hypertension and adequate therapeutic measures should be considered in early RA patients. PMID:28932306

Technical report series on global modeling and data assimilation. Volume 4: Documentation of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) data assimilation system, version 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, Max J. (Editor); Pfaendtner, James; Bloom, Stephen; Lamich, David; Seablom, Michael; Sienkiewicz, Meta; Stobie, James; Dasilva, Arlindo

1995-01-01

This report describes the analysis component of the Goddard Earth Observing System, Data Assimilation System, Version 1 (GEOS-1 DAS). The general features of the data assimilation system are outlined, followed by a thorough description of the statistical interpolation algorithm, including specification of error covariances and quality control of observations. We conclude with a discussion of the current status of development of the GEOS data assimilation system. The main components of GEOS-1 DAS are an atmospheric general circulation model and an Optimal Interpolation algorithm. The system is cycled using the Incremental Analysis Update (IAU) technique in which analysis increments are introduced as time independent forcing terms in a forecast model integration. The system is capable of producing dynamically balanced states without the explicit use of initialization, as well as a time-continuous representation of non- observables such as precipitation and radiational fluxes. This version of the data assimilation system was used in the five-year reanalysis project completed in April 1994 by Goddard's Data Assimilation Office (DAO) Data from this reanalysis are available from the Goddard Distributed Active Center (DAAC), which is part of NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). For information on how to obtain these data sets, contact the Goddard DAAC at (301) 286-3209, EMAIL daac@gsfc.nasa.gov.

The association of dopamine agonists with daytime sleepiness, sleep problems and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease--a prospective study.

PubMed

Happe, S; Berger, K

2001-12-01

Reports that dopamine agonists (DA) precipitate sudden daytime sleep episodes in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have received widespread attention. It remains unclear if non-ergoline and ergoline DAs have differential sedating effects or if sedation rather represents a class effect of DAs. The aim of this study was the evaluation of sleep disturbances and the quality of life (QoL) in PD patients with different dopaminergic treatment strategies. This analysis is part of the FAQT-study, a prospective German cohort study evaluating determinants of QoL in PD patients. A subgroup of 111 PD patients was evaluated twice, at baseline and after one year of follow-up, using standardised and validated questionnaires (Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS), Hoehn and Yahr classification, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Short Form-36 (SF-36), Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39)). The impact of treatment strategies on sleep problems, daytime sleepiness, bad dreams and hallucinations, depression and QoL in PD patients was analysed separately for ergoline DAs, non-ergoline DAs and the patient group taking no DA. At baseline, sleep problems were reported by about one third of the patients with and without DA medication. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) was higher in the two DA groups (ergoline 11.9%, non-ergoline 9.1%) than among patients not taking DAs (4.5 %). At follow-up, sleep problems in general had decreased among patients taking DAs continuously and among those newly taking DAs, while the sleep problems increased in patients discontinuing DAs. However, EDS had increased to 25% in patients newly taking DAs, and decreased to 15.9% in those taking them continuously. QoL scores at follow-up were slightly increased in the patient groups newly taking and discontinuing DAs (the latter except in physical functioning) while those on continuing DA-medication remained unchanged. No differential effects of ergoline or non-ergoline DAs on sleep problems were found. Different dopaminergic treatment strategies did not influence QoL. Our results support the evidence that sedation may be rather a class effect of DAs.

78 FR 41772 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-11

... DAS and sector-based management because of fundamental differences between these groups of vessels.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan... year 2013, the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) included a measure in Framework...

Efficacy of atomoxetine for symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children with a history of child abuse.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Atsunori; Suzuki, Yutaro; Endo, Taro; Matsumoto, Keita; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Someya, Toshiyuki

2015-04-01

Recent studies suggest that the severity and drug response of depression and anxiety are correlated with childhood abuse. However, whether a history of child abuse can predict the severity and/or drug response of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is unclear. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to assess the efficacy of atomoxetine in children with a history of child abuse. We reviewed 41 cases of children treated with atomoxetine. Specifically, we compared dissociation associating symptoms (DAS) and other symptoms (OS) measured via the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) in abused and nonabused children at baseline and at 8 weeks after atomoxetine administration. At baseline, abused children had higher total scores (38.7±9.3 vs. 30.5±9.4, p=0.011), and greater levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity (17.3±5.8 vs. 11.3±6.0, p=0.004) on the ADHD-RS than did nonabused children, whereas the inattention scores were similar between the two groups (21.4±4.8 vs. 19.2±4.6). Additionally, the total score and the two subscores decreased at week 8 for both groups. In the nonabused group, DAS (5.5±2.3 vs. 3.9±1.7, p<0.001) and OS (25.0±8.1 vs. 17.4±6.7, p<0.001) significantly decreased after atomoxetine treatment. However, DAS in the abused group did not change after atomoxetine treatment (5.9±2.3 vs. 5.1±1.8), whereas OS significantly decreased (32.8±7.6 vs. 25.7±7.2, p=0.002). If DAS were caused by traumatic experiences in abused children, trauma treatment tools other than pharmacotherapy might be useful to treat DAS. These tools may include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

Assessment of the effects of decision aids about breast cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Martínez-Alonso, Montserrat; Carles-Lavila, Misericòrdia; Pérez-Lacasta, Maria José; Pons-Rodríguez, Anna; Garcia, Montse; Rué, Montserrat

2017-10-06

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies is to assess the effect of decision aids (DAs) in women aged 50 and below facing the decision to be screened for breast cancer. Screening for breast cancer. DAs aimed to help women make a deliberative choice regarding participation in mammography screening by providing information on the options and outcomes. We included published original, non-pilot, studies that assess the effect of DAs for breast cancer screening. We excluded the studies that evaluated only participation intention or actual uptake. The studies' risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for RCTs and the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for non-RCTs. The main outcome measures were informed choice, decisional conflict and/or confidence, and knowledge. Secondary outcomes were values, attitudes, uncertainty and intention to be screened. A total of 607 studies were identified, but only 3 RCTs and 1 before-after study were selected. The use of DAs increased the proportion of women making an informed decision by 14%, 95% CI (2% to 27%) and the proportion of women with adequate knowledge by 12%, 95% CI (7% to 16%). We observed heterogeneity among the studies in confidence in the decision. The meta-analysis of the RCTs showed a significant decrease in confidence in the decision and in intention to be screened. Tools to aid decision making in screening for breast cancer improve knowledge and promote informed decision; however, we found divergent results on decisional conflict and confidence in the decision. Under the current paradigm change, which favours informed choice rather than maximising uptake, more research is necessary for the improvement of DAs. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Establishing the effectiveness of patient decision aids: key constructs and measurement instruments

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Establishing the effectiveness of patient decision aids (PtDA) requires evidence that PtDAs improve the quality of the decision-making process and the quality of the choice made, or decision quality. The aim of this paper is to review the theoretical and empirical evidence for PtDA effectiveness and discuss emerging practical and research issues in the measurement of effectiveness. Methods This updated overview incorporates: a) an examination of the instruments used to measure five key decision-making process constructs (i.e., recognize decision, feel informed about options and outcomes, feel clear about goals and preferences, discuss goals and preferences with health care provider, and be involved in decisions) and decision quality constructs (i.e., knowledge, realistic expectations, values-choice agreement) within the 86 trials in the Cochrane review; and b) a summary of the 2011 Cochrane Collaboration’s review of PtDAs for these key constructs. Data on the constructs and instruments used were extracted independently by two authors from the 86 trials and any disagreements were resolved by discussion, with adjudication by a third party where required. Results The 86 studies provide considerable evidence that PtDAs improve the decision-making process and decision quality. A majority of the studies (76/86; 88%) measured at least one of the key decision-making process or decision quality constructs. Seventeen different measurement instruments were used to measure decision-making process constructs, but no single instrument covered all five constructs. The Decisional Conflict Scale was most commonly used (n = 47), followed by the Control Preference Scale (n = 9). Many studies reported one or more constructs of decision quality, including knowledge (n = 59), realistic expectation of risks and benefits (n = 21), and values-choice agreement (n = 13). There was considerable variability in how values-choice agreement was defined and determined. No study reported on all key decision-making process and decision quality constructs. Conclusions Evidence of PtDA effectiveness in improving the quality of the decision-making process and decision quality is strong and growing. There is not, however, consensus or standardization of measurement for either the decision-making process or decision quality. Additional work is needed to develop and evaluate measurement instruments and further explore theoretical issues to advance future research on PtDA effectiveness. PMID:24625035

Establishing the effectiveness of patient decision aids: key constructs and measurement instruments.

PubMed

Sepucha, Karen R; Borkhoff, Cornelia M; Lally, Joanne; Levin, Carrie A; Matlock, Daniel D; Ng, Chirk Jenn; Ropka, Mary E; Stacey, Dawn; Joseph-Williams, Natalie; Wills, Celia E; Thomson, Richard

2013-01-01

Establishing the effectiveness of patient decision aids (PtDA) requires evidence that PtDAs improve the quality of the decision-making process and the quality of the choice made, or decision quality. The aim of this paper is to review the theoretical and empirical evidence for PtDA effectiveness and discuss emerging practical and research issues in the measurement of effectiveness. This updated overview incorporates: a) an examination of the instruments used to measure five key decision-making process constructs (i.e., recognize decision, feel informed about options and outcomes, feel clear about goals and preferences, discuss goals and preferences with health care provider, and be involved in decisions) and decision quality constructs (i.e., knowledge, realistic expectations, values-choice agreement) within the 86 trials in the Cochrane review; and b) a summary of the 2011 Cochrane Collaboration's review of PtDAs for these key constructs. Data on the constructs and instruments used were extracted independently by two authors from the 86 trials and any disagreements were resolved by discussion, with adjudication by a third party where required. The 86 studies provide considerable evidence that PtDAs improve the decision-making process and decision quality. A majority of the studies (76/86; 88%) measured at least one of the key decision-making process or decision quality constructs. Seventeen different measurement instruments were used to measure decision-making process constructs, but no single instrument covered all five constructs. The Decisional Conflict Scale was most commonly used (n = 47), followed by the Control Preference Scale (n = 9). Many studies reported one or more constructs of decision quality, including knowledge (n = 59), realistic expectation of risks and benefits (n = 21), and values-choice agreement (n = 13). There was considerable variability in how values-choice agreement was defined and determined. No study reported on all key decision-making process and decision quality constructs. Evidence of PtDA effectiveness in improving the quality of the decision-making process and decision quality is strong and growing. There is not, however, consensus or standardization of measurement for either the decision-making process or decision quality. Additional work is needed to develop and evaluate measurement instruments and further explore theoretical issues to advance future research on PtDA effectiveness.

Hierarchical Factor Structure of the Cognitive Assessment System: Variance Partitions from the Schmid-Leiman (1957) Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canivez, Gary L.

2011-01-01

Orthogonal higher-order factor structure of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS; Naglieri & Das, 1997a) for the 5-7 and 8-17 age groups in the CAS standardization sample is reported. Following the same procedure as recent studies of other prominent intelligence tests (Dombrowski, Watkins, & Brogan, 2009; Canivez, 2008; Canivez &…

Kooperatives Lernen lernen? Zur Diskussion uber das Bildungswesen in Japan (Learning Cooperative Learning? On the Discussion of the Japanese Educational System).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schubert, Volker

1998-01-01

Suggests a reconsideration of the criticism of Japanese competition against the background of the Japanese educational system's highly developed learning culture. Considers some of the basic aspects of group-oriented communal learning in school, while also cautioning against a "monocausal" culturalism. (Author/CMK)

Safety and effectiveness of adalimumab in a clinical setting that reflects Canadian standard of care for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA): results from the CanACT study.

PubMed

Haraoui, Boulos; Cividino, Alfred; Stewart, Jacqueline; Guérette, Benoît; Keystone, Edward C

2011-11-17

This multicenter, open-label, prospective, single cohort study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of adalimumab in a clinical setting reflecting the Canadian standard of care for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients ≥ 18 years of age with a history of active RA ≥ 3 months and fulfilling Canadian requirements for biological therapy received adalimumab 40 mg subcutaneously every other week for 12 weeks. Pre-study DMARD treatment regimens, corticosteroids, or NSAIDs were allowed throughout the study. The primary effectiveness outcome measure was the mean change in 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) from baseline to Week 12. Secondary measures included the proportion of patients achieving joint remission (DAS28 < 2.6) and low-disease activity (DAS28 < 3.2) at Week 12, and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR: moderate and good) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR: ACR20, 50, and 70) responses, as well as responses in ACR core components at Weeks 4, 8, and 12. Subgroup analysis included a comparison of patients naïve to biological DMARD (BDMARD) therapy versus BDMARD-experienced patients. Safety was assessed in terms of adverse and serious adverse events. A total of 879 patients (mean disease duration > 12 years) were enrolled; 772 (87.9%) completed the 12-week period. Adalimumab treatment was associated with rapid and sustained improvements in the signs and symptoms of RA. Significant improvements in mean DAS28 score were observed as early as Week 4. After 12 weeks of adalimumab treatment, 15.3% and 28.9% of patients achieved clinical remission and low-disease activity, respectively. Similarly, significant improvements in ACR core components were observed as early as Week 4, with continued improvements occurring through 12 weeks. Patients naïve to BDMARD therapy demonstrated numerically greater clinical responses when compared with patients who had experienced prior BDMARD therapy, although both subgroups were associated with significant improvements from baseline. The rates and types of adverse events, as well as the results of laboratory measures, demonstrated that adalimumab was generally safe and well-tolerated. This study demonstrated that, under conditions reflective of the normal clinical practice in Canada, adalimumab is an effective and safe treatment for patients with RA. NCT00649545.

Study of morphometry to debit drainage basin (DAS) arau Padang city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utama, Lusi; Amrizal, Berd, Isril; Zuherna

2017-11-01

High intensity rain that happened in Padang city cause the happening of floods at DAS Arau. Floods that happened in Padang besides caused high rain intensity, require to be by research about morphometry that is cause parameter the happening of floods. Morphometry drainage basin physical network (DAS) quantitatively related to DAS geomorphology that is related to form of DAS, river network, closeness of stream, ramp, usage of farm, high and gradient steepness of river. Form DAS will influence rain concentration to outlet. Make an index to closeness of stream depict closeness of river stream at one particular DAS. Speed of river stream influenced by storey, level steepness of river. Steepness storey, level is comparison of difference height of river downstream and upstream. Ever greater of steepness of river stream, excelsior speed of river stream that way on the contrary. High to lower speed of river stream influence occurrence of floods, more than anything else if when influenced by debit big. Usage of farm in glove its link to process of infiltration where if geology type which is impermeable, be difficult the happening of infiltration, this matter will enlarge value of run off. Research by descriptive qualitative that is about characteristic of DAS. Method the used is method survey with data collecting, in the form of rainfall data of year 2005 until year 2015 and Image of DEM IFSAR with resolution 5 meter, analyzed use Software ARGIS. Result of research got by DAS reside in at condition of floods gristle.

Minimum effective dosages of anti-TNF in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

de la Torre, Inmaculada; Valor, Lara; Nieto, Juan Carlos; Montoro, María; Carreño, Luis

2014-01-01

To evaluate the modified dosages of anti-TNF in controlling disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) measured by DAS28-ESR. Cross-sectional study: RA patients treated with etanercept (ETN), adalimumab (ADA) or infliximab (IFX), at standard or modified doses. dosage, concomitant disease modifying drugs (DMARDs), DAS28-ESR. 195 RA patients included (79% women, mean age 58.1 years): ETN=81, ADA=56, IFX=58. Mean disease duration and time to first biological treatment was higher in IFX group (P=.01). Patients distribution by dosage: standard: ETN (72.8%), ADA (69.6%), IFX (27.6%); escalated: IFX (69%), ADA (5.4%), ETN (0%); reduced: ETN (27.1%), ADA (25%), IFX (3.4%). Concomitant DMARDs use was lower in ETN (58.2%) than ADA (66.07%) and IFX (79.31%). Higher proportion of responders (DAS28 ≤3.2) in ADA (65.3%) and ETN (61.7%) than IFX (48.3%). RA clinical control can be preserved with modified anti-TNF dosages. Controlled prospective studies should be performed to define when therapy can be tailored and for which patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of dental anomalies on panoramic radiographs in a population of the state of Pará, Brazil.

PubMed

Goncalves-Filho, Antonio Jg; Moda, Larissa B; Oliveira, Roberta P; Ribeiro, Andre Luis Ribeiro; Pinheiro, João Jv; Alver-Junior, S Rgio M

2014-01-01

Dental anomalies (DAs) are the result of disorders that are able to modify the shape, number, size, and structure of teeth. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of DAs using panoramic radiographs in a population of the City of Belém, northern Brazil. In this study, 487 panoramic radiographs were evaluated searching for DAs. Dental records were reviewed for diagnostic confirmation. DAs related to the shape, number, size, and structure of teeth were investigated. Our results showed a DA prevalence of 56.9%. The most prevalent DA was taurodontism, which was present in 27.19% of cases. Root dilaceration was the second most prevalent DA in adults, whereas hypodontia was the second most prevalent DA in children. A total of 13 DAs were found. Dental anomalies were present in over half of the sample, and most of them were related to the shape of the teeth. Although there was a high prevalence of shape-related DAs, these alterations are generally of lower severity, and most do not require specific treatment. However, in 19.25% of cases, DAs were found involving the number, size and structure of the teeth. These DAs should be diagnosed and treated early, avoiding thus more serious complications.

Design standards for experimental and field studies to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of tests for infectious diseases in aquatic animals.

PubMed

Laurin, E; Thakur, K K; Gardner, I A; Hick, P; Moody, N J G; Crane, M S J; Ernst, I

2018-05-01

Design and reporting quality of diagnostic accuracy studies (DAS) are important metrics for assessing utility of tests used in animal and human health. Following standards for designing DAS will assist in appropriate test selection for specific testing purposes and minimize the risk of reporting biased sensitivity and specificity estimates. To examine the benefits of recommending standards, design information from published DAS literature was assessed for 10 finfish, seven mollusc, nine crustacean and two amphibian diseases listed in the 2017 OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals. Of the 56 DAS identified, 41 were based on field testing, eight on experimental challenge studies and seven on both. Also, we adapted human and terrestrial-animal standards and guidelines for DAS structure for use in aquatic animal diagnostic research. Through this process, we identified and addressed important metrics for consideration at the design phase: study purpose, targeted disease state, selection of appropriate samples and specimens, laboratory analytical methods, statistical methods and data interpretation. These recommended design standards for DAS are presented as a checklist including risk-of-failure points and actions to mitigate bias at each critical step. Adherence to standards when designing DAS will also facilitate future systematic review and meta-analyses of DAS research literature. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Diallyl sulfide inhibits diethylstilbestrol-induced lipid peroxidation in breast tissue of female ACI rats: implications in breast cancer prevention.

PubMed

Gued, Lisa R; Thomas, Ronald D; Green, Mario

2003-01-01

Diallyl sulfide (DAS) is a component of garlic and prevents cancer in several animal models in various organs. The chemopreventive effects of DAS are attributed to modulation of enzymes to alter the bioactivation of xenobiotics. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic estrogen that causes breast cancer in female ACI rats subsequent to metabolism with concurrent free radical production. This study assessed the effect of DAS on DES-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) using lipid peroxidation as an empirical endpoint. We have demonstrated that acute exposure to DES results in a significant increase in lipid hydroperoxides (LPH) in breast tissue and DAS attenuated DES-induced LPH concentrations. Two-week exposure to DES caused significant increases in LPH concentrations in breast and liver tissues. DES-induced LPH concentrations were decreased by coadministration of DAS at this time point. There were no statistical differences in the concentrations of LPH in breast and liver tissues of rats treated for 4/6 weeks with DAS/DES. These results demonstrate that DAS inhibits the production of ROS which suggests that DAS effectively inhibits DES bioactivation in female ACI rats which may have implications for chemopreventive intervention strategies. Our results suggest that garlic consumption might be useful for the prevention of human breast cancers.

Development and Validation of a PTSD-Related Impairment Scale

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

Social Adjustment Scale (SAS-SR) (58] Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) [59] Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory ( LISRES ) [60] 3...measure that gauges on- 200 Social Resources lnven- 2. Spouse/partner going life stressors and social resources tory ( LISRES ; Moos & 3. Finances as well...measures (e.g., ICF checklist, LISRES ; Moos, Penn, & Billings, 1988) may nor be practical or desirable in many healthcare settings or in large-scale

Interactive Implementation of the Optimal Systems Control Design Program (OPTSYSX) on the IBM 3033.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

DAS A44 159 INTERACTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPTIMAL SYSTEMS I CONTROL DESIGN PROGRAM (OPTSYSX) ON THE 1DM 3033(U NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY...noesear end idswtif’r b block number) Optimal Systems Control Systems Control Control Systems 10.; ABSTRACT (Continu an reveree side ff Roe684v ad Id yI...34 by block number) .- This thesis discusses the modification of an existing Optimal Systems Control FORTRAN program (OPTSYS) originally obtained from

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Score Is an Independent Factor Associated With the EuroQoL 5-Dimensional Descriptive System in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Hattori, Yosuke; Katayama, Masao; Kida, Daihei; Kaneko, Atsushi

2018-05-01

This study aimed to examine anxiety and depression experienced by patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using EuroQoL 5-Dimensional Descriptive System (EQ-5D) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores. We analyzed 1005 Japanese patients with RA. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the independent influence of variables on EQ-5D and HADS scores. Pearson correlation coefficients were also calculated to explore relationships between variables. The mean EQ-5D score was 0.74 for all patients (mean age, 63.2 years; mean disease duration, 13.6 years; mean Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index [HAQ-DI], 0.78; mean HADS total [HADS-T] score, 10.3; mean disease activity score assessed by 28 joints based on CRP [DAS28-CRP], 2.8). The EQ-5D score was strongly correlated with HAQ-DI and was moderately correlated with age, Steinbrocker functional class, HADS-T score, tender joint count assessed by 28 joints, pain on a visual analog scale (pain-VAS), patient's global assessment of disease activity (general-VAS), and DAS28-CRP. The HADS-T score was moderately correlated with HAQ-DI, pain-VAS, general-VAS, and DAS28-CRP. Factors that influenced the EQ-5D score included HAQ-DI (β = -0.533), pain-VAS (β = -0.128), HADS-T score (β = -0.142), DAS28-CRP (β = -0.187), and prednisolone use (β = -0.056). Factors that influenced the HADS score included HAQ-DI (β = 0.348), general-VAS (β = 0.145), disease duration (β = 0.094), and worklessness (β = 0.083). The HADS score is an independent factor associated with EQ-5D in patients with RA. Our findings suggest that the assessment of anxiety and depression is essential in achieving better quality of life for patients with RA.

ECRH System For ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darbos, C.; Henderson, M.; Albajar, F.; Bigelow, T.; Bomcelli, T.; Chavan, R.; Denisov, G.; Farina, D.; Gandini, F.; Heidinger, R.; Goodman, T.; Hogge, J. P.; Kajiwara, K.; Kasugai, A.; Kern, S.; Kobayashi, N.; Oda, Y.; Ramponi, G.; Rao, S. L.; Rasmussen, D.; Rzesnicki, T.; Saibene, G.; Sakamoto, K.; Sauter, O.; Scherer, T.; Strauss, D.; Takahashi, K.; Zohm, H.

2009-11-01

A 26 MW Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive (EC H&CD) system is to be installed for ITER. The main objectives are to provide, start-up assist, central H&CD and control of MHD activity. These are achieved by a combination of two types of launchers, one located in an equatorial port and the second type in four upper ports. The physics applications are partitioned between the two launchers, based on the deposition location and driven current profiles. The equatorial launcher (EL) will access from the plasma axis to mid radius with a relatively broad profile useful for central heating and current drive applications, while the upper launchers (ULs) will access roughly the outer half of the plasma radius with a very narrow peaked profile for the control of the Neoclassical Tearing Modes (NTM) and sawtooth oscillations. The EC power can be switched between launchers on a time scale as needed by the immediate physics requirements. A revision of all injection angles of all launchers is under consideration for increased EC physics capabilities while relaxing the engineering constraints of both the EL and ULs. A series of design reviews are being planned with the five parties (EU, IN, JA, RF, US) procuring the EC system, the EC community and ITER Organization (IO). The review meetings qualify the design and provide an environment for enhancing performances while reducing costs, simplifying interfaces, predicting technology upgrades and commercial availability. In parallel, the test programs for critical components are being supported by IO and performed by the Domestic Agencies (DAs) for minimizing risks. The wide participation of the DAs provides a broad representation from the EC community, with the aim of collecting all expertise in guiding the EC system optimization. Still a strong relationship between IO and the DA is essential for optimizing the design of the EC system and for the installation and commissioning of all ex-vessel components when several teams from several DAs will be involved together in the tests on the ITER site.

Effect of garlic-derived organosulfur compounds on mitochondrial function and integrity in isolated mouse liver mitochondria.

PubMed

Caro, Andres A; Adlong, Luke W; Crocker, Samuel J; Gardner, Michael W; Luikart, Emily F; Gron, Liz U

2012-10-17

The objectives of this work were to evaluate the direct effects of diallysulfide (DAS) and diallyldisulfide (DADS), two major organosulfur compounds of garlic oil, on mitochondrial function and integrity, by using isolated mouse liver mitochondria in a cell-free system. DADS produced concentration-dependent mitochondrial swelling over the range 125-1000μM, while DAS was ineffective. Swelling experiments performed with de-energized or energized mitochondria showed similar maximal swelling amplitudes. Cyclosporin A (1μM), or ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA, 1mM) were ineffective in inhibiting DADS-induced mitochondrial swelling. DADS produced a minor (12%) decrease in mitochondrial membrane protein thiols, but did not induce clustering of mitochondrial membrane proteins. Incubation of mitochondria with DADS (but not DAS) produced an increase in the oxidation rate of 2',7' dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), together with depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) and increased lipid peroxidation. DADS (but not DAS) produced a concentration-dependent dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, but did not induce cytochrome c release. DADS-dependent effects, including mitochondrial swelling, DCFH-DA oxidation, lipid peroxidation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, were inhibited by antioxidants and iron chelators. These results suggest that DADS causes direct impairment of mitochondrial function as the result of oxidation of the membrane lipid phase initiated by the GSH- and iron-dependent generation of oxidants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Data Analysis System (DAS). Environmental Quality Technology Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

is comprised of an EMI sensor, cesium (Cs) vapor magnetometer , fluxgate magnetometer , hand-held data acquisition computer, integrated power supply...Geometrics model 823A Cs vapor magnetometer . The fluxgate magnetometer is a Bartington model Mag-3MRN60, three- axis fluxgate magnetometer . The system...9. The ERDC hand-held Dual TFM/EMI with ArcSecond positioning system. During standard usage, the fluxgate magnetometer is used to provide the

Determinants of Antenatal Psychological Distress in Pakistani Women

PubMed Central

DIN, Zia ud; AMBREEN, Sadaf; IQBAL, Zafar; IQBAL, Mudassar; AHMAD, Summiya

2016-01-01

Introduction An increasing number of evidence has demonstrated that poor antenatal psychological health can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies conducted in various countries demonstrated a wide range of factors associated with psychological distress during pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2011 and December 2012 in Peshawar, north-west Pakistan. A total of 230 women in their third trimester of pregnancy fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The antenatal psychological health status of women was measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Relevant data regarding health and demographic–socioeconomic status were collected through personal interviews using standardized questionnaires. Results Overall, 45% (n=104) of women exhibited symptoms for composite depression, anxiety, and stress (composite DAS). In the univariate analysis, maternal age, husband support, monthly income, family size, stressful life events, lack of confidence, domestic violence, and pregnancy-related concerns were strongly associated with antenatal composite DAS (p<0.01). The association of maternal composite DAS symptoms with age, monthly income, family size, and lack of confidence remained significant in the multivariate analysis (p<0.01). Conclusion A major proportion of women exhibited symptoms of antenatal composite DAS, and various factors were found to be related to their psychological distress. A young maternal age, low husband support, low income, large family size, adverse life events, lack of confidence, pregnancy-related concerns, and domestic violence were stronger determinants of poor antenatal psychological status. The study findings concluded that policymakers at the government level should launch special intervention programs to improve maternal perinatal mental and psychological health at the community level. PMID:28360788

[Correlation of RANKL/OPG, dickkopf-1 and bone marrow edema in rheumatoid arthritis with the complaint of knee pain].

PubMed

Li, Min; Wu, Xiao-hui; Yin, Geng; Xie, Qi-bing

2015-03-01

To investigate the correlation of the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)/serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) system, Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) and bone marrow edema (BME) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the complaint of knee pain. The clinical data of 50 cases of RA with the complaint of knee pain were collected. According to MRI finding, half of them (25 cases) had bone marrow edema (BME). Each patient received the measurement of serum OPG, RANKL, DKK-1, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), anti cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (CCP), rheumatoid factort(RF). The clinical symptoms, disease activity score 28 (DAS28), were compared between BME and non-BME griups, and the correlation between RANKL/OPG system, DKK-1 and BME of RA was analyzed. Compared with non BME group, BME group had shorter course (P=0.000), higher DAS28 score (P=0.009), CRP (P=0:000), RF (P=0.033) and CCP (P=0.012). lower level of serum OPG (P=0.000), higher level of RANKL (P=0.000), RANKL/OPG (P=0.000), and DKK-1 (P=0.001). The severity of bone marrow edema was correlated with the serum RANKL (volume r(s)=0.31, P=0.027; degree r(s)=0.33, P=0.022), RANKL/OPG (volume r(s)=0.29, P=0.039; degree r(s)=0.28, P=0.043), DKK-1 (volume r(s)=0.33, P=0.021; degree r(s)=0.34, P=0.019). BME is one of the early signs of bone erosion in RA, there were more active inflammation, autoantibodies, and osteocasts in RA patients with BME.

Rheumatic disease among Oklahoma tribal populations: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Gaddy, Jasmine R; Vista, Evan S; Robertson, Julie M; Dedeke, Amy B; Roberts, Virginia C; Klein, Wendy S; Levin, Jeremy H; Mota, Fabio H; Cooper, Tina M; Grim, Gloria A; Khan, Sohail; James, Judith A

2012-10-01

Rheumatic diseases cause significant morbidity within American Indian populations. Clinical disease presentations, as well as historically associated autoantibodies, are not always useful in making a rapid diagnosis or assessing prognosis. The purpose of our study was to identify autoantibody associations among Oklahoma tribal populations with rheumatic disease. Oklahoma tribal members (110 patients with rheumatic disease and 110 controls) were enrolled at tribal-based clinics. Patients with rheumatic disease (suspected or confirmed diagnosis) were assessed by a rheumatologist for clinical features, disease criteria, and activity measures. Blood samples were collected and tested for common rheumatic disease autoantibodies [antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-nRNP, anti-ribosomal P, anti-dsDNA, and anticardiolipins]. In patients with suspected systemic rheumatic diseases, 72% satisfied American College of Rheumatology classification criteria: 40 (36%) had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 16 (15%) systemic lupus erythematosus, 8 (7%) scleroderma, 8 (7%) osteoarthritis, 4 (4%) fibromyalgia, 2 (2%) seronegative spondyloarthropathy, 1 Sjögren's syndrome, and 1 sarcoidosis. Compared to controls, RA patient sera were more likely to contain anti-CCP (55% vs 2%; p < 0.001) or RF IgM antibodies (57% vs 10%; p < 0.001); however, the difference was greater for anti-CCP. Anti-CCP positivity conferred higher disease activity scores (DAS28 5.6 vs 4.45; p = 0.021) while RF positivity did not (DAS28 5.36 vs 4.64; p = 0.15). Anticardiolipin antibodies (25% of rheumatic disease patients vs 10% of controls; p = 0.0022) and ANA (63% vs 21%; p < 0.0001) were more common in rheumatic disease patients. Anti-CCP may serve as a more specific RA biomarker in American Indian patients, while the clinical significance of increased frequency of anticardiolipin antibodies needs further evaluation.

Rheumatic Disease among Oklahoma Tribal Populations: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Gaddy, Jasmine R.; Vista, Evan S.; Robertson, Julie M.; Dedeke, Amy B.; Roberts, Virginia C.; Klein, Wendy S.; Levin, Jeremy H.; Mota, Fabio H.; Cooper, Tina M.; Grim, Gloria A.; Khan, Sohail; James, Judith A.

2012-01-01

Objectives Rheumatic diseases cause significant morbidity within American Indian populations. Clinical disease presentations, as well as historically associated autoantibodies, are not always useful in making a rapid diagnosis or assessing prognosis. The purpose of this study is to identify autoantibody associations among Oklahoma tribal populations with rheumatic disease. Methods Oklahoma tribal members (110 rheumatic disease patients and 110 controls) were enrolled at tribal-based clinics. Rheumatic disease patients (suspected or confirmed diagnosis) were assessed by a rheumatologist for clinical features, disease criteria, and activity measures. Blood samples were collected and tested for common rheumatic disease autoantibodies (ANA, anti-CCP, anti-RF, anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-nRNP, anti-Ribosomal P, anti-dsDNA, and anti-cardiolipins). Results In patients with suspected systemic rheumatic diseases, 72% satisfied ACR classification: 40 (36%) rheumatoid arthritis, 16 (15%) systemic lupus erythematosus, 8 (7%) scleroderma, 8 (7%) osteoarthritis, 4 (4%) fibromyalgia, 2 (2%) seronegative spondyloarthropathy, 1 Sjogrens syndrome, and 1 sarcoidosis. When compared to controls, RA patient sera were more likely to contain anti-CCP (55% vs 2%, p<0.001) or anti-RF IgM antibodies (57% vs 10%, p<0.001); however, the difference was greater for anti-CCP. Anti-CCP positivity conferred higher disease activity scores (DAS28 5.6 vs 4.45, p=0.021) while anti-RF positivity did not (DAS28 5.36 vs 4.64, p=0.15). Anticardiolipin antibodies (25% or rheumatic disease paitents vs 10% of contros,; p=0.0022) and ANA (63% vs 21%, p<0.0001) were more common in rheumatic disease patients. Conclusion Anti-CCP may serve as a better RA biomarker in AI patients, while the clinical significance of increased frequency of aCLs needs further evaluation. PMID:22896022

Theoretic derivation of directed acyclic subgraph algorithm and comparisons with message passing algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Jeongmok; Jeong, Hong

2016-07-01

This study investigates the directed acyclic subgraph (DAS) algorithm, which is used to solve discrete labeling problems much more rapidly than other Markov-random-field-based inference methods but at a competitive accuracy. However, the mechanism by which the DAS algorithm simultaneously achieves competitive accuracy and fast execution speed, has not been elucidated by a theoretical derivation. We analyze the DAS algorithm by comparing it with a message passing algorithm. Graphical models, inference methods, and energy-minimization frameworks are compared between DAS and message passing algorithms. Moreover, the performances of DAS and other message passing methods [sum-product belief propagation (BP), max-product BP, and tree-reweighted message passing] are experimentally compared.

76 FR 24444 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

... and were not sold, bartered or traded. At the time, DAS was the only effort control for the FMP, and... current system does not accurately account for the disposition of fish landed under the ``home consumption... receipt of the TSH report via a back-up system specified by the DSM service provider. While the...

High Pressure Particulate Physics Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-26

controlled loading conditions, nanosecond time resolution diagnostics are required. Therefore, state of the art diagnostic tools such as Velocity...front end plate. The Data Acquisition System (DAS) is based on the state of the art National Instruments PXI system. The architecture provides...obtained by copper wire. In the future x-ray cinematography , line VISAR and time indexed spectroscopy are planned. SECTION III SUMMARY We are

Common Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) Software Development for Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebert, Phillip W., Sr.; Davis, Dawn M.; Turowski, Mark P.; Holladay, Wendy T.; Hughes, Mark S.

2012-01-01

The advent of the commercial space launch industry and NASA's more recent resumption of operation of Stennis Space Center's large test facilities after thirty years of contractor control resulted in a need for a non-proprietary data acquisition systems (DAS) software to support government and commercial testing. The software is designed for modularity and adaptability to minimize the software development effort for current and future data systems. An additional benefit of the software's architecture is its ability to easily migrate to other testing facilities thus providing future commonality across Stennis. Adapting the software to other Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) Centers such as MSFC, White Sands, and Plumbrook Station would provide additional commonality and help reduce testing costs for NASA. Ultimately, the software provides the government with unlimited rights and guarantees privacy of data to commercial entities. The project engaged all RPT Centers and NASA's Independent Verification & Validation facility to enhance product quality. The design consists of a translation layer which provides the transparency of the software application layers to underlying hardware regardless of test facility location and a flexible and easily accessible database. This presentation addresses system technical design, issues encountered, and the status of Stennis development and deployment.

Connected commercial vehicles — retrofit safety device kit project : data acquisition system (DAS) documentation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-01

Connected vehicle wireless data communications can enable safety applications that may reduce injuries and fatalities. Cooperative vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) safety applications will be effective only if a high fraction of vehicles are equipped. Deploy...

Decision aids that support decisions about prenatal testing for Down syndrome: an environmental scan.

PubMed

Leiva Portocarrero, Maria Esther; Garvelink, Mirjam M; Becerra Perez, Maria Margarita; Giguère, Anik; Robitaille, Hubert; Wilson, Brenda J; Rousseau, François; Légaré, France

2015-09-24

Prenatal screening tests for Down syndrome (DS) are routine in many developed countries and new tests are rapidly becoming available. Decisions about prenatal screening are increasingly complex with each successive test, and pregnant women need information about risks and benefits as well as clarity about their values. Decision aids (DAs) can help healthcare providers support women in this decision. Using an environmental scan, we aimed to identify publicly available DAs focusing on prenatal screening/diagnosis for Down syndrome that provide effective support for decision making. Data sources searched were the Decision Aids Library Inventory (DALI) of the Ottawa Patient Decision Aids Research Group at the Ottawa Health Research Institute; Google searches on the internet; professional organizations, academic institutions and other experts in the field; and references in existing systematic reviews on DAs. Eligible DAs targeted pregnant women, focused on prenatal screening and/or diagnosis, applied to tests for fetal abnormalities or aneuploidies, and were in French, English, Spanish or Portuguese. Pairs of reviewers independently identified eligible DAs and extracted characteristics including the presence of practical decision support tools and features to aid comprehension. They then performed quality assessment using the 16 minimum standards established by the International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDASi v4.0). Of 543 potentially eligible DAs (512 in DALI, 27 from experts, and four on the internet), 23 were eligible and 20 were available for data extraction. DAs were developed from 1996 to 2013 in six countries (UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Sweden, and France). Five DAs were for prenatal screening, three for prenatal diagnosis and 12 for both). Eight contained values clarification methods (personal worksheets). The 20 DAs scored a median of 10/16 (range 6-15) on the 16 IPDAS minimum standards. None of the 20 included DAs met all 16 IPDAS minimum standards, and few included practical decision support tools or aids to comprehension. Our results indicate there is a need for DAs that effectively support decision making regarding prenatal testing for Down syndrome, especially in light of the recently available non-invasive prenatal screening tests.

Lower education and living in countries with lower wealth are associated with higher disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: results from the multinational COMORA study.

PubMed

Putrik, Polina; Ramiro, Sofia; Keszei, Andras P; Hmamouchi, Ihsane; Dougados, Maxime; Uhlig, Till; Kvien, Tore K; Boonen, Annelies

2016-03-01

To investigate the relationship of socioeconomic status (SES) on an individual and country level with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explore the mediating role of uptake of costly biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in this relationship. Data from a cross-sectional multinational study (COMOrbidities in RA) were used. Contribution of individual socioeconomic factors and country of residence to disease activity score with 28-joint assessment (DAS28) was explored in regression models, adjusting for relevant clinical confounders. Next, country of residence was replaced by gross domestic product (GDP) (low vs high) to investigate the contribution of SES by comparing R(2) (model fit). The mediating role of uptake of bDMARDs in the relationship between education or GDP and DAS28 was explored by testing indirect effects. In total, 3920 patients with RA were included (mean age 56 (SD 13) years, 82% women, mean DAS28 3.7 (1.6)). After adjustment, women (vs men) and low-educated (vs university) patients had 0.35 higher DAS28. Adjusted country differences in DAS28, compared with the Netherlands (lowest DAS28), varied from +0.2 (France) to +2.4 (Egypt). Patients from low GDP countries had 0.98 higher DAS28. No interactions between individual-level and country-level variables were observed. A small mediation effect of uptake of bDMARDs in the relationship between education and DAS28 (7.7%) and between GDP and DAS28 (6.7%) was observed. Female gender and lower individual or country SES were independently associated with DAS28, but did not reinforce each other. The association between lower individual SES (education) or lower country welfare (GDP) with higher DAS28 was partially mediated by uptake of bDMARDs. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Statistische Physik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fließbach, Torsten

In der Statistischen Physik befassen wir uns mit Systemen aus sehr vielen Teilchen. Beispiele hierfür sind die Atome eines Gases oder einer Flüssigkeit, die Phononen eines Festkörpers oder die Photonen in einem Plasma. Die Gesetze für die Bewegung einzelner Teilchen sind durch die Mechanik oder die Quantenmechanik gegeben. Aufgrund der großen Zahl der Teilchen (zum Beispiel N = 6 • 1023 für ein Mol eines Gases) sind die Bewegungsgleichungen jedoch nicht auswertbar. Das Ergebnis einer solchen Auswertung, also etwa die Bahnen von 6•1023 Teilchen, wäre auch uninteressant und irrelevant. Die Behandlung dieser Systeme erfolgt daher statistisch, das heißt auf der Grundlage von Annahmen über dieWahrscheinlichkeit verschiedener Bahnen oder Zustände.

Prognosis of seronegative patients in a large prospective cohort of patients with early inflammatory arthritis.

PubMed

Barra, Lillian; Pope, Janet E; Orav, John E; Boire, Gilles; Haraoui, Boulos; Hitchon, Carol; Keystone, Edward C; Thorne, J Carter; Tin, Diane; Bykerk, Vivian P

2014-12-01

Rheumatoid factor (RF) and anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are believed to be associated with more severe rheumatoid arthritis; however, studies in early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) have yielded conflicting results. Our study determined the prognosis of baseline ACPA-negative and RF-negative patients. Patients enrolled in the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort had IgM RF and IgG anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies 2 (anti-CCP2) measured at baseline. Remission was defined as a Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS28) < 2.6 using logistic regression accounting for confounders at 12-month and 24-month followup. Of the 841 patients, 216 (26%) were negative for both RF and anti-CCP2. Compared to seropositive subjects, seronegative subjects were older (57 ± 15 vs 51 ± 14 yrs), more males proportionately (31% vs 23%), and had shorter length of symptoms (166 ± 87 vs 192 ± 98 days), and at baseline had higher mean swollen joint count (SJC; 8.8 ± 6.8 vs 6.5 ± 5.6), DAS28 (5.0 ± 1.6 vs 4.8 ± 1.5), and erosive disease (32% vs 24%, p < 0.05). Treatment was similar between the 2 groups. At 24-month followup, seronegative compared to seropositive subjects had greater mean change (Δ ± SD) in disease activity measures: ΔSJC counts (-6.9 ± 7.0 vs -5.1 ± 5.9), ΔDAS28 (-2.4 ± 2.0 vs -1.8 ± 1.8), and ΔC-reactive protein (-11.0 ± 17.9 vs -6.4 ± 17.5, p < 0.05). Accounting for confounders, antibody status was not significantly associated with remission. However, at 12-month followup, ACPA-positive subjects were independently more likely to have new erosive disease (OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.45-5.94). Although seronegative subjects with EIA have higher baseline DAS28 compared to seropositive subjects, they have a good response to treatment and are less likely to develop erosive disease during followup.

48 CFR 305.202 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... acquisition channels, including the HCA, to Associate DAS for Acquisition requesting an exception to synopsizing. The Associate DAS for Acquisition shall review the request and decide whether an exception is appropriate and reasonable. If it is, the Associate DAS for Acquisition shall take the necessary coordinating...

COEFUV: A Computer Implementation of a Generalized Unmanned Vehicle Cost Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-10-01

78 T N OMBER . C A FEUCNTER CLASSIF lED DAS-TRRNL mh~hhhh~hhE DAS-TR-78-4 DAS-TR-78-4 coI COEFUV: A COMPUTER IMPLEMENTATION OF A IM GENERALIZED ...34 and the time to generate them are important. Many DAS participants supported this effort. The authors wish to acknow- ledge Richard H. Anderson for...conflict and the on-going COMBAT ANGEL program at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, there is not a generally accepted costing methodology for unmanned vehicles

A cross-sectional study of pain sensitivity, disease-activity assessment, mental health, and fibromyalgia status in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Joharatnam, Nalinie; McWilliams, Daniel F; Wilson, Deborah; Wheeler, Maggie; Pande, Ira; Walsh, David A

2015-01-20

Pain remains the most important problem for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Active inflammatory disease contributes to pain, but pain due to non-inflammatory mechanisms can confound the assessment of disease activity. We hypothesize that augmented pain processing, fibromyalgic features, poorer mental health, and patient-reported 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) components are associated in RA. In total, 50 people with stable, long-standing RA recruited from a rheumatology outpatient clinic were assessed for pain-pressure thresholds (PPTs) at three separate sites (knee, tibia, and sternum), DAS28, fibromyalgia, and mental health status. Multivariable analysis was performed to assess the association between PPT and DAS28 components, DAS28-P (the proportion of DAS28 derived from the patient-reported components of visual analogue score and tender joint count), or fibromyalgia status. More-sensitive PPTs at sites over or distant from joints were each associated with greater reported pain, higher patient-reported DAS28 components, and poorer mental health. A high proportion of participants (48%) satisfied classification criteria for fibromyalgia, and fibromyalgia classification or characteristics were each associated with more sensitive PPTs, higher patient-reported DAS28 components, and poorer mental health. Widespread sensitivity to pressure-induced pain, a high prevalence of fibromyalgic features, higher patient-reported DAS28 components, and poorer mental health are all linked in established RA. The increased sensitivity at nonjoint sites (sternum and anterior tibia), as well as over joints, indicates that central mechanisms may contribute to pain sensitivity in RA. The contribution of patient-reported components to high DAS28 should inform decisions on disease-modifying or pain-management approaches in the treatment of RA when inflammation may be well controlled.

Comparison of penetration and metabolism of [3H]diacetoxyscirpenol, [3H]verrucarin A and [3H]T-2 toxin in skin.

PubMed

Kemppainen, B W; Riley, R T; Biles-Thurlow, S

1987-05-01

The purpose of this research was to determine the rate of cutaneous penetration and metabolism of [3H]diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) and [3H]verrucarin A (VCA) and compare these values to previously determined values for [3H]T-2 toxin (T-2), to compare the cutaneous penetration and metabolism of DAS in human and guinea-pig skin, and to compare the effects of dose and of two vehicles, methanol and dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), on penetration rates. DAS or VCA was applied to the epidermal surface of excised skin, and the receptor fluid bathing the dermal surface was sampled periodically for 48 hr. Whether the applied dose (581 ng/cm2) was dissolved in methanol or DMSO, the rate of penetration through human skin was lower for VCA than for DAS or T-2, the rates for the two latter compounds being similar at this dose. Metabolism of DAS occurred during penetration through excised human skin and did not occur in the receptor fluid as a result of enzymes leaching out of the skin. VCA appeared to be metabolized by human skin, but this conclusion is tentative because of the relative instability of this compound. DAS penetrated significantly (P less than 0.05) faster through excised guinea-pig skin than through human skin. Metabolism of DAS was greater in human skin than in guinea-pig skin. When compared with methanol, DMSO increased the penetration of DAS and VCA by factors of between 7 and 52. At the low dose (79 ng/cm2) DAS penetrated human and guinea-pig skin significantly (P less than 0.05) faster than T-2 using either vehicle.

A multi-service data management platform for scientific oceanographic products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Anca, Alessandro; Conte, Laura; Nassisi, Paola; Palazzo, Cosimo; Lecci, Rita; Cretì, Sergio; Mancini, Marco; Nuzzo, Alessandra; Mirto, Maria; Mannarini, Gianandrea; Coppini, Giovanni; Fiore, Sandro; Aloisio, Giovanni

2017-02-01

An efficient, secure and interoperable data platform solution has been developed in the TESSA project to provide fast navigation and access to the data stored in the data archive, as well as a standard-based metadata management support. The platform mainly targets scientific users and the situational sea awareness high-level services such as the decision support systems (DSS). These datasets are accessible through the following three main components: the Data Access Service (DAS), the Metadata Service and the Complex Data Analysis Module (CDAM). The DAS allows access to data stored in the archive by providing interfaces for different protocols and services for downloading, variables selection, data subsetting or map generation. Metadata Service is the heart of the information system of the TESSA products and completes the overall infrastructure for data and metadata management. This component enables data search and discovery and addresses interoperability by exploiting widely adopted standards for geospatial data. Finally, the CDAM represents the back-end of the TESSA DSS by performing on-demand complex data analysis tasks.

Vertical propagation of information in a middle atmosphere data assimilation system by gravity-wave drag feedbacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Shuzhan; Polavarapu, Saroja M.; Shepherd, Theodore G.

2008-03-01

The mesospheric response to the 2002 Antarctic Stratospheric Sudden Warming (SSW) is analysed using the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model Data Assimilation System (CMAM-DAS), where it represents a vertical propagation of information from the observations into the data-free mesosphere. The CMAM-DAS simulates a cooling in the lowest part of the mesosphere which is accomplished by resolved motions, but which is extended to the mid- to upper mesosphere by the response of the model's non-orographic gravity-wave drag parameterization to the change in zonal winds. The basic mechanism is that elucidated by Holton consisting of a net eastward wave-drag anomaly in the mesosphere during the SSW, although in this case there is a net upwelling in the polar mesosphere. Since the zonal-mean mesospheric response is shown to be predictable, this demonstrates that variations in the mesospheric state can be slaved to the lower atmosphere through gravity-wave drag.

76 FR 56322 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; Framework...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... common pool vessels for FY 2011 due to overages of FY 2010 catch levels. This measure will help prevent.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FY 2011 Differential DAS Counting for Common Pool Vessels Based on preliminary FY 2010 common pool catch information available in February 2011, NMFS previously estimated that common...

14 CFR 21.493 - Current records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... records. (a) The DAS shall maintain, at its facility, current records containing— (1) For each product for... FAA identification, that have been altered under the DAS authorization; and (3) A file of information from all available sources on alteration difficulties of products altered under the DAS authorization...

Use of a novel monoclonal antibody in diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus.

PubMed

Griffel, L H; Amenta, P S; Das, K M

2000-01-01

A novel monoclonal antibody (MAbDAS-1), that specifically reacts with colonic but not small intestinal epithelium, recognizes specialized columnar epithelium (SCE) in the esophagus. The frequency of its reactivity in biopsy specimens of patients with endoscopically suspected Barrett's Esophagus (BE) is examined. Fifty-two biopsy specimens of the distal esophagus from 38 patients were tested by immunoperoxidase method using MAbDAS-1. Fifty-four samples of cardia-type mucosa biopsied from the stomach were used as controls. Results were compared with histology and Alcian blue/high iron diamine (AB/HID). Of the 52 specimens, 29 had glandular epithelium and the rest had only squamous epithelium. Ten were diagnosed to have SCE by histology. All 10 samples reacted with MAbDAS-1 and with Alcian blue. Of the remaining 19 specimens, five also reacted with MAbDAS-1. None of the squamous epithelium and cardia specimens reacted with MAbDAS-1. MAbDAS-1 may detect intestinal metaplasia of the esophagus of colonic phenotype in the absence of histological evidence of SCE.

Sensitivity of polar ozone recovery predictions of the GMI 3D CTM to GCM and DAS dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Considine, D.; Connell, P.; Strahan, S.; Douglass, A.; Rotman, D.

2003-04-01

The Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) 3-D chemistry and transport model has been used to generate 2 simulations of the 1995-2030 time period. The 36-year simulations both used the source gas and aerosol boundary conditions of the 2002 World Meteorological Organization assessment exercise MA2. The first simulation was based on a single year of meteorological data (winds, temperatures) generated by the new Goddard Space Flight Center "Finite Volume" General Circulation Model (FVGCM), repeated for each year of the simulation. The second simulation used a year of meteorological data generated by a new data assimilation system based on the FVGCM (FVDAS), using observations for July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2000. All other aspects of the two simulations were identical. The increase in vortex-averaged south polar springtime ozone concentrations in the lower stratosphere over the course of the simulations is more robust in the simulation driven by the GCM meteorological data than in the simulation driven by DAS winds. At the same time, the decrease in estimated chemical springtime ozone loss is similar. We thus attribute the differences between the two simulations to differences in the representations of polar dynamics which reduce the sensitivity of the simulation driven by DAS winds to changes in vortex chemistry. We also evaluate the representations in the two simulations of trace constituent distributions in the current polar lower stratosphere using various observations. In these comparisons the GCM-based simulation often is in better agreement with the observations than the DAS-based simulation.

Evaluation of the activity of rheumatoid arthritis in clinical practice. Agreement between self-rated clinimetric evaluation and clinical evaluation with activity indexes: DAS28, CDAI and SDAI.

PubMed

Horta-Baas, Gabriel; Pérez Bolde-Hernández, Arturo; Hernández-Cabrera, María Fernanda; Vergara-Sánchez, Imelda; Romero-Figueroa, María Del Socorro

2017-10-11

To achieve control of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) it is necessary to be able to evaluate its activity. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) recommends for this purpose indexes of activity that can be performed by the patient (PAS-II and RAPID-3) and IA including medical evaluation with laboratory studies (DAS28 and SDAI) or without them (CDAI). The objective was to analyze the concordance between self-rated clinimetric evaluation and clinimetric evaluation performed by the physician. Analytical cross-sectional study in 126 patients with RA. The agreement was evaluated through the weighted κ coefficient and the Krippendorff's α coefficient. The PAS-II and RAPID-3 significantly correlated with all variables included in the core set of measures recommended by the ACR/EULAR. The agreement between PAS-II and CDAI-SDAI was good (κ: 0.6, α: 0.61-0.62), and moderate with DAS28-ESR (κ: 0.53, α: 0.56). The concordance between RAPID-3 and CDAI-SDAI was moderate (κ: 0.55-0.57, α: 0.50-0.51), and moderate with DAS28-ESR (κ: 0.55, α: 0.53). When categorizing the activity in remission/low activity vs. moderate/severe activity, the agreement was greater with the PAS-II (0.59 vs. 0.34; P=.012). The good concordance between PAS-II and SDAI supports their use in clinical practice, especially if biomarkers of inflammation or the possibility of joint count are not available. However, in order to recommend its routine application in clinical practice, it is necessary to perform longitudinal studies that assess its responsiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Serum Epstein-Barr virus DNA, detected by droplet digital PCR, correlates with disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Kuusela, Elina; Kouri, Vesa-Petteri; Olkkonen, Juri; Koivuniemi, Riitta; Äyräväinen, Leena; Rajamäki, Kristiina; Valleala, Heikki; Nordström, Dan; Leirisalo-Repo, Marjatta; Ainola, Mari; Eklund, Kari K

2018-03-20

To study the prevalence of asymptomatic activation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to analyse the correlation of serum EBV DNA with the disease activity. The level of EBV DNA was determined by droplet digital PCR assay from the serum of 46 DMARD naive early RA (ERA) and 22 chronic RA (CRA)-patients at study onset. Follow-up samples from 31 ERA and 16 CRA patients were obtained after starting or modifying the anti-rheumatic treatment. EBV DNA was also measured from 33 healthy controls and 9 patients with adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). Disease activity was assessed by the disease activity score (DAS28). At baseline, EBV DNA was detected in the serum of 7 of the 46 ERA patients all of whom had moderate or high disease activity. In the follow-up samples, 11 of 31 patients were EBV DNA positive. At baseline EBV positive patients had significantly higher disease activity (p=0.036) and the concentration of EBV DNA correlated significantly with DAS28 (rs=0.333, p=0.024). EBV DNA was detected in 3 of 22 CRA patients at study onset and in 8 of 16 in the follow-up samples. At follow-up EBV positive patients had significantly higher DAS28 (p=0.027) and the concentration of EBV DNA correlated significantly with DAS28 (rs=0.724, p=0.002). Only one of the healthy controls and none of the AOSD patients were positive for EBV DNA. Active RA is associated with a lytic EBV infection which may have a role in the pathogenesis of RA.

Inflammatory biomarkers, disease activity index, and self-reported disability may be predictors of chronic arthritis after chikungunya infection: brief report.

PubMed

Sepúlveda-Delgado, J; Vera-Lastra, O L; Trujillo-Murillo, K; Canseco-Ávila, L M; Sánchez-González, R A; Gómez-Cruz, O; Lugo-Trampe, A; Fernández-Salas, I; Danis-Lozano, R; Contreras-Contreras, A; Mendoza-Torres, A; Domínguez-Arrevillaga, S; Mena-Vela, B A; Ocaña-Sibilla, M; Ramirez-Valdespino, J C; Jara, L J

2017-03-01

The chikungunya virus (ChikV) is a reemerging mosquito-borne pathogen that causes disabling chronic arthritis. The relationship between clinical evolution and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with ChikV-induced arthritis has not been fully described. We performed a prospective case series to evaluate the association among joint involvement, self-reported disability, and inflammatory biomarkers. Patients with ChikV infection were followed for 1 year. Joint involvement and self-reported disability were evaluated with disease activity index 28 (DAS-28) and World Health Organization Disablement Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS-II). Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and rheumatoid factor (RF) were used as biomarkers. Ten patients with mean age 48 ±15.04 years were included. Symptoms at diagnosis were fever, arthralgias, myalgias, rash, arthritis, nausea, vomiting, and back pain. Polyarticular involvement was present in seven cases. At diagnosis, measures were as follows: DAS-28, 5.08±1.11; WHODAS-II score, 72.3±10.3 %; CRP, 5.09±7.23 mg/dL; ESR, 33.5±17.5 mm/h; RF, 64±21.7 IU/mL; and IL-6, 17.6±10.3 pg/mL. Six patients developed subacute and chronic symptoms. During follow-up, DAS-28 index, WHODAS-II score, ESR, and IL-6 were statistically different in patients with subacute and chronic symptoms compared to those who resolved in the acute phase (p < 0.05). DAS-28 index, WHODAS-II score, and IL-6 were related to chronicity of articular symptoms and could be used as predictors of ChikV-induced arthritis.

Efficacy and safety of golimumab in Indian patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Subgroup data from GO-MORE study.

PubMed

Pal, Sarvajeet; Veeravalli, Sarath Chandra Mouli; Das, Siddharth Kumar; Shobha, Vineeta; Uppuluri, Ramakrishna Rao; Dharmanand, B G; Nadkar, Milind; Hsia, Elizabeth; Fei, Kaiyin; Yao, Ruji; Khalifa, Ahmed

2016-11-01

To conduct a subgroup analysis of GO-MORE trial Part 1, comparing efficacy and safety of add-on subcutaneous golimumab therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients enrolled from and outside India. GO-MORE was an open-label, multicenter, prospective trial of add-on golimumab in biologic-naïve RA patients, having active disease despite being on conventional DMARD regimen(s). Part 1 of the study was chosen as the focus of this subgroup analysis because a substantial number of Indian patients (106) were enrolled compared to no Indian patients in Part 2. The primary efficacy outcome was proportion of patients achieving good to moderate DAS28-ESR (Disease Activity Score of 28 joints calculated using erythrocyte sedimentation rate) European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response at month 6. Efficacy evaluable population comprised of 105 and 3175 patients from India and outside India, respectively. Safety analysis included 106 patients enrolled from India and 3251 from outside India. A higher proportion of Indian patients had a high disease activity as measured by DAS28 ESR than outside India patients. At month 6, the proportion of Indian and non-Indian patients achieving DAS28-ESR, DAS28 - C-reactive protein, simplified disease activity index (SDAI) remission, and EuroQoL Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D) scores were comparable. Incidence of all adverse events was lower in Indian patients. There were no deaths, cases of tuberculosis or malignancy reported in the patients from India at month 6. The efficacy and safety results with add-on golimumab were consistent between RA patients from India and outside India, despite high baseline disease activity in the Indian patients. © 2016 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Impact of sociodemographic patient characteristics on the efficacy of decision AIDS: a patient-level meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials.

PubMed

Coylewright, Megan; Branda, Megan; Inselman, Jonathan W; Shah, Nilay; Hess, Erik; LeBlanc, Annie; Montori, Victor M; Ting, Henry H

2014-05-01

Decision aids (DAs) increase patient knowledge, reduce decisional conflict, and promote shared decision making (SDM). The extent to which they do so across diverse sociodemographic patient groups is unknown. We conducted a patient-level meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials of DA versus usual care comprising 771 encounters between patients and clinicians discussing treatment options for chest pain, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis. Using a random effects model, we examined the impact of sociodemographic patient characteristics (age, sex, education, income, and insurance status) on the outcomes of knowledge transfer, decisional conflict, and patient involvement in SDM. Because of small numbers of people of color in the study population, we were not powered to investigate the role of race. Most patients were aged ≥65 years (61%), white (94%), and women (59%); two thirds had greater than a high school education. Compared with usual care, DA patients gained knowledge, were more likely to know their risk, and had less decisional conflict along with greater involvement in SDM. These gains were largely consistent across sociodemographic patient groups, with DAs demonstrating similar efficacy when used with vulnerable patients such as the elderly and those with less income and less formal education. Differences in efficacy were found only in knowledge of risk in 1 subgroup, with greater efficacy among those with higher education (35% versus 18%; P=0.02). In this patient-level meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials, DAs were efficacious across diverse sociodemographic groups as measured by knowledge transfer, decisional conflict, and patient involvement in SDM. To the extent that DAs increase patient knowledge and participation in SDM, they have potential to impact health disparities related to these factors. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Dental anxiety among Israeli dental students: a 4-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Peretz, B; Mann, J

2000-08-01

The aims of the present study were (a) to evaluate students' estimation of their parents' dental anxiety; (b) to measure students' dental anxiety and to study their ranking of the most fear provoking stimuli in the dental situation during their pre-clinical and clinical years; (c) to investigate gender differences among students with regard to dental anxiety. 30 3rd-year students (15 male and 15 female) who completed a 4-section questionnaire which requested sociodemographic information, evaluation of parents' dental anxiety, dental anxiety scale (DAS) and dental fear scale (DFS), completed the DAS and DFS in their 5th and 6th years. Both male and female students estimated their mothers' dental anxiety as significantly higher than their fathers'. Female students ranked their parents higher than males. DAS scores were significantly higher among female students than among males in the 3rd year. However, DAS scores were reduced from the 3rd to the 6th year among the total class and significantly among females, while males' levels of anxiety remained within close range throughout the years. The dental anxiety scores of all students who experienced a dental procedure in the past were higher than the scores of the students who did not. The most fearful stimulus was 'feeling the needle'. Our findings may suggest that the change in the reported dental anxiety of the students during the years of dental studies in the present study may be explained by the increased professional education and clinical experience that the students acquire throughout their studies in the dental school. Being exposed to basic trivial dental procedures (such as local anaesthetic injection) may help students either to be habituated or to use rational coping strategies when dealing with personal dental experience.

Pedagogical Basis of DAS Formalism in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiltunen, J.; Heikkinen, E.-P.; Jaako, J.; Ahola, J.

2011-01-01

The paper presents a new approach for a bachelor-level curriculum structure in engineering. The approach is called DAS formalism according to its three phases: description, analysis and synthesis. Although developed specifically for process and environmental engineering, DAS formalism has a generic nature and it could also be used in other…

14 CFR 21.441 - Procedure manual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... manual. (a) No DAS may exercise any authority under this subpart unless it submits, and obtains approval... limitations or Aircraft Flight Manuals, and sign supplemental type certificates. (b) No DAS may continue to perform any DAS function affected by any change in facilities or staff necessary to continue to meet the...

78 FR 75329 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-11

... Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The NE Multispecies Days-at-Sea (DAS) leasing program was implemented in 2004 as a result of Amendment 13 (69 FR 22906) which substantially reduced the number of DAS available... in DAS, the NE Multispecies Leasing Program was developed to enable [[Page 75330

78 FR 27367 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-10

... Development Team (PDT) meeting; (4) provide a presentation outlining DAS/trip limit options developed by the... (ACT--applying management uncertainty to ACL), the range of DAS/trip limit alternatives (specifications), changes to the permit category H fishery boundary and any other options for DAS changes; (6) discuss...

Verbrennungsmotoren

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiner, Klaus

Das Kapitel "Verbrennungsmotoren" gibt eine Einführung in das wichte und große Gebiet der Verbrennungsmotoren. Leserinnen und Lesern, die noch nie etwas über Verbrennungsmotoren gehört haben, wird empfohlen, zunächst den Abschnitt 1 zu lesen. Dieser ist bewusst einfach und anschaulich geschrieben, um den Zugang zum Thema zu erleichtern. Danach können gezielt weitergehende Informationen in den Abschnitten 2 bis 9 studiert werden. Diese Abschnitte wurden so verfasst, dass man sie nicht nacheinander lesen muss. Grundlage ist jeweils nur der Abschnitt 1. Dieser selbst ist so verfasst, dass das Wichtigste ganz am Anfang steht. Je weiter hinten man in diesem Abschnitt ankommt, umso spezieller werden die Themen. Bei nur begrenztem Interesse an dem Thema Verbrennungsmotoren kann man das Lesen des Abschnitts 1 jederzeit abbrechen und hat trotzdem das bis dahin Wichtigste erfahren.

Ground Motion Analysis of Co-Located DAS and Seismometer Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H. F.; Fratta, D.; Lord, N. E.; Lancelle, C.; Thurber, C. H.; Zeng, X.; Parker, L.; Chalari, A.; Miller, D.; Feigl, K. L.; Team, P.

2016-12-01

The PoroTomo research team deployed 8700-meters of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) cable in a shallow trench and 400-meters in a borehole at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016 together with an array of 246, three-component geophones. The seismic sensors occupied a natural laboratory 1500 x 500 x 400 meters overlying the Brady geothermal field. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100-meters in length and geophones were spaced at approximately 50-m intervals. In several line segments, geophones were co-located within one meter of the DAS cable. Both DAS and the conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 days. A large Vibroseis truck (T-Rex) provided the seismic source at approximately 250 locations outside and within the array. The Vibroseis protocol called for excitation in one vertical and two orthogonal horizontal directions at each location. For each mode, three, 5-to-80-Hz upsweeps were made over 20 seconds. In addition, a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on March 21, 2016. Its epicenter was approximately 150-km away. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to test relationships between the strain rate recorded by DAS and ground velocity recorded by the geophones.

Can people find patient decision aids on the Internet?

PubMed

Morris, Debra; Drake, Elizabeth; Saarimaki, Anton; Bennett, Carol; O'Connor, Annette

2008-12-01

To determine if people could find patient decision aids (PtDAs) on the Internet using the most popular general search engines. We chose five medical conditions for which English language PtDAs were available from at least three different developers. The search engines used were: Google (www.google.com), Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com), and MSN (www.msn.com). For each condition and search engine we ran six searches using a combination of search terms. We coded all non-sponsored Web pages that were linked from the first page of the search results. Most first page results linked to informational Web pages about the condition, only 16% linked to PtDAs. PtDAs were more readily found for the breast cancer surgery decision (our searches found seven of the nine developers). The searches using Yahoo and Google search engines were more likely to find PtDAs. The following combination of search terms: condition, treatment, decision (e.g. breast cancer surgery decision) was most successful across all search engines (29%). While some terms and search engines were more successful, few resulted in direct links to PtDAs. Finding PtDAs would be improved with use of standardized labelling, providing patients with specific Web site addresses or access to an independent PtDA clearinghouse.

Heavy metals in atmospheric surrogate dry deposition

PubMed

Morselli; Cecchini; Grandi; Iannuccilli; Barilli; Olivieri

1999-02-01

This paper describes a methodological approach for the assessment of the amount of surrogate dry deposition of several toxic heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) associated with atmospheric particulate matter at ground level. The objectives of the study were twofold: i) the evaluation of several techniques for the digestion of dry deposition samples for trace metal analysis; ii) the comparison of the results from two samplers with different collecting surfaces. A dry solid surface sampler (DRY sampler, Andersen--USA) and a water layer surface sampler (DAS sampler--MTX Italy) were employed. The samples were collected over a one-year period in an urban site of Bologna (northern Italy). A description is given of the complete procedure, from sampling to data elaboration, including sample storage, digestion and analytical methods. According to the results obtained with three different digestion techniques (Teflon bomb, microwave digester and Teflon flask with vapour cooling system), the highest recovery rate was achieved by the Teflon bomb procedure employing an NBS 1648 Standard Reference Material; 90-95% of the elements considered were recovered by dissolution in a pressurized Teflon bomb with an HNO3-HF mixture. Given these results, the technique was adopted for dry deposition sample digestion. On the basis of the amount of heavy metals measured as monthly deposition fluxes (microg/m2), the collecting efficiency of the DAS sampler for a number of elements was found to be as much as two to three times greater than that of the DRY sampler.

Tissue engineering human small-caliber autologous vessels using a xenogenous decellularized connective tissue matrix approach: preclinical comparative biomechanical studies.

PubMed

Heine, Jörg; Schmiedl, Andreas; Cebotari, Serghei; Karck, Matthias; Mertsching, Heike; Haverich, Axel; Kallenbach, Klaus

2011-10-01

Suggesting that bioartificial vascular scaffolds cannot but tissue-engineered vessels can withstand biomechanical stress, we developed in vitro methods for preclinical biological material testings. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of revitalization of xenogenous scaffolds on biomechanical stability of tissue-engineered vessels. For measurement of radial distensibility, a salt-solution inflation method was used. The longitudinal tensile strength test (DIN 50145) was applied on bone-shaped specimen: tensile/tear strength (SigmaB/R), elongation at maximum yield stress/rupture (DeltaB/R), and modulus of elasticity were determined of native (NAs; n = 6), decellularized (DAs; n = 6), and decellularized carotid arteries reseeded with human vascular smooth muscle cells and human vascular endothelial cells (RAs; n = 7). Radial distensibility of DAs was significantly lower (113%) than for NAs (135%) (P < 0.001) or RAs (127%) (P = 0.018). At levels of 120 mm Hg and more, decellularized matrices burst (120, 160 [n = 2] and 200 mm Hg). Although RAs withstood levels up to 300 mm Hg, ANOVA revealed a significant difference from NA (P = 0.018). Compared with native vessels (NAs), SigmaB/R values were lower in DAs (44%; 57%) (P = 0.014 and P = 0.002, respectively) and were significantly higher in RAs (71%; 83%) (both P < 0.001). Similarly, DeltaB/R values were much higher in DAs compared with NAs (94%; 88%) (P < 0.001) and RAs (87%; 103%) (P < 0.001), but equivalent in NAs and RAs. Modulus of elasticity (2.6/1.1/3.7 to 16.6 N/mm(2)) of NAs, DAs, RAs was comparable (P = 0.088). Using newly developed in vitro methods for small-caliber vascular graft testing, this study proved that revitalization of decellularized connective tissue scaffolds led to vascular graft stability able to withstand biomechanical stress mimicking the human circulation. This tissue engineering approach provides a sufficiently stable autologized graft. © 2011, Copyright the Authors. Artificial Organs © 2011, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

German taxi drivers' experiences and expressions of driving anger: Are the driving anger scale and the driving anger expression inventory valid measures?

PubMed

Brandenburg, Stefan; Oehl, Michael; Seigies, Kristin

2017-11-17

The objective of this article was 2-fold: firstly, we wanted to examine whether the original Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the original Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX) apply to German professional taxi drivers because these scales have previously been given to professional and particularly to nonprofessional drivers in different countries. Secondly, we wanted to examine possible differences in driving anger experience and expression between professional German taxi drivers and nonprofessional German drivers. We applied German versions of the DAS, the DAX, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) to a sample of 138 professional German taxi drivers. We then compared their ratings to the ratings of a sample of 1,136 nonprofessional German drivers (Oehl and Brandenburg n.d. ). Regarding our first objective, confirmatory factor analysis shows that the model fit of the DAS is better for nonprofessional drivers than for professional drivers. The DAX applies neither to professional nor to nonprofessional German drivers properly. Consequently, we suggest modified shorter versions of both scales for professional drivers. The STAXI applies to both professional and nonprofessional drivers. With respect to our second objective, we show that professional drivers experience significantly less driving anger than nonprofessional drivers, but they express more driving anger. We conclude that the STAXI can be applied to professional German taxi drivers. In contrast, for the DAS and the DAX we found particular shorter versions for professional taxi drivers. Especially for the DAX, most statements were too strong for German drivers to agree to. They do not show behaviors related to driving anger expression as they are described in the DAX. These problems with the original American DAX items are in line with several other studies in different countries. Future investigations should examine whether (professional) drivers from further countries express their anger as proposed by the DAX. In addition, professional drivers experience less driving anger (DAS) and less general trait anger (STAXI) than nonprofessional drivers, but they report more driving anger expression (DAX) and more current general state anger (STAXI). Subsequent studies should therefore focus on different types of anger within the group of professional drivers.

The Canadian Methotrexate and Etanercept Outcome Study: a randomised trial of discontinuing versus continuing methotrexate after 6 months of etanercept and methotrexate therapy in rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Pope, Janet E; Haraoui, Boulos; Thorne, J Carter; Vieira, Andrew; Poulin-Costello, Melanie; Keystone, Edward C

2014-01-01

Objective To determine if withdrawing methotrexate (MTX) after 6 months of combination etanercept (ETN)+MTX, in MTX-inadequate responders with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is non-inferior to continuing ETN+MTX. Methods Tumour necrosis factor-inhibitor naïve RA patients with disease activity score 28 (DAS28)≥3.2, swollen joint count≥3, despite stable MTX, were treated with ETN+MTX for 6 months, followed by randomisation to either continue ETN+MTX or switch to ETN monotherapy for an additional 18 months. The primary endpoint was change in DAS28 from 6-month randomisation to 12 months. The non-inferiority margin of change in DAS28 was 0.6, with prespecified analyses (DAS28<3.2 vs DAS28≥3.2). Results 205 patients were randomised. DAS28 was stable in patients on ETN+MTX and increased slightly in patients on ETN monotherapy from 6 to 12 months. Non-inferiority was not achieved, with an adjusted difference of 0.4 (0.1 to 0.7) between the ETN and the ETN+MTX groups, for the month 6–12 change in DAS28. However, patients who achieved low disease activity (LDA; DAS28<3.2) at 6 months had a similar disease activity at 12 months, whether on monotherapy or combination therapy (DAS28 change 0.7 ETN vs 0.57 ETN+MTX, p=0.8148). Conversely, for patients who did not reach LDA at 6 months, those on ETN monotherapy had increased disease activity at 12 months, while disease activity continued to decrease for patients on combination therapy, at 12 months (DAS28 change 0.4 ETN vs −0.4 ETN+MTX, p=0.0023). Conclusions Non-inferiority was not achieved. Withdrawing MTX after 6 months of continuation ETN+MTX in MTX inadequate responders did not yield the same degree of improvement between 6 and 12 months compared with continuing ETN+MTX. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov−NCT00654368. PMID:23979914

System Description for Tank 241-AZ-101 Waste Retrieval Data Acquisition System

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

ROMERO, S.G.

2000-01-10

Describes the hardware and software for the AZ-101 Mixer Pump Data Acquisition System. The purpose of the tank 241-AZ-101 retrieval system Data Acquisition System (DAS) is to provide monitoring and data acquisition of key parameters in order to confirm the effectiveness of the mixer pumps utilized for suspending solids in the tank. The suspension of solids in Tank 241-AZ-101 is necessary for pretreatment of the neutralized current acid waste (NCAW), and eventual disposal as glass via the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant.

Sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis: prevalence, influence of disease activity and associated factors.

PubMed

Ngeuleu, Ange; Allali, F; Medrare, L; Madhi, A; Rkain, H; Hajjaj-Hassouni, N

2017-06-01

Evaluate the prevalence of sarcopenia on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the influence of sarcopenia on disease activity and factors associated with sarcopenia. One hundred and twenty-three patients aged over 18 years with RA based on the 1987 ACR/EULAR classification criteria were enrolled. We performed a whole body DXA scan using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner lunar prodigy to measure fat mass, lean mass, and bone mass in the whole body and body parts. According to the anthropometric equation by Baumgartner et al., sarcopenia was defined as Relative skeletal mass index (RSMI) <5.5 kg/m 2 on women and <7.26 kg/m 2 on men. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were measured and patients were classified according to World Health Organization. Disease activity was evaluated by: disease activity score 28 ESR (DAS28 ESR), disease activity score 28 CRP (DAS28 CRP), clinical disease activity index (CDAI), simplify disease activity index (SDAI). We measured functional disability by Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ). History and previous medication use including steroids were also checked, and comorbidities were recorded. We analyzed the relation between disease parameters and sarcopenia with the r of Pearson and Spearman. Factors associated and related to sarcopenia were assessed using multiple regression analysis and t independent test. We included 123 patients (107 women). 49 subjects (39.8%) where suffering from sarcopenia, of which 40 women. Most of the sarcopenic patients were between 41 and 50 years old. Sarcopenia on female subjects was not related to parameters of disease activity evaluated by DAS 28, CDAI and SDAI. Most of the sarcopenic patients had normal BMI and abnormal waist circumference. In simple regression analysis sarcopenia was related to BMI, DAS 28 ESR, bone erosion, waist circumference and HAQ. In multiple regression analysis, sarcopenia was positively related to an increase cardiometabolic risk [p = 0.025, OR 0.176, CI (0.038-0.980)], normal BMI [p = 0.004, OR 12.3, CI (2.27-67.6)], over fat BMI [p = 0.004, OR 12.3, CI (2.27-67.6)] and bone erosion [p = 0.012, OR 0.057 CI (0.006-0.532)]. No statistical difference was found according to disease duration and steroids use between sarcopenic and non sarcopenic patients. Sarcopenia is prevalent and related to age, bone erosion, normal/over fat BMI and high cardiometabolic risk according to waist circumference but not with disease activity.

Symptoms of depression and anxiety predict treatment response and long-term physical health outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Norton, Sam; Scott, David L.; Steer, Sophia; Hotopf, Matthew

2016-01-01

Objective. The aim of this analysis is to examine the longitudinal impact of symptoms of depression/anxiety on treatment response, long-term disease activity and physical disability in RA. Methods. Secondary analysis of clinical trial data was performed. Data were collected at baseline and at 6-monthly intervals for 2 years. The EuroQoL (EQ-5DTM) indicated depression/anxiety symptom severity. Our primary outcomes of interest were (i) DAS-28 and (ii) physical disability measured via the HAQ. Secondary outcomes were: tender and swollen joint counts, patient global assessment, ESR and odds of reaching clinical remission. Multilevel models were used to assess the impact of baseline and persistent depression/anxiety on outcomes over 2 years. Results. Data from 379 patients were included. After adjusting for covariates, baseline depression/anxiety symptoms were associated with increased DAS-28 outcomes and increased tender joint counts. Persistent depression/anxiety symptoms were associated with increased DAS-28 scores, HAQ scores, tender joint counts and patient global assessment of disease activity, and reduced odds of reaching clinical remission. Patients with symptoms of depression/anxiety at baseline also showed a 50% reduction in prednisolone treatment effect, in comparison with patients with no symptoms of depression/anxiety at baseline. Conclusion. Baseline and persistent symptoms of depression/anxiety are associated with poorer health outcomes over time, as well as reduced treatment response. Mental health should be routinely measured both in clinical practice and in research, and managed alongside rheumatological disease to optimize health outcomes. Further research is required to examine whether treatment of mental disorders can improve rheumatological outcomes. PMID:26350486

Symptoms of depression and anxiety predict treatment response and long-term physical health outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Matcham, Faith; Norton, Sam; Scott, David L; Steer, Sophia; Hotopf, Matthew

2016-02-01

The aim of this analysis is to examine the longitudinal impact of symptoms of depression/anxiety on treatment response, long-term disease activity and physical disability in RA. Secondary analysis of clinical trial data was performed. Data were collected at baseline and at 6-monthly intervals for 2 years. The EuroQoL (EQ-5D(TM)) indicated depression/anxiety symptom severity. Our primary outcomes of interest were (i) DAS-28 and (ii) physical disability measured via the HAQ. Secondary outcomes were: tender and swollen joint counts, patient global assessment, ESR and odds of reaching clinical remission. Multilevel models were used to assess the impact of baseline and persistent depression/anxiety on outcomes over 2 years. Data from 379 patients were included. After adjusting for covariates, baseline depression/anxiety symptoms were associated with increased DAS-28 outcomes and increased tender joint counts. Persistent depression/anxiety symptoms were associated with increased DAS-28 scores, HAQ scores, tender joint counts and patient global assessment of disease activity, and reduced odds of reaching clinical remission. Patients with symptoms of depression/anxiety at baseline also showed a 50% reduction in prednisolone treatment effect, in comparison with patients with no symptoms of depression/anxiety at baseline. Baseline and persistent symptoms of depression/anxiety are associated with poorer health outcomes over time, as well as reduced treatment response. Mental health should be routinely measured both in clinical practice and in research, and managed alongside rheumatological disease to optimize health outcomes. Further research is required to examine whether treatment of mental disorders can improve rheumatological outcomes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology.

Ultrasound-detected subclinical inflammation was better reflected by the disease activity score (DAS-28) in patients with suspicion of inflammatory arthritis compared to established rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Ciurtin, Coziana; Wyszynski, Karol; Clarke, Robert; Mouyis, Maria; Manson, Jessica; Marra, Giampiero

2016-10-01

Limited data are available about the ultrasound (US)-detected inflammatory features in patients with suspicion of inflammatory arthritis (S-IA) vs. established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our study aimed to assess if the presence of power Doppler (PD) can be predicted by a combination of clinical, laboratory and US parameters. We conducted a real-life, retrospective cohort study comparing clinical, laboratory and US parameters of 108 patients with established RA and 93 patients with S-IA. We propose a PD signal prediction model based on a beta-binomial distribution for PD variable using a mix of outcome measures. Patients with RA in clinical remission had significantly more active inflammation and erosions on US when compared with patients with S-IA with similar disease scores (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively); however, RA patients with different disease activity score (DAS-28) scores had similar PD scores (p = 0.058). The PD scores did not correlate with erosions (p = 0.38) or DAS-28 scores (p = 0.28) in RA patients, but they correlated with high disease activity in S-IA patients (p = 0.048). Subclinical inflammation is more common in patients with RA in clinical remission or with low disease activity than in patients with S-IA; therefore, US was more useful in assessing for true remission in RA rather than diagnosing IA in patients with low disease activity scores. This is the first study to propose a PD prediction model integrating several outcome measures in the two different groups of patients. Further research into validating this model can minimise the risk of underdiagnosing subclinical inflammation.

IL-6 pathway-driven investigation of response to IL-6 receptor inhibition in rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Wang, Jianmei; Platt, Adam; Upmanyu, Ruchi; Germer, Søren; Lei, Guiyuan; Rabe, Christina; Benayed, Ryma; Kenwright, Andrew; Hemmings, Andrew; Martin, Mitchell; Harari, Olivier

2013-01-01

Objectives To determine whether heterogeneity in interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 receptor and other components of the IL-6 signalling pathway/network, at the gene, transcript and protein levels, correlate with disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and with clinical response to tocilizumab. Design Biomarker samples and clinical data for five phase 3 trials of tocilizumab were analysed using serum (3751 samples), genotype (927 samples) and transcript (217 samples) analyses. Linear regression was then used to assess the association between these markers and either baseline disease activity or treatment response. Results Higher baseline serum IL-6 levels were significantly associated (p<0.0001) with higher baseline DAS28, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein and Health Assessment Questionnaire in patients whose responses to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD-IR) and to antitumour necrosis factor (aTNF-IR) were inadequate and patients who were naive/responders to methotrexate (MTX). Higher baseline serum IL-6 levels were also significantly associated with better clinical response to tocilizumab (versus placebo) measured by cDAS28 in the pooled DMARD-IR (p<0.0001) and MTX-naive populations (p=0.04). However, the association with treatment response was weak. A threefold difference in baseline IL-6 level corresponded to only a 0.17-unit difference in DAS28 at week 16. IL-6 pathway single nucleotide polymorphisms and RNA levels also were not strongly associated with treatment response. Conclusions Our analyses illustrate that the biological activity of a disease-associated molecular pathway may impact the benefit of a therapy targeting that pathway. However, the variation in pathway activity, as measured in blood, may not be a strong predictor. These data suggest that the major contribution to variability in clinical responsiveness to therapeutics in RA remains unknown. PMID:23959753

24 CFR 17.110 - Determination of indebtedness and appeal from determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... determination. (a) Following the hearing or the review of the record, the DAS or designee will issue a written decision which includes the supporting rationale for the decision. The decision of the DAS or designee is the final agency action with regard to the particular administrative offset. (b) Copies of the DAS...

DAS Boot!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chretien, Wendy

2007-01-01

The residential services group is lobbying to dump its aging hard-wired phone system because students don't use it. The town and campus public safety officials are demanding that their portable two-way radios operate well not only outdoors, but within campus buildings. Students are now expecting text messaging and WiFi service to work everywhere…

Examining a Sample of Black Deaf Individuals on the Deaf Acculturation Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson Schmitt, Shawn S.; Leigh, Irene W.

2015-01-01

The current study sought to identify and analyze how Black deaf and hard-of-hearing people conceptualize their deaf and hard-of-hearing identities. That is, what cultural and linguistic factors are involved and how do they interact? An existing measure of Deaf cultural identity, the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS), was used to evaluate these…

50 CFR 648.90 - NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and specifications, and flexible area action...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., and DAS baselines, adjustments for steaming time, etc.; modifications to capacity measures, such as... time of the overage that triggered the AM. (iv) ACL monitoring—(A) Landings. For the purposes of... which the overage occurred only if there is sufficient time to do so in a manner consistent with the...

Diallylsulfide attenuates excessive collagen production and apoptosis in a rat model of bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis through the involvement of protease activated receptor-2

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

Kalayarasan, Srinivasan, E-mail: kalaivasanbio@gmail.com; Sriram, Narayanan; Soumyakrishnan, Syamala

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) can be a devastating lung disease. It is primarily caused by inflammation leading to severe damage of the alveolar epithelial cells. The pathophysiology of PF is not yet been clearly defined, but studying lung parenchymal injury by involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the activation of protease activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) may provide promising results. PAR-2 is a G-protein coupled receptor is known to play an important role in the development of PF. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory role of diallylsulfide (DAS) against ROS mediated activation of PAR-2 and collagen production accompanied by epithelial cell apoptosis.more » Bleomycin induced ROS levels may prompt to induce the expression of PAR-2 as well as extracellular matrix proteins (ECM), such as MMP 2 and 9, collagen specific proteins HSP-47, α-SMA, and cytokines IL-6, and IL-8RA. Importantly DAS treatment effectively decreased the expression of all these proteins. The inhibitory effect of DAS on profibrotic molecules is mediated by blocking the ROS level. To identify apoptotic signaling as a mediator of PF induction, we performed apoptotic protein expression, DNA fragmentation analysis and ultrastructural details of the lung tissue were performed. DAS treatment restored all these changes to near normalcy. In conclusion, treatment of PF bearing rats with DAS results in amelioration of the ROS production, PAR-2 activation, ECM production, collagen synthesis and alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis during bleomycin induction. We attained the first evidence that treatment of DAS decreases the ROS levels and may provide a potential therapeutic effect attenuating bleomycin induced PF. - Highlights: • DAS inhibits PAR-2 activity; bleomycin stimulates PAR-2 activity. • Increase in PAR-2 activity is correlated with pulmonary fibrosis • DAS reduces pro-inflammatory activity linked to facilitating pulmonary fibrosis. • DAS inhibits apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells.« less

Cytotoxicity of diacetoxyscirpenol is associated with apoptosis by activation of caspase-8 and interruption of cell cycle progression by down-regulation of cdk4 and cyclin B1 in human Jurkat T cells

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

Jun, Do Youn; Institute of Genetic Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu; Kim, Jun Seok

2007-07-15

To understand the mechanism underlying T-cell toxicity of diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) from Fusarium sambucinum, its apoptogenic as well as growth retardation activity was investigated in human Jurkat T cells. Exposure to DAS (0.01-0.15 {mu}M) caused apoptotic DNA fragmentation along with caspase-8 activation, Bid cleavage, mitochondrial cytochrome c release, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and PARP degradation, without any alteration in the levels of Fas or FasL. Under these conditions, necrosis was not accompanied. The cytotoxicity of DAS was not blocked by the anti-Fas neutralizing antibody ZB-4. Although the DAS-induced apoptotic events were completely prevented by overexpression of Bcl-xL, the cells overexpressingmore » Bcl-xL were unable to divide in the presence of DAS, resulting from the failure of cell cycle progression possibly due to down-regulation in the protein levels of cdk4 and cyclin B1. The DAS-mediated apoptosis and activation of caspase-8, -9, and -3 were abrogated by either pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) or caspase-8 inhibitor (z-IETD-fmk). While the DAS-mediated apoptosis and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 were slightly suppressed by the mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibitor (CsA), both caspase-8 activation and Bid cleavage were not affected by CsA. The activated normal peripheral T cells possessed a similar susceptibility to the cytotoxicity of DAS. These results demonstrate that the T-cell toxicity of DAS is attributable to not only apoptosis initiated by caspase-8 activation and subsequent mitochondrion-dependent or -independent activation of caspase cascades, which can be regulated by Bcl-xL, but also interruption of cell cycle progression caused by down-regulation of cdk4 and cyclin B1 proteins.« less

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Combined Therapy of Methotrexate and Etanercept versus Methotrexate as a Mono-Therapy

PubMed Central

Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Blerta; Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Mahmutaj, Vigan

2018-01-01

AIM: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Methotrexate (MTX) alone and combined therapy with Etanercept (ETN) and Methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In the randomised control study, conducted in the period from March 2014 until March 2016, we evaluated the efficacy of the treatment of patients with RA with MTX as monotherapy and combination treatment with MTX and ETN. In the Clinic of Rheumatology in Prishtina, 90 adult patients with RA were treated in combination with ETN (doses of 50 mg subcutaneously/weekly), with oral MTX (doses up to 20 mg weekly), and MTX alone (doses up to 20 mg weekly) during this period of two years. Clinical response was assessed using European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria and the Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Radiographic changes were measured in the beginning and at the end of the study using Larsen’s method. RESULTS: Of the cohort groups of 90 patients, mean age of 55.63, 15 patients, (16.6 %) were treated with combined therapy (ETN plus MTX) and 75 patients (83.3%) with monotherapy (MTX). After two years of treatment the group with combined therapy resulted with improvement of acute phase reactants as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) for the first hour (41.1 vs. 10.3 mm/hour) and C - reactive protein (CRP) (40.8 vs. 6 mg/liter), and compared to the group treated with monotherapy, there were no significant changes (ESR: 45.7 vs 34.3 mm/hour; CRP: 48 vs 24 mg/liter). Before the treatment, the severity of the disease was high, wherein the group with combined therapy DAS28 was 5.32, compared to the monotherapy group whom DAS28 was 5.90. After 2 years of treatment, we had significant changes in the results of DAS28, wherein the group treated with ETN plus MTX DAS28 was 2.12 ± 0.15, while in the group of patients treated with MTX DAS28 were 3.75 ± 0.39 (t = 13.03; df = 58; p < 0.0001). The group with combined therapy showed no evidence of radiographic progression comparing to the group of patients with monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results achieved during 2 years we can conclude that ETN in combination with MTX reduced disease activity, slowed radiographic progression and improved clinical manifestations more effectively than MTX alone. No serious adverse events were noticed in the group with combination treatment. PMID:29875847

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Combined Therapy of Methotrexate and Etanercept versus Methotrexate as a Mono-Therapy.

PubMed

Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Blerta; Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Mahmutaj, Vigan

2018-05-20

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Methotrexate (MTX) alone and combined therapy with Etanercept (ETN) and Methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the randomised control study, conducted in the period from March 2014 until March 2016, we evaluated the efficacy of the treatment of patients with RA with MTX as monotherapy and combination treatment with MTX and ETN. In the Clinic of Rheumatology in Prishtina, 90 adult patients with RA were treated in combination with ETN (doses of 50 mg subcutaneously/weekly), with oral MTX (doses up to 20 mg weekly), and MTX alone (doses up to 20 mg weekly) during this period of two years. Clinical response was assessed using European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria and the Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Radiographic changes were measured in the beginning and at the end of the study using Larsen's method. Of the cohort groups of 90 patients, mean age of 55.63, 15 patients, (16.6 %) were treated with combined therapy (ETN plus MTX) and 75 patients (83.3%) with monotherapy (MTX). After two years of treatment the group with combined therapy resulted with improvement of acute phase reactants as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) for the first hour (41.1 vs. 10.3 mm/hour) and C - reactive protein (CRP) (40.8 vs. 6 mg/liter), and compared to the group treated with monotherapy, there were no significant changes (ESR: 45.7 vs 34.3 mm/hour; CRP: 48 vs 24 mg/liter). Before the treatment, the severity of the disease was high, wherein the group with combined therapy DAS28 was 5.32, compared to the monotherapy group whom DAS28 was 5.90. After 2 years of treatment, we had significant changes in the results of DAS28, wherein the group treated with ETN plus MTX DAS28 was 2.12 ± 0.15, while in the group of patients treated with MTX DAS28 were 3.75 ± 0.39 (t = 13.03; df = 58; p < 0.0001). The group with combined therapy showed no evidence of radiographic progression comparing to the group of patients with monotherapy. Based on our results achieved during 2 years we can conclude that ETN in combination with MTX reduced disease activity, slowed radiographic progression and improved clinical manifestations more effectively than MTX alone. No serious adverse events were noticed in the group with combination treatment.

Assessment of risk of falls in elderly living at home.

PubMed

Smith, Adriana de Azevedo; Silva, Antonia Oliveira; Rodrigues, Rosalina Aparecida Partezani; Moreira, Maria Adelaide Silva Paredes; Nogueira, Jordana de Almeida; Tura, Luiz Fernando Rangel

2017-04-06

to assess the risk of falls in elderly, by comparing the sociodemographic and cognitive factors, history of falls and self-reported comorbidities. cross-sectional and quantitative study with 240 elderly. Data were collected based on the social profile, through the instrument of risk of falls and assessment of falls, by univariate analysis, bivariate and multiple logistic regression. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 was used for statistical analysis. there was a significant association of the risk of falls, as measured by the Fall Risk Score, with sex (<0.001), age (0.054), cognitive status (<0.001) and history of falls (<0.001). All variables were statistically significant and contributed to the occurrence of falls. In logistic regression, the variables that showed association with risk of falls were: fall, with whom they live, hypertension and visual impairment. female gender, older elderly (over 80 years old), with low cognitive status and occurrence of previous falls in the last six months are factors that increase the prevalence of falls. In logistic regression, the variables that were associated with risk of falls were: fall, with whom they live, visual impairment and rheumatologic diseases. avaliar o risco de quedas em idosos, comparando com os fatores sóciodemográficos, cognitivos, presença de quedas e co-morbidades autorreferidas. Estudo transversal e quantitativo com 240 idosos. Os dados foram coletados a partir do perfil social, instrumento do risco de quedas e avaliação de quedas, utilizando análise univariada, bivariada e regressão logística múltipla. Para a análise estatística, utilizou-se o Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versão 19. há associação entre o risco de quedas, mensurado pelo Fall Risk Score, com o sexo (<0,001), a faixa etária (0,054), o desempenho cognitivo (<0,001) e a presença de quedas (<0,001). Todas as variáveis apresentaram significância estatística e contribuíram para a ocorrência das quedas. Na regressão logística, as variáveis que apresentaram associação com o risco de quedas foram: queda, com quem mora, hipertensão arterial e déficit visual. sexo feminino, idoso mais velho (acima de 80 anos), com baixo desempenho cognitivo e apresentar quedas anteriores nos últimos seis meses, aumentam a prevalência de quedas. Na regressão logística, as variáveis que apresentaram associação com o risco de quedas foram: queda, com quem mora, visão prejudicada e doenças reumatológicas. evaluar el riesgo de caídas del adulto mayor, mediante la comparación de los factores cognitivos y sociodemográficos, antecedentes de caídas y comorbilidades auto-reportadas. estudio transversal y cuantitativo con 240 adultos mayores. Los datos fueron recolectados utilizando instrumento del riesgo de caídas y evaluación de caídas, mediante el análisis univariado, bivariado y regresión logística múltiple. Para el anpalisis estadístico, fue utilizado software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versión 19, se utilizó en el análisis estadístico. hay una asociación significativa del riesgo de caídas, medido por el Fall Risk Score, con el sexo (<0.001), la edad (0.054), el desempeño cognitivo (<0.001) y los antecedentes de caídas (<0.001). Todas las variables fueron estadísticamente significativas y contribuyeron a la ocurrencia de caídas. En la regresión logística, las variables que mostraron asociación con el riesgo de caídas fueron: caída, con quien viven, hipertensión y discapacidad visual. sexo femenino, adulto mayor de edad más avanzada (más de 80 años de edad), bajo desempeño cognitivo, y antecedentes de caídas en los últimos seis meses son factores que aumentan la prevalencia de caídas. En la regresión logística, las variables que mostraron asociación con el riesgo de caídas fueron: caída, con quien vive, discapacidad visual y enfermedades reumáticas.

Transport in 2D Systems in the So-Called Metallic Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das Sarma, Sankar

2001-03-01

I will discuss electronic transport in 2D semiconductor systems at low temperatures and densities. In particular, I will consider effects of screening,electron-impurity and electron-phonon interactions, and an external parallel magnetic field on the 2D temperature and density dependent conductivity. I will show that a theory [1] recently developed by Euyheon Hwang and myself may qualitatively account for much of the observed temperature, density, and field dependence of the 2D "metallic" conductivity for electrons in Si MOSFETs and n-GaAs heterostructures, and for holes in Si-Ge heterostructures and p-GaAs systems. I will provide a critique, based on the available experimental data and exact numerical simulations [2] of the Anderson-Hubbard-Mott model, of whether the 2D M-I-T phenomenon is likely to be the high temperature behavior of a T=0 quantum phase transition or the low temperature manifestation of a high-temperature semiclassical transition. Work supported by the US-ONR and the US-ARO. [1] S.Das Sarma and E.H.Hwang,PRL83,164(1999);84,5596(2000); Phys. Rev. B61, R7838(2000). [2] R. Kotlyar and S. Das Sarma, cond-mat/0002304.

The Trigger and Data Acquisition System for the 8 tower subsystem of the KM3NeT detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzali, M.; Chiarusi, T.; Favaro, M.; Giacomini, F.; Margiotta, A.; Pellegrino, C.

2016-07-01

KM3NeT is a deep-sea research infrastructure being constructed in the Mediterranean Sea. It will host a large Cherenkov neutrino telescope that will collect photons emitted along the path of the charged particles produced in neutrino interactions in the vicinity of the detector. The philosophy of the DAQ system of the detector foresees that all data are sent to shore after a proper sampling of the photomultiplier signals. No off-shore hardware trigger is implemented and a software selection of the data is performed with an on-line Trigger and Data Acquisition System (TriDAS) to reduce the large throughput due to the environmental light background. A first version of the TriDAS has been developed to operate a prototype detection unit deployed in March 2013 in the abyssal site of Capo Passero (Sicily, Italy), about 3500 m deep. A revised and improved version has been developed to meet the requirements of the final detector, using new tools and modern design solutions. First installation and scalability tests have been performed at the Bologna Common Infrastructure and results comparable to what expected have been observed.

Das US-Fachinformationssystem ERIC und die Entwicklung eines Fachinformationssystems Bildung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (The American Subject Information System ERIC and the Development of an Information System on Education in the German Federal Republic).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nachrichten fur Dokumentation, 1982

1982-01-01

In order to further develop West German information services for education, it is suggested that the ERIC structural model--a coordinating central office and a network of clearinghouses--be developed as a continuation of the existing "Dokumentationsring Padagogik" (DOPAED) documentation service. (16 references) (EJS)

Infinitesimal Bäcklund Transformation and Conservation Laws for Non-autonomous Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahato, G.; Chowdhury, A. Roy

We have observed that it is possible to extend the concept of the infinitesimal Bäcklund transformation of Steudel to the case of non-autonomous systems. We have discussed the situation with the cylindrical KdV as example. The interesting point to note is that though the B.T. for Ckdv does not possess the usual property of generating one soliton in a single operation, yet it generates an infinite number of symmetries, which corroborates with those obtained through the expansion of the resolvant of the linear operator associated with the equation.Translated AbstractInfinitesimale Bäcklund-Transformation und Erhaltungsgesetze nichtautonomer SystemeWir finden, daß es möglich ist, das Steudelsche Konzept der infinitesimalen Bäcklund-Transformation auf den Fall nichtautonomer Systeme zu übertragen. Als ein Beispiel wird die Situation bei einer zylindrischen KdV-Gleichung pehandelt. Der interessante Punkt ist dabei, daß die Bäcklund-Transformation - obwohl sie für die zylindrische KdV-Gleichung die übliche Eigenschaft, ein Soliton durch eine einzige Operation zu erzeugen, nicht besitzt - doch eine unendliche Zahl von Symmetrien erzeugt. Das bestätigt die Ergebnisse, die man durch Entwicklung der Resolvente des mit der Gleichung verknüpften linearen Operators erhält.

Common Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) Software Development for Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) Test Facilities - A General Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebert, Phillip W., Sr.; Hughes, Mark S.; Davis, Dawn M.; Turowski, Mark P.; Holladay, Wendy T.; Marshall, PeggL.; Duncan, Michael E.; Morris, Jon A.; Franzl, Richard W.

2012-01-01

The advent of the commercial space launch industry and NASA's more recent resumption of operation of Stennis Space Center's large test facilities after thirty years of contractor control resulted in a need for a non-proprietary data acquisition system (DAS) software to support government and commercial testing. The software is designed for modularity and adaptability to minimize the software development effort for current and future data systems. An additional benefit of the software's architecture is its ability to easily migrate to other testing facilities thus providing future commonality across Stennis. Adapting the software to other Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) Centers such as MSFC, White Sands, and Plumbrook Station would provide additional commonality and help reduce testing costs for NASA. Ultimately, the software provides the government with unlimited rights and guarantees privacy of data to commercial entities. The project engaged all RPT Centers and NASA's Independent Verification & Validation facility to enhance product quality. The design consists of a translation layer which provides the transparency of the software application layers to underlying hardware regardless of test facility location and a flexible and easily accessible database. This presentation addresses system technical design, issues encountered, and the status of Stennis' development and deployment.

Middle Atmospheric Transport Properties of Assimilated Datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pawson, Steven; Rood, Richard

1999-01-01

One of the most compelling reasons for performing data assimilation in the middle atmosphere is to obtain global, balanced datasets for studies of trace gas transport and chemistry. This is a major motivation behind the Goddard Earth observation System-Data Assimilation System (GEOS-DAS). Previous studies have shown that while this and other data assimilation systems can generally obtain good estimates of the extratropical rotational velocity field, the divergent part of the dynamical field is deficient; this impacts the "residual circulation" and leads to spurious trace gas transport on seasonal and interannual timescales. These problems are impacted by the quality and the method of use of the observational data and by deficiencies in the atmospheric general circulation model. Whichever the cause at any place and time, the "solution" is to introduce non-physical forcing terms into the system (the so-called incremental analysis updates); these can directly (thermal) or indirectly (mechanical) affect the residual circulation. This paper will illustrate how the divergent circulation is affected by deficiencies in both observations and models. Theoretical considerations will be illustrated with examples from the GEOS-DAS and from simplified numerical experiments. These are designed to isolate known problems, such as the inability of models to sustain a quasi-biennial oscillation and sparse observational constraints on tropical dynamics, or radiative inconsistencies in the presence of volcanic aerosols.

Middle Atmosphere Transport Properties of Assimilated Datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pawson, Steven; Rood, Richard

1999-01-01

One of the most compelling reasons for performing data assimilation in the middle atmosphere is to obtain global, balanced datasets for studies of trace gas transport and chemistry. This is a major motivation behind the Goddard Earth observation System-Data Assimilation System (GEOS-DAS). Previous studies have shown that while this and other data assimilation systems can generally obtain good estimates of the extratropical rotational velocity field, the divergent part of the dynamical field is deficient; this impacts the "residual circulation" and leads to spurious trace gas transport on seasonal and interannual timescales. These problems are impacted by the quality and the method of use of the observational data and by deficiencies in the atmospheric general circulation model. Whichever the cause at any place and time, the "solution" is to introduce non-physical forcing terms into the system (the so-called incremental analysis updates); these can directly (thermal) or indirectly (mechanical) affect the residual circulation. This paper will illustrate how the divergent circulation is affected by deficiencies in both observations and models. Theoretical considerations will be illustrated with examples from the GEOS-DAS and from simplified numerical experiments. These are designed to isolate known problems, such as the inability of models to sustain a quasi-biennial oscillation and sparse observational constraints on tropical dynamics, or radiative inconsistencies in the presence of volcanic aerosols.

Garlic Extract Diallyl Sulfide (DAS) Activates Nuclear Receptor CAR to Induce the Sult1e1 Gene in Mouse Liver

PubMed Central

Sueyoshi, Tatsuya; Green, William D.; Vinal, Kellie; Woodrum, Tyler S.; Moore, Rick; Negishi, Masahiko

2011-01-01

Constituent chemicals in garlic extract are known to induce phase I and phase II enzymes in rodent livers. Here we have utilized Car +/+ and Car −/− mice to demonstrate that the nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR regulated the induction of the estrogen sulfotransferase Sult1e1 gene by diallyl sulfide (DAS) treatment in mouse liver. DAS treatment caused CAR accumulation in the nucleus, resulting in a remarkable increase of SULT1E1 mRNA (3,200 fold) and protein in the livers of Car +/+ females but not of Car −/− female mice. DAS also induced other CAR-regulated genes such as Cyp2b10, Cyp3a11 and Gadd45β. Compared with the rapid increase of these mRNA levels, which began as early as 6 hourrs after DAS treatment, the levels of SULT1E1 mRNA began increasing after 24 hours. This slow response to DAS suggested that CAR required an additional factor to activate the Sult1e1 gene or that this activation was indirect. Despite the remarkable induction of SULT1E1, there was no decrease in the serum levels of endogenous E2 or increase of estrone sulfate while the clearance of exogenously administrated E2 was accelerated in DAS treated mice. PMID:21698271

Protective Effects of Diallyl Sulfide against Thioacetamide-Induced Toxicity: A Possible Role of Cytochrome P450 2E1.

PubMed

Kim, Nam Hee; Lee, Sangkyu; Kang, Mi Jeong; Jeong, Hye Gwang; Kang, Wonku; Jeong, Tae Cheon

2014-02-01

Effects of diallyl sulfide (DAS) on thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity and immunotoxicity were investigated. When male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated orally with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of DAS in corn oil for three consecutive days, the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1-selective p-nitrophenol hydroxylase was dose-dependently suppressed. In addition, the activities of CYP 2B-selective benzyloxyresorufin O-debenzylase and pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase were significantly induced by the treatment with DAS. Western immunoblotting analyses also indicated the suppression of CYP 2E1 protein and/or the induction of CYP 2B protein by DAS. To investigate a possible role of metabolic activation by CYP enzymes in thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity, rats were pre-treated with 400 mg/kg of DAS for 3 days, followed by a single intraperitoneal treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg of thioacetamide in saline for 24 hr. The activities of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase significantly elevated by thioacetamide were protected in DAS-pretreated animals. Likewise, the suppressed antibody response to sheep erythrocytes by thioacetamide was protected by DAS pretreatment in female BALB/c mice. Taken together, our present results indicated that thioacetamide might be activated to its toxic metabolite(s) by CYP 2E1, not by CYP 2B, in rats and mice.

Switching from an oral dopamine receptor agonist to rotigotine transdermal patch: a review of clinical data with a focus on patient perspective.

PubMed

Chung, Sun Ju; Asgharnejad, Mahnaz; Bauer, Lars; Benitez, Arturo; Boroojerdi, Babak; Heidbrede, Tanja; Little, Allison; Kim, Han Joon

2017-07-01

Dopamine receptor agonists (DAs) are commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) and restless legs syndrome (RLS). In certain situations, switching from oral DAs to rotigotine transdermal patch may be beneficial for the patient (e.g., optimal symptom control/side effects/perioperative management, preference for once-daily/non-oral administration, RLS augmentation treatment). Areas covered: This narrative review summarizes available data on DA dose equivalency, dose conversions, switching schedules, safety, tolerability, efficacy and patient treatment preferences of switching from oral DAs to rotigotine (and vice versa) in patients with PD/RLS. The studies were identified in a PubMed search (up to 8 November 2016) using terms ('dopamine receptor agonist' OR 'rotigotine') AND 'switch'. Expert commentary: Randomized controlled studies often do not address the challenges clinicians face in practice, e.g., switching medications within the same class when dosing is not a one-to-one ratio. The authors describe three open-label studies in PD where oral DAs were successfully switched to rotigotine, and review three studies in RLS where oral DAs/levodopa were switched to rotigotine. Finally, the authors provide a suggested tool for switching from oral DAs to rotigotine, which includes dose conversion factors and switching schedules. The authors' view is that low-dose oral DAs (equivalent to ≤8 mg/24 h rotigotine) may be switched overnight.

Garlic extract diallyl sulfide (DAS) activates nuclear receptor CAR to induce the Sult1e1 gene in mouse liver.

PubMed

Sueyoshi, Tatsuya; Green, William D; Vinal, Kellie; Woodrum, Tyler S; Moore, Rick; Negishi, Masahiko

2011-01-01

Constituent chemicals in garlic extract are known to induce phase I and phase II enzymes in rodent livers. Here we have utilized Car(+/+) and Car(-/-) mice to demonstrate that the nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR regulated the induction of the estrogen sulfotransferase Sult1e1 gene by diallyl sulfide (DAS) treatment in mouse liver. DAS treatment caused CAR accumulation in the nucleus, resulting in a remarkable increase of SULT1E1 mRNA (3,200 fold) and protein in the livers of Car(+/+) females but not of Car(-/-) female mice. DAS also induced other CAR-regulated genes such as Cyp2b10, Cyp3a11 and Gadd45β. Compared with the rapid increase of these mRNA levels, which began as early as 6 hours after DAS treatment, the levels of SULT1E1 mRNA began increasing after 24 hours. This slow response to DAS suggested that CAR required an additional factor to activate the Sult1e1 gene or that this activation was indirect. Despite the remarkable induction of SULT1E1, there was no decrease in the serum levels of endogenous E2 or increase of estrone sulfate while the clearance of exogenously administrated E2 was accelerated in DAS treated mice.

75 FR 2111 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-14

... catch targets and associated days-at-sea (DAS) and trip limits for the directed fishery to supplant the... their allocated groundfish DAS, to require all limited access monkfish vessels to use a VMS when on a monkfish DAS, and to allow the landing of monkfish heads. The public hearing document, as well as the draft...

75 FR 45098 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-02

... outside of the limited access scallop days-at-sea (DAS) program and the sea scallop access area...-day trip for 28 total DAS. The vessels would deploy both dredges simultaneously in 12 30-minute tows... commercial fishing vessels to fish outside of the limited access Atlantic sea scallop days at sea (DAS...

78 FR 42890 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery and Northeast...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

... Council (Council), was to set specifications for the scallop fishery, including days-at-sea (DAS.... Correction This action revises the table at Sec. 648.53(b)(4) to correctly reference the FY 2014 DAS... the FY 2014 DAS allocations outlined in Joint Framework 24/49, the table in the final rule...

50 CFR 648.92 - Effort-control program for monkfish limited access vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... may not fish for, possess, retain, or land monkfish, except during a DAS as allocated under and in accordance with the applicable DAS program described in this section, except as otherwise provided in this... limited access monkfish vessel that has unused monkfish DAS on the last day of April of any year may carry...

77 FR 26704 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies, Monkfish, Atlantic Sea...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-07

... fishing vessels to receive a credit of days-at-sea (DAS) under certain circumstances. A detailed explanation regarding the DAS credit provision is in the final rule and is not repeated here. The information collection requirements associated with the DAS credit provision were published at Sec. Sec. 648.53, 648.82...

76 FR 16614 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-24

... would grant exemptions from monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) possession limits. Regulations under the Magnuson...)(v). Pending a final award by NOAA Grants, GMRI has been awarded 368 monkfish DAS under the Monkfish... DAS possession limits at 50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) and (2). The applicant stated that these exemptions would...

50 CFR 648.53 - Acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ... limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ). (a... process specified in § 648.55 and is equal to the overall scallop fishery ACL. The ABC/ACL shall be...

50 CFR 648.53 - Acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ... limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ). (a... process specified in § 648.55 and is equal to the overall scallop fishery ACL. The ABC/ACL shall be...

Psychometric Properties of the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS) for Behavior Problems: An Independent Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsakanikos, Elias; Underwood, Lisa; Sturmey, Peter; Bouras, Nick; McCarthy, Jane

2011-01-01

The present study employed the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS) to assess problem behaviors in a large sample of adults with ID (N = 568) and evaluate the psychometric properties of this instrument. Although the DAS problem behaviors were found to be internally consistent (Cronbach's [alpha] = 0.87), item analysis revealed one weak item…

Ambient Vehicular Noise recorded on a 2D Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing Array :Applications to Permafrost Thaw Detection and Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Lindsey, N.; Wagner, A. M.; Dou, S.; Martin, E. R.; Ekblaw, I.; Ulrich, C.; James, S. R.; Freifeld, B. M.; Daley, T. M.

2016-12-01

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is a recently developed technique that allows the spatially dense ( 1m) continuous recording of seismic signals on long strands of commercial fiber optic cables. The availability of continuous recording on dense arrays offers unique possibilities for long-term timelapse monitoring of environmental processes in arctic environments. In the absence of a repeatable semi-permanent seismic source, the use of ambient surface wave noise from infrastructure use (e.g. moving vehicles) for seismic imaging allows tomographic monitoring of evolving subsurface systems. Challenges in such scenarios include (1) the processing requirements for dense (1000+ channel) arrays recording weeks to months of seismic data, (2) appropriate methods to retrieve empirical noise correlation functions (NCFs) in environments with non-optimal array geometries and both coherent as well as incoherent noise, and (3) semi-automated approaches to invert timelapse NCFs for near-surface soil properties.We present an exploratory study of data from a sparse 2D DAS array acquisition on 4000 linear meters of trenched fiber deployed in 10 crossing profiles. The dataset, collected during July and August of 2016, covers a zone of permafrost undergoing a controlled thaw induced by an array of resistive heaters. The site, located near a heavily used road, has a high level of infrastructure noise but exhibits distance-dependent variation in both noise amplitude and spectrum. We apply seismic interferometry to retrieve the empirical NCF across array subsections, and use collocated geophone and broadband sensors to measure the NCF against the true impulse response function of the medium. We demonstrate that the combination of vehicle tracking and data windowing allows improved reconstruction of stable NCFs appropriate for dispersion analysis and inversion. We also show both spatial and temporal patterns of background noise at the site using 2D beamforming and spectral analysis. Our results suggest that valuable information can be extracted from ambient noise recorded with DAS, particularly in the context of monitoring transformations in cold region environments.

Efficacy of Soybean’s Event DAS-81419-2 Expressing Cry1F and Cry1Ac to Manage Key Tropical Lepidopteran Pests Under Field Conditions in Brazil

PubMed Central

Marques, L H; Castro, B A; Rossetto, J; Silva, O A B N; Moscardini, V F; Zobiole, L H S; Santos, A C; Valverde-Garcia, P; Babcock, J M; Rule, D M; Fernandes, O A

2016-01-01

Abstract Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) event DAS-81419-2 (Conkesta technology) in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, expresses Cry1F and Cry1Ac proteins to provide protection from feeding by several lepidopteran pests. A total of 27 field experiments across nine locations were conducted from 2011 to 2015 in southern and central Brazil to characterize the efficacy of DAS-81419-2 soybean infested with Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) during vegetative (V4) and reproductive (R2 and R4) crop developmental stages. The efficacy of DAS-81419-2 was compared to that of a non-Bt isogenic variety managed with or without applications of commercial foliar insecticides for lepidopteran control. DAS-81419-2 soybean consistently experienced defoliation levels of 0.5% or less (compared with 20.05–56.74% in the non-Bt, nonsprayed treatment) and larval survival of < 0.1% in all four species across the vegetative and reproductive plant stages evaluated. The efficacy of DAS-81419-2 was significantly higher than commercial foliar insecticides applied to the non-Bt variety. DAS-81419-2 soybeans containing two highly effective Bt proteins are expected to be a more robust IRM tool compared to single-trait Bt technologies. The consistent efficacy of DAS-81419-2 soybeans across years, locations, and crop stages suggests that it will be a valuable product for management of hard-to-control key lepidopteran pests in South American soybean production. PMID:27401112

Prevalence of mabDAS-1 positivity in biopsy specimens from the esophagogastric junction.

PubMed

Rogge-Wolf, Claudia; Seldenrijk, Cornelis A; Das, Kiron M; Timmer, Robin; Breumelhof, Ronald; Smout, André J P M; Amenta, Peter S; Griffel, Louis H

2002-12-01

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a precursor for malignancies at the esophagogastric junction. A monoclonal antibody, mAbDAS-1, can probably identify cellular characteristics of IM before the appearance of goblet cells. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of mAbDAS-1 positivity in biopsies from the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) and to correlate this positivity with the presence of IM and clinical findings. In 559 patients, reflux symptoms were scored, and the presence of reflux esophagitis and hiatus hernia was evaluated during endoscopy. Two biopsy specimens were obtained from the SCJ. In a subset of patients (n = 99), biopsies from the endoscopically defined cardiac region (2 cm distal to proximal margin of gastric folds) were available. Biopsy specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Alcian Blue, modified Giemsa, and mAbDAS-1. mAbDAS-1 positivity was observed in the SCJ biopsies of 201 of 486 (41.4%) patients without IM and in 64 of 73 (87.7%) patients with IM. Patients without IM but with antibody positivity showed similar histological characteristics as patients with IM at the SCJ. Biopsies of 123 of 559 patients (22%) revealed a columnar-cuboidal epithelium, which was found to be mAbDAS-1 positive in 64.2% (77 of 123). Tissue specimens from the cardiac region without IM stained positive in 14.2% (13 of 91), 12 of those also stained at the SCJ. In patients without IM, a high prevalence of mAbDAS-1 positivity was observed. Biopsies of these patients showed similar histological characteristics as patients with IM. Although not all patients exhibiting this reactivity may develop IM, mAbDAS-1 reactivity may help in the understanding of the histogenesis of IM at the SCJ.

Exploring Provider Reactions to Decision Aid Distribution and Shared Decision Making: Lessons from Two Specialties.

PubMed

Hsu, Clarissa; Liss, David T; Frosch, Dominick L; Westbrook, Emily O; Arterburn, David

2017-01-01

A critical component of shared decision making (SDM) is the role played by health care providers in distributing decision aids (DAs) and initiating SDM conversations. Existing literature indicates that decisions about designing and implementing DAs must take provider perspectives into account. However, little is known about how differences in provider attitudes across specialties may impact DA implementation and how provider attitudes may shift after DA implementation. Group Health's Decision Aid Implementation project was carried out in six specialties using 12 video-based DAs for preference-sensitive conditions; this study focused on two of the six specialties. In-depth, qualitative interviews with specialty care providers in two specialties-orthopedics and cardiology-at two time points during DA implementation. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. We interviewed 19 care providers in orthopedics and cardiology. All respondents believed that providing patients with accurate information on their health conditions and treatment options was important and that most patients wanted an active role in decision making. However, respondents diverged in decision-making styles and views on the practicality and appropriateness of using the DAs and SDM. For example, cardiology specialists were ambivalent about DAs for coronary artery disease because many viewed DAs and SDM as unnecessary or inappropriate for this clinical condition. Provider attitudes towards DAs and SDM were generally stable over two years. Limitations include a lack of patient perspectives, social desirability bias, and possible selection bias. Successfully implementing DAs in clinical practice to promote SDM requires addressing individual provider attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of SDM by specialty. During DA development and implementation, providers should be asked for input about the specific conditions and care processes that are most appropriate for SDM. © The Author(s) 2016.

Improvements to NASA's Debris Assessment Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Opiela, J.; Johnson, Nicholas L.

2007-01-01

NASA's Debris Assessment Software (DAS) has been substantially revised and expanded. DAS is designed to assist NASA programs in performing orbital debris assessments, as described in NASA s Guidelines and Assessment Procedures for Limiting Orbital Debris. The extensive upgrade of DAS was undertaken to reflect changes in the debris mitigation guidelines, to incorporate recommendations from DAS users, and to take advantage of recent software capabilities for greater user utility. DAS 2.0 includes an updated environment model and enhanced orbital propagators and reentry-survivability models. The ORDEM96 debris environment model has been replaced by ORDEM2000 in DAS 2.0, which is also designed to accept anticipated revisions to the environment definition. Numerous upgrades have also been applied to the assessment of human casualty potential due to reentering debris. Routines derived from the Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool, Version 6 (ORSAT 6), determine which objects are assessed to survive reentry, and the resulting risk of human casualty is calculated directly based upon the orbital inclination and a future world population database. When evaluating reentry risks, the user may enter up to 200 unique hardware components for each launched object, in up to four nested levels. This last feature allows the software to more accurately model components that are exposed below the initial breakup altitude. The new DAS 2.0 provides an updated set of tools for users to assess their mission s compliance with the NASA Safety Standard and does so with a clear and easy-to-understand interface. The new native Microsoft Windows graphical user interface (GUI) is a vast improvement over the previous DOS-based interface. In the new version, functions are more-clearly laid out, and the GUI includes the standard Windows-style Help functions. The underlying routines within the DAS code are also improved.

The DAS28-ESR cutoff value necessary to achieve remission under the new Boolean-based remission criteria in patients receiving tocilizumab.

PubMed

Hirabayashi, Yasuhiko; Ishii, Tomonori

2013-01-01

To seek the cutoff value of the 28-joint disease activity score using erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) that is necessary to achieve remission under the new Boolean-based criteria, we analyzed the data for 285 patients with rheumatoid arthritis registered between May 2008 and November 2009 by the Michinoku Tocilizumab Study Group and observed for 1 year after receiving tocilizumab (TCZ) in real clinical practice. Remission rates under the DAS28-ESR criteria and the Boolean criteria were assessed every 6 months after the first TCZ dose. The DAS28-ESR cutoff value necessary to achieve remission under the new criteria was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Data were analyzed using last observation carried forward. After 12 months of TCZ use, remission was achieved in 164 patients (57.5 %) by DAS28-ESR and 71 patients (24.9 %) under the new criteria for clinical trials. CRP levels scarcely affected remission rates, and the difference between remission rates defined by DAS28-ESR and by the new criteria was mainly due to patient global assessment (PGA). Improvement of PGA was inversely related to disease duration. ROC analysis revealed that the DAS28-ESR cutoff value necessary to predict remission under the new criteria for clinical trials was 1.54, with a sensitivity of 88.7 %, specificity of 85.5 %, positive predictive value of 67.0 %, and negative predictive value of 95.8 %. A DAS28-ESR cutoff value of 1.54 may be reasonable to predict achievement of remission under the new Boolean-based criteria for clinical trials in patients receiving TCZ.

Trajectories to seeking demedicalised assistance in suicide: a qualitative in-depth interview study.

PubMed

Hagens, Martijn; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje D; Pasman, H Roeline W

2017-08-01

In the Netherlands, people can receive (limited) demedicalised assistance in suicide (DAS)-an option less well known than physician-assisted dying (PAD). This study explores which trajectories people take to seek DAS, through open-coding and inductive analysis of in-depth interviews with 17 people who receive(d) DAS from counsellors facilitated by foundation De Einder. People sought DAS as a result of current suffering or as a result of anticipating possible prospective suffering. People with current suffering were unable or assumed they would be unable to obtain PAD. For people anticipating possible prospective suffering, we distinguished two trajectories. In one trajectory, people preferred PAD but were not reassured of help by the physician in due time and sought DAS as a backup plan. In the other trajectory, people expressed a preference for DAS mainly as a result of emphasising self-determination, independence, taking their own responsibility and preparing suicide carefully. In all trajectories, dissatisfaction with physician-patient communication-for instance about (a denied request for) PAD or fearing to discuss this-influenced the decision to seek DAS. While PAD is the preferred option of people in two trajectories, obtaining PAD is uncertain and not always possible. Dissatisfaction with physician-patient communication can result in the physician not being involved in DAS, being unable to diagnose diseases and offer treatment nor offer reassurance that people seem to seek. We plea for more mutual understanding, respect and empathy for the limitations and possibilities of the position of the physician and the patient in discussing assistance in dying. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Using gravimetry to probe small to large scale lithospheric structure at Fogo Island (Cape Verde)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, R.; Bos, M. S.; Dumont, S.; Oliveira, C. S.; Miranda, E. H.; Almeida, P. G.

2017-12-01

The Fogo volcano is located on one of the Cape Verde islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Its last eruption was from November 2014 to February 2015 and destroyed two villages. To better understand its volcanic plumbing system, but also its eruptive dynamics that would contribute to hazard assessment and risk mitigation, the project "FIRE - Fogo Island volcano: multi-disciplinary Research on 2014/15 Eruption" was rapidly conceived in collaboration with local institutions. Despite a regular eruptive activity in the last centuries ( 20 years), no magmatic chamber has been evidenced yet and this is what we are investigating using gravimetry in the FIRE project. Approximately 70 relative new gravity observations were made by the C4G mission during the 2014 eruption, using a SCINTREX CG­3M gravimeter. The spacing between observation points was around 5 km for most of the island and around 2 km in Chã das Caldeiras, close to the 2014 eruption vent. In January 2017, 48 additional observations were made which densified the post-eruption observations in Chã das Caldeiras. The exact location of each observation point was determined with an accuracy of <10 cm from co­located GNSS receivers. The gravity residuals are fitted to the predicted gravity effect from modelled magma chambers with various diameters, depths and density contrasts in order to investigate if such a chamber can explain the measurements. A digital terrain model of the island, refined with a high-resolution terrain model of 10m resolution in the Chã das Caldeiras produced as part of the project, will be used to remove the gravitational effect of the topography. In addition, the new gravity observations can be used to improve global geopotential models such as EGM2008/EIGEN6C4 over the island and to compute a new elastic thickness of the crust underneath the island. Pim (2006) estimated that the elastic thickness Te is around 30 km in this region which is normal for the age of lithosphere, suggesting that it has not experienced thermal reheating due to the underlying mantle plume. Our measurements can verify these results. This is a contribution to Project FIRE (PTDC/GEOGEO/1123/2014) and scholarship SFRH/BPD/89923/2012 funded by FCT (Portugal). The GNSS solutions were computed using resources provided by C4G - Collaboratory for Geosciences (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022151).

Prevalence of Dental Anomalies in Odisha Population: A Panoramic Radiographic Study.

PubMed

Goutham, Balasubramanya; Bhuyan, Lipsa; Chinnannavar, Sangamesh N; Kundu, Madhurima; Jha, Kunal; Behura, Shyam S

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental anomalies (DAs) in Odisha population using panoramic radiographs. In this study, 1,080 panoramic radiographs were evaluated for DAs. Dental records were reviewed for diagnostic confirmation. Anomalies related to the shape, size, position of teeth, and number of roots (supernumerary roots) were evaluated. The study results showed the prevalence of DAs to be 35.27%. The most prevalent was dilaceration, which was seen in 46.71% cases followed by peg laterals in 20.99%. Dental anomalies were present in more than one-third of the study group, which was mostly related to shape of the teeth. Early diagnosis of these DAs helps in avoiding complications. Identification of DAs requires proper examination and thereby subsequent correct diagnosis. These anomalies can pose complications in normal functioning of orofacial complex. The knowledge of the prevalence of such anomalies aids dental practitioners for a proper treatment plan.

Moderating influence of dominant attentional style and exercise intensity on responses to asynchronous music.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Jasmin C; Karageorghis, Costas I

2013-12-01

We examined independent and combined influences of asynchronous music and dominant attentional style (DAS) on psychological and psychophysical variables during exercise using mixed methods. Participants (N = 34) were grouped according to DAS and completed treadmill runs at three intensities (low, moderate, high) crossed with three music conditions (motivational, oudeterous, no-music control). State attentional focus shifted from dissociative to associative with increasing intensity and was most aligned with DAS during moderate-intensity exercise. Both music conditions facilitated dissociation at low-to-moderate intensities. At high exercise intensity, both music conditions were associated with reduced RPE among participants with an associative DAS. Dissociators reported higher RPE overall during moderate and high intensities. Psychological responses were most positive in the motivational condition, followed by oudeterous and control. Findings illustrate the relevance of individual differences in DAS as well as task intensity and duration when selecting music for exercise.

Biodegradable packing materials from hydrolysates of collagen waste proteins.

PubMed

Langmaier, F; Mokrejs, P; Kolomaznik, K; Mladek, M

2008-01-01

Enzymatic hydrolysates of waste collagen proteins (H), from current industrial manufacture (leather, edible meat product casings, etc.) of mean molecular mass 20-30 kDa by a reaction with dialdehyde starch (DAS), produces hydrogels applicable as biodegradable (or even edible) packaging materials for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Thermo-reversibility of prepared hydrogels is given by concentrations of H and DAS in a reaction mixture. At concentrations of H 25-30% (w/w) and that of DAS 15-20% (related to weight of hydrolysate), thermo-reversible hydrogels arise, which can be processed into packaging materials by a technique similar to that of soft gelatin capsules (SGC). Exceeding the limit of 20% DAS leads to hydrogels that are thermo-reversible only in part, a further increase in DAS concentration then leads to thermo-irreversible gels whose processing into biodegradable packaging materials necessitates employment of other procedures.

Sonderverfahren des Spritzgießens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaeli, Walther; Lettowsky, Christoph

Das Spritzgießen ist neben der Extrusion das wichtigste Verarbeitungsverfahren für Kunststoffe [1]. Das Verfahren hat sich seit seinen Ursprüngen Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts bis heute stetig weiterentwickelt [2]. In neuerer Zeit steigt die Anzahl komplexer Anwendungen, die die gezielte Kombination verschiedener Funktionalitäten in einem Formteil erfordern. Das Standard-Spritzgießen kann diese Anforderungen immer weniger befriedigen. Daher gewinnen die Sonderverfahren des Spritzgießens zunehmend an Bedeutung [3]. Ihre Anzahl beträgt inzwischen über 100. Die Aufgabe des Anwenders ist es, aus der Vielzahl der möglichen Verfahren, ein anforderungsgerechtes auszuwählen, das sowohl unter technischen wie wirtschaftlichen Gesichtspunkten die optimale Lösung darstellt. Dies setzt die ständige Auseinandersetzung mit Entwicklungstendenzen im Bereich der Spritzgießtechnologie voraus. Daher soll im folgenden Abschnitt ein Überblick über die wichtigsten Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren gegeben werden.

Single-user MIMO versus multi-user MIMO in distributed antenna systems with limited feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Stefan; Heath, Robert W.; Rupp, Markus

2013-12-01

This article investigates the performance of cellular networks employing distributed antennas in addition to the central antennas of the base station. Distributed antennas are likely to be implemented using remote radio units, which is enabled by a low latency and high bandwidth dedicated link to the base station. This facilitates coherent transmission from potentially all available antennas at the same time. Such distributed antenna system (DAS) is an effective way to deal with path loss and large-scale fading in cellular systems. DAS can apply precoding across multiple transmission points to implement single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) and multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) transmission. The throughput performance of various SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO transmission strategies is investigated in this article, employing a Long-Term evolution (LTE) standard compliant simulation framework. The previously theoretically established cell-capacity improvement of MU-MIMO in comparison to SU-MIMO in DASs is confirmed under the practical constraints imposed by the LTE standard, even under the assumption of imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the base station. Because practical systems will use quantized feedback, the performance of different CSI feedback algorithms for DASs is investigated. It is shown that significant gains in the CSI quantization accuracy and in the throughput of especially MU-MIMO systems can be achieved with relatively simple quantization codebook constructions that exploit the available temporal correlation and channel gain differences.

Advanced Self-Calibrating, Self-Repairing Data Acquisition System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Medelius, Pedro J. (Inventor); Eckhoff, Anthony J. (Inventor); Angel, Lucena R. (Inventor); Perotti, Jose M. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

An improved self-calibrating and self-repairing Data Acquisition System (DAS) for use in inaccessible areas, such as onboard spacecraft, and capable of autonomously performing required system health checks, failure detection. When required, self-repair is implemented utilizing a "spare parts/tool box" system. The available number of spare components primarily depends upon each component's predicted reliability which may be determined using Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) analysis. Failing or degrading components are electronically removed and disabled to reduce power consumption, before being electronically replaced with spare components.

75 FR 36559 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Framework Adjustment 21

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-28

... Adjustment if Access Area Yellowtail Flounder (YTF) TAC Is Attained Under the Northeast Multispecies FMP, 10..., Delmarva, and NLAA; and limited access DAS vessels will be compensated 0.10 DAS per DAS fished during... one that would result in a 10-percent shift in baseline effort from the Mid-Atlantic during June 15...

75 FR 21189 - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-23

... days-at-sea (DAS) vessels and a prohibition on the harvest, possession, and landing of Georges Bank (GB... fishing under a NE multispecies DAS to fish in the U.S./Canada Management Area, as defined at Sec. 648.85..../ Canada Area to groundfish DAS vessels and prohibit all vessels from harvesting, possessing, or landing...

50 CFR 648.62 - Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) scallop management area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... vessels fishing under the scallop DAS program shall not be deducted from the NGOM total allowable catch... to § 648.4(a)(2)(i) that have declared a trip under the scallop DAS program, a vessel issued a... pursuant to § 648.4(a)(2)(i) that have properly declared a trip under the scallop DAS program, the combined...

75 FR 80720 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... (GB) when fishing under a groundfish/monkfish DAS; (6) limits on the number of hooks that may be... groundfish/monkfish DAS; (7) limits on the number of hooks that may be fished; and (8) DAS Leasing Program.... 7. Limitation on the Number of Hooks That May Be Fished The GB Cod Fixed Gear Sector was granted an...

Efficiently Assessing Negative Cognition in Depression: An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beevers, Christopher G.; Strong, David R.; Meyer, Bjorn; Pilkonis, Paul A.; Miller, Ivan R.

2007-01-01

Despite a central role for dysfunctional attitudes in cognitive theories of depression and the widespread use of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, form A (DAS-A; A. Weissman, 1979), the psychometric development of the DAS-A has been relatively limited. The authors used nonparametric item response theory methods to examine the DAS-A items and…

Amerikas Einschätzung der deutschen Atomforschung: Das deutsche Uranprojekt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Mark

2002-07-01

Die amerikanischen Wissenschaftler und ihre emigrierten Kollegen, die am Bau der Atombombe beteiligt waren, verfügten über sehr widersprüchliche und großteils falsche Informationen über den Fortschritt des deutschen Uranprogramms. Noch nach Kriegsende lässt sich dies an Aussagen des Leiters der amerikanischen Alsos-Mission, Samuel Goudsmit, festmachen. Tatsächlich war das deutsche Programm hinsichtlich seiner wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen und des Managements nicht so unterlegen, wie vielfach behauptet wurde. Aber die deutschen Behörden waren nicht in der Lage, Geld und Ressourcen in gleichem Maße in das Uranprojekt zu investieren, wie etwa in das Peenemünder Raketenprojekt.

Sensitivity of the model error parameter specification in weak-constraint four-dimensional variational data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Jeremy A.; Daescu, Dacian N.

2017-08-01

This article presents the mathematical framework to evaluate the sensitivity of a forecast error aspect to the input parameters of a weak-constraint four-dimensional variational data assimilation system (w4D-Var DAS), extending the established theory from strong-constraint 4D-Var. Emphasis is placed on the derivation of the equations for evaluating the forecast sensitivity to parameters in the DAS representation of the model error statistics, including bias, standard deviation, and correlation structure. A novel adjoint-based procedure for adaptive tuning of the specified model error covariance matrix is introduced. Results from numerical convergence tests establish the validity of the model error sensitivity equations. Preliminary experiments providing a proof-of-concept are performed using the Lorenz multi-scale model to illustrate the theoretical concepts and potential benefits for practical applications.

Design of a multispectral, wedge filter, remote-sensing instrument incorporating a multiport, thinned, CCD area array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demro, James C.; Hartshorne, Richard; Woody, Loren M.; Levine, Peter A.; Tower, John R.

1995-06-01

The next generation Wedge Imaging Spectrometer (WIS) instruments currently in integration at Hughes SBRD incorporate advanced features to increase operation flexibility for remotely sensed hyperspectral imagery collection and use. These features include: a) multiple linear wedge filters to tailor the spectral bands to the scene phenomenology; b) simple, replaceable fore-optics to allow different spatial resolutions and coverages; c) data acquisition system (DAS) that collects the full data stream simultaneously from both WIS instruments (VNIR and SWIR/MWIR), stores the data in a RAID storage, and provides for down-loading of the data to MO disks; the WIS DAS also allows selection of the spectral band sets to be stored; d) high-performance VNIR camera subsystem based upon a 512 X 512 CCD area array and associated electronics.

[Evaluation of psychological methods for determining the degree of psychological stress in children in dentistry].

PubMed

Milenin, V V; Ostreĭkov, I F; Vasil'ev, Ia I

2014-01-01

The article deals with results of comparative evaluation of system of assessment of children's fear and anxiety in dentistry (SDS test) and other objective and subjective methods for assessing anxiety in pediatric patients. We studied 381 pediatric patients aged from 3 to 7 years. The aim of the study was to prove validity mathematical derived FCD test as a technique of anxiety detection in dentistry. During the study following subjective test were used: MAS, DAS, mYPAS, VAS, STAI, STAIC, EASI, PHBQ, and some history data and stress factors were also considered. Objective data used were vital signs (hemodynamics and respiratory rate). Test SDS has strong correlation with YALE, MAS, DAS, STAIlich, VAS and other parameters such as age, sex, person which is responsible for bringing up a child and so on.

Test Review: C. D. Elliott "Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition." San Antonio, TX--Harcourt Assessment, 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Stephanie; McGoey, Kara E.; Moschos, Susan

2011-01-01

This article presents a review of the Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition (DAS-II), an individually administered cognitive test battery, designed to evaluate children ages 2 years 6 months to 17 years 11 months. It purports to measure a hierarchy of cognitive abilities, including broad abilities contributing to a single cognitive factor…

Der Zitier-Index (Science-Citation-Index): Eine Datenbank fur das Ermitteln von neuen Ideen und Konzepten (The Science Citation Index: A Database for the Discovery of New Ideas and Concepts).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Hans-Reiner; Thormann, K.-D.

This report discusses the use of the Science Citation Index produced by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) as a given "expert system" in the experimental study of different search levels. The inquiry has two objectives: (1) to test whether a "traditional" information system will also produce the rudiments of a…

Involvement of IL-33 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of etanercept on the serum levels of IL-33.

PubMed

Kageyama, Yasunori; Torikai, Eiji; Tsujimura, Kunio; Kobayashi, Masato

2012-02-01

To investigate the role of interleukin (IL)-33 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, we measured the serum levels of IL-33 in RA patients before and after the administration of etanercept. Twenty-four patients with RA were treated with etanercept. Clinical and laboratory examinations, including serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and hemoglobin (Hb); white blood cell (WBC) and red blood cell (RBC) counts; and the Disease Activity Score of 28 joints including CRP (DAS28-CRP), were performed at the baseline and at 3 and 6 months after the initial treatment with etanercept. The mean serum IL-33 levels had decreased significantly at 3 and 6 months after the initial treatment with etanercept. Serum IL-33 levels showed a significant correlation with the number of tender joints, CRP, DAS28-CRP, and the WBC count, and an inverse correlation with the RBC count and Hb level. These findings indicated that the decrease of serum IL-33 levels was a novel function of etanercept, shown for the first time in this study. Measurement of serum levels of IL-33 may become a useful control marker for RA treatment.

Dimensions of driving anger and their relationships with aberrant driving.

PubMed

Zhang, Tingru; Chan, Alan H S; Zhang, Wei

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between driving anger and aberrant driving behaviours. An internet-based questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of Chinese drivers, with driving anger measured by a 14-item short Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the aberrant driving behaviours measured by a 23-item Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the three-factor model (hostile gesture, arrival-blocking and safety-blocking) of the DAS fitted the driving anger data well. The Exploratory Factor Analysis on DBQ data differentiated four types of aberrant driving, viz. emotional violation, error, deliberate violation and maintaining progress violation. For the anger-aberration relation, it was found that only "arrival-blocking" anger was a significant positive predictor for all four types of aberrant driving behaviours. The "safety-blocking" anger revealed a negative impact on deliberate violations, a finding different from previously established positive anger-aberration relation. These results suggest that drivers with different patterns of driving anger would show different behavioural tendencies and as a result intervention strategies may be differentially effective for drivers of different profiles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rheumatoid arthritis and sleep quality.

PubMed

Goes, Ana Claudia Janiszewski; Reis, Larissa Aparecida Busatto; Silva, Marilia Barreto G; Kahlow, Barbara Stadler; Skare, Thelma L

Sleep disturbances are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and contribute to loss of life quality. To study associations of sleep quality with pain, depression and disease activity in RA. This is a transversal observational study of 112 RA patients submitted to measurement of DAS-28, Epworth scale for daily sleepiness, index of sleep quality by Pittsburg index, risk of sleep apnea by the Berlin questionnaire and degree of depression by the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale) questionnaire. We also collected epidemiological, clinical, serological and treatment data. Only 18.5% of RA patients had sleep of good quality. In univariate analysis a bad sleep measured by Pittsburg index was associated with daily doses of prednisone (p=0.03), DAS-28 (p=0.01), CES-D (p=0.0005) and showed a tendency to be associated with Berlin sleep apnea questionnaire (p=0.06). In multivariate analysis only depression (p=0.008) and Berlin sleep apnea questionnaire (p=0.004) kept this association. Most of RA patients do not have a good sleep quality. Depression and risk of sleep apnea are independently associated with sleep impairment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

78 FR 42942 - Clean Water Act Class II: Proposed Administrative Settlement, Penalty Assessment and Opportunity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

... Enforcement. MetroPCS was a wireless telecommunications company that used Distributed Antenna System (DAS) network facilities to provide wider wireless coverage and increase indoor WiFi capacity where alternate... this proposed final order is August 19, 2013. All comments will be transferred to the EAB for...

Buntaro Adachi (1865-1945): Japanese master of human anatomic variation.

PubMed

Watanabe, Koichi; Shoja, Mohammadali M; Loukas, Marios; Tubbs, R Shane

2012-11-01

Buntaro Adachi (1865-1945) was a Japanese physician, anatomist, and anthropologist and is most remembered for his study on human anatomic variation. At the end of 19th Century, one of the main focuses in anthropology was the comparison between the races. In Japan, anthropological studies of the origin of the modern Japanese race were carried out by Adachi and others. Adachi believed that differences went beyond the bones that were commonly studied in his day and, therefore, investigated soft tissues of the body. Two products of his intense study of variation of human anatomy were Das Arteriensystem der Japaner (The Arterial System of the Japanese) published in 1928 and Das Venensystem der Japaner (The Venous System of the Japanese) published in 1933 and 1940. These books received much attention and were praised by anatomists and anthropologists around the world. Even now, these books are invaluable as references for human anatomic variation. Herein, we provide an overview of the life and achievements of Buntaro Adachi and to our knowledge, this is the first such review in the English language. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Improving Reanalyses Using TRMM and SSM/I-Derived Precipitation and Total Precipitable Water Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Arthur Y.; Zhang, Sara Q.; daSilva, Arlindo M.

1999-01-01

Global reanalyses currently contain significant errors in the primary fields of the hydrological cycle such as precipitation, evaporation, moisture, and the related cloud fields, especially in the tropics. The Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has been exploring the use of rainfall and total precipitable water (TPW) observations from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) and the Special Sensor Microwave/ Imager (SSM/I) instruments to improve these fields in reanalyses. The DAO has developed a "1+1"D procedure to assimilate 6-hr averaged rainfall and TPW into the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System (DAS). The algorithm is based on a 6-hr time integration of a column version of the GEOS DAS. The "1+1" designation refers to one spatial dimension plus one temporal dimension. The scheme minimizes the least-square differences between the satellite-retrieved rain rates and those produced by the column model over the 6-hr analysis window. The control variables are analysis increments of moisture within the Incremental Analysis Update (IAU) framework of the GEOS DAS. This 1+1D scheme, in its generalization to four dimensions, is related to the standard 4D variational assimilation but differs in its choice of the control variable. Instead of estimating the initial condition at the beginning of the assimilation cycle, it estimates the constant IAU forcing applied over a 6-hr assimilation cycle. In doing so, it imposes the forecast model as a weak constraint in a manner similar to the variational continuous assimilation techniques. We present results from an experiment in which the observed rain rate and TPW are assumed to be "perfect". They show that assimilating the TMI and SSM/I-derived surface precipitation and TPW observations improves not only the precipitation and moisture fields but also key climate parameters directly linked to convective activities such as clouds, the outgoing longwave radiation, and the large-scale circulation in the tropics. In particular, assimilating these data types reduce the state-dependent systematic errors in the assimilated products. The improved analysis also leads to a better short-range forecast, but the impact is modest compared with improvements in the time-averaged fields. These results suggest that, in the presence of biases and other errors of the forecast model, it is possible to improve the time-averaged "climate content" in the assimilated data without comparable improvements in the short-range forecast skill. Results of this experiment provide a useful benchmark for evaluating error covariance models for optimal use of these data types.

Effect of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitor on Disease Activity in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

PubMed Central

Xing, Bin; Yin, Yu-Feng; Zhao, Li-Dan; Wang, Li; Zheng, Wen-Jie; Chen, Hua; Wu, Qing-Jun; Tang, Fu-Lin; Zhang, Feng-Chun; Shan, Guangliang; Zhang, Xuan

2015-01-01

Abstract HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (also known as statins) are widely used as lipid-lowering agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to reduce their cardiovascular risk. However, whether they have an effect on RA disease activity is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of statins on disease activity in RA patients. A systematic literature review was performed using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ISI WEB of Knowledge, Scopus, and Clinical Trials Register databases. Only prospective randomized controlled trials or controlled clinical trials comparing the efficacy of statins with placebo on adult RA patients were included. The efficacy was measured according to the ACR criteria, EULAR criteria, DAS28, HAQ score, ESR, or CRP. The Jadad score was used for quality assessment. The inverse variance method was used to analyze continuous outcomes. A fixed-effects model was used when there was no significant heterogeneity; otherwise, a random-effects model was used. For stability of results, we performed leave-one-study-out sensitivity analysis by omitting individual studies one at a time from the meta-analysis. Publication bias was assessed using Egger test. A total 13 studies involving 737 patients were included in the meta-analysis; 11 studies were included in the meta-analysis based on DAS28, while the other 2 studies were only included in the meta-analysis based on ESR or CRP. The standardized mean difference (SMD) in DAS28 between the statin group and the placebo group was −0.55 (95% CI [−0.83, −0.26], P = 0.0002), with an I2 value of 68%. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with more active disease tended to benefit more from statin therapy (SMD −0.73, P = 0.01) than patients with moderate or low disease activity (SMD −0.38, P = 0.03). Statin therapy also significantly reduced tender joint counts, swollen joint counts, ESR, and CRP compared with placebo, but the reduction in HAQ score and VAS was not significant (P > 0.05). This meta-analysis suggested that statin therapy might be effective in the reduction of RA disease activity measured by DAS28, TJC, SJC, as well as ESR and CRP. PMID:25715256

Metabolism and Residues of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid in DAS-40278-9 Maize (Zea mays) Transformed with Aryloxyalkanoate Dioxygenase-1 Gene.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao; Rotondaro, Sandra L; Ma, Mingming; Rosser, Steve W; Olberding, Ed L; Wendelburg, Brian M; Adelfinskaya, Yelena A; Balcer, Jesse L; Blewett, T Craig; Clements, Bruce

2016-10-12

DAS-40278-9 maize, which is developed by Dow AgroSciences, has been genetically modified to express the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase-1 (AAD-1) protein and is tolerant to phenoxy auxin herbicides, such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). To understand the metabolic route and residue distribution of 2,4-D in DAS-40278-9 maize, a metabolism study was conducted with 14 C-radiolabeled 2,4-D applied at the maximum seasonal rate. Plants were grown in boxes outdoors. Forage and mature grain, cobs, and stover were collected for analysis. The metabolism study showed that 2,4-D was metabolized to 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), which was then rapidly conjugated with glucose. Field-scale residue studies with 2,4-D applied at the maximum seasonal rate were conducted at 25 sites in the U.S. and Canada to measure the residues of 2,4-D and free and conjugated 2,4-DCP in mature forage, grain, and stover. Residues of 2,4-D were not detectable in the majority of the grain samples and averaged <1.0 and <1.5 μg/g in forage and stover, respectively. Free plus conjugated 2,4-DCP was not observed in grain and averaged <1.0 μg/g in forage and stover.

Identification of the underlying factor structure of the Derriford Appearance Scale 24

PubMed Central

Lawson, Victoria; White, Paul

2015-01-01

Background. The Derriford Appearance Scale24 (DAS24) is a widely used measure of distress and dysfunction in relation to self-consciousness of appearance. It has been used in clinical and research settings, and translated into numerous European and Asian languages. Hitherto, no study has conducted an analysis to determine the underlying factor structure of the scale. Methods. A large (n = 1,265) sample of community and hospital patients with a visible difference were recruited face to face or by post, and completed the DAS24. Results. A two factor solution was generated. An evaluation of the congruence of the factor solutions on each of the the hospital and the community samples using Tucker’s Coefficient of Congruence (rc = .979) and confirmatory factor analysis, which demonstrated a consistent factor structure. A main factor, general self consciousness (GSC), was represented by 18 items. Six items comprised a second factor, sexual and body self-consciousness (SBSC). The SBSC scale demonstrated greater sensitivity and specificity in identifying distress for sexually significant areas of the body. Discussion. The factor structure of the DAS24 facilitates a more nuanced interpretation of scores using this scale. Two conceptually and statistically coherent sub-scales were identified. The SBSC sub-scale offers a means of identifying distress and dysfunction around sexually significant areas of the body not previously possible with this scale. PMID:26157633

Identification of the underlying factor structure of the Derriford Appearance Scale 24.

PubMed

Moss, Timothy P; Lawson, Victoria; White, Paul

2015-01-01

Background. The Derriford Appearance Scale24 (DAS24) is a widely used measure of distress and dysfunction in relation to self-consciousness of appearance. It has been used in clinical and research settings, and translated into numerous European and Asian languages. Hitherto, no study has conducted an analysis to determine the underlying factor structure of the scale. Methods. A large (n = 1,265) sample of community and hospital patients with a visible difference were recruited face to face or by post, and completed the DAS24. Results. A two factor solution was generated. An evaluation of the congruence of the factor solutions on each of the the hospital and the community samples using Tucker's Coefficient of Congruence (rc = .979) and confirmatory factor analysis, which demonstrated a consistent factor structure. A main factor, general self consciousness (GSC), was represented by 18 items. Six items comprised a second factor, sexual and body self-consciousness (SBSC). The SBSC scale demonstrated greater sensitivity and specificity in identifying distress for sexually significant areas of the body. Discussion. The factor structure of the DAS24 facilitates a more nuanced interpretation of scores using this scale. Two conceptually and statistically coherent sub-scales were identified. The SBSC sub-scale offers a means of identifying distress and dysfunction around sexually significant areas of the body not previously possible with this scale.

50 CFR 648.91 - Monkfish regulated mesh areas and restrictions on gear and methods of fishing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... while on a monkfish DAS. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section, the minimum mesh size for any trawl net, including beam trawl nets, used by a vessel fishing under a monkfish DAS is 10... area being fished. (ii) Trawl nets while on a monkfish and NE multispecies DAS. Vessels issued a...

(Re)locating (I)dentity With(in) Politicized (Re)presentation of Fe/Male Body in Kamala Das' Poetry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sultana, Sharmin; Sarwar, Nadia

2016-01-01

This paper is going to argue that the selected poems of renowned Indian poet Kamala Das are inclined to relocate both feminine and masculine identity through the politicized representation of body. Kamala Das' representation of body in her poems has always been viewed as a medium of re-historicizing the pain, sufferings, and psychological trauma…

Evaluation of several ultrasonography scoring systems for synovitis and comparison to clinical examination: results from a prospective multicentre study of rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Dougados, Maxime; Jousse-Joulin, Sandrine; Mistretta, Frederic; d'Agostino, Maria-Antonietta; Backhaus, Marina; Bentin, Jacques; Chalès, Gérard; Chary-Valckenaere, Isabelle; Conaghan, Philip; Etchepare, Fabien; Gaudin, Philippe; Grassi, Walter; van der Heijde, Désirée; Sellam, Jérémie; Naredo, Esperanza; Szkudlarek, Marcin; Wakefield, Richard; Saraux, Alain

2010-05-01

To evaluate different global ultrasonographic (US) synovitis scoring systems as potential outcome measures of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trials (OMERACT) filter. To study selected global scoring systems, for the clinical, B mode and power Doppler techniques, the following joints were evaluated: 28 joints (28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28)), 20 joints (metacarpophalangeals (MCPs) + metatarsophalangeals (MTPs)) and 38 joints (28 joints + MTPs) using either a binary (yes/no) or a 0-3 grade. The study was a prospective, 4-month duration follow-up of 76 patients with RA requiring anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy (complete follow-up data: 66 patients). Intraobserver reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), construct validity was evaluated using the Cronbach alpha test and external validity was evaluated using level of correlation between scoring system and C reactive protein (CRP). Sensitivity to change was evaluated using the standardised response mean. Discriminating capacity was evaluated using the standardised mean differences in patients considered by the doctor as significantly improved or not at the end of the study. Different clinimetric properties of various US scoring systems were at least as good as the clinical scores with, for example, intraobserver reliability ranging from 0.61 to 0.97 versus from 0.53 to 0.82, construct validity ranging from 0.76 to 0.89 versus from 0.76 to 0.88, correlation with CRP ranging from 0.28 to 0.34 versus from 0.28 to 0.35 and sensitivity to change ranging from 0.60 to 1.21 versus from 0.96 to 1.36 for US versus clinical scoring systems, respectively. This study suggests that US evaluation of synovitis is an outcome measure at least as relevant as physical examination. Further studies are required in order to achieve optimal US scoring systems for monitoring patients with RA in clinical trials and in clinical practice.

75 FR 59154 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-27

... the landing limits for Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod to 100 lb (45.4 kg) per days-at-sea (DAS) up to 1000 lb... to 100 lb (45.4 kg) per DAS up to 500 lb (226.8 kg) per trip; expands the trawl gear restriction in... issued a valid limited access NE multispecies permit and fishing under a NE multispecies day- at-sea (DAS...

Teilchenphysik Pentaquarks - existieren sie wirklich?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, Thomas

2005-07-01

Für viel Wirbel sorgte vor zwei Jahren die Entdeckung eines Pentaquarks, eines bis dahin unbekannten Teilchens, das aus vier Quarks und einem Antiquark besteht. Seitdem hat es jedoch Experimente gegeben, welche die Messung nicht bestätigen konnten. Physiker vom Jefferson-Laboratorium in den USA haben nun kürzlich die Ergebnisse eines Experimentes mit sehr hoher Statistik vorgestellt. Auch sie fanden das Pentaquark nicht. Gibt es das Teilchen also gar nicht?

‘They leave at least believing they had a part in the discussion’: Understanding decision aid use and patient–clinician decision-making through qualitative research

PubMed Central

Tiedje, Kristina; Shippee, Nathan D.; Johnson, Anna M.; Flynn, Priscilla M.; Finnie, Dawn M.; Liesinger, Juliette T.; May, Carl R.; Olson, Marianne E.; Ridgeway, Jennifer L.; Shah, Nilay D.; Yawn, Barbara P.; Montori, Victor M.

2013-01-01

Objective This study explores how patient decision aids (DAs) for antihyperglycemic agents and statins, designed for use during clinical consultations, are embedded into practice, examining how patients and clinicians understand and experience DAs in primary care visits. Methods We conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with patients (n = 22) and primary care clinicians (n = 19), and videorecorded consultations (n = 44). Two researchers coded all transcripts. Inductive analyses guided by grounded theory led to the identification of themes. Video and interview data were compared and organized by themes. Results DAs used during consultations became flexible artifacts, incorporated into existing decision making roles for clinicians (experts, authority figures, persuaders, advisors) and patients (drivers of healthcare, learners, partners). DAs were applied to different decision making steps (deliberation, bargaining, convincing, case assessment), and introduced into an existing knowledge context (participants’ literacy regarding shared decision-making (SDM) and DAs). Conclusion DAs’ flexible use during consultations effectively provided space for discussion, even when SDM was not achieved. DAs can be used within any decision-making model. Practice implications Clinician training in DA use and SDM practice may be needed to facilitate DA implementation and promote more ideal-type forms of sharing in decision making. PMID:23598292

Depression, anxiety and stress among adolescent students belonging to affluent families: a school-based study.

PubMed

Bhasin, Sanjiv K; Sharma, Rahul; Saini, N K

2010-02-01

To study depression, anxiety and stress (DAS) among adolescent school students belonging to affluent families and the factors associated with high levels of DAS. 242 adolescent students belonging to class 9-12th selected for the study. DASS-21 questionnaire was used for assessing DAS. The scores in the three domains (DAS) were found to be remarkably correlated. It was seen that depression was significantly more among the females (mean rank 132.5) than the males (mean rank 113.2), p=0.03. Depression (p=0.025), Anxiety (0.005) and Stress (p<0.001) were all significantly higher among the 'board classes' i.e., 10th and 12th as compared to the classes 9th and 11th. All the three (DAS) were found to have an inverse relationship with the academic performance of the students. Depression and Stress were found to be significantly associated with the number of adverse events in the student's life that occurred in last one year. A significant proportion of the students were found to be having high levels of DAS and several important factors were found to be associated with them. Proactive steps at the school-level and community-level and steps for improved parent-adolescent communication are needed for amelioration of the problem.

Pathways for maintenance of telomeres and common fragile sites during DNA replication stress

PubMed Central

Özer, Özgün

2018-01-01

Oncogene activation during tumour development leads to changes in the DNA replication programme that enhance DNA replication stress. Certain regions of the human genome, such as common fragile sites and telomeres, are particularly sensitive to DNA replication stress due to their inherently ‘difficult-to-replicate’ nature. Indeed, it appears that these regions sometimes fail to complete DNA replication within the period of interphase when cells are exposed to DNA replication stress. Under these conditions, cells use a salvage pathway, termed ‘mitotic DNA repair synthesis (MiDAS)’, to complete DNA synthesis in the early stages of mitosis. If MiDAS fails, the ensuing mitotic errors threaten genome integrity and cell viability. Recent studies have provided an insight into how MiDAS helps cells to counteract DNA replication stress. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulation of MiDAS remain poorly defined. Here, we provide an overview of how DNA replication stress triggers MiDAS, with an emphasis on how common fragile sites and telomeres are maintained. Furthermore, we discuss how a better understanding of MiDAS might reveal novel strategies to target cancer cells that maintain viability in the face of chronic oncogene-induced DNA replication stress. PMID:29695617

Linear-array photoacoustic imaging using minimum variance-based delay multiply and sum adaptive beamforming algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Kratkiewicz, Karl; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-02-01

In photoacoustic imaging, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformer is a common beamforming algorithm having a simple implementation. However, it results in a poor resolution and high sidelobes. To address these challenges, a new algorithm namely delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) was introduced having lower sidelobes compared to DAS. To improve the resolution of DMAS, a beamformer is introduced using minimum variance (MV) adaptive beamforming combined with DMAS, so-called minimum variance-based DMAS (MVB-DMAS). It is shown that expanding the DMAS equation results in multiple terms representing a DAS algebra. It is proposed to use the MV adaptive beamformer instead of the existing DAS. MVB-DMAS is evaluated numerically and experimentally. In particular, at the depth of 45 mm MVB-DMAS results in about 31, 18, and 8 dB sidelobes reduction compared to DAS, MV, and DMAS, respectively. The quantitative results of the simulations show that MVB-DMAS leads to improvement in full-width-half-maximum about 96%, 94%, and 45% and signal-to-noise ratio about 89%, 15%, and 35% compared to DAS, DMAS, MV, respectively. In particular, at the depth of 33 mm of the experimental images, MVB-DMAS results in about 20 dB sidelobes reduction in comparison with other beamformers.

Concomitant fibromyalgia complicating chronic inflammatory arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Duffield, Stephen J; Miller, Natasha; Zhao, Sizheng; Goodson, Nicola J

2018-05-16

This systematic review and meta-analysis will describe the prevalence of concomitant FM in adults with inflammatory arthritis and quantify the impact of FM on DAS. Cochrane library, MEDLINE, Psychinfo, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using key terms and predefined exclusion criteria. As appropriate, proportional and pairwise meta-analysis methods were used to pool results. Forty articles were identified. In RA the prevalence of FM ranged from 4.9 to 52.4% (21% pooled). In axSpA the range was 4.11-25.2% (13% pooled in AS only). In PsA the range was 9.6-27.2% (18% pooled). The presence of concomitant FM was related to higher DAS in patients with RA and AS (DAS28 mean difference 1.24, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.37 in RA; BASDAI mean difference 2.22, 95% CI: 1.86, 2.58 in AS). Concomitant FM was also associated with higher DAS in existing PsA studies. Self-reported, rather than objective, components of DAS appear to be raised in the presence of FM (e.g. tender joint count and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores). FM is common in RA, AxSpA and PsA. Comorbid FM appears to amplify DAS and could therefore influence management of these rheumatic conditions.

Gender, body mass index and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: results from the QUEST-RA Study.

PubMed

Jawaheer, D; Olsen, J; Lahiff, M; Forsberg, S; Lähteenmäki, J; da Silveira, I G; Rocha, F A; Magalhães Laurindo, I M; Henrique da Mota, L M; Drosos, A A; Murphy, E; Sheehy, C; Quirke, E; Cutolo, M; Rexhepi, S; Dadoniene, J; Verstappen, S M M; Sokka, T

2010-01-01

To investigate whether body mass index (BMI), as a proxy for body fat, influences rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity in a gender-specific manner. Consecutive patients with RA were enrolled from 25 countries into the QUEST-RA program between 2005 and 2008. Clinical and demographic data were collected by treating rheumatologists and by patient self-report. Distributions of Disease Activity Scores (DAS28), BMI, age, and disease duration were assessed for each country and for the entire dataset; mean values between genders were compared using Student's t-tests. An association between BMI and DAS28 was investigated using linear regression, adjusting for age, disease duration and country. A total of 5,161 RA patients (4,082 women and 1,079 men) were included in the analyses. Overall, women were younger, had longer disease duration, and higher DAS28 scores than men, but BMI was similar between genders. The mean DAS28 scores increased with increasing BMI from normal to overweight and obese, among women, whereas the opposite trend was observed among men. Regression results showed BMI (continuous or categorical) to be associated with DAS28. Compared to the normal BMI range, being obese was associated with a larger difference in mean DAS28 (0.23, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.34) than being overweight (0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21); being underweight was not associated with disease activity. These associations were more pronounced among women, and were not explained by any single component of the DAS28. BMI appears to be associated with RA disease activity in women, but not in men.

Tsunami in the Ionosphere ? a pinch of gravity with a good plasma sauce !

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Occhipinti, Giovanni; Rolland, Ms Lucie; Kherani, Alam; Lognonné, Philippe; Komjathy, Attila; Mannucci, Anthony

A series of ionospheric anomalies following the Sumatra tsunami has been reported in the scientific literature (e.g., Liu et al. 2006; DasGupta et al. 2006; Occhipinti et al. 2006). Similar anomalies were also observed after the tsunamigenic earthquake in Peru in 2001 (Artru et al., 2005) and after the recent earthquakes in Sumatra and Chile in 2007. All these anomalies show the signature in the ionosphere of tsunami-generated internal gravity waves (IGW) propagating in the neutral atmosphere over oceanic regions. Most of these ionospheric anomalies are deterministic and reproducible by numerical modeling (Occhipinti et al., 2006) via the ocean/neutral atmosphere/ionosphere coupling mechanism. In addition, the numerical modeling supplies useful helps in the estimation of expected anomalies in the global scale to explore the effect of geomagnetic field in the neutral/plasma coupling (Occhipinti et al., 2008). Here we present an overview of the physical coupling mechanism highlighting the strong ampli- fication mechanism of atmospheric IGW; it allows to detect these anomalies when the tsunami is offshore where the see level displacement is still small. This property adds to the increasing coverage of ionospheric sounding measurements, suggests the implication of ionospheric sounding in the future oceanic monitoring and tsunami warning system. [Artru et al., 2005] Geophys. J. Int., 160, 2005 [DasGupta et al., 2006] Earth Planet. Space, 35, 929-959. [Liu et al., 2006] J. Geophys. Res., 111, A05303. [Occhipinti et al., 2006] Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L20104, 2006 [Occhipinti et al., 2008] Geophys. J. Int., in press.

Adalimumab (Humira) restores clinical response in patients with secondary loss of efficacy from infliximab (Remicade) or etanercept (Enbrel): results from the STURE registry at Karolinska University Hospital.

PubMed

Wick, M C; Ernestam, S; Lindblad, S; Bratt, J; Klareskog, L; van Vollenhoven, R F

2005-01-01

To determine whether the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) antagonist adalimumab (Humira) can be efficacious after secondary loss of efficacy (i.e. loss of clinical response in patients who had initially demonstrated clinical response) to infliximab (Remicade) or etanercept (Enbrel). We studied 36 patients from the Stockholm TNF-alpha follow-up registry (STURE) who received adalimumab after secondary loss of efficacy to infliximab (group A, n = 27) or etanercept (group B, n = 9), and 26 patients who were started on adalimumab as the first TNF-alpha antagonist (group C). In group A, the baseline disease activity score 28 (DAS28) at infliximab institution was 5.5+/-0.2. During infliximab treatment, the mean best DAS28 was 3.7+/-0.2 (p<0.001), but increased to 5.2+/-0.3 when infliximab was stopped. After 3 months on adalimumab, the mean DAS28 decreased to 4.5+/-0.3 (p<0.003), and then to 4.2+/-0.2 at 6 months (p<0.001). In group B, the baseline DAS28 at etanercept institution was 6.6+/-0.5. During etanercept treatment, the mean best DAS28 was 4.6+/-0.5 (p<0.01), but increased to 5.7+/-0.4 by the time etanercept was stopped. After 3 months on adalimumab, the mean DAS28 decreased to 4.8+/-0.3 (p<0.005), and to 4.1+/-0.2 at 6 months (p<0.001). In group C, the mean baseline DAS28 was 5.6+/-0.3. After 6 months of adalimumab therapy, the DAS28 decreased to 3.5+/-0.4 (p<0.001). ACR20 responses with adalimumab in groups A, B, and C were similar (70-78%). For patients with secondary loss of efficacy from infliximab or etanercept, switching to adalimumab can restore a good clinical response.

Agronomic performance of insect-protected and herbicide-tolerant MON 89034 × TC1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 corn is equivalent to that of conventional corn.

PubMed

de Cerqueira, Denise T Rezende; Schafer, Ariane C; Fast, Brandon J; Herman, Rod A

2017-07-03

Agronomic characteristics of genetically modified (GM) MON 89034 × TC1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 (PowerCore™ Enlist™), MON 89034 × TC1507 × NK603 (PowerCore™), and DAS-40278-9 (Enlist™) corn, a non-GM near-isogenic hybrid, and 2 commercial non-GM hybrids were assessed in a field study to determine if the agronomic performance of the GM corn hybrids is equivalent to that of non-transgenic hybrid corn. The MON 89034 × TC1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 hybrid corn was developed through stacking of 4 individual transgenic events, MON 89034, TC1507, NK603, and DAS-40278-9 by traditional breeding and contains the cry1A.105 and cry2Ab2 (MON 89034), cry1F and pat (TC1507), cp4 epsps (NK603) and aad-1 (DAS-40278-9) transgenes. These transgenes encode the proteins Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab2, and Cry1F, which confer insect resistance, PAT, CP4 EPSPS, and AAD-1, which confer herbicide tolerance. The following agronomic characteristics were assessed in the study: initial and final stand count, seedling vigor, time to silk, time to pollen shed, pollen viability, plant height, ear height, stalk lodging, root lodging, days to maturity, stay green, disease incidence, insect damage, herbicide injury, and yield. The agronomic assessment was conducted in 2 regions of Brazil (Indianopolis-MG; Cravinhos-SP). The agronomic attributes for all GM entries were statistically indistinguishable from the non-GM near-isogenic hybrid. In addition, most of the agronomic assessments fell within the range of the commercial varieties included in the study. Taken together, MON 89034 × TC1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278, MON 89034 × TC1507 × NK603, and DAS-40278-9 were found to be agronomically equivalent to non-GM corn.

A Comprehensive Systems Testing Plan for the Smart Phone Assisted Rapid Communication and Control System (SPARCCS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

project. Thanks to Arijit Das for advice and assistance over the course of my program. Thanks to Brian Steckler and Carl Prince for their assistance in...reliable. Wireless architectural and interoperability problems can include (Bell, Jung , & Krishnakumar, 2010; Nguyen, Waeselnck, & Riviere, 2008...usually when a new mission was created and then a user tried to join the mission shortly after. This appears to be a synchronization issue between the

Structural Control and Groundwater Flow in the Nubian Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fathy, K.; Sultan, M.; Ahmed, M.; Save, H.; Emil, M. K.; Elkaliouby, B.

2017-12-01

An integrated research approach (remote sensing, field, geophysics) was conducted to investigate the structural control on groundwater flow in large aquifers using the less studied Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) of NE Africa as a test site. The aquifer extends over 2.2 x 106 km2 in Egypt, Libya, Chad, and Sudan and consists of thick (> 3 kms), water-bearing, Paleozoic and Mesozoic sandstone with intercalations of Tertiary shale and clay. It is subdivided into three sub-basins (Northern Sudan Platform [NSP], Dakhla [DAS], and Kufra) that are separated by basement uplifts (e.g., E-W trending Uweinat-Aswan uplift that separates DAS from the NSP). Aquifer recharge occurs in the south (NSP and southern Kufra) where the aquifer is unconfined and precipitation is high (Average Annual Precipitation [AAP]: 117 mm/yr.) and discharge is concentrated in the north (DAS and northern Kufra). Our approach is a three-fold exercise. Firstly, we compared GOCE-based Global Geopotential Models (GGMs) to terrestrial gravity anomalies for 21262 sites to select the optimum model for deriving Bouguer gravity anomalies. Secondly, structures and uplifts were mapped using hill shade images and their extension in the subsurface were mapped using the Eigen_6C4 model-derived Bouguer anomalies and their Tilt Derivative products (TDR). Thirdly, hydrological analysis was conducted using GRACE CSR 1° x 1° mascon solutions to investigate the mass variations in relation to the mapped structures. Our findings include: (1) The Eigen-6C4 is the optimum model having the lowest deviation (9.122 mGal) from the terrestrial gravity anomalies; (2) the surface expressions of structures matched fairly well with their postulated extensions in the subsurface; (3) identified fault systems include: Red Sea rift-related N-S to NW-SE trending grabens formed by reactivating basement structures during Red Sea opening and Syrian arc-related NE-SW trending dextral shear systems; (4) TWS patterns are uniform throughout the length (hundreds of kilometers) of the identified shear systems but are dissimilar from those extracted in areas proximal to, but outside of, the shear zones; and (5) basement uplifts impede or redirect the groundwater flow.

Addressing health literacy in patient decision aids

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Effective use of a patient decision aid (PtDA) can be affected by the user’s health literacy and the PtDA’s characteristics. Systematic reviews of the relevant literature can guide PtDA developers to attend to the health literacy needs of patients. The reviews reported here aimed to assess: 1. a) the effects of health literacy / numeracy on selected decision-making outcomes, and b) the effects of interventions designed to mitigate the influence of lower health literacy on decision-making outcomes, and 2. the extent to which existing PtDAs a) account for health literacy, and b) are tested in lower health literacy populations. Methods We reviewed literature for evidence relevant to these two aims. When high-quality systematic reviews existed, we summarized their evidence. When reviews were unavailable, we conducted our own systematic reviews. Results Aim 1: In an existing systematic review of PtDA trials, lower health literacy was associated with lower patient health knowledge (14 of 16 eligible studies). Fourteen studies reported practical design strategies to improve knowledge for lower health literacy patients. In our own systematic review, no studies reported on values clarity per se, but in 2 lower health literacy was related to higher decisional uncertainty and regret. Lower health literacy was associated with less desire for involvement in 3 studies, less question-asking in 2, and less patient-centered communication in 4 studies; its effects on other measures of patient involvement were mixed. Only one study assessed the effects of a health literacy intervention on outcomes; it showed that using video to improve the salience of health states reduced decisional uncertainty. Aim 2: In our review of 97 trials, only 3 PtDAs overtly addressed the needs of lower health literacy users. In 90% of trials, user health literacy and readability of the PtDA were not reported. However, increases in knowledge and informed choice were reported in those studies in which health literacy needs were addressed. Conclusion Lower health literacy affects key decision-making outcomes, but few existing PtDAs have addressed the needs of lower health literacy users. The specific effects of PtDAs designed to mitigate the influence of low health literacy are unknown. More attention to the needs of patients with lower health literacy is indicated, to ensure that PtDAs are appropriate for lower as well as higher health literacy patients. PMID:24624970

Adalimumab with Methotrexate in Treatment-Naïve Japanese Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis at Risk of Progressive Structural Joint Damage: A Postmarketing Observational Study.

PubMed

Ito, Yukiko; Hozumi, Kaori; Okada, Yukiko; Kurimoto, Sarina

2017-06-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the real-world safety and effectiveness of adalimumab with methotrexate (MTX) in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)- and biologic-naïve Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at risk of progressive structural joint damage. This multicenter, prospective, observational, postmarketing surveillance study was conducted between February 2013 and April 2015 at 84 centers in Japan. Patients with RA at risk of progressive structural joint damage were enrolled and initiated treatment with adalimumab and MTX. Adverse events were recorded up to week 28. Effectiveness/disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score based on a 28-joint count with erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein (DAS28-4ESR and DAS28-4CRP), Clinical Disease Activity Index, and Simplified Disease Activity Index at 0, 4, 12, and 24 weeks. DAS28-4CRP response was evaluated in the low-dose (<8 mg/week) and high-dose (≥8 mg to ≤16 mg/week) MTX groups at week 24. One hundred fifty-seven of 163 patients comprised the safety cohort: mean (SD) age, 56.5 (13.9) years; females, 65.6%; rheumatoid factor positive, 73.2%; anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positive, 66.9%; bone erosions, 51.6%; mean disease duration, 9.5 months. The majority of patients (≥80%) had moderate or high disease activity at baseline, and ≥50% with available data achieved remission or low disease activity at week 24 (DAS28-4CRP <3.2). Five serious adverse drug reactions occurred in four patients, including pyelonephritis, Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, pleurisy, and pericarditis; the outcomes were either recovered or recovering. Significant improvements/reductions in disease activity over 24 weeks were noted in all effectiveness measures (P < 0.0001). Most of the population achieved DAS28-4CRP remission (<2.6) at week 24 regardless of the MTX dose. Adalimumab in combination with MTX could be a beneficial treatment option for DMARD- and biologic-naïve Japanese patients with RA at risk of progressive structural joint damage. AbbVie GK and Eisai. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01783730.

Increased concentration of two different advanced glycation end-products detected by enzyme immunoassays with new monoclonal antibodies in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Vytásek, Richard; Sedová, Liliana; Vilím, Vladimír

2010-05-03

Levels of pentosidine (representative of advanced glycation end-products) in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are increased when compared with sera of other diagnoses or healthy controls. These levels have been reported to correlate with clinical indices of rheumatoid arthritis activity and with laboratory markers of inflammation. The purpose of this study was to find out if these findings pertain to other advanced glycation end-products. We have developed two immunoassays based on new monoclonal antibodies to advanced glycation end-products. Antibody 103-E3 reacts with an unidentified antigen, formed in the reaction of proteins with ribose, while antibody 8-C1 responds to Nepsilon-(carboxyethyl)lysine. We have used these monoclonal antibodies to measure levels of advanced glycation end-products in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, and healthy controls. We calculated the correlations between advanced glycation end-product levels in rheumatoid arthritis sera and the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), age, disease duration, CRP, anti-CCP, rheumatoid factor and treatment with corticosteroids, respectively. Levels of both glycation products were significantly higher in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis when compared with sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, or the healthy controls. Neither the level of Nepsilon-(carboxyethyl)lysine nor the level of the 103-E3 antigen in rheumatoid arthritis sera correlated with the DAS28-scored rheumatoid arthritis activity. The levels of both antigens in rheumatoid arthritis sera did not correlate with age, gender, corticosteroid treatment, or levels of CRP, anti-CCP antibodies, and rheumatoid factor in sera. We report highly specific increases in the levels of two advanced glycation end-products in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This increase could be explained neither by rheumatoid arthritis activity nor by inflammation. We propose a working hypothesis that presumes the existence of a link between advanced glycation end-product formation and induction of autoimmunity.

A Integracao de Ensino das Ciencias da Saude (An Integrated Medical Education Program [in Brazil]).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pourchet-Campos, M. A.; Guimaraes Junior, Paulino

At the Sixth Annual Reunion of the Brazilian Association of Medical Schools (VI Reuniao Anual da Associacao Brasileira de Escolas Medicas) leaders in the Brazilian medical profession proposed an integrated educational program for training students in the fields of medicine and public health. Under Brazil's present system of education, all…

Distributed acoustic sensing: how to make the best out of the Rayleigh-backscattered energy?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyal, A.; Gabai, H.; Shpatz, I.

2017-04-01

Coherent fading noise (also known as speckle noise) affects the SNR and sensitivity of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) systems and makes them random processes of position and time. As in speckle noise, the statistical distribution of DAS SNR is particularly wide and its standard deviation (STD) roughly equals its mean (σSNR/ ≍ 0.89). Trading resolution for SNR may improve the mean SNR but not necessarily narrow its distribution. Here a new approach to achieve both SNR improvement (by sacrificing resolution) and narrowing of the distribution is introduced. The method is based on acquiring high resolution complex backscatter profiles of the sensing fiber, using them to compute complex power profiles of the fiber which retain phase variation information and filtering of the power profiles. The approach is tested via a computer simulation and demonstrates distribution narrowing up to σSNR/ < 0.2.

Database Are Not Toasters: A Framework for Comparing Data Warehouse Appliances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trajman, Omer; Crolotte, Alain; Steinhoff, David; Nambiar, Raghunath Othayoth; Poess, Meikel

The success of Business Intelligence (BI) applications depends on two factors, the ability to analyze data ever more quickly and the ability to handle ever increasing volumes of data. Data Warehouse (DW) and Data Mart (DM) installations that support BI applications have historically been built using traditional architectures either designed from the ground up or based on customized reference system designs. The advent of Data Warehouse Appliances (DA) brings packaged software and hardware solutions that address performance and scalability requirements for certain market segments. The differences between DAs and custom installations make direct comparisons between them impractical and suggest the need for a targeted DA benchmark. In this paper we review data warehouse appliances by surveying thirteen products offered today. We assess the common characteristics among them and propose a classification for DA offerings. We hope our results will help define a useful benchmark for DAs.

Antigenotoxic potential of certain dietary constituents.

PubMed

Shukla, Yogeshwer; Arora, Annu; Taneja, Pankaj

2003-01-01

The human diet contains a variety of compounds that exhibit chemopreventive effects towards an array of xenobiotics. In the present study, the antigenotoxic potential of selected dietary constituents including Diallyl sulfide (DAS), Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), Curcumin (CUR), and Black tea polyphenols (BTP) has been evaluated in the Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation and mammalian in vivo cytogenetic assays. In addition, the anticlastogenic effect of the above dietary constituents was identified towards Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and cyclophosphamide- (CP) induced cytogenetic damage in mouse bone marrow cells. The induction of BaP and CP induced chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei formation, and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were found to be inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by DAS, I3C, CUR, and BTP. Thus the study reveals the antimutagenic potential of these dietary compounds towards BaP- and CP-induced genotoxicity in microbial and mammalian test systems. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Strategy for Defeat: The Lutfwaffe, 1933-1945

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

subsequently served mostly with the air planning staffs within the Reichswehr during the Weimarperiod . 29 . Deist, et al ., Das deutsche Reich and derZweite... et al ., Das deutsche Reich and der Zweite Weltkrieg, Vol . I, pp . 480-81 ; see Homze, Arming the Luftwaffe, p . 184, for a detailed breakdown of...Ludendorff, Kriegsfiihrung andPolitik (Berlin, 1922), pp . 328-33 . 45 . See the interesting discussion of this point in Deist, et al ., Das deutsche

Coaching and guidance with patient decision aids: A review of theoretical and empirical evidence

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Coaching and guidance are structured approaches that can be used within or alongside patient decision aids (PtDAs) to facilitate the process of decision making. Coaching is provided by an individual, and guidance is embedded within the decision support materials. The purpose of this paper is to: a) present updated definitions of the concepts “coaching” and “guidance”; b) present an updated summary of current theoretical and empirical insights into the roles played by coaching/guidance in the context of PtDAs; and c) highlight emerging issues and research opportunities in this aspect of PtDA design. Methods We identified literature published since 2003 on shared decision making theoretical frameworks inclusive of coaching or guidance. We also conducted a sub-analysis of randomized controlled trials included in the 2011 Cochrane Collaboration Review of PtDAs with search results updated to December 2010. The sub-analysis was conducted on the characteristics of coaching and/or guidance included in any trial of PtDAs and trials that allowed the impact of coaching and/or guidance with PtDA to be compared to another intervention or usual care. Results Theoretical evidence continues to justify the use of coaching and/or guidance to better support patients in the process of thinking about a decision and in communicating their values/preferences with others. In 98 randomized controlled trials of PtDAs, 11 trials (11.2%) included coaching and 63 trials (64.3%) provided guidance. Compared to usual care, coaching provided alongside a PtDA improved knowledge and decreased mean costs. The impact on some other outcomes (e.g., participation in decision making, satisfaction, option chosen) was more variable, with some trials showing positive effects and other trials reporting no differences. For values-choice agreement, decisional conflict, adherence, and anxiety there were no differences between groups. None of these outcomes were worse when patients were exposed to decision coaching alongside a PtDA. No trials evaluated the effect of guidance provided within PtDAs. Conclusions Theoretical evidence continues to justify the use of coaching and/or guidance to better support patients to participate in decision making. However, there are few randomized controlled trials that have compared the effectiveness of coaching used alongside PtDAs to PtDAs without coaching, and no trials have compared the PtDAs with guidance to those without guidance. PMID:24624995

Effects of anisotropy in permeability on the two-phase flow and heat transfer in a porous cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. L.; Nguyen, T. Hung; Kahawita, R.

Zusammenfassung In der Arbeit wird über die Ergebnisse einer numerischen Studie, betreffend die stationäre Konvektionsströmung und den stationären Wärmeübergang in einer rechteckigen, mit einem porösen, phasenveränderlichen Medium (PCM) verfüllten Kavität, berichtet. Den zwei vertikalen Berandungen der Kavität sind zwei, den Schmelzpunkt des PCM einschließende Temperaturen aufgeprägt, während die beiden horizontalen Berandungen adiabat gehalten werden. Das poröse Medium ist durch einen anisotropen Permeabilitätstensor charakterisiert, dessen Hauptachsen bezüglich des Gravitationsvektors beliebig orientiert sein können. Das Problem ist durch das Seitenverhältnis A, die Rayleigh-Zahl Ra, das Anisotropienverhältnis R und den Orientierungswinkel Θ des Permeabilitätstensor bestimmt. Hauptaugenmerk gilt dem Einfluß der anisotropen Permeabilität auf das Strömungsverhalten und den Wärme-übergang beim Phasenwechselprozeß flüssig/fest. Die Lösungsmethode basiert auf dem Kontrollvolumenprinzip in Verbindung mit der Landau-Transformation über welche das irreguläre Strömungsgebiet in ein rechteckiges abgebildet wird. Ergebnisse bezüglich Strömungsfeld, Temperaturverteilung, Phasengrenzenort und Wärmeübergang werden fürA=2,5Ra=40 0<=Θ<=π 0,25<=R<=4 mitgeteilt. Es zeigte sich, daß der Gleichgewichtszustand des Phasenwechselsprozesses fest/flüssig sowohl durch das Anisotropieverhältnis R als auch durch den Orientierungswinkel Θ des Permeabilitätstensors wesentlich beeinflußt werden kann. Zum einen existiert bei festgehaltenen ParameternA, Ra undR eine optimale Orientierung Θmax, bei der die Stromstärke, das Flüssigkeitsvolumen und der Wärmestrom Maximalwerte erreichen, während für Θmin=Θmax+π/2 Minimalwerte resultieren. Ist das anisotrope Medium entlang der Optimalrichtung Θmax orientiert, so ergibt sich zum anderen, daß eine Vergrößerung der in diese Richtung fallenden Permeabilitätskomponente die Stromstärke und den Wärmestrom in gleichem Maße erhöht, während eine Vergrößerung der anderen Permeabilitätskomponente nur vernachlässigbaren Einfluß hat. In den untersuchten Parameterbereichen lag die Optimalrichtung zwischen dem Gravitationsvektor und der Hauptstromrichtung.

Predicting the epidemiological impact of antiretroviral allocation strategies in KwaZulu-Natal: the effect of the urban-rural divide.

PubMed

Wilson, David P; Kahn, James; Blower, Sally M

2006-09-19

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is becoming available in South Africa. Demand will exceed supply; thus, difficult decisions will have to be made in allocating ART. The majority of those treated for HIV are likely to be in cities, because health infrastructure and personnel are concentrated in urban centers. We predict the epidemiological impact of drug allocation strategies (DAS) by using a spatially explicit model that links urban and rural epidemics. We parameterize our model by using data from the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. We model the South African government's treatment plan from 2004-2008, and we predict the consequences of one DAS that allocates drugs only to Durban and of two DAS that allocate drugs to both urban and rural areas. All three strategies would treat 500,000 people by 2008. Not surprisingly, the Durban-only DAS would prevent the greatest number of infections (an additional 15,000 infections by 2008). However, it may have been expected that this DAS would generate the highest levels of transmitted resistance, because it concentrates ART in one location. Paradoxically, we found that this DAS would generate the lowest levels of transmitted resistance. Concentrating treatment in Durban would also avert the greatest number of AIDS-related deaths. We discuss the difference between using the principle of treatment equity versus using the principle of utilitarianism/efficiency to allocate ART. Decisions about allocating scarce drugs should consider treatment equity as well as epidemiological consequences. Notably, a Durban-only DAS would lead to new disparities in healthcare between urban and rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal.

Gender, body mass index and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: results from the QUEST-RA study

PubMed Central

Jawaheer, Damini; Olsen, Jørn; Lahiff, Maureen; Forsberg, Sinikka; Lähteenmäki, Jukka; Silveira, Ines Guimaraes da; Rocha, Francisco Airton; Laurindo, Ieda Maria Magalhães; Mota, Licia Maria Henrique da; Drosos, Alexandros A.; Murphy, Eithne; Sheehy, Claire; Quirke, Edel; Cutolo, Maurizio; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Dadoniene, Jolanta; Verstappen, Suzan M.M.; Sokka, Tuulikki

2010-01-01

Objective To investigate whether body mass index (BMI), as a proxy for body fat, influences rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity in a gender-specific manner. Methods Consecutive patients with RA were enrolled from 25 countries into the QUEST-RA program between 2005 and 2008. Clinical and demographic data were collected by treating rheumatologists and by patient self-report. Distributions of Disease Activity Scores (DAS28), BMI, age, and disease duration were assessed for each country and for the entire dataset; mean values between genders were compared using Student’s t-tests. An association between BMI and DAS28 was investigated using linear regression, adjusting for age, disease duration and country. Results A total of 5,161 RA patients (4,082 women and 1,079 men) were included in the analyses. Overall, women were younger, had longer disease duration, and higher DAS28 scores than men, but BMI was similar between genders. The mean DAS28 scores increased with increasing BMI from normal to overweight and obese, among women, whereas the opposite trend was observed among men. Regression results showed BMI (continuous or categorical) to be associated with DAS28. Compared to the normal BMI range, being obese was associated with a larger difference in mean DAS28 (0.23, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.34) than being overweight (0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21); being underweight was not associated with disease activity. These associations were more pronounced among women, and were not explained by any single component of the DAS28. Conclusion BMI appears to be associated with RA disease activity in women, but not in men. PMID:20810033

Single substitution in bacteriophage T4 RNase H alters the ratio between its exo- and endonuclease activities.

PubMed

Kholod, Natalia; Sivogrivov, Dmitry; Latypov, Oleg; Mayorov, Sergey; Kuznitsyn, Rafail; Kajava, Andrey V; Shlyapnikov, Mikhail; Granovsky, Igor

2015-11-01

The article describes substitutions in bacteriophage T4 RNase H which provide so called das-effect. Phage T4 DNA arrest suppression (das) mutations have been described to be capable of partially suppressing the phage DNA arrest phenotype caused by a dysfunction in genes 46 and/or 47 (also known as Mre11/Rad50 complex). Genetic mapping of das13 (one of the das mutations) has shown it to be in the region of the rnh gene encoding RNase H. Here we report that Das13 mutant of RNase H has substitutions of valine 43 and leucine 242 with isoleucines. To investigate the influence of these mutations on RNase H nuclease properties we have designed a novel in vitro assay that allows us to separate and quantify exo- or endonuclease activities of flap endonuclease. The nuclease assay in vitro showed that V43I substitution increased the ratio between exonuclease/endonuclease activities of RNase H whereas L242I substitution did not affect the nuclease activity of RNase H in vitro. However, both mutations were necessary for the full das effect in vivo. Molecular modelling of the nuclease structure suggests that V43I substitution may lead to disposition of H4 helix, responsible for the interaction with the first base pairs of 5'end of branched DNA. These structural changes may affect unwinding of the first base pairs of gapped or nicked DNA generating a short flap and therefore may stabilize the DNA-enzyme complex. L242I substitution did not affect the structure of RNase H and its role in providing das-effect remains unclear. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal of the School of Naval Warfare (Revista da Escola de Guerra Naval)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

at the service of fair normativism resulting from transcending values or the law." Sec MORE1RA, Adriano. Teoria das Relacoes lntctnacionais...MOREIRA, Adriano. Teoria das Relacoes Internacionais. Coimbra: Almcdina, 2002. SOARES, Joao Clcmcntc Baena. As Nacoes Unidas Diante das Ameacas, dos...of Corvette"BARROSO"at the Diretoria de Sistema de Armas da Marinha (NavyWeapons Syatems Department). He was also posted as Officer in the first crew

Anxiety and depressive disorders in dialysis patients: association to health-related quality of life and mortality.

PubMed

Preljevic, Valjbona T; Østhus, Tone Brit Hortemo; Os, Ingrid; Sandvik, Leiv; Opjordsmoen, Stein; Nordhus, Inger Hilde; Dammen, Toril

2013-01-01

To examine the associations between depressive/anxiety disorders (DAs), perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and mortality in dialysis patients. Patients were assessed for depressive and DAs with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The HRQOL was assessed with the Medical Outcome Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36), and the Beck Depression Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were also applied. Sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory data were also collected. Patients with depressive disorders reported more impaired HRQOL on four of the eight subscales, while those with a depressive disorder comorbid with DA reported more impairment on all MOS SF-36 subscales compared to those without any psychiatric disorder. During the observation period, 50% of those with depression, 28% of those with anxiety and 33% of patients with DA disorder died. A survival analysis did not indicate that patients with depressive or DAs had a higher mortality than patients without such disorders. Dialysis patients with depressive disorders reported impaired HRQOL, whereas those with DAs did not. Patients with DA reported the most serious HRQOL impairment. No evidence was obtained to support the hypothesis that depressive and DAs contributed to compromised survival in dialysis patients. In patients with depression, DAs should also be assessed as they significantly contribute to impaired HRQOL. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linear-array photoacoustic imaging using minimum variance-based delay multiply and sum adaptive beamforming algorithm.

PubMed

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi; Kratkiewicz, Karl; Adabi, Saba; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2018-02-01

In photoacoustic imaging, delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformer is a common beamforming algorithm having a simple implementation. However, it results in a poor resolution and high sidelobes. To address these challenges, a new algorithm namely delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) was introduced having lower sidelobes compared to DAS. To improve the resolution of DMAS, a beamformer is introduced using minimum variance (MV) adaptive beamforming combined with DMAS, so-called minimum variance-based DMAS (MVB-DMAS). It is shown that expanding the DMAS equation results in multiple terms representing a DAS algebra. It is proposed to use the MV adaptive beamformer instead of the existing DAS. MVB-DMAS is evaluated numerically and experimentally. In particular, at the depth of 45 mm MVB-DMAS results in about 31, 18, and 8 dB sidelobes reduction compared to DAS, MV, and DMAS, respectively. The quantitative results of the simulations show that MVB-DMAS leads to improvement in full-width-half-maximum about 96%, 94%, and 45% and signal-to-noise ratio about 89%, 15%, and 35% compared to DAS, DMAS, MV, respectively. In particular, at the depth of 33 mm of the experimental images, MVB-DMAS results in about 20 dB sidelobes reduction in comparison with other beamformers. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

The effect of chronic feeding of diacetoxyscirpenol and T-2 toxin on performance, health, small intestinal physiology and antibody production in turkey poults.

PubMed

Sklan, D; Shelly, M; Makovsky, B; Geyra, A; Klipper, E; Friedman, A

2003-03-01

1. The effects of feeding T-2 toxin or diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) at levels up to 1 ppm for 32 d on performance, health, small intestinal physiology and immune response to enteral and parenteral immunisation were examined in young poults. 2. Slight improvement in growth was observed in some groups of poults fed T-2 or DAS mycotoxins for 32 d, with no change in feed efficiency. Feeding both T-2 and DAS resulted in oral lesions which had maximal severity after 7-15 d. 3. Mild intestinal changes were observed at 32 d but no pathological or histopathological lesions were found. Both mycotoxins altered small intestinal morphology, especially in the jejunum where villi were shorter and thinner. In addition, both DAS and T-2 mycotoxins enhanced the proportion of proliferating cells both in the crypts and along the villi. Migration rates were reduced in the jejunum of poults fed T-2 toxin but did not change in the duodenum or in poults fed DAS. 4. No significant effects of T-2 or DAS were observed on antibody production to antigens administered by enteral or parenteral routes. 5. This study indicates that tricothecene toxins at concentrations of up to 1 ppm for more than 30 d influenced small intestinal morphology but did not affect growth or antibody production.

Staff Radiation Doses in a Real-Time Display Inside the Angiography Room

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

Sanchez, Roberto, E-mail: rmsanchez.hcsc@salud.madrid.org; Vano, E.; Fernandez, J. M.

MethodsThe evaluation of a new occupational Dose Aware System (DAS) showing staff radiation doses in real time has been carried out in several angiography rooms in our hospital. The system uses electronic solid-state detectors with high-capacity memory storage. Every second, it archives the dose and dose rate measured and is wirelessly linked to a base-station screen mounted close to the diagnostic monitors. An easy transfer of the values to a data sheet permits further analysis of the scatter dose profile measured during the procedure, compares it with patient doses, and seeks to find the most effective actions to reduce operatormore » exposure to radiation.ResultsThe cumulative occupational doses measured per procedure (shoulder-over lead apron) ranged from 0.6 to 350 {mu}Sv when the ceiling-suspended screen was used, and DSA (Digital Subtraction Acquisition) runs were acquired while the personnel left the angiography room. When the suspended screen was not used and radiologists remained inside the angiography room during DSA acquisitions, the dose rates registered at the operator's position reached up to 1-5 mSv/h during fluoroscopy and 12-235 mSv/h during DSA acquisitions. In such case, the cumulative scatter dose could be more than 3 mSv per procedure.ConclusionReal-time display of doses to staff members warns interventionists whenever the scatter dose rates are too high or the radiation protection tools are not being properly used, providing an opportunity to improve personal protection accordingly.« less

AZ-101 Mixer Pump Test Qualification Test Procedures (QTP)

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

THOMAS, W.K.

2000-01-10

Describes the Qualification test procedure for the AZ-101 Mixer Pump Data Acquisition System (DAS). The purpose of this Qualification Test Procedure (QTP) is to confirm that the AZ-101 Mixer Pump System has been properly programmed and hardware configured correctly. This QTP will test the software setpoints for the alarms and also check the wiring configuration from the SIMcart to the HMI. An Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP), similar to this QTP will be performed to test field devices and connections from the field.

Airport Delay and Improvement Study, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

assumed aircraft tntv. These capacities are shtsn in lIgure 1. - I hie airfiteld stmiulat ion model used the out put ot the capacii modejl it, pros...atissi sputa D I VI-I OP LA iMAt WAKE VORTEX AVOIDANCE PRO- liuns durintg fle peak 6-liuur usprattng perisd ust the das - GRAM BY 1987: Future Savings...depending si tire as arlartnl of lie u ltimat e Wake Vortex Asoidance System. Withisut rile Wkake Vsortex .Asssdattcc System. an increased annual

Women, men, and rheumatoid arthritis: analyses of disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments in the QUEST-RA study.

PubMed

Sokka, Tuulikki; Toloza, Sergio; Cutolo, Maurizio; Kautiainen, Hannu; Makinen, Heidi; Gogus, Feride; Skakic, Vlado; Badsha, Humeira; Peets, Tõnu; Baranauskaite, Asta; Géher, Pál; Ujfalussy, Ilona; Skopouli, Fotini N; Mavrommati, Maria; Alten, Rieke; Pohl, Christof; Sibilia, Jean; Stancati, Andrea; Salaffi, Fausto; Romanowski, Wojciech; Zarowny-Wierzbinska, Danuta; Henrohn, Dan; Bresnihan, Barry; Minnock, Patricia; Knudsen, Lene Surland; Jacobs, Johannes Wg; Calvo-Alen, Jaime; Lazovskis, Juris; Pinheiro, Geraldo da Rocha Castelar; Karateev, Dmitry; Andersone, Daina; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Yazici, Yusuf; Pincus, Theodore

2009-01-01

Gender as a predictor of outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evoked considerable interest over the decades. Historically, there is no consensus whether RA is worse in females or males. Recent reports suggest that females are less likely than males to achieve remission. Therefore, we aimed to study possible associations of gender and disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments of RA in a large multinational cross-sectional cohort of patients with RA called Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA). The cohort includes clinical and questionnaire data from patients who were seen in usual care, including 6,004 patients at 70 sites in 25 countries as of April 2008. Gender differences were analyzed for American College of Rheumatology Core Data Set measures of disease activity, DAS28 (disease activity score using 28 joint counts), fatigue, the presence of rheumatoid factor, nodules and erosions, and the current use of prednisone, methotrexate, and biologic agents. Women had poorer scores than men in all Core Data Set measures. The mean values for females and males were swollen joint count-28 (SJC28) of 4.5 versus 3.8, tender joint count-28 of 6.9 versus 5.4, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 30 versus 26, Health Assessment Questionnaire of 1.1 versus 0.8, visual analog scales for physician global estimate of 3.0 versus 2.5, pain of 4.3 versus 3.6, patient global status of 4.2 versus 3.7, DAS28 of 4.3 versus 3.8, and fatigue of 4.6 versus 3.7 (P < 0.001). However, effect sizes were small-medium and smallest (0.13) for SJC28. Among patients who had no or minimal disease activity (0 to 1) on SJC28, women had statistically significantly higher mean values compared with men in all other disease activity measures (P < 0.001) and met DAS28 remission less often than men. Rheumatoid factor was equally prevalent among genders. Men had nodules more often than women. Women had erosions more often than men, but the statistical significance was marginal. Similar proportions of females and males were taking different therapies. In this large multinational cohort, RA disease activity measures appear to be worse in women than in men. However, most of the gender differences in RA disease activity may originate from the measures of disease activity rather than from RA disease activity itself.

Women, men, and rheumatoid arthritis: analyses of disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments in the QUEST-RA Study

PubMed Central

Sokka, Tuulikki; Toloza, Sergio; Cutolo, Maurizio; Kautiainen, Hannu; Makinen, Heidi; Gogus, Feride; Skakic, Vlado; Badsha, Humeira; Peets, Tõnu; Baranauskaite, Asta; Géher, Pál; Újfalussy, Ilona; Skopouli, Fotini N; Mavrommati, Maria; Alten, Rieke; Pohl, Christof; Sibilia, Jean; Stancati, Andrea; Salaffi, Fausto; Romanowski, Wojciech; Zarowny-Wierzbinska, Danuta; Henrohn, Dan; Bresnihan, Barry; Minnock, Patricia; Knudsen, Lene Surland; Jacobs, Johannes WG; Calvo-Alen, Jaime; Lazovskis, Juris; Pinheiro, Geraldo da Rocha Castelar; Karateev, Dmitry; Andersone, Daina; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Yazici, Yusuf; Pincus, Theodore

2009-01-01

Introduction Gender as a predictor of outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evoked considerable interest over the decades. Historically, there is no consensus whether RA is worse in females or males. Recent reports suggest that females are less likely than males to achieve remission. Therefore, we aimed to study possible associations of gender and disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments of RA in a large multinational cross-sectional cohort of patients with RA called Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA). Methods The cohort includes clinical and questionnaire data from patients who were seen in usual care, including 6,004 patients at 70 sites in 25 countries as of April 2008. Gender differences were analyzed for American College of Rheumatology Core Data Set measures of disease activity, DAS28 (disease activity score using 28 joint counts), fatigue, the presence of rheumatoid factor, nodules and erosions, and the current use of prednisone, methotrexate, and biologic agents. Results Women had poorer scores than men in all Core Data Set measures. The mean values for females and males were swollen joint count-28 (SJC28) of 4.5 versus 3.8, tender joint count-28 of 6.9 versus 5.4, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 30 versus 26, Health Assessment Questionnaire of 1.1 versus 0.8, visual analog scales for physician global estimate of 3.0 versus 2.5, pain of 4.3 versus 3.6, patient global status of 4.2 versus 3.7, DAS28 of 4.3 versus 3.8, and fatigue of 4.6 versus 3.7 (P < 0.001). However, effect sizes were small-medium and smallest (0.13) for SJC28. Among patients who had no or minimal disease activity (0 to 1) on SJC28, women had statistically significantly higher mean values compared with men in all other disease activity measures (P < 0.001) and met DAS28 remission less often than men. Rheumatoid factor was equally prevalent among genders. Men had nodules more often than women. Women had erosions more often than men, but the statistical significance was marginal. Similar proportions of females and males were taking different therapies. Conclusions In this large multinational cohort, RA disease activity measures appear to be worse in women than in men. However, most of the gender differences in RA disease activity may originate from the measures of disease activity rather than from RA disease activity itself. PMID:19144159

Energie aus der Tiefe: Geothermische Stromerzeugung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huenges, Ernst

2004-11-01

Die Erde birgt überall genug Wärme für die geothermische Erzeugung elektrischen Stroms, die allerdings Wassertemperaturen von über 150 °C braucht. So warme Gesteinsschichten liegen in Mitteleuropa in mindestens 4 km Tiefe. Ein Kraftwerk muss also beim Betrieb über tiefe Bohrungen Wasser durch das Tiefengestein zirkulieren und dort erhitzen. Von Natur aus ist das Gestein jedoch dafür meist zu wenig porös. Deshalb soll das Einpressen von Fluiden unter hohem Druck die natürlichen Risse im Reservoirgestein künstlich vergrößern. Diese Stimulationstechnik erprobte das GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam erfolgreich an einer 4309 m tiefen Bohrung im Geothermielabor Groß Schönebeck. Eine zweite Bohrung soll nun eine langfristige Wasserzirkulation im Untergrund erforschen. Funktioniert sie stabil, dann soll eine Demonstrationsanlage Strom erzeugen.

Genome-wide association study of response to methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis patients.

PubMed

Taylor, John C; Bongartz, Tim; Massey, Jonathan; Mifsud, Borbala; Spiliopoulou, Athina; Scott, Ian C; Wang, Jianmei; Morgan, Michael; Plant, Darren; Colombo, Marco; Orchard, Peter; Twigg, Sarah; McInnes, Iain B; Porter, Duncan; Freeston, Jane E; Nam, Jackie L; Cordell, Heather J; Isaacs, John D; Strathdee, Jenna L; Arnett, Donna; de Hair, Maria J H; Tak, Paul P; Aslibekyan, Stella; van Vollenhoven, Ronald F; Padyukov, Leonid; Bridges, S Louis; Pitzalis, Costantino; Cope, Andrew P; Verstappen, Suzanne M M; Emery, Paul; Barnes, Michael R; Agakov, Felix; McKeigue, Paul; Mushiroda, Taisei; Kubo, Michiaki; Weinshilboum, Richard; Barton, Anne; Morgan, Ann W; Barrett, Jennifer H

2018-05-25

Methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy is a common first treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but many patients do not respond adequately. In order to identify genetic predictors of response, we have combined data from two consortia to carry out a genome-wide study of response to MTX in 1424 early RA patients of European ancestry. Clinical endpoints were change from baseline to 6 months after starting treatment in swollen 28-joint count, tender 28-joint count, C-reactive protein and the overall 3-component disease activity score (DAS28). No single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) reached genome-wide statistical significance for any outcome measure. The strongest evidence for association was with rs168201 in NRG3 (p = 10 -7 for change in DAS28). Some support was also seen for association with ZMIZ1, previously highlighted in a study of response to MTX in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Follow-up in two smaller cohorts of 429 and 177 RA patients did not support these findings, although these cohorts were more heterogeneous.

Dating of fossil human teeth and shells from Toca do Enoque site at Serra das Confusões National Park, Brazil.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Angela; Sullasi, Henry L; Asfora, Viviane K; Azevedo, Renata L; Guzzo, Pedro; Guidon, Niede; Figueiredo, Ana Maria G; Khoury, Helen; Pessis, Anne-Marie; Baffa, Oswaldo

2016-06-07

This work reports the dating of a fossil human tooth and shell found at the archaeological site Toca do Enoque located in Serra das Confusões National Park (Piauí, Brazil). Many prehistoric paintings have been found at this site. An archaeological excavation unearthed three sepulchers with human skeletons and some shells. Two Brazilian laboratories, in Ribeirão Preto (USP) and Recife (UFPE), independently performed Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) measurements to date the tooth and the shell and obtain the equivalent dose received by each sample. The laboratories determined similar ages for the tooth and the shell (~4.8 kyBP). The results agreed with C-14 dating of the shell and other samples (charcoal) collected in the same sepulcher. Therefore, this work provides a valid inter-comparison of results by two independent ESR-dating laboratories and between two dating methods; i.e., C-14 and ESR, showing the validity of ESR dating for this range of ages.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the hand and wrist in a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial of infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis: Comparison of dynamic contrast enhanced assessments with semi-quantitative scoring

PubMed Central

Baumgartner, Richard; Peterfy, Charles; Balanescu, Andra; Mirea, Gavrila; Harabagiu, Alexandru; Popa, Serghei; Cheng, Amy; Feng, Dai; Ashton, Edward; DiCarlo, Julie; Vallee, Marie-Helene; Dardzinski, Bernard J.

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare the scope and the discriminative power of Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) to those of semi-quantitative MRI scoring for evaluating treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in multicenter randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Sixty-one patients with active RA participated in a double-blind, parallel group, randomized, multicenter methodology study receiving infliximab or placebo through 14 weeks. The most symptomatic wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints (MCPs) were imaged using MRI. In addition to clinical assessments with DAS28(CRP), the severity of inflammation was measured as synovial leak of gadolinium based contrast agent (GBCA) using DCE-MRI (Ktrans, primary endpoint) at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 14. Two radiologists independently scored synovitis, osteitis and erosion using RA MRI Score (RAMRIS) and cartilage loss using a 9-point MRI scale (CARLOS). Infliximab showed greater decrease from baseline in DAS28(CRP), DCE-MRI Ktrans of wrist and MCP synovium, and RAMRIS synovitis and osteitis at all visits compared with placebo (p<0.001). Treatment effect sizes of infliximab therapy were similar for DAS28(CRP) (1.08; 90% CI (0.63–1.53)) and MRI inflammation endpoints: wrist Ktrans (1.00 (0.55–1.45)), RAMRIS synovitis (0.85 (0.38–1.28)) and RAMRIS osteitis (0.99 (0.52–1.43)). Damage measures of bone erosion (RAMRIS) and cartilage loss (CARLOS) were reduced with infliximab compared to with placebo at 14 weeks (p≤0.025). DCE-MRI and RAMRIS were equally sensitive and responsive to the anti-inflammatory effects of infliximab. RAMRIS and CARLOS showed suppression of erosion and cartilage loss, respectively, at 14 weeks. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT01313520) PMID:29236711