Acute effects of heavy-load squats on consecutive squat jump performance.

PubMed

Weber, Kurt R; Brown, Lee E; Coburn, Jared W; Zinder, Steven M

2008-05-01

Postactivation potentiation (PAP) and complex training have generated interest within the strength and conditioning community in recent years, but much of the research to date has produced confounding results. The purpose of this study was to observe the acute effects of a heavy-load back squat [85% 1 repetition maximum (1RM)] condition on consecutive squat jump performance. Twelve in-season Division I male track-and-field athletes participated in two randomized testing conditions: a five-repetition back squat at 85% 1RM (BS) and a five-repetition squat jump (SJ). The BS condition consisted of seven consecutive squat jumps (BS-PRE), followed by five repetitions of the BS at 85% 1RM, followed by another set of seven consecutive squat jumps (BS-POST). The SJ condition was exactly the same as the BS condition except that five consecutive SJs replaced the five BSs, with 3 minutes' rest between each set. BS-PRE, BS-POST, SJ-PRE, and SJ-POST were analyzed and compared for mean and peak jump height, as well as mean and peak ground reaction force (GRF). The BS condition's mean and peak jump height and peak GRF increased 5.8% +/- 4.8%, 4.7% +/- 4.8%, and 4.6% +/- 7.4%, respectively, whereas the SJ condition's mean and peak jump height and peak GRF decreased 2.7% +/- 5.0%, 4.0% +/- 4.9%, and 1.3% +/- 7.5%, respectively. The results indicate that performing a heavy-load back squat before a set of consecutive SJs may enhance acute performance in average and peak jump height, as well as peak GRF.

Twenty-Five Year Site Plan FY2013 - FY2037

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

Jones, William H.

2012-07-12

Los Alamos National Laboratory (the Laboratory) is the nation's premier national security science laboratory. Its mission is to develop and apply science and technology to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the United States (U.S.) nuclear stockpile; reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation, and terrorism; and solve national problems in defense, energy, and the environment. The fiscal year (FY) 2013-2037 Twenty-Five Year Site Plan (TYSP) is a vital component for planning to meet the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) commitment to ensure the U.S. has a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent. The Laboratory also usesmore » the TYSP as an integrated planning tool to guide development of an efficient and responsive infrastructure that effectively supports the Laboratory's missions and workforce. Emphasizing the Laboratory's core capabilities, this TYSP reflects the Laboratory's role as a prominent contributor to NNSA missions through its programs and campaigns. The Laboratory is aligned with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) modernization activities outlined in the NNSA Strategic Plan (May 2011) which include: (1) ensuring laboratory plutonium space effectively supports pit manufacturing and enterprise-wide special nuclear materials consolidation; (2) constructing the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Nuclear Facility (CMRR-NF); (3) establishing shared user facilities to more cost effectively manage high-value, experimental, computational and production capabilities; and (4) modernizing enduring facilities while reducing the excess facility footprint. Th is TYSP is viewed by the Laboratory as a vital planning tool to develop an effi cient and responsive infrastructure. Long range facility and infrastructure development planning are critical to assure sustainment and modernization. Out-year re-investment is essential for sustaining existing facilities, and will be re-evaluated on an annual basis. At

Prevalence and seasonality of six respiratory viruses during five consecutive epidemic seasons in Belgium.

PubMed

Ramaekers, Kaat; Keyaerts, Els; Rector, Annabel; Borremans, Annie; Beuselinck, Kurt; Lagrou, Katrien; Van Ranst, Marc

2017-09-01

Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) are a major health problem, especially in young children and the elderly. Insights into the seasonality of respiratory viruses can help us understand when the burden on society is highest and which age groups are most vulnerable. We monitored six respiratory viruses during five consecutive seasons (2011-2016) in Belgium. Patient specimens (n=22876), tested for one or more of the following respiratory viruses, were included in this analysis: Influenza viruses (IAV & IBV), Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), Human metapneumovirus (hMPV), Adenovirus (ADV) and Human parainfluenza virus (hPIV). Data were analysed for four age categories: <6y, 6-17y, 18-64y and ≥65y. Children <6y had the highest infection rates (39% positive vs. 20% positive adults) and the highest frequency of co-infections. hRSV (28%) and IAV (32%) caused the most common respiratory viral infections and followed, like hMPV, a seasonal pattern with winter peaks. hRSV followed an annual pattern with two peaks: first in young children and ±7 weeks later in elderly. This phenomenon has not been described in literature so far. hPIV and ADV occurred throughout the year with higher rates in winter. Children <6y are most vulnerable for respiratory viral infections and have a higher risk for co-infections. hRSV and IAV are the most common respiratory infections with peaks during the winter season in Belgium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fertility of the male alpaca: effect of daily consecutive breeding.

PubMed

Bravo, P W; Solis, P; Ordoñez, C; Alarcon, V

1997-04-01

The fertility of the male alpaca under different frequencies of daily consecutive matings was evaluated. Fifteen adult male Huacaya alpacas were divided randomly into three groups of five each to breed lactating female alpacas. The schedule of daily matings was two, four and six consecutive breeding per group and for nine consecutive days. Ovulation was determined by progesterone at seven days after breeding. Pregnancy was determined by ultrasonography at 15 and 30 days after breeding. Two hundred and eighty females were bred with some males not fulfilling their schedule of breeding. There were differences (P < 0.05) in the fertility rate of males breeding two and four times daily (76%) in contrast to 59% for males breeding six times. There were also differences (P < 0.05) in the fertility of individual males. Length of copulation was affected (P < 0.05) by schedule of matings, day of breeding and male. Ovulation was independent of length of copulation. Overall, it seems the fertility of the male alpaca is affected significantly when consecutive matings are over four times a day and for nine consecutive days.

Incidence rate of symptomatic painless thyroiditis presenting with thyrotoxicosis in Denmark as evaluated by consecutive thyroid scintigraphies.

PubMed

Schwartz, Frederik; Bergmann, Natasha; Zerahn, Bo; Faber, Jens

2013-04-01

Painless thyroiditis (PT) is a transient kind of thyrotoxicosis, with lack of uptake on a thyroid scintigraphy in a non-tender thyroid gland, elevated anti-TPO antibodies, no fever, no history of increased iodine intake, and a normal sedimentation rate. The prevalence of PT varies hugely in the literature. To establish the incidence rate of PT in Denmark as well as to describe the phenotype of PT in more detail. Tc-99m pertechnetate scintigraphies were performed over a period of 9.75 years on 6022 consecutive patients (2349 had a thyrotoxic episode), and were divided into high or normal (5528), reduced (300) or lack of uptake (194). Patient records were evaluated: 292 with reduced, and 186 with lack of uptake. As a control measure, 230 consecutive thyrotoxic patients were also analyzed. Based on scintigraphies, 12 patients had PT, 10 with lack of uptake and two with reduced, corresponding to an incidence rate of 0.49/100,000 person years. It was predicted, that only one patient among the newly diagnosed consecutive thyrotoxic cohort had PT. This patient was identified. The prevalence of PT among thyrotoxic patients was 0.51% as evaluated by scintigraphy, and 0.43% among the biochemically thyrotoxic patient cohort. Twenty-five percent had more than one thyrotoxic episode, 75% had at least one subsequent hypothyroid episode, and 33% developed permanent hypothyroidism. PT presenting with symptomatic thyrotoxicosis is an extremely rare disease in Denmark. Symptomatic PT presents most often with no uptake on a Tc-99m pertechnetate scintigraphy. Clinical follow-up is essential.

Twenty-Five-Year Experience With Radical Chemoradiation for Anal Cancer

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

Tomaszewski, Jonathan M., E-mail: jonathan.tomaszewski@petermac.org; Link, Emma; Leong, Trevor

2012-06-01

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic factors, patterns of failure, and late toxicity in patients treated with chemoradiation (CRT) for anal cancer. Methods and Materials: Consecutive patients with nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anus treated by CRT with curative intent between February 1983 and March 2008 were identified through the institutional database. Chart review and telephone follow-up were undertaken to collect demographic data and outcome. Results: Two hundred eighty-four patients (34% male; median age 62 years) were identified. The stages at diagnosis were 23% Stage I, 48% Stage II, 10% Stage IIIA, and 18% Stage IIIB. The median radiotherapy dosemore » to the primary site was 54 Gy. A complete clinical response to CRT was achieved in 89% of patients. With a median follow-up time of 5.3 years, the 5-year rates of locoregional control, distant control, colostomy-free survival, and overall survival were 83% (95% confidence interval [CI] 78-88), 92% (95% CI, 89-96), 73% (95% CI, 68-79), and 82% (95% CI, 77-87), respectively. Higher T stage and male sex predicted for locoregional failure, and higher N stage predicted for distant metastases. Locoregional failure occurred most commonly at the primary site. Omission of elective inguinal irradiation resulted in inguinal failure rates of 1.9% and 12.5% in T1N0 and T2N0 patients, respectively. Pelvic nodal failures were very uncommon. Late vaginal and bone toxicity was observed in addition to gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions: CRT is a highly effective approach in anal cancer. However, subgroups of patients fare relatively poorly, and novel approaches are needed. Elective inguinal irradiation can be safely omitted only in patients with Stage I disease. Vaginal toxicity and insufficiency fractures of the hip and pelvis are important late effects that require prospective evaluation.« less

The reliability of the quantitative timed up and go test (QTUG) measured over five consecutive days under single and dual-task conditions in community dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Smith, Erin; Walsh, Lorcan; Doyle, Julie; Greene, Barry; Blake, Catherine

2016-01-01

The timed up and go (TUG) test is a commonly used assessment in older people with variations including the addition of a motor or cognitive dual-task, however in high functioning older adults it is more difficult to assess change. The quantified TUG (QTUG) uses inertial sensors to detect test and gait parameters during the test. If it is to be used in the longitudinal assessment of older adults, it is important that we know which parameters are reliable and under which conditions. This study aims to examine the relative reliability of the QTUG over five consecutive days under single, motor and cognitive dual-task conditions. Twelve community dwelling older adults (10 females, mean age 74.17 (3.88)) performed the QTUG under three conditions for five consecutive days. The relative reliability of each of the gait parameters was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC 3,1) and standard error of measurement (SEM). Five of the measures demonstrated excellent reliability (ICC>0.70) under all three conditions (time to complete test, walk time, number of gait cycles, number of steps and return from turn time). Measures of variability and turn derived parameters demonstrated weak reliability under all three conditions (ICC=0.05-0.49). For the most reliable parameters under single-task conditions, the addition of a cognitive task resulted in a reduction in reliability suggesting caution when interpreting results under these conditions. Certain sensor derived parameters during the QTUG test may provide an additional resource in the longitudinal assessment of older people and earlier identification of falls risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Twenty Five Lesson Plans for Distributive Education. Volume 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Nora; And Others

The teaching guide for distributive education, grade levels 11 and 12, was developed by distributive education majors at Delaware State College. It contains five lesson plans for each of the instructional areas of: (1) the functions of marketing and distribution, (2) fundamental skills, (3) product or service technology, (4) social skills and…

Educating the Ablest: Twenty Years Later

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culross, Rita R.

2015-01-01

This study examines the current lives of thirty-five individuals who participated in high school gifted programs twenty years ago. The research specifically looked at educational attainment and career goals in terms of expressed aspirations in high school, using social media and other Internet sources. Results indicated continued support for the…

Distal splenorenal shunt (DSS) in children: analysis of the first 21 consecutive cases.

PubMed Central

Maksoud, J G; Mies, S

1982-01-01

Twenty-one children from the ages of 4 to 12 years old were treated for esophageal hemorrhage by distal splenorenal shunt (DSS). In four patients, thrombosis of the shunt occurred within the first 24 hours after operation. In the other 17 children, long-term shunt patency was verified. Only one thrombosis has occurred in the last 15 consecutive cases. The patients were followed from one-half to six years. Late angiographic studies were performed in five patients. Forward flow through the portal vein was demonstrated in all patients. In addition, collateralization between the portomesenteric (PM) and gastrosplenic (GS) compartments was present in each case. In four patients with a wide-open shunt, the direction of collateral flow was from the PM to the GS compartment. In one child in whom the shunt was partially obstructed, the flow was from the GS to the PM compartment. In all 17 successful cases, esophageal variceal hemorrhage ceased, and there were no instances of hepatic encephalopathy. It is concluded that DSS is a safe and effective surgical procedure for the treatment of esophageal bleeding in children. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. PMID:6978110

Renal transplantation: a twenty-five year experience.

PubMed Central

Murray, J E; Tilney, N L; Wilson, R E

1976-01-01

Boston has played a significant role in the development of renal transplantation. In Boston was performed the first successful isograft between identical twins (1954) the first successful allograft between fraternal twins (1959) and the first successful allograft from a cadaveric donor (1962). An immunosuppressive drug was also described in Boston by hematologists Schwartz and Dameschek (1959) and modified for renal transplantation in dogs (1961) and used for the first time in a human recipient in March 1962. By 1965 renal transplantation had become a clinical reality. Three hundred and ninety-eight of 589 recipients (68%) since 1950 are still alive, a remarkable figure considering that it includes all the earliest experimental transplants. One hundred and ninety-five of 295 (68%) with living-related donor transplants still have functioning allografts; 104/265 (39%) with cadaveric donor transplants have functioning grafts currently. Since 1968 transplants from living-related donors have an 80% one year survival whereas cadaveric donor transplants have approximately a 50% one year survival. Seventy-nine per cent of all one year survivors have had excellent psycho-social rehabilitation. PMID:791162

Risk profile of patients developing nonunion of the clavicle and outcome of treatment--analysis of fifty five nonunions in seven hundred and twenty nine consecutive fractures.

PubMed

Ban, Ilija; Troelsen, Anders

2016-03-01

The most common complication following treatment of a clavicle fracture is nonunion. Most nonunions are symptomatic and treatment is mostly operative. The aim of this study was to describe risk profiles of patients developing nonunion and what outcome is observed following operative treatment of clavicle nonunions. In a consecutive series of 729 clavicle fractures we retrospectively identified 55 that developed nonunion (49 diaphysial and six lateral). All were treated operatively by reconstruction with (n = 28) or without (n = 27) autologous bone graft. Assessment of functionality and patient reported satisfaction and remission of symptoms was done a minimum of six months post-operatively by mail. Response rate was 60%. The overall nonunion rate was 7.5%. Nine nonunions were initially treated operatively. Risk factors associated with nonunion of our series was anatomic site, fracture complexity, female gender, smoking habits and initial treatment. A total of eight post-operative complications were found. Remission of symptoms was reported by 29 of the 33. Outright satisfaction with current shoulder condition was reported by 24. The overall median DASH was 8 (range 0-61). Following revision of the eight complications a total of 53 united successfully. Operative treatment of a clavicular nonunion seems to be effective as most patients unite and experience remission of symptoms. However, complications in close to 15% and lack of satisfaction of approximately 27% have to be acknowledged and thoroughly explained to the patient prior to treatment.

The Five Cs of Digital Curation: Supporting Twenty-First-Century Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deschaine, Mark E.; Sharma, Sue Ann

2015-01-01

Digital curation is a process that allows university professors to adapt and adopt resources from multidisciplinary fields to meet the educational needs of twenty-first-century learners. Looking through the lens of new media literacy studies (Vasquez, Harste, & Albers, 2010) and new literacies studies (Gee, 2010), we propose that university…

78 FR 67360 - Ambient Air Monitoring Reference and Equivalent Methods: Designation of Five New Equivalent Methods

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-12

... Methods: Designation of Five New Equivalent Methods AGENCY: Office of Research and Development; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of the designation of five new equivalent methods for...) has designated, in accordance with 40 CFR Part 53, five new equivalent methods, one for measuring...

Twenty-Five Years of Gene Therapy for ADA-SCID: From Bubble Babies to an Approved Drug.

PubMed

Ferrua, Francesca; Aiuti, Alessandro

2017-11-01

Twenty-five years have passed since first attempts of gene therapy (GT) in children affected by severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to adenosine deaminase (ADA) defect, also known by the general public as bubble babies. ADA-SCID is fatal early in life if untreated. Unconditioned hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant from matched sibling donor represents a curative treatment but is available for few patients. Enzyme replacement therapy can be life-saving, but its chronic use has many drawbacks. This review summarizes the history of ADA-SCID GT over the last 25 years, starting from first pioneering studies in the early 1990s using gamma-retroviral vectors, based on multiple infusions of genetically corrected autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes. HSC represented the ideal target for gene correction to guarantee production of engineered multi-lineage progeny, but it required a decade to achieve therapeutic benefit with this approach. Introduction of low-intensity conditioning represented a crucial step in achieving stable gene-corrected HSC engraftment and therapeutic levels of ADA-expressing cells. Recent clinical trials demonstrated that gamma-retroviral GT for ADA-SCID has a favorable safety profile and is effective in restoring normal purine metabolism and immune functions in patients >13 years after treatment. No abnormal clonal proliferation or leukemia development have been observed in >40 patients treated experimentally in five different centers worldwide. In 2016, the medicinal product Strimvelis™ received marketing approval in Europe for patients affected by ADA-SCID without a suitable human leukocyte antigen-matched related donor. Positive safety and efficacy results have been obtained in GT clinical trials using lentiviral vectors encoding ADA. The results obtained in last 25 years in ADA-SCID GT development fundamentally contributed to improve patients' prognosis, together with earlier diagnosis thanks to newborn screening. These advances

Stapedotomy in osteogenesis imperfecta: a prospective study of 32 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Vincent, Robert; Wegner, Inge; Stegeman, Inge; Grolman, Wilko

2014-12-01

To prospectively evaluate hearing outcomes in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta undergoing primary stapes surgery and to isolate prognostic factors for success. A nonrandomized, open, prospective case series. A tertiary referral center. Twenty-five consecutive patients who underwent 32 primary stapedotomies for osteogenesis imperfecta with evidence of stapes fixation and available postoperative pure-tone audiometry. Primary stapedotomy with vein graft interposition and reconstruction with a regular Teflon piston or bucket handle-type piston. Preoperative and postoperative audiometric evaluation using conventional 4-frequency (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz) audiometry. Air-conduction thresholds, bone-conduction thresholds, and air-bone gap were measured. The overall audiometric results as well as the results of audiometric evaluation at 3 months and at least 1 year after surgery were used. Overall, postoperative air-bone gap closure to within 10 dB was achieved in 88% of cases. Mean (standard deviation) gain in air-conduction threshold was 22 (9.4) dB for the entire case series, and mean (standard deviation) air-bone gap closure was 22 (9.0) dB. Backward multivariate logistic regression showed that a model with preoperative air-bone gap closure and intraoperatively established incus length accurately predicts success after primary stapes surgery. Stapes surgery is a feasible and safe treatment option in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. Success is associated with preoperative air-bone gap and intraoperatively established incus length.

Critical analysis of consecutive unilateral cleft lip repairs: determining ideal sample size.

PubMed

Power, Stephanie M; Matic, Damir B

2013-03-01

Objective : Cleft surgeons often show 10 consecutive lip repairs to reduce presentation bias, however the validity remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the number of consecutive cases that represent average outcomes. Secondary objectives are to determine if outcomes correlate with cleft severity and to calculate interrater reliability. Design : Consecutive preoperative and 2-year postoperative photographs of the unilateral cleft lip-nose complex were randomized and evaluated by cleft surgeons. Parametric analysis was performed according to chronologic, consecutive order. The mean standard deviation over all raters enabled calculation of expected 95% confidence intervals around a mean tested for various sample sizes. Setting : Meeting of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association in 2009. Patients, Participants : Ten senior cleft surgeons evaluated 39 consecutive lip repairs. Main Outcome Measures : Preoperative severity and postoperative outcomes were evaluated using descriptive and quantitative scales. Results : Intraclass correlation coefficients for cleft severity and postoperative evaluations were 0.65 and 0.21, respectively. Outcomes did not correlate with cleft severity (P  =  .28). Calculations for 10 consecutive cases demonstrated wide 95% confidence intervals, spanning two points on both postoperative grading scales. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals narrowed within one qualitative grade (±0.30) and one point (±0.50) on the 10-point scale for 27 consecutive cases. Conclusions : Larger numbers of consecutive cases (n > 27) are increasingly representative of average results, but less practical in presentation format. Ten consecutive cases lack statistical support. Cleft surgeons showed low interrater reliability for postoperative assessments, which may reflect personal bias when evaluating another surgeon's results.

Twenty Years of Society of Medical Informatics of B&H and the Journal Acta Informatica Medica

PubMed Central

Masic, Izet

2012-01-01

In 2012, Health/Medical informatics profession celebrates five jubilees in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a) Thirty five years from the introduction of the first automatic manipulation of data; b) Twenty five years from establishing Society for Medical Informatics BiH; c) Twenty years from establishing scientific and professional journal of the Society for Medical Informatics of Bosnia and Herzegovina „Acta Informatica Medica“; d) Twenty years from establishing first Cathdra for Medical Informatics on biomedical faculties in Bosnia and Herzegovina and e) Ten years from the introduction of “Distance learning” in medical curriculum. All of the five mentioned activities in the area of Medical informatics had special importance and gave appropriate contribution in the development of Health/Medical informatics in Bosnia And Herzegovina. PMID:23322947

Twenty years of society of medical informatics of b&h and the journal acta informatica medica.

PubMed

Masic, Izet

2012-03-01

In 2012, Health/Medical informatics profession celebrates five jubilees in Bosnia and Herzegovina: a) Thirty five years from the introduction of the first automatic manipulation of data; b) Twenty five years from establishing Society for Medical Informatics BiH; c) Twenty years from establishing scientific and professional journal of the Society for Medical Informatics of Bosnia and Herzegovina "Acta Informatica Medica"; d) Twenty years from establishing first Cathdra for Medical Informatics on biomedical faculties in Bosnia and Herzegovina and e) Ten years from the introduction of "Distance learning" in medical curriculum. All of the five mentioned activities in the area of Medical informatics had special importance and gave appropriate contribution in the development of Health/Medical informatics in Bosnia And Herzegovina.

The summer institute in clinical dental research methods: still going and growing after twenty years.

PubMed

Derouen, Timothy A; Wiesenbach, Carol

2012-11-01

The first Summer Institute in Clinical Dental Research Methods, a faculty development program at the University of Washington, was offered in the summer of 1992 for sixteen participants. The primary objective of the program was to give clinical faculty members in dentistry an introduction to and an understanding of the fundamental principles and methods used in good clinical research. In the twentieth offering of the institute in 2011, there were thirty-five participants, and over the twenty institutes, there has been a cumulative total of 463 participants who have come from thirty U.S. states as well as forty-three countries outside the United States. The curriculum has expanded from the initial offering of biostatistics, clinical epidemiology, behavioral research methods, and ethics in clinical research to now include clinical trials, grantsmanship, data analysis, an elective in molecular biology, and a team project that provides participants with hands-on experience in research proposal development as members of an interdisciplinary team. Enrollment has doubled since the first year, yet exit evaluations of the program content have remained consistently high (rated as very good to excellent). One of the indicators of program quality is that at least 50 percent of recent participants indicated that they attended because the program was recommended by colleagues who had attended. There seems to be an ever-increasing pool of dental faculty members who are eager to learn more about clinical research methodology through the institute despite the intensive demands of full-time participation in a six-week program.

The second twenty-five years.

PubMed

Kippley, J F

1993-01-01

Between 1964 and 1968, the liberal Catholic press had prepared the laity for the change expected to occur after the release of Pope Paul VI's encyclical "Humanae Vitae," but almost no one read it when it was released in July 1968. The media gave the impression that no one agreed with the Pope. The Archbishop of Baltimore denounced his dissenting priests. The media publicized the discord, resulting in his fellow bishops not supporting him or the Pope. Sound theology was limited then. Today many Catholic leaders and scholars openly defend the encyclical, e.g., since 1978, Pope John Paul II has supported the doctrine of marital noncontraception. Pope Pius XII called for every woman to breast feed. The 1969 publication of the Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing was the catalyst for 10 years of research which confirmed breast feeding's contraceptive effect. Family planning specialists and demographers agreed in the Bellagio Consensus in 1988 that mothers who practiced exclusive breast feeding and were amenorrheic need not use a contraceptive for the first 6 months postpartum. Recent research shows that this rule depends on the population, e.g., women in Bangladesh meeting the criteria do not need to use contraceptives for 1 year. Few natural family planning groups existed in 1968 (e.g., 1 diocese), but today there are natural family planning teachers in 49 US states and in 13 countries. Some Catholics are calling for couples wanting to marry to take a course in natural family planning. The media widely publicized the new unnatural family planning methods, especially the pill. Recently a baby magazine allocated natural family planning 2/3rd of a page. A reporter for the "Washington Post" plans to interview a Catholic leader about natural family planning, completely on his/her own initiative.

Surgical Management and Outcomes of Combined Pancreaticoduodenal Injuries: Analysis of 75 Consecutive Cases.

PubMed

Krige, Jake E; Kotze, Urda K; Setshedi, Mashiko; Nicol, Andrew J; Navsaria, Pradeep H

2016-05-01

Combined pancreaticoduodenal injuries (CPDI) are complex and result in significant morbidity and mortality. Survival in CPDI after initial damage-control laparotomy (DCL) and pancreaticoduodenectomy was evaluated in a large cohort treated in a Level I trauma center. We hypothesized that bivariate analyses would accurately identify factors influencing morbidity and mortality. The records from a prospective database of 453 consecutive patients treated for pancreatic injuries between January 1990 and April 2015 were reviewed to identify those with CPDI. Primary and secondary end points assessed were death and morbidity. Seventy-five patients (69 men, median age 27 years, range 14 to 56 years) with CPDI, underwent 161 operations (range 1 to 9 operations). Twenty-nine patients with complex CPDI underwent a DCL and 46 had definitive treatment during the initial operation. Nineteen had a pancreaticoduodenectomy, either during the initial operation (n = 13) or after the DCL (n = 6). Postoperative complications occurred in 63 (84%) patients. Twenty-one (28%) patients died, including 15 (43%) of 35 patients with associated vascular injuries. Sixteen (84%) of the 19 patients who had a pancreaticoduodenectomy survived. Significantly more complications related to bleeding, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and hypovolemic shock occurred in those patients who eventually died and significantly more abdominal sepsis and fistulas occurred in patients who survived. Mortality was related to associated vascular injuries overall (p < 0.01), major visceral venous injuries (p < 0.011), and the combination of vascular plus the total number of associated organs injured (p < 0.046). Despite using DCL in CPDIs, morbidity (84%) and mortality (28%) remain substantial. Careful selection of patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy resulted in 84% survival. Associated vascular injuries, major visceral venous injuries, and combined vascular and associated organs injured influenced

Philosophy and Methods for China's Vocational Education Curriculum Reforms in the Early Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Guoqing

2014-01-01

Curriculum reform is an important aspect of progress in China's vocational education in the twenty-first century. The past decade's round of reforms were unprecedented in China in terms of both the scope and depth of their impact. They have and will continue to dramatically alter the nation's vocational education curriculum and teaching methods.…

N-Consecutive-Phase Encoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; Lee, Ho-Kyoung; Weber, Charles

1995-01-01

N-consecutive-phase encoder (NCPE) is conceptual encoder for generating alphabet of N consecutive full-response continuous-phase-modulation (CPM) signals. Enables use of binary preencoder of higher rate than used with simple continuous-phase encoder (CPE). NCPE makes possible to achieve power efficiencies and bandwidth efficiencies greater than conventional trellis coders with continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK).

Fostering collaboration in the medical practice: twenty-five tips.

PubMed

Hills, Laura

2013-01-01

It's a given that collaboration is an important aspect of medical practice management. But achieving genuine collaboration among the members of your medical practice team may not be as simple as it seems. This article suggests 25 practical strategies for medical practice employees and their managers to help them create and foster collaboration in their medical practices. Tips for collaborative goal setting, communication, ground rules, task delineation, sustainability, problem solving, and anticipating and handling problems are all described. In addition, this article offers a four-step strategy for dealing with a domineering collaborator and a five-step strategy for dealing with a collaboration slacker. This article also includes a 20-question self-quiz to help you and your employees evaluate your collaborative work style. Finally, this article describes 10 common collaboration pitfalls and the strategies you and your staff can use to avoid falling victim to them.

An increased frequency of patent foramen ovale in patients with transient global amnesia. Analysis of 53 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Klötzsch, C; Sliwka, U; Berlit, P; Noth, J

1996-06-01

Alerted by the number of patients with transient global amnesia (TGA) in whom Valsalvalike activities immediately preceded the onset of TGA, we have investigated the frequency of patent foramen ovale (PFO) as the prerequisite for paradoxical embolism. Case series with comparison to a control group. Hospitalized and ambulatory patients at the neurological departments of the Alfried Krupp Hospital, Essen, Germany, and the Rheinisch-Westfälische-Technische Hochschule, Aachen, Germany. Fifty-three consecutive patients with TGA were evaluated by the 2 centers between 1988 and 1995. Using contrast transcranial Doppler sonography we have observed a PFO in 55% of the patients with TGA, compared with 27% of a control group of 100 patients. This difference was statistically significant (P < .01). Twenty-five patients with TGA (47%), 15 of them with a proven PFO, reported a precipitating activity, such as the lifting of heavy weights, immediately before the TGA occurred. In addition to other pathological mechanisms, paradoxical embolism with temporobasal ischemia could possibly play a role in the clinical syndrome of TGA. This hypothesis could explain the frequent observation of preceding Valsalvalike activities in patients with TGA.

Twenty-five-year experience with the Björk-Shiley convexoconcave heart valve: a continuing clinical concern.

PubMed

Blot, William J; Ibrahim, Michel A; Ivey, Tom D; Acheson, Donald E; Brookmeyer, Ron; Weyman, Arthur; Defauw, Joseph; Smith, J Kermit; Harrison, Donald

2005-05-31

The first Björk-Shiley convexoconcave (BSCC) prosthetic heart valves were implanted in 1978. The 25th anniversary provided a stimulus to summarize the research data relevant to BSCC valve fracture, patient management, and current clinical options. Published and unpublished data on the risks of BSCC valve fracture and replacement were compiled, and strategies for identifying candidates for prophylactic valve reoperation were summarized. By December 2003, outlet strut fractures (OSFs), often with fatal outcomes, had been reported in 633 BSCC valves (0.7% of 86,000 valves implanted). Fractures still continue to occur, but average rates of OSFs in 60 degrees valves are now <0.1% per year. OSF risk varies markedly by valve characteristics, especially valve angle and size, with weaker effects associated with other manufacturing variables. OSF risks are mildly lower among women than men but decline sharply with advancing age. The risks of valve replacement typically greatly exceed those of OSF. By comparing individualized estimated risks of OSF versus valve replacement, guidelines have been developed to identify the small percentage of BSCC patients (mostly younger men) who would be expected to have a gain in life expectancy should reoperative surgery be performed. Twenty-five years after the initial BSCC valve implants, fractures continue to occur. Continued monitoring of BSCC patients is needed to track and quantify risks and enable periodic updating of guidelines for patients and their physicians.

Twenty-five-year experience with radical chemoradiation for anal cancer.

PubMed

Tomaszewski, Jonathan M; Link, Emma; Leong, Trevor; Heriot, Alexander; Vazquez, Melisa; Chander, Sarat; Chu, Julie; Foo, Marcus; Lee, Mark T; Lynch, Craig A; Mackay, John; Michael, Michael; Tran, Phillip; Ngan, Samuel Y

2012-06-01

To evaluate the prognostic factors, patterns of failure, and late toxicity in patients treated with chemoradiation (CRT) for anal cancer. Consecutive patients with nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anus treated by CRT with curative intent between February 1983 and March 2008 were identified through the institutional database. Chart review and telephone follow-up were undertaken to collect demographic data and outcome. Two hundred eighty-four patients (34% male; median age 62 years) were identified. The stages at diagnosis were 23% Stage I, 48% Stage II, 10% Stage IIIA, and 18% Stage IIIB. The median radiotherapy dose to the primary site was 54 Gy. A complete clinical response to CRT was achieved in 89% of patients. With a median follow-up time of 5.3 years, the 5-year rates of locoregional control, distant control, colostomy-free survival, and overall survival were 83% (95% confidence interval [CI] 78-88), 92% (95% CI, 89-96), 73% (95% CI, 68-79), and 82% (95% CI, 77-87), respectively. Higher T stage and male sex predicted for locoregional failure, and higher N stage predicted for distant metastases. Locoregional failure occurred most commonly at the primary site. Omission of elective inguinal irradiation resulted in inguinal failure rates of 1.9% and 12.5% in T1N0 and T2N0 patients, respectively. Pelvic nodal failures were very uncommon. Late vaginal and bone toxicity was observed in addition to gastrointestinal toxicity. CRT is a highly effective approach in anal cancer. However, subgroups of patients fare relatively poorly, and novel approaches are needed. Elective inguinal irradiation can be safely omitted only in patients with Stage I disease. Vaginal toxicity and insufficiency fractures of the hip and pelvis are important late effects that require prospective evaluation. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Twenty-first-century science.

PubMed Central

Greenwood, M R

1995-01-01

Scientific life is changing in fundamental ways as the twenty-first century approaches. Advances in technology are changing methods of scientific communications and dissemination of information, while diminishing resources lead to stabilization, politicization, increased public oversight, and the potential for significant downsizing. Libraries can foster the crucial interdisciplinary connections necessary to forge a new vision of scholarship. PMID:7703945

How to boost a low-morale medical practice team: twenty-five strategies.

PubMed

Hills, Laura

2014-01-01

Low morale can decrease productivity and cooperation among medical practice employees, and increase work errors, absenteeism, and turnover. That is why practice managers must be mindful of their employees' morale and develop a toolkit of strategies that they can use to assess and boost waning morale. This article suggests 25 practical and affordable strategies medical practice managers can use to increase their staffs' morale. It explores the high cost of low morale, including five invisible costs that are often overlooked but that nonetheless drain practice resources. Furthermore, this article suggests 25 warning signs of low morale and suggests 10 causes of low morale in the workplace. It also provides practice managers with a quick 10-question quiz to administer to their employees to help them assess employee morale. Finally, this article describes five easy and affordable games practice managers can play with their employees to build camaraderie and teamwork and to increase staff morale.

The Five Star Method: A Relational Dream Work Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparrow, Gregory Scott; Thurston, Mark

2010-01-01

This article presents a systematic method of dream work called the Five Star Method. Based on cocreative dream theory, which views the dream as the product of the interaction between dreamer and dream, this creative intervention shifts the principal focus in dream analysis from the interpretation of static imagery to the analysis of the dreamer's…

Protocol for a randomized comparison of integrated versus consecutive dual task practice in Parkinson’s disease: the DUALITY trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Multiple tasking is an integral part of daily mobility. Patients with Parkinson’s disease have dual tasking difficulties due to their combined motor and cognitive deficits. Two contrasting physiotherapy interventions have been proposed to alleviate dual tasking difficulties: either to discourage simultaneous execution of dual tasks (consecutive training); or to practice their concurrent use (integrated training). It is currently unclear which of these training methods should be adopted to achieve safe and consolidated dual task performance in daily life. Therefore, the proposed randomized controlled trial will compare the effects of integrated versus consecutive training of dual tasking (tested by combining walking with cognitive exercises). Methods and design Hundred and twenty patients with Parkinson’s disease will be recruited to participate in this multi-centered, single blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients in Hoehn & Yahr stage II-III, with or without freezing of gait, and who report dual task difficulties will be included. All patients will undergo a six-week control period without intervention after which they will be randomized to integrated or consecutive task practice. Training will consist of standardized walking and cognitive exercises delivered at home four times a week during six weeks. Treatment is guided by a physiotherapist twice a week and consists of two sessions of self-practice using an MP3 player. Blinded testers will assess patients before and after the control period, after the intervention period and after a 12-week follow-up period. The primary outcome measure is dual task gait velocity, i.e. walking combined with a novel untrained cognitive task to evaluate the consolidation of learning. Secondary outcomes include several single and dual task gait and cognitive measures, functional outcomes and a quality of life scale. Falling will be recorded as a possible adverse event using a weekly phone call for the entire

A cost comparison of five midstory removal methods

Treesearch

Brian G. Bailey; Michael R. Saunders; Zachary E. Lowe

2011-01-01

Within mature hardwood forests, midstory removal treatments have been shown to provide the adequate light and growing space needed for early establishment of intermediate-shade-tolerant species. As the method gains popularity, it is worthwhile to determine what manner of removal is most cost-efficient. Th is study compared five midstory removal treatments across 10...

Reaction Times to Consecutive Automation Failures: A Function of Working Memory and Sustained Attention.

PubMed

Jipp, Meike

2016-12-01

This study explored whether working memory and sustained attention influence cognitive lock-up, which is a delay in the response to consecutive automation failures. Previous research has demonstrated that the information that automation provides about failures and the time pressure that is associated with a task influence cognitive lock-up. Previous research has also demonstrated considerable variability in cognitive lock-up between participants. This is why individual differences might influence cognitive lock-up. The present study tested whether working memory-including flexibility in executive functioning-and sustained attention might be crucial in this regard. Eighty-five participants were asked to monitor automated aircraft functions. The experimental manipulation consisted of whether or not an initial automation failure was followed by a consecutive failure. Reaction times to the failures were recorded. Participants' working-memory and sustained-attention abilities were assessed with standardized tests. As expected, participants' reactions to consecutive failures were slower than their reactions to initial failures. In addition, working-memory and sustained-attention abilities enhanced the speed with which participants reacted to failures, more so with regard to consecutive than to initial failures. The findings highlight that operators with better working memory and sustained attention have small advantages when initial failures occur, but their advantages increase across consecutive failures. The results stress the need to consider personnel selection strategies to mitigate cognitive lock-up in general and training procedures to enhance the performance of low ability operators. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Five Methods for Estimating Angoff Cut Scores with IRT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyse, Adam E.

2017-01-01

This article illustrates five different methods for estimating Angoff cut scores using item response theory (IRT) models. These include maximum likelihood (ML), expected a priori (EAP), modal a priori (MAP), and weighted maximum likelihood (WML) estimators, as well as the most commonly used approach based on translating ratings through the test…

A Comparison of Current Guidelines of Five International Societies on Clostridium difficile Infection Management.

PubMed

Fehér, Csaba; Mensa, Josep

2016-09-01

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasingly recognized as an emerging healthcare problem of elevated importance. Prevention and treatment strategies are constantly evolving along with the apperance of new scientific evidence and novel treatment methods, which is well-reflected in the differences among consecutive international guidelines. In this article, we summarize and compare current guidelines of five international medical societies on CDI management, and discuss some of the controversial and currently unresolved aspects which should be addressed by future research.

Pecky rot in incense-cedar: evaluation of five scaling methods.

Treesearch

James M. Cahill; W.Y. Pong; D.L. Weyermann

1987-01-01

A sample of 58 logs was used to evaluate five methods of making scale deduc-tions for pecky rot in incense-cedar (Libocedrus decurrens Torr.) logs. Bias and ac-curacy were computed for three Scribner and two cubic scaling methods. The lumber yield of sound incense-cedar logs, as measured in a product recovery study, was used as the basis for...

[Carotid endarterectomy. Analysis of 193 consecutive cases].

PubMed

Angusto, A; Atienza, M; Morant, F; Vélez, A; Lorente, M C; Azcona, J M

1997-01-01

In the last years, several randomized and multicenter trials have been performed to evaluate the benefit of carotid endarterectomy (CE) in the carotid stenosis. To determine whether CE could be performed safely at hospitals not included in international trials, the results of 193 consecutive CEs performed during a 10-year period at a medical center of our environment were reviewed. A 65.8% of CEs were performed on symptomatic patients, 68.5% of whom had stenosis superiores to 70%. Among asymptomatic patients, 89.4% had stenosis superiores to 70%. Three patients died. Besides there were five nonfatal neurologic complications (one reversible ischemic neurologic deficit, one minor stroke and three major strokes). The mortality rate was 1.5%, the rate of mayor neurologic morbidity and mortality was 3.1% and the rate of total neurologic morbidity and mortality was 4.1%. These data demonstrate that CE can be performed with safety at Divisions of Vascular Surgery of our environment.

The five item Barthel index

PubMed Central

Hobart, J; Thompson, A

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—Routine data collection is now considered mandatory. Therefore, staff rated clinical scales that consist of multiple items should have the minimum number of items necessary for rigorous measurement. This study explores the possibility of developing a short form Barthel index, suitable for use in clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and audit, that satisfies criteria for rigorous measurement and is psychometrically equivalent to the 10 item instrument.
METHODS—Data were analysed from 844 consecutive admissions to a neurological rehabilitation unit in London. Random half samples were generated. Short forms were developed in one sample (n=419), by selecting items with the best measurement properties, and tested in the other (n=418). For each of the 10 items of the BI, item total correlations and effect sizes were computed and rank ordered. The best items were defined as those with the lowest cross product of these rank orderings. The acceptability, reliability, validity, and responsiveness of three short form BIs (five, four, and three item) were determined and compared with the 10 item BI. Agreement between scores generated by short forms and 10 item BI was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients and the method of Bland and Altman.
RESULTS—The five best items in this sample were transfers, bathing, toilet use, stairs, and mobility. Of the three short forms examined, the five item BI had the best measurement properties and was psychometrically equivalent to the 10 item BI. Agreement between scores generated by the two measures for individual patients was excellent (ICC=0.90) but not identical (limits of agreement=1.84±3.84).
CONCLUSIONS—The five item short form BI may be a suitable outcome measure for group comparison studies in comparable samples. Further evaluations are needed. Results demonstrate a fundamental difference between assessment and measurement and the importance of incorporating psychometric methods in the

Recurrence of breech presentation in consecutive pregnancies

PubMed Central

Ford, JB; Roberts, CL; Nassar, N; Giles, W; Morris, JM

2010-01-01

Objective To investigate the recurrence risk of breech presentation at term, and to assess the risk factors that contribute to its recurrence. Design Cohort study. Setting New South Wales, Australia. Population Women with their first two (n = 113 854) and first three (n = 21 690) consecutive singleton term pregnancies, in the period 1994–2002. Methods Descriptive statistics including rates, relative risks and adjusted relative risks, as determined from logistic regression and Poisson analyses. Main outcome measures Rates and risks of occurrence and recurrence of breech presentation at birth in each pregnancy, and maternal and infant risk factors associated with breech recurrence. Results First-time breech presentation at term occurred in 4.2% of first pregnancy deliveries, 2.2% of second pregnancies and 1.9% of third pregnancies. The rate of breech recurrence in a second consecutive pregnancy was 9.9%, and in a third consecutive pregnancy (after two prior breech deliveries) was 27.5%. The relative risk of breech recurrence in a second pregnancy was 3.2 (95% CI 2.8–3.6), and in a third consecutive breech pregnancy was 13.9 (95% CI 8.8–22.1). First pregnancy factors associated with recurrence included placenta praevia [adjusted relative risk (aRR) 2.2; 95% CI 1.3–3.7], maternal diabetes (aRR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0–2.1) and a maternal age of ≥35 years (aRR 1.2; 95% CI 0.9–1.6). Second pregnancy factors included birth defects (aRR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4–4.2), placenta praevia (aRR 2.5; 95% CI 1.5–4.1) and a female infant (aRR 1.2; 95% CI 1.0–1.5). Conclusions The increased recurrence risk of breech presentations suggests that women with a history of breech delivery should be closely monitored in the latter stages of pregnancy. PMID:20482538

Methods, systems and apparatus for synchronous current regulation of a five-phase machine

DOEpatents

Gallegos-Lopez, Gabriel; Perisic, Milun

2012-10-09

Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for controlling operation of and regulating current provided to a five-phase machine when one or more phases has experienced a fault or has failed. In one implementation, the disclosed embodiments can be used to synchronously regulate current in a vector controlled motor drive system that includes a five-phase AC machine, a five-phase inverter module coupled to the five-phase AC machine, and a synchronous current regulator.

Measuring the Success of a Summer Reading Program: A Five-Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liljequist, Laura; Stone, Staci

2009-01-01

Students were surveyed about a first-year summer reading program (SRP) at Murray State University, a regional, comprehensive university, for five consecutive years. Data are presented on how well the program met five stated goals: (a) providing a common academic experience for incoming first-year students, (b) introducing students to intellectual…

Referenceless MR thermometry-a comparison of five methods.

PubMed

Zou, Chao; Tie, Changjun; Pan, Min; Wan, Qian; Liang, Changhong; Liu, Xin; Chung, Yiu-Cho

2017-01-07

Proton resonance frequency shift (PRFS) MR thermometry is commonly used to measure temperature in thermotherapy. The method requires a baseline temperature map and is therefore motion sensitive. Several referenceless MR thermometry methods were proposed to address this problem but their performances have never been compared. This study compared the performance of five referenceless methods through simulation, heating of ex vivo tissues and in vivo imaging of the brain and liver of healthy volunteers. Mean, standard deviation, root mean square, 2/98 percentiles of error were used as performance metrics. Probability density functions (PDF) of the error distribution for these methods in the different tests were also compared. The results showed that the phase gradient method (PG) exhibited largest error in all scenarios. The original method (ORG) and the complex field estimation method (CFE) had similar performance in all experiments. The phase finite difference method (PFD) and the near harmonic method (NH) were better than other methods, especially in the lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and fast changing field cases. Except for PG, the PDFs of each method were very similar among the different experiments. Since phase unwrapping in ORG and NH is computationally demanding and subject to image SNR, PFD and CFE would be good choices as they do not need phase unwrapping. The results here would facilitate the choice of appropriate referenceless methods in various MR thermometry applications.

Referenceless MR thermometry—a comparison of five methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Chao; Tie, Changjun; Pan, Min; Wan, Qian; Liang, Changhong; Liu, Xin; Chung, Yiu-Cho

2017-01-01

Proton resonance frequency shift (PRFS) MR thermometry is commonly used to measure temperature in thermotherapy. The method requires a baseline temperature map and is therefore motion sensitive. Several referenceless MR thermometry methods were proposed to address this problem but their performances have never been compared. This study compared the performance of five referenceless methods through simulation, heating of ex vivo tissues and in vivo imaging of the brain and liver of healthy volunteers. Mean, standard deviation, root mean square, 2/98 percentiles of error were used as performance metrics. Probability density functions (PDF) of the error distribution for these methods in the different tests were also compared. The results showed that the phase gradient method (PG) exhibited largest error in all scenarios. The original method (ORG) and the complex field estimation method (CFE) had similar performance in all experiments. The phase finite difference method (PFD) and the near harmonic method (NH) were better than other methods, especially in the lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and fast changing field cases. Except for PG, the PDFs of each method were very similar among the different experiments. Since phase unwrapping in ORG and NH is computationally demanding and subject to image SNR, PFD and CFE would be good choices as they do not need phase unwrapping. The results here would facilitate the choice of appropriate referenceless methods in various MR thermometry applications.

Sums of Consecutive Integers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pong, Wai Yan

2007-01-01

We begin by answering the question, "Which natural numbers are sums of consecutive integers?" We then go on to explore the set of lengths (numbers of summands) in the decompositions of an integer as such sums.

Survey of Burglary and Vandalism Occurrence and Preventative Measures in Twenty-Five Large California School Districts. Summary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fresno City Unified School District, CA. Office of Planning and Research Services.

Twenty-three California school districts responded to a burglary and vandalism survey conducted by the Fresno Unified School District Burglary and Vandalism Prevention Project, which represents the first phase of a developing program to reduce vandalism occurrences and improve recovery of losses. This summary compiles survey data on 18,000…

An Empirical Comparison of Five Linear Equating Methods for the NEAT Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suh, Youngsuk; Mroch, Andrew A.; Kane, Michael T.; Ripkey, Douglas R.

2009-01-01

In this study, a data base containing the responses of 40,000 candidates to 90 multiple-choice questions was used to mimic data sets for 50-item tests under the "nonequivalent groups with anchor test" (NEAT) design. Using these smaller data sets, we evaluated the performance of five linear equating methods for the NEAT design with five levels of…

Antigenic and Genomic Diversity of Human Rotavirus VP4 in Two Consecutive Epidemic Seasons in Mexico

PubMed Central

Padilla-Noriega, Luis; Méndez-Toss, Martha; Menchaca, Griselda; Contreras, Juan F.; Romero-Guido, Pedro; Puerto, Fernando I.; Guiscafré, Héctor; Mota, Felipe; Herrera, Ismael; Cedillo, Roberto; Muñoz, Onofre; Calva, Juan; Guerrero, María de Lourdes; Coulson, Barbara S.; Greenberg, Harry B.; López, Susana; Arias, Carlos F.

1998-01-01

In the present investigation we characterized the antigenic diversity of the VP4 and VP7 proteins in 309 and 261 human rotavirus strains isolated during two consecutive epidemic seasons, respectively, in three different regions of Mexico. G3 was found to be the prevalent VP7 serotype during the first year, being superseded by serotype G1 strains during the second season. To antigenically characterize the VP4 protein of the strains isolated, we used five neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) which showed specificity for VP4 serotypes P1A, P1B, and P2 in earlier studies. Eight different patterns of reactivity with these MAbs were found, and the prevalence of three of these patterns varied from one season to the next. The P genotype of a subset of 52 samples was determined by PCR. Among the strains characterized as genotype P[4] and P[8] there were three and five different VP4 MAb reactivity patterns, respectively, indicating that the diversity of neutralization epitopes in VP4 is greater than that previously appreciated by the genomic typing methods. PMID:9620401

Effects of mixed-method cooling on recovery of medium-fast bowling performance in hot conditions on consecutive days.

PubMed

Minett, Geoffrey M; Duffield, Rob; Kellett, Aaron; Portus, Marc

2012-01-01

This investigation examined physiological and performance effects of cooling on recovery of medium-fast bowlers in the heat. Eight, medium-fast bowlers completed two randomised trials, involving two sessions completed on consecutive days (Session 1: 10-overs and Session 2: 4-overs) in 31 ± 3°C and 55 ± 17% relative humidity. Recovery interventions were administered for 20 min (mixed-method cooling vs. control) after Session 1. Measures included bowling performance (ball speed, accuracy, run-up speeds), physical demands (global positioning system, counter-movement jump), physiological (heart rate, core temperature, skin temperature, sweat loss), biochemical (creatine kinase, C-reactive protein) and perceptual variables (perceived exertion, thermal sensation, muscle soreness). Mean ball speed was higher after cooling in Session 2 (118.9 ± 8.1 vs. 115.5 ± 8.6 km · h⁻¹; P = 0.001; d = 0.67), reducing declines in ball speed between sessions (0.24 vs. -3.18 km · h⁻¹; P = 0.03; d = 1.80). Large effects indicated higher accuracy in Session 2 after cooling (46.0 ± 11.2 vs. 39.4 ± 8.6 arbitrary units [AU]; P = 0.13; d = 0.93) without affecting total run-up speed (19.0 ± 3.1 vs. 19.0 ± 2.5 km · h⁻¹; P = 0.97; d = 0.01). Cooling reduced core temperature, skin temperature and thermal sensation throughout the intervention (P = 0.001-0.05; d = 1.31-5.78) and attenuated creatine kinase (P = 0.04; d = 0.56) and muscle soreness at 24-h (P = 0.03; d = 2.05). Accordingly, mixed-method cooling can reduce thermal strain after a 10-over spell and improve markers of muscular damage and discomfort alongside maintained medium-fast bowling performance on consecutive days in hot conditions.

One hundred and twenty-five years of the Annals of Botany. Part 2: the years 1937 to 2012

PubMed Central

Jackson, Michael B.

2016-01-01

Background Annals of Botany is a peer-reviewed plant biology journal. It was started in 1887, making it the oldest continuously published plant science title. A previous article [Jackson MB. 2015. One hundred and twenty-five years of the Annals of Botany. Part 1: the first 50 years (1887–1936). Annals of Botany 115: 1–18] summarized events leading to its founding, highlighted the individuals involved and examined the Journal’s achievements and management practices over the first 50 years to 1937. This second article covers the next 75 years. Sources of information The account draws principally on the Journal’s own records, minute books, financial accounts, original letters and notes held by the Annals of Botany Company, the Journal’s owners and managers. Content In 1937, its 51st year, the Journal was re-launched as Annals of Botany New Series and its volume numbers were reset to No. I. The present article evaluates the evolution of the New Series up to 2012, Annals of Botany’s 125th anniversary year. The period includes a 2-year run-up to World War II, six war years and their immediate aftermath, and then on through increasingly competitive times. The ebb and flow of the Journal’s fortunes are set against a roll-call of the often highly distinguished scientists who managed and edited the Journal. The article also examines an internal crisis in the 1980s that radically altered the Journal’s organization in ways that were, ultimately, to its benefit. The narrative is set against changes to economic conditions in Great Britain over the period, to the evolving nature and geographical distribution of much experimental plant science and to the digital revolution that, from the late 20th century, transformed the workings of Annals of Botany and of scientific publishing more generally. PMID:27974325

Effects of consecutive trials and test-retest reliability of 1000-Hz tympanometry in adults.

PubMed

Carazo, Carla Dominguez; Sun, Xiao-Ming

2015-04-01

To investigate the effect of consecutive 1000-Hz tympanometry testing on admittance measures, and examine test-retest reliability. Repeated measures with eight trials of 1000-Hz Y(a) and B(a)/G(a) tympanometry, respectively, in two ears of each subject, followed by repeated 226-Hz tympanometry. Twenty-seven normal-hearing young adults. For single-peak tympanograms, peak Y(tm) and G(tm) systematically increased across trials with a mean change of 8% and 15% at Trial 8, respectively, whereas B(tm) increased marginally. For notched tympanograms, peak Y(tm) and B(tm) decreased by 23% and 162% at Trial 8, and G(tm) in two cases also decreased (10% on average). Trial 2 and 3 contributed 50% to 70% of the total changes. Test-retest differences of subsequently acquired 1000- and 226-Hz tympanograms were smaller than previously reported. Consecutive testing significantly alters middle-ear admittance in 1000-Hz tympanometry. The outcome is contingent on tympanogram pattern and admittance component: Increase of peak Y(tm) and G(tm) in single-peak tympanograms and decrease of all measures in notched tympanograms. The present results complement previous studies on our understanding of the mechanism underlying this effect: a decrease of middle-ear stiffness. The effect of repetitive tympanometry should be accounted for in research involving sequential testing.

Characteristics of ovulation method acceptors: a cross-cultural assessment.

PubMed

Klaus, H; Labbok, M; Barker, D

1988-01-01

Five programs of instruction in the ovulation method (OM) in diverse geographic and cultural settings are described, and characteristics of approximately 200 consecutive OM acceptors in each program are examined. Major findings include: the religious background and family size of acceptors are variable, as is the level of previous contraceptive use. Acceptors are drawn from a wide range of socioeconomic and religious backgrounds; however, family planning intention was similarly distributed in all five countries. In sum, the ovulation method is accepted by persons from a variety of backgrounds within and between cultural setting.

Computing sparse derivatives and consecutive zeros problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, B. V. Ravi; Hossain, Shahadat

2013-02-01

We describe a substitution based sparse Jacobian matrix determination method using algorithmic differentiation. Utilizing the a priori known sparsity pattern, a compression scheme is determined using graph coloring. The "compressed pattern" of the Jacobian matrix is then reordered into a form suitable for computation by substitution. We show that the column reordering of the compressed pattern matrix (so as to align the zero entries into consecutive locations in each row) can be viewed as a variant of traveling salesman problem. Preliminary computational results show that on the test problems the performance of nearest-neighbor type heuristic algorithms is highly encouraging.

A new serial pooling method of shifted tree ring blocks to construct millennia long tree ring isotope chronologies with annual resolution.

PubMed

Boettger, Tatjana; Friedrich, Michael

2009-03-01

The study presents a new serial pooling method of shifted tree ring blocks for the building of isotope chronologies. This method combines the advantages of traditional 'serial' and 'intertree' pooling, and can be recommended for the construction of sub-regional long isotope chronologies with sufficient replication, and on annual resolution, especially for the case of extremely narrow tree rings. For Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L., Khibiny Low Mountains, NW Russia) and Silver firs (Abies alba Mill., Franconia, Southern Germany), serial pooling of five consecutive tree rings seems appropriate because the species- and site-specific particularities lead to blurs of climate linkages in their tree rings for the period up to ca. five years back. An equivalent to a five-year running means that curve gained on the base annual data sets of single trees can be derived from the analysis of yearly shifted five-year blocks of consecutive tree rings, and therefore, with approximately 20% of the expense. Good coherence of delta(13)C- and delta(18)O-values between calculated means of annual total rings or late wood data and means of five-year blocks of consecutive total tree rings analysed experimentally on most similar material confirms this assumption.

Five radiographic methods for assessing skeletal maturity in a Spanish population: is there a correlation?

PubMed

Camacho-Basallo, Paula; Yáñez-Vico, Rosa-María; Solano-Reina, Enrique; Iglesias-Linares, Alejandro

2017-03-01

The need for accurate techniques of estimating age has sharply increased in line with the rise in illegal migration and the political, economic and socio-demographic problems that this poses in developed countries today. The methods routinely employed for determining chronological age are mainly based on determining skeletal maturation using radiological techniques. The objective of this study was to correlate five different methods for assessing skeletal maturation. 606 radiographs of growing patients were analyzed, and each patient was classified according to two cervical vertebral-based methods, two hand-wrist-based methods and one tooth-based method. Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient was applied to assess the relationship between chronological age and the five methods of assessing maturation, as well as correlations between the five methods (p < 0.05). Spearman's rank correlation coefficients for chronological age and cervical vertebral maturation stage using both methods were 0.656/0.693 (p < 0.001), respectively, for males. For females, the correlation was stronger for both methods. The correlation coefficients for chronological age against the two hand-wrist assessment methods were statistically significant only for Fishman's method, 0.722 (p < 0.001) and 0.839 (p < 0.001), respectively for males and females. The cervical vertebral, hand-wrist and dental maturation methods of assessment were all found to correlate strongly with each other, irrespective of gender, except for Grave and Brown's method. The results found the strongest correlation between the second molars and females, and the second premolar and males. This study sheds light on and correlates with the five radiographic methods most commonly used for assessing skeletal maturation in a Spanish population in southern Europe.

Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block: outcome of 510 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Perlas, Anahi; Lobo, Giovanni; Lo, Nick; Brull, Richard; Chan, Vincent W S; Karkhanis, Reena

2009-01-01

Supraclavicular brachial plexus block provides consistently effective anesthesia to the upper extremity. However, traditional nerve localization techniques may be associated with a high risk of pneumothorax. In the present study, we report block success and clinical outcome data from 510 consecutive patients who received an ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block for upper extremity surgery. After institutional review board approval, the outcome of 510 consecutive patients who received an ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block for upper extremity surgery was reviewed. Real-time ultrasound guidance was used with a high-frequency linear probe. The neurovascular structures were imaged on short axis, and the needle was inserted using an in-plane technique with either a medial-to-lateral or lateral-to-medial orientation. Five hundred ten ultrasound-guided supraclavicular blocks were performed (50 inpatients, 460 outpatients) by 47 different operators at different levels of training over a 24-month period. Successful surgical anesthesia was achieved in 94.6% of patients after a single attempt; 2.8% required local anesthetic supplementation of a single peripheral nerve territory; and 2.6% received an unplanned general anesthetic. No cases of clinically symptomatic pneumothorax developed. Complications included symptomatic hemidiaphragmatic paresis (1%), Horner syndrome (1%), unintended vascular punctures (0.4%), and transient sensory deficits (0.4%). Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block is associated with a high rate of successful surgical anesthesia and a low rate of complications and thus may be a safe alternative for both inpatients and outpatients. Severe underlying respiratory disease and coagulopathy should remain a contraindication for this brachial plexus approach.

A tale of surviving three consecutive cardiorespiratory arrests on table during a right sided pneumonectomy.

PubMed

Khan, Ali Zamir; Ali, Kamran; Agarwal, Narendra; Khandelwal, Shaiwal

2016-01-01

Intraoperative cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to lower airway obstruction is often difficult to manage. We describe the management of one such technically challenging case of three consecutive cardiorespiratory arrests during a right pneumonectomy in a young boy. A 10 years boy with a large fleshy vascular endobronchial tumor (biopsy proven squamous papilloma), completely occluding the right main-stem bronchus with collapse-consolidation of underlying right lung, was posted for a right pneumonectomy. There were dense adhesions of lung to the parieties and the lung was completely damaged. Twenty-five minutes into the surgery, patient started desaturating and the anesthetist was having difficulty in ventilating him. Check bronchoscopy showed endobronchial bleeding and the double lumen tube abutting the tumor. He was turned supine and CPR performed along with suctioning of blood and repositioning of tube. Patient revived and surgery continued. One and a half hour into the surgery the boy had a second cardiorespiratory arrest due to similar airway obstruction and managed in similar fashion. Lower lobectomy was speedily done to gain access to the hilum followed by quick completion pneumonectomy. Immediately following specimen removal, the patient had the third cardiorespiratory arrest and anesthetist was unable to ventilate the patient even after suctioning and repositioning of tube. With patient in lateral position, through the thoracotomy, right bronchial stump was opened and a quick bronchial intubation performed by the surgeon in chief. On opening the bronchus a tumor ball was seen occluding the left main bronchus, which probably got detached from the main tumor during pneumonectomy. Residual tumor was delivered out and the bronchial stump closed. Patient was transferred to ICU on ventilatory support. Postoperatively he was extubated after 48 hours and was found to have no neurological deficit. Chest drain came out on POD2 and he was discharged on POD5. Promptly

Twenty-First Century Literacy: A Matter of Scale from Micro to Mega

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Abbie; Slagter van Tryon, Patricia J.

2010-01-01

Twenty-first century technologies require educators to look for new ways to teach literacy skills. Current communication methods are combinations of traditional and newer, network-driven forms. This article describes the changes twenty-first century technologies cause in the perception of time, size, distance, audience, and available data, and…

Five Resources on Teaching Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Linda Wright

2009-01-01

This article offers five resources on teaching approaches that enhance learner participation and can be adapted inmost congregational learning contexts. These models emerge from diverse religious and secular perspectives; some are tailored for adult learners and some are ideal for learning in multicultural contexts. In alphabetical order, they are…

One hundred and twenty-five years of the Annals of Botany. Part 2: the years 1937 to 2012.

PubMed

Jackson, Michael B

2016-12-01

Annals of Botany is a peer-reviewed plant biology journal. It was started in 1887, making it the oldest continuously published plant science title. A previous article [Jackson MB. 2015. One hundred and twenty-five years of the Annals of Botany Part 1: the first 50 years (1887-1936). Annals of Botany 115: : 1-18] summarized events leading to its founding, highlighted the individuals involved and examined the Journal's achievements and management practices over the first 50 years to 1937. This second article covers the next 75 years. The account draws principally on the Journal's own records, minute books, financial accounts, original letters and notes held by the Annals of Botany Company, the Journal's owners and managers. In 1937, its 51st year, the Journal was re-launched as Annals of Botany New Series and its volume numbers were reset to No. I. The present article evaluates the evolution of the New Series up to 2012, Annals of Botany's 125th anniversary year. The period includes a 2-year run-up to World War II, six war years and their immediate aftermath, and then on through increasingly competitive times. The ebb and flow of the Journal's fortunes are set against a roll-call of the often highly distinguished scientists who managed and edited the Journal. The article also examines an internal crisis in the 1980s that radically altered the Journal's organization in ways that were, ultimately, to its benefit. The narrative is set against changes to economic conditions in Great Britain over the period, to the evolving nature and geographical distribution of much experimental plant science and to the digital revolution that, from the late 20th century, transformed the workings of Annals of Botany and of scientific publishing more generally. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The five-box method: The "four-box method" for the Catholic physician.

PubMed

Marugg, Lindsey; Atkinson, Marie-Noelle; Fernandes, Ashley

2014-11-01

The traditional ethical model of the "Four-Box Method" can be adapted to integrate the perspective of a Catholic physician. In an increasingly secularist environment, medical students and physicians are often asked to "leave religious beliefs at the door" and not consider the care and stewardship of our own morality and involvement as a provider. We reject this view. A patient's own religious and moral beliefs should be respected to the extent that they do not destroy our own; for us, the Catholic viewpoint can shine a light into dark corners and aid us in translating true things to patients of any religion. We analyzed a sample case in five different categories: medical indications, patient preferences, quality of life, contextual features, and the Catholic context. We explored how to methodically integrate the perspective of a Catholic physician into the analysis of this case to make the best decision for the patients. We felt that we were successfully able to integrate this perspective and create a "fifth box" based on the principles of Catholic social teaching. There were also points during the analysis that the perspective of the Catholic physician was integrated into the discussion of medical indications, proving to us that the "Catholic perspective" cannot be just put in one box either. The traditional ethical model of the "four-box method" can be adapted to integrate the perspective of a Catholic physician. In an increasingly secularist environment, medical students and physicians are often asked to "leave religious beliefs at the door" and not consider the care and stewardship of our own morality and involvement as a provider. We reject this view. A patient's own religious and moral beliefs should be respected to the extent that they do not destroy our own; for us, the Catholic viewpoint can shine a light into dark corners and aid us in translating true things to patients of any religion. By expanding to a "fifth box" of Catholic social teaching, the

Cultural Transmission of Tool Use in Young Children: A Diffusion Chain Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Emma; Whiten, Andrew

2008-01-01

Developmental and gender effects in the transmission of information about a tool-use task were investigated within a "diffusion chain" design. One hundred and twenty-seven children (65 three-year-olds and 62 five-year-olds) participated. Eighty children took part in diffusion chains in which consecutive children in chains of five witnessed two…

Validation of a Smartphone Image-Based Dietary Assessment Method for Pregnant Women

PubMed Central

Ashman, Amy M.; Collins, Clare E.; Brown, Leanne J.; Rae, Kym M.; Rollo, Megan E.

2017-01-01

Image-based dietary records could lower participant burden associated with traditional prospective methods of dietary assessment. They have been used in children, adolescents and adults, but have not been evaluated in pregnant women. The current study evaluated relative validity of the DietBytes image-based dietary assessment method for assessing energy and nutrient intakes. Pregnant women collected image-based dietary records (via a smartphone application) of all food, drinks and supplements consumed over three non-consecutive days. Intakes from the image-based method were compared to intakes collected from three 24-h recalls, taken on random days; once per week, in the weeks following the image-based record. Data were analyzed using nutrient analysis software. Agreement between methods was ascertained using Pearson correlations and Bland-Altman plots. Twenty-five women (27 recruited, one withdrew, one incomplete), median age 29 years, 15 primiparas, eight Aboriginal Australians, completed image-based records for analysis. Significant correlations between the two methods were observed for energy, macronutrients and fiber (r = 0.58–0.84, all p < 0.05), and for micronutrients both including (r = 0.47–0.94, all p < 0.05) and excluding (r = 0.40–0.85, all p < 0.05) supplements in the analysis. Bland-Altman plots confirmed acceptable agreement with no systematic bias. The DietBytes method demonstrated acceptable relative validity for assessment of nutrient intakes of pregnant women. PMID:28106758

The Twenty-First NASTRAN (R) Users' Colloquium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

This publication contains the proceedings of the Twenty-First NASTRAN Users' Colloquium held in Tampa, FL, April 26 through April 30, 1993. It provides some comprehensive general papers on the application of finite elements in engineering, comparisons with other approaches, unique applications, pre-and postprocessing with other auxiliary programs and new methods of analysis with NASTRAN.

An Easy Method for Preparing Presentation Slides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Norman A.; Blevins, Dennis D.

1984-01-01

Describes a simplified method of preparing 35mm projection slides with a minimum of equipment and expertise. The quality of these slides compares favorably to professionally produced diazo slides. Twenty-five slides can easily be prepared in less than three hours. Material cost per slide is comparable to professional color slide processing. (JN)

The Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of "Ex corde Ecclesiae": Toward a "Communio" between the Magisterium and Theology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hahn, Michael

2016-01-01

"Ex corde Ecclesiae" (1990) continues to be the normative teaching of the universal Church twenty-five years after it was promulgated by Pope John Paul II, and its "Application for the United States" (2000) remains in force as particular law. Minimalist interpretations have emphasized the requirement of the…

A Phenomenological Study of the Impact of Pre-Service and Inservice Training Regarding the Integration of Twenty-First Century Technologies into Selected Teachers' Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Christopher

2013-01-01

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand how in-service teachers with three to five years of experience perceive their pre-service and in-service training regarding the integration of twenty-first century technology into their instruction. Twenty participants from a rural public school system in southeast North…

Twenty-Five Years of Dynamic Growth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pipes, Lana

1980-01-01

Discusses developments in instructional technology in the past 25 years in the areas of audio, video, micro-electronics, social evolution, the space race, and living with rapidly changing technology. (CMV)

[Twenty five years of HIV virus].

PubMed

Nagy, Károly; Horváth, Attila

2010-01-24

At the 25th anniversary of the identification of HIV virus as the causative agent of AIDS, virologist and clinician authors provide an overview of the discovery and identification of HIV, its significance in the development of clinical diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, which led to the development of effective antiretroviral treatment. Besides the epidemiological and sociological aspects of the infection, authors provide a detailed chronology of the special aspects of the fight against HIV/AIDS in Hungary, from the diagnosis of the first HIV and AIDS cases, through the establishment of the nationwide screening network and counseling units to the appearance of drug resistant virus mutants, and the recent penetration of African HIV strains to the country. Further actions are urged locally and worldwide for the better understanding the interactions of the human host organism and the HIV virus for the more effective treatment. For these political consensuses, a large scale long term financial support, views based on scientific and public health evidences, and cooperation of the whole society worldwide are needed.

Paleolithic nutrition: twenty-five years later.

PubMed

Konner, Melvin; Eaton, S Boyd

2010-12-01

A quarter century has passed since the first publication of the evolutionary discordance hypothesis, according to which departures from the nutrition and activity patterns of our hunter-gatherer ancestors have contributed greatly and in specifically definable ways to the endemic chronic diseases of modern civilization. Refinements of the model have changed it in some respects, but anthropological evidence continues to indicate that ancestral human diets prevalent during our evolution were characterized by much lower levels of refined carbohydrates and sodium, much higher levels of fiber and protein, and comparable levels of fat (primarily unsaturated fat) and cholesterol. Physical activity levels were also much higher than current levels, resulting in higher energy throughput. We said at the outset that such evidence could only suggest testable hypotheses and that recommendations must ultimately rest on more conventional epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies. Such studies have multiplied and have supported many aspects of our model, to the extent that in some respects, official recommendations today have targets closer to those prevalent among hunter-gatherers than did comparable recommendations 25 years ago. Furthermore, doubts have been raised about the necessity for very low levels of protein, fat, and cholesterol intake common in official recommendations. Most impressively, randomized controlled trials have begun to confirm the value of hunter-gatherer diets in some high-risk groups, even as compared with routinely recommended diets. Much more research needs to be done, but the past quarter century has proven the interest and heuristic value, if not yet the ultimate validity, of the model.

Remembering Alcatraz: Twenty-Five Years After.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Troy; Nagel, Joane

1994-01-01

Describes circumstances that set the stage for the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island by American Indians, including federal relocation of thousands of reservation Indians to urban areas, national civil rights and antiwar movements, and growth of urban Indian and Indian college student organizations. Briefly traces events of the occupation. Lists…

Treatment preparatory to psychoanalysis: a reconsideration after twenty-five years.

PubMed

Bernstein, Stephen B

2010-02-01

The author's initial article on treatment preparatory to psychoanalysis (1983) challenged the long-held belief that a therapy with the same analyst would contaminate a subsequent analytic transference. The current article reconsiders the original process of transition from therapy to analysis and describes methods that can further its effectiveness. Although specific noninterpretive interventions to enhance preparation for analysis are rarely written about, they are discussed among colleagues and in supervision. Levy (1987) has described a bias against the description of strategic or tactical choices in analysis. It is increasingly clear that some patients' fear of exposing shameful defectiveness underlies their resistance to entering analysis, as does the originally described fear of an uncontrolled regression. It is useful to delay interpretation until shame sensitivity can be assessed and modulated. In the past there was pressure to keep the preparatory therapy brief so that the analyst would not become too well known to the patient. Less concern about strict anonymity allows more time for the patient's resistances to abate before the recommendation is made. Methods are described and clinical illustrations show how a deepening process can be fostered, how indications of readiness for the transition can be assessed, and when and how the recommendation can be made.

My First 100 Consecutive Microvascular Free Flaps: Pearls and Lessons Learned in First Year of Practice

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background: Microvascular reconstruction for oncologic defects is a challenging and rewarding endeavor, and successful outcomes are dependent on a multitude of factors. This study represents lessons learned from a personal prospective experience with 100 consecutive free flaps. Methods: All patients’ medical records were reviewed for demographics, operative notes, and complications. Results: Overall 100 flaps were performed in 84 consecutive patients for reconstruction of breast, head and neck, trunk, and extremity defects. Nineteen patients underwent free flap breast reconstruction with 10 patients undergoing bilateral reconstruction and 2 patients receiving a bipedicle flap for reconstruction of a unilateral breast defect. Sixty-five free flaps were performed in 61 patients with 3 patients receiving 2 free flaps for reconstruction of extensive head and neck defects and 1 patient who required a second flap for partial flap loss. Trunk and extremity reconstruction was less common with 2 free flaps performed in each group. Overall, 19 patients (22.6%) developed complications and 14 required a return to the operating room. There were no flap losses in this cohort. Thorough preoperative evaluation and workup, meticulous surgical technique and intraoperative planning, and diligent postoperative monitoring and prompt intervention are critical for flap success. Conclusions: As a young plastic surgeon embarking in reconstructive plastic surgery at an academic institution, the challenges and dilemmas presented in the first year of practice have been daunting but also represent opportunities for learning and improvement. Skills and knowledge acquired from time, experience, and mentors are invaluable in optimizing outcomes in microvascular free flap reconstruction. PMID:25289221

Twenty-first century learning after school: the case of 4-H.

PubMed

Kress, Cathann

2006-01-01

Founded in the early 1900s, the 4-H Youth Development program can serve as a model for out-of-school programs of the twenty-first century. The 4-H pledge, repeated by its members--over 7 million, ranging in age from five to twenty--articulates its core values: "I pledge: My head to clearer thinking, My heart to greater loyalty, My hands to larger service, and My health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world." The 4-H Development movement was created to provide opportunities for rural children, to help them become constructive adults. Through an emphasis on "learning by doing," 4-H teaches children the habits of lifelong learning. Historically, 4-H has tapped into university-level advancements, extending such knowledge to youth and thereby giving them early access to scientific discoveries and technological progress. Members apply this learning in their communities through hands-on projects crossing a wide-range of pertinent topics. Research shows that 4-H members are more successful in school than other children and develop a wide range of skills essential in the twenty-first century. Thus, the author makes the case that the foundation of 4-H is exceptionally relevant in today's complex world, perhaps even more so than a century ago. 4-H is a leader in youth development, making it a natural model for twenty-first century after-school programs. Expanding on the 4-H pledge, the author outlines the principles a successful youth development program would have: an emphasis on leadership skills, a feeling of connection and belonging, a forum for exploring career opportunities, and a component of meaningful community service.

New and Safe Treatment of Food Impacted in the Esophagus: A Single Center Experience of 100 Consecutive Cases

PubMed Central

Shafique, Muhammad; Lie, Erik S.; Dahl, Vegard; Olsbø, Frode; Røkke, Ola

2013-01-01

Aim. Large food bits can get stuck in the esophagus and must be removed by endoscopy. In some cases, this can be difficult or unsafe. We describe a new and safe treatment for such patients. Materials and Methods. 100 consecutive patients were referred to Akershus University Hospital with impacted food in the esophagus. In 36 patients (36%), the food passed spontaneously. In 59 (92%) of the remaining 64 patients, the food was removed by endoscopic intervention. In the last five patients, endoscopic removal was judged difficult or unsafe. These patients received the new treatment: one capsule Creon 10000 IU dissolved in 30 mL of Coca-Cola administered by a nasooesophageal tube four times daily for 2-3 days. Results. Of the 59 patients treated with endoscopic procedure, complications occurred in four (7%): three bleedings and one perforation of the esophagus. In five patients treated with Coca-Cola and Creon, the food had either passed or was soft after 2-3 days and could easily be removed. Conclusion. The treatment of choice of impacted food in the esophagus is endoscopic removal. In cases where this is difficult, we recommend treatment with Coca-Cola and Creon for 2-3 days before complications occur. PMID:24348528

New and safe treatment of food impacted in the esophagus: a single center experience of 100 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Shafique, Muhammad; Yaqub, Sheraz; Lie, Erik S; Dahl, Vegard; Olsbø, Frode; Røkke, Ola

2013-01-01

Aim. Large food bits can get stuck in the esophagus and must be removed by endoscopy. In some cases, this can be difficult or unsafe. We describe a new and safe treatment for such patients. Materials and Methods. 100 consecutive patients were referred to Akershus University Hospital with impacted food in the esophagus. In 36 patients (36%), the food passed spontaneously. In 59 (92%) of the remaining 64 patients, the food was removed by endoscopic intervention. In the last five patients, endoscopic removal was judged difficult or unsafe. These patients received the new treatment: one capsule Creon 10000 IU dissolved in 30 mL of Coca-Cola administered by a nasooesophageal tube four times daily for 2-3 days. Results. Of the 59 patients treated with endoscopic procedure, complications occurred in four (7%): three bleedings and one perforation of the esophagus. In five patients treated with Coca-Cola and Creon, the food had either passed or was soft after 2-3 days and could easily be removed. Conclusion. The treatment of choice of impacted food in the esophagus is endoscopic removal. In cases where this is difficult, we recommend treatment with Coca-Cola and Creon for 2-3 days before complications occur.

Spectrum of perforation peritonitis in India--review of 504 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Jhobta, Rajender Singh; Attri, Ashok Kumar; Kaushik, Robin; Sharma, Rajeev; Jhobta, Anupam

2006-09-05

Perforation peritonitis is the most common surgical emergency in India. The spectrum of etiology of perforation in Tropical countries continues to be different from its Western counterpart. The objective of the study was to highlight the spectrum of perforation peritonitis as encountered by us at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh. Five hundred and four consecutive cases of perforation peritonitis over a period of five years were reviewed in terms of clinical presentation, operative findings and postoperative course retrospectively at GMCH, Chandigarh. The most common cause of perforation in our series was perforated duodenal ulcer (289 cases) followed by appendicitis (59 cases), gastrointestinal perforation due to blunt trauma abdomen (45 cases), typhoid fever (41 cases) and tuberculosis (20 cases). Despite delay in seeking medical treatment (53%), the overall mortality (10%) was favourably comparable with other published series though the overall morbidity (50%) was unusually high. In contrast to western literature, where lower gastrointestinal tract perforations predominate, upper gastrointestinal tract perforations constitute the majority of cases in India. The increasing incidence of post-traumatic gastro-enteric injuries may be due to an increase in high speed motor vehicle accidents which warrant early recognition and prompt treatment to avoid serious complications and death.

Consecutive five-year analysis of paternal and maternal gene flow and contributions of gametic heterogeneities to overall genetic composition of dispersed seeds of Pinus densiflora (Pinaceae).

PubMed

Iwaizumi, Masakazu G; Takahashi, Makoto; Isoda, Keiya; Austerlitz, Frédéric

2013-09-01

Genetic variability in monoecious woody plant populations results from the assemblage of individuals issued from asymmetrical male and female reproductive functions, produced during spatially and temporarily heterogeneous reproductive and dispersal events. Here we investigated the dispersal patterns and levels of genetic diversity and differentiation of both paternal and maternal gametes in a natural population of Pinus densiflora at the multiple-year scale as long as five consecutive years. • We analyzed the paternity and maternity for 1576 seeds and 454 candidate adult trees using nuclear DNA polymorphisms of diploid biparental embryos and haploid maternal megagametophytes at eight microsatellite loci. • Despite the low levels of genetic differentiation among gamete groups, a two-way AMOVA analysis showed that the parental origin (paternal vs. maternal gametes), the year of gamete production and their interaction had significant effects on the genetic composition of the seeds. While maternal gamete groups showed a significant FST value across the 5 years, this was not true for their paternal counterparts. Within the population, we found that the relative reproductive contributions of the paternal vs. the maternal parent differed among adult trees, the maternal contributions showing a larger year-to-year fluctuation. • The overall genetic variability of dispersed seeds appeared to result from two sources of heterogeneity: the difference between paternal and maternal patterns of reproduction and gamete dispersal and year-to-year heterogeneity of reproduction of adult trees, especially in their maternal reproduction.

Recurrent pregnancy loss: what is the impact of consecutive versus non-consecutive losses?

PubMed

Egerup, P; Kolte, A M; Larsen, E C; Krog, M; Nielsen, H S; Christiansen, O B

2016-11-01

Is there a different prognostic impact for consecutive and non-consecutive early pregnancy losses in women with secondary recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)? Only consecutive early pregnancy losses after the last birth have a statistically significant negative prognostic impact in women with secondary RPL. The risk of a new pregnancy loss increases with the number of previous pregnancy losses in patients with RPL. Second trimester losses seem to exhibit a stronger negative impact than early losses. It is unknown whether the sequence of pregnancy losses plays a role for the prognosis in patients with a prior birth. This retrospective cohort study of pregnancy outcome in patients with unexplained secondary RPL included in three previously published, Danish double-blinded placebo-controlled trials of intravenous immunoglobulin (IvIg) conducted from 1991 to 2014. No other treatments were given. Patients with documented explained pregnancy losses (ectopic pregnancies and aneuploid miscarriages) were excluded. Of the 168 patients included in the trials, 127 had secondary RPL and experienced a subsequent live birth or unexplained pregnancy loss in the first pregnancy after giving informed consent to participate in the trials (the index pregnancy). Data analyzed by multivariate analysis included the independent variables age, the number of early pregnancy losses before and after the last birth, respectively and a second trimester pregnancy loss before or after the last birth, respectively. The outcome variable was unexplained loss in the index pregnancy. In patients with secondary RPL, both a late and each early loss before the last birth did not significantly influence the risk of a new pregnancy loss in the index pregnancy: incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.31 (95% CI 0.62-2.77) and IRR 0.88 (95% CI 0.70-1.11), respectively. In contrast, the impact on risk of pregnancy loss conferred by a late and by each early pregnancy loss occurring after the birth was significant: IRR 2

FIVE-YEAR RESULTS OF ADJUVANT RADIOTHER

PubMed Central

Osa, Etin-Osa O.; DeWyngaert, Keith; Roses, Daniel; Speyer, James; Guth, Amber; Axelrod, Deborah; Kerimian, Maria Fenton; Goldberg, Judith D.; Formenti, Silvia C.

2015-01-01

Purpose/Objective A technique of prone breast radiotherapy delivered by a regimen of accelerated intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with a concurrent boost to the tumor bed, was developed at our institution. We report the five year results of this approach. Methods and Materials Between 2003–2006, 404 patients with Stage I–II breast cancer were prospectively enrolled into two consecutive protocols, institutional trials 03–30 and 05–181, that used the same regimen of 40.5Gy/15 fractions delivered to the index breast over 3 weeks, with a concomitant daily boost to the tumor bed of 0.5Gy (total dose=48Gy). All patients were treated after segmental mastectomy, had negative margins, and nodal assessment. Patients were set up prone: only if lung or heart volumes were in the field was a supine set-up attempted, and chosen if found to better spare these organs. Results 92% of patients were treated prone, 8% supine. 72% had stage I, 28% stage II invasive breast cancer. In-field lung volume ranged from 0 –228.27cc, mean: 19.65cc. In-field heart volume for left breast cancer patients ranged from 0–21.24cc, mean: 1.59cc. There was no heart in the field for right breast cancer patients. At a median follow-up of five years, the five-year cumulative incidence of isolated ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence was 0.82% (95% CI: 0.65–1.04). The five-year cumulative incidence of regional recurrence was 0.53% (95% CI:0.41–0.69) and the five-year overall cumulative death rate was 1.28% (95% CI: 0.48–3.38). 82% (95% CI: 77–85) of patients judged their final cosmetic result as excellent/good. Conclusions Prone accelerated IMRT with a concomitant boost results in excellent local control, optimal sparing of heart and lung, with good cosmesis. RTOG 10–05, a phase III, multi-institutional, randomized trial is ongoing and is evaluating the equivalence of a similar dose and fractionation approach to standard six weeks radiotherapy with a sequential boost. PMID

Outlook: The Next Twenty Years

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

Murayama, Hitoshi

2003-12-07

I present an outlook for the next twenty years in particle physics. I start with the big questions in our field, broken down into four categories: horizontal, vertical, heaven, and hell. Then I discuss how we attack the bigquestions in each category during the next twenty years. I argue for a synergy between many different approaches taken in our field.

Comparative evaluation of perceptions of dental students to three methods of teaching in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

PubMed

Esan, T A; Oziegbe, E O

2015-12-01

The World Health Organization in 1994 recommended that dental education should be problem based, socially and culturally relevant, and community oriented. To explore the perceptions of Pre-phase II (pre-clinical II) dental students on three methods of teaching used during two academic sessions. All part IV dental students in two consecutive sessions undergoing pre phase II course in the Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife were recruited into the study. Three different modes of teaching that is, Problem based learning (PBL), hybrid PBL and traditional teaching were used to teach the students. A twenty two itemed anonymous questionnaire on a five point Likert scale was administered to the students at the end of the course. Six perceived factors were extracted from the questionnaire using factor analysis. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) between the overall mean of PBL method compared to the other methods of teaching. The perceived factor "communication with peers" had the highest mean score for PBL in both sessions (4.57 ± 0.58 and 4.09 ± 0.93 respectively). However, PBL method was very helpful in all the six perceived factors while the students perceived that the traditional method of teaching was not helpful in "interaction with tutors" and "challenge to critical thinking". The findings showed that students preferred the PBL method to other forms of teaching. PBL enhanced the students' communication skill, was very useful as pedagogic tool and improved their critical thinking.

Mediating Peer Teaching for Learning Games: An Action Research Intervention Across Three Consecutive Sport Education Seasons.

PubMed

Farias, Cláudio; Mesquita, Isabel; Hastie, Peter A; O'Donovan, Toni

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to provide an integrated analysis of a teacher's peer-teaching mediation strategies, the student-coaches' instruction, and the students' gameplay development across 3 consecutive seasons of sport education. Twenty-six 7th-grade students participated in 3 consecutive sport education seasons of invasion games (basketball, handball, and soccer). The research involved 3 action research cycles, 1 per season, and each cycle included the processes of planning, acting and monitoring, reflecting, and fact finding. Data collection consisted of videotape and audiotape records of all 47 lessons, a reflective field diary kept by the first author in the role of teacher-researcher, and a total of 24 semistructured focus-group interviews. Trustworthiness criteria for assuring the quality of qualitative research included extensive data triangulation, stakeholders' crosschecking, and collaborative interpretational analysis. Through the application of systematic preparation strategies, student-coaches were able to successfully conduct team instruction that resulted in students' tactical development and improved performance. Aspects such as the study of predominant configurations of players' gameplay and similar tactical principles across games within the same category prevented a setback in the complexity of the learning content addressed at the beginning of each season. Players also showed an increasing ability to adapt gameplay to game conditions. While sport education has the capacity to develop competent players, different levels of teacher guidance and learners' instructional responsibility are necessary when teaching tactics.

Consecutive pharmacological activation of PKA and PKC mimics the potent cardioprotection of temperature preconditioning

PubMed Central

Khaliulin, Igor; Parker, Joanna E.; Halestrap, Andrew P.

2010-01-01

Aims Temperature preconditioning (TP) provides very powerful protection against ischaemia/reperfusion. Understanding the signalling pathways involved may enable the development of effective pharmacological cardioprotection. We investigated the interrelationship between activation of protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) in the signalling mechanisms of TP and developed a potent pharmacological intervention based on this mechanism. Methods and results Isolated rat hearts were subjected to TP, 30 min global ischaemia, and 60 min reperfusion. Other control and TP hearts were perfused with either sotalol (β-adrenergic blocker) or H-89 (PKA inhibitor). Some hearts were pre-treated with either isoproterenol (β-adrenergic agonist) or adenosine (PKC activator) that were given alone, simultaneously, or sequentially. Pre-treatment with isoproterenol, adenosine, and the consecutive isoproterenol/adenosine treatment was also combined with the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. Cardioprotection was evaluated by haemodynamic function recovery, lactate dehydrogenase release, measurement of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and protein carbonylation during reperfusion. Cyclic AMP and PKA activity were increased in TP hearts. H-89 and sotalol blocked the cardioprotective effect of TP and TP-induced PKC activation. Isoproterenol, adenosine, and the consecutive treatment increased PKC activity during pre-ischaemia. Isoproterenol significantly reduced myocardial glycogen content. Isoproterenol and adenosine, alone or simultaneously, protected hearts but the consecutive treatment gave the highest protection. Cardioprotective effects of adenosine were completely blocked by chelerythrine but those of the consecutive treatment only attenuated. Conclusion The signal transduction pathway of TP involves PKA activation that precedes PKC activation. Pharmacologically induced consecutive PKA/PKC activation mimics TP and induces extremely potent cardioprotection. PMID

Primary progressive aphasia: classification of variants in 100 consecutive Brazilian cases

PubMed Central

Senaha, Mirna Lie Hosogi; Caramelli, Paulo; Brucki, Sonia M.D.; Smid, Jerusa; Takada, Leonel T.; Porto, Claudia S.; César, Karolina G.; Matioli, Maria Niures P.; Soares, Roger T.; Mansur, Letícia L.; Nitrini, Ricardo

2013-01-01

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a neurodegenerative clinical syndrome characterized primarily by progressive language impairment. Recently, consensus diagnostic criteria were published for the diagnosis and classification of variants of PPA. The currently recognized variants are nonfluent/agrammatic (PPA-G), logopenic (PPA-L) and semantic (PPA-S). OBJECTIVE To analyze the demographic data and the clinical classification of 100 PPA cases. METHODS Data from 100 PPA patients who were consecutively evaluated between 1999 and 2012 were analyzed. The patients underwent neurological, cognitive and language evaluation. The cases were classified according to the proposed variants, using predominantly the guidelines proposed in the consensus diagnostic criteria from 2011. RESULTS The sample consisted of 57 women and 43 men, aged at onset 67.2±8.1 years (range of between 53 and 83 years). Thirty-five patients presented PPA-S, 29 PPA-G and 16 PPA-L. It was not possible to classify 20% of the cases into any one of the proposed variants. CONCLUSION It was possible to classify 80% of the sample into one of the three PPA variants proposed. Perhaps the consensus classification requires some adjustments to accommodate cases that do not fit into any of the variants and to avoid overlap where cases fit more than one variant. Nonetheless, the established current guidelines are a useful tool to address the classification and diagnosis of PPA and are also of great value in standardizing terminologies to improve consistency across studies from different research centers. PMID:29213827

Factors predisposing to consecutive esotropia after surgery to correct intermittent exotropia.

PubMed

Jang, Jung Hyun; Park, Jung Min; Lee, Soo Jung

2012-10-01

To investigate the incidence of and factors predisposing to consecutive esotropia after intermittent exotropia surgery, and to prevent the onset of consecutive esotropia. We retrospectively surveyed 226 patients who had been followed up for more than 1 year after surgery for intermittent exotropia conducted between February 2005 and September 2010. Consecutive esotropia was defined as an esotropia of at least 10 prism diopters (PD) at distance or near at least once in 2 weeks after surgery. Presumed risk factors for consecutive esotropia were analyzed. Gender, age at surgery, average binocular spherical equivalent, anisometropia, high myopia, amblyopia, preoperative angle of deviation, vertical deviation, A-V pattern strabismus, exotropia type, type of surgery, stereopsis, and suppression were investigated to evaluate factors influencing the onset of consecutive esotropia. Consecutive esotropia occurred in 22 patients (9.7 %). Significant correlations with occurrence of the condition were found with high myopia (P = 0.013), amblyopia (P = 0.047), preoperative angle of deviation of 25-40 PD at distance (P = 0.016), deviation at distance - deviation at near > 10 PD (P = 0.041), lateral incomitance (P = 0.007), tenacious proximal convergence fusion type (P = 0.001), unilateral lateral rectus muscle recession and medial rectus muscle resection (P = 0.001). High myopia, amblyopia, and lateral incomitance were predisposing factors for consecutive esotropia. Furthermore, the preoperative angle of deviation at distance, differences between the angle of deviation at near and at distance, the type of intermittent exotropia, and the type of surgery affected the incidence of consecutive esotropia. More attention must be paid to patients with such factors.

Changes in the diurnal rhythms of cortisol, melatonin, and testosterone after 2, 4, and 7 consecutive night shifts in male police officers.

PubMed

Jensen, Marie Aarrebo; Hansen, Åse Marie; Kristiansen, Jesper; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Garde, Anne Helene

2016-08-11

Night work is associated with a large range of acute health problems and possibly also health consequences in the long run. Yet, only very few field studies specifically investigate the effects of consecutive night shift on key physiological regulatory systems. In this field study, we investigated the effects of consecutive night shifts on three hormones, melatonin, cortisol, and testosterone, among police officers at work. More specifically, the aim was to investigate how the diurnal rhythms of melatonin, cortisol, and testosterone responded to two, four, and seven consecutive night shifts and a corresponding number of days for recovery. The study was part of the "In the Middle of the Night" project and included 73 male police officers from five different police districts. The participants were exposed to three intervention conditions: "2+2": two consecutive night shifts followed by two consecutive day recovery days; "4+4": four consecutive night shifts followed by four consecutive recovery days; "7+7": seven consecutive night shifts followed by seven consecutive recovery days. On the last day with night shift and the last recovery day in each intervention, the participants collected saliva samples every 4th hour when awake. The diurnal rhythms of melatonin, cortisol, and testosterone were all affected differently by an increasing number of consecutive night shifts: the amplitude of the melatonin rhythm was suppressed by 4.9% per day (95% CI 1.4-8.2% per day; p = 0.006). The diurnal rhythm of cortisol phase was delayed with an increasing number of night shifts by 33 min/day (95% CI 18-48 min per day; p ≤ 0.001), but did not show any changes in amplitude. For the diurnal rhythm of testosterone, there was no effect of the number of consecutive night shifts and the diurnal rhythm completely followed the sleep/wake cycle. We found that there were no differences in the rhythms of melatonin, cortisol, and testosterone after 2, 4, and 7 recovery days, respectively. In

Distribution of flunixin residues in muscles of dairy cattle dosed with lipopolysaccharide or saline and treated with flunixin by intravenous or intramuscular injection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Twenty dairy cows received flunixin meglumine at 2.2 mg/kg bw, administered once daily by either the intravenous (IV) or intra muscular (IM) route for three consecutive days with either intravenous normal saline (NS) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) providing a balanced design with five animals per group...

A new method for calculating time-dependent atomic level populations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kastner, S. O.

1981-01-01

A method is described for reducing the number of levels to be dealt with in calculating time-dependent populations of atoms or ions in plasmas. The procedure effectively extends the collisional-radiative model to consecutive stages of ionization, treating ground and metastable levels explicitly and excited levels implicitly. Direct comparisons of full and simulated systems are carried out for five-level models.

Characterization of radiographic features of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis.

PubMed

Sun, Yapeng; Wang, Hui; Yang, Dalong; Zhang, Nan; Yang, Sidong; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Wenyuan

2016-11-01

Radiographic features of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis were retrospectively analyzed in a total of 17 patients treated for this condition at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June 2005 to March 2012.To investigate the radiographic features, pelvic compensatory mechanisms, and possible underlying etiologies of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis.To the best of our knowledge, there is no previous report concerning the characteristics of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis.The Taillard index and the lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacrum slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) were determined on lateral X-ray images, and the angular displacement was analyzed on flexion-extension X-ray images. Correlation between LL and various pelvic parameters and correlation between Taillard index and angular displacement were assessed by Pearson correlation analysis.A total of 20 cases of isthmic spondylolisthesis and 14 of degenerative spondylolisthesis were retrospectively studied in 17 patients. The Taillard index and the angular displacement in the lower vertebrae were both larger than those in the upper vertebrae. Statistical analysis revealed that LL was correlated with PI and PT, whereas PI was correlated with PT and SS. However, no correlation was identified between Taillard index and angular displacement.In consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis, the degree of vertebral slip and the angular displacement of the lower vertebrae were both greater than those of the upper vertebrae, indicating that the compensatory mechanism of the pelvis plays an important role in maintaining sagittal balance.

Characterization of radiographic features of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis

PubMed Central

Sun, Yapeng; Wang, Hui; Yang, Dalong; Zhang, Nan; Yang, Sidong; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Wenyuan

2016-01-01

Abstract Radiographic features of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis were retrospectively analyzed in a total of 17 patients treated for this condition at the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June 2005 to March 2012. To investigate the radiographic features, pelvic compensatory mechanisms, and possible underlying etiologies of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis. To the best of our knowledge, there is no previous report concerning the characteristics of consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis. The Taillard index and the lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacrum slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) were determined on lateral X-ray images, and the angular displacement was analyzed on flexion–extension X-ray images. Correlation between LL and various pelvic parameters and correlation between Taillard index and angular displacement were assessed by Pearson correlation analysis. A total of 20 cases of isthmic spondylolisthesis and 14 of degenerative spondylolisthesis were retrospectively studied in 17 patients. The Taillard index and the angular displacement in the lower vertebrae were both larger than those in the upper vertebrae. Statistical analysis revealed that LL was correlated with PI and PT, whereas PI was correlated with PT and SS. However, no correlation was identified between Taillard index and angular displacement. In consecutive lumbar spondylolisthesis, the degree of vertebral slip and the angular displacement of the lower vertebrae were both greater than those of the upper vertebrae, indicating that the compensatory mechanism of the pelvis plays an important role in maintaining sagittal balance. PMID:27861359

The effect of the number of consecutive night shifts on diurnal rhythms in cortisol, melatonin and heart rate variability (HRV): a systematic review of field studies.

PubMed

Jensen, Marie Aarrebo; Garde, Anne Helene; Kristiansen, Jesper; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Hansen, Åse Marie

2016-05-01

The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge from field studies on how many consecutive night shifts are required for adaptation of diurnal rhythms in cortisol, melatonin and heart rate variability (HRV) to night work. A systematic search of the databases PubMed and Web of Science resulted in 18 studies selected for review. Cortisol was measured in five studies, melatonin in 11 studies and HRV in four studies. Diurnal rhythms were assessed by use of several different measures based on three to eight samples per day for cortisol and melatonin and 24-h recordings for HRV. Most of the studies in the review were small studies with less than 30 participants, and most studies evaluated diurnal rhythms after only two consecutive night shifts whereas only six studies used seven or more consecutive night shifts. The majority of studies found that adaptation to night work had not occurred after two consecutive night shifts, whereas a small number found evidence for full adaptation after seven consecutive night shifts based on diurnal rhythms in cortisol and melatonin. There are methodological differences in the field studies analyzing diurnal rhythms and large diversity in the occupational fields studied. Nevertheless, we conclude that diurnal rhythms in cortisol, melatonin and HRV are not adapted to night work after 1-3 consecutive night shifts. Studies are needed to establish how many consecutive night shifts are needed for full adaptation of diurnal rhythms to night work.

40 CFR 141.29 - Monitoring of consecutive public water systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Monitoring of consecutive public water systems. 141.29 Section 141.29 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Monitoring and Analytical Requirements § 141.29 Monitoring of consecutive...

Five-equation and robust three-equation methods for solution verification of large eddy simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rabijit; Xing, Tao

2018-02-01

This study evaluates the recently developed general framework for solution verification methods for large eddy simulation (LES) using implicitly filtered LES of periodic channel flows at friction Reynolds number of 395 on eight systematically refined grids. The seven-equation method shows that the coupling error based on Hypothesis I is much smaller as compared with the numerical and modeling errors and therefore can be neglected. The authors recommend five-equation method based on Hypothesis II, which shows a monotonic convergence behavior of the predicted numerical benchmark ( S C ), and provides realistic error estimates without the need of fixing the orders of accuracy for either numerical or modeling errors. Based on the results from seven-equation and five-equation methods, less expensive three and four-equation methods for practical LES applications were derived. It was found that the new three-equation method is robust as it can be applied to any convergence types and reasonably predict the error trends. It was also observed that the numerical and modeling errors usually have opposite signs, which suggests error cancellation play an essential role in LES. When Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based error estimation method is applied, it shows significant error in the prediction of S C on coarse meshes. However, it predicts reasonable S C when the grids resolve at least 80% of the total turbulent kinetic energy.

Vitality of Enterococcus faecalis inside dentinal tubules after five root canal disinfection methods

PubMed Central

Vatkar, Niranjan Ashok; Hegde, Vivek; Sathe, Sucheta

2016-01-01

Aim: To compare the vitality of Enterococcus faecalis within dentinal tubules after subjected to five root canal disinfection methods. Materials and Methods: Dentin blocks (n = 60) were colonized with E. faecalis. After 4 weeks of incubation, the dentin blocks were divided into one control and five test groups (n = 10 each). The root canals of test groups were subjected to one of the disinfection methods, namely, normal saline (NS), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser, and diode laser. The effect of disinfection methods was assessed by LIVE/DEAD BacLight stain under the confocal laser scanning microscopy to determine the “zone of dead bacteria” (ZDB). Mean values were calculated for ZDB and the difference between groups was established. Results: Penetration of E. faecalis was seen to a depth of >1000 μm. Viable bacteria were detected with NS irrigation. NaOCl and CHX showed partial ZDB. When the root canals were disinfected with Nd: YAG and diode lasers, no viable bacteria were found. Conclusion: E. faecalis has the ability to colonize inside dentinal tubules to a depth of >1000 μm. In contrast to conventional irrigants, both Nd: YAG and diode lasers were effective in eliminating the vitality of E. faecalis. NS, NaOCl, and CHX showed viable bacteria remaining in dentinal tubules. PMID:27656064

Estimating influenza vaccine effectiveness using routine surveillance data among children aged 6-59 months for five consecutive influenza seasons.

PubMed

Su, Wei-Ju; Chan, Ta-Chien; Chuang, Pei-Hung; Liu, Yu-Lun; Lee, Ping-Ing; Liu, Ming-Tsan; Chuang, Jen-Hsiang

2015-01-01

We aimed to estimate the pooled vaccine effectiveness (VE) in children over five winters through data linkage of two existing surveillance systems. Five test-negative case-control studies were conducted from November to February during the 2004/2005 to 2008/2009 seasons. Sentinel physicians from the Viral Surveillance Network enrolled children aged 6-59 months with influenza-like illness to collect throat swabs. Through linking with a nationwide vaccination registry, we measured the VE with a logistic regression model adjusting for age, gender, and week of symptom onset. Both fixed-effects and random-effects models were used in the meta-analysis. Four thousand four hundred and ninety-four subjects were included. The proportion of influenza test-positive subjects across the five seasons was 11.5% (132/1151), 7.2% (41/572), 23.9% (189/791), 6.6% (75/1135), and 11.2% (95/845), respectively. The pooled VE was 62% (95% confidence interval (CI) 48-83%) in both meta-analysis models. By age category, VE was 51% (95% CI 23-68%) for those aged 6-23 months and 75% (95% CI 60-84%) for those aged 24-59 months. Influenza vaccination provided measurable protection against laboratory-confirmed influenza among children aged 6-59 months despite variations in the vaccine match during the 2004/2005 to 2008/2009 influenza seasons in Taiwan. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Analysis of dental arch relationships in Swedish unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects: 20-year longitudinal consecutive series treated with delayed hard palate closure.

PubMed

Lilja, Jan; Mars, Michael; Elander, Anna; Enocson, Lars; Hagberg, Catharina; Worrell, Emma; Batra, Puneet; Friede, Hans

2006-09-01

To evaluate the dental arch relationships for a consecutive series from Goteborg, Sweden, who had delayed hard palate closure. Retrospective study. Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden. The dental study models of 104 consecutive unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects. The study cohort was born between 1979 and 1994. Longitudinal records were available at ages 5 (n = 94), 10 (n = 97), 16 (n = 59), and 19 years (n = 46). Five assessors rated models according to the GOSLON Yardstick on two separate occasions each. These patients had been operated upon according to the Goteborg protocol of delayed hard palate closure (at age 8 years). 85% of subjects were rated in groups 1 and 2 (excellent or very good outcome), 12% were rated in group 3 (satisfactory), and 3% were assigned to group 4 (poor). No patients presented in Group 5 (very poor). Weighted kappa statistics for double determination of Yardstick allocation for five assessors demonstrated values between .65 and .90 for interrater agreement (good/very good) and between .70 and .90 for intrarater agreement (very good). Delayed hard palate closure as practiced in Goteborg since 1979 has produced the best GOSLON Yardstick ratings in a consecutive series of patients ever recorded worldwide, since the Yardstick was first used in 1983. However, it is noteworthy that a new protocol has been introduced in Goteborg since 1994, in which hard palate closure is done at 3 years due to concerns regarding speech.

Early and mid-term outcome of the arterial switch operation in 114 consecutive patients : A single centre experience.

PubMed

Prandstetter, C; Hofer, A; Lechner, E; Mair, R; Sames-Dolzer, E; Tulzer, G

2007-10-01

The arterial switch operation (ASO) has become the treatment of choice in patients with simple or complex transposition of the great arteries (TGA). The purpose of this study was to assess early and mid-term outcome after ASO in a single centre. Between 1995 and December 2005, 114 consecutive patients underwent an ASO at our institution, performed by one single surgeon. Patients charts, surgical reports and echocardiograms were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were analyzed in 3 different groups: Group I consisted of 77 neonates with TGA and intact ventricular septum, group II of 13 patients with TGA and ventricular septal defect which had to be closed surgically and group III of 24 patients with various forms of TGA in a complex setting. The patient's median weight was 3.23 kg (1.65-8.30). Twenty-five neonates were born preterm, 18 were diagnosed prenatally. Median follow-up time was 20.7 months (0.3-128.6). The thirty day mortality was 1.75% (2/114), late mortality 0.88% (1/112) accounting for an overall mortality of 2.63%. There was only one early coronary event and so far no late events. Ten of 111 survivors required reoperation, all but 1 from group III. Prevalence of supravalvular pulmonary stenosis was 4.7%. Freedom from reoperation at 5 years of follow-up time was 87.5%. One patient required permanent pacing, no other late arrhythmias occurred. In our series the only risk factor for increased mortality and morbidity was a body weight of less than 2500 g at the time of operation. No better outcome could be demonstrated in the prenatally diagnosed patients. The ASO can be performed safely and with low mortality and morbidity even in patients with complex TGA. Follow-up of these patients is required to detect residual problems like supravalvular pulmonary stenosis, coronary problems, arrhythmias and aortic valve dysfunction.

Critical evaluation of five methods for quantifying chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera).

PubMed

Clayton, D H; Drown, D M

2001-12-01

Five methods for estimating the abundance of chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) were tested. To evaluate the methods, feral pigeons (Columba livia) and 2 species of ischnoceran lice were used. The fraction of lice removed by each method was compared, and least squares linear regression was used to determine how well each method predicted total abundance. Total abundance was assessed in most cases using KOH dissolution. The 2 methods involving dead birds (body washing and post-mortem-ruffling) provided better results than 3 methods involving live birds (dust-ruffling, fumigation chambers, and visual examination). Body washing removed the largest fraction of lice (>82%) and was an extremely accurate predictor of total abundance (r2 = 0.99). Post-mortem-ruffling was also an accurate predictor of total abundance (r2 > or = 0.88), even though it removed a smaller proportion of lice (<70%) than body washing. Dust-ruffling and fumigation chambers removed even fewer lice, but were still reasonably accurate predictors of total abundance, except in the case of data sets restricted to birds with relatively few lice. Visual examination, the only method not requiring that lice be removed from the host, was an accurate predictor of louse abundance, except in the case of wing lice on lightly parasitized birds.

Results of miconazole therapy in twenty-eight patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (South American blastomycosis).

PubMed Central

Negroni, R; Rubinstein, P; Herrmann, A; Gimenez, A

1977-01-01

Results are presented of treatment with miconazole, orally and intravenously, in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. Twenty-eight male patients aged from 34 to 66 years and exhibiting various clinical forms of the disease were studied. Twenty-five came from endemic areas in north east Argentina (Chaco, Formosa, Misiones, Corrientes and northern Santa Fe) and the remaining three from Paraguay. Twenty patients were engaged in agricultural work or at woodmills. single or multiple lesions were observed in 24 cases. Thirteen were suffering from infection of the larynx and in two of them a tracheotomy was necessary. Twenty-three showed pulmonary lesions on X-rays. Twelve had ganglionic lesions, eight had cutaneous lesions and one patient had osteoarthritis of the knee. One patient had hepatomegaly which was unrelated to chronic alcoholism. Fourteen patients had received previous treatments such as sulphonamides and amphotericin B (7 cases); sulphonamides (3), sulphonamides and the combination sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim (3), and one patient had received all three medications. All patients had relapsed before starting miconazole therapy. Diagnosis was established by the presence of P. brasiliensis in all cases, recovered either from cutaneous or mucosal biopsy samples or from the sputum. Complement fixation tests were positive in all patients at the onset of the treatment and the immunodiffusion reactions showed precipitation bands in 27/28 patients. Skin tests with P. brasiliensis antigens proved to be positive in 18 cases and negative in 10. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was markedly accelerated in 22 patients (greater than 20 mm in the first hour).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images p24-a Fig 1 Fig 2 PMID:122643

Neurosurgical treatment of oligodendroglial tumors in children and adolescents: a single-institution series of 35 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Lundar, Tryggve; Due-Tønnessen, Bernt Johan; Egge, Arild; Scheie, David; Stensvold, Einar; Brandal, Petter

2013-09-01

The object of this study was to delineate long-term results of the surgical treatment of pediatric CNS tumors classified as oligodendroglioma (OD) or oligoastrocytoma (OA) WHO Grade II or III. A cohort of 45 consecutive patients 19 years or younger who had undergone primary resection of CNS tumors originally described as oligodendroglial during the years 1970-2009 at a single institution were reviewed in this retrospective study of surgical morbidity, mortality, and academic achievement and/or work participation. Gross motor function and activities of daily living were scored using the Barthel Index (BI). Patient records for 35 consecutive children and adolescents who had undergone resection for an OA (17 patients) or OD (18 patients) were included in this study. Of the 35 patients, 12 were in the 1st decade of life at the first surgery, whereas 23 were in the 2nd decade. The male/female ratio was 1.19 (19/16). No patient was lost to follow-up. The tumor was localized to the supratentorial compartment in 33 patients, the posterior fossa in 1 patient, and the cervical medulla in 1 patient. Twenty-four tumors were considered to be WHO Grade II, and 11 were classified as WHO Grade III. Among these latter lesions were 2 tumors initially classified as WHO Grade II and later reclassified as WHO Grade III following repeat surgery. Fifty-four tumor resections were performed. Two patients underwent repeat tumor resection within 5 days of the initial procedure, after MRI confirmed residual tumor. Another 10 patients underwent a second resection because of clinical deterioration and progressive disease at time points ranging from 1 month to 10 years after the initial operation. Six patients underwent a third resection, and 1 patient underwent a fourth excision following tumor dissemination to the spinal canal. Sixteen (46%) of the 35 children received adjuvant therapy: 7, fractionated radiotherapy; 4, chemotherapy; and 5, both fractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy. One

Consecutive repeat miscarriages are likely to occur in the same gestational period.

PubMed

Yan, Junhao; Saravelos, Sotirios H; Ma, Ning; Ma, Caihong; Chen, Zi-Jiang; Li, Tin-Chiu

2012-06-01

This is a retrospective, observational study to determine how often repeated consecutive miscarriages occur consistently in the same gestational period, including 1589 miscarriages among 543 women with recurrent miscarriage. In women who had two miscarriages only, 49.17% of both miscarriages occurred in the same gestational period, which was significantly higher than the expected probability of 34.54% (P<0.01). The proportions of all miscarriages occurring in the same gestational period in women with three, four and five or more miscarriages were 28.72%, 19.44% and 18.60%, compared with the expected probabilities of 14.36% (P<0.01), 6.57% (P<0.05) and <3.15% (P<0.05). The proportions of miscarriages occurring consistently in the same gestational period are higher than the theoretical probabilities calculated for the whole population. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Twenty-five years of maximum-entropy principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapur, J. N.

1983-04-01

The strengths and weaknesses of the maximum entropy principle (MEP) are examined and some challenging problems that remain outstanding at the end of the first quarter century of the principle are discussed. The original formalism of the MEP is presented and its relationship to statistical mechanics is set forth. The use of MEP for characterizing statistical distributions, in statistical inference, nonlinear spectral analysis, transportation models, population density models, models for brand-switching in marketing and vote-switching in elections is discussed. Its application to finance, insurance, image reconstruction, pattern recognition, operations research and engineering, biology and medicine, and nonparametric density estimation is considered.

Frameshift Suppression in SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE VI. Complete Genetic Map of Twenty-Five Suppressor Genes

PubMed Central

Gaber, Richard F.; Mathison, Lorilee; Edelman, Irv; Culbertson, Michael R.

1983-01-01

Five previously unmapped frameshift suppressor genes have been located on the yeast genetic map. In addition, we have further characterized the map positions of two suppressors whose approximate locations were determined in an earlier study. These results represent the completion of genetic mapping studies on all 25 of the known frameshift suppressor genes in yeast.—The approximate location of each suppressor gene was initially determined through the use of a set of mapping strains containing 61 signal markers distributed throughout the yeast genome. Standard meiotic linkage was assayed in crosses between strains carrying the suppressors and the mapping strains. Subsequent to these approximate linkage determinations, each suppressor gene was more precisely located in multi-point crosses. The implications of these mapping results for the genomic distribution of frameshift suppressor genes, which include both glycine and proline tRNA genes, are discussed. PMID:17246112

Do review articles boost journal impact factors? A longitudinal analysis for five pharmacology journals.

PubMed

Amiri, Marjan; Michel, Martin C

2018-06-21

The impact factor is a frequently applied tool in research output analytics. Based on five consecutive publication years each of five pharmacology journals, we have analyzed to which extent review articles yield more impact factor-relevant citations than original articles. Our analysis shows that review articles are quoted about twice as often as original articles published in the same year in the same journal. We conclude that inclusion of review articles does not substantially affect the impact factor of a journal unless they account for considerably more than 10% of all published articles.

Evaluation of equipment and methods to map lost circulation zones in geothermal wells

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

McDonald, W.J.; Leon, P.A.; Pittard, G.

A study and evaluation of methods to locate, characterize, and quantify lost circulation zones are described. Twenty-five methods of mapping and quantifying lost circulation zones were evaluated, including electrical, acoustical, mechanical, radioactive, and optical systems. Each tool studied is described. The structured, numerical evaluation plan, used as the basis for comparing the 25 tools, and the resulting ranking among the tools is presented.

Mission possible: twenty-five years of university and college collaboration in baccalaureate nursing education.

PubMed

Zawaduk, Cheryl; Duncan, Susan; Mahara, M Star; Tate, Betty; Callaghan, Doris; McCullough, Deborah; Chapman, Marilyn; Van Neste-Kenny, Jocelyne

2014-10-01

In Canada, nurse educators from five postsecondary institutions in the province of British Columbia established a collaborative nursing education initiative in 1989, with a vision to transform RN college diploma programs to baccalaureate degree programs. The principles, processes, and structures that served to develop and sustain this nursing education initiative are briefly reviewed. Curriculum, scholarship, and education legislation serve as platforms to critically explore a 25-year history (1989-2014) of successes, challenges, and transitions within this unique nursing education collaboration. The importance of curriculum development as faculty development, program evaluation as an adjunct to pedagogical scholarship, diversity of cross-institutional mandates, political interplay in nursing education, collegiality, and courageous leadership are highlighted. Nurse educators seeking to create successful collaborations must draw upon well-defined principles and organizational structures and processes to guide pedagogical practices and inquiry while remaining mindful of and engaged in professional and societal developments. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

A Meta-Analysis of Motivational Interviewing: Twenty-Five Years of Empirical Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundahl, Brad W.; Kunz, Chelsea; Brownell, Cynthia; Tollefson, Derrik; Burke, Brian L.

2010-01-01

Objective: The authors investigated the unique contribution motivational interviewing (MI) has on counseling outcomes and how MI compares with other interventions. Method: A total of 119 studies were subjected to a meta-analysis. Targeted outcomes included substance use (tobacco, alcohol, drugs, marijuana), health-related behaviors (diet,…

Migration in Thailand: A Twenty-Five-Year Review. Papers of the East-West Population Institute. No. 100.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Sidney; Goldstein, Alice

Using data from the 1960, 1970, and 1980 censuses of Thailand, this paper explores the changing pattern of internal migration. Throughout the period, the census indicates a high degree of stability. Lifetime migration shows a slight rise in each period; recently it has risen in inter- as opposed to intra-regional movement. Five year…

Ethical decisions in dental treatment planning using the Ozar model: a descriptive study of fifty-two consecutive patients.

PubMed

Schuman, N J; Turner, J E

1997-01-01

Chairside dental ethics necessitates special consideration by the faculty member-dentist, the dental student, and the patient. The patient must always be aware of treatment options, in addition to learning the health status of the oral hard and soft tissues, costs, and time to be involved to accomplish proposed treatment. What may seem like a burden to an individual practitioner is actually only the necessities incurred by any self governing profession. Fifty-two consecutive dental patients had their cases reviewed for the ethical behavior of the dentist-practitioner, student, and patient. Categories reviewed were informed consent (100%), agreement, compromise, economic issues, conflict, and institutional issues. The results were: 1. Agreement: 17 cases, 2. Compromise: 21 cases, 3. Economic Issues: 4 cases, 4. Conflict: 6 cases, and 5. Institutional Issues: 4 cases. Fourteen percent of all patients were minors. Ninety percent of the patients were treated. Of those 10% not treated, five percent were for medical reasons, and five percent of the patients refused treatment. These results were placed in the Ozar Model 9 and were categorized as follows: 1. Appropriate pain free oral function: 22 cases, 2. Patient Autonomy: 14 cases, 3. Life and health: 9 cases, 4. Preferred practice values: 6 cases, and 5. Other external considerations: 1 case. This template demonstrated appropriate ethical behavior on the part of dentists, students, and patients, especially with a 90% treatment group, and only 5% refusing treatment. The 52 consecutive patients were characteristic of the University of Tennessee's overall patient pool. No identifiable differences were found between patients regardless of gender, age, or race.

Deep neck infection with dental origin: analysis of 85 consecutive cases (2000-2006).

PubMed

Marioni, Gino; Rinaldi, Roberto; Staffieri, Claudia; Marchese-Ragona, Rosario; Saia, Giorgia; Stramare, Roberto; Bertolin, Andy; Dal Borgo, Roberto; Ragno, Fabrizio; Staffieri, Alberto

2008-02-01

Diagnostic work-up should include contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and mandible orthopantogram. When a dental origin of deep neck infection is suspected, the intravenous antibiotic regimen has to be active against gram-positive bacteria, both aerobes and anaerobes. Surgical exploration and drainage may be mandatory at presentation, or in cases not responding to medical therapy within the first 24 h. Deep neck infections are still associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates when complications occur. Despite worldwide improvement in dental care and oral hygiene, a significant prevalence of deep neck infections caused by dental infections has been described recently (> 40%). We analysed retrospectively 85 cases of deep neck infection with dental origin out of 206 consecutive cases of deep neck infection diagnosed in our institution between 2000 and 2006. The most frequent dental source was a periapical infection of the first mandibular molar, followed by second and third molar, respectively. Submandibular space infection involvement was diagnosed in 73 of 85 patients (85.9%), masticatory space infection in 28 (32.9%); in 56 patients (65.9%) the infection involved more than one space. Twenty-four patients (28.2%) were treated only with intravenous antibiotic therapy; 61 patients (71.8%) required both medical and surgical procedures.

Comparison of five methods for determination of total plasma protein concentration.

PubMed

Okutucu, Burcu; Dinçer, Ayşşe; Habib, Omer; Zihnioglu, Figen

2007-08-01

Quantitation of exact total protein content is often a key step and is common to many applications in general biochemistry research and routine clinical laboratory practice. Before embarking on any type of protein analysis, particularly comparative techniques, it is important to accurately quantitate the amount of protein in the sample. In order to assess the quality of total protein estimation results, five methods were tested and were applied to the same pooled plasma sample. For this aim, Bradford (Coomassie Brilliant Blue), Lowry (Folin-Ciocalteau), Biüret, Pesce and Strande (Ponceau-S/TCA), and modified method of Schaffner-Weismann (Amido Black 10B) were used. The last two methods employ simultaneous precipitation of proteins with the acid containing dye solutions followed by dissolution of precipitate in a NaOH solution. It is shown that each assay has advantages and disadvantages relative to sensitivity, ease of performance, acceptance in literature, accuracy and reproducibility/coefficient of variation. All of the methods tested show a CV %<6. Besides pooled plasma, a known concentration of human serum albumin was also analyzed and discussed by means of standardization of plasma total protein content.

Facial asymmetry and condylar hyperplasia: considerations for diagnosis in 27 consecutives patients

PubMed Central

Olate, Sergio; Almeida, Andrés; Alister, Juan Pablo; Navarro, Pablo; Netto, Henrique Duque; de Moraes, Márcio

2013-01-01

Facial asymmetry associated with condylar hyperplasia (CH) has been become the object of study in recent years. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of analyzing the presence of CH in cases of facial asymmetry. Twenty-seven consecutive patients were studied without distinction of age or gender; all the patients consulted for treatment of facial and/or mandibular asymmetry and voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. All the patients underwent facial cone beam tomography and bilateral TMJ as well as a detailed history where they indicated the progression of the disease; in cases of active evolution determined by clinical analysis and imaging, a SPECT analysis was performed to define the isotope uptake. 29.6% of the subjects with scintigram exhibited active CH with a more than 10% difference in uptake between the two condyles; 18.5% presented differences in uptake between 5% and 10%. Active CH was related to the age and gender of the subjects, being more prevalent in women than in men. The aggression level of the uptake was also related to the subject’s age. 55% of the subjects presented with some type of orthodontic treatment with no diagnosis of TMJ pathology in the initial consultation. It can be concluded that CH is associated with facial asymmetries and must be studied integrally before assessing treatment options. PMID:24260600

Intra-individual variation in urinary iodine concentration: effect of statistical correction on population distribution using seasonal three-consecutive-day spot urine in children

PubMed Central

Ji, Xiaohong; Liu, Peng; Sun, Zhenqi; Su, Xiaohui; Wang, Wei; Gao, Yanhui; Sun, Dianjun

2016-01-01

Objective To determine the effect of statistical correction for intra-individual variation on estimated urinary iodine concentration (UIC) by sampling on 3 consecutive days in four seasons in children. Setting School-aged children from urban and rural primary schools in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. Participants 748 and 640 children aged 8–11 years were recruited from urban and rural schools, respectively, in Harbin. Primary and secondary outcome measures The spot urine samples were collected once a day for 3 consecutive days in each season over 1 year. The UIC of the first day was corrected by two statistical correction methods: the average correction method (average of days 1, 2; average of days 1, 2 and 3) and the variance correction method (UIC of day 1 corrected by two replicates and by three replicates). The variance correction method determined the SD between subjects (Sb) and within subjects (Sw), and calculated the correction coefficient (Fi), Fi=Sb/(Sb+Sw/di), where di was the number of observations. The UIC of day 1 was then corrected using the following equation: Results The variance correction methods showed the overall Fi was 0.742 for 2 days’ correction and 0.829 for 3 days’ correction; the values for the seasons spring, summer, autumn and winter were 0.730, 0.684, 0.706 and 0.703 for 2 days’ correction and 0.809, 0.742, 0.796 and 0.804 for 3 days’ correction, respectively. After removal of the individual effect, the correlation coefficient between consecutive days was 0.224, and between non-consecutive days 0.050. Conclusions The variance correction method is effective for correcting intra-individual variation in estimated UIC following sampling on 3 consecutive days in four seasons in children. The method varies little between ages, sexes and urban or rural setting, but does vary between seasons. PMID:26920442

Family Structure, Family Stability, and Outcomes of Five-Year-Old Children

PubMed Central

Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Waldfogel, Jane

2013-01-01

This study exploits data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort study of a diverse sample of children from twenty U.S. cities (N = 3,676), to examine how cognitive, behavioural, and health outcomes of five-year old children differ according to their family structure and family stability. We define three models: one that measures family structure at birth only, a second that measures current family structure at year five conditional on family structure at birth, and a third that measures changes in family structure from birth to age five. We find that while family structure has persistent links to child outcomes, the effects are significantly altered by stability of the family structure over time. These findings remain robust even after addressing selection. PMID:24163735

Comparison of five methods for extraction of Legionella pneumophila from respiratory specimens.

PubMed

Wilson, Deborah; Yen-Lieberman, Belinda; Reischl, Udo; Warshawsky, Ilka; Procop, Gary W

2004-12-01

The efficiencies of five commercially available nucleic acid extraction methods were evaluated for the recovery of a standardized inoculum of Legionella pneumophila in respiratory specimens (sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] specimens). The concentrations of Legionella DNA recovered from sputa with the automated MagNA Pure (526,200 CFU/ml) and NucliSens (171,800 CFU/ml) extractors were greater than those recovered with the manual methods (i.e., Roche High Pure kit [133,900 CFU/ml], QIAamp DNA Mini kit [46,380 CFU/ml], and ViralXpress kit [13,635 CFU/ml]). The rank order was the same for extracts from BAL specimens, except that for this specimen type the QIAamp DNA Mini kit recovered more than the Roche High Pure kit.

Effectiveness of a five-step method for teaching clinical skills to students in a dental college in India.

PubMed

Virdi, Mandeep S; Sood, Meenakshi

2011-11-01

This study conducted at the PDM Dental College and Research Institute, Haryana, India, had the purpose of developing a teaching method based upon a five-step method for teaching clinical skills to students proposed by the American College of Surgeons. This five-step teaching method was used to place fissure sealants as an initial procedure by dental students in clinics. The sealant retention was used as an objective evaluation of the skill learnt by the students. The sealant retention was 92 percent at six- and twelve-month evaluations and 90 percent at the eighteen-month evaluation. These results indicate that simple methods can be devised for teaching clinical skills and achieve high success rates in clinical procedures requiring multiple steps.

Short assessment of the Big Five: robust across survey methods except telephone interviewing.

PubMed

Lang, Frieder R; John, Dennis; Lüdtke, Oliver; Schupp, Jürgen; Wagner, Gert G

2011-06-01

We examined measurement invariance and age-related robustness of a short 15-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-S) of personality dimensions, which is well suited for applications in large-scale multidisciplinary surveys. The BFI-S was assessed in three different interviewing conditions: computer-assisted or paper-assisted face-to-face interviewing, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and a self-administered questionnaire. Randomized probability samples from a large-scale German panel survey and a related probability telephone study were used in order to test method effects on self-report measures of personality characteristics across early, middle, and late adulthood. Exploratory structural equation modeling was used in order to test for measurement invariance of the five-factor model of personality trait domains across different assessment methods. For the short inventory, findings suggest strong robustness of self-report measures of personality dimensions among young and middle-aged adults. In old age, telephone interviewing was associated with greater distortions in reliable personality assessment. It is concluded that the greater mental workload of telephone interviewing limits the reliability of self-report personality assessment. Face-to-face surveys and self-administrated questionnaire completion are clearly better suited than phone surveys when personality traits in age-heterogeneous samples are assessed.

Gas-containing renal stones: findings from five consecutive patients.

PubMed

Manny, Ted B; Mufarrij, Patrick W; Lange, Jessica N; Mirzazadeh, Majid; Hemal, Ashok K; Assimos, Dean G

2012-12-01

To describe the clinical course, microbiology, and metabolic findings of 5 patients presenting to our institution with gas-containing renal stones. During a 20-month period beginning in 2009, 5 patients were identified by computed tomography scanning to harbor gas-containing renal calculi. Despite similar imaging and referral practice patterns, no such cases had been seen at our institution in the preceding 20 years. The records of these patients were reviewed to better characterize this unique condition. All 5 subjects were premenopausal women. One patient presented with urosepsis and 4 presented with flank pain. All had urinary tract infections, and Escherichia coli was isolated from a voided urine specimen in 3. Stone culture was positive in 2 and was concordant with the voided specimen in 1. The stones were solitary in 4 and multiple in 1 patient. All the stones were composed of calcium phosphate. Of the 5 patients, 3 had pure calcium phosphate stones and 2 had stones with calcium oxalate monohydrate components. Also, 3 subjects had diabetes mellitus, 3 had hypertension, and 1 had a history of gout. Two subjects underwent 24-hour urine metabolic testing, and abnormalities were identified in both. All patients were rendered stone free: 4 with percutaneous nephrostolithotomy and 1 using robotic pyelolithotomy. Gas-containing renal stones are rare but might be increasing in prevalence. The pathophysiology is unknown but is most likely influenced by a combination of metabolic and infectious factors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Separating method factors and higher order traits of the Big Five: a meta-analytic multitrait-multimethod approach.

PubMed

Chang, Luye; Connelly, Brian S; Geeza, Alexis A

2012-02-01

Though most personality researchers now recognize that ratings of the Big Five are not orthogonal, the field has been divided about whether these trait intercorrelations are substantive (i.e., driven by higher order factors) or artifactual (i.e., driven by correlated measurement error). We used a meta-analytic multitrait-multirater study to estimate trait correlations after common method variance was controlled. Our results indicated that common method variance substantially inflates trait correlations, and, once controlled, correlations among the Big Five became relatively modest. We then evaluated whether two different theories of higher order factors could account for the pattern of Big Five trait correlations. Our results did not support Rushton and colleagues' (Rushton & Irwing, 2008; Rushton et al., 2009) proposed general factor of personality, but Digman's (1997) α and β metatraits (relabeled by DeYoung, Peterson, and Higgins (2002) as Stability and Plasticity, respectively) produced viable fit. However, our models showed considerable overlap between Stability and Emotional Stability and between Plasticity and Extraversion, raising the question of whether these metatraits are redundant with their dominant Big Five traits. This pattern of findings was robust when we included only studies whose observers were intimately acquainted with targets. Our results underscore the importance of using a multirater approach to studying personality and the need to separate the causes and outcomes of higher order metatraits from those of the Big Five. We discussed the implications of these findings for the array of research fields in which personality is studied.

A Proposal for a Compilation of Requirements and Teaching Methods of Courses at Gaston College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Dean H.

The purpose of this practicum was to determine the response of faculty members and students to the possibility of producing a pamphlet listing instructional methodologies and course requirements for classes at Gaston College (North Carolina). A questionnaire was completed by twenty-five instructors and twenty-five students, and additional…

Two consecutive partial liver transplants in a patient with Classic Maple Syrup Urine Disease.

PubMed

Chin, H L; Aw, M M; Quak, S H; Huang, J; Hart, C E; Prabhakaran, K; Goh, D L

2015-09-01

Maple syrup urine disease is caused by a deficiency in the branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) complex. This results in the accumulation of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and branched chain ketoacids in the body. Even when aggressively treated with dietary restriction of BCAA, patients experience long term cognitive, neurological and psychosocial problems. Liver transplantation from deceased donors has been shown to be an effective modality in introducing adequate BCKAD activity, attaining a metabolic cure for patients. Here, we report the clinical course of the first known patient with classic MSUD who received two consecutive partial liver grafts from two different living non-carrier donors and his five year outcome posttransplant. We also show that despite the failure of the first liver graft, and initial acute cellular rejection of the second liver graft in our patient, his metabolic control remained good without metabolic decompensation.

Utility of Krashen's Five Hypotheses in the Saudi Context of Foreign Language Acquisition/Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulzar, Malik Ajmal; Gulnaz, Fahmeeda; Ijaz, Attiya

2014-01-01

In the last twenty years, the paradigm that has dominated the discipline of language teaching is the SLA theory and Krashen's five hypotheses which are still proving flexible to accommodate earlier reforms. This paper reviews second language acquisition (SLA) theory to establish an understanding of its role in the EFL/ESL classrooms. Other areas…

Science Teacher Education in the Twenty-First Century: a Pedagogical Framework for Technology-Integrated Social Constructivism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barak, Miri

2017-04-01

Changes in our global world have shifted the skill demands from acquisition of structured knowledge to mastery of skills, often referred to as twenty-first century competencies. Given these changes, a sequential explanatory mixed methods study was undertaken to (a) examine predominant instructional methods and technologies used by teacher educators, (b) identify attributes for learning and teaching in the twenty-first century, and (c) develop a pedagogical framework for promoting meaningful usage of advanced technologies. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via an online survey, personal interviews, and written reflections with science teacher educators and student teachers. Findings indicated that teacher educators do not provide sufficient models for the promotion of reform-based practice via web 2.0 environments, such as Wikis, blogs, social networks, or other cloud technologies. Findings also indicated four attributes for teaching and learning in the twenty-first century: (a) adapting to frequent changes and uncertain situations, (b) collaborating and communicating in decentralized environments, (c) generating data and managing information, and (d) releasing control by encouraging exploration. Guided by social constructivist paradigms and twenty-first century teaching attributes, this study suggests a pedagogical framework for fostering meaningful usage of advanced technologies in science teacher education courses.

Twenty Golden Opportunities To Enhance Student Learning: Use Them or Lose Them.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sponder, Barry

In an average classroom period, a teacher has twenty or more opportunities to interact with students and thereby influence learning outcomes. As such, teachers should use these opportunities to reinforce instruction or give positive corrective feedback. Typical methods used in schools emphasize error correction at the expense of calling attention…

A multiplex PCR method of detecting recombinant DNAs from five lines of genetically modified maize.

PubMed

Matsuoka, T; Kuribara, H; Akiyama, H; Miura, H; Goda, Y; Kusakabe, Y; Isshiki, K; Toyoda, M; Hino, A

2001-02-01

Seven lines of genetically modified (GM) maize have been authorized in Japan as foods and feeds imported from the USA. We improved a multiplex PCR method described in the previous report in order to distinguish the five lines of GM maize. Genomic DNA was extracted from GM maize with a silica spin column kit, which could reduce experimental time and improve safety in the laboratory and potentially in the environment. We sequenced recombinant DNA (r-DNA) introduced into GM maize, and re-designed new primer pairs to increase the specificity of PCR to distinguish five lines of GM maize by multiplex PCR. A primer pair for the maize intrinsic zein gene (Ze1) was also designed to confirm the presence of amplifiable maize DNA. The lengths of PCR products using these six primer pairs were different. The Ze1 and the r-DNAs from the five lines of GM maize were qualitatively detected in one tube. The specific PCR bands were distinguishable from each other on the basis of the expected length. The r-DNA could be detected from maize samples containing 0.5% of each of the five lines of GM maize. The sensitivity would be acceptable to secure the verification of non-GMO materials and to monitor the reliability of the labeling system.

Monitoring Malaria Vector Control Interventions: Effectiveness of Five Different Adult Mosquito Sampling Methods

PubMed Central

Onyango, Shirley A.; Kitron, Uriel; Mungai, Peter; Muchiri, Eric M.; Kokwaro, Elizabeth; King, Charles H.; Mutuku, Francis M.

2014-01-01

Long-term success of ongoing malaria control efforts based on mosquito bed nets (long-lasting insecticidal net) and indoor residual spraying is dependent on continuous monitoring of mosquito vectors, and thus on effective mosquito sampling tools. The objective of our study was to identify the most efficient mosquito sampling tool(s) for routine vector surveillance for malaria and lymphatic filariasis transmission in coastal Kenya. We evaluated relative efficacy of five collection methods—light traps associated with a person sleeping under a net, pyrethrum spray catches, Prokopack aspirator, clay pots, and urine-baited traps—in four villages representing three ecological settings along the south coast of Kenya. Of the five methods, light traps were the most efficient for collecting female Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Giles) (Diptera: Culicidae) and Anopheles funestus (Giles) (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes, whereas the Prokopack aspirator was most efficient in collecting Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) and other culicines. With the low vector densities here, and across much of sub-Saharan Africa, wherever malaria interventions, long-lasting insecticidal nets, and/or indoor residual spraying are in place, the use of a single mosquito collection method will not be sufficient to achieve a representative sample of mosquito population structure. Light traps will remain a relevant tool for host-seeking mosquitoes, especially in the absence of human landing catches. For a fair representation of the indoor mosquito population, light traps will have to be supplemented with aspirator use, which has potential for routine monitoring of indoor resting mosquitoes, and can substitute the more labor-intensive and intrusive pyrethrum spray catches. There are still no sufficiently efficient mosquito collection methods for sampling outdoor mosquitoes, particularly those that are bloodfed. PMID:24180120

Long-term outcomes five years after selective dorsal rhizotomy

PubMed Central

Nordmark, Eva; Josenby, Annika Lundkvist; Lagergren, Jan; Andersson, Gert; Strömblad, Lars-Göran; Westbom, Lena

2008-01-01

Background Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a well accepted neurosurgical procedure performed for the relief of spasticity interfering with motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). The goal is to improve function, but long-term outcome studies are rare. The aims of this study were to evaluate long-term functional outcomes, safety and side effects during five postoperative years in all children with diplegia undergoing SDR combined with physiotherapy. Methods This study group consisted of 35 children, consecutively operated, with spastic diplegia, of which 26 were Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels III–V. Mean age was 4.5 years (range 2.5–6.6). They were all assessed by the same multidisciplinary team at pre- and at 6, 12, 18 months, 3 and 5 years postoperatively. Clinical and demographic data, complications and number of rootlets cut were prospectively registered. Deep tendon reflexes and muscle tone were examined, the latter graded with the modified Ashworth scale. Passive range of motion (PROM) was measured with a goniometer. Motor function was classified according to the GMFCS and measured with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and derived into GMFM-66. Parent's opinions about the children's performance of skills and activities and the amount of caregiver assistance were measured with Pediatric Evaluation Disability Inventory (PEDI). Results The mean proportion of rootlets cut in S2-L2 was 40%. Muscle tone was immediately reduced in adductors, hamstrings and dorsiflexors (p < 0.001) with no recurrence of spasticity over the 5 years. For GMFCS-subgroups I–II, III and IV–V significant improvements during the five years were seen in PROM for hip abduction, popliteal angle and ankle dorsiflexion (p = 0.001), capacity of gross motor function (GMFM) (p = 0.001), performance of functional skills and independence in self-care and mobility (PEDI) (p = 0.001). Conclusion SDR is a safe and effective method for

Twenty-five Years of DNA-Encoded Chemical Libraries.

PubMed

Neri, Dario

2017-05-04

Reference library: The availability of DNA-encoded chemical libraries containing billions of compounds facilitates the discovery of binding molecules for pharmaceutical applications and for investigating biological processes. This Special Issue highlights the use of this library technology and some of the latest developments in the field. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Twenty-five years of Social Science in Law.

PubMed

Monahan, John; Walker, Laurens

2011-02-01

In this essay, we take the publication of the seventh edition of the casebook Social Science in Law (2010) as an opportunity to reflect on continuities and changes that have occurred in the application of social science research to American law over the past quarter-century. We structure these reflections by comparing and contrasting the original edition of the book with the current one. When the first edition appeared, courts' reliance on social science was often confused and always contested. Now, courts' reliance on social science is so common as to be unremarkable. What has changed--sometimes radically--are the substantive legal questions on which social science has been brought to bear.

[Twenty-five years of screening eugenics in Spain].

PubMed

Mérida Donoso, Salvador

2012-01-01

Over the past 25 years, the incidence of newborns with congenital defects in Spain has fallen by 56.7% primarily due to the practice of "fetal risk" abortion, after prenatal diagnosis. In some cases, such as people with Down syndrome, the strategy involves the removal of 80-90% of those affected in pregnancy. After presenting the techniques used today and statistical data, we will make a reflection about the ethical justification for prenatal diagnosis programs and practice of "eugenic" abortion.

TWENTY-FIVE SUBARCSECOND BINARIES DISCOVERED BY LUNAR OCCULTATIONS

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

Richichi, A.; Fors, O.; Cusano, F.

2013-09-15

We report on 25 subarcsecond binaries, detected for the first time by means of lunar occultations in the near-infrared (near-IR) as part of a long-term program using the ISAAC instrument at the ESO Very Large Telescope. The primaries have magnitudes in the range K = 3.8-10.4, and the companions in the range K = 6.4-12.1. The magnitude differences have a median value of 2.8, with the largest being 5.4. The projected separations are in the range 6-748 mas and with a median of 18 mas, or about three times less than the diffraction limit of the telescope. Among our binarymore » detections are a pre-main-sequence star and an enigmatic Mira-like variable previously suspected to have a companion. Additionally, we quote an accurate first-time near-IR detection of a previously known wider binary. We discuss our findings on an individual basis as far as made possible by the available literature, and we examine them from a statistical point of view. We derive a typical frequency of binarity among field stars of Almost-Equal-To 10%, in the resolution and sensitivity range afforded by the technique ( Almost-Equal-To 0.''003 to Almost-Equal-To 0.''5, and K Almost-Equal-To 12 mag, respectively). This is in line with previous results using the same technique but we point out interesting differences that we can trace up to sensitivity, time sampling, and average distance of the targets. Finally, we discuss the prospects for further follow-up studies.« less

Secretory products of macrophages: twenty-five years on.

PubMed

Nathan, Carl

2012-04-01

No longer do scientists look down on macrophages as "garbage men" that act "nonspecifically." Last fall's Nobel Prizes honored two of the few scientists who studied macrophages three decades ago. Now perhaps thousands do, and the subtypes they describe reflect ongoing discoveries of macrophages' extraordinary plasticity.

Twenty-Five Years of Landsat Thermal Band Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barsi, Julia A.; Markham, Brian L.; Schoff, John R.; Hook, Simon J.; Raqueno, Nina G.

2010-01-01

Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+), launched in April 1999, and Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM), launched in 1984, both have a single thermal band. Both instruments thermal band calibrations have been updated previously: ETM+ in 2001 for a pre-launch calibration error and TM in 2007 for data acquired since the current era of vicarious calibration has been in place (1999). Vicarious calibration teams at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have been working to validate the instrument calibration since 1999. Recent developments in their techniques and sites have expanded the temperature and temporal range of the validation. The new data indicate that the calibration of both instruments had errors: the ETM+ calibration contained a gain error of 5.8% since launch; the TM calibration contained a gain error of 5% and an additional offset error between 1997 and 1999. Both instruments required adjustments in their thermal calibration coefficients in order to correct for the errors. The new coefficients were calculated and added to the Landsat operational processing system in early 2010. With the corrections, both instruments are calibrated to within +/-0.7K.

Secretory products of macrophages: twenty-five years on

PubMed Central

Nathan, Carl

2012-01-01

No longer do scientists look down on macrophages as “garbage men” that act “nonspecifically.” Last fall’s Nobel Prizes honored two of the few scientists who studied macrophages three decades ago. Now perhaps thousands do, and the subtypes they describe reflect ongoing discoveries of macrophages’ extraordinary plasticity. PMID:22570864

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF TRANSLATING SERVICE AT NIH.

PubMed

MARTIN, J A; EVERHARDY, W H; ROGERS, P R

1965-07-01

The growth of the Translating Unit of the National Institutes of Health Library, founded in 1938, was slow until 1950, when seventeen translators and clerical assistants comprised its staff. Today eleven staff members translate, type, and distribute translations from eighteen European languages. Contract service is arranged for those languages for which the Unit has little or no competency. Three recent innovations have improved the translating service: (1) production standards, (2) fee for service, and (3) microfilmed translations. A monthly bulletin, Recent Translations, a Selected List, includes those articles translated by the Translating Unit of the NIH Library. An author index to all translations cited in the Selected List is now available upon request.

Twenty Five Years of Cognitive Care Education Research: Time for a Revolutionary Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Russell; Berry, Jeremy; Cude, Kellie; Anderson, Stephen; Britt, Sanfrena

2018-01-01

This is the third study of Cognitive Care Education in New York State nursing homes using cross-sectional methods over a 25 year period. The data indicate that the Cognitive Care Education increased at statistically significant levels, albeit by evolutionary means. It is now time for "A Revolutionary Change," for Cognitive Care…

Effect of Governance Indicators on Under-Five Mortality in OECD Nations: Generalized Method of Moments.

PubMed

Emamgholipour, Sara; Asemane, Zahra

2016-01-01

Today, it is recognized that factors other than health services are involved in health improvement and decreased inequality so identifying them is the main concern of policy makers and health authorities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of governance indicators on health outcomes. A panel data study was conducted to investigate the effect of governance indicators on child mortality rate in 27 OECD countries from 1996 to 2012 using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model and EVIEWS.8 software. According to the results obtained, under-five mortality rate was significantly related to all of the research variables (p < 0.05). One percent increase in under-five mortality in the previous period resulted in a 0.83% increase in the mortality rate in the next period, and a 1% increase in total fertility rate, increased the under-five mortality rate by 0.09%. In addition, a 1% increase in GDP per capita decreased the under-five mortality rate by 0.07%, and a 1% improvement in control of corruption and rule of law indicators decreased child mortality rate by 0.05 and 0.08%, respectively. Furthermore, 1% increase in public health expenditure per capita resulted in a 0.03% decrease in under-five mortality rate. The results of the study suggest that considering control variables, including GDP per capita, public health expenditure per capita, total fertility rate, and improvement of governance indicators (control of corruption and rule of law) would decrease the child mortality rate.

Twenty-five years of violence: the epidemiology of terrorism in South America.

PubMed

Báez, Amado Alejandro; Sztajnkrycer, Matthew D; Zane, Richard; Giräldez, Ediza

2008-01-01

Terrorism is a global public health burden. South Americans have been victims of terrorism for many decades. While the causes vary, the results are the same: death, disability, and suffering. The objective of this study was to perform a comprehensive, epidemiological, descriptive study of terrorist incidents in South America. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data from January 1971 to July 2006 was selected using the RAND Terrorism Chronology 1968-1997 and RAND-Memorial Institute for Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) Terrorism Incident database (1998-Present). Statistical significance was set at 0.05. The database reported a total of 2,997 incidents in South American countries that resulted in 3,435 victims with injuries (1.15 per incident) and 1,973 fatalities (0.66 per incident). The overall case fatality ratio (CFR) was 35.8%. Colombia had the majority of incidents with 57.9% (1,734 of 2,997), followed by Peru with 363 (12.1%), and Argentina with 267 (8.9%). The highest individual CFR occurred in Paraguay (83.3%), and the lowest in Chile with 4.8%. Of the total injuries and deaths, Colombia had 66.1% (2,269 of 2,997) of all injuries and 75.2% (1,443 out of 1,920) of all deaths. Living in the country of Colombia was associated with a 16 times greater likelihood of becoming a victim of terrorist violence [odds ratio (OR) 16.15; 95% CI 13.45 to 19.40; p < 0.0001]. The predominant method of choice for terrorist incidents was the use of conventional explosives with 2,543 of2,883 incidents (88.2%). Terrorist incidents in South America have accounted for nearly 2,000 deaths, with conventional explosive devices as the predominant method of choice. Understanding the nature of terrorist attacks and the medical consequences assist emergency preparedness and disaster management officials in allocating resources and preparing for potential future events.

Twenty-first century learning in afterschool.

PubMed

Schwarz, Eric; Stolow, David

2006-01-01

Twenty-first century skills increasingly represent the ticket to the middle class. Yet, the authors argue, in-school learning is simply not enough to help students develop these skills. The authors make the case that after-school (or out-of-school) learning programs are emerging as one of the nation's most promising strategies for preparing young people for the workforce and civic life. Most school systems have significant limitations for teaching twenty-first century skills. They have the limits of time: with only six hours per day there is barely enough time to teach even the basic skills, especially for those students starting already behind. They have the limits of structure: typical school buildings and classrooms are not physically set up for innovative learning. They have the limits of inertia and bureaucracy: school systems are notoriously resistant to change. And perhaps most important, they have the limits of priorities: especially with the onset of the No Child Left Behind Act, schools are laserlike in their focus on teaching the basics and therefore have less incentive to incorporate twenty-first century skills. Meanwhile, the authors argue that after-school programs are an untapped resource with three competitive advantages. First, they enable students to work collaboratively in small groups, a setup on which the modern economy will increasingly rely. Second, they are well suited to project-based learning and the development of mastery. Third, they allow students to learn in the real-world contexts that make sense. Yet the after-school sector is fraught with challenges. It lacks focus-Is it child care, public safety, homework tutoring? And it lacks rigorous results. The authors argue that the teaching of twenty-first century skills should become the new organizing principle for afterschool that will propel the field forward and more effectively bridge in-school and out-of-school learning.

Twenty-Two Good Educational Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mark, Jorie Lester

1989-01-01

Twenty-two educational practices are drawn from nine settings: K-12, vocational and continuing education, proprietary schools, military training, corporate training, union-sponsored programs, second-chance training, job training, and adult education. They are categorized as process-type practices, techniques, and physical teaching props. (SK)

Sunscreen use optimized by two consecutive applications

PubMed Central

Torsnes, Linnea R.; Philipsen, Peter A.; Wulf, Hans Christian

2018-01-01

Sunscreen users are often inadequately protected and become sunburned. This study aimed to investigate how much two consecutive sunscreen applications increased the quantity of sunscreen applied and decreased the skin area left without sunscreen (missed area) compared to a single application. Thirty-one healthy volunteers wearing swimwear were included and applied sunscreen two consecutive times in a laboratory environment. Participants had pictures taken in black light before and after each application. As sunscreens absorb black light, the darkness of the skin increased with increasing amounts of sunscreen applied. We conducted a standard curve establishing a link between change in picture darkness and quantity of sunscreen. The quantity of sunscreen at selected skin sites as well as the percentage of missed area was determined after each application. Participants had missed a median of 20% of their available body surface after a single application. After double application they had missed 9%. The decrease in missed areas was significant for the whole body surface and for each of the body regions separately. The median participant had applied between 13% and 100% more sunscreen at the selected skin sites after double application than after single application. We recommend double application, especially before intense sun exposure. PMID:29590142

Visual Literacy: Does It Enhance Leadership Abilities Required for the Twenty-First Century?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bintz, Carol

2016-01-01

The twenty-first century hosts a well-established global economy, where leaders are required to have increasingly complex skills that include creativity, innovation, vision, relatability, critical thinking and well-honed communications methods. The experience gained by learning to be visually literate includes the ability to see, observe, analyze,…

Resident education in robotic-assisted vertical sleeve gastrectomy: outcomes and cost-analysis of 411 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Ecker, Brett L; Maduka, Richard; Ramdon, Andre; Dempsey, Daniel T; Dumon, Kristoffel R; Williams, Noel N

2016-02-01

Robotic technology is increasingly prevalent in bariatric surgery, yet there are national deficiencies in exposure of surgical residents to robotic techniques. The purpose of this study is to accurately characterize the perioperative outcomes of a resident teaching model using the robotic-assisted sleeve gastrectomy. University Hospital. We identified 411 consecutive patients who underwent robotic sleeve gastrectomy at our institution from a prospectively maintained administrative database. Perioperative morbidity, operative time, and supply cost of the procedure were analyzed. Mean operative time was 96.4±24.9 minutes; mean robot usage time was 63.9 minutes (range 30.0-122.0 min). Ninety-day morbidities included reoperation (0.72%), major bleeding complications (0.48%), staple line leak (0.24%), stricture (0.97%), need for blood transfusion (3.86%), surgical site infection (1.69%), deep vein thrombosis (0.48%), and pulmonary embolism (0.48%). Mortality was nil. The resident cohort achieved operative time plateaus after five consecutive cases. Subset analysis for fiscal year 2014 demonstrated significantly increased supply cost for robotic sleeve gastrectomy compared with its laparoscopic equivalent. Robotic-assisted sleeve gastrectomy can be instituted as a model for resident robotic education with rates of morbidity and operative times equivalent to historical laparoscopic controls. The robot's enhanced ergonomics and its opportunity for resident education must be weighed against its increased supply cost. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personality change following head injury: assessment with the NEO Five-Factor Inventory.

PubMed

Lannoo, E; de Deyne, C; Colardyn, F; de Soete, G; Jannes, C

1997-11-01

We evaluated personality change following head injury in 68 patients at 6 months postinjury using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory to assess the five personality dimensions of the Five-Factor Model of Personality. All items had to be rated twice, once for the preinjury and once for the current status. Twenty-eight trauma patients with injuries to other parts of the body than the head were used as controls. For the head-injured group, 63 relatives also completed the questionnaire. The results showed no differences between the ratings of head-injured patients and the ratings of trauma control patients. Both groups showed significant change in the personality dimensions Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness. Compared to their relatives, head-injured patients report a smaller change in Extraversion and Conscientiousness. Changes were not reported on the Openness and Agreeableness scales, by neither the head-injured or their relatives, nor by the trauma controls.

Five methods of breast volume measurement: a comparative study of measurements of specimen volume in 30 mastectomy cases.

PubMed

Kayar, Ragip; Civelek, Serdar; Cobanoglu, Murat; Gungor, Osman; Catal, Hidayet; Emiroglu, Mustafa

2011-03-27

To compare breast volume measurement techniques in terms of accuracy, convenience, and cost. Breast volumes of 30 patients who were scheduled to undergo total mastectomy surgery were measured preoperatively by using five different methods (mammography, anatomic [anthropometric], thermoplastic casting, the Archimedes procedure, and the Grossman-Roudner device). Specimen volume after total mastectomy was measured in each patient with the water displacement method (Archimedes). The results were compared statistically with the values obtained by the five different methods. The mean mastectomy specimen volume was 623.5 (range 150-1490) mL. The breast volume values were established to be 615.7 mL (r = 0.997) with the mammographic method, 645.4 mL (r = 0.975) with the anthropometric method, 565.8 mL (r = 0.934) with the Grossman-Roudner device, 583.2 mL (r = 0.989) with the Archimedes procedure, and 544.7 mL (r = 0.94) with the casting technique. Examination of r values revealed that the most accurate method was mammography for all volume ranges, followed by the Archimedes method. The present study demonstrated that the most accurate method of breast volume measurement is mammography, followed by the Archimedes method. However, when patient comfort, ease of application, and cost were taken into consideration, the Grossman-Roudner device and anatomic measurement were relatively less expensive, and easier methods with an acceptable degree of accuracy.

Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpretation and Human Information Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerver, D.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of noise on the performance of simultaneous conference interpreters, and to carry out a detailed examination of verbal and temporal aspects of their output in relation to source language input. A further aim is to compare the relative effectiveness of simultaneous and consecutive interpretation…

[Prevalence of mental disorder and related treatments in a local jail: a 20-month consecutive case study].

PubMed

Carrà, Giuseppe; Giacobone, Caterina; Pozzi, Florinda; Alecci, Pasquale; Barale, Francesco

2004-01-01

To define the prevalence of mental disorder within an Italian local jail and to describe main psychiatric treatments provided. Cross-sectional study of consecutive male prisoners referred, over a twenty-month period, for a clinical psychiatric assessment, among population (N = 990) of Casa circondariale "Torre del Gallo", Pavia (I); clinical DSM-IV diagnostic assessment and retrospective analysis of provided psychiatric treatments (i.e. psychiatric visits and pharmacological prescriptions). 191 men (19.3%) had one or more current mental disorders (excluding substance misuse), including 13 (1.3%) psychosis; 53 (5.4%) mood disorder; 24 (2.4%) anxiety disorder; 26 (2.6%) adjustment disorder; 40 (4.1%) personality disorder; 32 (3.2%) personality disorder plus mood disorder; 3 (0.3%) mental retardation. Substance- (N = 89, 47%) and HIV-related (N = 19, 10%) disorders comorbidity is recognised. Psychiatric visits are mainly provided to psychosis and personality disorder plus mood disorder subgroups. Off-label antipsychotics prescriptions are frequent. The prevalence of mental disorder in this population is higher than US and EU averages, and for particular diagnostic subgroups it could be underestimated. Psychiatric management in prison should be reorganized according to national and European health guidelines.

Comparison among methods of effective energy evaluation of corn silage for beef cattle.

PubMed

Wei, Ming; Chen, Zhiqiang; Wei, Shengjuan; Geng, Guangduo; Yan, Peishi

2018-06-01

This study was conducted to compare different methods on effective energy evaluation of corn silage for beef cattle. Twenty Wandong bulls (Chinese indigenous yellow cattle) with initial body weight of 281±15.6 kg, were assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments with 4 animals per treatment in a randomized complete block design. Five dietary treatments included group 1 with corn silage only diet, group 2 with corn silage-concentrate basal diet (BD) and 3 groups with 3 test diets, which were the BD partly substituted by corn silage at 10%, 30%, and 60%. The total collection digestion trial was conducted for 5 d for each block after a 10-d adaptation period, and then an open-circuit respiratory cage was used to measure the gas exchange of each animal in a consecutive 4-d period. The direct method-derived metabolizable energy and net energy of corn silage were 8.86 and 5.15 MJ/kg dry matter (DM), expressed as net energy requirement for maintenance and gain were 5.28 and 2.90 MJ/kg DM, respectively; the corresponding regression method-derived estimates were 8.96, 5.34, 5.37, and 2.98 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The direct method-derived estimates were not different (p>0.05) from those obtained using the regression method. Using substitution method, the nutrient apparent digestibility and effective energy values of corn silage varied with the increased corn silage substitution ratio (p<0.05). In addition, the corn silage estimates at the substitution ratio of 30% were similar to those estimated by direct and regression methods. In determining the energy value of corn silage using substitution method, there was a discrepancy between different substitution ratios, and the substitution ratio of 30% was more appropriate than 10% or 60% in the current study. The regression method based on multiple point substitution was more appropriate than single point substitution on energy evaluation of feedstuffs for beef cattle.

40 CFR 141.624 - Additional requirements for consecutive systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Additional requirements for consecutive systems. 141.624 Section 141.624 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Stage 2 Disinfection...

40 CFR 141.624 - Additional requirements for consecutive systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Additional requirements for consecutive systems. 141.624 Section 141.624 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Stage 2 Disinfection...

40 CFR 141.624 - Additional requirements for consecutive systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Additional requirements for consecutive systems. 141.624 Section 141.624 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Stage 2 Disinfection...

40 CFR 141.624 - Additional requirements for consecutive systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Additional requirements for consecutive systems. 141.624 Section 141.624 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Stage 2 Disinfection...

Median nerve fascicle transfer versus ulnar nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps motor branch in C5-C6 and C5-C7 brachial plexus injuries: nonrandomized prospective study of 23 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Cho, Alvaro Baik; Paulos, Renata Gregorio; de Resende, Marcelo Rosa; Kiyohara, Leandro Yoshinobu; Sorrenti, Luiz; Wei, Teng Hsiang; Bolliger Neto, Raul; Mattar Júnior, Rames

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to observe whether the results of the median nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps are equivalent to the classical ulnar nerve fascicle transfer, in terms of elbow flexion strength and donor nerve morbidity. Twenty-five consecutive patients were operated between March 2007 and July 2013. The patients were divided into two groups. In Group 1 (n = 8), the patients received an ulnar nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps motor branch. In Group 2 (n = 15), the patients received a median nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps motor branch. Two patients with follow-up less than six months were excluded. Both groups were similar regarding age (P = 0.070), interval of injury (P = 0.185), and follow-up period (P = 0.477). Elbow flexion against gravity was achieved in 7 of 8 (87.5%) patients in Group 1, versus 14 of 15 (93.3%) patients in Group 2 (P = 1.000). The level of injury (C5-C6 or C5-C7) did not affect anti-gravity elbow flexion recovery in both the groups (P = 1.000). It was concluded that the median nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps is as good as the ulnar nerve fascicle transfer, even in C5-C7 injuries. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Learning curve of single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy determined using the non-linear ordinary least squares method based on a non-linear regression model: An analysis of 150 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Han, Hyung Joon; Choi, Sae Byeol; Park, Man Sik; Lee, Jin Suk; Kim, Wan Bae; Song, Tae Jin; Choi, Sang Yong

2011-07-01

Single port laparoscopic surgery has come to the forefront of minimally invasive surgery. For those familiar with conventional techniques, however, this type of operation demands a different type of eye/hand coordination and involves unfamiliar working instruments. Herein, the authors describe the learning curve and the clinical outcomes of single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy for 150 consecutive patients with benign gallbladder disease. All patients underwent single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy using a homemade glove port by one of five operators with different levels of experiences of laparoscopic surgery. The learning curve for each operator was fitted using the non-linear ordinary least squares method based on a non-linear regression model. Mean operating time was 77.6 ± 28.5 min. Fourteen patients (6.0%) were converted to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Complications occurred in 15 patients (10.0%), as follows: bile duct injury (n = 2), surgical site infection (n = 8), seroma (n = 2), and wound pain (n = 3). One operator achieved a learning curve plateau at 61.4 min per procedure after 8.5 cases and his time improved by 95.3 min as compared with initial operation time. Younger surgeons showed significant decreases in mean operation time and achieved stable mean operation times. In particular, younger surgeons showed significant decreases in operation times after 20 cases. Experienced laparoscopic surgeons can safely perform single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy using conventional or angled laparoscopic instruments. The present study shows that an operator can overcome the single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy learning curve in about eight cases.

Science Teacher Education in the Twenty-First Century: A Pedagogical Framework for Technology-Integrated Social Constructivism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barak, Miri

2017-01-01

Changes in our global world have shifted the skill demands from acquisition of structured knowledge to mastery of skills, often referred to as twenty-first century competencies. Given these changes, a sequential explanatory mixed methods study was undertaken to (a) examine predominant instructional methods and technologies used by teacher…

Two consecutive twin and a singleton pregnancy in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Halim, T A; Nabeel, N

2014-01-01

Consecutive multiple pregnancies with Chronic myeloid leukemia is a rare event and little is known about its prevalence and management with or without chemotherapy. We present a case of three consecutive pregnancies in a woman with CML, two of which were multiple pregnancies.

Twenty Trades to Read About.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamatino, Robyn

This workbook for vocational high school students with reading difficulties contains instructional materials on twenty different vocational areas. The introductory note indicates that it was written with as low a readibility level as was practical to enable the students to read as much as possible without interruption. The content is in twenty…

Twenty-first century challenges for biomaterials

PubMed Central

Hench, Larry L.; Thompson, Ian

2010-01-01

During the 1960s and 1970s, a first generation of materials was specially developed for use inside the human body. These developments became the basis for the field of biomaterials. The devices made from biomaterials are called prostheses. Professor Bill Bonfield was one of the first to recognize the importance of understanding the mechanical properties of tissues, especially bone, in order to achieve reliable skeletal prostheses. His research was one of the pioneering efforts to understand the interaction of biomaterials with living tissues. The goal of all early biomaterials was to ‘achieve a suitable combination of physical properties to match those of the replaced tissue with a minimal toxic response in the host’. By 1980, there were more than 50 implanted prostheses in clinical use made from 40 different materials. At that time, more than three million prosthetic parts were being implanted in patients worldwide each year. A common feature of most of the 40 materials was biological ‘inertness’. Almost all materials used in the body were single-phase materials. Most implant materials were adaptations of already existing commercial materials with higher levels of purity to eliminate release of toxic by-products and minimize corrosion. This article is a tribute to Bill Bonfield's pioneering efforts in the field of bone biomechanics, biomaterials and interdisciplinary research. It is also a brief summary of the evolution of bioactive materials and the opportunities for tailoring the composition, texture and surface chemistry of them to meet five important challenges for the twenty-first century. PMID:20484227

Ion pair-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography as a new method for determining five folate derivatives in foodstuffs.

PubMed

Nojavan, Yones; Kamankesh, Marzieh; Shahraz, Farzaneh; Hashemi, Maryam; Mohammadi, Abdorreza

2015-05-01

A novel technique for simultaneous determination of five folate derivatives in various food matrices was developed by ion pair-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IP-DLLME) combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the proposed method, N-methyl-N,N-dioctyloctan-1-ammonium chloride (aliquat-336) was used as an ion-pair reagent. Effective variables of microextraction process were optimized. Under optimum conditions, the method yielded a linear calibration curve ranging from 1-200 ng g(-1) with correlation coefficients (r(2)) higher than 0.98. The relative standard deviation for the seven analyses was 5.2-7.4%. Enrichment factors for the five folates ranged between 108-135. Limits of detection were 2-4.1 ng g(-1). A comparison of this method with other methods described that the new proposed method is rapid and accurate, and gives very good enrichment factors and detection limits for determining five folate derivatives. The newly developed method was successfully applied for the determination of five folate derivatives in wheat flour, egg yolk and orange juice samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Euthanasia--the twenty-sixth specialty?

PubMed

Capanna, A H; Capanna, D M; Bianco, R Y

1998-08-01

Twenty-five medical specialties currently offer board certification in the United States. The question is, should there be a 26th specialty--that of euthanasia? Physician-assisted suicide has clearly been brought to the forefront of public debate by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the retired Michigan pathologist, and the passage of the Oregon Proposition. The concern becomes multifold; should physician-assisted suicide be allowed? On whom should it be allowed? Should all physicians be allowed to participate, or only a select few? All physicians take either the Hippocratic Oath or World Health Organization Oath (or both) at medical school commencement, which forbids the taking of a life. How then are we to reconcile physician-assisted suicide? The Dutch have extensive experience with euthanasia assisted by physicians. It has become increasingly clear that a great deal of pressure will be directly or indirectly exerted on physicians to withhold or minimize treatment with terminally ill patients at both spectrums of life. The need to face these decisions will be pushed by economic interests. It is well documented historically that Nazi doctors conducted numerous experiments on concentration camp inmates in the name of research and scientific truth. How did these doctors become part of Hitler's killing machine in the 1940s? By 1942, the Nazified physicians were ready to cure the nation by killing off "useless eaters," and Jews, the "cancer" of the Nordic race. If we are taught that history repeats itself, how can we condone the helping of one patient and assisting another with ending his life? Perhaps it is fitting that Dr. Kevorkian was a pathologist, not directly involved in caring for patients and families. Perhaps we will need the 26th specialty, but the real questions is "Should those of us who took the Hippocratic Oath take the first step?"

Binding kinetics of five drugs to beta2-adrenoceptor using peak profiling method and nonlinear chromatography.

PubMed

Liang, Yuan; Wang, Jing; Fei, Fuhuan; Sun, Huanmei; Liu, Ting; Li, Qian; Zhao, Xinfeng; Zheng, Xiaohui

2018-02-23

Investigations of drug-protein interactions have advanced our knowledge of ways to design more rational drugs. In addition to extensive thermodynamic studies, ongoing works are needed to enhance the exploration of drug-protein binding kinetics. In this work, the beta2-adrenoceptor (β 2 -AR) was immobilized on N, N'-carbonyldiimidazole activated amino polystyrene microspheres to prepare an affinity column (4.6 mm × 5.0 cm, 8 μm). The β 2 -AR column was utilized to determine the binding kinetics of five drugs to the receptor. Introducing peak profiling method into this receptor chromatographic analysis, we determined the dissociation rate constants (k d ) of salbutamol, terbutaline, methoxyphenamine, isoprenaline hydrochloride and ephedrine hydrochloride to β 2 -AR to be 15 (±1), 22 (±1), 3.3 (±0.2), 2.3 (±0.2) and 2.1 (±0.1) s -1 , respectively. The employment of nonlinear chromatography (NLC) in this case exhibited the same rank order of k d values for the five drugs bound to β 2 -AR. We confirmed that both the peak profiling method and NLC were capable of routine measurement of receptor-drug binding kinetics. Compared with the peak profiling method, NLC was advantageous in the simultaneous assessment of the kinetic and apparent thermodynamic parameters. It will become a powerful method for high throughput drug-receptor interaction analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leamos Sobre Veinte Ocupaciones! Twenty Trades to Read About.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamatino, Robyn; Mintz, Adin

Twenty trades are explored in this bilingual supplementary workbook, designed specifically for native Spanish speakers who are in the process of learning English. The purpose of this book is to ease the Spanish-speaking student from his/her native language into English with as little discomfort as possible. There are twenty chapters in the book…

Antioxidant defence of colostrum and milk in consecutive lactations in sows

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Parturition is supposed to be related to oxidative stress, not only for the mother, but also for the newborn. Moreover, it is not clear whether consecutive pregnancies, parturitions, and lactations are similar to each other in regards to intensity of metabolic processes or differ from each other. The aim of the study was to compare dynamic changes of antioxidative parameters in colostrum and milk of sows taken during 72 h postpartum from animals in consecutive lactations. Activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione transferase (GSH-Tr), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and amount of vitamin A and C were measured. Healthy pregnant animals were divided into 4 groups according to the assessed lactation: A -1st lactation (n = 10), B - 2nd and 3rd lactation (n = 7), C - 4th and 5th lactation (n = 11), D - 6th - 8th lactation (n = 8). The colostrum was sampled immediately after parturition and after 6, 12, 18 and 36 h while the milk was assessed at 72 h after parturition. Spectrophotometric methods were used for measurements. Results The activity of antioxidative enzymes and the concentration of vitamin A increased with time postpartum. The concentration of vitamin C was the highest between the 18th and 36th h postpartum. Conclusions Dynamic changes in the values of antioxidant parameters measured during the study showed that sows milk provides the highest concentration of antioxidants in the 2nd and 3rd and 4th and 5th lactation giving the best defence against reactive oxygen species to newborns and mammary glands. PMID:22429994

Two consecutive partial liver transplants in a patient with Classic Maple Syrup Urine Disease☆☆☆

PubMed Central

Chin, H.L.; Aw, M.M.; Quak, S.H.; Huang, J.; Hart, C.E.; Prabhakaran, K.; Goh, D.L.

2015-01-01

Maple syrup urine disease is caused by a deficiency in the branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) complex. This results in the accumulation of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and branched chain ketoacids in the body. Even when aggressively treated with dietary restriction of BCAA, patients experience long term cognitive, neurological and psychosocial problems. Liver transplantation from deceased donors has been shown to be an effective modality in introducing adequate BCKAD activity, attaining a metabolic cure for patients. Here, we report the clinical course of the first known patient with classic MSUD who received two consecutive partial liver grafts from two different living non-carrier donors and his five year outcome posttransplant. We also show that despite the failure of the first liver graft, and initial acute cellular rejection of the second liver graft in our patient, his metabolic control remained good without metabolic decompensation. PMID:26937410

Misuse of statistical methods: critical assessment of articles in BMJ from January to March 1976.

PubMed Central

Gore, S M; Jones, I G; Rytter, E C

1977-01-01

Sixty-two reports that appeared as Papers and Originals (excluding short reports) in 13 consecutive issues of the British Medical journal included statistical analysis. Thirty-two had statistical errors of one kind or another; in 18 fairly serious faults were discovered. The summaries of five reports made some claim that was unsupportable on re-examination of the data. Medical investigators should consult with people who have a real understanding of statistical methods throughout their projects. PMID:832023

Exploring the Sums of Powers of Consecutive q-Integers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, T.; Ryoo, C. S.; Jang, L. C.; Rim, S. H.

2005-01-01

The Bernoulli numbers are among the most interesting and important number sequences in mathematics. They first appeared in the posthumous work "Ars Conjectandi" (1713) by Jacob Bernoulli (1654-1705) in connection with sums of powers of consecutive integers (Bernoulli, 1713; or Smith, 1959). Bernoulli numbers are particularly important in number…

A comparison of five standard methods for evaluating image intensity uniformity in partially parallel imaging MRI

PubMed Central

Goerner, Frank L.; Duong, Timothy; Stafford, R. Jason; Clarke, Geoffrey D.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the utility of five different standard measurement methods for determining image uniformity for partially parallel imaging (PPI) acquisitions in terms of consistency across a variety of pulse sequences and reconstruction strategies. Methods: Images were produced with a phantom using a 12-channel head matrix coil in a 3T MRI system (TIM TRIO, Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). Images produced using echo-planar, fast spin echo, gradient echo, and balanced steady state free precession pulse sequences were evaluated. Two different PPI reconstruction methods were investigated, generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition algorithm (GRAPPA) and modified sensitivity-encoding (mSENSE) with acceleration factors (R) of 2, 3, and 4. Additionally images were acquired with conventional, two-dimensional Fourier imaging methods (R = 1). Five measurement methods of uniformity, recommended by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) were considered. The methods investigated were (1) an ACR method and a (2) NEMA method for calculating the peak deviation nonuniformity, (3) a modification of a NEMA method used to produce a gray scale uniformity map, (4) determining the normalized absolute average deviation uniformity, and (5) a NEMA method that focused on 17 areas of the image to measure uniformity. Changes in uniformity as a function of reconstruction method at the same R-value were also investigated. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether R-value or reconstruction method had a greater influence on signal intensity uniformity measurements for partially parallel MRI. Results: Two of the methods studied had consistently negative slopes when signal intensity uniformity was plotted against R-value. The results obtained comparing mSENSE against GRAPPA found no consistent difference between GRAPPA and mSENSE with regard to signal intensity uniformity

The Big Five Personality Traits and French Firefighter Burnout: The Mediating Role of Achievement Goals.

PubMed

Vaulerin, Jérôme; Colson, Serge S; Emile, Mélanie; Scoffier-Mériaux, Stéphanie; d'Arripe-Longueville, Fabienne

2016-04-01

We investigated the associations between the Big Five personality traits and occupational burnout in firefighters and the mediating role of achievement goals in this relationship. Two hundred twenty male firefighters from 20 to 62 years old participated and mediation analyses were performed. The results showed that neuroticism was positively related to the three dimensions of burnout, both directly and through mastery avoidance goals. Mastery approach goals mediated the relationships between conscientiousness and physical fatigue and between openness to experience and physical fatigue. Three of the Big Five personality traits, neuroticism, conscientiousness and openness to experience, and achievement goals, may be important factors in understanding and preventing firefighter burnout.

Employment Status and Income Generation among Homeless Young Adults: Results from a Five-City, Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Kristin M.; Bender, Kimberly; Thompson, Sanna J.; Maccio, Elaine M.; Pollio, David

2012-01-01

This mixed-methods study identified correlates of unemployment among homeless young adults in five cities. Two hundred thirty-eight homeless young people from Los Angeles (n = 50), Austin (n = 50), Denver (n = 50), New Orleans (n = 50), and St. Louis (n = 38) were recruited using comparable sampling strategies. Multivariate logistic regression…

Proceedings: Twenty years of energy policy: Looking toward the twenty-first century

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

Not Available

1992-12-31

In 1973, immediately following the Arab Oil Embargo, the Energy Resources Center, University of Illinois at Chicago initiated an innovative annual public service program called the Illinois Energy Conference. The objective was to provide a public forum each year to address an energy or environmental issue critical to the state, region and nation. Twenty years have passed since that inaugural program, and during that period we have covered a broad spectrum of issues including energy conservation nuclear power, Illinois coal, energy policy options, natural gas, alternative fuels, new energy technologies, utility deregulation and the National Energy Strategy.

Error baseline rates of five sample preparation methods used to characterize RNA virus populations.

PubMed

Kugelman, Jeffrey R; Wiley, Michael R; Nagle, Elyse R; Reyes, Daniel; Pfeffer, Brad P; Kuhn, Jens H; Sanchez-Lockhart, Mariano; Palacios, Gustavo F

2017-01-01

Individual RNA viruses typically occur as populations of genomes that differ slightly from each other due to mutations introduced by the error-prone viral polymerase. Understanding the variability of RNA virus genome populations is critical for understanding virus evolution because individual mutant genomes may gain evolutionary selective advantages and give rise to dominant subpopulations, possibly even leading to the emergence of viruses resistant to medical countermeasures. Reverse transcription of virus genome populations followed by next-generation sequencing is the only available method to characterize variation for RNA viruses. However, both steps may lead to the introduction of artificial mutations, thereby skewing the data. To better understand how such errors are introduced during sample preparation, we determined and compared error baseline rates of five different sample preparation methods by analyzing in vitro transcribed Ebola virus RNA from an artificial plasmid-based system. These methods included: shotgun sequencing from plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a basic "no amplification" method, amplicon sequencing from the plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a "targeted" amplification method, sequence-independent single-primer amplification (SISPA) as a "random" amplification method, rolling circle reverse transcription sequencing (CirSeq) as an advanced "no amplification" method, and Illumina TruSeq RNA Access as a "targeted" enrichment method. The measured error frequencies indicate that RNA Access offers the best tradeoff between sensitivity and sample preparation error (1.4-5) of all compared methods.

Error baseline rates of five sample preparation methods used to characterize RNA virus populations

PubMed Central

Kugelman, Jeffrey R.; Wiley, Michael R.; Nagle, Elyse R.; Reyes, Daniel; Pfeffer, Brad P.; Kuhn, Jens H.; Sanchez-Lockhart, Mariano; Palacios, Gustavo F.

2017-01-01

Individual RNA viruses typically occur as populations of genomes that differ slightly from each other due to mutations introduced by the error-prone viral polymerase. Understanding the variability of RNA virus genome populations is critical for understanding virus evolution because individual mutant genomes may gain evolutionary selective advantages and give rise to dominant subpopulations, possibly even leading to the emergence of viruses resistant to medical countermeasures. Reverse transcription of virus genome populations followed by next-generation sequencing is the only available method to characterize variation for RNA viruses. However, both steps may lead to the introduction of artificial mutations, thereby skewing the data. To better understand how such errors are introduced during sample preparation, we determined and compared error baseline rates of five different sample preparation methods by analyzing in vitro transcribed Ebola virus RNA from an artificial plasmid-based system. These methods included: shotgun sequencing from plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a basic “no amplification” method, amplicon sequencing from the plasmid DNA or in vitro transcribed RNA as a “targeted” amplification method, sequence-independent single-primer amplification (SISPA) as a “random” amplification method, rolling circle reverse transcription sequencing (CirSeq) as an advanced “no amplification” method, and Illumina TruSeq RNA Access as a “targeted” enrichment method. The measured error frequencies indicate that RNA Access offers the best tradeoff between sensitivity and sample preparation error (1.4−5) of all compared methods. PMID:28182717

Why the American public supports twenty-first century learning.

PubMed

Sacconaghi, Michele

2006-01-01

Aware that constituent support is essential to any educational endeavor, the AOL Time Warner Foundation (now the Time Warner Foundation), in conjunction with two respected national research firms, measured Americans' attitudes toward the implementation of twenty-first century skills. The foundation's national research survey was intended to explore public perceptions of the need for changes in the educational system, in school and after school, with respect to the teaching of twenty-first century skills. The author summarizes the findings of the survey, which were released by the foundation in June 2003. One thousand adults were surveyed by telephone, including African Americans, Latinos, teachers, and business executives. In general, the survey found that Americans believe today's students need a "basics-plus" education, meaning communication, technology, and critical thinking skills in addition to the traditional basics of reading, writing, and math. In fact, 92 percent of respondents stated that students today need different skills from those of ten to twenty years ago. Also, after-school programs were found to be an appropriate vehicle to teach these skills. Furthermore, the survey explored how well the public perceives schools to be preparing youth for the workforce and postsecondary education, which twenty-first century skills are seen as being taught effectively, and the level of need for after-school and summer programs. The survey results provide conclusive evidence of national support for basics-plus education. Thus, a clear opportunity exists to build momentum for a new model of education for the twenty-first century.

A novel method of continuous measurement of head of bed elevation in ventilated patients.

PubMed

Balonov, Konstantin; Miller, Andrew D; Lisbon, Alan; Kaynar, A Murat

2007-06-01

We developed a novel pressure transducer-based method of continuous measurement of head of bed elevation. Following validation of the method we hypothesized that head of bed angles would be at or above 30 degrees among mechanically ventilated patients throughout the day due to a hospital-wide initiative on ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention and standardized electronic order entry system to keep head of bed at an angle of 30 degrees or greater. Prospective observational study in university hospital intensive care units. Twenty-nine consecutive mechanically ventilated patients with no contraindications for semirecumbency. We acquired 113 pairs of measurements on unused beds for validation of the method at angles between 3 degrees and 70 degrees. Correlation between transducer and protractor was fitted into a linear regression model (R2 = 0.98) with minimal variation of data along the line of equality. Bland-Altman analysis showed a mean difference of 1.6 degrees +/- 1.6 degrees. Ninety-six percent of differences were within 2 SD from the mean. This method was then used among 29 intubated patients to collect head of bed data over a 24-h period for 3 consecutive days. Contrary to our hypothesis, all patients had head of bed angles less than 30 degrees. Our results suggest that this method could be used with high reliability and patients in our institution were not kept even at 30 degrees. The results are in accord with those of a recent study which found that continued maintenance of previously suggested head of bed angles was difficult to attain clinically. This may lead us to reevaluate methods studying the impact of head of bed elevation in VAP prevention.

Kinetic analysis of IMP split dose method for two consecutive measurement of cerebral blood flow

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

Nishizawa, S.; Yonekura, Y.; Tanaka, F.

1994-05-01

The split dose method for two consecutive measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) with I-123 IMP seems to offer a great merit to the SPECT study of the brain. However, because of complexity of the dynamics of IMP, it is not clear if microsphere (MS) model permits a estimation of CBF for the 2nd dose. We applied kinetic (KN) analysis based on 2 compartment model to the dynamic SPECT scan data, and compared the results with those obtained by MS model. Dynamic SPECT (1-min scans for 50 min) was performed using 3-head SPECT camera in 5 patients to test themore » reproducibility of measured CBF and in 9 patients to test the vascular response to acetazolamide (ACZ). Two doses of IMP (111 MBq each) were injected at the time of, and 25 min after, the scan initiation. ACZ (1g) was administered at 13 min. Arterial blood samples were drawn manually during the scan and an octanol extracted input function was obtained. Dynamic scan data for 22 min was used for CBF by KN analysis (K1), and 4-min scan data at 5 min for CBF by MS model (Km), for each dose. For 2nd CBF by MS model, simple subtraction of brain activity due to the I st dose was done using 4-min scan data just prior to the 2nd dose. Reproducibility of measured CBF by KN analysis was excellent (r=0.949, 1st K1=39.2{plus_minus}5.6 and 2nd K1=38.5{plus_minus}6.6 ml/l00g/min: mean{plus_minus}SD). Vascular response to ACZ was good (1st K1=42.4{plus_minus}7.8 to 2nd K1=67.9{plus_minus}10.0) in areas without ischemia, but poor (1st K1=41.1{plus_minus}8.5 to 2nd K1=46.1{plus_minus}11.1) in ischemic areas. Compared to KN analysis, MS model underestimated 3.5% for the 1st CBF measurement and 12.8% for the 2nd. However, excellent correlation was observed not only between 1st K1 and Km (r=0.993, slope=0.920) but between 2nd K1 and Km (r=0.994, slope=0.814), and the results permitted a reasonable correction for Km.« less

Five different spectrophotometric methods for determination of Amprolium hydrochloride and Ethopabate binary mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussein, Lobna A.; Magdy, N.; Abbas, Mahmoud M.

2015-03-01

Five simple, specific, accurate and precise UV-spectrophotometric methods are adopted for the simultaneous determination of Amprolium hydrochloride (AMP) and Ethopabate (ETH), a binary mixture with overlapping spectra, without preliminary separation. The first method is first derivative of the ratio spectra (1DD) for determination of AMP and ETH at 234.7 nm and 306.8 nm respectively with mean percentage recoveries 99.76 ± 0.907 and 100.29 ± 0.842 respectively. The second method is the mean centering of the ratio spectra for determination of AMP and ETH at 238.8 nm and 313 nm respectively with mean percentage recoveries 100.26 ± 1.018 and 99.94 ± 1.286 respectively. The third method is based on dual wavelength selection for determination of AMP and ETH at 235.3 nm & 308 nm and 244 nm & 268.4 nm respectively with mean percentage recoveries 99.30 ± 1.097 and 100.03 ± 1.065 respectively. The fourth method is ratio difference method for determination of AMP and ETH at 239 nm & 310 nm and 239 nm & 313 nm respectively with mean percentage recoveries 99.27 ± 0.892 and 100.40 ± 1.814 respectively. The fifth one is area under the curve (AUC) method where the areas between 235.6-243 nm and 268.3-275 nm are selected for determination of AMP and ETH with mean percentage recoveries 100.35 ± 1.031 and 100.39 ± 0.956 respectively. These methods are tested by analyzing synthetic mixtures of the two drugs and they are applied to their pharmaceutical veterinary preparation. Methods are validated according to the ICH guidelines and accuracy, precision and repeatability are found to be within the acceptable limit.

Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of Morton's neuroma.

PubMed

Fazal, Muhammad Ali; Khan, Ishrat; Thomas, Cherian

2012-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography are used widely for the diagnosis of Morton's neuroma. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of these two modalities as diagnostic tools in Morton's neuroma. Fifty feet of 47 consecutive patients (39 women and 8 men; mean age, 46 years; age range, 36-64 years) who presented between January 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008, were included in the study. Twenty-five feet were investigated with ultrasonography and 25 with MRI. Morton's neuroma was confirmed surgically and histologically in all of the patients. A Student unpaired t test was applied. Twenty-two MRIs were diagnostic (sensitivity, 88%). Three patients with negative MRI findings underwent ultrasonography and were found to have a neuroma smaller than 5 mm. Twenty-four ultrasound scans demonstrated the neuroma (sensitivity, 96%), with five neuromas being smaller than 5 mm. Ultrasonography has a slightly higher sensitivity in the diagnosis of Morton's neuroma, particularly of neuromas smaller than 5 mm, and should be the preferred imaging modality in suspected cases, and MRI should be reserved for cases with equivocal diagnosis.

Acceptance of family planning methods by induced abortion seekers: An observational study over five years

PubMed Central

Kathpalia, S.K.

2016-01-01

Background Prior to legalization of abortion, induced abortions were performed in an illegal manner and that resulted in many complications hence abortion was legalized in India in 1971 and the number of induced abortions has been gradually increasing since then. One way of preventing abortions is to provide family planning services to these abortion seekers so that same is not repeated. The study was performed to find out the acceptance of contraception after abortion. Methods A prospective study was performed over a period of five years from 2010 to 2014. The study group included all the cases reporting for abortion. A proforma was filled in detail to find out the type of contraception being used before pregnancy and acceptance of contraception after abortion. The existing facilities were also evaluated. Results 1228 abortions were performed over a period of five years. 94.5% of abortions were during the first trimester. 39.9% had not used any contraceptive before, contraceptives used were natural and barrier which had high failure. The main indication for seeking abortion was failure of contraception and completion of family. 39.6% of patients accepted sterilization as a method of contraception. The existing post abortion family planning services are inadequate. Conclusion Post abortion period is one which is important to prevent subsequent abortions and family planning services after abortion need to be strengthened. PMID:26900216

Field Demonstrations of Five Geophysical Methods that Could Be Used to Characterize Deposits of Alluvial Aggregate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellefsen, K.J.; Burton, B.L.; Lucius, J.E.; Haines, S.S.; Fitterman, D.V.; Witty, J.A.; Carlson, D.; Milburn, B.; Langer, W.H.

2007-01-01

Personnel from the U.S. Geological Survey and Martin Marietta Aggregates, Inc., conducted field demonstrations of five different geophysical methods to show how these methods could be used to characterize deposits of alluvial aggregate. The methods were time-domain electromagnetic sounding, electrical resistivity profiling, S-wave reflection profiling, S-wave refraction profiling, and P-wave refraction profiling. All demonstrations were conducted at one site within a river valley in central Indiana, where the stratigraphy consisted of 1 to 2 meters of clay-rich soil, 20 to 35 meters of alluvial sand and gravel, 1 to 6 meters of clay, and multiple layers of limestone and dolomite bedrock. All geophysical methods, except time-domain electromagnetic sounding, provided information about the alluvial aggregate that was consistent with the known geology. Although time-domain electromagnetic sounding did not work well at this site, it has worked well at other sites with different geology. All of these geophysical methods complement traditional methods of geologic characterization such as drilling.

Comparison of five methods of malaria detection in the outpatient setting.

PubMed

Lema, O E; Carter, J Y; Nagelkerke, N; Wangai, M W; Kitenge, P; Gikunda, S M; Arube, P A; Munafu, C G; Materu, S F; Adhiambo, C A; Mukunza, H K

1999-02-01

In eastern Africa where 90% of the malaria is due to Plasmodium falciparum, the accuracy of malaria diagnosis at the outpatient level is becoming increasingly important due to problems of drug resistance and use of alternative, costly antimalarial drugs. The quantitative buffy coat (QBC) technique, acridine orange staining with an interference filter system, and the ParaSight-F test have been introduced as alternative methods to conventional microscopy for the diagnosis of malaria. Two hundred thirteen outpatients were tested using these alternative methods and conventional microscopy by five experienced technologists; two were randomly allocated to read the results of each test. Paired results showed the highest level of agreement with the ParaSight-F test (99%), followed by Field stain (92%). The results of the QBC technique showed the least agreement (73%). Using conventional microscopy as the reference standard, the ParaSight-F test had a sensitivity range of 90-92% and a specificity of 99%, staining with acridine orange had a sensitivity range of 77-96% and a specificity range of 81-98% and the QBC technique had a sensitivity range of 88-98% and a specificity range of 58-90%. All microscopic tests showed lower sensitivities (as low as 20% using staining with acridine orange) in detecting low parasitemias (< or = 320/microl) than the ParaSight-F test (70%). Due to the high cost of the ParaSight-F test, Field-stained blood films remain the most appropriate method for diagnosis of P. falciparum in eastern Africa. The ParaSight-F test may be used in situations where no trained microscopists are available, or where malaria is strongly suspected and the results of microscopy are negative.

Horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation using autologous press fit bone cylinders and micro-lag-screw fixation: technical note and initial experience.

PubMed

Streckbein, Philipp; Kähling, Christopher; Wilbrand, Jan-Falco; Malik, Christoph-Yves; Schaaf, Heidrun; Howaldt, Hans-Peter; Streckbein, Roland

2014-07-01

The use of autologous block bone grafts for horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation in dental implantology is a common surgical procedure. Typically, bone grafts are individually moulded. The aim of this paper is to introduce an innovative procedure in lateral bone augmentation, where the recipient side is adjusted to the graft, not vice versa as in common procedures. Our initial clinical experience of twenty-five consecutive cases is presented. Adjusted trephine drills were used to harvest partly cylindrical grafts from the retromolar region of the mandible. After preparing the recipient site with accurately fitting grinding drills, the bone grafts were transplanted. The horizontally compromised alveolar ridges were successfully augmented and treated with dental implants. No major complication occurred during transplantation, the healing period, and subsequent implant therapy in our experimental setting with 25 patients and 38 augmentation procedures. One out of twenty-five patients presented with temporary dysaesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve. The new method presented is an effective treatment option for horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation prior to single implant installation. Further studies should evaluate the donor site morbidity and long-term outcome on a larger population. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Comparative study on five pretreatment methods for ICP-OES determination of mineral elements in Rosa rugosa].

PubMed

Zhao, Ning; Yang, Bin; Duan, Yu-Cen; Lei, Ran

2011-08-01

Abstract Five different pretreatment methods, including dry ashing and microwave digestion with four acid systems (HNO3 + H2O2, HNO3 + H2O2 + HF, HNO3 + HClO4 and HNO3 + HClO4 + HF), were employed for digestion of the samples of Rosa rugosa. Nine major and trace elements were determined using ICP-OES method. The addition standard recovery rates indicate that, with the system of HNO3 + HClO4, better results can be obtained for most of the determined elements. With this method, except for Fe, the recovery rates are in the range of 95.4%-104.6%. For Fe, higher recovery rate (99%) was obtained with HNO3 + H2O2 + HF system.

Multi-year encoding of daily rainfall and streamflow via the fractal-multifractal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puente, C. E.; Maskey, M.; Sivakumar, B.

2017-12-01

A deterministic geometric approach, the fractal-multifractal (FM) method, which has been proven to be faithful in encoding daily geophysical sets over a year, is used to describe records over multiple years at a time. Looking for FM parameter trends over longer periods, the present study shows FM descriptions of daily rainfall and streamflow gathered over five consecutive years optimizing deviations on accumulated sets. The results for 100 and 60 sets of five years for rainfall streamflow, respectively, near Sacramento, California illustrate that: (a) encoding of both types of data sets may be accomplished with relatively small errors; and (b) predicting the geometry of both variables appears to be possible, even five years ahead, training neural networks on the respective FM parameters. It is emphasized that the FM approach not only captures the accumulated sets over successive pentades but also preserves other statistical attributes including the overall "texture" of the records.

Methods of Sensing Land Pollution from Sanitary Landfills

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nosanov, Myron Ellis; Bowerman, Frank R.

1971-01-01

Major cities are congested and large sites suitable for landfill development are limited. Methane and other gases are produced at most sanitary landfills and dumps. These gases may migrate horizontally and vertically and have caused fatalities. Monitoring these gases provides data bases for design and construction of safe buildings on and adjacent to landfills. Methods of monitoring include: (1) a portable combustible gas indicator; and (2) glass flasks valved to allow simultaneous exhaust of the flask and aspiration of the sample into the flask. Samples are drawn through tubing from probes as deep as twenty-five feet below the surface.

22 CFR 181.5 - Twenty-day rule for concluded agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Twenty-day rule for concluded agreements. 181.5 Section 181.5 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS COORDINATION, REPORTING AND PUBLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS § 181.5 Twenty-day rule for concluded agreements. (a) Any agency...

Five Years of Helping Chemists to Create an Online Presence Using Freely Available Resources (ACS Fall meeting 1 of 12)

EPA Science Inventory

For over twenty-five years Antony Williams has been delivering presentations to chemists about how to utilize freely available websites to help create an online presence. Over the years he has presented on LinkedIn for a professional CV, ResearchGate for sharing papers and resear...

Predictors for 1-year mortality following hip fracture: a retrospective review of 465 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Heyes, G J; Tucker, A; Marley, D; Foster, A

2017-02-01

In Europe, trauma admissions and in particular hip fractures are on the rise. In recent years, health care systems have placed particular emphasis, including financial incentives, on delivering patients quickly and safely to surgery. At our unit, we have observed that hip fracture patients appear to be at significant risk of mortality even up to a year following injury. This study reviews a consecutive population of hip fracture patients to identify predictors of excess risk. Four hundred and sixty-five consecutive patients were treated over a 2-year period at our district general hospital with no ward-based orthogeriatricians. Follow-up was for 1 year following hip fracture admission. Statistical analysis of variables and their influence on 1-year mortality were performed by calculating odd's ratio (OR) using a logistic regression model and a p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Four patients were lost to follow-up, 18 patients (4.1 %) were managed conservatively, 16 were too unwell for surgery and their mortality rate at 1 year was 50 %. Following hip fracture, we found an overall 1-year mortality rate of 15.1 %. Patients with a time to surgery ≥36 h were at significantly increased risk of mortality even up to 1 year. We did not identify a further reduction in mortality in those operated on within 24 h. Raised ORs (p > 0.05) were found with increasing comorbidity, surgery type, independence on discharge, alcohol ingestion, history of smoking, readmission and several biochemical markers. Minimising mortality risk, even over the longer term, should begin on admission with prompt optimisation of any acute medical or biochemical abnormalities, followed by early surgery and intensive rehabilitation to maintain patients' functional independence.

Assessing Multidimensional Students' Perceptions of Twenty-First-Century Learning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chai, Ching Sing; Deng, Feng; Tsai, Pei-Shan; Koh, Joyce Hwee; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2015-01-01

This study attempts to design a survey to assess students' perceptions of twenty-first-century learning practices in their classrooms and the resulting knowledge creation self-efficacy among the students. In addition, it also explores the relationships among the various dimensions of twenty-first-century learning practices. Four hundred and…

The American Freshman: Twenty-Five Year Trends, 1966-1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dey, Eric L.; And Others

This report summarizes trends identified in 25 years of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's annual surveys of college freshmen. It documents an array of demographic, attitudinal, and social changes involving students entering the nation's colleges since the survey's inception in 1966. Major findings from this report point to…

Twenty-five years of breast-feeding research in Midwifery.

PubMed

Dykes, Fiona

2011-02-01

This paper explores some of the significant changes that have taken place with regard to the protection, promotion and support of breast feeding during the past three decades. The period covered since the first issue of Midwifery in 1985, has been marked by some dramatic reversals of harmful discourses and detrimental practices with regard to infant and young child feeding and more specifically breast feeding. Midwifery has spanned this period with the publication of 80 papers on breast feeding. This collection of papers has both influenced and reflected upon changes in international and national breast-feeding strategies and practices. Six papers have been selected for a special virtual edition of Midwifery to reflect the diversity of breast-feeding research in terms of issues explored, methodology and country of origin (www.midwiferyjournal.com). Considerable progress is reflected in these papers. However, there are still enormous challenges ahead in working towards the optimisation of infant and young child feeding. In addition to continuing to conduct and collate robust scientific and epidemiological research we need further studies that explore the political, economic, socio-cultural and psychological factors influencing women's infant feeding practices. Our professional practice needs to continue to improve in order to provide women and families with appropriate support, encouragement and resources to enable them to breastfeed effectively. Finally, we need to continue to challenge the systems and approaches at organisational and community levels that impede women in their endeavours to feed their infants in optimum ways. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Next Twenty-Five Years: It's Time to Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jugenheimer, Donald W.

There is a need in the advertising industry for prediction--of the future in general, of the new communication technology, and of the implications for advertising. Studies of the future in other disciplines have identified at least four separate future trends relevant to prediction and preparation for the future in advertising: within specified…

A Twenty-Five-Year Review of Knowledge Gap Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaziano, Cecilie

Evidence from 34 studies published since a 1983 review of 58 earlier studies underscores knowledge inequalities as an enduring phenomenon and emphasizes that interest in the knowledge gap phenomenon is accelerating. All 10 studies which varied "media publicity" supported the hypothesis. Eleven of 12 studies which varied some aspect of…

Twenty-five years after the first TIPS in Spain.

PubMed

Bilbao Jaureguízar, J I

2016-01-01

The incorporation, 25 years ago, of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting, better known by the acronym TIPS, represents an indisputable improvement in the treatment and management of patients with symptoms due to portal hypertension. This article discusses the origins of the technique and the technical innovations that have been progressively added through the years. The implantation of coated stents, which protect the stent from processes in the parenchymal track that can lead to stenosis, have helped ensure long-term patency, thus reducing the need for reintervention. Solid evidence from valuable publications has situated TIPS at the forefront of the treatment options in a wide variety of clinical situations associated with portal hypertension. Copyright © 2016 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Twenty-Five New Viruses Associated with the Drosophilidae (Diptera)

PubMed Central

Webster, Claire L.; Longdon, Ben; Lewis, Samuel H.; Obbard, Darren J.

2016-01-01

Drosophila melanogaster is an important laboratory model for studies of antiviral immunity in invertebrates, and Drosophila species provide a valuable system to study virus host range and host switching. Here, we use metagenomic RNA sequencing of about 1600 adult flies to discover 25 new RNA viruses associated with six different drosophilid hosts in the wild. We also provide a comprehensive listing of viruses previously reported from the Drosophilidae. The new viruses include Iflaviruses, Rhabdoviruses, Nodaviruses, and Reoviruses, and members of unclassified lineages distantly related to Negeviruses, Sobemoviruses, Poleroviruses, Flaviviridae, and Tombusviridae. Among these are close relatives of Drosophila X virus and Flock House virus, which we find in association with wild Drosophila immigrans. These two viruses are widely used in experimental studies but have not been previously reported to naturally infect Drosophila. Although we detect no new DNA viruses, in D. immigrans and Drosophila obscura, we identify sequences very closely related to Armadillidium vulgare iridescent virus (Invertebrate iridescent virus 31), bringing the total number of DNA viruses found in the Drosophilidae to three. PMID:27375356

The United States Air Force Academy’s First Twenty-Five Years, Some Perceptions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

few professions, if any, can match the success of the service academies in inspiring their members to high standards of integrity and ethical conduct...Academic year 1964-1965 was a truly pivotal one and established a standard of excellence, internally demanded and externally required, which con- tinues to...accommodate a varied faculty and student body as well as adjust curricula and teaching methods to the demands of an ever-changing world. The Math Faculty The

What’s Causing Toxicity in Sediments? Results of Twenty Years of Toxicity Identification and Evaluations (TIEs)

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIEs) methods have been used for twenty years to identify the causes of toxicity in sediments around the world. We summarized and categorized results of more than 80 peer-reviewed TIE studies into non-ionic organic, cationic, ammo...

Picking the Right Horse? Dominant Maneuver in the Twenty-First Century

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-05

SUBTITLE Picking the Right Horse ? Dominant Maneuver in the Twenty-First Century 6.AUTH0RIS) Major Steven D. Russell, U.S. Army 7. PERFORMING...Z39-18 298-102 PICKING THE RIGHT HORSE ? DOMINANT MANEUVER IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command...unlimited. wc«’*u»»»«aBI PICKING THE RIGHT HORSE ? DOMINANT MANEUVER IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army

Applying constraints on model-based methods: Estimation of rate constants in a second order consecutive reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kompany-Zareh, Mohsen; Khoshkam, Maryam

2013-02-01

This paper describes estimation of reaction rate constants and pure ultraviolet/visible (UV-vis) spectra of the component involved in a second order consecutive reaction between Ortho-Amino benzoeic acid (o-ABA) and Diazoniom ions (DIAZO), with one intermediate. In the described system, o-ABA was not absorbing in the visible region of interest and thus, closure rank deficiency problem did not exist. Concentration profiles were determined by solving differential equations of the corresponding kinetic model. In that sense, three types of model-based procedures were applied to estimate the rate constants of the kinetic system, according to Levenberg/Marquardt (NGL/M) algorithm. Original data-based, Score-based and concentration-based objective functions were included in these nonlinear fitting procedures. Results showed that when there is error in initial concentrations, accuracy of estimated rate constants strongly depends on the type of applied objective function in fitting procedure. Moreover, flexibility in application of different constraints and optimization of the initial concentrations estimation during the fitting procedure were investigated. Results showed a considerable decrease in ambiguity of obtained parameters by applying appropriate constraints and adjustable initial concentrations of reagents.

Teachers' Reflective Practice in the Context of Twenty-First Century Learning: Applying Vagle's Five-Component Post-Intentional Plan for Phenomenological Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benade, Leon

2016-01-01

Vagle's "post-intentional phenomenological research approach" applies post-structural thinking to intentionality. I apply his five-component research process, reflect on some initial findings of semi-structured interview discussions with 25 participants, and consider a meta-reflection by some participants on those findings. My larger…

Peculiarities of intracranial arachnoid cysts: location, sidedness, and sex distribution in 126 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Wester, K

1999-10-01

To study the distribution of intracranial arachnoid cysts in a large and nonbiased patient population. One hundred twenty-six patients with 132 arachnoid cysts were studied. Patients were consecutively referred to our department during a 10-year period from a well-defined geographical area with a stable population. The cysts had a strong predilection for the middle cranial fossa; 86 patients (65.2%) had cysts in this location. Of 106 cysts with clearly unilateral distribution, 64 were located on the left side and 42 on the right side. This significant difference resulted solely from the marked preponderance of middle fossa cysts for the left (left-to-right ratio, 2.1:1). There were significantly more males than females (92 males/34 females). This difference was exclusively due to male preponderance of unilateral middle fossa cysts (66 males/14 females; ratio, 4.7:1). For all other cyst locations, there was no difference between the two sexes (26 males/20 females) or the two sides (10 left, 16 right). The marked left-sidedness for middle fossa cysts was found only in males. Females had an even distribution between the two sides. Arachnoid cysts have a strong predilection for the middle cranial fossa that may be explained by a meningeal maldevelopment theory: the arachnoid coverings of the temporal and frontal lobes fail to merge when the sylvian fissure is formed in early fetal life, thereby creating a noncommunicating fluid compartment entirely surrounded by arachnoid membranes. Why males develop more middle fossa cysts on the left side remains a mystery.

Twenty-five years since the Shearman Report: How far have we come? Are we there yet?

PubMed

Catling, Christine J; Homer, Caroline S E

2016-02-01

In 1989, the first major state-wide report into maternity services, known as the Shearman Report after its author, was released in New South Wales, the most populous state in Australia. This paper reflects upon the report and tracks the progress of five of its key recommendations. The recommendations are still some of the major issues facing maternity services across the country. These are: community-based maternity care, rural maternity services, hospital visiting rights for privately practising midwives, obstetric intervention, and midwifery continuity of maternity care. In some ways, much has changed in 25 years including the terminology used in the report, the importance of midwifery continuity of care and the woman-centred nature of many services. However, in other ways, there is still a long way to go to address these major issues. Despite more than a quarter of a century, many recommendations have not been fulfilled, especially access to care in rural areas, rates of obstetric intervention, and the issue of visiting rights for privately practising midwives which has gone backwards. A continued and renewed effort is needed to ensure that the forward thinking recommendations of the Shearman Report are ultimately realised for all women and their families. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indiana's Twenty-First Century Scholars Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wandel, Tamara L.

2004-01-01

This case study analyzes the impact of Indiana's Twenty-First Century Scholars college tuition discount program on the academic self-efficacy of high-risk, low-income students. The program is designed to increase the number of high-risk individuals attending college. The self-efficacy "training" of the program helps instill and reinforce the…

Effects of age and spa treatment on match running performance over two consecutive games in highly trained young soccer players.

PubMed

Buchheit, Martin; Horobeanu, Cosmin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto; Simpson, Ben M; Bourdon, Pitre C

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of age and spa treatment (i.e. combined sauna, cold water immersion, and jacuzzi) on match running performance over two consecutive matches in highly trained young soccer players. Fifteen pre- (age 12.8 ± 0.6 years) and 13 post- (15.9 ± 1 y) peak height velocity (PHV) players played two matches (Matches 1 and 2) within 48 h against the same opposition, with no specific between-match recovery intervention (control). Five post-PHV players also completed another set of two consecutive matches, with spa treatment implemented after the first match. Match running performance was assessed using a global positioning system with very-high-intensity running (> 16.1-19.0 km · h(-1)), sprinting distance (>19 km · h(-1)), and peak match speed determined. Match 2 very-high-intensity running was "possibly" impaired in post-PHV players (-9 ± 33%; ± 90% confidence limits), whereas it was "very likely" improved for the pre-PHV players (+27 ± 22%). The spa treatment had a beneficial impact on Match 2 running performance, with a "likely" rating for sprinting distance (+30 ± 67%) and "almost certain" for peak match speed (+6.4 ± 3%). The results suggest that spa treatment is an effective recovery intervention for post-PHV players, while its value in pre-PHV players is questionable.

Multiple Consecutive Infections Might Explain the Lack of Protection by BCG

PubMed Central

Cardona, Pere-Joan; Vilaplana, Cristina

2014-01-01

Although contacts between tuberculosis patients may result in multiple consecutive infections (MCI), no experimental animal models consider this fact when used in basic studies. Moreover, the current TB vaccine (BCG) has demonstrated a limited protection in humans. In this study we evaluate the effect of tuberculosis MCI by way of a simple mathematical analysis using data from the low dose aerosol murine experimental model. The results show that a higher number of, or shorter intervals between, multiple consecutive infections reduce the protective effect of BCG. This is due to both the increase in bacillary load at the stationary level of the infection, and the protective immune response induced by the infection itself. This factor must therefore be taken into account when designing new prophylactic strategies as candidate vaccines for the replacement of BCG. PMID:24740286

Multiple consecutive infections might explain the lack of protection by BCG.

PubMed

Cardona, Pere-Joan; Vilaplana, Cristina

2014-01-01

Although contacts between tuberculosis patients may result in multiple consecutive infections (MCI), no experimental animal models consider this fact when used in basic studies. Moreover, the current TB vaccine (BCG) has demonstrated a limited protection in humans. In this study we evaluate the effect of tuberculosis MCI by way of a simple mathematical analysis using data from the low dose aerosol murine experimental model. The results show that a higher number of, or shorter intervals between, multiple consecutive infections reduce the protective effect of BCG. This is due to both the increase in bacillary load at the stationary level of the infection, and the protective immune response induced by the infection itself. This factor must therefore be taken into account when designing new prophylactic strategies as candidate vaccines for the replacement of BCG.

A comparison of five methods for monitoring the precision of automated x-ray film processors.

PubMed

Nickoloff, E L; Leo, F; Reese, M

1978-11-01

Five different methods for preparing sensitometric strips used to monitor the precision of automated film processors are compared. A method for determining the sensitivity of each system to processor variations is presented; the observed statistical variability is multiplied by the system response to temperature or chemical changes. Pre-exposed sensitometric strips required the use of accurate densitometers and stringent control limits to be effective. X-ray exposed sensitometric strips demonstrated large variations in the x-ray output (2 omega approximately equal to 8.0%) over a period of one month. Some light sensitometers were capable of detecting +/- 1.0 degrees F (+/- 0.6 degrees C) variations in developer temperature in the processor and/or about 10.0 ml of chemical contamination in the processor. Nevertheless, even the light sensitometers were susceptible to problems, e.g. film emulsion selection, line voltage variations, and latent image fading. Advantages and disadvantages of the various sensitometric methods are discussed.

Effect of consecutive driving on accident risk: a comparison between passenger and freight train driving.

PubMed

Chang, Hsin-Li; Ju, Lai-Shun

2008-11-01

This study combined driver-responsible accidents with on-board driving hours to examine the effect of consecutive driving on the accident risk of train operations. The data collected from the Taiwan Railway Administration for the period 1996-2006 was used to compute accident rates for varied accumulated driving hours for passenger and freight trains. The results showed that accident risk grew with increased consecutive driving hours for both passenger and freight trains, and doubled that of the first hour after four consecutive hours of driving. Additional accident risk was found for freight trains during the first hour due to required shunting in the marshalling yards where there are complex track layouts and semi-automatic traffic controls. Also, accident risk for train driving increased more quickly over consecutive driving hours than for automobile driving, and accumulated fatigue caused by high working pressure and monotony of the working environment are considered to be the part of the reason. To prevent human errors accidents, enhancing safety equipment, driver training programs, and establishing a sound auditing system are suggested and discussed.

Comparing five alternative methods of breast reconstruction surgery: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Grover, Ritwik; Padula, William V; Van Vliet, Michael; Ridgway, Emily B

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of five standardized procedures for breast reconstruction to delineate the best reconstructive approach in postmastectomy patients in the settings of nonirradiated and irradiated chest walls. A decision tree was used to model five breast reconstruction procedures from the provider perspective to evaluate cost-effectiveness. Procedures included autologous flaps with pedicled tissue, autologous flaps with free tissue, latissimus dorsi flaps with breast implants, expanders with implant exchange, and immediate implant placement. All methods were compared with a "do-nothing" alternative. Data for model parameters were collected through a systematic review, and patient health utilities were calculated from an ad hoc survey of reconstructive surgeons. Results were measured in cost (2011 U.S. dollars) per quality-adjusted life-year. Univariate sensitivity analyses and Bayesian multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analysis were conducted. Pedicled autologous tissue and free autologous tissue reconstruction were cost-effective compared with the do-nothing alternative. Pedicled autologous tissue was the slightly more cost-effective of the two. The other procedures were not found to be cost-effective. The results were robust to a number of sensitivity analyses, although the margin between pedicled and free autologous tissue reconstruction is small and affected by some parameter values. Autologous pedicled tissue was slightly more cost-effective than free tissue reconstruction in irradiated and nonirradiated patients. Implant-based techniques were not cost-effective. This is in agreement with the growing trend at academic institutions to encourage autologous tissue reconstruction because of its natural recreation of the breast contour, suppleness, and resiliency in the setting of irradiated recipient beds.

The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in a real-world clinical setting: experience in 102 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Erath, Julia W; Vamos, Mate; Sirat, Abdul Sami; Hohnloser, Stefan H

2017-04-01

The wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) is used for temporary protection of patients deemed to be at high risk for sudden death (SCD) not yet meeting indications for the implantable defibrillator (ICD). To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and compliance of/to WCD use and subsequent medium-term outcome of patients in a single-center observational study. A total of 102 consecutive patients were fitted with the WCD from 2012 to 2015 and followed for a mean of 11 months (±8 months). The most common clinical indication for WCD-prescription (63%) was a new diagnosis of severely impaired LV function (LVEF ≤35%). The median wear time of the WCD was 54 days with a daily use of 23 h. Appropriate WCD therapy occurred in four patients (seven shocks for VF, one shock for VT). An ICD was finally implanted in 56 patients (55%). Improvement in LV function was the most common reason not to implant an ICD (HR 0.37; 95% CI 0.19-0.73; p = 0.004). Two patients had inappropriate shocks from their WCD due to atrial fibrillation/flutter. Five patients fitted with an ICD after the end of WCD therapy suffered VT/VF episodes. After wearing the WCD, six patients died (five ICD recipients and one non-ICD recipient). WCD therapy was well accepted by patients and provided temporary protection against ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients at risk for SCD. The WCD may help to avoid unnecessary ICD implantations in a significant proportion of patients.

Twenty-First Annual Conference on Manual Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. A. (Compiler); Jagacinski, R. J. (Compiler)

1986-01-01

The proceedings of the entitled conference are presented. Twenty-nine manuscripts and eight abstracts pertaining to workload, attention and errors, controller evaluation, movement skills, coordination and decision making, display evaluation and human operator modeling and manual control.

A HPLC-DAD method for the simultaneous determination of five marker components in the traditional herbal medicine Bangpungtongsung-san

PubMed Central

Weon, Jin Bae; Yang, Hye Jin; Ma, Jin Yeul; Ma, Choong Je

2011-01-01

Background: Bangpungtongsung-san, one of the traditional herbal medicines, was known to be a prescription for obesity. Objective: For the simultaneous determination of five components (paeoniflorin, 6-gingerol, decursin, geniposide, and glycyrrhizin) in Bangpungtongsung-san, a high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector method was established. Materials and Methods: To develop the method, a reverse phase column, DIONEX C 18 (5 μm, 120 µ, 4.6 mm × 150 mm) was used. The mobile phase consisted of methanol and water using a gradient elution. The UV wavelength was set at 230, 240, and 254 nm. Method validation was accomplished by linearity, precision test, and recovery test. Results: All calibration curves of components showed good linearity (R 2 > 0.9959). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.01 to 0.17 μg/ml and 0.04 to 0.53 μg/ml, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD) value of precision test, intraday and interday tests were less than 0.43% and 1.26%. In the recovery test, results of accuracy ranged from 95.27% to 107.70% with RSD values less than 2.21%. Conclusion: This developed method was applied to the commercial Bangpungtongsung-san sample and the five marker components were separated effectively without interference of any peaks of components. PMID:21472081

Validation of the Five-Phase Method for Simulating Complex Fenestration Systems with Radiance against Field Measurements

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

Geisler-Moroder, David; Lee, Eleanor S.; Ward, Gregory J.

2016-08-29

The Five-Phase Method (5-pm) for simulating complex fenestration systems with Radiance is validated against field measurements. The capability of the method to predict workplane illuminances, vertical sensor illuminances, and glare indices derived from captured and rendered high dynamic range (HDR) images is investigated. To be able to accurately represent the direct sun part of the daylight not only in sensor point simulations, but also in renderings of interior scenes, the 5-pm calculation procedure was extended. The validation shows that the 5-pm is superior to the Three-Phase Method for predicting horizontal and vertical illuminance sensor values as well as glare indicesmore » derived from rendered images. Even with input data from global and diffuse horizontal irradiance measurements only, daylight glare probability (DGP) values can be predicted within 10% error of measured values for most situations.« less

Scenario-based design: A method for connecting information system design with public health operations and emergency management

PubMed Central

Reeder, Blaine; Turner, Anne M

2011-01-01

Responding to public health emergencies requires rapid and accurate assessment of workforce availability under adverse and changing circumstances. However, public health information systems to support resource management during both routine and emergency operations are currently lacking. We applied scenario-based design as an approach to engage public health practitioners in the creation and validation of an information design to support routine and emergency public health activities. Methods: Using semi-structured interviews we identified the information needs and activities of senior public health managers of a large municipal health department during routine and emergency operations. Results: Interview analysis identified twenty-five information needs for public health operations management. The identified information needs were used in conjunction with scenario-based design to create twenty-five scenarios of use and a public health manager persona. Scenarios of use and persona were validated and modified based on follow-up surveys with study participants. Scenarios were used to test and gain feedback on a pilot information system. Conclusion: The method of scenario-based design was applied to represent the resource management needs of senior-level public health managers under routine and disaster settings. Scenario-based design can be a useful tool for engaging public health practitioners in the design process and to validate an information system design. PMID:21807120

Consecutive unsplinted implant-supported restorations to replace lost multiple adjacent posterior teeth: A 4-year prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Lee, Jung-Tae; Lee, Hyo-Jung; Park, Shin-Young; Kim, Hae-Young; Yeo, In-Sung

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the various events occurring in unsplinted implant restoration in posterior jaws during a period of 4 years. From August 2008 to April 2009, eight volunteers (three men and five women) who had two or more consecutively missing teeth received 20 implants in posterior maxillae and mandibles. Unsplinted single crowns were delivered to each implant. For the 4-year follow-up periods, patients were enrolled in a maintenance schedule at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months. The data, including a questionnaire, radiography, mobility and probing were recorded on regular check-ups. A total of 20 implants in eight patients were followed up for 48 months, showing a 100% survival rate. Mean marginal bone loss around implants was 0.26 mm. Statistical analysis revealed insignificant correlation between metal-ceramic and zirconia-ceramic crowns and among implant lengths (8.5 mm, 10 mm and 11.5 mm). Mean probing depths were similar or insignificantly different, regardless of the materials used or length of implants. The most frequent complications, in decreasing order, were food impaction (65%) and porcelain chipping (45%), sensitivity (25%), pain (20%) and loose contact (15%). Compared with metal-ceramic crowns, zirconia-ceramic crowns showed more unfavorable cases of porcelain chipping (p=0.017), pain (p=0.007) and loose contact with an adjacent crown (p=0.031). Within the limits of the sample size, this study showed that unsplinted implant-supported single restorations to replace consecutive posterior missing teeth may function well.

Quantitative determination of multi markers in five varieties of Withania somnifera using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer combined with multivariate analysis: Application to pharmaceutical dosage forms.

PubMed

Chandra, Preeti; Kannujia, Rekha; Saxena, Ankita; Srivastava, Mukesh; Bahadur, Lal; Pal, Mahesh; Singh, Bhim Pratap; Kumar Ojha, Sanjeev; Kumar, Brijesh

2016-09-10

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of six major bioactive compounds in five varieties of Withania somnifera in various plant parts (leaf, stem and root). The analysis was accomplished on Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column with linear gradient elution of water/formic acid (0.1%) and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.3mLmin(-1). The proposed method was validated with acceptable linearity (r(2), 0.9989-0.9998), precision (RSD, 0.16-2.01%), stability (RSD, 1.04-1.62%) and recovery (RSD ≤2.45%), under optimum conditions. The method was also successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of six marker compounds in twenty-six marketed formulations. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis were applied to discriminate these twenty-six batches based on characteristics of the bioactive compounds. The results indicated that this method is advance, rapid, sensitive and suitable to reveal the quality of Withania somnifera and also capable of performing quality evaluation of polyherbal formulations having similar markers/raw herbs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Some aspects of the DSM-III personality disorders illustrated by a consecutive sample of hospitalized patients.

PubMed

Dahl, A A

1986-01-01

The main innovations of DSM-III concerning the personality disorders are the assignment of a separate axis and definitions of diagnostic criteria for these disorders. Even with these improvements, diagnosis of the personality disorders shows only moderate interrater reliability. Reasons for this are discussed. Data from a consecutive sample of hospitalized patients are used to illustrate the prevalence of the personality disorders, the coexistence of axis I disorders, and the overlap within the personality disorders. The method of conditional probabilities is presented as a way to get better separation of these disorders.

Iron Supplementation during Three Consecutive Days of Endurance Training Augmented Hepcidin Levels.

PubMed

Ishibashi, Aya; Maeda, Naho; Kamei, Akiko; Goto, Kazushige

2017-07-30

Iron supplementation contributes an effort to improving iron status among athletes, but it does not always prevent iron deficiency. In the present study, we explored the effect of three consecutive days of endurance training (twice daily) on the hepcidin-25 (hepcidin) level. The effect of iron supplementation during this period was also determined. Fourteen male endurance athletes were enrolled and randomly assigned to either an iron-treated condition (Fe condition, n = 7) or a placebo condition (Control condition; CON, n = 7). They engaged in two 75-min sessions of treadmill running at 75% of maximal oxygen uptake on three consecutive days (days 1-3). The Fe condition took 12 mg of iron twice daily (24 mg/day), and the CON condition did not. On day 1, both conditions exhibited significant increases in serum hepcidin and plasma interleukin-6 levels after exercise ( p < 0.05). In the CON condition, the hepcidin level did not change significantly throughout the training period. However, in the Fe condition, the serum hepcidin level on day 4 was significantly higher than that of the CON condition ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, the hepcidin level was significantly elevated following three consecutive days of endurance training when moderate doses of iron were taken.

Iron Supplementation during Three Consecutive Days of Endurance Training Augmented Hepcidin Levels

PubMed Central

Ishibashi, Aya; Maeda, Naho; Kamei, Akiko; Goto, Kazushige

2017-01-01

Iron supplementation contributes an effort to improving iron status among athletes, but it does not always prevent iron deficiency. In the present study, we explored the effect of three consecutive days of endurance training (twice daily) on the hepcidin-25 (hepcidin) level. The effect of iron supplementation during this period was also determined. Fourteen male endurance athletes were enrolled and randomly assigned to either an iron-treated condition (Fe condition, n = 7) or a placebo condition (Control condition; CON, n = 7). They engaged in two 75-min sessions of treadmill running at 75% of maximal oxygen uptake on three consecutive days (days 1–3). The Fe condition took 12 mg of iron twice daily (24 mg/day), and the CON condition did not. On day 1, both conditions exhibited significant increases in serum hepcidin and plasma interleukin-6 levels after exercise (p < 0.05). In the CON condition, the hepcidin level did not change significantly throughout the training period. However, in the Fe condition, the serum hepcidin level on day 4 was significantly higher than that of the CON condition (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the hepcidin level was significantly elevated following three consecutive days of endurance training when moderate doses of iron were taken. PMID:28758951

PROMETHEE II: A knowledge-driven method for copper exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abedi, Maysam; Ali Torabi, S.; Norouzi, Gholam-Hossain; Hamzeh, Mohammad; Elyasi, Gholam-Reza

2012-09-01

This paper describes the application of a well-known Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) technique called Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE II) to explore porphyry copper deposits. Various raster-based evidential layers involving geological, geophysical, and geochemical geo-datasets are integrated to prepare a mineral prospectivity mapping (MPM). In a case study, thirteen layers of the Now Chun copper deposit located in the Kerman province of Iran are used to explore the region of interest. The PROMETHEE II technique is applied to produce the desired MPM, and the outputs are validated using twenty-one boreholes that have been classified into five classes. This proposed method shows a high performance when providing the MPM while reducing the cost of exploratory drilling in the study area.

Biological method to quantify progressive stages of decay in five commercial woods by Coriolus versicolor.

PubMed

Olfat, A M; Karimi, A N; Parsapajouh, D

2007-04-01

Biologic agar-block method was developed that allowed wood samples to be evaluated and monitored in terms of colonization and development of the decay by Basidiomycetes fungi (Coriolus versicolor) and to be directly classified based on mean mass loss. In this research, the in vitro decay of five commercial woods by Coriolus versicolor was studied by the agar-block method. The selected wood samples were Abies alba, Populus alba, Fagus orientalis, Platanus orientalis and Ulmus glabra. The results demonstrated the strong resistance of Ulmus glabra and the lowest resistance in Fagus orientalis. The mass losses (%) were 16.8 and 42.4%, respectively. There were also a high correlation between the mass loss and apparent damage. Therefore biological evaluation of wood regarding biodegradation and the selection of wood types for various application respects will be of high priority.

Tall Fescue for the Twenty-first Century

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tall Fescue for the Twenty-first Century is a comprehensive monograph by experts from around the world about the science of tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh. = Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., formerly Fes¬tuca arundinacea Schreb. var. arundinacea] and its applications. ...

An Investigation of Twenty-First Century Learners' Competencies in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Huiying; Gu, Xiaoqing; Wong, Lung-Hsiang

2017-01-01

This paper reports a study on developing an assessment inventory of Chinese learners' competencies as needed for the twenty-first century. In creating the instrument, three relevant twenty-first century competency frameworks were referenced: from the OECD, the European Council, and the USA. The preliminary version of this instrument, which…

Automatic identification of bullet signatures based on consecutive matching striae (CMS) criteria.

PubMed

Chu, Wei; Thompson, Robert M; Song, John; Vorburger, Theodore V

2013-09-10

The consecutive matching striae (CMS) numeric criteria for firearm and toolmark identifications have been widely accepted by forensic examiners, although there have been questions concerning its observer subjectivity and limited statistical support. In this paper, based on signal processing and extraction, a model for the automatic and objective counting of CMS is proposed. The position and shape information of the striae on the bullet land is represented by a feature profile, which is used for determining the CMS number automatically. Rapid counting of CMS number provides a basis for ballistics correlations with large databases and further statistical and probability analysis. Experimental results in this report using bullets fired from ten consecutively manufactured barrels support this developed model. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Multi-Laboratory Study of Five Methods for the Determination of Brevetoxins in Shellfish Tissue Extracts.

PubMed

Dickey, Robert W; Plakas, Steven M; Jester, Edward L E; El Said, Kathleen R; Johannessen, Jan N; Flewelling, Leanne J; Scott, Paula; Hammond, Dan G; Van Dolah, Frances M; Leighfield, Tod A; Bottein Dachraoui, Marie-Yasmine; Ramsdell, John S; Pierce, Richard H; Henry, Mike S; Poli, Mark A; Walker, Calvin; Kurtz, Jan; Naar, Jerome; Baden, Daniel G; Musser, Steve M; White, Kevin D; Truman, Penelope; Miller, Aaron; Hawryluk, Timothy P; Wekell, Marleen M; Stirling, David; Quilliam, Michael A; Lee, Jung K

A thirteen-laboratory comparative study tested the performance of four methods as alternatives to mouse bioassay for the determination of brevetoxins in shellfish. The methods were N2a neuroblastoma cell assay, two variations of the sodium channel receptor binding assay, competitive ELISA, and LC/MS. Three to five laboratories independently performed each method using centrally prepared spiked and naturally incurred test samples. Competitive ELISA and receptor binding (96-well format) compared most favorably with mouse bioassay. Between-laboratory relative standard deviations (RSDR) ranged from 10 to 20% for ELISA and 14 to 31% for receptor binding. Within-laboratory (RSDr) ranged from 6 to 15% for ELISA, and 5 to 31% for receptor binding. Cell assay was extremely sensitive but data variation rendered it unsuitable for statistical treatment. LC/MS performed as well as ELISA on spiked test samples but was inordinately affected by lack of toxin-metabolite standards, uniform instrumental parameters, or both, on incurred test samples. The ELISA and receptor binding assay are good alternatives to mouse bioassay for the determination of brevetoxins in shellfish.

Supplementing research ethics training in psychiatry residents: A five-tier approach.

PubMed

Viswanath, Biju; Jayarajan, Rajan Nishanth; Chandra, Prabha S; Chaturvedi, Santosh K

2018-04-01

Ethics training is a key step in the research supervision of psychiatry trainees and there is need for a structured educational module. We developed a new research ethics training module for psychiatry residents - The Five-Tier Approach. Twenty-five first year psychiatry residents of an academic psychiatric training centre in India participated in this multi-session workshop. Module 1 included the completion of NIH online certification course for research ethics training. Module 2 was a one-hour interactive group discussion on ethical principles in research. Module 3 was a two-hour session consisting of case-based group discussion of nine selected research vignettes. Module 4 involved preparation of an informed consent form. Module 5 was a mock ethics committee role-played by seven students while the larger group observed using a Fish Bowl technique and provided feedback. Assessments were done during the third and final modules. During the third module, understanding regarding certain areas - autonomy, benefits and justice was found to be inadequate. In the final step, all ethical aspects were covered by the students. This five-tier approach seems like a superior tool for research ethics training in academic institutions, especially in Southeast Asia, where the student-teacher ratios are generally very high. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology and prophylaxis of rabies in humans in France: evaluation and perspectives of a twenty-five year surveillance programme.

PubMed

Rotivel, Y; Goudal, M; De Fanti, A Simons; Van Der Vliet, D

2008-01-01

The National Reference Centre for Rabies (NRC) was created at the Pasteur Institute after the fox epizootic reached the French territory. The missions of the NRC include, among others, the surveillance of rabies cases in humans and rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatments. The surveillance has been effective since 1982. A Bulletin on the Epidemiology and the Prophylaxis of Rabies in Humans in France is published every year. This Bulletin is now available on the Internet for Human Health and Veterinary national and local Authorities. Since 2005, data is collected with new software, Voozanoo, directly via the Internet. Twenty cases of rabies in humans have been reported since 1970. There were no indigenously acquired cases. The number of PEP treatments peaked in 1990, when the number of cases in the wild fauna was at its acme. Following the decrease of rabies cases in the wild fauna, PEP decreased by 60%. Nevertheless, about4,000 PEP treatments are still carried out. These patients have been exposed to bats or to rabid animals illegally introduced onto the French territory, or during a stay in rabies enzootic countries, or to unobservable animals. The study of this database leads to a number of conclusions: canine variants acquired directly in canine enzootic areas, that are translocated, or acquired through iatrogenic exposure, are responsible for the majority of cases; bats appear to be an increasing source of exposure; PEP surveillance is of utmost importance to monitor and to improve the quality of case management.

Single-surgeon fully endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: outcomes in three-hundred consecutive cases.

PubMed

Mamelak, Adam N; Carmichael, John; Bonert, Vivien H; Cooper, Odelia; Melmed, Shlomo

2013-09-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery using a single-surgeon technique as an alternative to the more commonly employed two-surgeon, three-hand method. Three hundred consecutive endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures performed over a 5 year period from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed. All procedures were performed via a binasal approach utilizing a single surgeon two handed technique with a pneumatic endoscope holder. Expanded enodnansal cases were excluded. Surgical technique, biochemical and surgical outcomes, and complications were analyzed. 276 patients underwent 300 consecutive surgeries with a mean follow-up period of 37 ± 22 months. Non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) was the most common pathology (n = 152), followed by growth hormone secreting tumors (n = 41) and Rathke's cleft cysts (n = 30). Initial gross total cyst drainage based on radiologic criteria was obtained in 28 cases of Rathke's cleft cyst, with 5 recurrences. For NFPA and other pathologies (n = 173) gross total resection was obtained in 137 cases, with a 92% concordance rate between observed and expected extent of resection. For functional adenoma, remission rates were 30/41 (73%) for GH-secreting, 12/12 (100%) for ACTH-secreting, and 8/17 (47%) for prolactin-secreting tumors. Post-operative complications included transient (11%) and permanent (1.4%) diabetes insipidus, hyponatremia (13%), and new anterior pituitary hormonal deficits (1.4%). CSF leak occurred in 42 cases (15%), and four patients required surgical repair. Two carotid artery injuries occurred, both early in the series. Epistaxis and other rhinological complications were noted in 10% of patients, most of which were minor and diminished as surgical experience increased. Fully endoscopic single surgeon transsphenoidal surgery utilizing a binasal approach and a pneumatic endoscope holder yields outcomes comparable to those reported with a two-surgeon method. Endoscopic outcomes

Microscopy outperformed in a comparison of five methods for detecting Trichomonas vaginalis in symptomatic women.

PubMed

Nathan, B; Appiah, J; Saunders, P; Heron, D; Nichols, T; Brum, R; Alexander, S; Baraitser, P; Ison, C

2015-03-01

In the UK, despite its low sensitivity, wet mount microscopy is often the only method of detecting Trichomonas vaginalis infection. A study was conducted in symptomatic women to compare the performance of five methods for detecting T. vaginalis: an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR); Aptima T. vaginalis kit; OSOM ®Trichomonas Rapid Test; culture and microscopy. Symptomatic women underwent routine testing; microscopy and further swabs were taken for molecular testing, OSOM and culture. A true positive was defined as a sample that was positive for T. vaginalis by two or more different methods. Two hundred and forty-six women were recruited: 24 patients were positive for T. vaginalis by two or more different methods. Of these 24 patients, 21 patients were detected by real-time PCR (sensitivity 88%); 22 patients were detected by the Aptima T. vaginalis kit (sensitivity 92%); 22 patients were detected by OSOM (sensitivity 92%); nine were detected by wet mount microscopy (sensitivity 38%); and 21 were detected by culture (sensitivity 88%). Two patients were positive by just one method and were not considered true positives. All the other detection methods had a sensitivity to detect T. vaginalis that was significantly greater than wet mount microscopy, highlighting the number of cases that are routinely missed even in symptomatic women if microscopy is the only diagnostic method available. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Constraints, Dangers, and Challenges of the Twenty-First Century. International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blondel, Daniele

This document groups together the ideas about the difficulties, dangers, and challenges of the 21st century expressed by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century. In discussing constraints created by contemporary world history, the paper suggests that the development of the world economy and society is at present…

Implementation of an Integrated Biodimensional Method of Breast Augmentation with Anatomic, Highly Cohesive Silicone Gel Implants: Short-Term Results With the First 620 Consecutive Cases.

PubMed

Montemurro, Paolo; Agko, Mouchammed; Quattrini Li, Alessandro; Avvedimento, Stefano; Hedén, Per

2017-07-01

The previously described Akademikliniken (AK) method is a comprehensive approach to breast augmentation with form stable implants that has been shown to afford favorable outcomes when applied by experienced surgeons. To evaluate outcomes of a surgeon newly adopting this method at the beginning of his career. A retrospective review of patients undergoing dual plane subpectoral augmentation with Style 410 implants between April 2009 and December 2014 was undertaken. The review was performed one year after the last operation. The first author (P.M.) performed all operations. Complications and reoperation rates were analyzed and correlated with patient and implant characteristics using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. A total of 620 consecutive patients met the inclusion criteria with a mean follow up of 8 months (range, 1 week-60 months). Complications occurred in 14.8% of the patients: request for larger size (3.3%), rotation (3%), and Baker III/IV capsular contracture (2.2%) were the most common ones. Low implant projection was a statistically significant risk factor (P < 0.05) for the most common complication - request for a larger size. The overall reoperation rate was 8.7%. The most common indication for reoperation was request for larger size (2.2%) followed by rotation (2.2%) and capsular contracture (2%). Breast augmentation with form stable anatomical implants requires a considerably different process. By implementing a systematic approach such as the AK method, novices in this terrain can expect to achieve reasonable outcomes. 4. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

Probability analysis for consecutive-day maximum rainfall for Tiruchirapalli City (south India, Asia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabarish, R. Mani; Narasimhan, R.; Chandhru, A. R.; Suribabu, C. R.; Sudharsan, J.; Nithiyanantham, S.

2017-05-01

In the design of irrigation and other hydraulic structures, evaluating the magnitude of extreme rainfall for a specific probability of occurrence is of much importance. The capacity of such structures is usually designed to cater to the probability of occurrence of extreme rainfall during its lifetime. In this study, an extreme value analysis of rainfall for Tiruchirapalli City in Tamil Nadu was carried out using 100 years of rainfall data. Statistical methods were used in the analysis. The best-fit probability distribution was evaluated for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days of continuous maximum rainfall. The goodness of fit was evaluated using Chi-square test. The results of the goodness-of-fit tests indicate that log-Pearson type III method is the overall best-fit probability distribution for 1-day maximum rainfall and consecutive 2-, 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-day maximum rainfall series of Tiruchirapalli. To be reliable, the forecasted maximum rainfalls for the selected return periods are evaluated in comparison with the results of the plotting position.

Proceedings of Twenty-Seventh Annual Institute on Mining Health, Safety and Research

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

Bockosh, G.R.; Langton, J.; Karmis, M.

1996-12-31

This Proceedings contains the presentations made during the program of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Institute on Mining Health, Safety and Research held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, on August 26-28, 1996. The Twenty-Seventh Annual Institute on Mining, Health, Safety and Research was the latest in a series of conferences held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, cosponsored by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, United States Department of Labor, and the Pittsburgh Research Center, United States Department of Energy (formerly part of the Bureau of Mines, U. S. Department of Interior). The Institute provides an informationmore » forum for mine operators, managers, superintendents, safety directors, engineers, inspectors, researchers, teachers, state agency officials, and others with a responsible interest in the important field of mining health, safety and research. In particular, the Institute is designed to help mine operating personnel gain a broader knowledge and understanding of the various aspects of mining health and safety, and to present them with methods of control and solutions developed through research. Selected papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology database.« less

Routing and spectrum assignment based on ant colony optimization of minimum consecutiveness loss in elastic optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fu; Liu, Bo; Zhang, Lijia; Xin, Xiangjun; Tian, Qinghua; Zhang, Qi; Rao, Lan; Tian, Feng; Luo, Biao; Liu, Yingjun; Tang, Bao

2016-10-01

Elastic Optical Networks are considered to be a promising technology for future high-speed network. In this paper, we propose a RSA algorithm based on the ant colony optimization of minimum consecutiveness loss (ACO-MCL). Based on the effect of the spectrum consecutiveness loss on the pheromone in the ant colony optimization, the path and spectrum of the minimal impact on the network are selected for the service request. When an ant arrives at the destination node from the source node along a path, we assume that this path is selected for the request. We calculate the consecutiveness loss of candidate-neighbor link pairs along this path after the routing and spectrum assignment. Then, the networks update the pheromone according to the value of the consecutiveness loss. We save the path with the smallest value. After multiple iterations of the ant colony optimization, the final selection of the path is assigned for the request. The algorithms are simulated in different networks. The results show that ACO-MCL algorithm performs better in blocking probability and spectrum efficiency than other algorithms. Moreover, the ACO-MCL algorithm can effectively decrease spectrum fragmentation and enhance available spectrum consecutiveness. Compared with other algorithms, the ACO-MCL algorithm can reduce the blocking rate by at least 5.9% in heavy load.

Consecutive Non-Significant Segments — Joinpoint Help System 4.4.0.0

Cancer.gov

Sometimes, the APC for one segment is significantly different from zero, but when an extra joinpoint in the segment is determined by the Joinpoint software, neither APCs for the two consecutive segments are significant. Why?

[Clinical research about the consecutive pain and flubiprofen axetil analgesia following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty].

PubMed

Zhao, Y Q; Wang, H M; Ma, Y; Yang, H A; Jiang, X J

2017-04-05

Objective: To evaluate the postoperative pain degree on OSAHS patients following UPPP, analyze the pain characteristic during seven consecutive days, and discuss the mechanism. To observe the analgesia effect by using flubiprofen axetil. Finally making a comprehensive understanding about UPPP perioperative period and providing more choices about analgesia treatment. Method: Fifty-five patients who underwent UPPP in the First Hospital of China Medical University were divided into analgesia group（n=30）and control group（n=25）.Normal saline 50 ml+ flubiprofen axetil 100 mg was used bid for pain relief in analgesia group during seven days following operation, and normal saline 50ml was used in control group.A visual analog scale(VAS) was used for measuring mean pain intensity each day during the period from operative day to the post-operative 7th day，scores were recorded. Continuous changes about pharynx pain were observed and VAS pain scores were compared betweenanalgesia groupand control group. Result: VAS pain scores were the highest on the operative day and the post-operative 1st day, median (interquartile range) was 7（5.5-8.25），7（6-8）respectively,then decreased gradually. The most significantly decrease happened on the post-operative 2nd and 5th day( P <0.01). Pain scores in analgesia group were most significantly lower than control group from the operative day to the post-operative 4th day( P <0.01), were lower during the post-operative 5th and 6th day( P <0.05),no difference on the post-operative 7th day. Conclusion: The most painful period following UPPP is from the operative day to the post-operative 1st day, then pain decreases gradually. The pain reduces significantly on the post-operative 2nd and 5,6th day.Surgical trauma, in flammatory reaction and suture pulling may be the reason of pain. Flubiprofen axetil effectively reduces pain and the suggested analgesia period is from the operative day to the post-operative 4th-6th day

La interpretacion consecutiva: metodologia y tecnicas (Consecutive Interpretation: Methodology and Techniques).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drallny, Ines

1987-01-01

Describes the purpose and appropriate methodology for various levels of interpreter training, for both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. The importance of relating the intent of the text to the explicit language forms through which that intent is realized is discussed, and appropriate criteria for evaluation of student interpreters are…

Twenty-first Century Ethical Challenges for Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koocher, Gerald P.

2007-01-01

Foreseeable social and technological changes will force us to reevaluate our thinking about ethically appropriate ways to fulfill our mission of using psychology to advance human health and welfare in the twenty-first century. Three categories of challenge related to societal and technological changes have become particularly evident. First,…

Numeric and morphological verification of lumbosacral segments in 8280 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Paik, Nam Chull; Lim, Chun Soo; Jang, Ho Suk

2013-05-01

An analysis of imaging data. To investigate concurrent numeric and morphological variations of presacral vertebrae and to propose a modified designation for the lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV). During the assessment of the lumbosacral vertebra, variations from typical anatomy (numeric, morphological, or both) may confuse the practitioner, potentially leading to significant clinical errors. Common practice, which involves counting cephalad from the presumed fifth lumbar vertebra, may result in inaccurate localization of lumbosacral levels. The study group was composed of 8280 consecutive patients who underwent both lumbar magnetic resonance imaging with cervicothoracic scanning and lumbar radiographical examinations. The presacral vertebral number was verified by counting caudally from C2, with cross-referencing of cervicothoracic and lumbar sagittal scans on a picture archiving and communication system workstation. After correlating the numbering on the magnetic resonance images with those on the radiographs, the lumbosacral junction was classified according to the Castellvi's method. Of the 8280 consecutive patients, 214 (2.6%) had 4 lumbar vertebrae (L4), 7384 (89.2%) had 5 lumbar vertebrae (L5), and 682 (8.2%) had 6 lumbar vertebrae (L6). Overall, 877 (10.6%) patients had LSTV of types II, III, or IV, including 439 (5.3%) with sacralized L5 vertebra and 438 (5.3%) with lumbarized S1 vertebra. The most common LSTV was L5-type vertebra with a unilateral type II transition, designated as L5IIa, in 222 (2.7%) patients. The second most common LSTV was L6-type vertebra with a bilateral type III transition in 174 (2.1%) patients that was designated as L6IIIb. Only 6945 (83.9%) of the population were modal type, with 5 lumbar vertebrae without transitional vertebra. All the 214 (2.6%) L4-type and 244 (2.9%) of the 682 L6-type patients presented with no transitional vertebra, looking like a modal L5-type patient. Spine physicians and radiologists should consider

Anterior minimally invasive approach for total hip replacement: five-year survivorship and learning curve.

PubMed

Müller, Daniel A; Zingg, Patrick O; Dora, Claudio

2014-01-01

Opponents associate minimally invasive total hip replacement (THR) with additional risks, potentially resulting in increased implant failure rates. The purpose was to document complications, quality of implant positioning and five-year survivorship of THR using the AMIS approach and to test the hypothesis that eventual high complication and revision rates would be limited to an early series and be avoided by junior surgeons who get trained by a senior surgeon. A consecutive series of 150 primary THR implanted during the introduction of the AMIS technique in the department was retrospectively analysed for complications, implant positioning and implant survival after a minimum of five years. Survivorship curves of implants were compared between different surgeons and time periods. Due to implant revision for any reason the five-year survival rate was 94.6%, 78.9% for the first 20 and 96.8% for the following 130 AMIS procedures (p = 0.001). The hazard ratio for implant failure was 0.979 indicating a risk reduction of 2% every further case. The five-year implant survivorship of those procedures performed by two junior surgeons was 97.7%. We conclude that adoption of AMIS temporarily exposed patients to a higher risk of implant revisions, which normalised after the first 20 cases and that experience from a single surgeon's learning curve could effectively be taught to junior surgeons.

Measuring Safety Performance: A Comparison of Whole, Partial, and Momentary Time-Sampling Recording Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvero, Alicia M.; Struss, Kristen; Rappaport, Eva

2008-01-01

Partial-interval (PIR), whole-interval (WIR), and momentary time sampling (MTS) estimates were compared against continuous measures of safety performance for three postural behaviors: feet, back, and shoulder position. Twenty-five samples of safety performance across five undergraduate students were scored using a second-by-second continuous…

Confucius: Philosopher of Twenty-First Century Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Leonard

2016-01-01

In this article, I examine the Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills (P21) framework from a Confucian perspective. Given that this framework has attracted attention around the world, including Confucian-heritage societies, an analysis of how key ideas compare with Confucian values appears important and timely. As I shall show, although…

Analyte variations in consecutive 24-hour urine collections in children.

PubMed

Ellison, Jonathan S; Hollingsworth, John M; Langman, Craig B; Asplin, John R; Schwaderer, Andrew L; Yan, Phyllis; Bierlein, Maggie; Barraza, Mark A; Defoor, William R; Figueroa, T Ernesto; Jackson, Elizabeth C; Jayanthi, Venkata R; Johnson, Emilie K; Joseph, David B; Shnorhavorian, Margarett

2017-12-01

The metabolic evaluation of children with nephrolithiasis begins with a 24-h urine collection. For adults, the diagnostic yield increases with consecutive collections; however, little is known regarding the variability of multiple 24-h studies in the pediatric population. We sought to evaluate the variability of consecutive 24-h urine collection in children through a multi-institutional study hypothesizing that compared with a single collection, consecutive 24-h urine collections would reveal a greater degree of clinically useful information in the evaluation of children at risk for nephrolithiasis. Including data from six institutions, we identified children less than 18 years of age considered at risk for recurrent nephrolithiasis, undergoing metabolic evaluation. We evaluated a subset of patients performing two collections with urine creatinine varying by 10% or less during a 7-day period. Discordance between repeat collections based on normative urine chemistry values was evaluated. A total of 733 children met inclusion criteria, and in over a third both urine calcium and urine volume differed by 30% or more between samples. Urine oxalate demonstrated greater variation between collections in children <5 years than among older children (p = 0.030) while variation in other parameters did not differ by age. Discordance between repeat samples based on normative values was most common for urine oxalate (22.5%) and the derived relative supersaturation ratios for both calcium phosphate (25.1%) and calcium oxalate (20.5%). The proportion of discordant samples, based on normative thresholds, as well as variability greater ≥30% and 50%, respectively, are shown in the table. Our analysis indicates that stone risk in as many as one in four children may be misclassified if normative values of only a single 24-h urine are used. In light of these findings, repeat 24-h urine collections prior to targeted intervention to modify stone risk are advised to increase

Hb variants in Korea: effect on HbA1c using five routine methods.

PubMed

Yun, Yeo-Min; Ji, Misuk; Ko, Dae-Hyun; Chun, Sail; Kwon, Gye Cheol; Lee, Kyunghoon; Song, Sang Hoon; Seong, Moon Woo; Park, Sung Sup; Song, Junghan

2017-07-26

Quantification of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a challenge in patients with hemoglobin (Hb) variants. We evaluated the impact of various Hb variants on five routine HbA1c assays by comparing with the IFCC reference measurement procedure (RMP). Whole blood samples showing warning flags or no results on routine HPLC HbA1c assays were confirmed for Hb variants and were submitted to HbA1c quantification using Sebia Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing, Roche Tina-quant HbA1c Gen. 2, Bio-Rad Variant II Turbo 2.0, ADAMS HA-8180, Tosoh G8 standard mode, and IFCC RMP using LC-MS. Among 114 samples, the most common variants were Hb G-Coushatta (n=47), Queens (n=41), Ube-4 (n=11), Chad (n=4), Yamagata (n=4), G-His-Tsou (n=2), G-Taipei (n=1), Fort de France (n=1), Hoshida (n=1), and two novel variants (Hb α-globin, HBA 52 Gly>Cys and Hb β-globin, HBB 146 His>Asn). In terms of control samples, all the result of HbA1c were "acceptable", within the criteria of ±7% compared to IFCC RMP target values. However, percentage of "unacceptable" results of samples with Hb variants were 16% for Capillarys 2, 7% for Tina-quant, 51% for Variant II Turbo 2.0, 95% for G8 standard mode, and 89% for HA-8180. The Capillarys 2 and HA-8180 assay did not provide the results in 5 and 40 samples with Hb variants, respectively. HbA1c results from five routine assays in patients with relatively common Hb variants in Korea showed various degrees of bias compared to those of IFCC RMP. Therefore, laboratories should be aware of the limitation of their methods with respect to interference from Hb variants found commonly in their local population and suggest an alternative HbA1c quantification method.

Why American business demands twenty-first century learning: A company perspective.

PubMed

Knox, Allyson

2006-01-01

Microsoft is an innovative corporation demonstrating the kind and caliber of job skills needed in the twenty-first century. It demonstrates its commitment to twenty-first century skills by holding its employees accountable to a set of core competencies, enabling the company to run effectively. The author explores how Microsoft's core competencies parallel the Partnership for 21st Century Skills learning frameworks. Both require advanced problem-solving skills and a passion for technology, both expect individuals to be able to work in teams, both look for a love of learning, and both call for the self-confidence to honestly self-evaluate. Microsoft also works to cultivate twenty-first century skills among future workers, investing in education to help prepare young people for competitive futures. As the need for digital literacy has become imperative, technology companies have taken the lead in facilitating technology training by partnering with schools and communities. Microsoft is playing a direct role in preparing students for what lies ahead in their careers. To further twenty-first century skills, or core competencies, among the nation's youth, Microsoft has established Partners in Learning, a program that helps education organizations build partnerships that leverage technology to improve teaching and learning. One Partners in Learning grantee is Global Kids, a nonprofit organization that trains students to design online games focused on global social issues resonating with civic and global competencies. As Microsoft believes the challenges of competing in today's economy and teaching today's students are substantial but not insurmountable, such partnerships and investments demonstrate Microsoft's belief in and commitment to twenty-first century skills.

Method for fabricating five-level microelectromechanical structures and microelectromechanical transmission formed

DOEpatents

Rodgers, M. Steven; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; Miller, Samuel L.; McWhorter, Paul J.

2000-01-01

A process for forming complex microelectromechanical (MEM) devices having five layers or levels of polysilicon, including four structural polysilicon layers wherein mechanical elements can be formed, and an underlying polysilicon layer forming a voltage reference plane. A particular type of MEM device that can be formed with the five-level polysilicon process is a MEM transmission for controlling or interlocking mechanical power transfer between an electrostatic motor and a self-assembling structure (e.g. a hinged pop-up mirror for use with an incident laser beam). The MEM transmission is based on an incomplete gear train and a bridging set of gears that can be moved into place to complete the gear train to enable power transfer. The MEM transmission has particular applications as a safety component for surety, and for this purpose can incorporate a pin-in-maze discriminator responsive to a coded input signal.

Diagnostic evaluation of three cardiac software packages using a consecutive group of patients

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of the three software packages 4DMSPECT (4DM), Emory Cardiac Toolbox (ECTb), and Cedars Quantitative Perfusion SPECT (QPS) for quantification of myocardial perfusion scintigram (MPS) using a large group of consecutive patients. Methods We studied 1,052 consecutive patients who underwent 2-day stress/rest 99mTc-sestamibi MPS studies. The reference/gold-standard classifications for the MPS studies were obtained from three physicians, with more than 25 years each of experience in nuclear cardiology, who re-evaluated all MPS images. Automatic processing was carried out using 4DM, ECTb, and QPS software packages. Total stress defect extent (TDE) and summed stress score (SSS) based on a 17-segment model were obtained from the software packages. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. Results A total of 734 patients were classified as normal and the remaining 318 were classified as having infarction and/or ischemia. The performance of the software packages calculated as the area under the SSS ROC curve were 0.87 for 4DM, 0.80 for QPS, and 0.76 for ECTb (QPS vs. ECTb p = 0.03; other differences p < 0.0001). The area under the TDE ROC curve were 0.87 for 4DM, 0.82 for QPS, and 0.76 for ECTb (QPS vs. ECTb p = 0.0005; other differences p < 0.0001). Conclusion There are considerable differences in performance between the three software packages with 4DM showing the best performance and ECTb the worst. These differences in performance should be taken in consideration when software packages are used in clinical routine or in clinical studies. PMID:22214226

Does Postoperative Erythropoietin Reduce Transfusions and Hemodynamic Instability Following Liposuction, Either Alone or Associated with Abdominoplasty or Mammaplasty? A Comparative, Prospective Study of 50 Consecutive Patients.

PubMed

Rosique, Rodrigo G; Rosique, Marina J F; Rabelo, Mariana Quintino

2017-02-01

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hematopoietic growth factor and an alternative to avoid blood transfusion in high-blood-loss surgeries. We evaluate EPO efficacy to reduce clinically relevant anemia and dehydration in patients undergoing liposuction. We prospectively evaluated 50 consecutive patients subjected to liposuction greater than 2.5 L and alternately assigned into two comparable groups (25 patients each), except for the postoperative administration of erythropoietin (4000 UI per day subcutaneously) during five consecutive days. Incidence data for blood transfusion or parenteral hydration were collected. Statistical analyses were performed with significance at p value <5%. There was no significant difference between groups related to any preoperative feature or the incidence of dehydration (p = 0.1099) or transfusion (p = 1.0). Postoperative erythropoietin administration was not effective in preventing blood transfusion for anemia or parenteral hydration for hemodynamic instability in patients undergoing major liposuction. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors http://www.springer.com/00266.

Brain injury and health policy: twenty-five years of progress.

PubMed

Reid-Arndt, Stephanie A; Frank, Robert G; Hagglund, Kristofer J

2010-01-01

Legislative advocacy is a prerequisite for the development of research and community services benefiting individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dr Mitchell Rosenthal and other leaders in rehabilitation began the process of advocating for TBI services more than 25 years ago, before many in the field fully appreciated the necessity of these efforts. Since that time, substantial gains have been made through advocacy efforts on behalf of individuals with TBI and their families. This article provides an overview of the TBI advocacy movement, highlighting federal legislation resulting in appropriations for TBI services and protecting the rights of individuals with TBI. Key government entities engaged in developing states' TBI infrastructure and providing services to individuals with TBI and their families are also discussed. In addition to celebrating some of the successes that were initiated by the efforts of Dr Rosenthal and other visionaries, select shortcoming of current legislation is noted to provide insights regarding future advocacy needs.

Managing the culturally diverse medical practice team: twenty-five strategies.

PubMed

Hills, Laura

2014-01-01

A common misconception is that the phrase workplace diversity means meeting certain quotas in employee race or gender categories. In fact, diversity is much more than that. This article explores the unique benefits and challenges of managing a culturally diverse medical practice team and offers practice managers 25 practical strategies. It describes the two types of diversity training that are beneficial to practice managers and the kinds of policies, practices, and procedures that foster and promote diversity. This article also explores ethnocentrism, racism, ageism, sexism, stereotyping, and other potentially divisive issues among a diverse medical practice team. It provides an assessment instrument practice managers can use to evaluate their own diversity management skills. Finally, this article defines specifically what is meant by the term diversity and explores the top 10 diversity issues in workplaces today.

Twenty five years of planetary science: Discoveries and new questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauck, Steven A.; Baratoux, David; Stanley, Sabine

2016-10-01

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first issue of JGR-Planets. We are marking this occasion with a collection of review papers focused on enduring and fundamental themes in planetary science that have framed the past quarter century and will strongly influence research and exploration in the next quarter century. With topics covering bodies small and large, processes on and in solid planets and giant planets, in atmospheres, and around other stars, this collection samples the broad scope of planetary science and of JGR-Planets.

Twenty-five years of HIV: lessons for low prevalence scenarios.

PubMed

Sawires, Sharif; Birnbaum, Nina; Abu-Raddad, Laith; Szekeres, Greg; Gayle, Jacob

2009-07-01

During the initial quarter century since the discovery of HIV, international response has focused on high prevalence scenarios and concentrated epidemics. Until recently, the theoretical underpinnings of HIV prevention were largely based on these responses-the assumption that inadequate responses to concentrated epidemics within low prevalence populations could rapidly lead to generalized epidemics. The limits of these assumptions for HIV prevention in low prevalence scenarios have become evident. While examples of rapid HIV diffusion in once low prevalence scenarios exist, emergence of generalized epidemics are less likely for much of the world. This paper reviews several key issues and advances in biomedical and behavioural HIV prevention to date and highlights relevance to low prevalence scenarios.

A single frame: imaging live cells twenty-five years ago.

PubMed

Fink, Rachel

2011-07-01

In the mid-1980s live-cell imaging was changed by the introduction of video techniques, allowing new ways to collect and store data. The increased resolution obtained by manipulating video signals, the ability to use time-lapse videocassette recorders to study events that happen over long time intervals, and the introduction of fluorescent probes and sensitive video cameras opened research avenues previously unavailable. The author gives a personal account of this evolution, focusing on cell migration studies at the Marine Biological Laboratory 25 years ago. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Twenty-Five Years of Endocrine Disruption Science: Remembering Theo Colborn

PubMed Central

Kwiatkowski, Carol F.; Bolden, Ashley L.; Liroff, Richard A.; Rochester, Johanna R.; Vandenbergh, John G.

2016-01-01

Summary: For nearly 30 years, Dr. Theo Colborn (1927–2014) dedicated herself to studying the harmful effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on wildlife, humans, and the environment. More recently, she extended this effort to address the health impacts of unconventional oil and gas development. Colborn was a visionary leader who excelled at synthesizing scientific findings across disciplines. Using her unique insights and strong moral convictions, she changed the face of toxicological research, influenced chemical regulatory policy, and educated the public. In 2003, Colborn started a nonprofit organization—The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX). As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of endocrine disruption science, TEDX continues her legacy of analyzing the extensive body of environmental health research and developing unique educational resources to support public policy and education. Among other tools, TEDX currently uses the systematic review framework developed by the National Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, to answer research questions of pressing concern. In this article, we pay homage to the tenacious woman and the exemplary contribution she made to the field of environmental health. Recommendations for the future of the field are drawn from her wisdom. PMID:27580976

Twenty-Five Years Later: A Librarian Looks Back...and Ahead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

York, Sherry

2007-01-01

In this article, the author thinks about the changes that have taken place in school libraries during the past 25 years that she has shared with Linworth Publishing. She remembers the first copy of "The Book Report" that arrived in the mail as a sample. As a high school librarian with several years experience, she found this new magazine an…

Unusual presentation of calcaneal osteomyelitis. Twenty-five years after inoculation.

PubMed

Rogoff, R S; Tinkle, J D; Bartis, D G

1997-03-01

An unusual presentation of calcaneal osteomyelitis is described, where-by the infection remained undiagnosed for 25 years. The 36-year-old patient recently sought medical treatment for a reported ankle sprain, but the pain was recalcitrant to conservative care. Further investigation yielded a history significant for stepping on a chicken bone as a child, which entered the inferior lateral heel. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed what plain radiographs did not: a well demarcated lytic lesion in the body of the calcaneus. Intraoperative findings were consistent with an abscess of chronic osteomyelitis. The treatment included incision and drainage, antibiotic beads, and a tricortical bone graft.

[Ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A cohort study of 1,600 consecutive cases].

PubMed

Planells Roig, Manuel; Garcia Espinosa, Rafael; Cervera Delgado, María; Navarro Vicente, Francisco; Carrau Giner, Miguel; Sanahuja Santafé, Angel; Arnal Bertomeu, Consuelo

2013-03-01

A descriptive analysis of day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ALC) in a cohort of 1,600 consecutive patients performed in Instituto de Cirugía y Aparato Digestivo (ICAD), Clínica Quirón de Valencia in the period 1997-2010. Prospective observational study of 1,601 consecutive patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) provided by the regional health service and private health companies. Conversion rate, non-planned admissions, readmissions, surgery duration and demographics. ALC was successfully performed in 80.8% of cases. LC with over-night (ON) stay accounted for 13.4% of patients. Admission was necessary in 4.6%. Mortality was 0.13%, 0.08 in ALC and 0.5% in ON LC. Readmissions occurred in 2.1%, 1.6% in ALC group, 5.4% in ON stay and 4.2% in admission group. ALC is a reliable and safe procedure. Minimization of admission rates is the key for cost-effective optimization in the management of cholelithiasis. ALC should be considered as the reference standard in gallbladder stone disease treatment. Copyright © 2011 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous LC-MS/MS determination of five tripterygium pyridine alkaloids in dog plasma and its application to their pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of tripterygium glycosides tablets.

PubMed

Su, Meng-xiang; Song, Min; Yang, Da-song; Shi, Jin-fang; Di, Bin; Hang, Tai-jun

2015-05-15

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of five pyridine alkaloids contained in tripterygium glycosides tablets (triptolide, wilforine, wilforgine, wilfording and wilfortrine) in dog plasma. The analysis was carried out on a Sepax GP-Phenyl column using a mixture of methanol and 10mmol/L ammonium formate buffer solution containing 0.1% formic acid (75:25, v/v) as the mobile phase pumped at a flow-rate of 1.0mL/min. All MS data were obtained in the positive ESI mode with selective multiple reaction monitoring of ion transitions. The method was fully validated to be accurate and precise with a linear range of 0.2-1000ng/mL for triptolide and 0.05-1000ng/mL for the other four pyridine alkaloids. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviation, RSD, %) were within 10.6% and 14.0%, respectively, and the relative error (RE, %) were all less than 13.1%. The method was successfully applied to multi-components pharmacokinetic study of the five pyridine alkaloids in beagle dogs after a single oral administration of 3mg/kg and 30mg/kg tripterygium glycosides tablets, respectively, and a multiple oral administration of 30mg/kg for 6 consecutive days. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CONSECUTIVE SYSTEMS GUIDANCE MANUAL FOR THE STAGE 2 DISINFECTION BYPRODUCT RULE (DBPR)

EPA Science Inventory

Description: This manual discusses requirements for consecutive systems (public water systems that receive fully treated water from other public water systems) to comply with Stage 2 DBPR monitoring and MCLs. Most previous drinking water rules, including the Stage 1 DBPR, have no...

Open Adoption Placement by Birth Mothers in Their Twenties.

PubMed

Clutter, Lynn B

The purpose of this study was to summarize birth mothers' descriptions of unplanned pregnancy experienced in their twenties and how open adoption influenced their lives. Naturalistic inquiry was used with purposive sampling from one agency and telephone interviews of women who experienced unplanned pregnancy in their twenties and relinquishment through open adoption. Recorded, transcribed, and deidentified interviews were analyzed for qualitative themes. Fifteen participants judiciously weighed the open adoption decision. Over half parented other children prior to placement. Most knew they could not have parented this child due to life stressors. Placement was a hard decision, but ongoing contact with birth child and adoptive family was valued. Open adoption processes made them stronger by being happy that their child experienced family life with greater opportunities than birth mothers could offer at the time. Summarized themes used the acronym COMMITTED: C-care deeply about what is best for the child, O-ongoing open adoption: good and hard, M-meeting together regularly, M-moving on in personal growth, accomplishments, and milestones, I-independence from previous stressors or crises, T-transitions, T-therapeutic support, E-emotions, D-depression giving way to deepened strength and personal direction. Open adoption is reinforced as a positive resolution of unintended pregnancy for birth mothers in their twenties.

Evaluation of laboratory tests for dengue diagnosis in clinical specimens from consecutive patients with suspected dengue in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

PubMed

Ferraz, Fernanda Oliveira; Bomfim, Maria Rosa Quaresma; Totola, Antônio Helvécio; Ávila, Thiago Vinícius; Cisalpino, Daniel; Pessanha, José Eduardo Marques; da Glória de Souza, Danielle; Teixeira Júnior, Antônio Lúcio; Nogueira, Maurício Lacerda; Bruna-Romero, Oscar; Teixeira, Mauro Martins

2013-09-01

Dengue is a widely spread arboviral disease in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Dengue fever presents clinical characteristics similar to other febrile illness. Thus laboratory diagnosis is important for adequate management of the disease. The present study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of real-time PCR and serological methods for dengue in a real epidemic context. Clinical data and blood samples were collected from consecutive patients with suspected dengue who attended a primary health care unit in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Serologic methods and real-time PCR were performed in serum samples to confirm dengue diagnosis. Among the 181 consecutive patients enrolled in this study with suspected dengue, 146 were considered positive by serological criteria (positive NS1 ELISA and/or anti-dengue IgM ELISA) and 138 were positive by real-time PCR. Clinical criteria were not sufficient for distinguishing between dengue and non-dengue febrile illness. The PCR reaction was pre-optimized using samples from patients with known viral infection. It had similar sensitivity compared to NS1 ELISA (88% and 89%, respectively). We also evaluated three commercial lateral flow immunochromatographic tests for NS1 detection (BIOEASY, BIORAD and PANBIO). All three tests showed high sensitivity (94%, 91% and 81%, respectively) for dengue diagnosis. According to our results it can be suggested that lateral flow tests for NS1 detection are the most feasible methods for early diagnosis of dengue. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The consecutive dry days to trigger rainfall over West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J. H.

2018-01-01

In order to resolve contradictions in addressing a soil moisture-precipitation feedback mechanism over West Africa and to clarify the impact of antecedent soil moisture on subsequent rainfall evolution, we first validated various data sets (SMOS satellite soil moisture observations, NOAH land surface model, TRMM rainfall, CMORPH rainfall and HadGEM climate models) with the Analyses Multidisciplinaires de la Mousson Africaine (AMMA) field campaign data. Based on this analysis, it was suggested that biases of data sets might cause contradictions in studying mechanisms. Thus, by taking into account uncertainties in data, it was found that the approach of consecutive dry days (i.e. a relative comparison of time-series) showed consistency across various data sets, while the direct comparison approach for soil moisture state and rainfall did not. Thus, it was discussed that it may be difficult to directly relate rain with soil moisture as the absolute value, however, it may be reasonable to compare a temporal progress of the variables. Based upon the results consistently showing a positive relationship between the consecutive dry days and rainfall, this study supports a negative feedback often neglected by climate model structure. This approach is less sensitive to interpretation errors arising from systematic errors in data sets, as this measures a temporal gradient of soil moisture state.

Three consecutive days of interval runs to exhaustion affects lymphocyte subset apoptosis and migration.

PubMed

Navalta, James W; Tibana, Ramires Alsamir; Fedor, Elizabeth A; Vieira, Amilton; Prestes, Jonato

2014-01-01

This investigation assessed the lymphocyte subset response to three days of intermittent run exercise to exhaustion. Twelve healthy college-aged males (n = 8) and females (n = 4) (age = 26 ± 4 years; height = 170.2 ± 10 cm; body mass = 75 ± 18 kg) completed an exertion test (maximal running speed and VO2max) and later performed three consecutive days of an intermittent run protocol to exhaustion (30 sec at maximal running speed and 30 sec at half of the maximal running speed). Blood was collected before exercise (PRE) and immediately following the treadmill bout (POST) each day. When the absolute change from baseline was evaluated (i. e., Δ baseline), a significant change in CD4+ and CD8+ for CX3CR1 cells was observed by completion of the third day. Significant changes in both apoptosis and migration were observed following two consecutive days in CD19+ lymphocytes, and the influence of apoptosis persisted following the third day. Given these lymphocyte responses, it is recommended that a rest day be incorporated following two consecutive days of a high-intensity intermittent run program to minimize immune cell modulations and reduce potential susceptibility.

Different responses of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil microbial communities to consecutive Piper nigrum L. monoculture

PubMed Central

Li, Zhigang; Zu, Chao; Wang, Can; Yang, Jianfeng; Yu, Huan; Wu, Huasong

2016-01-01

Soil microorganisms have important influences on plant growth and health. In this study, four black pepper fields consecutively monocultured for 12, 18, 28 and 38 years were selected for investigating the effect of planting age on rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil microbial communities and soil physicochemical properties. The results revealed that the relative abundance of the dominant bacterial phyla in rhizosphere soil increased considerably with long-term consecutive monoculture but decreased in non-rhizosphere soil with a significant decline in Firmicutes. For fungi, an increasing trend over time was observed in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils, with the abundance of the pathogenic fungi Fusarium increasing significantly accompanied by a decrease in the bacteria Pseudomonas and Bacillus that is beneficial for black pepper. Consecutive monoculture, especially for 38 years, considerably decreased soil microbial diversity. Additionally, the rhizosphere soil pH and organic matter and available K contents decreased with increasing planting duration, though available N and P increased. All soil nutrient contents and microbial diversity indices were higher in rhizosphere soil compared to non-rhizosphere soil. The results suggest that long-term consecutive monoculture leads to variations in soil microbial community composition and physicochemical properties in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils, thus inhibiting the black pepper growth. PMID:27775000

Different responses of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil microbial communities to consecutive Piper nigrum L. monoculture.

PubMed

Li, Zhigang; Zu, Chao; Wang, Can; Yang, Jianfeng; Yu, Huan; Wu, Huasong

2016-10-24

Soil microorganisms have important influences on plant growth and health. In this study, four black pepper fields consecutively monocultured for 12, 18, 28 and 38 years were selected for investigating the effect of planting age on rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil microbial communities and soil physicochemical properties. The results revealed that the relative abundance of the dominant bacterial phyla in rhizosphere soil increased considerably with long-term consecutive monoculture but decreased in non-rhizosphere soil with a significant decline in Firmicutes. For fungi, an increasing trend over time was observed in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils, with the abundance of the pathogenic fungi Fusarium increasing significantly accompanied by a decrease in the bacteria Pseudomonas and Bacillus that is beneficial for black pepper. Consecutive monoculture, especially for 38 years, considerably decreased soil microbial diversity. Additionally, the rhizosphere soil pH and organic matter and available K contents decreased with increasing planting duration, though available N and P increased. All soil nutrient contents and microbial diversity indices were higher in rhizosphere soil compared to non-rhizosphere soil. The results suggest that long-term consecutive monoculture leads to variations in soil microbial community composition and physicochemical properties in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils, thus inhibiting the black pepper growth.

A comparison of five benchmarks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huss, Janice E.; Pennline, James A.

1987-01-01

Five benchmark programs were obtained and run on the NASA Lewis CRAY X-MP/24. A comparison was made between the programs codes and between the methods for calculating performance figures. Several multitasking jobs were run to gain experience in how parallel performance is measured.

Evaluation of five sampling methods for Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein) and L. decolor (Pearman) (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) in steel bins containing wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An evaluation of five sampling methods for studying psocid population levels was conducted in two steel bins containing 32.6 metric tonnes of wheat in Manhattan, KS. Psocids were sampled using a 1.2-m open-ended trier, corrugated cardboard refuges placed on the underside of the bin hatch or the surf...

Arthrodesis for failed knee arthroplasty. A report of 20 cases.

PubMed

Knutson, K; Lindstrand, A; Lidgren, L

1985-01-01

Twenty consecutive patients treated by arthrodesis for failed knee arthroplasty are reviewed. Eight hinged, five stabilised and seven compartmental prostheses were removed, for infection (15 cases), loosening (4) and instability (1). One patient refused a second-stage operation but the remainder gained sound fusion. Infected knees had a two-stage procedure with temporary insertion of gentamicin-loaded beads after removal of the prosthesis; all infections healed. Six arthrodeses using a Hoffmann-Vidal external fixator resulted in two temporary failures. One Ace-Fischer external fixation was successful. Of 10 primary attempts at arthrodesis with an intramedullary Küntscher nail, nine were successful; the tenth fused after two more attempts by the same method. The two failures of external fixation and two failures after Charnley single-frame compression done elsewhere were successfully fused with intramedullary nails. Delayed union in three cases fused after prolonged fixation and repeated bone grafts. The indications for and methods of arthrodesis after failed knee arthroplasty are discussed.

An Automated Energy Detection Algorithm Based on Consecutive Mean Excision

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

present in the RF spectrum. 15. SUBJECT TERMS RF spectrum, detection threshold algorithm, consecutive mean excision, rank order filter , statistical...Median 4 3.1.9 Rank Order Filter (ROF) 4 3.1.10 Crest Factor (CF) 5 3.2 Statistical Summary 6 4. Algorithm 7 5. Conclusion 8 6. References 9...energy detection algorithm based on morphological filter processing with a semi- disk structure. Adelphi (MD): Army Research Laboratory (US); 2018 Jan

Acceptance of family planning methods by induced abortion seekers: An observational study over five years.

PubMed

Kathpalia, S K

2016-01-01

Prior to legalization of abortion, induced abortions were performed in an illegal manner and that resulted in many complications hence abortion was legalized in India in 1971 and the number of induced abortions has been gradually increasing since then. One way of preventing abortions is to provide family planning services to these abortion seekers so that same is not repeated. The study was performed to find out the acceptance of contraception after abortion. A prospective study was performed over a period of five years from 2010 to 2014. The study group included all the cases reporting for abortion. A proforma was filled in detail to find out the type of contraception being used before pregnancy and acceptance of contraception after abortion. The existing facilities were also evaluated. 1228 abortions were performed over a period of five years. 94.5% of abortions were during the first trimester. 39.9% had not used any contraceptive before, contraceptives used were natural and barrier which had high failure. The main indication for seeking abortion was failure of contraception and completion of family. 39.6% of patients accepted sterilization as a method of contraception. The existing post abortion family planning services are inadequate. Post abortion period is one which is important to prevent subsequent abortions and family planning services after abortion need to be strengthened.

Evaluation of efficacy of combinations of five endodontic sealers with five antibiotics against Enterococcus Faecalis – An in-vitro study

PubMed Central

Sharma, Deepak; Grover, Rohit; Pinnameneni, Prasanth Sai; Dey, Subhra; Raju, P Ramakrishnam

2014-01-01

Background: To evaluate and compare in vitro the antibacterial efficacy of five antibiotics when added individually to five endodontic sealers against Enterococcus faecalis (EF). Materials & Methods: This controlled trial with systematic allocation method was carried out to detect the combined antibacterial activity of five endodontic sealers (Kerr sealer EWT, Endomethasone, AH26, AH Plus, Roekoseal) with five antibiotics regularly used (Amoxicillin, metronidazole, azithromyacin, gatifloxacin, doxycycline) on EF. For each sealerantibiotic combinations, thirty BHI agar plates (15 aerobic and 15 anaerobic) were inoculated with EF, containing five sterile paper discs- three of various sealer- antibiotic combinations, one of sealer alone (positive control) & plain disc as negative control were incubated at 370C for 48 hrs and the zone of inhibition was measured. Data analysis was done by ANOVA and Tukey’s post- hoc test using SPSS( version 17). Results: The findings of this study revealed that sealer-antibiotic combination containing amoxicillin had the significant difference (p<0.001) in the mean zone of inhibition compared to other combinations. Metronidazole showed the minimum zone of inhibition among used antibiotics. The sealers in the decreasing order according to their effectiveness on EF were Kerr sealer endomethasone, AH26, Rockseal, AH plus. Conclusion: Addition of antibiotics to endodontic sealers enhances their antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis. How to cite the article: Sharma D, Grover R, Pinnameneni PS, Dey S, Raju PR. Evaluation of efficacy of combinations of five endodontic sealers with five antibiotics against Enterococcus Faecalis – An in-vitro study. J Int Oral Health 2014;6(2):90-5. PMID:24876708

Microtensile dentin bond strength of fifth with five seventh-generation dentin bonding agents after thermocycling: An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Poptani, Bruhvi; Gohil, K. S.; Ganjiwale, Jaishree; Shukla, Manisha

2012-01-01

Objectives: The objective of this in vitro study was to compare the microtensile dentin bond strength (μTBS) of five seventh-generation dentin bonding agents (DBA) with fifth-generation DBA before and after thermocycling. Materials and Methods: Ten extracted teeth were assigned to fifth generation control group (optibond solo) and each of the five experimental groups namely, Group I (G-Bond) ,Group II (S3 Clearfil), Group III (One Coat 7.0), Group IV (Xeno V), and Group V (Optibond all in one). The crown portions of the teeth were horizontally sectioned below the central groove to expose the dentin. The adhesive resins from all groups were bonded to the teeth with their respective composites. Specimens of sizes 1 × 1 × 6 mm3 were obtained. Fifty specimens that bonded to dentin from each group were selected. Twenty-five of the specimens were tested for debonding without thermocycling and the remaining were subjected to thermocycling followed by μTBS testing. The data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Dunnett's-test for comparison with the reference group(Vth Generation). Results: There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the fifth- and seventh-generation adhesives before and after thermocycling. The results of our study showed significantly higher value (P < 0.05) of μTBS of seventh-generation Group II (Clearfil S3) compared to the fifth-generation before and after thermocycling. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the Clearfil S3 bond had the highest μTBS values. In addition, of the five tested seventh-generation adhesive resins were comparable to the fifth-generation DBA. PMID:23230355

Effect of management (organic vs conventional) on volatile profiles of six plum cultivars (Prunus salicina Lindl.). A chemometric approach for varietal classification and determination of potential markers.

PubMed

Cuevas, F J; Moreno-Rojas, J M; Arroyo, F; Daza, A; Ruiz-Moreno, M J

2016-05-15

The volatile profiles of six plum cultivars ('Laetitia', 'Primetime', 'Sapphire', 'Showtime', 'Songold' and 'Souvenir') produced under two management systems (conventional and organic) and harvested in two consecutive years were obtained by HS-SPME-GC-MS. Twenty-five metabolites were determined, five of which (pentanal, (E)-2-heptenal, 1-octanol, eucalyptol and 2-pentylfuran) are reported for the first time in Prunus salicina Lindl. Hexanal stood out as a major volatile compound affected by the management system. In addition, partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) achieved an effective classification of genotypes based on their volatile profiles. A high classification accuracy model was obtained with a sensitivity of 97.9% and a specificity of 99.6%. Furthermore, the application of a dual criterion, based on a method of variable selection, VIP (variable importance in projection) and the results of a univariate analysis (ANOVA), allowed the identification of potential volatile markers in 'Primetime', 'Showtime' and 'Souvenir' genotypes (cultivars not characterised to date). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of discontinuous Galerkin method for solving a compressible five-equation two-phase flow model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleem, M. Rehan; Ali, Ishtiaq; Qamar, Shamsul

2018-03-01

In this article, a reduced five-equation two-phase flow model is numerically investigated. The formulation of the model is based on the conservation and energy exchange laws. The model is non-conservative and the governing equations contain two equations for the mass conservation, one for the over all momentum and one for the total energy. The fifth equation is the energy equation for one of the two phases that includes a source term on the right hand side for incorporating energy exchange between the two fluids in the form of mechanical and thermodynamical works. A Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin finite element method is applied to solve the model equations. The main attractive features of the proposed method include its formal higher order accuracy, its nonlinear stability, its ability to handle complicated geometries, and its ability to capture sharp discontinuities or strong gradients in the solutions without producing spurious oscillations. The proposed method is robust and well suited for large-scale time-dependent computational problems. Several case studies of two-phase flows are presented. For validation and comparison of the results, the same model equations are also solved by using a staggered central scheme. It was found that discontinuous Galerkin scheme produces better results as compared to the staggered central scheme.

Subgroup conflicts? Try the psychodramatic "double triad method".

PubMed

Verhofstadt-Denève, Leni M F

2012-04-01

The present article suggests the application of a psychodramatic action method for tackling subgroup conflicts in which the direct dialogue between representatives of two opposing subgroups is prepared step by step through an indirect dialogue strategy within two triads, a strategy known as the Double Triad Method (DTM). In order to achieve integration in the group as a whole, it is important that all the members of both subgroups participate actively during the entire process. The first part of the article briefly explores the theoretical background, with a special emphasis on the Phenomenological-Dialectical Personality Model (Phe-Di PModel). In the second part, the DTM procedure is systematically described through its five action stages, each accompanied with 1) a spatial representation of the consecutive actions, 2) some illustrative statements for each stage, and 3) a theoretical interpretation of the dialectically involved personality dimensions in both protagonists. The article concludes with a discussion and suggestions for more extensive applications of the DTM method, including the question of its relationships to Agazarian's functional subgrouping, psychodrama, and sociodrama.

Relationship between consecutive deterioration of mean deviation value and progression of visual field defect in open-angle glaucoma.

PubMed

Naito, Tomoko; Yoshikawa, Keiji; Mizoue, Shiro; Nanno, Mami; Kimura, Tairo; Suzumura, Hirotaka; Takeda, Ryuji; Shiraga, Fumio

2015-01-01

To analyze the relationship between consecutive deterioration of mean deviation (MD) value and glaucomatous visual field (VF) progression in open-angle glaucoma (OAG), including primary OAG and normal tension glaucoma. The subjects of the study were patients undergoing treatment for OAG who had performed VF tests at least 10 times with a Humphrey field analyzer (SITA standard, C30-2 program). The VF progression was defined by a significantly negative MD slope (MD slope worsening) at the final VF test during the follow-up period. The relationship between the MD slope worsening and the consecutive deterioration of MD value were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 165 eyes of 165 patients were included in the analysis. Significant progression of VF defects was observed in 72 eyes of 72 patients (43.6%), while no significant progression was evident in 93 eyes of 93 patients (56.4%). There was significant relationship between the frequency of consecutive deterioration of MD value and MD slope worsening (P<0.0001, Cochran-Armitage trend test). A significant association was observed for MD slope worsening in the eyes with three (odds ratio: 2.1, P=0.0224) and four (odds ratio: 3.6, P=0.0008) consecutive deterioration of MD value in multiple logistic regression analysis, but no significant association in the eyes with two consecutive deterioration (odds ratio: 1.1, P=0.8282). The eyes with VF progression had significantly lower intraocular pressure reduction rate (P<0.01). This retrospective study has shown that three or more consecutive deterioration of MD value might be a predictor to future significant MD slope worsening in OAG.

Androgen excess in women: experience with over 1000 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Azziz, R; Sanchez, L A; Knochenhauer, E S; Moran, C; Lazenby, J; Stephens, K C; Taylor, K; Boots, L R

2004-02-01

The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of the different pathological conditions causing clinically evident androgen excess and to document the degree of long-term success of suppressive and/or antiandrogen hormonal therapy in a large consecutive population of patients. All patients presenting for evaluation of symptoms potentially related to androgen excess between October 1987 and June 2002 were evaluated, and the data were maintained prospectively in a computerized database. For the assessment of therapeutic response, a retrospective review of the medical chart was performed, after the exclusion of those patients seeking fertility therapy only, or with inadequate follow-up or poor compliance. A total of 1281 consecutive patients were seen during the study period. Excluded from analysis were 408 patients in whom we were unable to evaluate hormonal status, determine ovulatory status, or find any evidence of androgen excess. In the remaining population of 873 patients, the unbiased prevalence of androgen-secreting neoplasms was 0.2%, 21-hydroxylase-deficient classic adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) was 0.6%, 21-hydroxylase-deficient nonclassic adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) was 1.6%, hyperandrogenic insulin-resistant acanthosis nigricans (HAIRAN) syndrome was 3.1%, idiopathic hirsutism was 4.7%, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was 82.0%. Fifty-nine (6.75%) patients had elevated androgen levels and hirsutism but normal ovulation. A total of 257 patients were included in the assessment of the response to hormonal therapy. The mean duration of follow-up was 33.5 months (range, 6-155). Hirsutism improved in 86%, menstrual dysfunction in 80%, acne in 81%, and hair loss in 33% of patients. The major side effects noted were irregular vaginal bleeding (16.1%), nausea (13.0%), and headaches (12.6%); only 36.6% of patients never complained of side effects. In this large study of consecutive patients presenting with clinically evident androgen excess

Effects of Different Extraction Methods on the Extraction Rates of Five Chemical Ingredients of Swertia mussotii Franch by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Yaokun; Zhou, Lifen; Zhao, Yonghong; Liu, Yun; Liu, Xia; Zhu, Genhua; Yan, Zhihong; Liu, Zhiyong

2018-01-01

Objective: To compare the effects of three extraction methods (ultrasound, reflux and percolation) on the contents of gentiopicroside, mangiferin, swertiamain, sweroside and oleanolic acid in Swertia mussotii Franch. Method: The contents of five components were determined by UPLC-ESI/MS. In the solvent system, eluent A was 0.05% (v: v) formic acid with 1mM/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution and eluent B was acetonitrile. Chromatographic separations were achieved using an Agilent EC-C18 column (4.6×100 mm, 2.7 um) at 30 °C. The flow rate was set at 0.8mL/min. The compound ionization was adopted at negative ionization mode by electro spray ionization (ESI). The quantification was performed in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Results: The linear ranges of swertiamarin, gentiopicroside, mangiferin, sweroside and oleanolic acid are 80∼7450 ng/mL, 103∼6600 ng/mL, 100∼8000 ng/mL, 130∼8450 ng/mL, 100∼7000 ng/mL, respectively. As a result, the content of oleanolic acid was the highest extracted by ultrasonic extraction and the content of mangiferin was the highest extracted by reflux extraction. For percolation extraction, the contents of five components were between ultrasound and reflux extraction. Conclusion: For five components, there are significant differences between the three different extraction methods. The results could provide a reference for the quality control of Swertia mussotii Franch and the research and development of new drugs.

Labtracker+, a medical smartphone app for the interpretation of consecutive laboratory results: an external validation study.

PubMed

Hilderink, Judith M; Rennenberg, Roger J M W; Vanmolkot, Floris H M; Bekers, Otto; Koopmans, Richard P; Meex, Steven J R

2017-09-01

When monitoring patients over time, clinicians may struggle to distinguish 'real changes' in consecutive blood parameters from so-called natural fluctuations. In practice, they have to do so by relying on their clinical experience and intuition. We developed Labtracker+ , a medical app that calculates the probability that an increase or decrease over time in a specific blood parameter is real, given the time between measurements. We presented patient cases to 135 participants to examine whether there is a difference between medical students, residents and experienced clinicians when it comes to interpreting changes between consecutive laboratory results. Participants were asked to interpret if changes in consecutive laboratory values were likely to be 'real' or rather due to natural fluctuations. The answers of the study participants were compared with the calculated probabilities by the app Labtracker+ and the concordance rates were assessed. Medical students (n=92), medical residents from the department of internal medicine (n=19) and internists (n=24) at a Dutch University Medical Centre. Concordance rates between the study participants and the calculated probabilities by the app Labtracker+ were compared. Besides, we tested whether physicians with clinical experience scored better concordance rates with the app Labtracker+ than inexperienced clinicians. Medical residents and internists showed significantly better concordance rates with the calculated probabilities by the app Labtracker+ than medical students, regarding their interpretation of differences between consecutive laboratory results (p=0.009 and p<0.001, respectively). The app Labtracker+ could serve as a clinical decision tool in the interpretation of consecutive laboratory test results and could contribute to rapid recognition of parameter changes by physicians. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial

Psychosocial adjustment among women with breast cancer stages I and II: six-year follow-up of consecutive patients.

PubMed

Omne-Pontén, M; Holmberg, L; Sjödén, P O

1994-09-01

To evaluate, in a long-term follow-up study of consecutive patients (N = 99), the impact of surgery--breast-conserving treatment (BCT) versus mastectomy (MT)--on psychosocial adjustment among women with breast cancer, pTNM stage I/II. Semistructured interviews were conducted at a median of 6 years (range, 5.8 to 8.1) after primary surgery. Sixty-six women were available for the long-term follow-up study. Twenty-six women had been treated with BCT and 40 with MT. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups concerning psychosocial adjustment, as measured by the Social adjustment Scale (SAS). In general, the levels of maladjustment were lower than at 13 months postoperatively, but 10% still showed maladjustment. Sixty percent of the women were unwilling to show themselves naked, and 22% felt that they had become less attractive because of the surgical treatment. In an explorative part of the interview, 68% of the women complained about how they had been informed of the diagnosis. A tendency toward a significant difference was found in the relation between previous maladjustment and a negative experience at the time of diagnosis (P = .07). Few data are available on long-term follow-up results with regard to psychosocial adjustment among women after breast cancer surgery. This study provides the important information that there are no differences in patient psychosocial adjustment that can be ascribed to the type of surgery at 6-year follow-up evaluation.

Digital Systems Supporting Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Twenty-First Century: Guest Editorial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spector, J. Michael; Ifenthaler, Dirk; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2016-01-01

Digital systems and digital technologies are globally investigated for their potential to transform learning, teaching and assessment towards offering unique learning experiences to the twenty-first century learners. This Special Issue on "Digital systems supporting cognition and exploratory learning in twenty-first century" aims to…

Prevalence and risk factors for renal scars in children with febrile UTI and/or VUR: A cross-sectional observational study of 565 consecutive patients

PubMed Central

Snodgrass, Warren T.; Shah, Anjana; Yang, Mary; Kwon, Jeannie; Villanueva, Carlos; Traylor, Janelle; Pritzker, Karen; Nakonezny, Paul A.; Haley, Robert W.; Bush, Nicol Corbin

2013-01-01

Purpose To determine prevalence and risk factors for renal scar in children referred for urologic assessment of febrile UTI and/or VUR. Methods Pre-determined risk factors for renal scar were prospectively recorded in consecutive patients referred for UTI/VUR. Age, gender, VUR grade, and reported number of febrile and non-febrile UTIs were analyzed with logistic regression to determine risk for focal cortical defects on non-acute DMSA. Results Of 565 consecutive children, 24 (4%) had congenital renal dysplasia and 84 (15.5%) had focal defect(s). VUR, especially grades IV–V, recurrent febrile UTI, and older age increased risk. For any age child with the same number of UTIs, VUR increased odds of renal defect 5.4-fold (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 2.7–10.6, AUC = 0.759). Conclusions Focal DMSA defects were present in 15.5% of 565 consecutive children referred for febrile UTI and/or VUR; 4% had presumed congenital reflux nephropathy without cortical defect. All VUR grades increased risk for these defects, as did recurrent febrile UTIs and older age. However, 43% with grades IV–V VUR and 76% with recurrent UTI had normal DMSA. PMID:23465483

Effects of subthalamic stimulation on speech of consecutive patients with Parkinson disease

PubMed Central

Zrinzo, L.; Martinez-Torres, I.; Frost, E.; Pinto, S.; Foltynie, T.; Holl, E.; Petersen, E.; Roughton, M.; Hariz, M.I.; Limousin, P.

2011-01-01

Objective: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment for advanced Parkinson disease (PD). Following STN-DBS, speech intelligibility can deteriorate, limiting its beneficial effect. Here we prospectively examined the short- and long-term speech response to STN-DBS in a consecutive series of patients to identify clinical and surgical factors associated with speech change. Methods: Thirty-two consecutive patients were assessed before surgery, then 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after STN-DBS in 4 conditions on- and off-medication with on- and off-stimulation using established and validated speech and movement scales. Fifteen of these patients were followed up for 3 years. A control group of 12 patients with PD were followed up for 1 year. Results: Within the surgical group, speech intelligibility significantly deteriorated by an average of 14.2% ± 20.15% off-medication and 16.9% ± 21.8% on-medication 1 year after STN-DBS. The medical group deteriorated by 3.6% ± 5.5% and 4.5% ± 8.8%, respectively. Seven patients showed speech amelioration after surgery. Loudness increased significantly in all tasks with stimulation. A less severe preoperative on-medication motor score was associated with a more favorable speech response to STN-DBS after 1 year. Medially located electrodes on the left STN were associated with a significantly higher risk of speech deterioration than electrodes within the nucleus. There was a strong relationship between high voltage in the left electrode and poor speech outcome at 1 year. Conclusion: The effect of STN-DBS on speech is variable and multifactorial, with most patients exhibiting decline of speech intelligibility. Both medical and surgical issues contribute to deterioration of speech in STN-DBS patients. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class III evidence that STN-DBS for PD results in deterioration in speech intelligibility in all combinations of medication and stimulation states at 1

Early pulmonary toxicity following lung stereotactic body radiation therapy delivered in consecutive daily fractions.

PubMed

Stauder, Michael C; Macdonald, O Kenneth; Olivier, Kenneth R; Call, Jason A; Lafata, Kyle; Mayo, Charles S; Miller, Robert C; Brown, Paul D; Bauer, Heather J; Garces, Yolanda I

2011-05-01

Identify the incidence of early pulmonary toxicity in a cohort of patients treated with lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) on consecutive treatment days. A total of 88 lesions in 84 patients were treated with SBRT in consecutive daily fractions (Fx) for medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer or metastasis. The incidence of pneumonitis was evaluated and graded according to the NCI CTCAE v3.0. With a median follow-up of 15.8 months (range 2.5-28.6), the median age at SBRT was 71.8 years (range 23.8-87.8). 47 lesions were centrally located and 41 were peripheral. Most central lesions were treated with 48Gy in 4 Fx, and most peripheral lesions with 54Gy in 3 Fx. The incidence of grade ≥ 2 pneumonitis was 12.5% in all patients treated, and 14.3% among the subset of patients treated with 54Gy in 3 Fx. A total of two grade 3 toxicities were seen as one grade 5 toxicity in a patient treated for recurrence after pneumonectomy. Treating both central and peripheral lung lesions with SBRT in consecutive daily fractions in this cohort was well tolerated and did not cause excessive early pulmonary toxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell therapy versus simultaneous contralateral decompression in symptomatic corticosteroid osteonecrosis: a thirty year follow-up prospective randomized study of one hundred and twenty five adult patients.

PubMed

Hernigou, Philippe; Dubory, Arnaud; Homma, Yasuhiro; Guissou, Isaac; Flouzat Lachaniette, Charles Henri; Chevallier, Nathalie; Rouard, Hélène

2018-05-09

Symptomatic osteonecrosis related to corticosteroids has a high risk of progression to collapse in absence of treatment. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the results of autologous bone marrow grafting of the symptomatic hip in adult patients with osteonecrosis and to compare the results with core decompression alone in the contralateral symptomatic hip. A total of 125 consecutive patients (78 males and 47 females) with bilateral osteonecrosis (ON) and who had both hips symptomatic and at the same stage on each side (stage I or II) were included in this study from 1988 to 1998. The volume of osteonecrosis was measured with MRI in both hips; the smaller size ON was treated with core decompression, and the contralateral hip with the larger ON was treated with percutaneous mesenchymal cell (MSC) injection obtained from bone marrow concentration. The average total number of MSCs (counted as number of colony forming units-fibroblast) injected in each hip was 90,000 ± 25,000 cells (range 45,000 to 180,000 cells). At the most recent FU (average 25 years after the first surgery, range 20 to 30 years), among the 250 hips included in the study, 35 hips (28%) had collapsed at the most recent follow-up after bone marrow grafting, and 90 (72%) after core decompression (CD). Ninety-five hips (76%) in the CD group underwent total hip replacement and 30 hips (24%) in the bone marrow graft group (p < 0.0001). Hips undergoing only CD were approximately three times more likely to undergo a primary THA (odds ratio: 10.0278; 95% CI: 5.6117 to 17.9190; p < 0.0001) as compared with hips undergoing an initial bone marrow grafting. For the 90 hips treated with bone marrow injection and without collapse, the mean volume of repair evaluated by MRI at the most recent follow-up was 16.4 cm 3 (range 12 to 21 cm 3 ) corresponding to a decrease of the pre-operative average volume from 22.4 cm 3 (range 35-15 cm 3 ) to 6 cm 3 (range 12-0 cm 3 ); as percentage of the

[Four seasons acupuncture and Five Shu Points].

PubMed

Zhao, Jing-sheng; Shi, Xin-de

2009-10-01

The method of four seasons acupuncture was initially recorded in the Internal Classic. It has the important meaning for understanding the contents of acupoints, especially the Five Shu Points. Its original meaning is that the place of acupuncture is difference on each season in order to cooperate with the both qi from the depth of acupuncture and four seasons. Through the interpretation from different aspects, the depth of qi is mainly considered as layer location and further considered as acupoints, and then gradually formed the principle of using the Five Shu Points. Following this way, we could correctly understand the contents of the Five Shu Points.

The International Handbook of Universities. Twenty-Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palgrave Macmillan, 2010

2010-01-01

The new "International Handbook of Universities" is now 2-volumes and includes single-user access to World Higher Education Database Online. This "Twenty-second Edition" is the most comprehensive guide to university-level education worldwide, providing detailed information on higher education institutions that offer at least a post-graduate degree…

Different types of osteochondrodysplasia in a consecutive series of newborns.

PubMed

Gustavson, K H; Jorulf, H

1975-10-01

Among 14816 consecutive live births there were 7 cases of osteochondrodysplasia (incidence 1:2117). In addition there was 1 case of stippled epiphyses, possibly induced by anticonvulsive drugs taken by the mother during the pregnancy, and one case of cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome of Zellweger with roentgenological features similar to those of hypochondrodysplasia. None of 102 stillborns seen at the same time had osteochondrodysplasia. For genetic counselling an exact diagnosis is mandatory, radiological examination of the skeleton is often of decisive importance.

Consecutive monitoring of faecal calprotectin during mesalazine suppository therapy for active rectal inflammation in ulcerative colitis.

PubMed

Yamamoto, T; Shimoyama, T; Matsumoto, K

2015-09-01

No studies have monitored the levels of faecal calprotectin (FC) during mesalazine suppository therapy for proctitis in ulcerative colitis (UC). To evaluate the value of consecutive monitoring of FC in patients with UC during mesalazine suppository therapy. One hundred and sixty patients with active inflammation limited to the rectum were treated with mesalazine 1 g suppository once daily for 8 weeks. Patients who achieved clinical remission were advised to maintain the treatment, and were followed up for further 40 weeks. FC levels were measured every 8 weeks during the study. At week 8, 118 patients (74%) went into clinical remission, of whom 88 achieved endoscopic healing. The median FC level significantly decreased in patients with clinical and endoscopic remission (both P < 0.0001), while it did not change significantly in those without remission. Eighty (68%) of the 118 patients with remission continued the treatment. Twenty-four patients (30%) relapsed during the 40-week follow-up. In patients with clinical relapse, the median FC level elevated already 8 weeks before the diagnosis of relapse. In contrast, in patients who maintained remission it remained at a low level and did not significantly change during the follow-up. Elevated FC level (≥55 μg/g) was useful for the early diagnosis of relapse (88% sensitivity and 80% specificity). Faecal calprotectin may represent a useful biomarker for the assessment of disease activity in UC patients treated with mesalazine suppositories. Serial monitoring of faecal calprotectin appears to be valuable for the prediction and early diagnosis of relapse during maintenance therapy. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Blended Instruction: The Roaring Twenties Meets Coursesites.com

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldron, Diane L.

2014-01-01

The action research study described in this report outlines the design and implementation of a unit of blended instruction in a traditional high school English classroom. Twenty technical high school students in an 11th grade Honors English class engaged in a variety of internet-based activities in conjunction with traditional learning activities…

How Trust in Wikipedia Evolves: A Survey of Students Aged 11 to 25

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mothe, Josiane; Sahut, Gilles

2018-01-01

Introduction: Whether Wikipedia is to be considered a trusted source is frequently questioned in France. This paper reports the results of a survey examining the levels of trust shown by young people aged eleven to twenty-five. Method: We analyse the answers given by 841 young people, aged eleven to twenty-five, to a questionnaire. To our…

Twenty-first century vaccines

PubMed Central

Rappuoli, Rino

2011-01-01

In the twentieth century, vaccination has been possibly the greatest revolution in health. Together with hygiene and antibiotics, vaccination led to the elimination of many childhood infectious diseases and contributed to the increase in disability-free life expectancy that in Western societies rose from 50 to 78–85 years (Crimmins, E. M. & Finch, C. E. 2006 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 103, 498–503; Kirkwood, T. B. 2008 Nat. Med 10, 1177–1185). In the twenty-first century, vaccination will be expected to eliminate the remaining childhood infectious diseases, such as meningococcal meningitis, respiratory syncytial virus, group A streptococcus, and will address the health challenges of this century such as those associated with ageing, antibiotic resistance, emerging infectious diseases and poverty. However, for this to happen, we need to increase the public trust in vaccination so that vaccines can be perceived as the best insurance against most diseases across all ages. PMID:21893537

Bilateral sinus elevation evaluating plasma rich in growth factors technology: a report of five cases.

PubMed

Anitua, Eduardo; Prado, Roberto; Orive, Gorka

2012-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential effects of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) technology and its autologous formulations in five consecutive patients in which bilateral sinus lift augmentation was carried out. Five consecutive patients received bilateral sinus floor augmentation. All patients presented a residual bone height of class D (1-3 mm). The effects of PRGF combined with bovine anorganic bone (one side) were compared with the biomaterial alone (contralateral side). The effects of using liquid PRGF to maintain the bone window and autologous fibrin membrane to seal the defect were evaluated. A complete histological and histomorphometrical analysis was performed 5 months after surgery. One patient was excluded from the study as the Schneiderian membrane of the control side was perforated during the surgery. In two patients, the biopsies obtained from the control sides 5 months postsurgery were not acceptable for processing. PRGF technology facilitated the surgical approach of sinus floor elevation. The control area was more inflamed than the area treated with PRGF technology. Patients referred also to an increased sensation of pain in the control area. PRGF-treated samples had more new vital bone than controls. In patient number 1, image processing revealed 21.4% new vital bone in the PRGF area versus 8.4% in the control area, whereas in patient number 2, 28.4% new vital bone was quantified in the PRGF area compared with the 8.2% of the control side. The immunohistochemical processing of the biopsies revealed that the number of blood vessels per square millimeter of connective tissue was 116 vessels in the PRGF sample versus 7 in the control biopsy. These preliminary results suggest that from a practical point of view, PRGF may present a role in reducing tissue inflammation after surgery, increasing new bone formation and promoting the vascularization of bone tissue. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Consecutive three-component synthesis of (hetero)arylated propargyl amides by chemoenzymatic aminolysis-Sonogashira coupling sequence.

PubMed

Hassan, Sidra; Ullrich, Anja; Müller, Thomas J J

2015-02-07

A novel chemoenzymatic three-component synthesis of (hetero)arylated propargyl amides in good yields based upon Novozyme® 435 (Candida antarctica lipase B (CAL-B)) catalyzed aminolysis of methyl carboxylates followed by Sonogashira coupling with (hetero)aryliodides in a consecutive one-pot fashion has been presented. This efficient methodology can be readily concatenated with a CuAAC (Cu catalyzed alkyne azide cycloaddition) as a third consecutive step to furnish 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole ligated arylated propargyl amides. This one-pot process can be regarded as a transition metal catalyzed sequence that takes advantage of the copper source still present from the cross-coupling step.

Twenty-Third Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Presented here is a collection of papers from the Twenty-Third Lunar and Planetary Science Conference that were chosen for having the greatest potential interest for the general reading public. The presentations avoid jargon and unnecessarily complex terms. Topics covered include electron microscopy studies of a circumstellar rock, the fractal analysis of lava flows, volcanic activity on Venus, the isotopic signature of recent solar wind nitrogen, and the implications of impact crater distribution on Venus.

Self-Reported Extremely Adverse Life Events and Longitudinal Changes in Five-Factor Model Personality Traits in an Urban Sample

PubMed Central

Löckenhoff, Corinna E.; Terracciano, Antonio; Patriciu, Nicholas S.; Eaton, William W.; Costa, Paul T.

2009-01-01

This study examined longitudinal personality change in response to extremely adverse life events in a sample (N = 458) drawn from the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Five-factor model personality traits were assessed twice over an average interval of 8 years. Twenty-five percent of the participants reported an extremely horrifying or frightening event within 2 years before the second personality assessment. Relative to the rest of the sample, they showed increases in neuroticism, decreases in the compliance facet of agreeableness, and decreases in openness to values. Baseline personality was unrelated to future events, but among participants who reported extreme events, lower extraversion and/or conscientiousness at baseline as well as longitudinal increases in neuroticism predicted lower mental health at follow-up. PMID:19230009

Results after laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation for esophageal achalasia in 100 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Tsuboi, Kazuto; Omura, Nobuo; Yano, Fumiaki; Kashiwagi, Hideyuki; Yanaga, Katsuhiko

2009-01-01

The laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation has been the procedure of choice for the treatment of achalasia. However, because the incidence of achalasia is low, reports on the outcome of surgical treatment for achalasia are limited. In this study, the therapeutic results after laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation for achalasia at a single university hospital were evaluated. Between August 1994 and July 2006, 100 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation. The therapeutic results after laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation were assessed based on complications, operation time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and the standardized questionnaire for satisfaction by telephone or outpatient clinic interview. With respect to perioperative complications, lower esophageal mucosal perforation occurred in 14 patients, but all of them could be suture-obliterated laparoscopically. One patient was converted to laparotomy because of uncontrolled bleeding from the short gastric artery. The mean operative time was 169 minutes, and the mean perioperative blood loss was 22 mL. The median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days. Reflux esophagitis, which was seen in five patients, was treated successfully with a proton pump inhibitor. According to the standardized questionnaire for satisfaction, 77 patients rated their recovery as 'excellent', 17 as 'good', 4 as 'fair', and 2 as 'poor'; thus, the overall success rate was 94%. There were no significant differences in surgical outcomes by morphologic type and severity of esophageal dilatation; however, the success rate deteriorated significantly with progression of the morphologic type. Laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation is a safe and effective surgical treatment for achalasia.

Genetic parameters for stayability to consecutive calvings in Zebu cattle.

PubMed

Silva, D O; Santana, M L; Ayres, D R; Menezes, G R O; Silva, L O C; Nobre, P R C; Pereira, R J

2017-12-22

Longer-lived cows tend to be more profitable and the stayability trait is a selection criterion correlated to longevity. An alternative to the traditional approach to evaluate stayability is its definition based on consecutive calvings, whose main advantage is the more accurate evaluation of young bulls. However, no study using this alternative approach has been conducted for Zebu breeds. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare linear random regression models to fit stayability to consecutive calvings of Guzerá, Nelore and Tabapuã cows and to estimate genetic parameters for this trait in the respective breeds. Data up to the eighth calving were used. The models included the fixed effects of age at first calving and year-season of birth of the cow and the random effects of contemporary group, additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual. Random regressions were modeled by orthogonal Legendre polynomials of order 1 to 4 (2 to 5 coefficients) for contemporary group, additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. Using Deviance Information Criterion as the selection criterion, the model with 4 regression coefficients for each effect was the most adequate for the Nelore and Tabapuã breeds and the model with 5 coefficients is recommended for the Guzerá breed. For Guzerá, heritabilities ranged from 0.05 to 0.08, showing a quadratic trend with a peak between the fourth and sixth calving. For the Nelore and Tabapuã breeds, the estimates ranged from 0.03 to 0.07 and from 0.03 to 0.08, respectively, and increased with increasing calving number. The additive genetic correlations exhibited a similar trend among breeds and were higher for stayability between closer calvings. Even between more distant calvings (second v. eighth), stayability showed a moderate to high genetic correlation, which was 0.77, 0.57 and 0.79 for the Guzerá, Nelore and Tabapuã breeds, respectively. For Guzerá, when the models with 4 or 5 regression coefficients were

Direct functionalization of pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes by diazonium-based method with various five-membered S- or N- heteroaromatic amines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinonen, Heli; Lajunen, Marja

2012-09-01

Reactivity of five-membered, variously substituted, heteroaromatic diazonium salts was studied toward pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), prepared by high-pressure CO conversion (HiPCO) method. Average size range of individual HiPCO SWCNTs was 0.8-1.2 nm (diameter) and 100-1,000 nm (length). Functionalizations were performed by a one-pot diazotization-dediazotization method with methyl-2-aminothiophene-3-carboxylate, 2-aminothiophene-3-carbonitrile, 2-aminoimidazole sulfate, or 3-aminopyrazole in acetic acid using sodium nitrite at room temperature or by heating. According to Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, all used heterocyclic diazonium salts formed a covalent bond with SWCNTs and yielded new kinds of five-membered heterocycle-functionalized SWCNTs. Methyl-2-thiophenyl-3-carboxylate-functionalized SWCNTs formed a highly soluble, stable dispersion in tetrahydrofuran (THF), 3-pyrazoyl-functionalized SWCNTs in ethanol, and 2-imidazoyl- or 2-thiophenyl-3-carbonitrile-functionalized SWCNTs in ethanol and THF. The thermogravimetric analysis as well as energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy imaging of the products confirmed the successful functionalization of SWCNTs.

Effect of pitching consecutive days in youth softball tournaments on objective shoulder strength and subjective shoulder symptoms

PubMed Central

Skillington, S. Andrew; Brophy, Robert H.; Wright, Rick W.; Smith, Matthew V.

2017-01-01

Background The windmill pitching motion has been associated with risk for shoulder injury. Since there are no pitching limits on youth fast-pitch softball pitchers, these athletes often pitch multiple games across consecutive days. Strength changes, fatigue levels, and shoulder pain that develop among female fast-pitch pitchers over the course of consecutive days of pitching have not been investigated. Hypothesis Over the course of 2 and 3-day fast-pitch softball tournaments, pitchers will develop progressive objective weakness and increased subjective shoulder fatigue and pain without complete recovery between days. Study Design Cross-Sectional Study. Methods Female fast-pitch softball pitchers between the ages of 14 and 18 who were pitching in 2 and 3-day tournaments were recruited for study participation. At the beginning and end of each day of tournament play, pitchers were asked to quantify shoulder fatigue and shoulder pain levels of their dominant throwing arm using a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS). Shoulder abduction, flexion, external rotation, internal rotation, elbow flexion, and elbow extension strength measurements were gathered using a hand-held dynamometer. Results Over the course of an average single day of tournament participation, pitchers developed significant increases in VAS shoulder fatigue (2.0, 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.0), and pain (1.3, 95% CI: 0.5 to 2.3) and significant strength loss in all tested motions. Pitchers also developed significant increases in VAS shoulder fatigue (3.5, 95% CI: 1.5 to 5.5), VAS shoulder pain (2.5, 95% CI: 1.0 to 4.5) and strength loss in all tested motions over the entire tournament. Shoulder pain, fatigue, and strength do not fully recover between days. The accumulation of subjective shoulder pain and fatigue over the course of tournament play were closely correlated. Conclusion Among youth female fast-pitch softball pitchers, there is a progressive increase in shoulder fatigue, pain, and weakness over the course

Educators Guide to Free Filmstrips. Twenty-Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horkheimer, Mary Foley, Comp.; Diffor, John C., Comp.

A total of 453 titles of filmstrips, slide sets, and sets of transparencies available free of charge to educators are listed in this guide. More than 20,000 separate frames are offered from 95 sources. Twenty of the filmstrips may be retained permanently by the borrower. The films cover topics in the fields of accident prevention, aerospace…

Primary Intracranial Germinomas: Retrospective Analysis of Five Cases.

PubMed

Abdallah, Anas; Asilturk, Murad; Uysal, Mustafa Levent; Emel, Erhan; Abdallah, Betul Guler; Bilgic, Bilge; Gundogdu, Gokcen

2018-01-01

Primary intracranial germinomas (PIGs) are rare malignant brain tumors that represent approximately 0.2% to 1.7% of all primary intracranial tumors. PIGs have infrequent, but there is a possibility of spinal cord metastases. In this study, clinical outcomes of five consecutive PIGs have been presented. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed in 1,849 cases of intracranial tumors who underwent surgery between the years 2005 and 2015 and cases confirmed as germinoma histopathologically were included in this study. Five cases of PIGs were detected in two female (40%) and 3 male (60%) patients. The mean age was 15.2±5.6 (8-23) years. The mean follow-up period was 52.3±56.4 (9-135) months. The most common complaint was headache (60%), followed by nausea±vomiting (40%). Four cases (80%) affected the suprasellar region while the fifth patient"s tumor was localized in the pineal region. The duration between the initial symptom and time of surgical intervention ranged between 15 days and 2 months. Twelve months after the first operation, one patient presented with drop seeding metastasis. Four-year survival (with exception of the case that died as a early surgical complication) was 100%. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in one patient. Surgical mortality rate was 20%. PIGs" morbidity rate was 60%. PIG is a mostly malignant tumor that generally affects the pediatric age group. They are radiosensitive tumors. Subtotal or near-total resection using stereotactic guide or direct surgery to confirm the histopathological diagnosis followed by chemotherapy and whole brain or in some cases craniospinal radiotherapy rather than GTR is therefore the treatment of choice.

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with a compressive retrograde intramedullary nail: a report of 34 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Niinimäki, Tuukka Timo; Klemola, Tero-Matti; Leppilahti, Juhana Ilmari

2007-04-01

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is a treatment modality for severe arthrosis and malalignment of the hindfoot. Complications, such as delayed union and nonunion, are well-known risks of the procedure. Arthrodesis can be done with a plate, screws, an external fixator, or an intramedullary nail. Compression with an intramedullary nail was the focus of this report. Thirty-four consecutive patients (23 men and 11 women) with an average age range of 57 (range 25-77) years had tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis using retrograde intramedullary compression nail fixation. Mean followup was 24 (range 6 to 43) months. One patient died of an unrelated cause, but 30 (91%) of the remaining 33 patients answered the questionnaire. Bony consolidation was achieved in 26 (76%) patients, the mean time to fusion being 16 weeks. Five patients (15%) had complications and seven (20%) had repeat surgery. Of the 30 patients who responded to the questionnaire, three patients (10%) evaluated the overall result subjectively as being of no benefit and 27 (90%) as improved. The visual analog scale (VAS) score for preoperative pain was 66 at rest and 83 when walking, and the mean postoperative scores were 19 and 32, respectively (p<0.001). Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with a compressive retrograde intramedullary nail is an effective and safe procedure for patients with severe malalignment or arthrosis of the hindfoot. It is essentially a salvage procedure, and most patients benefit from it, but excellent results are rare.

Ergonomics analyses of five joineries located in Florianópolis-SC, using the LEST Method.

PubMed

Vergara, Lizandra Lupi Garcia; Garcia, Carolina Schwinden; Miranda, Felipe Vergara

2012-01-01

Considering the goal of Ergonomic Work Analysis to establish, from the point of view of workers, safe, healthy, comfortable and efficient environments, this study propose to analyze the work situation of machine operators at five joineries from Florianópolis-SC. For this, it was applied the LEST Method to evaluate the task made by the operators, considering the physical, cognitive and organizational work environment. As results, it was identified the main ergonomics problems of these workstations, presenting an ergonomic diagnosis and their implications on health and safety of workers. As result, it was concluded that the main ergonomics problems at joineries are related with noise, with constant load of weight and with the postures taken. Besides these problems, others were diagnosed, for example, the pressure for workers to comply strictly the task stipulated and also the poor training and capacity of workers.

Part III: Growth, Maturity, Service: DPE's Second Twenty Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 1976

1976-01-01

The second twenty-years history (1956-1975) of Delta Pi Epsilon is a compilation of four authors' findings of what has happened regarding the national executive boards, new chapters, membership status, financial conditions, interchapter relations, service projects, the DPE Journal, and publications. (BP)

Preoperative Onyx embolization of hypervascular head, neck, and spinal tumors: experience with 100 consecutive cases from a single tertiary center.

PubMed

Rangel-Castilla, Leonardo; Shah, Ankit H; Klucznik, Richard Paul; Diaz, Orlando M

2014-01-01

Preoperative embolization of head, neck, and spinal tumors is frequently used to control tumor bleeding, reduce operative time, and achieve better resection. Numerous embolic materials have been used. The use of the liquid embolic agent Onyx is rapidly increasing but current experience is limited to small case series. Our purpose was to evaluate the indications, techniques, angiographic devascularization, blood loss, outcome, and general efficacy of preoperative tumor embolization with Onyx in a large series. Retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive cases of head, neck, and spinal tumors embolized with Onyx and prospective follow-up. 100 patients (63 women, 37 men) were included. Tumors included 39 meningiomas, 23 metastases, 16 parangliomas, five juvenile nasal angiofibromas, five giant cell bone tumors, three Ewing's sarcomas, three hemangiomas, three hemangioblastomas, two multiple myelomas, and one osteoblastoma. In all patients, angiographic analysis of the feeding arteries and branches was performed and all embolizations were completed in a single session. Additional materials were used in 28 patients. No mortality or major complications were observed. Minor complications were seen in 11 patients. 85 patients underwent surgery; 79 within the next 48 h and six of them 4-188 days after embolization. Embolization of intracranial, head, neck, and spinal tumors with Onyx is effective and safe by a transarterial route or by direct puncture. Onyx penetrates well into the tumor capillary with less arterial catheterization. Studies are necessary to establish long term utility in adjunct or palliative tumor embolization.

76 FR 68117 - Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-03

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Parts 79 [MB Docket No. 11-43; FCC 11-126] Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010... implementation of the Video Description elements of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video...

A Twelve-Year Consecutive Case Experience in Thoracic Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Chen, Jenny T.; Bonneau, Laura A.; Weigel, Tracey L.; Maloney, James D.; Castro, Francisco; Shulzhenko, Nikita

2016-01-01

Background: We describe the second largest contemporary series of flaps used in thoracic reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing thoracomyoplasty from 2001 to 2013 was conducted. Ninety-one consecutive patients were identified. Results: Thoracomyoplasty was performed for 67 patients with intrathoracic indications and 24 patients with chest wall defects. Malignancy and infection were the most common indications for reconstruction (P < 0.01). The latissimus dorsi (LD), pectoralis major, and serratus anterior muscle flaps remained the workhorses of reconstruction (LD and pectoralis major: 64% flaps in chest wall reconstruction; LD and serratus anterior: 85% of flaps in intrathoracic indication). Only 12% of patients required mesh. Only 6% of patients with <2 ribs resected required mesh when compared with 24% with 3–4 ribs, and 100% with 5 or more ribs resected (P < 0.01). Increased rib resections required in chest wall reconstruction resulted in a longer hospital stay (P < 0.01). Total comorbidities and complications were related to length of stay only in intrathoracic indication (P < 0.01). Average intubation time was significantly higher in patients undergoing intrathoracic indication (5.51 days) than chest wall reconstruction (0.04 days), P < 0.05. Average hospital stay was significantly higher in patients undergoing intrathoracic indication (23 days) than chest wall reconstruction (12 days), P < 0.05. One-year survival was most poor for intrathoracic indication (59%) versus chest wall reconstruction (83%), P = 0.0048. Conclusion: Thoracic reconstruction remains a safe and successful intervention that reliably treats complex and challenging problems, allowing more complex thoracic surgery problems to be salvaged. PMID:27257568

Intra-rater reliability and agreement of various methods of measurement to assess dorsiflexion in the Weight Bearing Dorsiflexion Lunge Test (WBLT) among female athletes.

PubMed

Langarika-Rocafort, Argia; Emparanza, José Ignacio; Aramendi, José F; Castellano, Julen; Calleja-González, Julio

2017-01-01

To examine the intra-observer reliability and agreement between five methods of measurement for dorsiflexion during Weight Bearing Dorsiflexion Lunge Test and to assess the degree of agreement between three methods in female athletes. Repeated measurements study design. Volleyball club. Twenty-five volleyball players. Dorsiflexion was evaluated using five methods: heel-wall distance, first toe-wall distance, inclinometer at tibia, inclinometer at Achilles tendon and the dorsiflexion angle obtained by a simple trigonometric function. For the statistical analysis, agreement was studied using the Bland-Altman method, the Standard Error of Measurement and the Minimum Detectable Change. Reliability analysis was performed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Measurement methods using the inclinometer had more than 6° of measurement error. The angle calculated by trigonometric function had 3.28° error. The reliability of inclinometer based methods had ICC values < 0.90. Distance based methods and trigonometric angle measurement had an ICC values > 0.90. Concerning the agreement between methods, there was from 1.93° to 14.42° bias, and from 4.24° to 7.96° random error. To assess DF angle in WBLT, the angle calculated by a trigonometric function is the most repeatable method. The methods of measurement cannot be used interchangeably. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 14856 - Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-18

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Parts 73 and 79 [MB Docket No. 11-43; FCC 11-36] Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010... Commission takes an initial step to implement the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility...

Five Steps for Improving Evaluation Reports by Using Different Data Analysis Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Bruce

Although methodological integrity is not the sole determinant of the value of a program evaluation, decision-makers do have a right, at a minimum, to be able to expect competent work from evaluators. This paper explores five areas where evaluators might improve methodological practices. First, evaluation reports should reflect the limited…

Reflections on Twenty Years of Practicum, Partnership & Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Andrew J.

2013-01-01

Twenty years ago the development of a sports management program at Massey University was then the only one in New Zealand. Professional rugby was still a couple of years away. Kit McConnell, Head of the 2011 RWC and Tournament Director for the IRB, was a Masters student back then. He indicated "the academic staff were doing something new--and…

Effects of consecutive monoculture of Pseudostellaria heterophylla on soil fungal community as determined by pyrosequencing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Linkun; Chen, Jun; Wu, Hongmiao; Wang, Juanying; Wu, Yanhong; Lin, Sheng; Khan, Muhammad Umar; Zhang, Zhongyi; Lin, Wenxiong

2016-05-01

Under consecutive monoculture, the biomass and quality of Pseudostellaria heterophylla declines significantly. In this study, a three-year field experiment was conducted to identify typical growth inhibition effects caused by extended monoculturing of P. heterophylla. Deep pyrosequencing was used to examine changes in the structure and composition of soil fungal community along a three-year gradient of monoculture. The results revealed a distinct separation between the newly planted plot and the two-year, three-year monocultured plots. The Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were significantly higher in the two-year and three-year monoculture soils than in the newly planted soil. Consecutive monoculture of this plant led to a significant increase in relative abundance of Fusarium, Trichocladium and Myrothecium and Simplicillium, etc., but a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Penicillium. Quantitative PCR analysis confirmed a significant increase in Fusarium oxysporum, an agent known to cause wilt and rot disease of P. heterophylla. Furthermore, phenolic acid mixture at a ratio similar to that found in the rhizosphere could promote mycelial growth of pathogenic F. oxysporum. Overall, this study demonstrated that consecutive monoculture of P. heterophylla can alter the fungal community in the rhizosphere, including enrichment of host-specific pathogenic fungi at the expense of plant-beneficial fungi.

Experience with 100 consecutive simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplants with bladder drainage.

PubMed Central

Sollinger, H W; Knechtle, S J; Reed, A; D'Alessandro, A M; Kalayoglu, M; Belzer, F O; Pirsch, J

1991-01-01

From December 1985 to December 1989, 100 consecutive simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplants were performed at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. Bladder drainage technique was used for all grafts. One- and three-year patient survival was 93% and 90%; kidney survival, 90% and 85%; and pancreas survival, 86% and 84%. Quadruple immunosuppressive therapy was used in all patients and consisted of either MALG or OKT3 induction, and cyclosporine, prednisone, and azathioprine maintenance therapy. OKT3 induction therapy was used in 42 patients and Minnesota antilymphocyte globule in 58 patients, with equivalent results except for more opportunistic infection with OKT3. The duodenal button technique was used in the first 17 patients with systemic anticoagulation and was associated with significantly more postoperative bleeding and infection compared with the duodenal segment technique. The most common surgical complication of the duodenal segment technique was urine leak (13%), which usually occurred from the distal duodenal segment. The most common urologic complication of bladder drainage was hematuria (13%), which was usually self-limited. Within 6 months of transplantation, 84% of patients developed urinary tract infections, and 25% of patients had opportunistic infections. The surgical techniques and immunosuppressive methods used in this series are reviewed, and strategies for preventing medical and surgical complications are outlined. PMID:1741650

Pattern recall skills of talented soccer players: Two new methods applied.

PubMed

van Maarseveen, Mariëtte J J; Oudejans, Raôul R D; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

2015-06-01

In this study we analyzed the pattern recall skills of talented soccer players by means of two innovative methods of analysis and gaze behavior data. Twenty-two young female soccer players watched video clips of 3 vs. 3 small-sided games and, after occlusion, had to reproduce the positions of the players. Recall performance was measured by calculating the spatial error of the recalled player positions at the moment of occlusion and at consecutive 33ms increments. We analyzed player positions relative to each other, by assessing geometric pattern features in terms of angles between players, and we transformed the data into real-world coordinates to exclude the effects of the 2D perspective in the video clips. The results showed that the participants anticipated the movements of the patterns. In real-world coordinates, the more experienced players anticipated the pattern further in advance than the less experienced players and demonstrated a higher search rate, a shorter fixation duration and a higher fixation order. The differences in recall accuracy between the defensive and offensive elements were not consistent across the methods of analysis and, therefore, we propose that perspective effects of the video clip should be taken into account in further research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of five flavonoids from Stellera chamaejasme L. in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

PubMed

Li, Yun-Qing; Li, Cheng-Jian; Lv, Lei; Cao, Qing-Qing; Qian, Xian; Li, Si Wei; Wang, Hui; Zhao, Liang

2018-06-01

Stellera chamaejasme L. has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of scabies, tinea, stubborn skin ulcers, chronic tracheitis, cancer and tuberculosis. A sensitive and selective ultra-high liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of five flavonoids (stelleranol, chamaechromone, neochamaejasmin A, chamaejasmine and isochamaejasmin) of S. chamaejasme L. in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was accomplished on an Agilent Poroshell 120 EC-C 18 column (2.1 × 100 mm, 2.7 μm) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min and the total analysis time was 7 min. The analytes were detected using multiple reaction monitoring in positive ionization mode. The samples were prepared by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. The UPLC-MS/MS method was validated for specificity, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision, recovery, matrix effect and stability. The validated method exhibited good linearity (r ≥ 0.9956), and the lower limits of quantification ranged from 0.51 to 0.64 ng/mL for five flavonoids. The intra- and inter-day precision were both <10.2%, and the accuracy ranged from -11.79 to 9.21%. This method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of five flavonoids in rats after oral administration of ethyl acetate extract of S. chamaejasme L. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells: Evaluation of storage methods, open circuit versus continuous trickle charge, Sonotone 3.5 ampere-hour sealed nickel-cadmium secondary spacecraft cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, R. E.

1972-01-01

Twenty-five cells were used in a five-year test to compare, after each successive one-year storage period, the discharge and charge characteristics of charged cells on open circuit versus that of cells on continuous trickle charge. The test procedure, instrumentation, and results are described. Based on the test results, the following recommendations were made: (1) If the user's purpose will allow a rejuvenation cycle or two after a long storage period, the open circuit regime will likely give slightly greater capacity. (2) If the user's purpose demands immediately available power following a long storage period, the trickle charge method of storage is definitely the regime to use.

Evaluation of the robustness of estimating five components from a skin spectral image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akaho, Rina; Hirose, Misa; Tsumura, Norimichi

2018-04-01

We evaluated the robustness of a method used to estimate five components (i.e., melanin, oxy-hemoglobin, deoxy-hemoglobin, shading, and surface reflectance) from the spectral reflectance of skin at five wavelengths against noise and a change in epidermis thickness. We also estimated the five components from recorded images of age spots and circles under the eyes using the method. We found that noise in the image must be no more 0.1% to accurately estimate the five components and that the thickness of the epidermis affects the estimation. We acquired the distribution of major causes for age spots and circles under the eyes by applying the method to recorded spectral images.

Contamination of Ambient Air with Acinetobacter baumannii on Consecutive Inpatient Days.

PubMed

Shimose, Luis A; Doi, Yohei; Bonomo, Robert A; De Pascale, Dennise; Viau, Roberto A; Cleary, Timothy; Namias, Nicholas; Kett, Daniel H; Munoz-Price, L Silvia

2015-07-01

Acinetobacter-positive patients had their ambient air tested for up to 10 consecutive days. The air was Acinetobacter positive for an average of 21% of the days; the rate of contamination was higher among patients colonized in the rectum than in the airways (relative risk [RR], 2.35; P = 0.006). Of the 6 air/clinical isolate pairs available, 4 pairs were closely related according to rep-PCR results. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A novel two-step optimization method for tandem and ovoid high-dose-rate brachytherapy treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer.

PubMed

Sharma, Manju; Fields, Emma C; Todor, Dorin A

2015-01-01

To present a novel method allowing fast volumetric optimization of tandem and ovoid high-dose-rate treatments and to quantify its benefits. Twenty-seven CT-based treatment plans from 6 consecutive cervical cancer patients treated with four to five intracavitary tandem and ovoid insertions were used. Initial single-step optimized plans were manually optimized, approved, and delivered plans created with a goal to cover high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) with D90 >90% and minimize rectum, bladder, and sigmoid D2cc. For the two-step optimized (TSO) plan, each single-step optimized plan was replanned adding a structure created from prescription isodose line to the existent physician delineated HR-CTV, rectum, bladder, and sigmoid. New, more rigorous dose-volume histogram constraints for the critical organs at risks (OARs) were used for the optimization. HR-CTV D90 and OAR D2ccs were evaluated in both plans. TSO plans had consistently smaller D2ccs for all three OARs while preserving HR-CTV D90. On plans with "excellent" CTV coverage, average D90 of 96% (91-102%), sigmoid, bladder, and rectum D2cc, respectively, reduced on average by 37% (16-73%), 28% (20-47%), and 27% (15-45%). Similar reductions were obtained on plans with "good" coverage, average D90 of 93% (90-99%). For plans with "inferior" coverage, average D90 of 81%, the coverage increased to 87% with concurrent D2cc reductions of 31%, 18%, and 11% for sigmoid, bladder, and rectum, respectively. The TSO can be added with minimal planning time increase but with the potential of dramatic and systematic reductions in OAR D2ccs and in some cases with concurrent increase in target dose coverage. These single-fraction modifications would be magnified over the course of four to five intracavitary insertions and may have real clinical implications in terms of decreasing both acute and late toxicities. Copyright © 2015 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shark attack: review of 86 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Woolgar, J D; Cliff, G; Nair, R; Hafez, H; Robbs, J V

2001-05-01

On average there are approximately 50 confirmed shark attacks worldwide annually. Despite their rarity, such incidents often generate much public and media attention. The injuries of 86 consecutive victims of shark attack were reviewed from 1980 to 1999. Clinical data retrieved from the South African Shark Attack Files, maintained by the Natal Sharks Board, were retrospectively analyzed to determine the nature, treatment, and outcome of injuries. The majority of victims (n = 68 [81%]) had relatively minor injuries that required simple primary suture. Those patients (n = 16 [19%]) with more extensive limb lacerations longer than 20 cm or with soft-tissue loss of more than one myofascial compartment were associated with higher morbidity and limb loss. In 8 of the 10 fatalities, death occurred as a result of exsanguinating hemorrhage from a limb vascular injury. Victims of shark attack usually sustain only minor injuries. In more serious cases, particularly if associated with a major vascular injury, hemorrhage control and early resuscitation are of utmost importance during the initial management if these patients are to survive.

Assessing five field sampling methods to monitor Yellowstone National Park's northern ungulate winter range: the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a new sampling protocol

Treesearch

Pamela G. Sikkink; Roy Renkin; Geneva Chong; Art Sikkink

2013-01-01

The five field sampling methods tested for this study differed in richness and Simpson's Index values calculated from the raw data. How much the methods differed, and which ones were most similar to each other, depended on which diversity measure and which type of data were used for comparisons. When the number of species (richness) was used as a measure of...

Long-term results of laryngotracheal resection for benign stenosis from a series of 109 consecutive patients.

PubMed

D'Andrilli, Antonio; Maurizi, Giulio; Andreetti, Claudio; Ciccone, Anna Maria; Ibrahim, Mohsen; Poggi, Camilla; Venuta, Federico; Rendina, Erino Angelo

2016-07-01

Long-term results of patients undergoing laryngotracheal resection for benign stenosis are reported. This is the largest series ever published. Between 1991 and March 2015, 109 consecutive patients (64 males, 45 females; mean age 39 ± 10.9 years) underwent laryngotracheal resection for subglottic postintubation (93) or idiopathic (16) stenosis. Preoperative procedures included tracheostomy in 35 patients, laser in 17 and laser plus stenting in 18. The upper limit of the stenosis ranged between actual involvement of the vocal cords and 1.5 cm from the glottis. Airway resection length ranged between 1.5 and 6 cm (mean 3.4 ± 0.8 cm) and it was over 4.5 cm in 14 patients. Laryngotracheal release was performed in 9 patients (suprahyoid in 7, pericardial in 1 and suprahyoid + pericardial in 1). There was no perioperative mortality. Ninety-nine patients (90.8%) had excellent or good early results. Ten patients (9.2%) experienced complications including restenosis in 8, dehiscence in 1 and glottic oedema requiring tracheostomy in 1. Restenosis was treated in all 8 patients with endoscopic procedures (5 laser, 2 laser + stent, 1 mechanical dilatation). The patient with anastomotic dehiscence required temporary tracheostomy closed after 1 year with no sequelae. One patient presenting postoperative glottic oedema underwent permanent tracheostomy. Minor complications occurred in 4 patients (3 wound infections, 1 atrial fibrillation). Definitive excellent or good results were achieved in 94.5% of patients. Twenty-eight post-coma patients with neuropsychiatric disorders showed no increased complication and failure rate. Laryngotracheal resection is the definitive curative treatment for subglottic stenosis allowing very high success rate at long term. Early complications can be managed by endoscopic procedures achieving excellent and stable results over time. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio

Studies on Five Senses Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Sadaka; Miao, Tiejun; Oyama-Higa, Mayumi

2011-06-01

This study proposed a therapy from complementary and alternative medicine to treat mental disorder by through interactions of five senses between therapist and patient. In this method sounding a certain six voices play an important role in healing and recovery. First, we studied effects of speaking using scalp- EEG measurement. Chaos analysis of EEG showed a largely enhanced largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) during the speaking. In addition, EEG power spectrum showed an increase over most frequencies. Second, we performed case studies on mental disorder using the therapy. Running power spectrum of EEG of patients indicated decreasing power at end of treatment, implying five senses therapy induced relaxed and lowered energy in central neural system. The results agreed with patient's reports that there were considerable decline in anxiety and improvements in mood.

Slowmation: A Twenty-First Century Educational Tool for Science and Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paige, Kathryn; Bentley, Brendan; Dobson, Stephen

2016-01-01

Slowmation is a twenty-first century digital literacy educational tool. This teaching and learning tool has been incorporated as an assessment strategy in the curriculum area of science and mathematics with pre-service teachers (PSTs). This paper explores two themes: developing twenty-first century digital literacy skills and modelling best…

Can we conquer cancer in the twenty-first century?

PubMed

Freireich, E J

2001-08-01

The twentieth century recorded the greatest advance in the control of human disease. From the beginning of recorded time, the human life-span changed little until the twentieth century. In the USA, it increased from 47.3 years in 1900 to 76.4 years in 2000. The answer to the question of "Can we cure cancer in the twenty-first century?" requires an appreciation of the contemporary nature of our knowledge. At the beginning of the twentieth century, major problems were nutrition and infection. By 1950, the major causes of mortality and morbidity were still infectious diseases, such as syphilis, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, and influenza. The 1950s and 1960s were the golden age of control of infectious diseases, while cancer, because of the aging of the population and the strong association between cancer and age, has become the major healthcare problem of the twenty-first century. Until 1960, no one had proposed or demonstrated that a systemic or metastatic form of cancer could be cured. In only 35-40 years not only have techniques for the early detection, prevention, and surgical and radiation therapy treatments improved, but at least 15-20% of patients with systemic/metastatic cancers can be cured with our current primitive systemic treatments. Prior to 1943, there was no chemotherapy. Prior to 1948, no one had described complete regression of a systemic cancer. There were no multi-institution, randomized clinical trials prior to 1949. Additionally, combination chemotherapy, new drugs, bone marrow transplantation, broad-spectrum antibiotics to control infections, and platelets to control hemorrhage have been added in the past 50 years. The pace of progress extrapolates to a prediction of cancer control in the twenty-first century. The human genome has been sequenced, and it will be possible to identify expression profiles not only for malignant cells but for their normal counterparts. It is certain that interventions specific for control of the malignant

Twenty-five year trends in body mass index by education and income in Finland

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The socioeconomic gradient in obesity and overweight is amply documented. However, the contribution of different socioeconomic indicators on trends of body mass index (BMI) over time is less well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of education and income with (BMI) from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. Methods Data were derived from nationwide cross-sectional health behaviour surveys carried out among Finns annually since 1978. This study comprises data from a 25-year period (1978–2002) that included 25 339 men and 25 330 women aged 25–64 years. BMI was based on self-reported weight and height. Education in years was obtained from the questionnaire and household income from the national tax register. In order to improve the comparability of the socioeconomic position measures, education and income were divided into gender-specific tertiles separately for each study year. Linear regression analysis was applied. Results An increase in BMI was observed among men and women in all educational and income groups. In women, education and income were inversely associated with BMI. The magnitudes of the associations fluctuated but stayed statistically significant over time. Among the Finnish men, socioeconomic differences were more complicated. Educational differences were weaker than among the women and income differences varied according to educational level. At the turn of the century, the high income men in the lowest educational group had the highest BMI whereas the income pattern in the highest educational group was the opposite. Conclusion No overall change in the socio-economic differences of BMI was observed in Finland between 1978 and 2002. However, the trends of BMI diverged in sub-groups of the studied population: the most prominent increase in BMI took place in high income men with low education and in low income men with high education. The results encourage further research on the pathways between income

Long term outcome of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: analyses of 140 consecutive patients

PubMed Central

Jutila, L; Immonen, A; Mervaala, E; Partanen, J; Partanen, K; Puranen, M; Kalviainen, R; Alafuzoff, I; Hurskainen, H; Vapalahti, M; Ylinen, A

2002-01-01

Objective: To analyse the long term results of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery in a national epilepsy surgery centre for adults, and to evaluate preoperative factors predicting a good postoperative outcome on long term follow up. Methods: Longitudinal follow up of 140 consecutive adult patients operated on for drug resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Results: 46% of patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy became seizure-free, 10% had only postoperative auras, and 15% had rare seizures on follow up for (mean (SD)) 5.4 (2.6) years, range 0.25 to 10.5 years. The best outcome was after introduction of a standardised magnetic resonance (MR) imaging protocol (1993–99): in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy, 52% of patients became seizure-free, 7% had only postoperative auras, and 17% had rare seizures (median follow up 3.8 years, range 0.25 to 6.5 years); in palliative cases (incomplete removal of focus), a reduction in seizures of at least 80% was achieved in 71% of cases (median follow up 3.1 years, range 1.1 to 6.8 years). Most seizure relapses (86%) occurred within one year of the operation, and outcome at one year did not differ from the long term outcome. Unilateral hippocampal atrophy with or without temporal cortical atrophy on qualitative MR imaging (p < 0.001, odds ratio (OR) 5.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0 to 13.7), other unitemporal structural lesions on qualitative MR imaging (p ≤ 0.001, OR 6.9, 95% CI 2.2 to 21.5), onset of epilepsy before the age of five years (p < 0.05, OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 7.2), and focal seizures with ictal impairment of consciousness and focal ictal EEG as a predominant seizure type (p < 0.05, OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 9.1) predicted Engel I–II outcome. Hippocampal volume reduction of at least 1 SD from the mean of controls on the side of the seizure onset (p < 0.05, OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.1 to 9.2) also predicted Engel I–II outcome. Conclusions: Outcome at one year postoperatively is highly predictive of long term outcome

Validation a solid-phase extraction-HPLC method for determining the migration behaviour of five aromatic amines from packaging bags into seafood simulants.

PubMed

OuYang, Xiao-Kun; Luo, Yu-Yang; Wang, Yang-Guang; Yang, Li-Ye

2014-01-01

The simultaneous determination of five aromatic amines and their potential migration from packaging bags into seafood simulants were investigated. A validated HPLC method was developed for the separation and qualification of five aromatic amines in seafood simulants. By combining solid-phase extraction (SPE), these amines were efficiently separated on a Halo C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm i.d., 2.7 μm, particle size) using a mobile phase of methanol/phosphate buffer solution (5 mmol l(-1), pH 6.9) with gradient elution. The linear range was 0.1-10.0 mg l(-1); the absolute recoveries ranged from 85.3% to 98.4%; and the limits of detection of the five aromatic amines were between 0.015 and 0.08 mg l(-1). In this work the migration profile of aromatic amines from black plastic bags was investigated at temperatures of 4°C with water, 3% acetic acid solution, 10% ethanol solution and 50% ethanol solution as seafood simulants, respectively. The migration of the five aromatic amines under different conditions showed that residual o-methoxyaniline, p-chloroaniline, aniline and 2,6-dimethylaniline leaching from black plastic bags increased with incubation time. No detectable 3,3´-dimethylbenzidine was found to leach from the bags.

Cognitive assessment in mathematics with the least squares distance method.

PubMed

Ma, Lin; Çetin, Emre; Green, Kathy E

2012-01-01

This study investigated the validation of comprehensive cognitive attributes of an eighth-grade mathematics test using the least squares distance method and compared performance on attributes by gender and region. A sample of 5,000 students was randomly selected from the data of the 2005 Turkish national mathematics assessment of eighth-grade students. Twenty-five math items were assessed for presence or absence of 20 cognitive attributes (content, cognitive processes, and skill). Four attributes were found to be misspecified or nonpredictive. However, results demonstrated the validity of cognitive attributes in terms of the revised set of 17 attributes. The girls had similar performance on the attributes as the boys. The students from the two eastern regions significantly underperformed on the most attributes.

Consecutive emamectin benzoate and deltamethrin treatments affect the expressions and activities of detoxification enzymes in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

PubMed

Cárcamo, Juan Guillermo; Aguilar, Marcelo N; Carreño, Constanza F; Vera, Tamara; Arias-Darraz, Luis; Figueroa, Jaime E; Romero, Alex P; Alvarez, Marco; Yañez, Alejandro J

2017-01-01

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) subjected to three consecutive, alternating treatments with emamectin benzoate (EMB) and deltamethrin (DM) during outbreaks of Caligus rogercresseyi in a farm located in southern Chile (Hornopiren, Chiloé), were studied to determine the effects of these treatments on the protein and enzymatic activity levels of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A), flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in different tissues. Consecutive and alternating EMB/DM treatments resulted in a 10-fold increase and 3-fold decrease of CYP1A protein levels in the intestine and gills, respectively. Notably, CYP1A activity levels decreased in most of the analyzed tissues. FMO protein and activity levels markedly increased in the kidney and the intestine. GST was up-regulated in all tissues, either as protein or enzyme activity. When comparing consecutive EMB/DM treatments against previous studies of EMB treatment alone, CYP1A activity levels were similarly diminished, except in muscle. Likewise, FMO activity levels were increased in most of the analyzed tissues, particularly in the muscle, kidney, and intestine. The increases observed for GST were essentially unchanged between consecutive EMB/DM and EMB only treatments. These results indicate that consecutive EMB/DM treatments in rainbow trout induce the expression and activity of FMO and GST enzymes and decrease CYP1A activity. These altered activities of detoxification enzymes could generate imbalances in metabolic processes, synthesis, degradation of hormones and complications associated with drug interactions. It is especially important when analyzing possible effects of consecutive antiparasitic treatments on withholding periods and salmon farming yields. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Determination of five microcystins in drinking water by HPLC/MS/MS].

PubMed

Liu, Honghe; Mao, Lisha; Zhu, Zhou; Liu, Guihua; Chen, Yuhua

2012-09-01

A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was established for determination of five microcystins( MC-LR,MC-LW,MC-RR, MC-LF, MC-YR)in drinking water and source water. The five microcystins in water was cleaned by 0.22 microm millipore filter, then detected by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Identification was achieved by electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive mode using multiple reaction monitoring. The calibration curves of five microcystins showed good linearity in the range of 0.5-50 microg/L with correlation coefficient in the range of 0.9994 -1.0000. The detection limit of the method was from 0.06 microg/L to 0.08 microg/L, the recoveries of two spiking levels ranged from 91.2% to 102%, and RSDs of range from 2.11% to 3.26% were obtained. The method for determination of five microcystins in drinking water and source water by HPLC-MS/MS was of operation convenience, less interference from impurities and good accuracy, which could meet the requirements of national health standard method for the determination of microcystins in drinking water.

Planting pattern and weed control method influence on yield production of corn (Zea mays L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purba, E.; Nasution, D. P.

2018-02-01

Field experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of planting patterns and weed control methods on the growth and yield of corn. The effect of the planting pattern and weed control method was studied in a split plot design. The main plots were that of planting pattern single row (25cm x 60cm), double row (25cm x 25cm x 60cm) and triangle row ( 25cm x 25cm x 25cm). Subplot was that of weed control method consisted five methods namely weed free throughout the growing season, hand weeding, sprayed with glyphosate, sprayed with paraquat, and no weeding.. Result showed that both planting pattern and weed control method did not affect the growth of corn. However, planting pattern and weed control method significantly affected yield production. Yield resulted from double row and triangle planting pattern was 14% and 41% higher, consecutively, than that of single row pattern. The triangle planting pattern combined with any weed control method produced the highest yield production of corn.

Regional climate of the Subtropical Central Andes using high-resolution CMIP5 models. Part II: future projections for the twenty-first century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zazulie, Natalia; Rusticucci, Matilde; Raga, Graciela B.

2017-12-01

In Part I of our study (Zazulie et al. Clim Dyn, 2017, hereafter Z17) we analyzed the ability of a subset of fifteen high-resolution global climate models (GCMs) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 to reproduce the past climate of the Subtropical Central Andes (SCA) of Argentina and Chile. A subset of only five GCMs was shown to reproduce well the past climate (1980-2005), for austral summer and winter. In this study we analyze future climate projections for the twenty-first century over this complex orography region using those five GCMs. We evaluate the projections under two of the representative concentration pathways considered as future scenarios: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Future projections indicate warming during the twenty-first century over the SCA region, especially pronounced over the mountains. Projections of warming at high elevations in the SCA depend on altitude, and are larger than the projected global mean warming. This phenomenon is expected to strengthen by the end of the century under the high-emission scenario. Increases in winter temperatures of up to 2.5 °C, relative to 1980-2005, are projected by 2040-2065, while a 5 °C warming is expected at the highest elevations by 2075-2100. Such a large monthly-mean warming during winter would most likely result in snowpack melting by late winter-early spring, with serious implication for water availability during summer, when precipitation is a minimum over the mountains. We also explore changes in the albedo, as a contributing factor affecting the net flux of energy at the surface and found a reduction in albedo of 20-60% at high elevations, related to the elevation dependent warming. Furthermore, a decrease in winter precipitation is projected in central Chile by the end of the century, independent of the scenario considered.

Teacher-Friendly Technology Applications for the Twenty-First Century Learner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Jaime; Potter, Jalene; Hollas, Tori

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to present recent technology applications for teachers as well as share important techniques in setting up a classroom environment that will prepare their students as twenty-first century learners.

Guidelines to design engineering education in the twenty-first century for supporting innovative product development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Violante, Maria Grazia; Vezzetti, Enrico

2017-11-01

In the twenty-first century, meeting our technological challenges demands educational excellence, a skilled populace that is ready for the critical challenges society faces. There is widespread consensus, however, that education systems are failing to adequately prepare all students with the essential twenty-first century knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in life, career, and citizenship. The purpose of this paper is to understand how twenty-first century knowledge and skills can be appropriately embedded in engineering education finalised to innovative product development by using additive manufacturing (AM). The study designs a learning model by which to achieve effective AM education to address the requirements of twenty-first century and to offer students the occasion to experiment with STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts. The study is conducted using the quality function deployment (QFD) methodology.

Watch and Learn: Seeing Is Better than Doing when Acquiring Consecutive Motor Tasks

PubMed Central

Larssen, Beverley C.; Ong, Nicole T.; Hodges, Nicola J.

2012-01-01

During motor adaptation learning, consecutive physical practice of two different tasks compromises the retention of the first. However, there is evidence that observational practice, while still effectively aiding acquisition, will not lead to interference and hence prove to be a better practice method. Observers and Actors practised in a clockwise (Task A) followed by a counterclockwise (Task B) visually rotated environment, and retention was immediately assessed. An Observe-all and Act-all group were compared to two groups who both physically practised Task A, but then only observed (ObsB) or did not see or practice Task B (NoB). The two observer groups and the NoB control group better retained Task A than Actors, although importantly only the observer groups learnt Task B. RT data and explicit awareness of the rotation suggested that the observers had acquired their respective tasks in a more strategic manner than Actor and Control groups. We conclude that observational practice benefits learning of multiple tasks more than physical practice due to the lack of updating of implicit, internal models for aiming in the former. PMID:22723909

Vibrio infections in Louisiana: twenty-five years of surveillance 1980-2005.

PubMed

Thomas, Annu; Straif-Bourgeois, Susanne; Sokol, Theresa M; Ratard, Raoult C

2007-01-01

A total of 1,007 Vibrio infections were reported to the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Department at the Louisiana Office of Public Heath, between 1980 and 2005. The most common were Vibrio vulnificus (257 infections), Vibrio parahemolyticus (249 infections), and Vibrio cholerae non O1 (200 cases). Other species were much less common. Vibrio vulnificus infections, which are associated with consumption of raw seafood (particularly oysters) or contact with sea water, and severe immuno-suppression or liver disease were increasing. Septicemia and blood stream infections are the main manifestations of this infection. The number of infections due to Vibrio parahemolyticus on the other hand, causing mostly gastroenteritis, has remained stable. Vibrio cholerae infections are less common and almost always associated with consumption of partially cooked or contaminated crabs.

The 2002 review of Florida's twenty-five long range transportation plans

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-08-01

Florida's 25 metropolitan planning organization (MPO) long range transportation plans (LRTPs) were reviewed. Each MPO had completed at least one update cycle since the initial review in 1997. Additionally, federal transportation legislation added a f...

Twenty-five years of education in psychology and psychology in education.

PubMed

Rozensky, Ronald H; Grus, Catherine L; Fouad, Nadya A; McDaniel, Susan H

2017-11-01

This article is part of a special issue of the American Psychologist celebrating the American Psychological Association's (APA's) 125th anniversary. The article reviews the last quarter century (1991-2016) of accomplishments by psychology's education and training community and APA's Education Directorate. The purpose is to highlight key trends and developments over the past quarter century that illustrate ways the Directorate sought to advance education in psychology and psychology in education, as the Directorate's mission statement says. The focus of the Directorate has been on building a cooperative culture across psychology's broad education and training community. Specifically APA has (a) promoted quality education-from prekindergarten through lifelong learning, (b) encouraged accountability through guidelines and standards for education and training, and (c) supported the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge to enhance health, education, and well-being. After identifying challenges and progress, the article discusses the future of the field of psychology and the preparation of its workforce of tomorrow. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Twenty-Five Leadership Support Tips: Some Thoughts on Leadership Support Roles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goeres, Ernest R.

1994-01-01

A discussion of college administrative staff in leadership support roles looks at the qualities, attitudes, and skills managers must have to be effective and successful. These include personal and professional abilities; relationships with subordinates, peers, and leadership; organizational communication; flexibility; and empathy. (MSE)

Reexamining "Brown" Twenty-Five Years Later: Looking Backward into the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Robert L.

1979-01-01

While not abandoning the goal of integration in the schools, poor blacks should aim toward obtaining a high quality education, obtaining equal education whatever the setting. Available from William S. Hein & Co., Inc., 1285 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14209. (IRT)

From Unity to Diversity: Twenty-Five Years of Language-Teaching Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen-Freeman, Diane

2012-01-01

This article was written for the 25th anniversary of "English Teaching Forum" and published in 1987. In this article, the author describes methodological developments in the field of English language teaching over the past 25 years. The author has found it helpful to think of methodology being depicted as a triangle, with each angle of the…

Twenty-five years of biomonitoring lead in the Frankfurt/Main area.

PubMed

Ballach, Hans-Joachim; Wittig, Rüdiger; Wulff, Svenja

2002-01-01

The present study is an example of the historical monitoring of heavy metals. The specific question it aims to explore is: to what extent has the lead content of selected organisms used for biomonitoring in Frankfurt/Main--one of the cities in Germany most heavily affected by automobile traffic--changed as a result of legislation on leaded gasoline? Data on the lead content of the moss species Bryum argenteum Hedw. from the years 1974, 1975 and 1978 and data on the lead content of the outer bark of the ash species Fraxinus excelsior L. from 1973 served as the basis for the repeated measurements. Remeasurement was successful in 76.5% (i.e. 124 trees at 26 growth sites). The study produced the following results: As was expected, the lead content of the short-term accumulator Bryum argenteum Hedw. was distinctly lowered with a decreasing particulate lead concentration. However, the reduction factor varied greatly between the different growth sites. On the other hand, the lead content measured in the outer bark layers of Fraxinus excelsior L. has risen markedly during the past two decades. Whereas in 1973 nearly all trees examined displayed very low concentrations of lead (< 38 ppm), only 9.5% were still in this category in 1997 and nearly 30% exhibited high or even unacceptable lead concentrations (< 150 ppm-->225 ppm). Various factors have to be taken into account to explain this increase. First of all, bark is a long-term accumulator for heavy metals like lead and its enrichment capacity could have increased as the surface becomes rougher over time. Furthermore, lead is most probably leached out of the bark to a lesser degree now than in the 1970s, owing to the reduced concentration of sulphuric acid in the rain. The dramatic growth of automobile traffic in the Frankfurt/Main area during the period covered by the study undoubtedly plays an important role as well.

Twenty-five-year atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach: a comprehensive overview.

PubMed

Frencken, Jo E; Leal, Soraya Coelho; Navarro, Maria Fidela

2012-10-01

The atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach was born 25 years ago in Tanzania. It has evolved into an essential caries management concept for improving quality and access to oral care globally. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews have indicated that the high effectiveness of ART sealants using high-viscosity glass ionomers in carious lesion development prevention is not different from that of resin fissure sealants. ART using high-viscosity glass ionomer can safely be used to restore single-surface cavities both in primary and in permanent posterior teeth, but its quality in restoring multiple surfaces in primary posterior teeth cavities needs to be improved. Insufficient information is available regarding the quality of ART restorations in multiple surfaces in permanent anterior and posterior teeth. There appears to be no difference in the survival of single-surface high-viscosity glass-ionomer ART restorations and amalgam restorations. The use of ART results in smaller cavities and in high acceptance of preventive and restorative care by children. Because local anaesthesia is seldom needed and only hand instruments are used, ART is considered to be a promising approach for treating children suffering from early childhood caries. ART has been implemented in the public oral health services of a number of countries, and clearly, proper implementation requires the availability of sufficient stocks of good high-viscosity glass ionomers and sets of ART instruments right from the start. Textbooks including chapters on ART are available, and the concept is being included in graduate courses at dental schools in a number of countries. Recent development and testing of e-learning modules for distance learning has increasingly facilitated the distribution of ART information amongst professionals, thus enabling more people to benefit from ART. However, this development and further research require adequate funding, which is not always easily obtainable. The next major challenge is the continuation of care to the frail elderly, in which ART may play a part. ART, as part of the Basic Package of Oral Care, is an important cornerstone for the development of global oral health and alleviating inequality in oral care.

Twenty-five years of aerodynamic research with IR imaging: A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gartenberg, Ehud; Roberts, A. Sidney, Jr.

1991-01-01

Infrared imaging used in aerodynamic research evolved during the last 25 years into a rewarding experimental technique for investigation of body-flow viscous interactions, such as heat flux determination and boundary layer transition. The technique of infrared imaging matched well its capability to produce useful results, with the expansion of testing conditions in the entire spectrum of wind tunnels, from hypersonic high-enthalpy facilities to cryogenic transonic wind tunnels. With unique achievements credited to its past, the current trend suggests a change in attitude towards this technique: from the perception as an exotic, project-oriented tool, to the status of a routine experimental procedure.

Discovering the Thermodynamics of Simultaneous Equilibria: An Entropy Analysis Activity Involving Consecutive Equilibria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bindel, Thomas H.

2007-01-01

An activity is presented in which the thermodynamics of simultaneous, consecutive equilibria are explored. The activity is appropriate for second-year high school or AP chemistry. Students discover that a reactant-favored (entropy-diminishing or endergonic) reaction can be caused to happen if it is coupled with a product-favored reaction of…

The Schlema-Alberoda five-element uranium deposit, Germany: An example of self-organizing hydrothermal system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumov, G. B.; Vlasov, B. P.; Golubev, V. N.; Mironova, O. F.

2017-01-01

As a result of integrating geological, mineralogical, and geochemical data on the unique Schlema-Alberoda five-element uranium deposit situated in Federal Republic of Germany and explored in detail down to a depth of 2 km, it has been shown that its formation for more than 100 Ma has been caused by combination of internal and external factors. The latter comprise favorable metallogenic specialization of the region, injection of intrusive bodies bearing the necessary stock of energy, and periodic pulses of tectonic reactivation. The internal factors of self-development involve evolutionary processes, which occur in host rocks at the consecutive stages of prograde and retrograde metamorphism giving rise to alteration of rocks in consistence with physical and chemical laws at variable temperature and degree of system opening.

Does the Consecutive Interpreting Approach enhance medical English communication skills of Japanese-speaking students?

PubMed Central

Lefor, Alan K.

2018-01-01

Objectives To determine if the Consecutive Interpreting Approach enhances medical English communication skills of students in a Japanese medical university and to assess this method based on performance and student evaluations.   Methods  This is a three-phase study using a mixed-methods design, which starts with four language reproduction activities for 30 medical and 95 nursing students, followed by a quantitative analysis of perfect-match reproduction rates to assess changes over the duration of the study and qualitative error analysis of participants' language reproduction. The final stage included a scored course evaluation and free-form comments to evaluate this approach and to identify effective educational strategies to enhance medical English communication skills. Results Mean perfect-match reproduction rates of all participants over four reproduction activities differed statistically significantly (repeated measures ANOVA, p<0.0005). The overall perfect-match reproduction rates improved from 75.3 % to 90.1 % for nursing and 89.5 % to 91.6% for medical students. The final achievement levels of nursing and medical students were equivalent (test of equivalence, p<0.05). Details of lexical- and syntactic-level errors were identified. The course evaluation scores were 3.74 (n=30, SD = 0.59) and 3.77 (n=90, SD=0.54) for medical and nursing students respectively. Conclusions Participants’ medical English communication skills are enhanced using this approach. Participants expressed positive feedback regarding this instruction method. This approach may be effective to enhance the language skills of non-native English-speaking students seeking to practice medicine in English speaking countries. PMID:29677693

Technical Note: The effects of five different defaunation methods on biogeochemical properties of intertidal sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolhurst, T. J.; Chapman, M. G.; Underwood, A. J.; Cruz, J. J.

2012-09-01

Various methods have been used to remove organisms from sediments to investigate structure and function of faunal assemblages in intertidal habitats. Nevertheless, little is known about how these treatments affect properties of the sediments themselves, although changing these properties may cause changes in the assemblages, independently of other hypotheses being tested. This study assesses the efficacy of defaunation and effect on selected biogeochemical properties of five different methods of defaunating soft muddy sediments in an estuary. The methods were removal and freezing of sediment, removal and oven-heating, freezing in situ with liquid N2, spraying with formalin and spraying with hydrogen peroxide. The first four of these methods have been used in previous studies, whilst the fifth was considered to be a potentially useful defaunator because it does not leave toxic residues. The first two methods required sediment to be brought back to the lab, disrupting the natural structure of the sediment; the last three were done in situ, with much less disturbance. Variables measured to assess effects of the treatments on the sediment were amount of water, grain size, total carbohydrate, suspension index (relative erosion rate), erosion threshold, chlorophyll a and b, colloidal carbohydrate, Fo (minimal fluorescence) and Fv / Fm (photosynthetic yield). There were no significant effects of any treatment on the first four variables. For the others, effects of defaunation varied from treatment to treatment and with time after treatment. Generally, the greatest disturbance was to the microphytobenthos (MPB, measured by chlorophyll and fluorescence) and related variables. For most treatments, recovery was rapid, but the effects of formalin and H2O2 persisted for a few days. Effects on physical properties of the sediment were mostly minor and insignificant. Removal and freezing or heating, however, caused major changes to the sediments because of the disturbances

What is the preferred number of consecutive night shifts? results from a crossover intervention study among police officers in Denmark.

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Jensen, Marie Aarrebo; Hansen, Åse Marie; Kristiansen, Jesper; Garde, Anne Helene

2016-10-01

Among police officers in Denmark, we studied (i) how many consecutive night shifts participants preferred at baseline; (ii) preferences regarding three intervention conditions (two, four, and seven consecutive night shifts followed by the same number of days off/day shifts: '2 + 2', '4 + 4', '7 + 7') at follow-up; (iii) characteristics of participants preferring each of these intervention conditions. Questionnaire data from a crossover intervention study were used (baseline: n = 73; follow-up: n = 68). At baseline, 49% preferred four consecutive night shifts. At follow-up, 57% preferred '4 + 4', 26% preferred '2 + 2' and 26% preferred '7 + 7'. Participants, who preferred longer spells of night work experienced that night work was less demanding, found it easier to sleep at different times of the day, and were more frequently evening types compared with participants who preferred shorter spells of night work. The participants' preferences are likely to be influenced by their previous shift work experience. Practitioner Summary: We investigated police officers' preferences regarding the number of consecutive night shifts. The majority preferred four consecutive night shifts. Those who preferred the longer spells of night work found night work less demanding, found it easier to sleep at different times of the day, and were more frequently evening types.

76 FR 21741 - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Programming Accessibility Act; Announcement of Town...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-18

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 11-428] Twenty-First Century Communications and Video... The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Programming Accessibility Act (the Act or CVAA... orientation to the Act, and discussed the advanced communications and video programming changes required by...

One-stage Posterior Approach in the Treatment of Consecutive Multi-segment Thoracic Tuberculosis with Kyphosis.

PubMed

Zhong, Nanzhe; Kong, Jinhai; Sun, Zhengwang; Qian, Ming; Liu, Tielong; Xiao, Jianru

2018-01-01

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the one-stage posterior approach in treating consecutive multiple-segment thoracic tuberculosis with kyphosis. A retrospective study was performed. The data of 22 patients with consecutive multi-level thoracic tuberculosis and kyphosis who underwent the one-stage posterior approach of debridement, bone grafting, drainage and pedicle screws fixation were collected. The kyphotic angle was 61.6°±3.1° pre-operatively. The neurologic status based on American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scoring was A in 5 cases, B in 4 cases, C in 9 cases, D in 3 cases and E in 1 case. The average follow-up period was 43.4±5.0 months. The kyphotic angle was 19.8°±0.7° after operation (p < 0.01), and 21.9°±1.2° at the last visit (p < 0.01). No neurological deterioration was observed in any patients after surgery. A significant difference in ASIA score was detected when the state before the operation and at the last visit was compared (p < 0.01). There was no recurrent paravertebral abscess of thoracic tuberculosis in any of these cases. The one-stage posterior approach of debridement and drainage is a feasible surgical option for consecutive multisegment thoracic tuberculosis with kyphosis. It can achieve debridement, decompression, and stabilization simultaneously.

Preparative isolation and purification of hainanmurpanin, meranzin, and phebalosin from leaves of Murraya exotica L. using supercritical fluid extraction combined with consecutive high-speed countercurrent chromatography.

PubMed

Yan, Rongwei; Shen, Jie; Liu, Xiaojing; Zou, Yong; Xu, Xinjun

2018-05-01

The objective of this study was to develop a consecutive preparation method for the isolation and purification of hainanmurpanin, meranzin, and phebalosin from leaves of Murraya exotica L. The process involved supercritical fluid extraction with CO 2 , solvent extraction, and two-step high-speed countercurrent chromatography. Pressure, temperature, and the volume of entrainer were optimized as 27 MPa, 52°C, and 60 mL by response surface methodology in supercritical fluid extraction with CO 2 , and the yield of the crude extracts was 7.91 g from 100 g of leaves. Subsequently, 80% methanol/water was used to extract and condense the three compounds from the crude extracts, and 4.23 g of methanol/water extracts was obtained. Then, a two-step high-speed countercurrent chromatography procedure was developed for the isolation of the three target compounds from methanol/water extracts, including conventional high-speed countercurrent chromatography for further enrichment and consecutive high-speed countercurrent chromatography for purification. The yield of concentrates from high-speed countercurrent chromatography was 2.50 g from 4.23 g of methanol/water extracts. Finally, the consecutive high-speed countercurrent chromatography produced 103.2 mg of hainanmurpanin, 244.7 mg of meranzin, and 255.4 mg of phebalosin with purities up to 97.66, 99.36, and 98.64%, respectively, from 900 mg of high-speed countercurrent chromatography concentrates in one run of three consecutive sample loadings without exchanging a solvent system. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Impact of Consecutive Interpreting Training on the L2 Listening Competence Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Tongtong; Wu, Zhiwei

2017-01-01

In recent years, a growing number of people have taken up interpreting training, with the intention of not only developing interpreting skills, but improving language proficiency as well. The present study sets out to investigate the impact of English-Chinese consecutive interpreting (CI) training on the enhancement of the second language (L2,…

Indo-Pacific sea surface temperature influences on failed consecutive rainy seasons over eastern Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoell, Andrew; Funk, Christopher C.

2014-01-01

Rainfall over eastern Africa (10°S–10°N; 35°E–50°E) is bimodal, with seasonal maxima during the "long rains" of March–April–May (MAM) and the "short rains" of October–November–December (OND). Below average precipitation during consecutive long and short rains seasons over eastern Africa can have devastating long-term impacts on water availability and agriculture. Here, we examine the forcing of drought during consecutive long and short rains seasons over eastern Africa by Indo-Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs). The forcing of eastern Africa precipitation and circulation by SSTs is tested using ten ensemble simulations of a global weather forecast model forced by 1950–2010 observed global SSTs. Since the 1980s, Indo-Pacific SSTs have forced more frequent droughts spanning consecutive long and short rains seasons over eastern Africa. The increased frequency of dry conditions is linked to warming SSTs over the Indo-west Pacific and to a lesser degree to Pacific Decadal Variability. During MAM, long-term warming of tropical west Pacific SSTs from 1950–2010 has forced statistically significant precipitation reductions over eastern Africa. The warming west Pacific SSTs have forced changes in the regional lower tropospheric circulation by weakening the Somali Jet, which has reduced moisture and rainfall over the Horn of Africa. During OND, reductions in precipitation over recent decades are oftentimes overshadowed by strong year-to-year precipitation variability forced by the Indian Ocean Dipole and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.

Understanding Contamination; Twenty Years of Simulating Radiological Contamination

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

Emily Snyder; John Drake; Ryan James

A wide variety of simulated contamination methods have been developed by researchers to reproducibly test radiological decontamination methods. Some twenty years ago a method of non-radioactive contamination simulation was proposed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) that mimicked the character of radioactive cesium and zirconium contamination on stainless steel. It involved baking the contamination into the surface of the stainless steel in order to 'fix' it into a tenacious, tightly bound oxide layer. This type of contamination was particularly applicable to nuclear processing facilities (and nuclear reactors) where oxide growth and exchange of radioactive materials within the oxide layer becamemore » the predominant model for material/contaminant interaction. Additional simulation methods and their empirically derived basis (from a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility) are discussed. In the last ten years the INL, working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC), has continued to develop contamination simulation methodologies. The most notable of these newer methodologies was developed to compare the efficacy of different decontamination technologies against radiological dispersal device (RDD, 'dirty bomb') type of contamination. There are many different scenarios for how RDD contamination may be spread, but the most commonly used one at the INL involves the dispersal of an aqueous solution containing radioactive Cs-137. This method was chosen during the DARPA projects and has continued through the NHSRC series of decontamination trials and also gives a tenacious 'fixed' contamination. Much has been learned about the interaction of cesium contamination with building materials, particularly concrete, throughout these tests. The effects of porosity, cation-exchange capacity of the material and the amount of dirt and debris on the surface are very important factors. The interaction of

Contact toxicity of twenty insecticides applied to Symmerista canicosta

Treesearch

Jacqueline L. Robertson; Robert L. Lyon; Fay L. Shon; Nancy L. Gillette

1972-01-01

Twenty insecticides were tested by topical application on mixed groups of 4th- and 5th -stage larvae of Symmerista canicosta Franclemont. Four exceeded DDT in toxicity at LD50 but only resmethrin was significantly mor toxic. Most of the compounds showed unusually high toxicities. Twelve, listed in decreasing order of toxicity...

Educational Technologies and Twenty-First Century Leadership for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrum, Lynne; Levin, Barbara B.

2016-01-01

This article presents information on current aspects in the use of technology to improve student outcomes and engagement, prepare learners for their future and support educators in adopting new pedagogies for teaching and learning. Based on the authors' research of exemplary school leaders and reviewing literature on the use of twenty-first…

The Presidential Platform on Twenty-First Century Education Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tichnor-Wagner, Ariel; Socol, Allison Rose

2016-01-01

As social and economic problems change, so do the goals of education reformers. This content analysis of presidential debates transcripts, state of the union addresses, and education budgets from 2000 to 2015 reveals the ways in which presidents and presidential candidates have framed education goals thus far in the twenty-first century. Using…

Proceedings of the Twenty-Eighth General Assembly Beijing 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montmerle, Thierry

2015-09-01

Preface; 1. Inaugural ceremony; 2. Twenty-eighth General Assembly business sessions; 3. Closing ceremony; 4. Resolutions; 5. Report of Executive Committee, 2009-2012; 6. Reports on Division, Commission, and Working Group meetings; 7. Statutes, bye-laws, and working rules; 8. New members admitted at the General Assembly; 9. Divisions and their Commissions.

Approaching Twenty-First Century Education from a Cosmopolitan Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choo, Suzanne S.

2018-01-01

All over the world, educators and policy-makers are concerned about how best to prepare students to engage actively in an increasingly interconnected world. In this paper, I begin by arguing that twenty-first century education policies have largely been articulated in response to the exigencies of economic globalization. Further, a survey of the…

Why the American Public Supports Twenty-First Century Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sacconaghi, Michele

2006-01-01

American attitudes toward the need for teaching twenty-first century skills appear as strong as the socioeconomic research being done that shows how critical these skills are for students' future access to the middle class and the country's economic competitiveness. In 2003, the AOL Time Warner Foundation (now the Time Warner Foundation) set out…

A flow-cytometry-based method for detecting simultaneously five allergens in a complex food matrix.

PubMed

Otto, Gaetan; Lamote, Amandine; Deckers, Elise; Dumont, Valery; Delahaut, Philippe; Scippo, Marie-Louise; Pleck, Jessica; Hillairet, Caroline; Gillard, Nathalie

2016-12-01

To avoid carry-over contamination with allergens, food manufacturers implement quality control strategies relying primarily on detection of allergenic proteins by ELISA. Although sensitive and specific, this method allowed detection of only one allergen per analysis and effective control policies were thus based on multiplying the number of tests done in order to cover the whole range of allergens. We present in this work an immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of milk, egg, peanut, mustard and crustaceans in cookies samples. The method was based on a combination of flow cytometry with competitive ELISA where microbeads were used as sorbent surface. The test was able to detect the presence of the five allergens with median inhibitory concentrations (IC50) ranging from 2.5 to 15 mg/kg according to the allergen to be detected. The lowest concentrations of contaminants inducing a significant difference of signal between non-contaminated controls and test samples were 2 mg/kg of peanut, 5 mg/kg of crustaceans, 5 mg/kg of milk, 5 mg/kg of mustard and 10 mg/kg of egg. Assay sensitivity was influenced by the concentration of primary antibodies added to the sample extract for the competition and by the concentration of allergenic proteins bound to the surface of the microbeads.

Consecutive Short-Scan CT for Geological Structure Analog Models with Large Size on In-Situ Stage.

PubMed

Yang, Min; Zhang, Wen; Wu, Xiaojun; Wei, Dongtao; Zhao, Yixin; Zhao, Gang; Han, Xu; Zhang, Shunli

2016-01-01

For the analysis of interior geometry and property changes of a large-sized analog model during a loading or other medium (water or oil) injection process with a non-destructive way, a consecutive X-ray computed tomography (XCT) short-scan method is developed to realize an in-situ tomography imaging. With this method, the X-ray tube and detector rotate 270° around the center of the guide rail synchronously by switching positive and negative directions alternately on the way of translation until all the needed cross-sectional slices are obtained. Compared with traditional industrial XCTs, this method well solves the winding problems of high voltage cables and oil cooling service pipes during the course of rotation, also promotes the convenience of the installation of high voltage generator and cooling system. Furthermore, hardware costs are also significantly decreased. This kind of scanner has higher spatial resolution and penetrating ability than medical XCTs. To obtain an effective sinogram which matches rotation angles accurately, a structural similarity based method is applied to elimination of invalid projection data which do not contribute to the image reconstruction. Finally, on the basis of geometrical symmetry property of fan-beam CT scanning, a whole sinogram filling a full 360° range is produced and a standard filtered back-projection (FBP) algorithm is performed to reconstruct artifacts-free images.

Evaluation of detection methods for Campylobacter infections among under-fives in Mwanza City, Tanzania

PubMed Central

Mushi, Martha Fidelis; Paterno, Laurent; Tappe, Dennis; Deogratius, Anna Pendo; Seni, Jeremiah; Moremi, Nyambura; Mirambo, Mariam Mwijuma; Mshana, Stephen Eliatosha

2014-01-01

Introduction Campylobacter species are recognized as a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in humans throughout the world. The diagnosis is mainly based on stool culture. This study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of staining methods (Gram stain using 0.3% carbol fuchsin as counter stain and 1% carbol fuchsin direct stain) versus culture as the gold standard. Methods A total of 300 children attending Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) and the Sekou Toure regional hospital with acute watery diarrhea were enrolled. Two sets of slides were prepared stained with 1% carbol fuchsin for 30 seconds first set, and the second set stained with Gram's stain using 0.3% carbol fuchsin as counter stain for five minutes. Concurrently, stool samples were inoculated on Preston Agar selective. Results Of 300 stool specimens, 14(4.7%) showed positive culture after 48 hours of incubation and 28 (9.3%) shows typical morphology of Campylobacter species by both Gram stain and direct stain. The sensitivity of the Gram stain using 0.3% carbol fuchsin as counter stain and 1% carbol fuchsin simple stain versus culture as gold standard was 64.3%, with a specificity of 93.4%. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 32.1% and 98.2% respectively. Conclusion The detection of Campylobacter by 1% carbol fuchsin is simple, inexpensive, and fast, with both a high sensitivity and specificity. Laboratories in settings with high prevalence of campylobacteriosis and/or limited resources can employ 1% carbol fuchsin direct stain in detecting campylobacter infections. PMID:25995788

Consecutive salmonella outbreaks traced to the same bakery.

PubMed Central

Evans, M. R.; Tromans, J. P.; Dexter, E. L.; Ribeiro, C. D.; Gardner, D.

1996-01-01

Two consecutive community outbreaks of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 (PT4) traced to the same bakery occurred in Cardiff, Wales during August-September 1992. In the first outbreak, illness was associated with eating custard slices (odds ratio 23.8, 95% confidence interval 6.5-94.4, P < 0.0001), and in the second, with eating fresh cream cakes (odds ratio 15.8, 95% confidence interval 1.6-374, P = 0.004). Environmental investigations implicated cross-contamination during preparation of the cold-custard mix as the cause of the first outbreak, and inadequate cleaning and disinfection of nozzles used for piping cream in the second outbreak. S. enteritidis PT4 was isolated from fresh cream sponge cake retained by a case and from two fresh cream cakes and four environmental swabs obtained at the bakery. This incident illustrates the hazard of widespread environmental contamination with salmonella and the need for thorough environmental cleansing for any premises implicated in an outbreak of food poisoning. PMID:8620907

A new multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection.

PubMed

Kawamura, Masaki; Kobayashi, Naomi; Inaba, Yutaka; Choe, Hyonmin; Tezuka, Taro; Kubota, So; Saito, Tomoyuki

2017-11-01

A new multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRS) and to distinguish between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we validated the sensitivity and specificity of this assay with periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and evaluated the utility of PCR for culture-negative PJI. Forty-five samples from 23 infectious PJI cases and 106 samples from 64 non-infectious control cases were analyzed by real-time PCR using a LightCycler Nano ® system. Twenty-eight clinical samples, comprising bacteria of known species isolated consecutively in the microbiological laboratory of our hospital, were used to determine the spectrum of bacterial species that could be detected using the new multiplex primers and probes. The sensitivity and specificity of the MRS- and universal-PCR assays were 92% and 99%, and 91% and 88%, respectively. Twenty-eight species of clinically isolated bacteria were detected using this method and the concordance rate for the identification of gram-positive or gram-negative organisms was 96%. Eight samples were identified as PCR-positive despite a culture-negative result. This novel multiplex real-time PCR system has acceptable sensitivity and specificity and several advantages; therefore, it has potential use for the diagnosis of PJIs, particularly in culture-negative cases.

Is the advanced age a contraindication to GERD laparoscopic surgery? Results of a long term follow-up

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In this prospective non randomized observational cohort study we have evaluated the influence of age on outcome of laparoscopic total fundoplication for GERD. Methods Six hundred and twenty consecutive patients underwent total laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD. Five hundred and twenty-four patients were younger than 65 years (YG), and 96 patients were 65 years or older (EG). The following parameters were considered in the preoperative and postoperative evaluation: presence, duration, and severity of GERD symptoms, presence of a hiatal hernia, manometric and 24 hour pH-monitoring data, duration of operation, incidence of complications and length of hospital stay. Results Elderly patients more often had atypical symptoms of GERD and at manometric evaluation had a higher rate of impaired esophageal peristalsis in comparison with younger patients. The duration of the operation was similar between the two groups. The incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications was low and the difference was not statistically significant between the two groups. An excellent outcome was observed in 93.0% of young patients and in 88.9% of elderly patients (p = NS). Conclusions Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is a safe and effective treatment for GERD even in elderly patients, warranting low morbidity and mortality rates and a significant improvement of symptoms comparable to younger patients. PMID:24267613

A Five-Year Review of Tag Rugby Hand Injuries.

PubMed

Joyce, C W; Woods, J F C; Murphy, S; Bollard, S; Kelly, J L; Carroll, S M; O'Shaughnessy, M

2016-10-01

Tag rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in Ireland. It is a soft-contact team game that is loosely based on the rugby league format except players try to remove Velcro tags from their opponents' shorts rather than engage in a typical rugby tackle. The purpose of this study was to examine all tag rugby associated hand injuries over a five-year period in three large tertiary referral hospitals in Ireland. Using the patient corresponding system, 228 patients with hand injury related tag rugby injuries were observed from 2010 to 2015. There were 138 males and 90 females in the study and over 40% of patients required surgery. Most of the patients were young professionals with an average age of 30. Twenty-five patients worked in the financial services whilst there were 23 teachers. Fractures accounted for 124 of the 228 injuries and mallet injuries accounted for 53. Eighty percent of all injuries occurred during the tackle. The mean number of days missed from work was 9.1±13.8 days. These injuries resulted in an average of seven hospital appointments per patient. Considering it is a soft-contact sport, it is surprising the number of hand injuries that we have observed. Although safety measures have been introduced to decrease the number of hand injuries in recent years, there is a need for further improvements. Better player education about seeking prompt medical attention once an injury occurs, coupled with longer shorts worn by players may improve measures for the sport. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Recurrent Crohn's disease in the duodenum and jejunum following extensive small bowel resection and jejunocolonic anastamosis: radiologic findings in twenty-five patients.

PubMed

Zalev, A H; Prokipchuk, E J; Jeejeebhoy, K N; Gardiner, G W; Pron, G

1999-01-01

To evaluate the radiologic features of recurrent Crohn's disease after extensive enteric resection and jejunocolostomy. We reviewed the small bowel studies of 25 patients with recurrent enteritis and less than 125 cm of jejunum following enteric resection and jejunocolostomy and the studies of 27 patients with jejunitis in an intact jejunum. Twenty-three patients with recurrences had neoterminal jejunitis, six under 10 cm, 10 over 10 cm and continuous, and seven with skip lesions (six jejunal, one duodenal). Two had isolated jejunitis or duodenitis. Three with continuous disease had lengthy recurrences. Enteritis showed only one or two abnormalities in 12 of 25 patients with recurrences and in two of 27 with disease in the intact jejunum. Recurrent jejunitis and jejunitis in the intact jejunum showed similar frequencies of mucosal thickening, strictures, ulceration and its complications, skip lesions, sacculation, obstructive dilatation, featureless mucosa, and polyps, and significantly different frequencies only of mesenteric masses. Recurrent jejunitis and terminal ileitis showed significantly different frequencies of mucosal thickening, strictures, ulceration and its complications, skip lesions, sacculation, obstructive dilatation, and mesenteric masses, and similar frequencies only of a featureless mucosa. The neoterminal jejunum is the most common site of recurrence and the only site in almost 25%. Jejunitis remote from the fecal stream is also frequent, but duodenitis is not. Recurrences are seldom extensive and often show only one or two radiographic findings. The frequencies of most lesions in recurrent jejunitis do not differ significantly from those in jejunitis in the intact jejunum but do differ from those in terminal ileitis.

Effect of altering the intervals between consecutive superovulatory doses of porcine follicle-stimulating hormone on ovarian responses and embryo yields in anestrous ewes.

PubMed

Bartlewski, P M; Murawski, M; Schwarz, T; Oliveira, M E F

2017-05-01

The effect of varying intervals between successive gonadotropin injections on the superovulatory outcomes in anestrous Rideau Arcott ewes superstimulated for ovarian follicular development with multiple doses of porcine FSH (pFSH) was evaluated in a single study. Twenty-five animals received six (1×2.5ml and 5×1.25ml) injections of Folltropin ® -V given at 0800 and 1600h or at 0800 and 2000h in Group 1 (n=9) or Group 2 (n=16), respectively. An i.m. injection of 500 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG; Folligon ® ) was given concurrently with the first pFSH dose. Time of estrus was synchronized among ewes with intravaginal sponges containing 60mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (Veramix ® ) that were left in place for 14days; sponges were removed at the time of the 5th pFSH injection. Six days after insertion of MAP sponges, all ewes received an i.m. injection of estradiol-17β dissolved in 1ml of sesame oil (350μg/ewe) to synchronize follicular wave emergence. Following the last pFSH dose, all animals were given a single i.m. injection of 50μg of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH; Cystorelin ® ) to induce ovulations before placing in a pen with four fertile rams for 36h. The ovarian responses were assessed and embryos recovered surgically 7days after GnRH injections. The mean number of corpora lutea was greater (P<0.05) in Group 1 compared with Group 2 ewes (21.0±2.9 compared with 10.4±1.6, respectively; mean±SEM) but there was no difference (P>0.05) in the number of transferable embryos (5.4±2.4 compared with 5.4±1.3/ewe, respectively), and Group 1 animals had significantly more degenerated embryos than Group 2 ewes (2.6±1.2 compared with 0.6±0.3/ewe, respectively). A superovulatory protocol wherein pFSH injections were given at 0800 and 1600h was more effective in terms of inducing multiple ovulations than the protocol with 12-h intervals between consecutive pFSH doses, but it was not associated with an increased production of transferable

The Second-Language Vocabulary Trajectories of Turkish Immigrant Children in Norway from Ages Five to Ten: The Role of Preschool Talk Exposure, Maternal Education, and Coethnic Concentration in the Neighborhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rydland, Veslemoy; Grover, Vibeke; Lawrence, Joshua

2014-01-01

Little research has explored how preschools can support children's second-language (L2) vocabulary development. This study keenly followed the progress of twenty-six Turkish immigrant children growing up in Norway from preschool (age five) to fifth grade (age ten). Four different measures of preschool talk exposure (amount and diversity of…

Consecutive assessment of FA and ADC values of normal lumbar nerve roots from the junction of the dura mater.

PubMed

Miyagi, Ryo; Sakai, Toshinori; Yamabe, Eiko; Yoshioka, Hiroshi

2015-06-27

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are widely used in the evaluation of the central nervous system and recently have been reported as a potential tool for diagnosis of the peripheral nerve or the lumbar nerve entrapment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate consecutive changes in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of normal lumbar nerve roots from the junction of the dura mater. The lumbar spinal nerves were examined in 6 male healthy volunteers (mean age, 35 years) with no experiences of sciatica, with a 3.0-T MR unit using a five-element phased-array surface coil. DTI was performed with the following imaging parameters: 11084.6/73.7 ms for TR/TE; b-value, 800 s/mm2; MPG, 33 directions; slice thickness, 1.5 mm; and total scan time, 7 min 35 s. ADC and FA values at all consecutive points along the L4, L5 and S1 nerves were quantified on every 1.5 mm slice from the junction of the dura mater using short fiber tracking. ADC values of all L4, 5, and S1 nerve roots decreased linearly up to 15 mm from the dura junction and was constant distally afterward. ADC values in the proximal portion demonstrated S1 > L5 > L4 (p < 0.05). On the other hand, FA values increased linearly up to 15 mm from the dura junction, and was constant distally afterward. FA values in the proximal portion showed L4 > L5 > S1 (p < 0.05). Our study demonstrated that ADC and FA values of each L4, 5, and S1 at the proximal portion from the junction of the dura matter changed linearly. It would be useful to know the normal profile of DTI values by location of each nerve root so that we can detect subtle abnormalities in each nerve root.

Guidelines to Design Engineering Education in the Twenty-First Century for Supporting Innovative Product Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Violante, Maria Grazia; Vezzetti, Enrico

2017-01-01

In the twenty-first century, meeting our technological challenges demands educational excellence, a skilled populace that is ready for the critical challenges society faces. There is widespread consensus, however, that education systems are failing to adequately prepare all students with the essential twenty-first century knowledge and skills…

Teachers' Conceptualization and Enactment of Twenty-First Century Competences: Exploring Dimensions for New Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van de Oudeweetering, Karmijn; Voogt, Joke

2018-01-01

Despite the advocated importance of twenty-first century competences in education, it appears that they are not systematically integrated in national curricula, school curricula and classroom activities. Potential explanations can be found in the current ambiguity of definitions for twenty-first century competences and the absence of educational…

Five Big Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Debbie

2012-01-01

Designing quality continuing professional development (CPD) for those teaching mathematics in primary schools is a challenge. If the CPD is to be built on the scaffold of five big ideas in mathematics, what might be these five big ideas? Might it just be a case of, if you tell me your five big ideas, then I'll tell you mine? Here, there is…

Cutaneous Hyperpigmentation in Megaloblastic Anemia: a Five Year Retrospective Review

PubMed Central

Padhi, Somanath; Sarangi, RajLaxmi; Ramdas, Anita; Ravichandran, Kandasamy; Varghese, Renu G’Boy; Alexander, Thomas; Kurian, George; Mookkappan, Sudhagar

2016-01-01

Background Cutaneous hyperpigmentation is an often overlooked clinical sign in megaloblastic anemia (MA) which has been sporadically reported in the literature. Methods We describe the bone marrow (BM) changes and clinicolaboratory characteristics of 25 of 198 adult cases (>16 years) with cutaneous hyperpigmentation who underwent BM evaluation for cytopenia (s). Results Twenty-one of 25 cases (84%) had MA, while MA without hyperpigmentation occurred only in 12 of remainder 173 cases (P<0.001). Knuckle pad hyperpigmentation (KP) was noted in 16 (64%) cases; whereas 9 (36%) had diffuse brownish black discoloration (DP) of the palms and/or soles. Eighteen of 25 (72%) cases had pancytopenia (13 with KP) and 7 of 25 (28%) had bicytopenia (3 with KP). In addition, five cases (20%) presented with pyrexia. Of the 17 cases where data available, eleven were B12 deficient [<190 pg/ml; eight had severe deficiency (<100 pg/ml); ref.; 190–800pg/ml], while 4 had pure folate deficiency (< 4.0 ng/ml; ref.; 4–20ng/ml); and remainder 2 had combined B12 and folate deficiency. Compared to those with diffuse pigmentation; KP group had lower Hb (69.6 ± 24.2 vs. 86.3 ± 33.9 g/L), higher MCV (106.1 ±12.6 vs. 99.2 ± 7.6 fL), lower platelet count (50.9 ± 29.3 vs. 69.6 ± 36.5 × 109/L), and lower median B12 [100.0 (30.0 – 822.0) vs. 316.0 (142.0 – 1617.3) pg/ml] (P>0.05). In six cases where follow-up data were available, there was a significant reversal of hyperpigmentation at 12 weeks following parenteral cobalamin therapy. In all five cases with pyrexia, fever subsided after 24 to 72 hours following administration of parenteral cobalamin therapy. Conclusion Cutaneous hyperpigmentation and cytopenia (s) are strongly associated with megaloblastic anemia. Knuckle pad hyperpigmentation is much more frequent than diffuse pigmentation of the palms and/or soles in such patents. A nonsignificant trend towards a greater degree of MA was found in cases with pigmentation of the knuckles

Epidemiology of Stroke in Costa Rica: A 7-Year Hospital-Based Acute Stroke Registry of 1319 Consecutive Patients.

PubMed

Torrealba-Acosta, Gabriel; Carazo-Céspedes, Kenneth; Chiou, Sy Han; O'Brien, Anthony Terrence; Fernández-Morales, Huberth

2018-05-01

Limited data on stroke exist for Costa Rica. Therefore, we created a stroke registry out of patients with stroke seen in the Acute Stroke Unit of the Hospital Calderon Guardia. We analyzed 1319 patients enrolled over a 7-year period, which incorporated demographic, clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging data. The mean age of patients with stroke was 68.0 ± 15.5 years. Seven hundred twenty-five were men and the age range was 13-104 years. The most prevalent risk factors were hypertension (78.8%), dyslipidemia (36.3%), and diabetes (31.9%). Fifteen percent had atrial fibrillation and 24.7% had a previous stroke or transient ischemic attack. Prevalence of hypertension and atrial fibrillation increased with age; however, younger patients were more associated with thrombophilia. We documented 962 (72.9%) ischemic and 270 (20.5%) hemorrhagic strokes. Of the ischemic strokes, 174 (18.1%) were considered secondary to large-artery atherothrombosis, 175 (18.2%) were due to cardiac embolism, 19 (2.0%) were due to lacunar infarcts, and 25 (2.6%) were due to other determined causes. Five hundred sixty-nine (59.1%) remained undetermined. Atherothrombotic strokes were mostly associated with dyslipidemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity, whereas lacunar infarcts were associated with hypertension, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and previous stroke or transient ischemic attack. Of our patients, 69.9% scored between 0 and 9 in the initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). We found differences in sociodemographic features, risk factors, and stroke severity among stroke subtypes. Risk factor prevalence was similar to other registries involving Hispanic populations. Copyright © 2018 National Stroke Association. All rights reserved.

The effects of compression garments on intermittent exercise performance and recovery on consecutive days.

PubMed

Duffield, Rob; Edge, Johann; Merrells, Robert; Hawke, Emma; Barnes, Matt; Simcock, David; Gill, Nicholas

2008-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether compression garments improve intermittent-sprint performance and aid performance or self-reported recovery from high-intensity efforts on consecutive days. Following familiarization, 14 male rugby players performed two randomized testing conditions (with or without garments) involving consecutive days of a simulated team sport exercise protocol, separated by 24 h of recovery within each condition and 2 weeks between conditions. Each day involved an 80-min high-intensity exercise circuit, with exercise performance determined by repeated 20-m sprints and peak power on a cart dynamometer (single-man scrum machine). Measures of nude mass, heart rate, skin and tympanic temperature, and blood lactate (La-) were recorded throughout each day; also, creatine kinase (CK) and muscle soreness were recorded each day and 48 h following exercise. No differences (P=.20 to 0.40) were present between conditions on either day of the exercise protocol for repeated 20-m sprint efforts or peak power on a cart dynamometer. Heart rate, tympanic temperature, and body mass did not significantly differ between conditions; however, skin temperature was higher under the compression garments. Although no differences (P=.50) in La- or CK were present, participants felt reduced levels of perceived muscle soreness in the ensuing 48 h postexercise when wearing the garments (2.5+/-1.7 vs 3.5+/-2.1 for garment and control; P=.01). The use of compression garments did not improve or hamper simulated team-sport activity on consecutive days. Despite benefits of reduced self-reported muscle soreness when wearing garments during and following exercise each day, no improvements in performance or recovery were apparent.

Better or Worse: a Study of Day-to-Day Changes over Five Months of Rosen Method Bodywork Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Fogel, Alan

2013-01-01

Fluctuations of good days and bad days-in physical symptoms and emotional states-are common for individuals with chronic illness. This pilot study examines these fluctuations during bodywork treatment. We analyzed changes in daily self-reports over a period of five months for five individuals who received weekly treatments of Rosen Method Bodywork (RMB), which uses touch and words to enhance body awareness of physical sensations and emotional states. Five subjects (aged 31-56) who had chronic low back pain (CLBP) received 16 weekly treatments given by three experienced RMB practitioners. Pre- and posttreatment assessments covered demographics, disability, and pain. Clients also completed daily bedtime assessments of pain, fatigue, emotional state, and sense of control during the entire treatment period. All clients reported reductions in pain and/or disability in post- compared to pretreatment. In spite of a high level of day-to-day variability in the daily assessments, there were significant reductions in pain and fatigue, and significant increases in positive emotional state and sense of control across the treatment period. In reaching this end, however, some clients had slow and steady improvements, some improved more rapidly, while others got worse before they got better. The natural course of healing-with its inevitable fluctuations in symptoms-is part of a process leading to successful treatment outcomes. Rosen Method Bodywork may be especially helpful in developing and accepting both sensory and emotional body awareness changes that facilitate overall improvement.

Effects of Consecutive Wideband Tympanometry Trials on Energy Absorbance Measures of the Middle Ear

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burdiek, Laina M.; Sun, Xiao-Ming

2014-01-01

Purpose: Wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) is a new technique for assessing middle ear transfer function. It includes energy absorbance (EA) measures and can be acquired with the ear canal pressure varied, known as "wideband tympanometry" (WBTymp). The authors of this study aimed to investigate effects of consecutive WBTymp testing on…

Lack of effectiveness of laser therapy applied to the nerve course and the correspondent medullary roots

PubMed Central

Sousa, Fausto Fernandes de Almeida; Ribeiro, Thaís Lopes; Fazan, Valéria Paula Sassoli; Barbieri, Claudio Henrique

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of low intensity laser irradiation on the regeneration of the fibular nerve of rats after crush injury. METHODS: Twenty-five rats were used, divided into three groups: 1) intact nerve, no treatment; 2) crushed nerve, no treatment; 3) crush injury, laser irradiation applied on the medullary region corresponding to the roots of the sciatic nerve and subsequently on the course of the damaged nerve. Laser irradiation was carried out for 14 consecutive days. RESULTS: Animals were evaluated by functional gait analysis with the peroneal functional index and by histomorphometric analysis using the total number of myelinated nerve fibers and their density, total number of Schwann cells, total number of blood vessels and the occupied area, minimum diameter of the fiber diameter and G-quotient. CONCLUSION: According to the statistical analysis there was no significant difference among groups and the authors conclude that low intensity laser irradiation has little or no influence on nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Laboratory investigation. PMID:24453650

A Novel Method for Measuring Anterior Segment Area of the Eye on Ultrasound Biomicroscopic Images Using Photoshop

PubMed Central

Wu, Ziqiang; Lin, Jialiu; Huang, Jingjing

2015-01-01

Purpose To describe a novel method for quantitative measurement of area parameters in ocular anterior segment ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) images using Photoshop software and to assess its intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility. Methods Twenty healthy volunteers with wide angles and twenty patients with narrow or closed angles were consecutively recruited. UBM images were obtained and analyzed using Photoshop software by two physicians with different-level training on two occasions. Borders of anterior segment structures including cornea, iris, lens, and zonules in the UBM image were semi-automatically defined by the Magnetic Lasso Tool in the Photoshop software according to the pixel contrast and modified by the observers. Anterior chamber area (ACA), posterior chamber area (PCA), iris cross-section area (ICA) and angle recess area (ARA) were drawn and measured. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibilities of the anterior segment area parameters and scleral spur location were assessed by limits of agreement, coefficient of variation (CV), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results All of the parameters were successfully measured by Photoshop. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibilities of ACA, PCA, and ICA were good, with no more than 5% CV and more than 0.95 ICC, while the CVs of ARA were within 20%. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibilities for defining the spur location were more than 0.97 ICCs. Although the operating times for both observers were less than 3 minutes per image, there was significant difference in the measuring time between two observers with different levels of training (p<0.001). Conclusion Measurements of ocular anterior segment areas on UBM images by Photoshop showed good intraobserver and interobserver reproducibilties. The methodology was easy to adopt and effective in measuring. PMID:25803857

The High Five: Associations of the Five Positive Factors with the Big Five and Well-being.

PubMed

Cosentino, Alejandro C; Castro Solano, Alejandro

2017-01-01

The study of individual differences in positive characteristics has mainly focused on moral traits. The objectives of this research were to study individual differences in positive characteristics from the point of view of the layperson, including non-moral individual characteristics, and to generate a replicable model of positive factors. Three studies based on a lexical approach were conducted. The first study generated a corpus of words which resulted in a refined list of socially shared positive characteristics. The second study produced a five-factor model of positive characteristics: erudition, peace, cheerfulness, honesty, and tenacity. The third study confirmed the model with a different sample. The five-positive-factor model not only showed positive associations with emotional, psychological and social well-being, but it also accounted for the variance beyond that accounted for by the Big Five factors in predicting these well-being dimensions. In addition, the presence of convergent and divergent validity of the five positive factors is shown with relation to the Values-in-Action (VIA) classification of character strengths proposed by Peterson and Seligman (2004).

The High Five: Associations of the Five Positive Factors with the Big Five and Well-being

PubMed Central

Cosentino, Alejandro C.; Castro Solano, Alejandro

2017-01-01

The study of individual differences in positive characteristics has mainly focused on moral traits. The objectives of this research were to study individual differences in positive characteristics from the point of view of the layperson, including non-moral individual characteristics, and to generate a replicable model of positive factors. Three studies based on a lexical approach were conducted. The first study generated a corpus of words which resulted in a refined list of socially shared positive characteristics. The second study produced a five-factor model of positive characteristics: erudition, peace, cheerfulness, honesty, and tenacity. The third study confirmed the model with a different sample. The five-positive-factor model not only showed positive associations with emotional, psychological and social well-being, but it also accounted for the variance beyond that accounted for by the Big Five factors in predicting these well-being dimensions. In addition, the presence of convergent and divergent validity of the five positive factors is shown with relation to the Values-in-Action (VIA) classification of character strengths proposed by Peterson and Seligman (2004). PMID:28790947

Plant-microbe rhizosphere interactions mediated by Rehmannia glutinosa root exudates under consecutive monoculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Linkun; Wang, Juanying; Huang, Weimin; Wu, Hongmiao; Chen, Jun; Yang, Yanqiu; Zhang, Zhongyi; Lin, Wenxiong

2015-10-01

Under consecutive monoculture, the biomass and quality of Rehmannia glutinosa declines significantly. Consecutive monoculture of R. glutinosa in a four-year field trial led to significant growth inhibition. Most phenolic acids in root exudates had cumulative effects over time under sterile conditions, but these effects were not observed in the rhizosphere under monoculture conditions. It suggested soil microbes might be involved in the degradation and conversion of phenolic acids from the monocultured plants. T-RFLP and qPCR analysis demonstrated differences in both soil bacterial and fungal communities during monoculture. Prolonged monoculture significantly increased levels of Fusarium oxysporum, but decreased levels of Pseudomonas spp. Abundance of beneficial Pseudomonas spp. with antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum was lower in extended monoculture soils. Phenolic acid mixture at a ratio similar to that found in the rhizosphere could promote mycelial growth, sporulation, and toxin (3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-O-Acetyl-4-deoxynivalenol) production of pathogenic F. oxysporum while inhibiting growth of the beneficial Pseudomonas sp. W12. This study demonstrates that extended monoculture can alter the microbial community of the rhizosphere, leading to relatively fewer beneficial microorganisms and relatively more pathogenic and toxin-producing microorganisms, which is mediated by the root exudates.

Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Software Engineering Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The Twenty-third Annual Software Engineering Workshop (SEW) provided 20 presentations designed to further the goals of the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) of the NASA-GSFC. The presentations were selected on their creativity. The sessions which were held on 2-3 of December 1998, centered on the SEL, Experimentation, Inspections, Fault Prediction, Verification and Validation, and Embedded Systems and Safety-Critical Systems.

Twenty Years in the Vineyards of Higher Education Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balch, Stephen H.

2007-01-01

In pausing to reflect on twenty years service tending the fragile vineyards of higher education reform as president and one of the founders of the National Association of Scholars, Stephen H. Balch stops to toast his hardy fellow vintners. Dr. Balch raises a weary but wiser glass to those who across the years and in many states have braved harsh…

Psychopathic traits and offender characteristics – a nationwide consecutive sample of homicidal male adolescents

PubMed Central

Lindberg, Nina; Laajasalo, Taina; Holi, Matti; Putkonen, Hanna; Weizmann-Henelius, Ghitta; Häkkänen-Nyholm, Helinä

2009-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate psychopathy-like personality traits in a nationwide consecutive sample of adolescent male homicide offenders and to compare the findings with those of a randomly sampled adult male homicide offender group. A further aim was to investigate associations between psychopathic traits and offender and offence characteristics in adolescent homicides. Methods Forensic psychiatric examination reports and crime reports of all 15 to19- year- old male Finnish offenders who had been subjected to a forensic psychiatric examination and convicted for a homicide during 1995–2004 were collected (n = 57). A random sample of 57 adult male homicide offenders was selected as a comparison group. Offence and offender characteristics were collected from the files and a file-based assessment of psychopathic traits was performed using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) by trained raters. Results No significant differences existed between the adolescents and adults in PCL-R total scores, factor 2 (social deviance) scores, or in facets 3 (lifestyle) and 4 (antisocial). Adults scored significantly higher on factor 1 (interpersonal/affective) and facets 1 (interpersonal) and 2 (affective). The adolescent group was divided into two subgroups according to PCL-R total scores. One in five homicidal male adolescents met criteria for psychopathic personality using a PCL-R total score of 26 or higher. These boys significantly more often had a crime history before the index homicide, more frequently used excessive violence during the index homicide, more rarely lived with both parents until 16 years of age, had more institutional or foster home placements in childhood, had more school difficulties, more often had received special education, and, more often had contact with mental health services prior to age 18 years than boys scoring low on the PCL-R. They also more often had parental criminal history as well as homicide history of parents

Developmental Education: A Twenty-First Century Social and Economic Imperative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, Robert H., Ed.; Day, Philip R., Jr., Ed.

This monograph addresses developmental education in the 21st Century, identifying the major issues and providing examples of successful developmental programs. The first chapter, "Access and the New America of the Twenty-First Century," emphasizes several changes in American society that have affected access to education and…

29 CFR 553.212 - Twenty percent limitation on nonexempt work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Twenty percent limitation on nonexempt work. (a) Employees engaged in fire protection or law enforcement... example, firefighters who work for forest conservation agencies may, during slack times, plant trees and... of the total hours worked by that employee during the workweek or applicable work period. A person...

A Critical Feminist and Race Critique of Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the Twenty-First Century"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeller, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the Twenty-first Century" documents the foreboding nature of rising wealth inequality in the twenty-first century. In an effort to promote a more just and democratic global society and rein in the unfettered accumulation of wealth by the few, Piketty calls for a global progressive annual tax on corporate…

Barriers and facilitators to reducing frequent laboratory testing for patients who are stable on warfarin: a mixed methods study of de-implementation in five anticoagulation clinics.

PubMed

Barnes, Geoffrey D; Misirliyan, Sevan; Kaatz, Scott; Jackson, Elizabeth A; Haymart, Brian; Kline-Rogers, Eva; Kozlowski, Jay; Krol, Gregory; Froehlich, James B; Sales, Anne

2017-07-14

Patients on chronic warfarin therapy require regular laboratory monitoring to safely manage warfarin. Recent studies have challenged the need for routine monthly blood draws in the most stable warfarin-treated patients, suggesting the safety of less frequent laboratory testing (up to every 12 weeks). De-implementation efforts aim to reduce the use of low-value clinical practices. To explore barriers and facilitators of a de-implementation effort to reduce the use of frequent laboratory tests for patients with stable warfarin management in nurse/pharmacist-run anticoagulation clinics, we performed a mixed-methods study conducted within a state-wide collaborative quality improvement collaborative. Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted post-implementation semi-structured interviews with a total of eight anticoagulation nurse or pharmacist staff members at five participating clinic sites to assess barriers and facilitators to de-implementing frequent international normalized ratio (INR) laboratory testing among patients with stable warfarin control. Interview guides were based on the Tailored Implementation for Chronic Disease (TICD) framework. Informed by interview themes, a survey was developed and administered to all anticoagulation clinical staff (n = 62) about their self-reported utilization of less frequent INR testing and specific barriers to de-implementing the standard (more frequent) INR testing practice. From the interviews, four themes emerged congruent with TICD domains: (1) staff overestimating their actual use of less frequent INR testing (individual health professional factors), (2) barriers to appropriate patient engagement (incentives and resources), (3) broad support for an electronic medical record flag to identify potentially eligible patients (incentives and resources), and (4) the importance of personalized nurse/pharmacist feedback (individual health professional factors). In the survey (65% response rate), staff report offering less

Innovative use of technologies and methods to redesign care: the problem of care transitions.

PubMed

Richman, Mark; Sklaroff, Laura Myerchin; Hoang, Khathy; Wasson, Elijah; Gross-Schulman, Sandra

2014-01-01

Organizations are redesigning models of care in today's rapidly changing health care environment. Using proven innovation techniques maximizes likelihood of effective change. Our safety-net hospital aims to reduce high emergency department visit, admission, and readmission rates, key components to health care cost control. Twenty-five clinical stakeholders participated in mixed-methods innovation exercises to understand stakeholders, frame problems, and explore solutions. We identified existing barriers and means to improve post-emergency department/post-inpatient discharge care coordination/communication among patient-centered medical home care team members, including patients. Physicians and staff preferred automated e-mail notifications, including patient identifiers, medical home/primary care provider information, and relevant clinical documentation, to improve communication efficiency/efficacy.

Does the Consecutive Interpreting Approach enhance medical English communication skills of Japanese-speaking students?

PubMed

Iizuka, Hideki; Lefor, Alan K

2018-04-19

To determine if the Consecutive Interpreting Approach enhances medical English communication skills of students in a Japanese medical university and to assess this method based on performance and student evaluations.  This is a three-phase study using a mixed-methods design, which starts with four language reproduction activities for 30 medical and 95 nursing students, followed by a quantitative analysis of perfect-match reproduction rates to assess changes over the duration of the study and qualitative error analysis of participants' language reproduction. The final stage included a scored course evaluation and free-form comments to evaluate this approach and to identify effective educational strategies to enhance medical English communication skills. Mean perfect-match reproduction rates of all participants over four reproduction activities differed statistically significantly (repeated measures ANOVA, p<0.0005). The overall perfect-match reproduction rates improved from 75.3 % to 90.1 % for nursing and 89.5 % to 91.6% for medical students. The final achievement levels of nursing and medical students were equivalent (test of equivalence, p<0.05). Details of lexical- and syntactic-level errors were identified. The course evaluation scores were 3.74 (n=30, SD = 0.59) and 3.77 (n=90, SD=0.54) for medical and nursing students respectively. Participants' medical English communication skills are enhanced using this approach. Participants expressed positive feedback regarding this instruction method. This approach may be effective to enhance the language skills of non-native English-speaking students seeking to practice medicine in English speaking countries.

Video-based Learning Versus Traditional Method for Preclinical Course of Complete Denture Fabrication.

PubMed

Fayaz, Amir; Mazahery, Azita; Hosseinzadeh, Mohammad; Yazdanpanah, Samane

2015-03-01

Advances in computer science and technology allow the instructors to use instructional multimedia programs to enhance the process of learning for dental students. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a new educational modality by using videotapes on the performance of dental students in preclinical course of complete denture fabrication. This quasi-experimental study was performed on 54 junior dental students in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU). Twenty-five and 29 students were evaluated in two consecutive semesters as controls and cases, respectively for the same course. The two groups were matched in terms of "knowledge about complete denture fabrication" and "basic dental skills" using a written test and a practical exam, respectively. After the intervention, performance and clinical skills of students were assessed in 8 steps. Eventually, a post-test was carried out to find changes in knowledge and skills of students in this regard. In the two groups with the same baseline level of knowledge and skills, independent T-test showed that students in the test group had a significantly superior performance in primary impression taking (p= 0.001) and primary cast fabrication (p= 0.001). In terms of anterior teeth set up, students in the control group had a significantly better performance (p= 0.001). Instructional videotapes can aid in teaching fabrication of complete denture and are as effective as the traditional teaching system.

Twenty-first century learning for teachers: helping educators bring new skills into the classroom.

PubMed

Wilson, John I

2006-01-01

The motivation behind every educator's dedication and hard work in the classroom is the knowledge that his or her teaching will result in students' success in life. Educators are committed to implementing twenty-first century skills; they have no question that students need such skills to be equipped for life beyond school. Members of the National Education Association are enthusiastic about the Partnership for 21st Century Skills framework, yet express frustration that many schools do not have adequate resources to make the necessary changes. Teaching these skills poses significant new responsibilities for schools and educators. To make it possible for teachers to build twenty-first century skills into the curriculum, physical and policy infrastructures must exist, professional development and curriculum materials must be offered, and meaningful assessments must be available. With an established understanding of what skills need to be infused into the classroom-problem solving, analysis, and com- munications-and educators' commitment to the new skill set, this chapter explores how to make such a dramatic reform happen. The author discusses existing strategies that will guide educators in infusing twenty-first century skills into traditional content areas such as math, English, geography, and science. Ultimately, public policy regarding educational standards, professional development, assessments, and physical school structures must exist to enable educators to employ twenty-first century skills, leading to student success in contemporary life. Any concern about the cost of bringing this nation's educational system up to par internationally should be offset by the price that not making twenty-first century skills a priority in the classroom will have on future economic well-being.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in the outpatient ambulatory surgery setting compared with the inpatient hospital setting: analysis of 1000 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Adamson, Tim; Godil, Saniya S; Mehrlich, Melissa; Mendenhall, Stephen; Asher, Anthony L; McGirt, Matthew J

2016-06-01

OBJECTIVE In an era of escalating health care costs and pressure to improve efficiency and cost of care, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have emerged as lower-cost options for many surgical therapies. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is one of the most prevalent spine surgeries performed, and the frequency of its performance is rapidly increasing as the aging population grows. Although ASCs offer significant cost advantages over hospital-based surgical centers, concern over the safety of outpatient ACDF has slowed its adoption. The authors intended to 1) determine the safety of the first 1000 consecutive ACDF surgeries performed in their outpatient ASC, and 2) compare the safety of these outpatient ACDFs with that of consecutive ACDFs performed during the same time period in the hospital setting. METHODS A total of 1000 consecutive patients who underwent ACDF in an ACS (outpatient ACDF) and 484 consecutive patients who underwent ACDF at Vanderbilt University Hospital (inpatient ACDF) from 2006 to 2013 were included in this retrospective study of patients' medical records. Data were collected on patient demographics, comorbidities, operative details, and perioperative and 90-day morbidity. Perioperative morbidity and hospital readmission were compared between the outpatient and inpatient ACDF groups. RESULTS Of the first 1000 outpatient ACDF cases performed in the authors' ASC, 629 (62.9%) were 1-level and 365 (36.5%) were 2-level ACDFs. Mean patient age was 49.5 ± 8.6, and 484 (48.4%) were males. All patients were observed postoperatively at the ASC postanesthesia care unit (PACU) for 4 hours before being discharged home. Eight patients (0.8%) were transferred from the surgery center to the hospital postoperatively (for pain control [n = 3], chest pain and electrocardiogram changes [n = 2], intraoperative CSF leak [n = 1], postoperative hematoma [n = 1], and profound postoperative weakness and surgical reexploration [n = 1]). No perioperative

Ophthalmologic screening in 25 consecutive geriatric psychiatric inpatient admissions.

PubMed

Billick, Stephen B; Garakani, Amir

2014-03-01

In the aging process, people are at increasing risk of visual abnormalities such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and other retinal defects. This holds true for geriatric psychiatric patients as well. These ophthalmic problems may increase risk of falls or increase the comorbidity from dementing processes and depression. Geriatric patients presenting for psychiatric treatment may also be misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed as a result of these visual problems. This quality assurance review of 25 consecutive geriatric psychiatric inpatients demonstrated discrepancies between chart documentation and actual ophthalmologic pathology present in the patients. Doing a simple but complete ophthalmologic screening as part of the general physical examination on admission to an inpatient psychiatric unit can identify those patients who will need more in depth examination of their eyes and promote more accurate differential diagnoses for the patients.

Teaching Middle School Language Arts: Incorporating Twenty-First Century Literacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small Roseboro, Anna J.

2010-01-01

"Teaching Middle School Language Arts" is the first book on teaching middle school language arts for multiple intelligences and related twenty-first-century literacies in technologically and ethnically diverse communities. More than 670,000 middle school teachers (grades six through eight) are responsible for educating nearly 13 million students…

Five of Five VHHs Neutralizing Poliovirus Bind the Receptor-Binding Site

PubMed Central

Strauss, Mike; Schotte, Lise; Thys, Bert; Filman, David J.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Nanobodies, or VHHs, that recognize poliovirus type 1 have previously been selected and characterized as candidates for antiviral agents or reagents for standardization of vaccine quality control. In this study, we present high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy reconstructions of poliovirus with five neutralizing VHHs. All VHHs bind the capsid in the canyon at sites that extensively overlap the poliovirus receptor-binding site. In contrast, the interaction involves a unique (and surprisingly extensive) surface for each of the five VHHs. Five regions of the capsid were found to participate in binding with all five VHHs. Four of these five regions are known to alter during the expansion of the capsid associated with viral entry. Interestingly, binding of one of the VHHs, PVSS21E, resulted in significant changes of the capsid structure and thus seems to trap the virus in an early stage of expansion. IMPORTANCE We describe the cryo-electron microscopy structures of complexes of five neutralizing VHHs with the Mahoney strain of type 1 poliovirus at resolutions ranging from 3.8 to 6.3Å. All five VHHs bind deep in the virus canyon at similar sites that overlap extensively with the binding site for the receptor (CD155). The binding surfaces on the VHHs are surprisingly extensive, but despite the use of similar binding surfaces on the virus, the binding surface on the VHHs is unique for each VHH. In four of the five complexes, the virus remains essentially unchanged, but for the fifth there are significant changes reminiscent of but smaller in magnitude than the changes associated with cell entry, suggesting that this VHH traps the virus in a previously undescribed early intermediate state. The neutralizing mechanisms of the VHHs and their potential use as quality control agents for the end game of poliovirus eradication are discussed. PMID:26764003

Five of Five VHHs Neutralizing Poliovirus Bind the Receptor-Binding Site.

PubMed

Strauss, Mike; Schotte, Lise; Thys, Bert; Filman, David J; Hogle, James M

2016-01-13

Nanobodies, or VHHs, that recognize poliovirus type 1 have previously been selected and characterized as candidates for antiviral agents or reagents for standardization of vaccine quality control. In this study, we present high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy reconstructions of poliovirus with five neutralizing VHHs. All VHHs bind the capsid in the canyon at sites that extensively overlap the poliovirus receptor-binding site. In contrast, the interaction involves a unique (and surprisingly extensive) surface for each of the five VHHs. Five regions of the capsid were found to participate in binding with all five VHHs. Four of these five regions are known to alter during the expansion of the capsid associated with viral entry. Interestingly, binding of one of the VHHs, PVSS21E, resulted in significant changes of the capsid structure and thus seems to trap the virus in an early stage of expansion. We describe the cryo-electron microscopy structures of complexes of five neutralizing VHHs with the Mahoney strain of type 1 poliovirus at resolutions ranging from 3.8 to 6.3Å. All five VHHs bind deep in the virus canyon at similar sites that overlap extensively with the binding site for the receptor (CD155). The binding surfaces on the VHHs are surprisingly extensive, but despite the use of similar binding surfaces on the virus, the binding surface on the VHHs is unique for each VHH. In four of the five complexes, the virus remains essentially unchanged, but for the fifth there are significant changes reminiscent of but smaller in magnitude than the changes associated with cell entry, suggesting that this VHH traps the virus in a previously undescribed early intermediate state. The neutralizing mechanisms of the VHHs and their potential use as quality control agents for the end game of poliovirus eradication are discussed. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Estimates of twenty-first century sea-level changes for Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Matthew J. R.; Breili, Kristian; Kierulf, Halfdan P.

2014-03-01

In this work we establish a framework for estimating future regional sea-level changes for Norway. Following recently published works, we consider how different physical processes drive non-uniform sea-level changes by accounting for spatial variations in (1) ocean density and circulation (2) ice and ocean mass changes and associated gravitational effects on sea level and (3) vertical land motion arising from past surface loading change and associated gravitational effects on sea level. An important component of past and present sea-level change in Norway is glacial isostatic adjustment. Central to our study, therefore, is a reassessment of vertical land motion using a far larger set of new observations from a permanent GNSS network. Our twenty-first century sea-level estimates are split into two parts. Firstly, we show regional projections largely based on findings from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR4) and dependent on the emission scenarios A2, A1B and B1. These indicate that twenty-first century relative sea-level changes in Norway will vary between -0.2 to 0.3 m (1-sigma ± 0.13 m). Secondly, we explore a high-end scenario, in which a global atmospheric temperature rise of up to 6 °C and emerging collapse for some areas of the Antarctic ice sheets are assumed. Using this approach twenty-first century relative sea-level changes in Norway are found to vary between 0.25 and 0.85 m (min/max ± 0.45 m). We attach no likelihood to any of our projections owing to the lack of understanding of some of the processes that cause sea-level change.

Associations between number of consecutive night shifts and impairment of neurobehavioral performance during a subsequent simulated night shift.

PubMed

Magee, Michelle; Sletten, Tracey L; Ferguson, Sally A; Grunstein, Ronald R; Anderson, Clare; Kennaway, David J; Lockley, Steven W; Rajaratnam, Shantha Mw

2016-05-01

This study aimed to investigate sleep and circadian phase in the relationships between neurobehavioral performance and the number of consecutive shifts worked. Thirty-four shift workers [20 men, mean age 31.8 (SD 10.9) years] worked 2-7 consecutive night shifts immediately prior to a laboratory-based, simulated night shift. For 7 days prior, participants worked their usual shift sequence, and sleep was assessed with logs and actigraphy. Participants completed a 10-minute auditory psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) at the start (~21:00 hours) and end (~07:00 hours) of the simulated night shift. Mean reaction times (RT), number of lapses and RT distribution was compared between those who worked 2-3 consecutive night shifts versus those who worked 4-7 shifts. Following 4-7 shifts, night shift workers had significantly longer mean RT at the start and end of shift, compared to those who worked 2-3 shifts. The slowest and fastest 10% RT were significantly slower at the start, but not end, of shift among participants who worked 4-7 nights. Those working 4-7 nights also demonstrated a broader RT distribution at the start and end of shift and had significantly slower RT based on cumulative distribution analysis (5 (th), 25 (th), 50 (th), 75 (th)percentiles at the start of shift; 75th percentile at the end of shift). No group differences in sleep parameters were found for 7 days and 24 hours prior to the simulated night shift. A greater number of consecutive night shifts has a negative impact on neurobehavioral performance, likely due to cognitive slowing.

The association between consecutive days' heat wave and cardiovascular disease mortality in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Yin, Qian; Wang, Jinfeng

2017-02-23

Although many studies have examined the effects of heat waves on the excess mortality risk (ER) posed by cardiovascular disease (CVD), scant attention has been paid to the effects of various combinations of differing heat wave temperatures and durations. We investigated such effects in Beijing, a city of over 20 million residents. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to analyze the ER of consecutive days' exposure to extreme high temperatures. A key finding was that when extremely high temperatures occur continuously, at varying temperature thresholds and durations, the adverse effects on CVD mortality vary significantly. The longer the heat wave lasts, the greater the mortality risk is. When the daily maximum temperature exceeded 35 °C from the fourth day onward, the ER attributed to consecutive days' high temperature exposure saw an increase to about 10% (p < 0.05), and at the fifth day, the ER even reached 51%. For the thresholds of 32 °C, 33 °C, and 34 °C, from the fifth day onward, the ER also rose sharply (16, 29, and 31%, respectively; p < 0.05). In addition, extreme high temperatures appeared to contribute to a higher proportion of CVD deaths among elderly persons, females and outdoor workers. When the daily maximum temperature was higher than 33 °C from the tenth consecutive day onward, the ER of CVD death among these groups was 94, 104 and 149%, respectively (p < 0.05), which is considerably higher than the ER for the overall population (87%; p < 0.05). The results of this study may assist governments in setting standards for heat waves, creating more accurate heat alerts, and taking measures to prevent or reduce temperature-related deaths, especially against the backdrop of global warming.

Initial experience with robotic pancreatic surgery in Singapore: single institution experience with 30 consecutive cases.

PubMed

Goh, Brian K P; Low, Tze-Yi; Lee, Ser-Yee; Chan, Chung-Yip; Chung, Alexander Y F; Ooi, London L P J

2018-05-24

Presently, the worldwide experience with robotic pancreatic surgery (RPS) is increasing although widespread adoption remains limited. In this study, we report our initial experience with RPS. This is a retrospective review of a single institution prospective database of 72 consecutive robotic hepatopancreatobiliary surgeries performed between 2013 and 2017. Of these, 30 patients who underwent RPS were included in this study of which 25 were performed by a single surgeon. The most common procedure was robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP) which was performed in 20 patients. This included eight subtotal pancreatectomies, two extended pancreatecto-splenectomies (en bloc gastric resection) and 10 spleen-saving-RDP. Splenic preservation was successful in 10/11 attempted spleen-saving-RDP. Eight patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomies (five hybrid with open reconstruction), one patient underwent a modified Puestow procedure and one enucleation of uncinate tumour. Four patients had extended resections including two RDP with gastric resection and two pancreaticoduodenectomies with vascular resection. There was one (3.3%) open conversion and seven (23.3%) major (>Grade II) morbidities. Overall, there were four (13.3%) clinically significant (Grade B) pancreatic fistulas of which three required percutaneous drainage. These occurred after three RDP and one robotic enucleation. There was one reoperation for port-site hernia and no 30-day/in-hospital mortalities. The median post-operative stay was 6.5 (range: 3-36) days and there were six (20%) 30-day readmissions. Our initial experience showed that RPS can be adopted safely with a low open conversion rate for a wide variety of procedures including pancreaticoduodenectomy. © 2018 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Plant species richness sustains higher trophic levels of soil nematode communities after consecutive environmental perturbations.

PubMed

Cesarz, Simone; Ciobanu, Marcel; Wright, Alexandra J; Ebeling, Anne; Vogel, Anja; Weisser, Wolfgang W; Eisenhauer, Nico

2017-07-01

The magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events are predicted to increase in the future due to ongoing climate change. In particular, floods and droughts resulting from climate change are thought to alter the ecosystem functions and stability. However, knowledge of the effects of these weather events on soil fauna is scarce, although they are key towards functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Plant species richness has been shown to affect the stability of ecosystem functions and food webs. Here, we used the occurrence of a natural flood in a biodiversity grassland experiment that was followed by a simulated summer drought experiment, to investigate the interactive effects of plant species richness, a natural flood, and a subsequent summer drought on nematode communities. Three and five months after the natural flooding, effects of flooding severity were still detectable in the belowground system. We found that flooding severity decreased soil nematode food-web structure (loss of K-strategists) and the abundance of plant feeding nematodes. However, high plant species richness maintained higher diversity and abundance of higher trophic levels compared to monocultures throughout the flood. The subsequent summer drought seemed to be of lower importance but reversed negative flooding effects in some cases. This probably occurred because the studied grassland system is well adapted to drought, or because drought conditions alleviated the negative impact of long-term soil waterlogging. Using soil nematodes as indicator taxa, this study suggests that high plant species richness can maintain soil food web complexity after consecutive environmental perturbations.

Low Rates of Major Complications for Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Maintained Over 14 Years: A Single Centre Experience of 2750 Consecutive Cases.

PubMed

Voskoboinik, Aleksandr; Sparks, Paul B; Morton, Joseph B; Lee, Geoffrey; Joseph, Stephen A; Hawson, Joshua J; Kistler, Peter M; Kalman, Jonathan M

2018-02-03

Despite technological advances, studies continue to report high complication rates for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. We sought to review complication rates for AF ablation at a high-volume centre over a 14-year period and identify predictors of complications. We reviewed prospectively collected data from 2750 consecutive AF ablation procedures at our institution using radiofrequency energy (RF) between January 2004 and May 2017. All cases were performed under general anaesthetic with transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE), 3D-mapping and an irrigated ablation catheter. Double transseptal puncture was performed under TEE guidance. All patients underwent wide antral circumferential isolation of the pulmonary veins (30W anteriorly, 25W posteriorly) with substrate modification at operator discretion. Of 2255 initial and 495 redo procedures, ablation strategies were: pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) only 2097 (76.3%), PVI+lines 368 (13.4%), PVI+posterior wall 191 (6.9%), PVI+cavotricuspid isthmus 277 (10.1%). There were 23 major (0.84%) and 20 minor (0.73%) complications. Cardiac tamponade (five cases - 0.18%) and phrenic nerve palsy (one case - 0.04%) rates were very low. Major vascular complications necessitating surgery or blood transfusion occurred in five patients (0.18%). There were no cases of death, permanent disability, atrio-oesophageal fistulae or symptomatic pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis, although there were five TEE probe-related complications (0.18%). Female gender (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.07-4.26) but not age >70 (OR 1.01) was the only multivariate predictor of complications. Atrial fibrillation ablation performed at a high-volume centre using RF can be achieved with a low major complication rate in a representative AF population over a sustained period of time. Copyright © 2018 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights

A Consecutive Spray Printing Strategy to Construct and Integrate Diverse Supercapacitors on Various Substrates.

PubMed

Wang, Xinyu; Lu, Qiongqiong; Chen, Chen; Han, Mo; Wang, Qingrong; Li, Haixia; Niu, Zhiqiang; Chen, Jun

2017-08-30

The rapid development of printable electronic devices with flexible and wearable characteristics requires supercapacitor devices to be printable, light, thin, integrated macro- and micro-devices with flexibility. Herein, we developed a consecutive spray printing strategy to controllably construct and integrate diverse supercapacitors on various substrates. In such a strategy, all supercapacitor components are fully printable, and their thicknesses and shapes are well controlled. As a result, supercapacitors obtained by this strategy achieve diverse structures and shapes. In addition, different nanocarbon and pseudocapacitive materials are applicable for the fabrication of these diverse supercapacitors. Furthermore, the diverse supercapacitors can be readily constructed on various objects with planar, curved, or even rough surfaces (e.g., plastic film, glass, cloth, and paper). More importantly, the consecutive spray printing process can integrate several supercapacitors together in the perpendicular and parallel directions of one substrate by designing the structure of electrodes and separators. This enlightens the construction and integration of fully printable supercapacitors with diverse configurations to be compatible with fully printable electronics on various substrates.

Preface: Twenty-First Target Fabrication Specialists Meeting

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

Nikroo, Abbas; Czechowicz, Don

The Twenty First Target Fabrication Meeting held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from June xx-yy 2015, was attended by more than 100 scientists, engineers, and technicians from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan, bringing together international experts on the design, development, and fabrication of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and high-energy-density (HED) experimental targets fielded on laser and pulsed-power facilities around the world. We were delighted to have such exceptional international representation. The program included 4 invited papers, 53 contributed papers, and 55 posters. A selection of these is presented in this dedicated issue of Fusion Science and Technologymore » (FST).« less

Preface: Twenty-First Target Fabrication Specialists Meeting

DOE PAGES

Nikroo, Abbas; Czechowicz, Don

2017-04-21

The Twenty First Target Fabrication Meeting held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from June xx-yy 2015, was attended by more than 100 scientists, engineers, and technicians from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan, bringing together international experts on the design, development, and fabrication of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and high-energy-density (HED) experimental targets fielded on laser and pulsed-power facilities around the world. We were delighted to have such exceptional international representation. The program included 4 invited papers, 53 contributed papers, and 55 posters. A selection of these is presented in this dedicated issue of Fusion Science and Technologymore » (FST).« less

Estimating Resource Costs of Levy Campaigns in Five Ohio School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingle, W. Kyle; Petroff, Ruth Ann; Johnson, Paul A.

2011-01-01

Using Levin and McEwan's (2001) "ingredients method," this study identified the major activities and associated costs of school levy campaigns in five districts. The ingredients were divided into one of five cost categories--human resources, facilities, fees, marketing, and supplies. As to overall costs of the campaigns, estimates ranged…

Twenty-Two Dimensions of the Population Problem. Worldwatch Paper 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Lester R.; And Others

Twenty-two facets of the world population problem are explored. The topics are economic, social, ecological, and political in nature and generally portray the stresses and strains associated with continued population growth in a world inhabited by four billion people. These aspects of the population problem are discussed: literacy, oceanic…

Better or Worse: a Study of Day-to-Day Changes over Five Months of Rosen Method Bodywork Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain

PubMed Central

Fogel, Alan

2013-01-01

Background Fluctuations of good days and bad days—in physical symptoms and emotional states—are common for individuals with chronic illness. This pilot study examines these fluctuations during bodywork treatment. Purpose We analyzed changes in daily self-reports over a period of five months for five individuals who received weekly treatments of Rosen Method Bodywork (RMB), which uses touch and words to enhance body awareness of physical sensations and emotional states. Subjects and Design Five subjects (aged 31–56) who had chronic low back pain (CLBP) received 16 weekly treatments given by three experienced RMB practitioners. Measures Pre- and posttreatment assessments covered demographics, disability, and pain. Clients also completed daily bedtime assessments of pain, fatigue, emotional state, and sense of control during the entire treatment period. Results All clients reported reductions in pain and/or disability in post- compared to pretreatment. In spite of a high level of day-to-day variability in the daily assessments, there were significant reductions in pain and fatigue, and significant increases in positive emotional state and sense of control across the treatment period. In reaching this end, however, some clients had slow and steady improvements, some improved more rapidly, while others got worse before they got better. Conclusions The natural course of healing—with its inevitable fluctuations in symptoms—is part of a process leading to successful treatment outcomes. Rosen Method Bodywork may be especially helpful in developing and accepting both sensory and emotional body awareness changes that facilitate overall improvement. PMID:24000305

Strong Inference in Mathematical Modeling: A Method for Robust Science in the Twenty-First Century.

PubMed

Ganusov, Vitaly V

2016-01-01

While there are many opinions on what mathematical modeling in biology is, in essence, modeling is a mathematical tool, like a microscope, which allows consequences to logically follow from a set of assumptions. Only when this tool is applied appropriately, as microscope is used to look at small items, it may allow to understand importance of specific mechanisms/assumptions in biological processes. Mathematical modeling can be less useful or even misleading if used inappropriately, for example, when a microscope is used to study stars. According to some philosophers (Oreskes et al., 1994), the best use of mathematical models is not when a model is used to confirm a hypothesis but rather when a model shows inconsistency of the model (defined by a specific set of assumptions) and data. Following the principle of strong inference for experimental sciences proposed by Platt (1964), I suggest "strong inference in mathematical modeling" as an effective and robust way of using mathematical modeling to understand mechanisms driving dynamics of biological systems. The major steps of strong inference in mathematical modeling are (1) to develop multiple alternative models for the phenomenon in question; (2) to compare the models with available experimental data and to determine which of the models are not consistent with the data; (3) to determine reasons why rejected models failed to explain the data, and (4) to suggest experiments which would allow to discriminate between remaining alternative models. The use of strong inference is likely to provide better robustness of predictions of mathematical models and it should be strongly encouraged in mathematical modeling-based publications in the Twenty-First century.

Strong Inference in Mathematical Modeling: A Method for Robust Science in the Twenty-First Century

PubMed Central

Ganusov, Vitaly V.

2016-01-01

While there are many opinions on what mathematical modeling in biology is, in essence, modeling is a mathematical tool, like a microscope, which allows consequences to logically follow from a set of assumptions. Only when this tool is applied appropriately, as microscope is used to look at small items, it may allow to understand importance of specific mechanisms/assumptions in biological processes. Mathematical modeling can be less useful or even misleading if used inappropriately, for example, when a microscope is used to study stars. According to some philosophers (Oreskes et al., 1994), the best use of mathematical models is not when a model is used to confirm a hypothesis but rather when a model shows inconsistency of the model (defined by a specific set of assumptions) and data. Following the principle of strong inference for experimental sciences proposed by Platt (1964), I suggest “strong inference in mathematical modeling” as an effective and robust way of using mathematical modeling to understand mechanisms driving dynamics of biological systems. The major steps of strong inference in mathematical modeling are (1) to develop multiple alternative models for the phenomenon in question; (2) to compare the models with available experimental data and to determine which of the models are not consistent with the data; (3) to determine reasons why rejected models failed to explain the data, and (4) to suggest experiments which would allow to discriminate between remaining alternative models. The use of strong inference is likely to provide better robustness of predictions of mathematical models and it should be strongly encouraged in mathematical modeling-based publications in the Twenty-First century. PMID:27499750

[Improvement of sensitivity in the second generation HCV core antigen assay by a novel concentration method using polyethylene glycol (PEG)].

PubMed

Higashimoto, Makiko; Takahashi, Masahiko; Jokyu, Ritsuko; Syundou, Hiromi; Saito, Hidetsugu

2007-11-01

A HCV core antigen (Ag) detection assay system, Lumipulse Ortho HCV Ag has been developed and is commercially available in Japan with a lower detection level limit of 50 fmol/l, which is equivalent to 20 KIU/ml in PCR quantitative assay. HCV core Ag assay has an advantage of broader dynamic range compared with PCR assay, however the sensitivity is lower than PCR. We developed a novel HCV core Ag concentration method using polyethylene glycol (PEG), which can improve the sensitivity five times better than the original assay. The reproducibility was examined by consecutive five-time measurement of HCV patients serum, in which the results of HCV core Ag original and concentrated method were 56.8 +/- 8.1 fmol/l (mean +/- SD), CV 14.2% and 322.9 +/- 45.5 fmol/l CV 14.0%, respectively. The assay results of HCV negative samples in original HCV core Ag were all 0.1 fmol/l and the results were same even in the concentration method. The results of concentration method were 5.7 times higher than original assay, which was almost equal to theoretical rate as expected. The assay results of serially diluted samples were also as same as expected data in both original and concentration assay. We confirmed that the sensitivity of HCV core Ag concentration method had almost as same sensitivity as PCR high range assay in the competitive assay study using the serially monitored samples of five HCV patients during interferon therapy. A novel concentration method using PEG in HCV core Ag assay system seems to be useful for assessing and monitoring interferon treatment for HCV.

How to manage thyroid nodules with two consecutive non-diagnostic results on ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration.

PubMed

Moon, Hee Jung; Kwak, Jin Young; Choi, Yoon Seong; Kim, Eun-Kyung

2012-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors for considering surgery on thyroid nodules that had non-diagnostic results on two consecutive cytology examinations. A total of 104 thyroid nodules with two consecutive non-diagnostic cytology examinations in 104 patients were investigated. Nodules with one or more suspicious ultrasonography (US) features of marked hypoechogenicity, a not well defined margin, microcalcifications, or a taller-than-wide shape were assessed as sonographically suspicious. Those without any suspicious features were assessed as sonographically benign. The clinicopathologic characteristics of patients and US features of the nodules were compared according to malignancy and benignity. The odds ratio for predicting malignancy was calculated. Altogether, 12 nodules were malignant, and 92 were benign. Age, sex, nodule size, and solidness were not associated with malignancy (P = 0.73, 0.92, 0.48, and 0.73, respectively). The malignancy rate of sonographically suspicious nodules was 25.7%, higher than the 4.3% of sonographically benign nodules (P = 0.002). The odds ratio of sonographically suspicious nodules for predicting malignancy was 16.01 (95% confidence interval 2.36-108.54, P = 0.005). Based on sonographic features, surgery can be performed selectively on nodules with two consecutive non-diagnostic cytology results.

Sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of five ganoderic acids in Ganoderma lucidum and its related species.

PubMed

Liu, Yongli; Liu, Youping; Qiu, Feng; Di, Xin

2011-03-25

The present paper describes a novel, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous analysis of ganoderic acids C(2), B, A, H, D in Ganoderma lucidum and its related species. Ganoderma samples were prepared using simple ultrasonic extraction. Chromatographic separation was carried out on an Agilent Zorbax XDB C(18) column (250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., 5μm) with an isocratic mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile, water and formic acid (42:58:0.5, v/v/v). Mass spectrometric detection was achieved by a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) interface operating in negative and positive ionization mode via a single within-run polarity switching. Quantitation of five ganoderic acids was performed using selective reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. The intra- and inter-day precision was less than 6.2% and the accuracy ranged from 90.0% to 105.7%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 20.0-40.0 ng/mL and the limit of detection (LOD) was 3.0-25.0 ng/mL. With this method, low levels of ganoderic acids in the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma sinense and Ganoderma applanatum were accurately quantified for the first time. Importantly, the method allows unequivocal quantification of the five ganoderic acids in the spores and fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum, whereas the previously published methods have lacked the capability. The method presented will be a powerful tool for quality control of Ganoderma lucidum and its related species. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of abnormalities in pituitary gland in non-missile head injury: study of 100 consecutive cases.

PubMed Central

Harper, C G; Doyle, D; Adams, J H; Graham, D I

1986-01-01

Pituitary glands, obtained at necropsy from a consecutive series of 100 patients who had died as a result of non-missile head injuries, were examined to define the incidence and pathogenesis of abnormality. Images PMID:3734113

The Conundrum of Religious Schools in Twenty-First-Century Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merry, Michael S.

2015-01-01

In this paper Merry examines in detail the continued--and curious--popularity of religious schools in an otherwise "secular" twenty-first century Europe. To do this he considers a number of motivations underwriting the decision to place one's child in a religious school and delineates what are likely the best empirically supported…

Culture, Power, and the University in the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Peter

2012-01-01

Powerful nations have influential systems of higher education. The article explores the possible pattern of geopolitics in the twenty-first century, and the competing prospects of America and its rivals in higher education and research. Pressures on both the American and non-American worlds are evaluated, along with relative economic strengths,…

Five Years into the Past...Five Years into the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tenopir, Carol

1988-01-01

Discusses issues which will have an impact on database searching for the next five years: (1) quality control; (2) more inhouse databases; (3) changes in database visuals; (4) pricing policies; and (5) market changes. A number of favorable and unfavorable changes unlikely to occur within five years are also noted. (MES)

Measuring Evapotranspiration of five Alley Cropping systems in Germany using the Eddy-Covariance- and Bowen-Ratio Energy-Balance methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markwitz, Christian; Knohl, Alexander; Siebicke, Lukas

2017-04-01

The inclusion of trees into the agricultural landscape of Europe is gaining popularity as a source for energy production. Fast growing tree species such as poplar or willow are included as short rotation coppice or alley cropping systems, which consist of tree alleys interleaved by annual rotating crops or perennial grasslands. Estimating turbulent fluxes of those systems using the eddy-covariance- (ECEB) and bowen-ratio energy-balance (BREB) method is challenging due to the methods limitation to horizontally homogeneous terrain and steady state conditions. As the conditions are not fulfilled for those systems the energy-balance is commonly not fully closed, with the non-closure being site specific. An underestimation of measured heat fluxes leads to an overestimation of the latent heat fluxes inferred from the ECEB method. The aim of our study is to 1) quantify the site specific non-closure of the energy-balance and 2) characterize the performance of both methods, compared to direct eddy-covariance measurements using a high frequency infra-red gas analyzer (LI-7200, Licor Inc.). To assess continuous evapotranspiration (ET) rates on a 30-minute time scale we installed a combined ECEB and BREB system at five alley cropping and five agricultural reference sites across Germany. For time periods of four weeks we performed direct eddy covariance flux measurements for H2O and CO2 over one crop- and one grassland alley cropping- and their respective reference systems during the growing season of 2016. We found a non-closure between 21 and 26 % for all sites, considering all day- and night-time data. The residual energy was highest during the morning and lowest in the afternoon. Related to that the energy-balance ratio (EBR), i.e. the ratio between the turbulent heat fluxes and available energy, was below one in the morning hours and increased slightly during the day up to 1.8, until the EBR decreased sharply after sunset. The EBR correlated to the daily cycle of solar

NATO’s Relevance in the Twenty-First Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching...5d. PROJECT NUMBER Colonel John K. Jones 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES...Christopher Coker, Globalisation and Insecurity in the Twenty-first Century: NATO and the Management of Risk (The International Institute for Strategic

An intercomparison of five ammonia measurement techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, E. J.; Sandholm, S. T.; Bradshaw, J. D.; Schendel, J. S.; Langford, A. O.; Quinn, P. K.; Lebel, P. J.; Vay, S. A.; Roberts, P. D.; Norton, R. B.

1992-01-01

Results obtained from five techniques for measuring gas-phase ammonia at low concentration in the atmosphere are compared. These methods are: (1) a photofragmentation/laser-induced fluorescence (PF/LIF) instrument; (2) a molybdenum oxide annular denuder sampling/chemiluminescence detection technique; (3) a tungsten oxide denuder sampling/chemiluminescence detection system; (4) a citric-acid-coated denuder sampling/ion chromatographic analysis (CAD/IC) method; and (5) an oxalic-acid-coated filter pack sampling/colorimetric analysis method. It was found that two of the techniques, the PF/LIF and the CAD/IC methods, measured approximately 90 percent of the calculated ammonia added in the spiking tests and agreed very well with each other in the ambient measurements.

The effects of intra-particle concentration gradient on consecutive adsorption-desorption of oryzanol from rice bran oil in packed-column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susanti, Ari Diana; Sediawan, Wahyudi Budi; Wirawan, Sang Kompiang; Budhijanto

2017-05-01

Utilization of valuable trace components in agriculture by product such as rice bran oil is interesting to be explored. Among the valuables, oryzanol, a healthy nutrition for cardiovascular prevention, is the most promising one. Literature studies suggest that adsorption-desorption is a prospective method for oryzanol isolation. Design of commercial scale adsorption-desorption system for oryzanol needs a quantitative description of the phenomena involved. In this study, quantitative modeling of the consecutive adsorption-desorption in packed column has been proposed and verified through experimental data. The offered model takes into account the intra-particle concentration gradient in the adsorbent particle. In this model, the rate of mass transfer from the bulk of the liquid to the surface of the adsorbent particle or vice versa is expressed by film theory. The mass transfer of oryzanol from the liquid in the pore of the particle to the adjacent pore surface is assumed to be instantaneous, so solid-liquid equilibrium on the surface of the pores is always attained. For simplicity, the adsorption equilibrium model applied was coefficient distribution approach. The values of the parameters implicated in the model were obtained by curve fitting to the experimental data. It verified that the model proposed works well to quantitatively describe the consecutive adsorption-desorption of oryzanol from rice bran oil in packed column.

Microbial communities in air and wine of a winery at two consecutive vintages.

PubMed

Pérez-Martín, Fátima; Seseña, Susana; Fernández-González, Mónica; Arévalo, María; Palop, María Llanos

2014-11-03

The aim of this study was to assess, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the populations of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts in air and wine of a winery, in order to evaluate the possible exchange of microorganisms between them. Samples were taken in a winery located in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) during the winemaking period of two consecutive vintages (2011 and 2012). The microbial composition was determined by using both a culture-dependent method and a culture-independent method, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). In addition, genetic characterization of isolates from plates was carried out. A high diversity of species was detected in air and wine samples from both vintages. Leuconostoc mesenteroides was the predominant lactic acid bacteria in air from both vintages while Oenococcus oeni was the predominant in wine. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the most frequently isolated yeast in both air and wine. Typing of O. oeni and S. cerevisiae isolates from air and wine samples showed the presence of coincident genotypes in both samples, that would confirm the exchange of microorganisms between the two environments, air and wine, and furthermore some of these genotypes were also found at samples taken at different vintages, indicating that they would remain in the winery. The results display the influence of the activity taking place in the winery and the moment of fermentation of the wines in tanks, on the microorganisms present in the air and the role of the air for the dispersal of microorganisms within the winery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Twenty-first century learning in schools: A case study of New Technology High School in Napa, California.

PubMed

Pearlman, Bob

2006-01-01

The most pertinent question concerning teaching and learning in the twenty-first century is not what knowledge and skills students need--that laundry list was identified over a decade ago--but rather how to foster twenty-first century learning. What curricula, experiences, assessments, environments, and technology best support twenty-first century learning? New Technology High School (NTHS) in Napa, California, is one example of a successful twenty-first century school. In this chapter, the author describes the components of this exemplary high school, illustrating an environment that will cultivate twenty-first century student learning. New Technology High School began by defining eight learning outcomes, aligned with the standards of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills; to graduate, students demonstrate mastery of these outcomes through an online portfolio. To help students achieve the outcomes, NTHS employs project- and problem-based learning. Whereas in traditional classrooms students work alone on short-term assignments that do not lend themselves to deep understanding, the project-based learning approach has students working in teams on long-term, in-depth, rigorous projects. Students' work is supported by the school's workplace-like environment and effectiv use of technology. Meaningful assessment is essential to project-based learning; students receive continuous feedback, helping them become self-directed learners. In fact, NTHS uses outcome-based grading through which students constantly know how they are performing on the twenty-first century outcomes. Research has shown that NTHS graduates are better prepared for postsecondary education, careers, and citizenship than their peers from other schools. To facilitate twenty-first century learning, all schools need to rethink their approach to teaching and learning. New Technology High School is one way to do so.

The big five factors of personality and their relationship to personality disorders.

PubMed

Dyce, J A

1997-10-01

Articles examining the relationship between the Big Five factors of personality and personality disorders (PDs) are reviewed. A survey of these studies indicates that there is some agreement regarding the relationship between the Big Five and PDs. However, the level of agreement varies and may be a function of instrumentation, the method of report, or how data have been analyzed. Future research should consider the role of peer-ratings, examine the relationship between PDs and the first-order factors of the Big Five, consider dimensions over and above the Big Five as predictors of PDs.

Twenty years of meta-analyses in orthopaedic surgery: has quality kept up with quantity?

PubMed

Dijkman, Bernadette G; Abouali, Jihad A K; Kooistra, Bauke W; Conter, Henry J; Poolman, Rudolf W; Kulkarni, Abhaya V; Tornetta, Paul; Bhandari, Mohit

2010-01-01

As the number of studies in the literature is increasing, orthopaedic surgeons highly depend on meta-analyses as their primary source of scientific evidence. The objectives of this review were to assess the scientific quality and number of published meta-analyses on orthopaedics-related topics over time. We conducted, in duplicate and independently, a systematic review of published meta-analyses in orthopaedics in the years 2005 and 2008 and compared them with a previous systematic review of meta-analyses from 1969 to 1999. A search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) was performed to identify meta-analyses published in 2005 and 2008. We searched bibliographies and contacted content experts to identify additional relevant studies. Two investigators independently assessed the quality of the studies, using the Oxman and Guyatt index, and abstracted relevant data. We included forty-five and forty-four meta-analyses from 2005 and 2008, respectively. While the number of meta-analyses increased fivefold from 1999 to 2008, the mean quality score did not change significantly over time (p = 0.067). In the later years, a significantly lower proportion of meta-analyses had methodological flaws (56% in 2005 and 68% in 2008) compared with meta-analyses published prior to 2000 (88%) (p = 0.006). In 2005 and 2008, respectively, 18% and 30% of the meta-analyses had major to extensive flaws in their methodology. Studies from 2008 with positive conclusions used and described appropriate criteria for the validity assessment less often than did those with negative results. The use of random-effects and fixed-effects models as pooling methods became more popular toward 2008. Although the methodological quality of orthopaedic meta-analyses has increased in the past twenty years, a substantial proportion continues to show major to extensive flaws. As the number of published meta-analyses is increasing, a routine checklist for

Medium to long-term results of the UNIX uncemented unicompartmental knee replacement.

PubMed

Hall, Matthew J; Connell, David A; Morris, Hayden G

2013-10-01

We report the first non-designer study of the Unix uncemented unicompartmental knee prosthesis. Eighty-five consecutive UKRs were carried out with sixty-five available for follow-up. Oxford Knee Scores, WOMAC questionnaire and radiological assessment were completed. The mean Oxford Knee Score was thirty-eight and WOMAC Score was twenty. Overall Kaplan Meier survival estimate is 76% (95% confidence interval 60%-97%) at 12years and 88% (95% confidence interval 76-100%) with aseptic loosening as the endpoint. Radiographic assessment showed lysis in the tibia in 6% of patients with no lysis evident around the central fin. Survivorship is comparable to other published series of UKRs. We suggest the central fin design is key to dissipating large forces throughout the proximal tibia, resulting in low levels of tibial loosening. Level of evidence IV. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Twenty Years of French "Didactique" Viewed from the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilpatrick, Jeremy

2003-01-01

One cannot begin considering the topic of this colloquium without asking, why twenty years? Why not two hundred? Two hundred years ago, Silvestre Franois Lacroix was about to be named chief officer of the Commission Executive de L'Instruction Publique. Out of that experience, together with his long career in instruction, especially as professor of…

Humanities: The Unexpected Success Story of the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Virginia

2012-01-01

Humanities within universities faced challenges in the latter half of the twentieth century as their value in the modern world was questioned. This paper argues that there is strong potential for the humanities to thrive in the twenty-first century university sector. It outlines some of the managerial implications necessary to ensure that this…

Forecasting Twenty-First Century Information Technology Skills: A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jackie A.

2012-01-01

As cities and regions seek to increase the stock of college educated citizens in order to compete in the twenty-first century knowledge-economy, colleges and universities are realizing increased enrollment. At the same time, much is being written about the skills needed by graduates for the new economy. These studies articulate skills in critical…

Sociodemographic Determinants of Malaria among Under-Five Children in Ghana.

PubMed

Nyarko, Samuel Harrenson; Cobblah, Anastasia

2014-01-01

Background. Malaria is an entrenched global health challenge particularly in the sub-Saharan African countries. However, in Ghana, little is known about the determinants of malaria prevalence among under-five children. As such, this study sought to examine the sociodemographic factors that determine malaria among under-five children in Ghana. Methods. This paper used secondary data drawn from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Bivariate analysis and complementary log-log regression models were used to examine the determinants of malaria prevalence among under-five children in Ghana for the study period. Results. The results therefore revealed that region of residence, age of child, and ownership of mosquito net were the key predictors of malaria cases among under-five children in Ghana for the five-year period preceding the survey. Conclusion. It is therefore imperative that special education on prevention of malaria should be intensified by the National Malaria Control Programme in all the regions in order to reduce malaria prevalence particularly among under-five children in Ghana.

Hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy in three to five fractions for vestibular schwannoma.

PubMed

Morimoto, Masahiro; Yoshioka, Yasuo; Kotsuma, Tadayuki; Adachi, Kana; Shiomi, Hiroya; Suzuki, Osamu; Seo, Yuji; Koizumi, Masahiko; Kagawa, Naoki; Kinoshita, Manabu; Hashimoto, Naoya; Ogawa, Kazuhiko

2013-08-01

To retrospectively examine the outcomes of hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy in three to five fractions for vestibular schwannomas. Twenty-five patients with 26 vestibular schwannomas were treated with hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy using a CyberKnife. The vestibular schwannomas of 5 patients were associated with type II neurofibromatosis. The median follow-up time was 80 months (range: 6-167); the median planning target volume was 2.6 cm(3) (0.3-15.4); and the median prescribed dose (≥D90) was 21 Gy in three fractions (18-25 Gy in three to five fractions). Progression was defined as ≥2 mm 3-dimensional post-treatment tumor enlargement excluding transient expansion. Progression or any death was counted as an event in progression-free survival rates, whereas only progression was counted in progression-free rates. The 7-year progression-free survival and progression-free rates were 78 and 95%, respectively. Late adverse events (≥3 months) with grades based on Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, v4.03 were observed in 6 patients: Grade 3 hydrocephalus in one patient, Grade 2 facial nerve disorders in two and Grade 1-2 tinnitus in three. In total, 12 out of 25 patients maintained pure tone averages ≤50 dB before hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy, and 6 of these 12 patients (50%) maintained pure tone averages at this level at the final audiometric follow-up after hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy. However, gradient deterioration of pure tone average was observed in 11 of these 12 patients. The mean pure tone averages before hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy and at the final follow-up for the aforementioned 12 patients were 29.8 and 57.1 dB, respectively. Treating vestibular schwannomas with hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy in three to five fractions may prevent tumor progression with tolerable toxicity. However, gradient deterioration of pure tone average was

Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Arginine Improve Performance in Two Consecutive Days of Simulated Handball Games in Male and Female Athletes: A Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Chang, Chen-Kang; Chang Chien, Kun-Ming; Chang, Jung-Hsien; Huang, Mei-Hsuan; Liang, Ya-Chuan; Liu, Tsung-Han

2015-01-01

The central nervous system plays a crucial role in the development of physical fatigue. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of combined supplementation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and arginine on intermittent sprint performance in simulated handball games on 2 consecutive days. Methods: Fifteen male and seven female handball players consumed 0.17 g/kg BCAA and 0.04 g/kg arginine together (AA trial), or placebo (PB trial) before exercise. Each trial contained two 60-min simulated handball games on consecutive days. The game was consisted of 30 identical 2-min blocks and a 20 m all-out sprint was performed at the end of each block. The performance, measured by percentage changes of sprint time between day 1 and 2, was significantly better in the AA trial (first half: AA trial: -1.34±0.60%, PB trial: -0.21±0.69%; second half: AA trial: -1.68±0.58%, PB trial: 0.49±0.42%). The average ratings of perceive exertion throughout the 2-day trial was significantly lower in the AA trial (14.2±0.3) than the PB trial (15.1±0.4). Concurrently, post-exercise tryptophan/BCAA ratio on both days in the AA trial was significantly lower than the baseline. This study showed that BCAA and arginine supplementation could improve performance in intermittent sprints on the second consecutive day of simulated handball games in well-trained athletes by potentially alleviating central fatigue. PMID:25803783

Reticulocyte profile in top-level alpine skiers during four consecutive competitive seasons.

PubMed

Banfi, Giuseppe; Tavana, Rodolfo; Freschi, Marco; Lundby, Carsten

2010-06-01

The role of reticulocytes (Ret) in sports medicine became clear when the count of immature erythrocytes was introduced in protocols used for anti-doping purposes. Because specific research regarding seasonal variations in Ret is lacking, we assessed Ret (and [Hb]) in top-level male and female skiers during four consecutive competitive seasons. A difference (P < 0.05) between males and females was found for [Hb] and Ret values: [Hb] was lower and Ret was higher in females. The difference was maintained across all four competitive seasons. Marked within-subject differences in [Hb], Ret and immature reticulocyte fraction values were noted; the within-subject variability was greater than the between-subject variability in both genders. For instance, a difference for Ret was consistently shown between first and second blood drawings, i.e. between basal value, before the start of training and competition, and the value at middle of season, when training workload was at highest level. Unlike Ret%, the analysis of variance showed significant changes in [Hb] values across competitive seasons for both genders. Comparison between consecutive seasons (e.g., 2005-2006 vs. 2006-2007) showed significant differences for both parameters. The behaviour of [Hb] and Ret during the various seasons was parallel in females, whereas a discrepancy existed in males. In general, inter-individual variability is quite high, thus, Ret and [Hb] modifications should be referred only to the single athlete. We confirm the validity of the use of Ret counts for anti-doping purposes.

Consecutive learning of opposing unimanual motor tasks using the right arm followed by the left arm causes intermanual interference

PubMed Central

Thürer, Benjamin; Stein, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Intermanual transfer (motor memory generalization across arms) and motor memory interference (impairment of retest performance in consecutive motor learning) are well-investigated motor learning phenomena. However, the interplay of these phenomena remains elusive, i.e., whether intermanual interference occurs when two unimanual tasks are consecutively learned using different arms. Here, we examine intermanual interference when subjects consecutively adapt their right and left arm movements to novel dynamics. We considered two force field tasks A and B which were of the same structure but mirrored orientation (B = -A). The first test group (ABA-group) consecutively learned task A using their right arm and task B using their left arm before being retested for task A with their right arm. Another test group (AAA-group) learned only task A in the same right-left-right arm schedule. Control subjects learned task A using their right arm without intermediate left arm learning. All groups were able to adapt their right arm movements to force field A and both test groups showed significant intermanual transfer of this initial learning to the contralateral left arm of 21.9% (ABA-group) and 27.6% (AAA-group). Consecutively, both test groups adapted their left arm movements to force field B (ABA-group) or force field A (AAA-group). For the ABA-group, left arm learning caused significant intermanual interference of the initially learned right arm task (68.3% performance decrease). The performance decrease of the AAA-group (10.2%) did not differ from controls (15.5%). These findings suggest that motor control and learning of right and left arm movements involve partly similar neural networks or underlie a vital interhemispheric connectivity. Moreover, our results suggest a preferred internal task representation in extrinsic Cartesian-based coordinates rather than in intrinsic joint-based coordinates because interference was absent when learning was performed in extrinsically

Consecutive learning of opposing unimanual motor tasks using the right arm followed by the left arm causes intermanual interference.

PubMed

Stockinger, Christian; Thürer, Benjamin; Stein, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Intermanual transfer (motor memory generalization across arms) and motor memory interference (impairment of retest performance in consecutive motor learning) are well-investigated motor learning phenomena. However, the interplay of these phenomena remains elusive, i.e., whether intermanual interference occurs when two unimanual tasks are consecutively learned using different arms. Here, we examine intermanual interference when subjects consecutively adapt their right and left arm movements to novel dynamics. We considered two force field tasks A and B which were of the same structure but mirrored orientation (B = -A). The first test group (ABA-group) consecutively learned task A using their right arm and task B using their left arm before being retested for task A with their right arm. Another test group (AAA-group) learned only task A in the same right-left-right arm schedule. Control subjects learned task A using their right arm without intermediate left arm learning. All groups were able to adapt their right arm movements to force field A and both test groups showed significant intermanual transfer of this initial learning to the contralateral left arm of 21.9% (ABA-group) and 27.6% (AAA-group). Consecutively, both test groups adapted their left arm movements to force field B (ABA-group) or force field A (AAA-group). For the ABA-group, left arm learning caused significant intermanual interference of the initially learned right arm task (68.3% performance decrease). The performance decrease of the AAA-group (10.2%) did not differ from controls (15.5%). These findings suggest that motor control and learning of right and left arm movements involve partly similar neural networks or underlie a vital interhemispheric connectivity. Moreover, our results suggest a preferred internal task representation in extrinsic Cartesian-based coordinates rather than in intrinsic joint-based coordinates because interference was absent when learning was performed in extrinsically

Acute Effect of Different Combined Stretching Methods on Acceleration and Speed in Soccer Players.

PubMed

Amiri-Khorasani, Mohammadtaghi; Calleja-Gonzalez, Julio; Mogharabi-Manzari, Mansooreh

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of different stretching methods, during a warm-up, on the acceleration and speed of soccer players. The acceleration performance of 20 collegiate soccer players (body height: 177.25 ± 5.31 cm; body mass: 65.10 ± 5.62 kg; age: 16.85 ± 0.87 years; BMI: 20.70 ± 5.54; experience: 8.46 ± 1.49 years) was evaluated after different warm-up procedures, using 10 and 20 m tests. Subjects performed five types of a warm-up: static, dynamic, combined static + dynamic, combined dynamic + static, and no-stretching. Subjects were divided into five groups. Each group performed five different warm-up protocols in five non-consecutive days. The warm-up protocol used for each group was randomly assigned. The protocols consisted of 4 min jogging, a 1 min stretching program (except for the no-stretching protocol), and 2 min rest periods, followed by the 10 and 20 m sprint test, on the same day. The current findings showed significant differences in the 10 and 20 m tests after dynamic stretching compared with static, combined, and no-stretching protocols. There were also significant differences between the combined stretching compared with static and no-stretching protocols. We concluded that soccer players performed better with respect to acceleration and speed, after dynamic and combined stretching, as they were able to produce more force for a faster execution.

Comparison of single and consecutive dual frequency induction surface hardening of gear wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barglik, J.; Ducki, K.; Kukla, D.; Mizera, J.; Mrówka-Nowotnik, G.; Sieniawski, J.; Smalcerz, A.

2018-05-01

Mathematical modelling of single and consecutive dual - frequency induction surface hardening systems are presented and compared. The both models are solved by the 3D FEM-based professional software supported by a number of own numerical procedures. The methodology is illustrated with some examples of surface induction hardening of a gear wheel made of steel 41Cr4. The computations are in a good accordance with experiments provided on the laboratory stand.

DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF SELECTED CIVIL DEFENSE PUBLICATIONS, A STUDY MADE IN TWENTY-FIVE COUNTIES IN FIVE STATES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SABROSKY, LAUREL K.; AND OTHERS

IN 25 COUNTIES IN ARKANSAS, TEXAS, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WASHINGTON, A STUDY WAS MADE OF THE USE OF CIVIL DEFENSE PUBLICATIONS BY THE PUBLIC, OF DISTRIBUTION PRACTICES OF COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AGENTS, AND OF THE ATTITUDES OF THE AGENTS THEMSELVES. THREE PUBLICATIONS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND TWO FROM THE OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE…

Renal cell carcinoma with thrombus extending to the hepatic veins or right atrium: operative strategies based on 41 consecutive patients.

PubMed

Gagné-Loranger, Maude; Lacombe, Louis; Pouliot, Frédéric; Fradet, Vincent; Dagenais, François

2016-08-01

The natural history of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with tumour thrombus extending at or above the hepatic veins is dismal. Different surgical approaches have been described including cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. We here report our experience in terms of surgical techniques and outcomes on 41 consecutive patients presenting an RCC extending to the hepatic veins or the right atrium. A surgical decision-making algorithm is discussed. Retrospective review of 41 patients operated for RCC extending in the retrohepatic vena cava (extent level III-IV) between 2000 and 2015. Patients were operated by a dedicated urology/cardiac surgery team. The mean age was 62.6 ± 10.4 years; 39% were female. Surgery was emergent in 7.3% of patients, 2.4% of patients had preoperative dialysis, 4.9% required a redo sternotomy and 19.5% had coronary artery disease. Tumour thrombus extended above the diaphragm in 23 patients (level IV) and to the level of hepatic veins (level III) in 18 patients. CPB was used in 38 patients. Arterial cannulation was in the aorta or femoral artery in 14 patients during the initial experience. In the current era, the axillary artery and the innominate artery were used in 12 patients each. Mean CPB, cross-clamp and circulatory arrest times were, respectively, 96.5 ± 42.9, 21.1 ± 16.4 and 10.2 ± 8.2 min (mean temperature of 25.7 ± 4.9°C). Hepatic exclusion without the use of CPB was performed to excise the thrombus in 3 patients. A right nephrectomy was performed in 25 patients, a left in 15 patients and a bilateral nephrectomy in 1 patient. Five patients had a partial inferior vena cava (IVC) resection, with 4 patients requiring a patch reconstruction of the IVC. Three patients had an infrarenal IVC ligation. One patient suffered a cerebrovascular accident in the postoperative period. One in-hospital death occurred (in-hospital mortality 2.4%). The mean follow-up was 1.9 ± 2.0 years. Twenty-three patients died

Measurement of thermally ablated lesions in sonoelastographic images using level set methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castaneda, Benjamin; Tamez-Pena, Jose Gerardo; Zhang, Man; Hoyt, Kenneth; Bylund, Kevin; Christensen, Jared; Saad, Wael; Strang, John; Rubens, Deborah J.; Parker, Kevin J.

2008-03-01

The capability of sonoelastography to detect lesions based on elasticity contrast can be applied to monitor the creation of thermally ablated lesion. Currently, segmentation of lesions depicted in sonoelastographic images is performed manually which can be a time consuming process and prone to significant intra- and inter-observer variability. This work presents a semi-automated segmentation algorithm for sonoelastographic data. The user starts by planting a seed in the perceived center of the lesion. Fast marching methods use this information to create an initial estimate of the lesion. Subsequently, level set methods refine its final shape by attaching the segmented contour to edges in the image while maintaining smoothness. The algorithm is applied to in vivo sonoelastographic images from twenty five thermal ablated lesions created in porcine livers. The estimated area is compared to results from manual segmentation and gross pathology images. Results show that the algorithm outperforms manual segmentation in accuracy, inter- and intra-observer variability. The processing time per image is significantly reduced.

Investigating the Twenty Year Lag in the Vocational Rehabilitation Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowitt, Julian

In the rehabilitation workshop there is insufficient attention to job development oriented to the current and future needs of industry. Many types of work which were done in vocational workshops in contract from industrial firms are now done by automation. Semiskilled labor is thus in diminished demand. There is a twenty year lag in the industrial…

Simultaneous determination of five tetracycline and macrolide antibiotics in feeds using HPCE.

PubMed

Tong, Jing; Rao, Qinxiong; Zhu, Kui; Jiang, Zhigang; Ding, Shuangyang

2009-12-01

This work demonstrates the potential of HPCE in the analysis of antibiotics in a complex matrix such as feedstuffs. Using 20 mM citric acid-40 mM Na(2)HPO(4) buffer (pH 2.65), the five antibiotics, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, tilmicosin, and tylosin were successfully separated at 30 kV in a 64.5 cm x 75 microm id capillary. Good repeatability, stability, and reliability of the method were supported by <10% CV with mean recoveries of >70%, and the limit of detection of the five analytes was 0.5-1 mg/kg. It was for the first time that a capillary electrophoretic method was employed to simultaneously detect five tetracycline and macrolide antibiotics in animal feeds.

Building Collective Leadership Capacity Using Collaborative Twenty-First Century Digital Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Freddy; Figaro-Henry, Sandra

2017-01-01

The current research explores how using collaborative twenty-first century digital tools developed the collective leadership capacity among participants in an educational leadership course. A qualitative interpretive approach was used. The data show how learning within the digital collaborative spaces was multidirectional and enhanced the…

Twenty five years long survival analysis of an individual shortleaf pine trees

Treesearch

Pradip Saud; Thomas B. Lynch; James M. Guldin

2016-01-01

A semi parametric cox proportion hazard model is preferred when censored data and survival time information is available (Kleinbaum and Klein 1996; Alison 2010). Censored data are observations that have incomplete information related to survival time or event time of interest. In repeated forest measurements, usually observations are either right censored or...

Twenty-Five Year Survival of Children with Intellectual Disability in Western Australia.

PubMed

Bourke, Jenny; Nembhard, Wendy N; Wong, Kingsley; Leonard, Helen

2017-09-01

To investigate survival up to early adulthood for children with intellectual disability and compare their risk of mortality with that of children without intellectual disability. This was a retrospective cohort study of all live births in Western Australia between January 1, 1983 and December 31, 2010. Children with an intellectual disability (n = 10 593) were identified from the Western Australian Intellectual Disability Exploring Answers Database. Vital status was determined from linkage to the Western Australian Mortality database. Kaplan-Meier product limit estimates and 95% CIs were computed by level of intellectual disability. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were calculated from Cox proportional hazard regression models adjusting for potential confounders. After adjusting for potential confounders, compared with those without intellectual disability, children with intellectual disability had a 6-fold increased risk of mortality at 1-5 years of age (adjusted HR [aHR] = 6.0, 95%CI: 4.8, 7.6), a 12-fold increased risk at 6-10 years of age (aHR = 12.6, 95% CI: 9.0, 17.7) and a 5-fold increased risk at 11-25 years of age (aHR = 4.9, 95% CI: 3.9, 6.1). Children with severe intellectual disability were at even greater risk. No difference in survival was observed for Aboriginal children with intellectual disability compared with non-Aboriginal children with intellectual disability. Although children with intellectual disability experience higher mortality at all ages compared with those without intellectual disability, the greatest burden is for those with severe intellectual disability. However, even children with mild to moderate intellectual disability have increased risk of death compared with unaffected children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The management of corneal trauma: advances in the past twenty-five years.

PubMed

Macsai, M S

2000-09-01

Over the past quarter century, advances in our understanding of corneal anatomy, physiology, and wound healing have all played an integral role in the management of corneal trauma. As the etiologies of corneal trauma have changed, so has our understanding of the impact of injury on corneal function as it relates to visual rehabilitation. Numerous new classes of antibiotics, antiinflammatory agents, and tissue adhesives have emerged. Occlusive therapy has advanced from simple pressure patching bandage soft contact lenses and collagen shields. Surgical instrumentation, operating microscopes, viscoelastic substances, and suture materials have all improved the outcomes of corneal trauma repair. Improved understanding of the refractive properties of the cornea through topography and alternative suture techniques has helped us restore the natural corneal curvature and visual outcomes. Consequently, in the last quarter of this century our therapeutic approaches to cornea trauma, both medical and surgical, have improved.

Learning Disabilities at Twenty-Five: The Early Adulthood of a Maturing Concept.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Melvin D.

1989-01-01

The keynote speech identifies six categories of problem areas for children with learning disabilities: (1) synchronization, (2) consistency, (3) methodology, (4) cohesion, (5) saliency determination, and (6) tempo. A model of neurodevelopmental functions and performance elements to guide researchers and practitioners is offered. (DB)

Twenty-five years of environmental radionuclide concentrations near a nuclear power plant.

PubMed

Harris, Charles; Kreeger, Danielle; Patrick, Ruth; Palms, John

2015-05-01

The areas in and along a 262-km length of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania were monitored for the presence of radioactive materials. This study began two months after the 1979 Three Mile Island (TMI) partial reactor meltdown; it spanned the next 25 y. Monitoring points included stations at the PPL Susquehanna and TMI nuclear power plants. Monthly gamma measurements document concentrations of radionuclides from natural and anthropogenic sources. During this study, various series of gamma-emitting radionuclide concentration measurements were made in many general categories of animals, plants, and other inorganic matter. Sampling began in 1979 before the first start-up of the PPL Susquehanna power plant. Although all species were not continuously monitored for the entire period, an extensive database was compiled. In 1986, the ongoing measurements detected fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. These data may be used in support of dose or environmental transport calculations.

Gifted Girls, Twenty-Five Years Later: Hopes Realized and New Challenges Found.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reis, Sally M.

2003-01-01

This article explores the advancement of gifted girls in the past 25 years and argues that the problem of underachievement of talented females continues to exist. The diversity of gifted women's creativity, their need to engage in meaningful work, and their need to balance work and family is discussed. (Contains references.) (CR)

Twenty-five years of child and family homelessness: where are we now?

PubMed

Grant, Roy; Gracy, Delaney; Goldsmith, Grifin; Shapiro, Alan; Redlener, Irwin E

2013-12-01

Family homelessness emerged as a major social and public health problem in the United States during the 1980s. We reviewed the literature, including journal articles, news stories, and government reports, that described conditions associated with family homelessness, the scope of the problem, and the health and mental health of homeless children and families. Much of this literature was published during the 1980s and 1990s. This raises questions about its continued applicability for the public health community. We concluded that descriptions of the economic conditions and public policies associated with family homelessness are still relevant; however, the homeless family population has changed over time. Family homelessness has become more prevalent and pervasive among poor and low-income families. We provide public health recommendations for these homeless families.

Twenty-Five Years of Applications of the Modified Allan Variance in Telecommunications.

PubMed

Bregni, Stefano

2016-04-01

The Modified Allan Variance (MAVAR) was originally defined in 1981 for measuring frequency stability in precision oscillators. Due to its outstanding accuracy in discriminating power-law noise, it attracted significant interest among telecommunications engineers since the early 1990s, when it was approved as a standard measure in international standards, redressed as Time Variance (TVAR), for specifying the time stability of network synchronization signals and of equipment clocks. A dozen years later, the usage of MAVAR was also introduced for Internet traffic analysis to estimate self-similarity and long-range dependence. Further, in this field, it demonstrated superior accuracy and sensitivity, better than most popular tools already in use. This paper surveys the last 25 years of progress in extending the field of application of the MAVAR in telecommunications. First, the rationale and principles of the MAVAR are briefly summarized. Its adaptation as TVAR for specification of timing stability is presented. The usage of MAVAR/TVAR in telecommunications standards is reviewed. Examples of measurements on real telecommunications equipment clocks are presented, providing an overview on their actual performance in terms of MAVAR. Moreover, applications of MAVAR to network traffic analysis are surveyed. The superior accuracy of MAVAR in estimating long-range dependence is emphasized by highlighting some remarkable practical examples of real network traffic analysis.

Twenty-Five Years of Ojibwe Treaty Rights in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesper, Larry

2012-01-01

The recognition and implementation of American Indian treaty rights beginning in the last quarter of the twentieth century are transforming the ways in which landscapes are managed, tribal and state institutions are structured, and civic identities are constructed in a number of states that surround Indian nations. This national treaty-rights…

Inner London's Education Authority: Reflections on ILEA Twenty-Five Years after Closure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Peter

2015-01-01

It is 25 years since the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was abolished and management of education in central London transferred to 13 London boroughs. The author reflects on the experience of being an ex-ILEA head teacher, and of managing one of the new local education authorities in the immediate post-ILEA period. He begins by commenting…

Twenty-five years of progress in understanding pollination mechanisms in palms (Arecaceae)

PubMed Central

Barfod, Anders S.; Hagen, Melanie; Borchsenius, Finn

2011-01-01

Background With more than 90 published studies of pollination mechanisms, the palm family is one of the better studied tropical families of angiosperms. Understanding palm–pollinator interactions has implications for tropical silviculture, agroforestry and horticulture, as well as for our understanding of palm evolution and diversification. We review the rich literature on pollination mechanisms in palms that has appeared since the last review of palm pollination studies was published 25 years ago. Scope and Conclusions Visitors to palm inflorescences are attracted by rewards such as food, shelter and oviposition sites. The interaction between the palm and its visiting fauna represents a trade-off between the services provided by the potential pollinators and the antagonistic activities of other insect visitors. Evidence suggests that beetles constitute the most important group of pollinators in palms, followed by bees and flies. Occasional pollinators include mammals (e.g. bats and marsupials) and even crabs. Comparative studies of palm–pollinator interactions in closely related palm species document transitions in floral morphology, phenology and anatomy correlated with shifts in pollination vectors. Synecological studies show that asynchronous flowering and partitioning of pollinator guilds may be important regulators of gene flow between closely related sympatric taxa and potential drivers of speciation processes. Studies of larger plant–pollinator networks point out the importance of competition for pollinators between palms and other flowering plants and document how the insect communities in tropical forest canopies probably influence the reproductive success of palms. However, published studies have a strong geographical bias towards the South American region and a taxonomic bias towards the tribe Cocoseae. Future studies should try to correct this imbalance to provide a more representative picture of pollination mechanisms and their evolutionary implications across the entire family. PMID:21831852

Twenty-five years after "Wingspread"- Environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) and human health.

PubMed

Gray, Leon Earl

2017-04-01

The aim of this paper is to provide the reader with a view of the Endocrine Disruptor Chemical (EDC) research field and its relevance to human health. My perspective is from working on the effects of EDCs that act via the androgen (A) or estrogen (E) signaling pathways in a regulatory agency for the last four decades with the objective of producing data that risk assessors could use to reduce the uncertainty in risk assessment. In vitro and in vivo data from our studies has contributed to regulatory agencies decision-making since the 1990s (https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/cleared_reviews/csr_PC-113201_7-Apr-98_238.pdf). From the start, we were evaluating the utility of in vitro and short-term in vivo effects to predict the adverse effects in developing animals [1; 2]. This approach has expanded greatly to include what is now known as Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOP) and networks (AOPn) [3; 4]. The AOP framework for the effects of chemicals that disrupt androgen signaling during sexual differentiation of the fetal male rat provides biological context for extrapolating mechanistic information from in vitro and in vivo assays in rodents to other species including humans. Such an approach has biological validity because the E and A pathways are highly conserved in vertebrates, including humans and laboratory animals.

Twenty-five years after "Wingspread"- Environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) and human health

EPA Science Inventory

The development of life-stage and tissue-specific AOPs for EDCs can reduce the uncertainty in extrapolating of the effects of EDCs from in vitro and in vivo studies in laboratory animals to humans. When the key events (KEs) and molecular initiating event (MIEs) in a pathway are...

Modern history of women in sports. Twenty-five years of Title IX.

PubMed

Lopiano, D A

2000-04-01

The impact of federal anti-discrimination laws such as Title IX and the Amateur Sports Act have opened the doors of sport participation opportunity to girls and women in sports over the last 25 years. Such participation has created new and more lucrative consumer markets for sporting goods manufactures, as well as college and professional sports teams. The prospect of economic gain has created significant social changes: Women are now being encouraged to participate in sports and embrace the resulting benefits, and the general public is showing increased support for gender equity in sports.

Deciding who gets treatment for depression and anxiety: a study of consecutive GP attenders

PubMed Central

Hyde, Julia; Evans, Jonathan; Sharp, Debbie; Croudace, Tim; Harrison, Glynn; Lewis, Glyn; Araya, Ricardo

2005-01-01

Background Most research has focused on recognition by GPs of the common mental disorders: depression and anxiety. However, less is known about the factors that determine whether patients with those disorders that are recognised receive any active treatment. Aim To investigate factors associated with receiving active treatment among consecutive attenders identified by GPs as having a common mental disorder. Setting Data were collected as part of a cluster randomised controlled trial in 30 general practices in the south of Bristol, UK, on the impact of mental health guidelines in primary care. Method We studied 439 consecutive general practice attenders aged 16–64 years who were given a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or chronic mixed anxiety and depression by their GP. The main outcome measure was the provision of any active treatment, whether pharmacological or psychological, for these disorders. Patient, GP, and practice level data, including sociodemographic, clinical, and administrative data were explored as predictors in a logistic regression model. Huber White variance estimates were used to account for hierarchical clustering. Results Of those patients identified as having a common mental disorder by the GP, 54% were offered active treatment. Higher symptom score, as measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06 to 1.13; P<0.001) and being male (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.13 to 2.09; P = 0.006), were both associated with an increased likelihood of being offered active treatment. Patients with anxiety (OR = 0.24; 95% = CI 0.14 to 0.41; P<0.001), or chronic mixed anxiety/depression (OR = 0.41; 95% CI = 0.23 to 0.73; P = 0.003) were less likely to be offered active treatment than those considered to have depression. Conclusion When deciding to offer active treatment for common mental disorders, GPs appear to be influenced by the severity of symptoms rather than their ‘understandability’ in

Effect of drying methods (microwave vacuum, freeze, hot air and sun drying) on physical, chemical and nutritional attributes of five pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) cultivars.

PubMed

Maurya, Vaibhav Kumar; Gothandam, Kodiveri Muthukaliannan; Ranjan, Vijay; Shakya, Amita; Pareek, Sunil

2018-07-01

A randomized block design experiment was performed to investigate the influence of drying on the physical, chemical and nutritional quality attributes of five prominent cultivars of India under sun drying (SD) (mean temperature 35.5 °C, average daily radiation 5.26 kW h m -2 and mean relative humidity 73.66% RH), hot air drying (HD) at 65 °C, microwave vacuum drying (MVD) (800 W, 5 kPa) and freeze drying (FD) (-50 °C, 5 kPa). Water activity, pH, total phenolic content (TPC), ascorbic acid (AA), capsaicin, β-carotene, color and Scoville heat unit were studied. TPC, AA, capsaicin content, β-carotene, color and water activity were significantly affected by the drying method. FD was observed to be most efficient in minimizing the loss of color, capsaicin and β-carotene. The hotness of analyzed samples decreased in the order 'Bird's Eye' > 'Sannam S4' > 'CO-4' > 'PLR-1' > 'PKM-1' among the studied cultivars, and FD > MVD > HD > SD among the drying methods. The FD method was observed to be the most efficient drying method for retaining capsaicin content over other drying methods (SD, HD, MVD), whereas MVD was found to be most efficient in minimizing the loss to nutritional attributes for all five pepper cultivars. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reference data of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire: five consecutive annual assessments of approximately 2000 representative Dutch men and women.

PubMed

Mols, Floortje; Husson, Olga; Oudejans, Marije; Vlooswijk, Carla; Horevoorts, Nicole; van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V

2018-06-18

Cancer and its treatment have an influence on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Normative data could help to interpret HRQOL among cancer patients. Our aim was to generate longitudinal normative data based on sex, age and morbidity for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The QLQ-C30 and the Self-administered Comorbidity Questionnaire were administered to a representative panel of the Dutch-speaking population in the Netherlands in 2009 (n = 1743), 2010 (n = 2050), 2011 (n = 2040), 2012 (n = 2194) and 2013 (n = 2333). Regarding sex, at baseline, women scored statistically significant and clinically relevant worse on fatigue, pain and insomnia compared to men. Regarding age groups and sex, HRQoL was lower among the older age groups in men and women. For men, at baseline, significant and clinically relevant age differences were found on physical, role and cognitive functioning, global QOL scale, fatigue, pain and dyspnea. The change over 5 years was larger for older age groups. For women, at baseline, significant and clinically relevant age differences were found on physical functioning, role functioning, nausea/vomiting, pain, dyspnea and insomnia. Those without self-reported morbidities reported a better HRQoL compared to those with morbidities. Among those who completed five assessments, the summary scale scores were stable over time, were higher in men than in women, and higher in younger compared to older age groups. Although HRQoL remains relatively stable over time, HRQoL data needs to be interpreted with care as many confounding factors can have an impact on HRQOL. Our data (which is freely available) can aid in the interpretation of QLQ-C30 scores and can help increase our understanding of the influence of age, sex, time and morbid conditions on HRQoL among cancer patients.

[Results of requesting a second consecutive sperm ejaculate on the day of oocyte pick-up in assisted reproductive technology].

PubMed

Zhai, Dan-mei; Li, Mu-jun; Jiang, Li; Qin, Ai-ping; Li, Liu-ming; Hang, Fu

2011-05-01

To evaluate the results of requesting a second consecutive sperm ejaculate in order to reduce ICSI cycles by PESA or TESE on the day of oocyte pick-up in assisted reproductive technology (ART). We collected 68 semen samples as a second consecutive ejaculate from 34 men, compared the semen volume and sperm concentration, motility and total count between the first and the second ejaculation, and analyzed the laboratory results and clinical outcomes of fertilization with the mixed sperm. The 34 males ejaculated twice within 4 hours by masturbation, with an interval of 26-183 (94.9 +/- 39.8) minutes between the first and second ejaculation. The volume of the first ejaculate was (2.0 +/- 1.4) ml, significantly higher than that of the second ([1.5 +/- 0.9] ml) (P = 0.007), although the numbers of motile sperm and grade a + b sperm of the first ([40.8 +/- 25.3]% and [30.9 +/- 22.4]%) were significantly lower than those of the second ([52.2 +/- 21.1]% and [39.9 +/- 17.5]%) (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the sperm concentration or total sperm count between the two ejaculates (P > 0.05). The ICSI, IVF + ICSI, and IVF cycles were 3, 3 and 28 respectively among the 34 couples undergoing ART. The number of retrieved oocytes, normal fertilization rate, high quality embryo rate and frozen cycles/fresh transfer cycles ratio were 15.5 +/- 8.7, 57.0% (247/433), 58.7% (145/247) and 20/24 for the IVF cycle, 21.7 +/- 8.3, 61.5% (40/65), 67.5% (27/40) and 3/2 for the ICSI cycle, and 10.0 +/- 2.6, 72.4% (21/29), 66.7% (14/21) and 3/3 for the IVF + ICSI cycle. Fourteen live births were achieved out of the 18 pregnancies, including 6 healthy boys and 9 healthy girls. A clinical pregnancy rate of >30% can be achieved by requesting a second consecutive sperm ejaculate on the day of oocyte pick-up in order to collect more sperm and/or increase the total number of motile sperm for ART. And this method can avoid other invasive sperm processing techniques and

Consecutive rebounds in plasma viral load are associated with virological failure at 52 weeks among HIV-infected patients.

PubMed

Raboud, Janet M; Rae, Sandra; Woods, Ryan; Harris, Marianne; Montaner, Julio S G

2002-08-16

To describe the characteristics and predictors of transient plasma viral load (pVL) rebounds among patients on stable antiretroviral therapy and to determine the effect of one or more pVL rebounds on virological response at week 52. Individual data were combined from 358 patients from the INCAS, AVANTI-2 and AVANTI-3 studies. Logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship between the magnitude of an increase in pVL and the probability of returning to the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ: 20-50 copies/ml) and to determine the odds of virological success at 52 weeks associated with single and consecutive pVL rebounds. A group of 165 patients achieved a pVL nadir < LLOQ; of these, 85 patients experienced pVL rebounds within 52 weeks. The probability of a pVL rebound was greater among patients who did not adhere to treatment (68% vs 49%; P < 0.05). The probability of reachieving virological suppression after a pVL rebound was not associated with the magnitude of the rebound [odds ratio (OR), 0.86; P = 0.56] but was associated with triple therapy (OR, 2.22; P = 0.06) or non-adherence (OR, 0.40; P = 0.04). The probability of virological success at week 52 was not associated with an isolated pVL rebound but was less likely after detectable pVL at two consecutive visits. An isolated pVL rebound was not associated with virological success at 52 weeks but rebounds at two consecutive visits decreased the probability of later virological success. Given their high risk of short-term virological failure, patients who present with consecutive detectable pVL measurements following complete suppression should be considered ideal candidates for intervention studies.

Radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteomas: five years experience.

PubMed

Papathanassiou, Zafiria G; Petsas, Theodore; Papachristou, Dionysios; Megas, Panagiotis

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation as a curative treatment method for benign bone tumours. Twenty-nine osteoid osteomas were treated with radiofrequency ablation. Primary success rate was 89.6% and total secondary success rate was 93.1%. Mean clinical follow-up period was 26.7 months (range: 6-63 months). Statistical analysis of 25 cases of osteoid osteomas with CT follow-up revealed that post-treatment re-ossification does not correlate with clinical outcome (p = 0.14) but is strongly correlated with long-term (> or = 12 months) CT follow-up (p = 0.014). Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation was found to be an effective and safe treatment for osteoid osteomas. CT findings cannot solely differentiate between treatment successes and failures.

Interference-free spectrofluorometric quantification of aristolochic acid I and aristololactam I in five Chinese herbal medicines using chemical derivatization enhancement and second-order calibration methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yong; Wu, Hai-Long; Yin, Xiao-Li; Gu, Hui-Wen; Xiao, Rong; Wang, Li; Fang, Huan; Yu, Ru-Qin

2017-03-01

A rapid interference-free spectrofluorometric method combined with the excitation-emission matrix fluorescence and the second-order calibration methods based on the alternating penalty trilinear decomposition (APTLD) and the self-weighted alternating trilinear decomposition (SWATLD) algorithms, was proposed for the simultaneous determination of nephrotoxic aristolochic acid I (AA-I) and aristololactam I (AL-I) in five Chinese herbal medicines. The method was based on a chemical derivatization that converts the non-fluorescent AA-I to high-fluorescent AL-I, achieving a high sensitive and simultaneous quantification of the analytes. The variables of the derivatization reaction that conducted by using zinc powder in acetose methanol aqueous solution, were studied and optimized for best quantification results of AA-I and AL-I. The satisfactory results of AA-I and AL-I for the spiked recovery assay were achieved with average recoveries in the range of 100.4-103.8% and RMSEPs < 0.78 ng mL- 1, which validate the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method. The contents of AA-I and AL-I in five herbal medicines obtained from the proposed method were also in good accordance with those of the validated LC-MS/MS method. In light of high sensitive fluorescence detection, the limits of detection (LODs) of AA-I and AL-I for the proposed method compare favorably with that of the LC-MS/MS method, with the LODs < 0.35 and 0.29 ng mL- 1, respectively. The proposed strategy based on the APTLD and SWATLD algorithms by virtue of the "second-order advantage", can be considered as an attractive and green alternative for the quantification of AA-I and AL-I in complex herbal medicine matrices without any prior separations and clear-up processes.

Benthic meiofauna responses to five forest harvest methods

Treesearch

Freese Smith; Arthur V. Brown; Misty Pope; Jerry L. Michael

2001-01-01

Benthic meiofauna were collected from the pools of minute (0 order) streams in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas during March 21-23, 1996 to see if benthic communities responded to forest harvest methods in a similar manner as plankton communities collected two years prior. The study streams and their watersheds (2-6 ha) were located in 14-16 ha forest stands that...

Twenty-fourth Semiannual Report of the Commission to the Congress, July 1958

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

Strauss, Lewis L.; McCone, John A.

1958-07-31

The document represents the twenty-fourth semiannual Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) report to Congress. The report sums up the major activities and developments in the national atomic energy program covering the period January - June 1958.

Designing Vaccines for the Twenty-First Century Society

PubMed Central

Finco, Oretta; Rappuoli, Rino

2013-01-01

The history of vaccination clearly demonstrates that vaccines have been highly successful in preventing infectious diseases, reducing significantly the incidence of childhood diseases and mortality. However, many infections are still not preventable with the currently available vaccines and they represent a major cause of mortality worldwide. In the twenty-first century, the innovation brought by novel technologies in antigen discovery and formulation together with a deeper knowledge of the human immune responses are paving the way for the development of new vaccines. Final goal will be to rationally design effective vaccines where conventional approaches have failed. PMID:24478777

Study of five-dimensional potential-energy surfaces for actinide isotopes by the macroscopic-microscopic method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, T. S.; Wang, Z. M.; Zhu, X.; Zhu, W. J.; Zhong, C. L.

2017-09-01

In this work, the nuclear potential-energy of the deformed nuclei as a function of shape coordinates is calculated in a five-dimensional (5D) parameter space of the axially symmetric generalized Lawrence shapes, on the basis of the macroscopic-microscopic method. The liquid-drop part of the nuclear energy is calculated according to the Myers-Swiatecki model and the Lublin-Strasbourg-drop (LSD) formula. The Woods-Saxon and the folded-Yukawa potentials for deformed nuclei are used for the shell and pairing corrections of the Strutinsky-type. The pairing corrections are calculated at zero temperature, T, related to the excitation energy. The eigenvalues of Hamiltonians for protons and neutrons are found by expanding the eigen-functions in terms of harmonic-oscillator wave functions of a spheroid. Then the BCS pair is applied on the smeared-out single-particle spectrum. By comparing the results obtained by different models, the most favorable combination of the macroscopic-microscopic model is known as the LSD formula with the folded-Yukawa potential. Potential-energy landscapes for actinide isotopes are investigated based on a grid of more than 4,000,000 deformation points and the heights of static fission barriers are obtained in terms of a double-humped structure on the full 5D parameter space. In order to locate the ground state shapes, saddle points, scission points and optimal fission path on the calculated 5D potential-energy surface, the falling rain algorithm and immersion method are designed and implemented. The comparison of our results with available experimental data and others' theoretical results confirms the reliability of our calculations.

Adolescent Personality: A Five-Factor Model Construct Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Spencer T.; Victor, James B.; Chambers, Anthony L.; Halverson, Jr., Charles F.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate convergent and discriminant validity of the five-factor model of adolescent personality in a school setting using three different raters (methods): self-ratings, peer ratings, and teacher ratings. The authors investigated validity through a multitrait-multimethod matrix and a confirmatory factor…

Infant and under-five mortality in Afghanistan: current estimates and limitations

PubMed Central

Becker, Stan; Hansen, Peter M; Kumar, Dhirendra; Kumar, Binay; Niayesh, Haseebullah; Peters, David H; Burnham, Gilbert

2010-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine historical estimates of infant and under-five mortality in Afghanistan, provide estimates for rural areas from current population-based data, and discuss the methodological challenges that undermine data quality and hinder retrospective estimations of mortality. Methods Indirect methods of estimation were used to calculate infant and under-five mortality from a household survey conducted in 2006. Sex-specific differences in underreporting of births and deaths were examined and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the effect of underreporting on infant and under-five mortality. Findings For 2004, rural unadjusted infant and under-five mortality rates were estimated to be 129 and 191 deaths per 1000 live births, respectively, with some evidence indicating underreporting of female deaths. If adjustment for underreporting is made (i.e. by assuming 50% of the unreported girls are dead), mortality estimates go up to 140 and 209, respectively. Conclusion Commonly used estimates of infant and under-five mortality in Afghanistan are outdated; they do not reflect changes that have occurred in the past 15 years or recent intensive investments in health services development, such as the implementation of the Basic Package of Health Services. The sociocultural aspects of mortality and their effect on the reporting of births and deaths in Afghanistan need to be investigated further. PMID:20680122

Consecutive virgin births in the new world boid snake, the Colombian rainbow Boa, Epicrates maurus.

PubMed

Booth, Warren; Million, Larry; Reynolds, R Graham; Burghardt, Gordon M; Vargo, Edward L; Schal, Coby; Tzika, Athanasia C; Schuett, Gordon W

2011-01-01

Until recently, facultative automictic parthenogenesis within the squamate reptiles exhibiting ZZ:ZW genetic sex determination has resulted in single reproductive events producing male (ZZ) or female (ZW) offspring. With the recent discovery of viable parthenogenetically produced female (WW) Boa constrictors, the existence of further parthenogenetic events resulting in WW females was questioned. Here, we provide genetic evidence for consecutive virgin births by a female Colombian rainbow boa (Epicrates maurus), resulting in the production of WW females likely through terminal fusion automixis. Samples were screened at 22 microsatellite loci with 12 amplifying unambiguous products. Of these, maternal heterozygosity was observed in 4, with the offspring differentially homozygous at each locus. This study documents the first record of parthenogenesis within the genus Epicrates, a second within the serpent lineage Boidae, and the third genetically confirmed case of consecutive virgin births of viable offspring within any vertebrate lineage. Unlike the recent record in Boa constrictors, the female described here was isolated from conspecifics from birth, demonstrating that males are not required to stimulate parthenogenetic reproduction in this species and possibly other Boas.

Enzymatic conversion of sucrose to glucose and its anomerization by quantitative NMR spectroscopy: Application of a simple consecutive reaction rates approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Jaideep; Her, Cheenou; Krishnan, V. V.

2018-02-01

The anomerization of carbohydrates is an essential process that determines the relative stabilization of stereoisomers in an aqueous solution. In a typical real-time enzyme kinetics experiment, the substrate (sucrose) is converted to glucose and fructose by the enzyme invertase. The product (α-D-glucose) starts to convert to β-D-glucose immediately by hydrolysis. Though the anomerization process is independent of the enzyme catalysis, the progress curve describing the production of β-D-glucose from α-D-glucose is directly affected by the kinetics of consecutive reactions. When α-D-glucose is continually converted to β-D-glucose, by the enzymatic action, the time course of both α- and β-D-glucose is influenced by the enzyme kinetics. Thus, a reversible first-order rate equation is not adequate to model the reaction mechanism, leading to erroneous results on the rates of formation of the glucose anomers. In this manuscript, we incorporate an approximate method to address consecutive general reactions involving enzyme kinetics and first-order reaction processes. The utility of the approach is demonstrated in the real-time NMR measurement of the anomerization process of α-D-glucose (enzymatically produced from sucrose) to β-D-glucose, as a function of invertase enzyme concentration. Variable temperature experiments were used to estimate the thermodynamic parameters of the anomerization process and are consistent with literature values.

TPACK Updated to Measure Pre-Service Teachers' Twenty-First Century Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valtonen, Teemu; Sointu, Erkko; Kukkonen, Jari; Kontkanen, Sini; Lambert, Matthew C.; Mäkitalo-Siegl, Kati

2017-01-01

Twenty-first century skills have attracted significant attention in recent years. Students of today and the future are expected to have the skills necessary for collaborating, problem solving, creative and innovative thinking, and the ability to take advantage of information and communication technology (ICT) applications. Teachers must be…